Whether you like following the Texas Hold’em craze made famous by Las Vegas’ poker tournament or simply like trying to best 5-card draw on a video poker machine, online poker is available today in various games and limits. You can find practically any offline game on the web now, and with the advancements made in graphics software and security, online poker sites have been offering games that rival the real thing.

There’s nothing being done special about online poker. Literally, it’s the exact same game. If you play the aforementioned Hold’em by the official rules at a live tournament, you’ll find the game is played the same online. The same goes for Omaha, 5 and 7-card stud, draw poker, razz, combo games like H.O.R.S.E. and a slue of other popular mainstays.

The only thing online poker does different than its on-location counterpart is it offers a lot more convenience. Online games are available at any time, day or night, and can be played in multiple styles with people from all around the globe. There’s no waiting for entry into a casino. You don’t have to stand in line to register for a tournament and then sit in between people and fight your nerves back during a game. The online version can be accessed whenever you want and played wherever you want. You can play a lifetime’s worth of poker from your living room in your slippers and pyjamas.

As we see more and more people venture into the online world to play their poker games, we are also seeing security at poker rooms and casinos tighten up. If you think it’s hard to cheat a real casino, then your mind would be scrambled at the difficulty of cheating an online venue. The idea of “randomness” in cards has never been so random. The algorithms used by the software deal an exponentially unsystematic combination of cards. And the player’s account security is equally up to par, with ironclad encryptions on all reputable gaming sites.

Most sites allow you to deposit with a credit card or some other form of payment and will send you the money quickly when you decide to withdraw. Online poker is incredibly popular these days with players trying to earn a few bucks and-or go pro, and while it might not replace the real thing, it certain supplements it well.