Poker is a fun, intellectual game that rewards actual skill unlike slots or the lottery. It’s a popular activity that can be played at any time of day or night and for as long as you want from the comfort of your own home. Online poker offers a multitude of ring games at all levels of stakes as well as thousands of tournaments from ten entrants to high buy-in events in the thousands.
The first step is to find a site that you trust. This is where you’ll need to do a little investigative work to ensure that the site has excellent customer support, is regulated by a respected gaming authority and uses top-of-the-line encryption methods for your personal information. It’s also important to check if your chosen poker site is legal in your jurisdiction.
Once you’ve settled on a site you’ll need to download the poker software (if necessary) and create an account. This will generally take only a few minutes and will require some basic personal details as well as your preferred screen name. Keep in mind that you cannot have more than one account on the same site as this is against the rules and will result in a permanent ban from the poker room.
Once your account is open you’ll be able to access the poker lobby which will be categorized by cash games, tournaments, Sit & Go’s and any other special formats that the site runs. Most sites also offer “beginner” tables which level the playing field for new players by only seating them with other players who have classified themselves as beginners.