Online poker is played on a computer screen rather than at a table in a casino. But the rules of the game are the same: a flush beats a straight, and players can still bet and bluff their way to a win. Many of the skills learned in live poker translate well to online gaming.
A growing number of states have legalized and regulated online poker sites. These online poker sites offer games like Texas Hold’em, Omaha and Stud, in both cash game and tournament play. Some poker sites return a portion of the money collected from each pot to their players, an incentive called rakeback. To find the best rakeback deals, look for poker sites with the highest traffic levels. This ensures there are always active games to play in, gives you a better chance of finding weak opponents, and acts as a tacit endorsement of the poker site’s trustworthiness.
Before online poker was regulated, it was possible for rogue employees at a poker site to collusion with other players and manipulate results in order to win large sums of money. While this type of fraud is still possible, it’s much harder now that poker websites hire security personnel to monitor card, player and pattern history. They are also able to check players’ computer IP addresses, which allows them to spot patterns that suggest other people are playing at the same location.
There are two basic tools that online poker pros use to give themselves a competitive edge: a hand history tracker and a HUD, or heads-up display. A hand history tracker helps a poker player analyze their own and other players’ play, while a HUD allows them to view the betting tendencies of each player at the table. While these tools can help improve a player’s play, they can also be misused to cheat.
While some poker players are only in it to win big prizes, there is another segment of the market that plays for fun and is not interested in the six-figure real money prizes. These players are more likely to seek out the soft fields and low buy-ins offered by online poker sites. These players want to get a feel for a new poker software platform before investing any real money, and they’ll also enjoy the convenience of being able to play on their own schedules from the comfort of home.
Once you’re ready to play poker online for real money, the first thing you need is a reliable poker site. Once you’ve found one, you’ll need to deposit funds to fund your account. This can be done via a credit or debit card, a prepaid voucher or a web wallet. Then you’ll be ready to start playing! Just remember that you must be located in a state where online poker is legal to play.