How to Play Poker Online

Guide Note: Online poker can be a great way to learn the game, pass some time and maybe make a few bucks on the side. The best part? You don't have to be in Vegas to do it.

How to Play Poker Online will introduce you to the basic rules governing online poker and how to choose the best gaming room for you.

Disclaimer: The content of this page is provided for informational purposes only. Please make sure you are using a legally-sanctioned site before playing poker online. Table of Contents:

Introduction

  • While part of the fun of poker is the culture of the casino and the camaraderie you develop with your fellow players, playing online can be equally entertaining and is not without certain advantages. Online poker rooms are great places to learn the game with very little at stake monetarily-speaking, and you can play anytime of the day or night.
  • If the number and variety of online poker sites out there intimidates you, don't worry. How to Play Poker Online will walk you through the rules governing online gaming and get you set up on the site that's best for you.

Why Play Poker Online?

  • Why cultivate your poker prowess online before hitting the real life high rollers' room? There are plenty of reasons aside from the obvious middle-of-the-night-in-your-pajamas convenience factor.
  1. It's cheap. Online poker rooms offer hundreds of tables with limits as low as one cent. There are even tournaments called "freerolls," which allow players to ante up for free and win real money if they're the last one standing.
  2. It's structured. Poker software and web-based applications cue you when it's your turn to play. They'll even present you with all of your possible plays. If you're not familiar with the game of poker, this is a great way to learn. And, on low limit or free tables, you've literally got nothing to lose.
  3. You don't have to tip. While this may take the fun out of it for some of us, you don't have to deal with all the brick-and-mortar casino expenses while playing online. You don't have to travel to the casino. You don't have to tip the dealer. You don't have to buy food, and you won't be plied with comps and liquor unless, of course, you take the latter responsibility on yourself.
  4. You get bonuses. Most online poker sites offer cash bonuses to players to keep them coming back. You can't just take the money and run however. Bonuses typically require that you to play a certain number of raked hands. (A rake is the percentage the poker room takes from each pot.)
http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/
Online Poker sites like Full Tilt make learning the game easy.


Is It Legal?

  • In 2006, President Bush signed the Safe Port Act into law. That law contained a provision known as the "Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act." That law didn't exactly make internet gambling illegal. According to The New York Times, it made it a crime to "use credit cards or online payment systems for poker and other online casino games and sports betting conducted over the internet." All this did was put a middleman in between the offshore casinos which run the internet sites and players' pocketbooks.
  • (As a rule, you will find that online poker sites are headquartered outside the United States, and it is illegal to directly connect an online gaming site to your bank account. Some credit cards will also not allow you to use their services on online poker sites, which is why you may need to register with third party eWallet sites like ePassporte or MyWebATM to play for cold, hard cash.)
  • Despite the nebulous federal law, individual states have put more forceful laws on the book prohibiting internet-based gambling. Most prominently, those states include Washington and Nevada. Please consult your state's gambling-related laws before you begin gambling at any online poker site.

How Do Online Poker Rooms Make Money?

  • Online poker rooms make money in the following four ways:
  1. The Rake: The rake is the percentage the site takes from each pot. Each site has a different rake structure.
  2. Tournaments: Tournaments are not raked, but they have an entry fee.
  3. Other Games: Some online pokers sites offer side bets on poker hands or black jack. These games are played against the house's money, and of course, the games statistically favor the house.
  4. Investing Players' Deposits: Much like banks, online pokers sites invest the money that players deposit in their bankrolls. Since sites do not have to pay interest on individual players' bankrolls, it can be a significant source of income for the site.

How Is Online Poker Different Than Casino Poker?

