Online poker is a card game where players wager against each other with virtual chips. It is a fast paced and exciting game that requires a good amount of skill to master. It is a very popular pastime among casual and serious poker players alike.

Most online poker sites offer free play where you can practice your skills without risking any of your own money. This option is available on most sites and downloadable poker software and is a great way to get familiar with the speed of the games as well as the features offered by each site.

Once you’ve signed up at a real money poker site you’ll be asked to create an account and provide some basic personal details. After completing this process you can then fund your poker account with the method of your choice. This could be a credit or debit card, a prepaid voucher or one of the many e-wallet options that are available online.

One of the most important aspects to remember when playing poker online is that you’ll be able to see your opponents’ cards but they won’t be able to look you in the eye. This means that reading physical ‘tells’ isn’t as effective in online poker and you’ll have to learn how to size up your opponents through their betting tendencies.

Most online poker sites offer a variety of promotions, bonuses and rewards for new players to entice them to deposit. It is generally a good idea to read the terms and conditions of each bonus carefully before accepting it. In addition, you should look for a poker site that has its random number generators audited by third parties. This will ensure that the games are fair and not rigged in any way.