Online poker is a popular form of gambling that allows players to compete against skilled opponents from the comfort of their home or office. It has become a major industry, with many states legalizing and regulating the game. It has also transformed the world of poker, giving players a variety of ways to play and win.
Besides offering a wide range of games and convenient deposit methods, online poker sites often feature various software applications that can be used to improve your game. These include hand database programs that can save, sort and recall your hands; programs that scan active tables for known players and display previous statistics from hands you played with them next to their name (known as a heads-up display or HUD); and odds, equity or variance calculators.
Tournaments are also a popular way to play poker, and there are plenty of them available at online poker sites. But before you decide to sign up for one, make sure you read the terms and conditions carefully to ensure that you can handle the time commitment. Tournaments are usually held across multiple time zones, and you don’t want to find yourself awake at 2 am when you’re supposed to be playing a big cash game.
Rakeback is another popular way for online poker sites to reward loyal players. It’s basically a cut of the house’s rake that’s redistributed to players, and it can be a significant amount for break-even players.