To play online poker, you must have a valid email address. Most poker sites will send you an email that has a verification link for verifying your account. Once you have verified your email address, you can log in and deposit money. You can deposit via bank wire or credit/debit card. Some poker sites even let you deposit via email.

You can also join freerolls, which are small tournaments with little prize money. These are usually reserved for new sign-ups, but larger sites often run them daily for all players. Depending on the site, you can also participate in sit-n-go tournaments, which are larger tournaments with multiple tables. These tournaments can have hundreds or thousands of participants.

Before joining a poker site, check to see if it is licensed and regulated. When you sign up, you should enter personal information and choose a screen name. Remember, online poker is a game of skill, so you’ll have to work hard to win. You can also sign up for training sites and network with successful pros.

Online poker is legal in a number of states. In addition to Nevada and West Virginia, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania are all states that allow online gambling. These states are more likely to add online poker to their gambling catalogs in the coming years. This is not an exhaustive list of every state’s laws, but if you want to play, you’ll have to check it first.

Once you sign up for an online poker site, you’ll be asked to provide certain personal information, including your social security number and date of birth. In addition, you’ll need to enter a full name and address to complete the process. This information will help you identify weak-passive players and win large pots. Remember that no one is perfect, so you must be aware of other players’ strengths and weaknesses before playing online poker.

Another factor to consider is software compatibility. Downloadable poker clients will be compatible with most PCs, but they can be incompatible with Apple Macs or some other operating systems. On the other hand, instant play poker platforms are compatible with most devices. These websites usually use Adobe Flash to power their games. You must ensure compatibility with your operating system before playing online poker.

Although there are more than six hundred online poker networks, the majority of traffic is focused on a handful of the largest. This makes it possible to play online poker without fear of playing against the same players every time. Moreover, you can play multiple tables simultaneously. The traditional casino can only let you play one table at a time. In contrast, online poker sites allow you to play multiple tables simultaneously in separate windows.

The speed of online poker games makes it difficult for players to remember all the information about their opponents. However, live poker is more personal and you can observe your opponents closely.