Online Poker
Poker should be enjoyed by everyone. And we literally referring to everyone.
Whether for fun and kicks with friends at home, as a learning tool for basic math skills, as a job or as a break from long hours in the office, poker is one of the most accessible and enjoyable games in the world.
Online poker is taking this idea and cranking it up a notch. You can play for free or for the smallest bets you can imagine (literally pennies). You can play for satellite entries in the most amazing live poker tournaments around the world.
All this you can do from a desktop computer, laptop, phone or tablet. And no matter if you play your first hand or your millionth, regardless of your level of experience, everyone can find the right place at a poker table. If you want to learn how to play online poker, you are in the right place.
Below we explain everything you need to know to play poker online. Once you’ve read things through, check out our list of the best sites to play online poker and start in seconds!
What is online poker?
Online poker is the traditional card game of poker played online. There are a variety of different online poker sites that all offer different variations of poker with a wide range of games and bets available (including totally free online poker games!)
Online Poker vs. Live Poker?
The rules of poker are identical, whether you play a live poker game in person or against other players online. However, there are some significant differences.
Online poker is usually faster, comes with less risk (you can play for smaller amounts) and more accessible (you can find a game anytime, anywhere in the world).
On the flip side, you will usually be able to play against strangers and not look anyone in the face. It takes a little getting used to, but there are still many ways to find out if someone is bluffing.
A short history of online poker
For years poker has been around smoky bars or online casinos, but it all changed in the early 2000s when the internet and a Tennessee accountant turned poker into primetime.
Before the year 2000, most poker was played on the internet in chat rooms and was understandably just free time.
That changed as the technology launched advanced and secure online poker sites that were able to keep players’ money safe and secure them against others.
People started creating online poker sites in 2003, during this time Chris Moneymaker an amateur poker players who qualified for the World Series of Poker Main Event through a $ 40 tournament online.
Moneymaker eventually took home $ 2.5 million to win the tournament and revolutionized the game single-handedly. It was not long before poker was presented at ESPN and hundreds of thousands of players flocked to play online poker.
Why is online poker so popular?
Online poker is very popular the same reasons why people also love live poker. It’s a fun, easy-to-play, intellectual game that can be exciting. The game rewards actual ability unlike slots or the lottery.
It’s also something that you can do anytime you want, for all the missions you want from your own home.
Can I win real money to play online?
Certainly. Winning Real Money Online Poker is one of the main reasons why people are attracted to the game no matter how small
What you need to play online poker?
The requirements for online poker are very minimal and there is a good chance that you can play on the same device that you use to search this site now.
Online poker is not particularly distressing on the memory of your computer and if you have a laptop or desktop from the early 2000s or later you have more than enough computing power.
Nowadays, there are many real money poker apps for smartphones and tablets so you can play on the go. These include Android devices, iPhones and iPads.
How much money do I need to play online poker?
Not very much. You can actually start by playing free play money games on a number of websites. Having your fun with that most people deposit in the range of $ 50-200 and that’s usually enough to keep them for a very long time.
The key is playing games that will not let your online account slip away. For example, if you have $ 50 online, then you should probably stick to $ 1 tournaments until you accumulate a few dollars more.
It is also possible to play as low as 1/1/02 when it comes to cash games, making $ 50 a massive bankroll where it would be very hard to go bankrupt. There are many ways to make your online poker bankroll last too.
How to Play Online Poker?
When you play from your home computer or laptop, the first step is to download the online poker software from the website of your choice. The total demand on your store is quite small and it should not take very long to download even on the most archaic Internet connections.
If you prefer not to download anything, you can also try the no download poker games on any poker site, although they do not offer quite the same features and playability as the full download version.
If you have gone the download route once the installation package has been downloaded, just double click on it to install the software. At this point you need to create a user account (on some websites, it is done before you download the software).
You must be at least 18 years of age or the legal age in your jurisdiction, whichever is greater. There will be age controls, so do not expect to get past them when you are under the age.
The deposit of money on an online poker site usually requires a credit card or some kind of prepaid card, but there are some exceptions. Most websites accept large credit companies such as Visa or MasterCard or one of the most popular online eWallets, including Neteller, Skrill and PayPal.