Online poker takes the same fun, easy-to-play intellectual game that people love to play live and cranks it up. It’s a game that rewards actual skill unlike slots or the lottery and is accessible from any computer, smartphone or tablet with an internet connection. Players can play for the smallest stakes (literally pennies) or for satellite entry into the best tournaments around the world and the prize money that comes with it.

There are many different types of poker games played online but No Limit Texas Hold’em is the biggest by far and is featured in all major high-prestige tournaments worldwide. Getting started playing online is as simple as downloading the poker client software to your PC, creating an account and depositing funds using one of the methods available on the site. Most sites will also run age checks to ensure players are of legal gambling age.

Poker tools such as Table Ninja allow players to customize their poker experience and get all the data they need at a glance while they play. This is a useful feature for grinders who need to keep track of multiple tables at once. Other poker tools include stats calculators, player scanners and odds, equity and variance calculators. Some even have the capability to scan digital device fingerprinting to recognize repeat offenders and prevent collusion between players.

Online poker fraud is also easier to detect than in a brick and mortar room. Online poker sites employ security staff who watch for patterns and can check player computer IP addresses to identify if two players are playing from the same home or office. They can then cancel their accounts and notify police.