Online poker is a popular game that can be played for real money. Most US-based sites offer cash games and tournaments with a huge prize pool. There are also a number of free poker websites that allow players to practice and play games for fun without having to deposit any money. These sites generally require an email address and age verification to confirm you are of legal age to play poker in your country.
The best online poker sites will offer a wide range of promotions and bonuses to attract new players and keep existing ones happy. The most common is the first deposit bonus which will match your initial deposit by a certain percentage, or perhaps up to a specific amount of money. This can add up to quite a bit of additional value and is a great way to get started.
In addition to the initial signup bonuses, many online poker rooms will offer ongoing loyalty programs that can be very lucrative. These loyalty programs reward players with frequent player points that can be exchanged for cash or other rewards. While the benefits of these loyalty programs are not as substantial as the initial signup bonuses, they still provide a significant amount of value and should not be overlooked by potential players.
A good online poker site will have a lobby that is categorized by the types of games available. This will include the usual cash games, tournaments and Sit & Go’s but should also include any special format games that the room runs on a regular basis. The lobby should be easy to navigate and will have filtering options to help you find the games that are most interesting to you.
If you are new to the game of poker, it is a good idea to check out the site’s beginner tables. These tables will allow you to be seated with other players who have self-classified themselves as beginners. This will make it much easier for you to adjust to the speed and complexity of the game.
Another important aspect of an online poker site is its reputation. The most reputable poker sites will have a reputation that is built on fairness and integrity. They will not allow shady third-party software and will have their own anti-HUD software to prevent cheating. They will also be willing to ban players that are found to be involved in any type of cheating.
Online poker regulation is constantly changing, but most U.S. states have passed legislation making it legal to play the game in their jurisdictions. In addition, several international casinos offer online poker.
While there are a few restrictions on who can play poker, the vast majority of players do not face any significant obstacles to getting started with online poker. The main obstacle is that a person must be of legal age to play, which means they must be at least 18 years old or the minimum legal age in their state.