A lot of people are reluctant to take on big changes. This is true in all aspects of life. It’s also true for a lot of people who are making the switch from offline poker, with their friends at home, to online poker with people they’ve never met before and can’t see face-to-face. Why play online poker? What’s it offer? Here’s a list of commonly-referenced benefits that people enjoy about online poker:

No commute.
No tipping.
The action is quicker and more hands can be played in an hour.
There are different deposit bonuses.
You can play 24 hours a day.
There’s a great variety of games to play.
No second-hand smoke.
You can play at several tables simultaneously.

Also, those playing Internet poker should be aware of the following features, which can affect your strategy and the style of your game:

Playing sessions are shorter. Players move in and out of the game much faster than they do in a live environment. You tend not to play against the same opponents for long.

Your new environment is the world-wide web, and NOT your designated poker table at home! It’s been noted that people are usually trickier and more deceptive on the Internet than they are in live play. That’s because it’s almost impossible to read your opponent’s faces—and it’s very easy to hide your own. Furthermore, to raise or bet, you simply have to click your mouse.

Internet distractions are something worth mentioning. Most commonly, players don’t devote themselves entirely to concentrating on poker. Usually, they indulge in other things (surfing the net, reading e-mails, etc.), or they’re playing on several tables at a time. Internet players, therefore, are less attentive, and don’t follow the action as closely as in a live poker game. This, of course, can be a major advantage from a competition point of view.