Sky Poker Review

OVERVIEW

Sky Poker is one of the very few independent online poker sites still in operation, somehow avoiding the allure of joining a network and being handed a large player base in order to keep doing things their own way. Despite this, Sky Poker has managed to build a solid player base through their software, marketing (including the very popular Sky Poker TV), and promotions they offer their players.

One of Sky Poker’s biggest draw is Sky Poker TV, which allows players to take part in poker games televised on Sky Poker TV. These tables are marked in the Sky Poker lobby, and the TV schedule is available at the Sky Poker website.

Sky Poker is located inside the United Kingdom which makes the site one of the safest and most heavily regulated online poker rooms in the world. Sky Poker is also heavily invested in marketing poker tournaments around the UK, hosting a number of tournament series including the Sky Poker Tour. Sky Poker has also been active in sponsoring professional poker players, with Julian Thew leading the Sky Poker team.

Sky Poker is not accepting US players at this time.

TRAFFIC AND COMPETITION

Traffic at Sky Poker is steadily growing, and on busy days can approach 1,000 real-money cash-game players, with a similar amount of tournament players. Most of the traffic on the site is focused on the No Limit Holdem tables, but players will also find some action at the PLO and Limit Holdem tables.

Competition at the site is typical for an online poker site, neither terribly soft nor particularly tough. Players at Sky Poker will find the lower limit games beatable, the mid-stakes games far tougher, and any high-stakes games running on the site to be filled with winning regs.

SOFTWARE

Sky Poker uses Orbis Technology for their software. Orbis is an independent software firm that offers their wares to poker rooms and online gaming sites around the globe. Overall the Sky Poker software is adequate if not exceptional, considering it is a Java-Based, no-download client, with the software at Sky Poker utilizing the standard lobby and in-game features that poker players will find at other online poker sites.

The software does have added features such as added lobby filters like “Beginner” table, televised games, and a one-click find a player feature. In-game features include:

• The Hot-O-Meter, telling players the overall strength of their hole-cards
• 3-D Avatars with varying behaviors

PROMOTIONS

Sky Poker is currently offering new players a very enticing welcome package offer that includes a 100% match of their first deposit up to £1,000, as well as a free $10 tournament coupon that can be used at the player’s discretion.

Sky Poker uses a very basic, but generous VIP Loyalty model: All players receive Sky Poker points based on the amount of hands and the stakes they play at the site. These points can then be exchanged for cash on a simple conversion basis.

High volume players can also enroll in the Sky Poker Priority Club and receive even more bonuses and cash-back deals. To enroll in the Priority Club a player must accrue over 10,000 Sky Poker Points in a calendar month.

DEPOSIT OPTIONS

Sky Poker has a good selection of funding options for their players to choose from, and also offers a good selection of withdrawal options, most free of charge. Players can fund their Sky Poker accounts with a number of different currencies including AUS, CAD, EUR, GBP, HKD, SGD and USD. Here is a quick look at the deposit and withdrawal options available to Sky Poker players:

• Visa
• MasterCard
• Visa Electron
• Visa Delta
• Laser
• Switch
• Solo
• Maestro