Most poker players are between 20 and 35 years old, although the prevalence of online poker sites allowa younger players to get more experience. This means that anywhere you go, you will likely run into someone that has the poker itch.
Many of the biggest poker websites offer two flavors – a gambling site, where you will usually give your credit card information and bet with real currency, and then a non-gambling site, where you bet valueless tokens and therefore do not risk any real money. Some of these sites are PokerStars.net, Worldpokertour.com, Binions.com, and Pokerschoolonline.com. There are also hundreds more out there.
If you have the itch, ask around your circle of friends and neighbors – definitely you will either find a weekly game scheduled or at least enough people interested that you could start your own. Most games include chips and betting, with moderately small buy-ins – that is, the amount of money you have to contribute to the winning pot. These buy-ins are set before game-play begins, and can range from $20 to $100 for a full set of chips; the higher prices keep the rookies out and are much more competitive. Once you are out of chips, you are done until the next game begins, and the winner takes the full pot.
Casino Poker playing is often found at the larger venues, and be prepared to spend a lot of time playing the game here. Antes for playing are higher, from $100 to $1000 or higher, and game-play is serious and professional. With skill, you can win your way into invitational tournaments, which take everything up a notch: antes are sometimes included with your invitation but may be separate and in the tens of thousands of dollars! Prizes are often awarded not only to the winner but also to the runners-up, with the grand prize valued up to hundreds or thousands of dollars or more. These are the most serious players who frown at newcomers and welcome peers.
