Online poker, as the name suggests, is the game of poker played on the internet. Online poker has been answerable for a dramatic rise in the range of poker players worldwide. Thanks in part, to the proliferation of online casinos, the craze for poker is spreading beyond the mega-rich, business-suited elite, allowing everybody a fair chance to place modest bets from the comfort of their own homes.

Statistics confirm the above. In January 2003, the total global daily cash game turnover for online poker was just $10 million (Ł5.3m) as well as in 2004 it rose to $60m (Ł32m). Quite simply, $180m (Ł95m) is wagered in cash game pots in online poker daily! Not surprisingly, this number is expected to grow steadily each and every year.

You will discover hundreds of portals offering online poker; the majority of them are, approximately, similar. The real difference, if any, will likely be within the gaming environment and the quality of interaction with other players. This could depend a great deal on the popularity of the site, as popular gaming sites try to have certain in- built checks and attract serious gamblers that can in turn, enhance your overall gaming experience. On top of that, while some portals have a responsible, informative approach and offer quite a bit of content (news, tournament results, strategy articles, reviews of online card rooms, etc.), others attempt to behave as mere conduits to other sites, normally where actual gambling games are offered.

Even though people have a number of different views, as far as differences between and brick and mortar poker is concerned, most agree on at least few of the following:

Online poker rooms will be more player-friendly, because they offer suggestions, allow the players to play for low stakes and also are very much appropriate for beginners.

finding online casino poker playing is a great deal faster, as there is no banter around the table. However brick and mortar casino players consider this interplay a central element of the game, for most playing online, the stress is laid on mathematical calculations and actual moves. Fixed place or offline poker game is time-consuming where the regular rate of play is around thirty hands each hour while in online poker these delays, dealing and shuffling, are instant and therefore the average play is faster because of ‘auto action’ buttons.

One disadvantage of playing online poker is that it is more vulnerable to certain kinds of fraud even though most poker sites have safety checks.

Unlike a bricks and mortar casino, you can play at more than one table at a time whenever you play online. As such, you may log into more than one poker site simultaneously, which means that you should not have to be as good a player to make the same amount online (since you increase your chances of winning by playing on multiple tables simultaneously)!

Some experienced players also feel that folks who mostly play online poker could possibly be at a disadvantage in a brick and mortar casino, as they don’t have possibilities to learn to study and influence body language.

Another differentiating feature of online poker is the fact that it provides free money play, so that new players may practice without the risk of losing real money.

From the legal viewpoint, some legal issues are common. Online game poker is quite legitimate and regulated in many advanced countries in Europe. Many online poker web sites are certified by legal Game Commission bodies and major auditing firms like PWC (Price Waterhouse Coopers) to review the fairness of the shuffle and payouts.

Whether you are a professional or perhaps a novice online poker offers you a comfortable and interesting gaming environment and a safer (when compared with brick and mortar casinos) means of learning the best way to play using smaller bets. There are actually numerous sites that offer guidelines and tips on learning how exactly to play well. Below are a few interesting poker- related terms to get you started:

Royal flush: high cards (ace, king, queen, jack) of the exact same suit in number sequence.

Straight flush: cards of the exact same suit in number sequence.

Four of a kind: cards of the same value (e.g. four queens).

Full house: three cards of one value, 2 of another.

Flush: all cards are of the exact same suit.

Straight: cards will be in number sequence, although not of the same suit.

Three of a kind: three cards of the exact same value.

Two pair: two pairs of cards with the exact same value (e.g. queen, queen and king, king)

Pair: two cards with the same value.