While the world has seen its fair share of online poker sites over the past few years, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant increase in traffic. The virus has forced the closure of most live gaming venues, including unlicensed ones. This sudden lack of entertainment options has prompted many casual players to turn to online poker. In fact, many operators have reported double or more traffic than before. Here are some things to keep in mind when playing online poker.
The United States has long had a legal history with online poker, but the industry has experienced a rough patch over the years. The first online poker sites launched in the late 1990s. After Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker in 2003, the unregulated market grew rapidly. However, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) has banned a number of online poker sites from the U.S. market, though a handful remained open to players in the U.S. for several years.
Before you play for real money, you should download the necessary software for playing online poker. This software typically requires a small amount of memory and shouldn’t take long even on archaic connections. You can also play poker using a browser app, if you’d prefer. Just keep in mind that a browser version of the poker software won’t offer as much functionality as the full download version. However, it’s still worth downloading the software for optimal online poker experience.
Another difference between playing live poker and online poker is the size of the tables and limits. While brick-and-mortar casinos restrict players to playing only one table, online poker sites often permit players to play multiple tables in a single session. The best strategy is to play at a minimum of $10 per 100 hands in a low-limit game. You’ll likely find better opponents with larger limits if you increase your limit. While you can’t increase your limits as much as you can in brick-and-mortar casinos, playing at a lower limit game with a smaller table is still the way to go if you want to win big.
In recent years, online poker has taken on a new face. Although the game began in the back rooms of casinos and bars, the internet has given it a new lease on life. Before the Internet era, most of the online poker activity had only occurred in chat rooms, where players could wager against other players. Fortunately, more states are catching on to the trend and now there are regulated online poker sites operating in several states. In addition to Nevada, a number of other states have also passed legislation that would allow online poker.
If you’re worried that online poker is rigged, you can try playing live poker in the US. There are hundreds of online poker sites that offer this game. Just keep in mind that online poker sites make their money through the rake collected from players. As a result, they have a direct financial incentive to keep their games fair. If you’re concerned that an online poker site is cheating on you, it’s best to withdraw your money and not play there again.