They say that nothing beats the feeling of playing poker live and observing your opponent’s all the time. However, the world of online poker has come a long way, and many of the best operators did a great job of making the online variant as immersive as possible.
Nevertheless, the two are different, and it takes some time adjusting from one to the other if you’re used to just one type. If you’ve been playing live poker and you want to transition to the online version due to the coronavirus, you should take into account several things first.
Play on a Regulated Site
There are dozens of available online poker platforms, and not all of them are regulated. Simply put, you want your site to have a license, and you want everything to be safe and secure.
That’s the best possible way to enjoy online poker. Therefore, before actually registering on a site, make sure that it ticks all the boxes when it comes to the regularity of its operations.
This is extremely important if you’re not really accustomed to using new technologies. There are many sites that will try to lure you and steal your money, and you definitely don’t want those to open an account on those.
On the other hand, there are a lot of great options, such as Ignition, Bovada, BetOnline, Intertops, and more. You might like some of them more than others, but it’s up to you to choose the one that meets your needs by doing your research and understanding their differences.
Pay Attention to Your Bankroll
Software is automated on most online poker platforms, and there are events running round the clock. This is different than many live poker rooms that have just one or two daily events that last for a couple of hours. That’s why it’s very easy to get carried away and completely forget about your bankroll.
Instead of taking part in every event, make sure to narrow down your choice and play only the ones that you’re sure are going to help you get acquainted with the online environment.
Start With Low Stakes
The beauty of online poker is that there are many more options when it comes to the amount of money you can play with. There’s even the concept of micro stakes poker where you can take part in cash games for as low as $0.01/$0.02.
You don’t have to start with micro stakes, but you definitely don’t want to start playing for a lot of money right away, even if you’re an experienced live poker player. The best thing to do is start with smaller stakes until you get comfortable enough and then slowly increase to match your bankroll.
Watch How Other Online Players Do It
One of the best things about online poker is its community. There are many poker vloggers, bloggers, influencers, streamers, and more who are willing to share their knowledge and become community leaders.
The best way to start is by joining a couple of popular Twitch channels where you can find players streaming their games from poker sites you like. Therefore, you can watch their streams from time to time and learn useful tricks that will help you kick-start your online poker journey.
Get Ready for Fast Poker
Online poker may seem too fast for you if you’ve never played it before. Dealers are automated, which means that cards are shuffled in less than a second, and hands start and finish in less than a minute. Therefore, you might find it difficult to follow the game right away, but with enough practice, this shouldn’t be too much of a problem.