iPoker vs. Microgaming: Comparison of European poker networks

Not all poker players are ready to start grinding in alternative poker networks, which attracts them with soft players or high rakeback but less popularity. Experience and trust are very important for some of them, and the old European networks meet these conditions. Those networks continue offering to players an interesting setup (safety, traffic, software, payment systems, and support). At the same time, not being in the fight for the TOP-3 (PokerStars, PartyPoker), creates softer lineups and Worldpokerdeals can complement it with a good rakeback offer and top service.

Today we review the current situation of the two most famous European poker networks — iPoker and Microgaming — comparing traffic, software, and rakeback for November 2018.

iPoker is slightly ahead of Microgaming in terms of traffic:

But it is important to analyze how these players are distributed at the tables during the same time.

Cash games traffic comparison in iPoker and Microgaming

We gather information from both network lobbies during the evening. As a result, we got the following data on the maximum number of NLHE 6-max tables:

Stake	iPoker	Microgaming
NL10	15	17
NL20	11	15
NL50	13	9
NL100	9	7
NL200	11	5
NL400	5	1
NL600	3
NL1K	2	1

It can be noted that Microgaming has a small advantage in the number of NL10-NL20 tables, but over NL50 iPoker has more action, and in higher stakes, the difference becomes bigger. Last summer MPN launched a new software highly focused on amateur players, and this is maybe the cause of the network's strength in lower stakes.

The iPoker traffic remains the same compared to April of this year. Both networks offer Fast Poker, but Microgaming has only one stake available (NL2, 77 players) while iPoker has:

NL5 — 42 connections;
NL20 — 73 connections;

For fans of four cards game (Omaha), the situation is as follows:

Stake	iPoker	Microgaming
PLO10	4	7
PLO20	3	6
PLO50	2	5
PLO100	4	2
PLO200	1	1
PLO400	1
PLO600
PLO1K	1

In general, according to our scouts, the Omaha traffic in iPoker and Microgaming is very different for each stake. In one stake the traffic could be almost zero while in the next one a couple of tables could be found.

We consider difficult to seriously grind Omaha in these networks, even combining them, the number of tables is not very regular.

Software comparison in iPoker and Microgaming

This could be the subject were more differences are present. Therefore, the poker client features could be a key factor for choosing a particular network to play.

Next year Microgaming will completely switch to the new Prima client, and it will be very similar to Unibet: random table selection, bright tables design and lack of support for trackers. Such policy changes will have its effects on the field of Microgaming rooms.

On the other hand, iPoker launched its new poker client in 2016 without major changes. Support software works directly and there are layouts and mods available.

Rakeback comparison in iPoker and Microgaming

Both networks use an indirect rake distribution structure, which allows players to receive a good percentage of rakeback according to today's standards.

Worldpokerdeals players are eligible for special rakeback offers in both networks. Our players will receive a fixed percentage of rakeback which in real terms goes from 30% to 40%.

Our top deals in both networks are the following rooms: