Poker is one of the oldest casino games requiring solid emotional control and well-planned moves to win the opponents. There is nothing wrong with implementing certain poker tricks to win higher bets from other players, but it’s terrible to manipulate and pretend like you are in Hollywood.

Slow roll poker is one of the strategies that players use to leave a fake expression on the table that they will lose when having an unbeatable poker hand. Showing the cards slowly at the end of the hand and holding other players in suspense is also considered slow rolling.

The point of the slow poker roll is to make the opponents think they have a winning hand till the last moment and constantly raise their bets. Then you are at the showdown of a hand collecting all the treats from the river(having all 5 cards on the table). Slow rolling in poker comes in different ways of “hollywooding”, including many mental tricks.

Let’s go through this blog post and learn why this poker practice is bad and how to avoid being slow-rolled.

The legality of poker slow roll

There is no official law statement or similar gambling rule that poker slow roll is against any terms and conditions in the iGaming industry. But, it definitely ruins the good sportsmanship during the poker game.

The reality is that there are no fixed seconds or minutes the players can use to call the opponent’s bet or flip the card at the end of the poker hand. It’s all about the table you are sitting at and the dealer’s authority regarding other players. The poker dealer or manager will warn you about any manipulative action, so after a round or two, you will get banned for disrespecting the common courtesy of the other poker players.

Every slow roller will likely be disqualified from the table as a poker player who ruins the fair play during the game. You are free to try slow rolling people when playing for fun with your friends, knowing that no one will be seriously affected.

Slow rolling someone on a tournament, any poker event or casino, can be punished according to the in-house poker room rules depending on how the poker manager defines the fair play fit. Remember that playing poker slow roll is also possible online, so keep reading to discover.

Online Slow Rolls

Many online poker players can also experience slow rolling on the poker table, so yeah, it can happen in all online casinos out there. 

As in live poker or similar live events, taking more than a few seconds to react to a river bet while holding the nuts (winning cards) is considered a slow roll. A slow roll is unlikely to provoke a condemning reaction you would experience in life since most people are not paying attention due to multi-tabling. In any case, a slow roll in poker that lasts more than a few seconds is unnecessary. Your only exception would be to show off your extremely strong hand to a friend or a family member.

There is generally more tolerance for slow rolls online since players can face internet connection problems, multi-tabling or environmental distractions. When online slow rolls occur, people often leave comments addressed to the live dealer in the form of compliance.

Slow play is not slow roll!?

If you notice that some players take a couple of seconds to take action, it doesn’t mean they are slow rollers. Slow play can happen when players consider their next step to win the hand or how much to raise the bet. Such calculations take time, especially when the players hesitate to call the opponent’s bet or go all-in.

Generally speaking, many poker amateurs take more time to analyze each circumstance since they are in the phase of building poker skills and have no gambling experience. Hence, an accidental slow roll unintentionally leaves a fake impression on other players.

Accidental slow rolls

Not everything in poker is clear-cut, and there are no strict rules about manipulating other players. All players may experience confusion from time to time, whether they play live online or in land based casinos. It is crucial, however, to prevent any accidental slow roll and take care of the following things:

You should master people skills as a psychologist to prevent being manipulated and set the right playing mindset when playing poker. Even when you’re starting, being polite and friendly will likely pay off in the long run. Logically speaking, no one wants to play with the guy who annoys everyone else and breaks the fair play on the table. You’ll never win any friends or increase your chances of winning by being considered a manipulative player who disturbs everyone during the game.

What to do if you are slow rolled?

Taking the high road is usually the best action if you find yourself in a slow roll poker circle. There is a good chance that someone is slow rolling you to try to get under your skin and knock you off the game as soon as possible. You will make the right move by saying “nice hand” and continue with the game. If you are on the river with an extremely strong hand, take note of this the next time that player goes all-in.

On the other hand, you shouldn’t react or say anything if you see another opponent being slow rolled. There may be a history between those two opponents, and slow-moving each other is a tradition they constantly repeat during the game. Remember that the slow rolled player may be steaming, and use the situation to your advantage over the next few hands. Slow rolling in poker can be tricky even if you are omitted, but be aware of the next rounds.

To sum up, poker requires emotional control, even though it sounds cruel. It’s impossible to form optimal strategies with nice guys, and being around the poker wolves on the table is not bad. Don’t be ruthless with your poker actions; keep your face down, but be a nice guy outside the game, maintaining a good relationship with most players you often play with.

Slow roll poker etiquette

Getting the slow roll poker etiquette on your back may be the worst thing to happen to any player, whether online or in real life. It would be best if you got into the habit of flipping your cards up instantly whenever you make a call to avoid slow rolling someone and giving false hope. If the other person has a slightly worse hand than yours, you may be perceived with this bad etiquette even if you have the winning cards. In addition to turning your hands up instantly, you also gain the following benefits:

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As you can see, taking forever to make a move will stick you a proper etiquette, and no one will enjoy playing with you at the table. It is pointless to add insult or fake hope to the opponents because you probably know how terrible it is to lose a big pot even if you hold the “winning hand.”

Bottom line – no more excuses for slow rolling in poker

Having learned what slow rolling is and why it is bad etiquette, hopefully, you will not pull a slow roll poker move on your further games. A player might irritate you with how they play or outplay you constantly. Maybe it’s not fun for you, but it’s a part of the game and sometimes can happen to deal with other players’ behaviour.

However, ensure you don’t slow roll them in response and break the fair play atmosphere. To surprise someone outplaying you, try to master some poker and psychological skills to improve your gameplay. You can find plenty of helpful poker tips and software online to educate yourself for free.

Choosing to go with a poker slow roll, you’re only wasting your precious time if someone takes forever to act. Playing poker means dealing with a bunch of legitimate strategies and moves that slow rolling your opponents – but it’s not an ethical move. In the long run, treating your opponents with respect and fairness will give you more advantages than you can imagine. Always have a precise poker play and represent yourself as an authority among poker enthusiasts.