If you want to play poker but don’t have the time or energy to wait for friends to join you at your local game, online poker is an excellent option. In fact, the best sites offer a wide variety of games, tournaments and freerolls to suit players at every skill level. Some even feature enticing sign-up bonuses to help you get started.
You can sign up for an account by entering your name, address, phone number and email address. You’ll then create a username and password and choose an acceptable deposit method. Once you’ve made your initial deposit, you can begin playing poker online. The best sites also provide tutorials and practice tables to give you a feel for the game before risking your own money.
Most poker sites are regulated by gambling authorities and operate a secure environment for players. To ensure this, they require you to supply personal information and verify your identity before allowing you to withdraw or deposit funds. In most cases, this is done by requiring a photo ID and utility bill that matches the name on your online poker account.
Another great thing about poker online is that it’s easy to play against people of all abilities. Unlike live poker, where players can read physical tells from their opponents, online poker requires more mental skills, especially when it comes to evaluating pot odds. Pot odds are the ratio of the current size of the pot to how much you have to call to win a hand. If you aren’t familiar with pot odds, they can be a little tricky to calculate, but once you do it becomes second nature to determine whether or not an opponent has a strong hand.
Many new poker players get caught up in the short term luck element of the game and move up in limits too quickly. This can be a costly mistake because most players will lose a lot of money before they are ready to move back down in limits. A good way to avoid this is to follow the advice above and stick to a comfortable limit until you are ready to advance.
There are numerous training options available to online poker players, but few are as insightful and entertaining as Jonathan Little’s weekly poker hands analysis podcasts. In addition to his podcast, he has a variety of videos on different topics and has an elite membership that allows him to concentrate on specific areas of the game that need improvement.
Another excellent poker resource is APT Poker. They have video content from top poker players such as Scott Clements and Qui Nguyen, a range of tools, mobile apps to improve your game, a blog and much more. They also have a Premium Road to Success course that’s ideal for novice tournament players looking to transition their land-based experience to the online game. This course isn’t cheap, but it offers a seven day trial for a low cost so you can try it out without making a large cash commitment.
