Online poker is a game that can be played anytime of the day or night, for real money and against players from all over the world. It is a fun and easy to learn game that rewards actual skill unlike slots or the lottery. There are thousands of ring games available at every level, as well as tournaments with buy-ins from free up to thousands of dollars.

To play poker online you must first visit a reputable website and download the software. It takes just a few minutes and most of the poker sites are virus-free to use. Once you’ve installed the program, you’ll need to create an account by choosing a screen name and creating an email address. It is important to remember that you can only create one account at a time; multi-accounting is against the rules and could lead to a permanent ban from the poker site.

Then you need to decide what type of poker you want to play. Texas Hold’em is the most popular form of the game but there are many other variations to choose from. Once you’ve decided what type of poker to play, check out the list of available games offered by your chosen provider. You should also find out what kind of tournaments and sit-and-gos are offered. Finally, look at the betting limits of the different games and try not to move up too quickly. Many new players move up in limits before they are ready and end up losing a lot of money before they drop back down again.

There are many ways to get money on and off a poker site, depending on your region. Most sites accept a variety of credit and debit cards, pre-paid cards, third party eWallets, bank transfers and even eChecks. In addition, most poker sites allow you to withdraw your winnings by wire transfer.

Poker is a game of skill over the long run and top pros spend just as much time studying the game as they do playing it. By learning from the best, signing up for training sites, networking with successful players and brutally analyzing your own play after every session you can become an online poker pro in no time.

Getting started in the game is simple and, once you have a good handle on the basics, it’s just a matter of finding the right poker site for you. In the United States, legal regulated poker sites are few and far between but they are increasing in number. The top sites offer a huge variety of games, tournaments and stakes, boast massive traffic levels and offer the security you need to keep your hard-earned winnings safe. So what are you waiting for? Start your poker journey today!