In the United States, online poker has been around for several decades. The first sites launched in the late 1990s. After Chris Moneymaker won the 2003 World Series of Poker, the unregulated market exploded. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act subsequently drove a number of sites out of the market, although poker sites like PokerStars were able to continue to offer online poker games to U.S. players for several years.

In order to play online poker, you need to download the poker software from the site that you plan to play at. The download should take only a few minutes, and most sites are virus-free. Once you have the software installed, create an account. It is important to remember that you can only have one account with a particular poker site. Attempting to use multiple accounts can lead to permanent bans from the site.

Some sites require additional documentation before you can sign up for an account. They may ask you for an ID, utility bill, or other information that proves your identity. The purpose is to ensure that the information you provide is the one listed on the site. After verifying your identity, you can begin playing online poker for real money.

The number of hands in online poker is higher than in live games. As a result, online poker players are more likely to suffer bad beats. Many players accuse poker sites of unfair practices when they suffer bad beats. However, math has a simple answer to this dilemma. Online idn poker players log up to 10 times more hands than players in live games.

Although online poker has become legal in some states, it is still illegal in others. However, offshore online poker rooms are fully licensed and safe to use for US players. They are also operated by fully licensed entities, just like the ones that are based in the United States. There are only a few states that have publicly announced that online poker is legal, and most of them are operating some form of online poker within their state borders.

There are two main types of online poker sites that offer legal online poker to Massachusetts residents. These are social poker sites and sweepstakes gaming sites. These sites let players play for free and earn prizes. Most sweepstakes gaming sites focus on slots, but some also focus on table games. Global Poker is one such site. It uses a dual-currency system and offers potential cash prizes to players.

One of the most popular online poker games is Texas Hold’em. This game starts with two hold cards for each player and ends with a showdown. The goal of the game is to win by having the best hand at the showdown. Most new players begin playing this game. It also attracts professional players.