Online poker is a card game played over the internet with real money. Players can access regulated online poker games from their computers, tablets or mobile devices at any time of the day or night. Players can play online poker for free or with real money, depending on the state they are located in and their preferences.
The popularity of online poker started to rise in 2003 when an amateur player named Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker Main Event, winning $2.5 million. Moneymaker’s victory made poker mainstream and helped introduce the game to millions of people. After this, many people started to take the game seriously and began to look for ways to learn more about it.
While there are a lot of great poker books and strategy sites, some players prefer to take a more hands-on approach and attend live poker training programs. The advantage of this is that you can connect with other players and get honest feedback about your own game. You can also practice your skills in live tournaments and cash games.
Most reputable poker sites will offer a variety of real money games and poker tournaments for you to choose from. You can find them by visiting the lobby and looking for a tab or filter for poker games such as cash games, Sit & Go’s and tournaments. Some will even feature tournaments with no entry fee and these are ideal for players just starting out as you can test the waters without risking any money.
The best real money poker sites will be licensed by government and financial bodies which ensure game integrity, safe transfers and data protection for players. They will also have a range of payment methods to choose from including credit and debit cards, prepaid vouchers, wire transfers and web wallets. Many will accept multiple currencies and languages too, making them an ideal option for international players.
If you’re serious about becoming a winner at online poker, then you need to invest some time and money in your training. There are a lot of options available, from free online training sites to professional coaching packages. However, the Elite membership at 888poker is well worth it, with leading content from top poker players.
Another option is to buy poker software such as PokerSnowie, which can identify leaks in your game by analyzing every possible situation. The software identifies these leaks and shows you how to correct them, helping you improve your game and become a winner.
Regulated online poker came back to the United States in 2013 and it’s now a legal activity, although it is still only on a state-by-state basis. California has yet to pass its own regulations, but once it does there are plans for a multi-state agreement with other US states, potentially opening up a much larger pool of players for California operators. This would be a huge win for the industry and is something that should be on everyone’s radar.