How to Play Poker on a Mac
Playing poker on a Mac can be troublesome. There are only two websites that offer true Mac-based software packages – Pokerstars and Full Tilt Poker. Many other poker sites have “instant play” Java-based games that can be used immediately regardless of a user’s computer system, which is another option for Mac users. There are some other, more complicated, ways that a Mac owner can play poker online. Arguably, the best option is to use a program called Wine.
Play Poker at PokerStars or Full Tilt
PokerStars is currently one of only two poker sites that offer specific Mac-based software. PokerStars claims to be the largest poker site in the world, and it’s easy to see why they’ve become so popular. They have arguably the best layout of any poker site on the Internet, and they offer the most popular types of poker as well as some more rare styles such as Razz. At any given time, there are thousands of people participating on PokerStars, therefore making it simple to find opponents and win money. For Mac users, simply clicking on the “Download” button on the homepage will immediately begin the software download. PokerStars may or may not recognize your computer as a Mac – if the site begins an .exe download, cancel it and go to the customer support tab. From there, go the FAQ where you should be able to find a link for the Mac download page.
Full Tilt Poker is the other site that provides Mac users with their own software. While perhaps not as popular as PokerStars, Full Tilt is a major player in the online poker scene. With thousands of players always online, reputable security, and ease of play, Full Tilt has become one of the best places to play poker online. Poker professionals have even been known to participate the Full Tilt tables. The software for Mac is obtained in exactly the same way as PokerStars – simply click “Download” on the Full Tilt homepage. With Mac-based software, Mac users can experience the full gamut of what Full Tilt has to offer, just the same as any Windows user.
Play Java-based Games on your Mac
There are a plethora of poker sites on the Internet. If you use a Mac but you don’t want to play at PokerStars or Full Tilt, you might want to consider a website that offers Java-based games. Many poker sites offer web-based platform poker that is run through the use of Java or Flash, both of which are designed to run on most computers regardless of their operating system. These games require no software download and can often be played instantly. Good poker sites that offer this option include: Pacific Poker, Party Poker, Hollywood Poker, and Sun Poker.
The problem with “instant play” or “no-download” games is that some features that are in the software versions may not be available. Table sorting, all-in percentages, and other smaller aspects of the game may not appear in Java-based play. The graphics may also suffer. Mac users can still have a fulfilling poker-playing experience while playing this way, but it may not be enough for the expert online player.
Play Poker by Using Wine on your Mac
Basically, in order for a Mac user to get the full experience on a poker site other than PokerStars or Full Tilt, they will have to find a way to run Windows-based software on their Mac. There are a few solutions. Using a program such as Boot Camp can allow a Mac user to install Windows on their Mac and have it as a secondary operating system. Then, when using the Windows “section” of your machine, you can download, install, and use the software for any poker site. Boot Camp requires a complete re-boot every time you wish to change operating systems. If you don’t want to do that, you could try using a tool such as Parallels Desktop to install Windows and be able to switch back and forth between operating systems. This solution can cause major slow-downs on your computer, however. Also, using either of these programs requires a copy of Windows, which can be quite expensive.
Therefore, the best solution is to use Wine. Wine is a tool that allows Windows software to run on a Mac without needing to have the actual Windows operating system. Wine is free to download, and it is also open source. Simply download Wine from the Wine website and install it. Then, download the software package from the poker site that you wish to use. Dragging the poker file into the Windows folder created by Wine should allow the software to run. Wine does not work 100% of the time, and sometimes the results can be somewhat unstable. However, for any Mac user who wants to play online poker at a smaller site, this is the best option. It’s worth a try, and it allows you to not have to deal with any Windows software that you were probably trying to avoid by getting a Mac in the first place.