Online poker has grown in popularity in recent years, due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has closed most live gaming venues worldwide. Most of these have been unlicensed, resulting in a sudden dearth of live entertainment. As a result, casual poker players have been flocking to online poker as a substitute. Several operators reported double or even triple the traffic they previously saw, as a result of the new regulations.
The history of online poker in the US is as long as that of online poker worldwide. Some of the first operators began offering their services to players in the US at its inception. Sites such as partypoker and planet poker were among the first to offer their services to American players. Unfortunately, the original partypoker didn’t have a US license and thus could not serve the US market. In response, the New Hampshire Lottery Commission filed a lawsuit in order to gain clarity on online poker laws.
In the United States, the online poker industry is regulated in just a handful of states. However, it is important to remember that many online poker operators operate in only one or two of these states. As such, it’s important to verify the legitimacy of any online poker site before signing up. Moreover, US-licensed sites are responsible for all of their actions in the US. To avoid risky situations, make sure that the poker site you’re playing is operated by a US-based company.
In order to make online poker games more accessible to new players, major online poker sites offer varying features to attract new players. Some of the most basic games are video poker and draw poker. Some sites even offer special features such as satellite tournaments where the winners of those tournaments can earn entry into prestigious real-life poker tournaments. In 2003, Chris Moneymaker won the online satellite to the World Series of Poker (WSOP), which created a poker boom. In 2004, a record-breaking three-fifths of the WSOP’s players won their entries via an online cardroom.
Once you’ve found a poker site that suits your preferences and budget, the next step is to find a bank or cashier link to deposit your funds. You can deposit funds to online poker sites in a variety of currencies, including U.S. dollars. Different poker sites require different minimum deposits to play, and their timeframes for clearing these deposits vary widely. For example, a large deposit may take several hours while a small deposit may take several days.
The top poker sites offer the most unique tournament experience. These sites offer daily and weekly tournaments, including the most popular Sunday major tournament in the US. Each Sunday, at 4 PM ET, they feature the $100K Guaranteed tournament, which pays out at least $17,000 to the winner. If you’re looking for a great poker tournament experience, Ignition Poker is the site for you. And don’t forget about mobile poker sites.