To start playing online poker, you must download poker software to your computer. This software takes up little memory and should not take too long to download, even if you have a slow connection. Some poker sites offer no download versions of their games, but these versions are not as good as the full download versions. You may be better off sticking to free online poker games if you’re just getting started.
When playing online, you should keep track of your results to understand your performance. This is particularly important if you’re just starting out because it can give you a better idea of where you’re winning and losing compared to your opponents. You can track your results on most online poker sites. You should review your session stats regularly and pay special attention to your win-rate, flop percentage, and number of times you’ve reached showdown.
Another important factor is security. Whether you’re playing online poker from Nevada or from another state, you’ll need to make sure that you’re dealing with a reputable site. Nevada’s Gaming Control Board oversees online poker sites and limits the risks that they can take with client money. You can always file a complaint with the regulator if you encounter any problems. It takes complaints seriously and will try to resolve your issues.
Online poker is becoming more regional, so it’s important to check the availability of major poker sites in your country before joining. Regional poker sites can be fun and offer a tighter community. Many of them have tournaments that are open to anyone. You can play poker for free on the internet or pay satellite entries into live poker tournaments.
Before online poker became regulated, there were many unsavory elements involved. Players would sometimes be cheated by rogue employees to win money. One such scandal resulted in a huge amount of money being lost. Fortunately, the players recovered some of their losses. With regulated sites, cheating is a far less likely scenario.
Nevada is one of the four US states that has agreed to enter an interstate compact for online poker. These states include New Jersey, Delaware, and Michigan. Although the original compact was made before the DOJ created the Wire Act situation, several states are still reluctant to allow online poker. However, Nevada is likely to be the first state to jump on the opportunity.
Poker Spot, owned by the famous poker celebrity Dutch Boyd, is one of the pioneer websites in online poker. However, the site failed within the first year of operation, owing its players $480,000. It finally closed permanently in November 2001. This incident was an impetus for online poker to get off the ground in Nevada.
Nevada poker operators pooled players from three different states to create better liquidity. This allowed them to accept more players and increase their volume. However, these sites still require players to be physically located in their state’s territory.