PokerStars is the Emerald City of the online gambling world; every week millions of players make the pilgrimage to this poker megasite. Not only is PokerStars the largest online poker room, but its eight-year history makes it one of the oldest internet card rooms still operating today. No other online site can compete with PokerStars' industry presence. Their tournaments are legendary and regularly offer everyday players a chance to compete with the big boys at events like the World Series of Poker and the European Poker Tour. When new poker shows like the Million Dollar Challenge need amateur contestants, PokerStars is their first stop. If you're looking for the best that online poker has to offer, then PokerStars should be your first stop too.

Play-Oriented Promotions

PokerStars puts the majority of its promotional focus on its tournament offerings. Apart from their better-than-average $600/100% sign-on bonus, don't expect a lot of freebies. PokerStars has the numbers to forgo popular gimmicks like no-deposit bonuses, though occasionally they'll toss bonus hunters a small reload bone. Their VIP Club is also pretty standard as far as points programs go. You'll get your value from low-entry satellites, big money freerolls, a popular steps program, and massive weekend guaranteeds. Keep an eye on Gambling Planet's PokerStars banners for rare bonuses available only to GP readers.

Blah Software Saved by Secondary Options

If there's one weak point in the PokerStars package, it's their so-so software. That said, most new players won't notice the difference; the site is still fast and the games are still glitch-free. PokerStars provides their own platform, so they make updates regularly. Just this summer they upgraded their graphics, so there's nothing stale about table design.

Where the software package really redeems itself is in usable player options. Style-conscious players will appreciate the thirteen table themes with adjustable background and deck, and international players will appreciate the 25 language options. Multi-tabling is easy but the informational tournament pop-ups add unnecessary clutter. Thankfully you can right-click on any seat to change your position, reduce distractions like table talk and player icons and can also use the same menu to make instant notes about your opponents.

Cash Game Action

In the middle of the afternoon, in the middle of the week, you can find instant action at PokerStars. There's absolutely no wait for a Holdem table at virtually any stakes level (with the notable exception of the fixed $1000/$2000 table). There's steady action in the Omaha and Stud rooms too, from the micro-stakes all the way up to the middling tables. Even if you're a player with limited time, you can always get a few hands in at PokerStars.

The Best Online Tournaments

When they're looking for a good tournament, those in the know head to PokerStars. Here the tournaments are frequent, well-funded and well-attended. Amateurs may be intimidated by the large playing fields which regularly number in the thousands, but likewise this may be their only chance to qualify for major events like the PokerStars-hosted WCOOP, the WSOP, the WPT and more. Log on prior to a major event (like the WCOOP) and you can expect to see upwards of a quarter of a million players, a fair percentage of which are taking advantage of the site's many satellites in an attempt to win a cheap ticket to a big game. As a PokerStars player, you'll have the same opportunities every day.

If you can't handle the heat of the larger tournaments, then the site's many sit 'n gos offer a happy alternative. Play with as few as two or as many as a thousand; the SNGs are as quick to fill as the cash tables and offer good odds and a lot of play time for as little as a penny.

Money Money Money

You can start playing on PokerStars for as little as $10. On the site's Real Money page, you can see individualized payment methods for a huge list of countries. Some players will have as many as 20 deposit and withdrawal options, while others will only have a handful. There's good news for U.S. players too: your credit cards are readily accepted here. Apart from credit cards, virtually all players will have the option of using eChecks or a Bank Draft, and players outside the U.S. can use all the popular third-party services (Click2Pay, Moneybookers, etc). Getting their money back will be a little harder for American players since checks and eChecks are their only option, but any PokerStars regular will tell you that the extra hassle is well worth the payoff.