Online poker takes the idea of playing cards for real money and cranks it up to a whole new level. You can play for the smallest stakes imaginable or even win satellite entries into live tournaments around the world. You can play on desktop computers, tablets or phones and you can do it from anywhere with an internet connection.

The best online poker sites feature state-of-the-art security measures like 128 or 256 bit SSL encryption to protect your personal information. They also feature player-friendly deposit and withdrawal options such as major credit cards, eWallets and wire transfers. Most importantly they’re regulated and licensed by the state in which you live to ensure that your account funds and personal information are safe.

Many of the top poker websites use hand database programs to save, sort and recall all your poker hands. These are incredibly useful tools for any serious poker player because they allow you to track your winnings over time and analyze the trends in your game. They also help you spot the persistent mathematical errors in your opponents’ games so that you can take advantage of them.

You should also look for a site with an easy to use lobby interface. Ideally it will be categorized by Cash Games, Tournaments and Sit N Go’s as well as whatever special format games that site runs. You should be able to easily filter for the games you’re interested in and most poker sites will also have “beginner” tables where you can get seated with players who’ve identified themselves as beginners.