Online poker is probably the most common game of poker played around the Internet. However, it is far from being the most popular. It has in fact, been partly responsible for an increasing number of online poker players around the world. The first mention of online poker in this article was in 1996 with Internet casino sites such as PokerStars. It was not long before the popularity of online poker spread to Live Poker where people started registering for online poker rooms.

Online poker is also traced back to the late 70s with the development and introduction of instant messaging software like the MSN Messenger and the Yahoo Messenger. These programs were integrated with the Internet and enabled text chat as well as voice chat between users of the same computer or account. This was a milestone in the history of online poker and it paved way for other text based games such as Online Poker, Roulette, Blackjack and Slots. With the popularity of chat rooms and text based gaming sites, other players began to register and play for real money on these sites.

Some players may consider online poker rooms as cheating since they do not require the players to physically travel to another country to participate in the game. But then, there are still some countries that do not allow online casinos and such practice might put them out of business in the future. Other players however consider that the real money transactions in live games are covered by various laws that provide legal recourse for players who have been cheated.

Online poker sites differ from land-based casino in a number of ways. For example, in land-based casino, you need to spend a certain amount of money to gamble. But when playing online poker sites, you can play from anywhere you want provided you have internet connection and computer with a strong capacity to transfer data from one computer to another. You can thus play from the other room, if you lose your money in the first room you are in.

Before you decide to play for real money, it is advisable to learn enough about the game and about the online poker sites you intend to register with. Get the latest information about the site and about the poker algorithms and tactics the site uses. Learn how to bluff your way to victory. There are players who make a living playing best online poker sites, and you should be able to follow their footsteps if you really want to earn real money playing online.

It would also be beneficial to read about the bonuses offered by different online poker rooms. There are some sites that offer free bonuses when you sign up. There are others who reward you with cash and prizes when you play online poker. Be sure to read about these so you can choose the site that offers the most desirable bonuses and prizes.