Online poker is the game you play on your computer, laptop or phone to wager real money against other players. It’s a great way to pass the time, earn some cash or even qualify for satellite tournament entries into the best live events in the world.

You can find a wide variety of poker games and stakes to play online. You can start at the lowest level and work your way up to the highest. It’s a game of skill, not luck, so if you can master the basics and learn some strategies you should be able to win money over the long term.

A good poker site should be safe to play on. It should have a variety of secure methods to deposit and withdraw funds. There should also be options to play free poker games and participate in fun tournaments. It’s a great way to test the waters before you decide to invest any money in the game.

Most top poker sites offer a variety of free games and tournaments as well as high-stakes games with massive prize pools. They usually have a filtered list of games to help you find what you’re looking for. If you’re a new player, try out the beginner tables at your poker site to get accustomed to the speed and rules of the game. This can be a huge advantage over live poker, which is more challenging for beginners.

Another big difference between live and online poker is the ability to read your opponents. This includes everything from their betting styles to whether they have a tell you can pick up on. Online poker allows you to analyze their play through hand history trackers and heads-up displays that show you information about your competition during the game.

Lastly, playing poker online is much more convenient and accessible than ever before. You can play from any location that has an Internet connection. You can even use your mobile device to play if you have the right software installed. Some poker websites also feature live streaming of the game and allow players to chat with each other while they play.

Most of the major poker sites feature a wide variety of tournaments and games to suit every type of player. Some of these are major multi-table tournaments with a guaranteed prize pool in the millions of dollars while others are daily tournaments that feature massive starting stacks. The best online poker sites will have something for every kind of player and are constantly improving to meet the needs of their customers.