How to Play Online Poker
For years poker was a card game reserved for smoky bars and casinos but with the advent of the internet it has taken on a whole new life as an online game. Online poker has become a highly popular form of gambling with many players making a full time income from the games. The best online poker sites are regulated, offer a safe environment for depositing and withdrawing money and feature games that appeal to the majority of players.
To make a decision about which site to play at you need to first decide what your goals are. Are you looking for a casual experience or do you plan to play poker professionally? The type of player you want to be will determine the types of games you prefer and what kind of bonuses you’re looking for.
When you choose a poker site to join you need to register and create a user account. Some online poker sites require this before you download their software while others have it available from the website itself. The software itself is relatively small and doesn’t put a lot of strain on even the most archaic computer hardware.
Once you have a registered account you need to deposit money into your player account to be able to play the games. The poker site software will have a cashier tab that will walk you through the process. Most deposits are instantaneous and the funds are immediately available for play.
The easiest way to pad your bankroll is by playing in freeroll tournaments. These are tournaments that offer cash prizes without charging an entry fee and usually feature smaller fields than the regular tournaments. Different online poker sites will offer a wide variety of freerolls and you should pay attention to how many they offer, the size of the prize pools and the number of players that normally play in them.
Most poker sites offer a variety of games for their players to choose from but the most popular one is No-Limit Texas Hold’em. This is a very simple to learn but difficult to master game and thousands of online Hold’em tables run 24/7. Online venues also tend to be much cheaper than brick and mortar casinos as they have lower overhead costs.
Another important consideration is customer service. The top poker sites will have representatives available via email, Facebook and Twitter to respond to customer queries quickly and efficiently. They will also have a robust FAQ section that answers common questions and problems. For US players it’s important to use a site that is licensed by a state gaming commission to ensure that it complies with state laws and is secure. Lastly, the top online poker sites will have accepted mainstream deposit and withdrawal methods such as PayPal, e-checks and bank transfers. These options are often available in multiple currencies and can be used on any device with a web browser.