I always find that bluffing in online poker, and detecting bluffs, is a strange proposition unlike at the casino. Many poker players who considers themselves masters at the art of calling bluffs do so because they can spot a player’s “tell”; maybe they scratch their nose when they’re bluffing, or shift in their seat, or play with their chips in a certain way. Some tells can even be more obscure, such as in the famous poker movie Rounders, where the Russian’s tell was when he ate his Oreo cookie in a different way.

However, when playing online it is impossible to see your opponent, what he is doing, how he is breathing or moving around. Some might say that online allows lesser players to bluff more easily, because they can avoid the harsh staredown from the players sitting across from them.

However, the only thing you can effectively use to tell if a player is bluffing online is the size of their bets. This makes bluff detecting more scientific, rather than about feel. You can keep detailed records on players you are playing against about how much they bet or raise and whether they had a hand or not.

Certainly, most people will not go to those lengths to determine if someone is bluffing. In the end, you can use the same thing you would use to spot a bluff if you were sitting at a table: your gut instincts.