For decades poker was played mainly in the back of smoky bars and casinos but as technology advanced and the internet became more widely used online poker took off. Now people can play poker on their laptops, tablets and phones for a fraction of the cost of going to a live casino. There are even tournaments for the smallest stakes you can imagine as well as satellite entries into some of the world’s biggest live events.
Signing up for an online poker account is usually a simple and painless process. You’ll need to provide some basic information such as your name, date of birth and address. Some sites may also ask for some form of identification to prevent fraud.
You’ll then need to fund your account. This can be done via a variety of methods including credit cards, debit cards and pre-paid cards. Some sites will also allow you to deposit using e-checks or third party eWallets. Once you have enough funds to play poker online you can then choose which tables you want to join. Most poker sites have tables specifically labelled as Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced so you can easily find the games that suit your skillset.
While it’s important to be wary of any online poker site that isn’t properly regulated by a governing body you should generally have no trouble finding a site with good customer support and top-of-the-line security measures. The best online poker sites will also offer a variety of game formats, generous bonus programs and a user-friendly interface that works well on desktop computers as well as mobile devices.
When you first start playing poker online it’s a good idea to stick to the lower stakes tables. This will give you a feel for the game and help you build up your bankroll. Once you’ve made a few deposits and built up some experience you can then move on to the higher stakes tables. Eventually you’ll be able to make some decent money playing online poker.
One of the best ways to make money playing poker is by taking advantage of bonuses. Many poker sites regularly offer reload bonuses (essentially a second deposit under the same terms and conditions as your original bonus) to keep players coming back. By collecting these bonuses you can significantly increase your profit per hour of poker play. Some players even actively go from site to site to collect these bonuses (often known as bonus hunting).
One thing that is common for all poker players is the occasional bad run. This is especially true when you’re moving up the stakes. However, it’s important to remember that this is normal and that it shouldn’t be taken personally. Just drop down the stakes for a while, grind it back up and try again. If you keep doing this over and over again you’ll eventually be a winning poker player.