(Creative Commons photo by Thms.nl)
(Creative Commons photo by Thms.nl)
  • The differences between playing poker online versus in a casino are relatively obvious. The game play is faster because you don't have to wait for a dealer to shuffle the deck and deal. The strategy is different because you can't read people's faces, and of course, the room's software will present you with all your possible playing options when your turn rolls around.
  • However, the basic rules of poker, whether you're in an online room or hangin' at the Bellagio, never change. A Full House still beats Two Pair, and suits don't mean squat unless you've got yourself a flush. If you don't know the basics, Mahalo can help get you up to speed:

Step 1: Choose an Online Poker Site

  • There are dozens of legitimate online poker sites. Sites like PokerListings.com and Poker News offer reviews of the top sites, but you'll want to weigh a few criteria independently before settling on an online poker room to call your own:
  1. Games Offered: Texas Hold 'Em is by far the most popular poker game played online, but the most well-established sites will also offer Omaha and Seven-Card Stud games at various skill levels as well.
  2. Player Traffic: The sites with the best traffic offer the largest number of tables and games at various skill levels. If you're just starting out, you'll be able to find other beginners at highly-trafficked sites.
  3. Bonuses and Loyalty Programs: Bonuses are a great way for beginning players to familiarize themselves with playing online poker and making wagers. Most sites offer a sign-up and deposit bonus.
  4. Number of Free Tournaments Offered: Free tournaments let beginners play without a buy-in and offer a real money payday.
  5. The Software: Some sites offer web-based applications, but most require you to download some kind of software to play. The top poker sites have reliable, easy-to-use software. You don't want to lose the pot due to a software glitch.
  6. The Rake: How much is the poker room going to take off the top of each pot? Is their rake structure too steep for you?
  7. Payment Options: Some sites allow you to pay by credit card. Others require that you use an eWallet site ePassporte or MyWebATM.
  8. Support: Look for a site that offers support 24/7 by email, chat and phone.
http://www.titanpoker.com
Titan Poker and other major sites offer sign-up bonuses.


Online Poker Rooms

Play Poker on Facebook

  • The Zynga Game Network offers a Facebook Texas Hold 'Em application that allows you to play poker against your friends or random Facebook users. There's no real money at stake, and players' skill levels vary wildly. If you're a Facebook user who wants to learn poker or just wants to set-up a table with your friends, this the best way to do it. Keep in mind, utilizing this application may cost you hours of your life. Seriously, it's addictive.
http://apps.facebook.com/texas_holdem/
Facebook Texas Hold 'Em


Step 2: Play Freerolls

  • Once you've settled on an online poker room, you'll want to familiarize yourself with the site's software preferably without breaking the bank. And, that's why the internet gaming gods created Freerolls.
  • A Freeroll is a tournament that has no buy-in or, at least, not one of a monetary value. (You might trade in player "points" to enter.) If you win the tournament, you win cash - real cash. Freerolls are a great way to get to know the game, the site's software, what it's like to compete against a variety of players and wager with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Step 3: Play for Cash

  • Alright, big spender. You've built your confidence playing the free tables. Now, it's time to put some real money on the line. Remember that the competition on free and low limit tables is usually a joke. The play is looser, meaning that people play more hands than they normally would. So, build up to the higher limit tables nice and easy like. It's slow climb to the top of the winner's board.
  • To play for cash, you will need to make a deposit into a "bankroll" maintained by the site. You will deposit that money by using your credit card, if the credit card company permits it, or by using an eWallet site that acts as a middleman between your bank account and the gaming sites. The sites recommended by CardPlayer.com include ePassporte and MyWebATM. It will typically take 3 service days to get your account set-up. Consider it a cooling off period, Tex. You don't want to start laying down the big bucks until you're a confident, rational and well-seasoned player.
https://www.epassporte.com/
ePassporte allows you to make deposits to your online poker bankroll.


NOTE: Never, ever forget that the money you're betting online is real. It's easy to lose sight of this when you're playing in a virtual world. Keep your bets within reason, and if you think you have gambling problem, there are services like Gamblers Anonymous that can help.

Resources for How to Play Poker Online

Online Poker Rooms

Online Poker Room Reviews

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