Online poker is a game of chance and skill. In order to be a successful player you must learn how to read your opponents, understand position, calculate pot odds, assign ranges and use other strategic tools in order to make sound decisions. You must also be aware of bankroll management and always play within your means. If you gamble more than your bankroll, regardless of your skill level, you will lose money.

When choosing a site to play online poker, you should do your research to ensure that the operator offers the type of poker you want to play. For example, some sites only offer tournaments while others offer both cash games and sit-and-gos (smaller, faster versions of tournaments). Additionally, the number of players that can play a particular poker variant varies from site to site. Generally speaking, though, Texas Hold’em is the most popular game at online poker sites.

Once you have chosen an operator, registering for an account is simple. Visit the operator’s website or download their app and click the “Register Account” button. You will be asked to provide some basic information in order to create your account and you should receive an email confirmation shortly after registering.

The best poker sites are regulated and offer the highest level of security. They also have a solid customer support system, user-friendly software and reasonable promotions. Additionally, a good poker site should have a reasonable amount of traffic at all times.