Why is poker popular? Poker offers good bonuses, and most of the poker players can make the most of the free money offers. There is always so much of free money going round that it is always easy to win something at the tables.

Online poker is played by some as a potential career option. It is not really gambling and not a game of chance. It cannot be compared to the mindless gambling games like roulette or the slot machines prevalent in casinos. Poker requires a lot of skill and calculations, whereas all the others are games dominated by chance.

Of course there are other gambling and casino games like blackjack, horse racing and sports betting which definitely involve some skill and thinking. But luck is a huge factor in most of them and there is a built-in edge which is favorable for the opponent in all the other games.

This built-in edge also exists in poker, but no opponents stand to favor here. No opponent in poker is the house, the casino or the government; it is always the other poker players, who are taxed for all their winnings. The tax is called a rake and every player has to pay it. It may be a small percentage when you play at the highest levels, and is deducted automatically.

The interesting aspect of poker is that you can play against a table of opponents and it is possible that the difference in terms of ability favors you by more than the rake. In such a situation you can be superior to your opponents and not pay a levy on the winning hands, thus getting a net profit.

There are several strategy books which give tips and recommendations for playing poker the best way. It is considered one of the best card games for strategic analysis, particularly for mathematical analysis. Otherwise it is a simple game and the strategy mainly consists of betting and raising one’s hand of cards.

There are several kinds of poker games played in casinos all around the world. The Seven Card Stud, the Texas Holdem Poker and the Omaha Poker are the popular games. Poker’s popularity comes mainly from the fact that in the long run if you are a good poker player, you can always be a winner. But unfortunately most poker players are gamblers, and lose their money elsewhere.