To get started playing online poker, you must first sign up for an account. You can do this by visiting a poker room’s website and finding the “join now” link. This is usually located at the top of the poker room’s website. However, some sites may have this link spread throughout the body of the site or in the footer. After signing up, you should check your email for a confirmation link. After you click on the confirmation link, you can then log in and begin playing poker!
Most major online poker sites offer various features to entice new players, including freerolls and satellite tournaments. Winners of these tournaments earn entry into real-life poker tournaments. A popular example of this is when Chris Moneymaker won a satellite tournament to the 2003 World Series of Poker, and went on to win the main event. This resulted in a shock in the poker world, and the 2004 World Series of Poker featured almost three times as many players as the 2003 event. In addition to Moneymaker, four of the five players who reached the final table of the tournament won their entries through online cardrooms. One of the 2004 WSOP winners was Greg Raymer, who also won his entry through the PokerStars online cardroom.
While you’re playing online poker, remember to stay safe. Be sure to sign up for a poker website with a security policy that will protect you and your money. Some sites require additional documentation to verify your identity. These documents can include your social security number, date of birth, and full name, among others. Also, don’t forget to protect yourself from online tax return fraud. A good rule of thumb is to use an IP PIN.
If you are looking to get into online poker, there are several programs you can download and use to learn the ins and outs of the game. One of them, PokerTracker 4, allows you to overlay a poker table with real-time statistics. For example, the software shows how many times your opponents raise before the flop and how many times they fold after raising. The program can also teach you basic poker strategy as well as more advanced techniques.
If you are new to playing online poker, it’s important to keep in mind that you don’t need a huge bankroll to get started. You can start by playing free games and then try lower stake games. Try not to spend all of your bankroll in one game. Instead, spread it out over several low stake games and you’ll soon be able to build your bankroll.
Although online poker is legal in most states, there are some areas where it’s illegal to play. If you live in these states, you can try playing online poker from another state or a second address. However, you must check the laws of each state before you sign up. You should also check the legality of online poker in your country.