Online poker is something that has been around for over 15 years. Poker players from all over the world come together (virtually, of course) to battle and win huge amounts of cash. This is a great way of being able to enjoy poker without having to travel long distances to brick and mortar establishments in order to win big prizes. There are plenty of online poker sites that offer great poker games, and this is why the players keep coming back for more. If you are interested in starting to play online poker, make sure to keep reading this article to find out five of the most important things a beginner should know before jumping in.
1. The Right Site At Which To Play
Finding the right poker site for you is very important as you’ll want to make sure that you are getting exactly what you want out of your poker game. If you are looking for online poker, be sure not to accidentally sign up for an online casino or bingo site that also “happens to offer” online poker games. You want a dedicated online poker site with the widest variety of poker games on offer and likely the largest pool of potential players to compete against. Naturally, you’ll also want to make sure that the site is secure so as to ensure that your money is safe once you make a deposit or wish to process a withdrawal.
2. That The Games Are Being Contested Fairly
Many people who have played online poker may tell you that it is rigged or that you are not playing a fair game. At the overwhelming majority of online poker sites, however, this is just plain not true. All the well-regarded online poker sites actually use random number generators (RNGs) to ensure fair play. Moreover, these RNGs are usually monitored by a third-party outfit that offers yet another layer of fair play protection.
3. Regulations
The thing about online gambling is that its legality differs from one country to another, and sometimes within a country. Some countries are very welcoming of online casino and poker sites and let their citizens (or even citizens of other countries) indulge to their hearts content so long as you’re physically located within their jurisdiction. On the other hand, other countries like the United States or Germany are more particular with their rules and regulations as pertain to online gambling.
In Germany, for example, players can access sites like https://de.quasargaming.com/spielen/bookofra that are actually hosted in neighbouring countries. In the United States, online poker is currently regulated by four states, Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. Wherever you are playing, just be sure that the site that you are using has an online gambling license.
4. The Competition Is Tough
If you are an online poker beginner, you’ll likely find that you are not as good as many of the other players online. For that reason, we recommend that you don’t jump straight in to the deep end, playing for the highest stakes available. You’ll likely lose a lot of money, and quickly!
Many people become professional poker players after having started off playing online. Perhaps, one day, you’ll be a highly ranked poker player yourself, but you’ll first have to gain lots – and we mean LOTS (think years!) – of experience playing and study hard to continuously improve your game. That’s what the best players do, and that’s why they’re on top of the game.
Playing in @MichaelPhelps celebrity poker tournament tonight, tough competition w lots of pros here, in over my head a lot
— Hank Haney (@HankHaney) September 18, 2011
Will all of that said, the important thing is that you shouldn’t get put off from giving online poker a shot due to the competition. Especially at lower limits, you’ll come up against experienced poker players, but you’ll also encounter many other beginners like you. Perhaps, for that reason, you might even wish to start out at the play money tables. Once you’ve got the hang of it you can try real money play, then slowly but surely move up in stakes if you’ll start to become a consistent winner.
5. Responsible Gambling
Our final point that beginners should know about online poker is that it can become very addictive. It is true that you are more likely to play more hands of online poker than you would if you visited a brick and mortar casino, but that’s simply due to the fact that the mechanics of the game are automated, rather than manually occurring with dealers, chips, calculations, etc. Moreover, it is much easier to join in on the poker fun from the comfort of your own home, so you are more likely to spend more time playing this way.
What you must remember, however, is that it’s real money you’ll be playing with. When you just see numbers on a screen, it’s easy to forget that it represents cash!
This is why you should make sure that you only gamble what you can afford; discretionary funds. Many of the online poker sites allow you to set limits and even self-exclude so that you make sure to gamble responsibly. If you ever find yourself gambling more than you can afford, make sure to get help and talk to someone if you need to. Addiction is a very important and dangerous thing so make sure that you always stay in control and don’t let the gambling aspect of poker take over the fun game play.
Final Verdict
As we’ve made clear, for online poker beginners, there is a lot to think about. Choosing the right site should be your first step, and of course not jumping right into the deep end and playing for high stakes. You should always make sure that you gamble responsibly and that you are responsible with depositing your money to sites that are safe and secure. Never give the details of your account to anyone who you cannot trust. Once you’ve got this all covered, you’ll be able to start your online poker career and perhaps even win some money!
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