If you love poker and enjoy the social aspect of the game but hate to travel or just want to play for a much smaller stakes online poker is a great option. The game can be played on a desktop computer, laptop or mobile phone from the comfort of your own home. Online poker also offers a wide range of promotions and bonuses. These are available to all players regardless of their skill level.
Most online poker sites offer a variety of games including cash games, tournaments and Sit & Go’s. Some even offer special format games like fast-fold tournaments. Typically you can find the game you’re looking for by using the lobby’s filters or search feature. You can also look for ‘beginner’ tables which are generally recommended for new players as they allow you to be seated with players who classify themselves as beginners. This dramatically levels the playing field for new players and helps them get accustomed to the speed of online poker play.
While it’s easy to sign up for a poker account with most sites it’s important to read the terms and conditions carefully. Some sites may require you to upload a government issued ID or utility bill as part of the registration process. This is to ensure that you are who you say you are and to prevent underage gambling.
A huge part of the appeal of poker is its intellectual nature and it’s this that sets it apart from slots and other casino games. It also rewards actual skill unlike the lottery which can be very frustrating for people who aren’t lucky enough to win. While it’s true that a lot of players lose a large sum of money when they start out, if you stick to a good strategy and avoid making bad mistakes it is possible to turn a small profit.
One of the best things about poker is that you can track your results and learn from your mistakes. Most poker sites have built-in tools for this purpose which make it easy to see your win-rate, number of flops seen and how many hands you went to showdown with. This is the key to understanding where you’re winning and losing money and how to improve your game.
In the United States, the legality of poker is a bit more complicated but there are currently licensed poker sites that accept US players and these are growing by the day. Depositing and withdrawing money from these sites is a relatively painless process and most allow a wide variety of banking options such as credit cards, debit cards, pre-paid cards, wire transfers and third party eWallets.
Despite these issues, the legality of online poker is still a grey area in some jurisdictions and if you plan on playing from the USA it’s advisable to check with your local laws before playing for real money. In most cases though you’ll be fine and the poker sites on this list are well regulated, have a solid selection of games and tournaments and have high traffic so that you’ll never struggle to find a game to play.