Online Poker has brought the game to a much wider audience than ever before. Almost any modern computer with an Internet connection can run a real money poker site. Players can log in at any time of day or night to play a variety of different poker variants. Many people play online poker as a hobby, but for others it can be an excellent source of income.
There was a time when there was a very clear distinction between “live” and “online” poker players, with some of the best live players refusing to even venture onto an online table (while complaining that it wasn’t’real’ poker). Today there is much more overlap, with most top players playing both live and online poker and using a wide variety of tools such as trackers, solvers and head-up displays to maximize their wins.
The online poker environment can also seem tougher than live poker because of the greater frequency of multiway pots that occur online. This can lead to more dramatic swings in winning and losing and the impression that ‘bad beats’ occur more often than in live games.
It’s important to select a reliable, regulated online poker site and only use funds that you can afford to lose. It’s also a good idea to review the available banking methods for adding and removing cash. Make sure to only use a method that allows you to withdraw funds without a fee, and note that some methods are instant while others take a little longer.