Online Poker takes the classic card game and cranks it up to a whole new level. It’s not only available for a fraction of the cost of going to a live casino or even playing in your local pub it can also be played on mobile devices such as Android phones and tablets. It’s not all about fun either, you can play for real money and satellite entries into some of the world’s biggest live tournaments.
It’s no secret that many people love to play poker but what is less well known is that online poker is growing in popularity for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is accessible from virtually any internet connection and, if you are in the USA there are even licensed sites that cater for players. Secondly, it’s not as taxing on your computer as other online gambling games and most laptops or desktop computers from the early 2000s will have more than enough processing power to handle an online poker session. Finally, the games are incredibly quick to load and you can get started straight away.
The fact that you don’t have to leave your house to play poker is also a big plus for many players. Getting started is simple; just register a free account and you’ll be asked to provide some basic personal details such as your name, address, date of birth and an email address. You’ll then be able to create a user name and password. Once that’s done you can deposit using any number of different methods such as credit cards, eWallets or bank transfers. When you’ve played a few hands and you’re feeling confident you can then switch over to playing for real money.
One thing to be aware of is that the rules of online poker are slightly different to those of live poker. This is because you don’t have the benefit of being able to read any physical ‘tells’ as your opponents are not physically present. However, there are still ways to size up your opponents at an online table by monitoring their betting tendencies.
If you want to play poker for real money you’ll need a bankroll that can cope with the ups and downs of online poker. It’s important to remember that you can lose a lot of money very quickly so it is essential to choose your games wisely and always keep sufficient funds in your bankroll to cover your losses.
Most reputable poker sites offer a range of promotions and bonuses to attract new players and reward loyal customers. These can include welcome bonuses, reload bonuses and loyalty programs such as rakeback. The latter is a percentage of the rake taken by the poker site that is redistributed back to players as a way of rewarding them for their loyalty.