Online poker is one of the biggest online gambling markets. Its growth accelerated after Tennessee accountant Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker Main Event in 2003 and the event was covered by ESPN, introducing poker to millions of Americans.

Then, in 2006, Congress tried to tame the wild beast with the UIGEA, making it illegal for US banks to process transactions with offshore poker sites. This certainly pushed some operators out of the market, but did not eliminate it entirely.

Since then, the game has continued to grow, fueled by the fact that it is convenient and accessible for players from all over the country. The advent of online poker software and the development of specialized tools like Poker Copilot have also increased its popularity among players who want to improve their games and maximize their bankrolls.

Unlike traditional brick-and-mortar casinos, online poker sites have little to no overhead costs and can afford to offer lower stake games than their offline counterparts. They also have a large playing pool that allows them to offer tournaments with huge prize pools.

Then there are those who play online poker for fun and want to enjoy a casual experience. They enjoy the convenience and accessibility of online poker and don’t care about winning six-figure prizes. These players prefer sites with soft fields, cheap buy-ins and recreational opponents. Fortunately, they can find all of these things with the best online poker sites.