One of the first things you will want to do when you start playing poker online is to set up your bank account. Many poker sites do not accept credit cards, so you will need to create an account with a virtual bank. It is best to choose a bank that accepts a large number of customers. You can then use this account to make deposits to the poker site. This is how you will be able to see whether your money is safe.
Another advantage to playing poker online is the convenience. There are many poker sites that allow you to play for free or for small stakes. Some even offer satellite entries for live poker tournaments. If you prefer high stakes, you can always play for real money. And because online poker sites allow players to play from anywhere, anyone can play it.
One of the most important aspects of good poker strategy is to choose the best starting hands. You should pass on marginal hands and use premium hands to take the lead. If you have a premium hand, it is important to raise in late position and early position. This will allow you to be the first to act post-flop.
The US Senate realized that online poker was a growing problem and introduced legislation to regulate the industry. However, this bill failed to pass. In the meantime, online poker sites continued to introduce more sophisticated software and launch new sites around the world. In December 2011, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that sports betting was illegal under the Federal Wire Act, but the DOJ argued that gambling online was not illegal.