Online poker is an exciting and fun game to play. It can be very competitive too. Players can choose from various stakes and game types. However, to win you have to make the right decisions at the right time. This requires knowledge, practice and patience. If you are new to the game, it is best to take your time and learn the basics of poker online. This will help you become a good player and also avoid any pitfalls that might be present in the game.

It is important to have a bankroll management plan in place when playing poker online. This will prevent you from becoming too emotionally invested in bad beats. It will also allow you to grind out a profit over the long term. Having said that, it is not possible to avoid all bad beats completely, but by following a solid bankroll game-plan you can minimise the amount of them you experience.

Another crucial aspect of playing poker online is ensuring that the site is fair. No reputable online poker site would risk its reputation, legal status and all-important cash flow by interfering with individual poker hands. The use of random number generation is one way that governing bodies and auditors such as eCOGRA can ensure that poker games are played fairly.

Other telltale signs of a fair poker site include lenient wagering requirements and reasonable cashout limits. A requirement of a high amount of money to withdraw winnings points to a site that is more interested in keeping your money than paying it out to you.