Online poker is a popular hobby for many players and one that can also be lucrative when played well. But like any form of gambling you need to make sure you play at a site that is safe and fair. The last thing anyone wants is to lose money due to a cheating site or rogue employee. Thankfully these types of scandals are becoming less common as the poker industry becomes more regulated.

The first step is to sign up for an account at the poker site of your choice. The software required for online poker is relatively lightweight and shouldn’t put a huge demand on your computer or phone. You’ll need to create an account and a password and then the poker lobby will appear. Generally the lobby will be categorized by cash games, tournaments, and Sit & Go’s as well as any special format games the poker site runs. Most sites will also feature beginner tables where you’ll be seated with other players who have tagged themselves as new to the game. This dramatically levels the playing field for new players and is highly recommended for beginners.

Depending on the size of your bankroll you can usually choose between a variety of different deposit methods to fund your account. All of the sites we feature allow you to deposit using a credit or debit card, prepaid voucher, web wallet or other similar method. Many of the top poker sites also offer a free no deposit bonus that you can use to get started.