Historically, online poker was banned in most states, but the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) has opened up the US to poker in some states. However, this is only for states that have legalized certain forms of gambling. In many states, the legality of poker is also regulated. These laws limit the risks that sites can take with client money. Typically, a player with a 5% win rate earns about $24 an hour playing online poker, while a casino player with a 5% win rate would barely break even after dealer tips.
The US has seven states that allow for some forms of gambling, but online poker is not legal in all of them. For example, the state of Alaska is historically against gambling, but the Alaska online poker economy would need to be regulated by a state-based licensing body. Other states include Washington, Nevada, Oregon and Hawaii.
For the most part, the best platforms for US players are foreign-based platforms. However, it is important to note that many of the top poker players play both live and online. These players are typically from states that allow for some forms of gambling, such as Nevada and California. In some cases, these players are able to play for free in order to gain experience and hone their skills. Using free money play, players can analyze their hands to improve their game. In many cases, these players are able to see their hand history, odds, and variance.
Another factor to consider is the currency used by the online poker site. Some sites accept deposits and withdrawals in a variety of currencies. Other sites use US dollars only, and require players to convert their money before depositing. It is also important to consider the speed of withdrawals. In some cases, it can take three business days to withdraw funds. Other sites convert funds at a lower premium than banks. These sites can be a good option for players looking for a low-risk investment.
There are a variety of poker software programs that allow players to play online poker. These programs provide hand history and odds display, quizzes, and a history of known players. Some of these programs also allow players to view multiple tables in separate windows, allowing them to play more than one table at a time. Some of these programs also scan for mistakes, saving the hand history.
There are also a number of poker sites that allow players to play for free in order to gain experience. These sites are ideal for newcomers to the game and can help to speed up the learning curve. Many of these sites also offer satellite tournaments that allow players to win a seat in a live tournament.
One of the main issues that many players have with online poker is that they experience more bad beats than they do with live play. Bad beats are more common at lower stakes, and they can sometimes outdraw better hands. If a player is playing a low limit game online, $10 per 100 hands is considered good play. On the other hand, if a player is playing in a high limit game, $10 per 100 hands is considered bad play.