Best of all? You don't have to go to Vegas to do it, and you can play in your pajamas!

• Why cultivate your poker prowess online before hitting the real life high rollers' room? There are plenty of reasons aside from the obvious middle-of-the-night-in-your-pajamas convenience factor.

1. It's cheap. Online poker rooms offer hundreds of tables with limits as low as one cent. There are even tournaments called "freerolls," which allow players to ante up for free and win real money if they're the last one standing.
2. It's structured. Poker software and web-based applications cue you when it's your turn to play. They'll even present you with all of your possible plays. If you're not familiar with the game of poker, this is a great way to learn. And, on low limit or free tables, you've literally got nothing to lose.
3. You don't have to tip. While this may take the fun out of it for some of us, you don't have to deal with all the brick-and-mortar casino expenses while playing online. You don't have to travel to the casino. You don't have to tip the dealer. You don't have to buy food, and you won't be plied with comps and liquor unless, of course, you take the latter responsibility on yourself.
4. You get bonuses. Most online poker sites offer cash bonuses to players to keep them coming back. You can't just take the money and run however. Bonuses typically require that you to play a certain number of raked hands. (A rake is the percentage the poker room takes from each pot.)

• Online poker rooms make money in the following four ways:

1. The Rake: The rake is the percentage the site takes from each pot. Each site has a different rake structure.
2. Tournaments: Tournaments are not raked, but they have an entry fee.
3. Other Games: Some online pokers sites offer side bets on poker hands or black jack. These games are played against the house's money, and of course, the games statistically favor the house.
4. Investing Players' Deposits: Much like banks, online pokers sites invest the money that players deposit in their bankrolls. Since sites do not have to pay interest on individual players' bankrolls, it can be a significant source of income for the site.

• There are dozens of legitimate online poker sites. Sites like PokerListings.com and Poker News offer reviews of the top sites, but you'll want to weigh a few criteria independently before settling on an online poker room to call your own:

1. Games Offered: Texas Hold 'Em is by far the most popular poker game played online, but the most well-established sites will also offer Omaha and Seven-Card Stud games at various skill levels as well.
2. Player Traffic: The sites with the best traffic offer the largest number of tables and games at various skill levels. If you're just starting out, you'll be able to find other beginners at highly-trafficked sites.
3. Bonuses and Loyalty Programs: Bonuses are a great way for beginning players to familiarize themselves with playing online poker and making wagers. Most sites offer a sign-up and deposit bonus.
4. Number of Free Tournaments Offered: Free tournaments let beginners play without a buy-in and offer a real money payday.
5. The Software: Some sites offer web-based applications, but most require you to download some kind of software to play. The top poker sites have reliable, easy-to-use software. You don't want to lose the pot due to a software glitch.
6. The Rake: How much is the poker room going to take off the top of each pot? Is their rake structure too steep for you?
7. Payment Options: Some sites allow you to pay by credit card. Others require that you use an eWallet site ePassporte or MyWebATM.
8. Support: Look for a site that offers support 24/7 by email, chat and phone.

• • Mahalo's Guide to Poker
  • Mahalo's Guide to Playing Poker
  • Mahalo's Guide to Playing Texas Hold'Em
• Wikipedia: Online Poker - Online Gambling
• Quamut: Where to Play Poker
• PokerListings.com: Play Poker Online - Online Poker Industry Overview
• HowStuffWorks: How to Play Poker Online
• CardPlayer.com: So You Want to Play Online Poker?
• CardPlayer.com: Getting Started Online - For Free
• CardPlayer.com: Getting Started: Making Deposits and Withdrawals
• The New York Times: D'Amato Never Folds (March 5, 2007)
• The New York Times: The Absolute Poker Cheating Scandal Blown Wide Open (October 17, 2007)