Online poker is simply the game of internet poker played over the Internet through a computer. Poker as a game is not new, it has in fact been around for quite sometime. However it gained popularity when online casinos started offering this game online to its players. It was then partially responsible for the massive growth in the number of online poker players all over the world.
One can choose to play poker either for real money or play for fun. It is however important to remember that fun and playing online poker should be kept separate from each other. Online play might give a player the chance to win some good prizes. There are a lot of promotions that offer real cash prizes when one plays online poker with certain bonuses. Bonuses are normally given when winning a game or when finishing a specific amount of money in playing online poker.
With the growing popularity of online poker, there are a lot of online poker tournaments being organized. One can participate in these tournaments and have a shot at winning great prizes. Most of the live poker tournaments take place in different countries and some websites even hold a World Series of Poker tournament. Poker players can earn considerable amount of prize money by participating in such tournaments.
Online players can also participate in free online poker tournaments and play for virtual money. This is very good especially for those who don’t have much money to play with but still want to earn some. The benefits one can get from playing online poker are the same as playing in land-based casinos. It is still possible to win prizes and bonuses from playing online.
However there are some key differences between playing online poker and playing in land-based casinos. The first is that there is no face-to-face interaction in online poker. In land-based casinos, the players interact in the casino or poker rooms through the use of a microphone or a television. Players also need to memorize their playing cards. With online poker, players can chat and make friends even without seeing each other. The only way to be able to contact your opponent is by writing their name on a piece of paper.
Another key difference is that in land-based casinos, winners stand a better chance of winning big cash prizes. With online poker, players can play for fun or for gaining money. It is considered a form of gambling therefore the players stand more chance of earning money from winning. Some of the big online poker sites also offer cash games where the player wins cash for every hand played. These cash games are one of the best ways for beginners to practice and gain experience before playing in real poker tournaments.