When you play online poker, you can expect to have many more hands per hour than you would in a real casino. While this is true for both online and live poker, the time between hands in live play can add up, and this time does not include decision-making time. On average, you can expect to see 35-40 hands per hour, while in online poker, you can experience up to three times that amount. You can also play in a fast-fold format, which allows you to see more hands in less time.

Despite the recent passage of the UIGEA, some states are still mulling legislation that would make it legal for people in the US to play online poker. As of this writing, only five states have officially legalized online poker. But more are pending. More states are expected to make this type of gambling a legal option in the future. Until then, the federal government will have to regulate online poker. However, that does not mean that it cannot exist.

Poker HUDs are handy tools that overlay your online poker table and provide real-time stats about your opponents. For example, if you have the A-8 kicker in your hand, you’ll know how much you can raise in the pre-flop. You can use this information to make better decisions. Online videos of poker strategy are also available to watch. Some of them feature big-name players and even Twitch streams. Some of these videos are even interactive, and contain quizzes and interactive tools. Online training sites offer poker strategy training and advanced techniques.

While the online poker signup process requires personal information, it is worth it to use an IP PIN to protect your identity. These PINs are vital for real-money play. Once you’ve obtained them, you can then sign up for the online poker website of your choice. It is important to choose a trusted site or app with plenty of traffic. Regardless of the site, these PINs will help protect you from identity theft and other types of fraud.

One way to keep your bankroll in check is to join a poker training website. There are thousands of these sites online, and most of them are free to download. Once you’ve signed up, you’ll need to create an account. You can only have one account, though, as multi-accounting is illegal in online poker. If you’re caught, you’ll be permanently banned from the site. And since poker is a game of skill, it’s important to play wisely.

There are many downsides to online poker, however. The biggest is that you’ll be playing against a much smaller pool of players than you would in a real-life poker game. The more hands you play, the more hands you’ll experience. This means that online poker has a higher variance than live poker. Because of this, you’ll likely experience more short-term gains, but a higher variance also means a higher short-term loss.