Online Poker is the game of poker played over the Internet and has been responsible for a massive increase in the number of players worldwide. It is possible to play just about any type of poker you would find in a live casino or other venue but there are many special features that set it apart from real-world poker.
First off, you can usually expect to be welcomed with some kind of bonus for signing up. Whether it’s free money, tournament tickets or merchandise these are designed to attract new players and keep existing ones happy. You should pay close attention to the requirements needed for these bonuses since they won’t be available unless you meet them. Generally you will need to deposit a certain amount of money and/or play a lot of hands before these bonuses can be released.
Once you’ve signed up for an account it is easy to navigate around the lobby. It’s usually categorized by Cash Games, Tournaments and Sit & Go’s along with whatever special formats the site runs. The site will also usually have a dedicated “beginner” tab that allows you to be seated at tables where you’re only pitted against other players who classify themselves as beginners. This dramatically levels the playing field for newcomers to online poker.
One of the big mistakes that live players make when making the transition to online poker is vastly underestimating the differences in variance. Online poker can be more volatile than live poker because you can lose a large amount of money in a very short period of time if your bankroll isn’t carefully managed. However, the ability to multi-table means that you can effectively start out with a much bigger bankroll than you could play for in live conditions and this will make it easier to manage the variance.
A wide variety of banking methods are accepted at online poker sites and it is important to review these options before deciding where to play. You should take note of the minimum and maximum deposits and withdrawals as well as the fees associated with each transaction. Most of the major poker sites accept credit and debit cards as well as a variety of third-party eWallets and bank transfers. Depending on the site, some of these methods may work for both deposits and withdrawals while others only work for deposits.
Some online poker sites even have their own events and festivals where they host high-profile tournaments that feature some of the world’s best players. 888poker, PokerStars and Unibet are just some of the names that run these types of tournaments. You can often find satellites hosted by these operators where you can win a package deal to attend an event which will include hotel and flight expenses as well as a tournament entry fee. This is a great way to try out the game in an environment that’s less intimidating than a casino or a public bar.