Like many poker rooms, Betsson Poker is set up to get you into the action as quickly as possible. If you opt for the download version of their software then the 1.4MB file should be on your computer in no more than a few minutes. Once you’ve installed the software and signed up a ‘Quick Seat’ page allows you to find the table your looking for at the click of a button.
Betsson Poker is largely geared towards the European market, not surprising considering their decision to not allow US players to use the software, as well as their Swedish origins. With this in mind their website can be viewed in an impressive 17 languages, including Peruvian and Icelandic. It is a bit underwhelming then to discover that, despite the breadth on their site, the software itself is only available in English.
Mac owners will be happy to hear that, in addition to a java Instant Play in-browser download which will work on any operating system, Betsson Poker also offers a native Mac poker client. This means whether you want to just check out the poker room in your browser or start seriously playing with the program on your computer, whether you have Windows or Mac will not hold you back. The downloadable client does not, at this time, work with Linux, but offering the Java Instant Play interface gets around this problem nicely.
The program itself is a competent offering into an overcrowded market. Sporting a pleasant green decor, the table list is as standard and can be organized by a series of buttons and tabs. Betsson Poker is a member of the Ongame network, famously spearheaded by Poker Room. Anyone who has used any of the multitudinous Ongame clients before will be familiar with the set-up here.
Once you’ve found the game you’re looking for operating the table should be a breeze. One of the Ongame networks most enduring images is it’s “classic” 3D CG avatars, so it’s nice surprise to see that they have been redesigned for Betsson version. The cards and betting amounts are clear enough for all to see, and all the necessary buttons and collected in a shaded area below the action. One useful feature is the ability to select specific pot fractions when choosing your bet size – for example, rather than calculating it yourself, clicking the 3/4 pot button will set your bet to three quarters the current pot size. The tables can also be switched into a mini view for ease of multitabling.