Poker is a card game in which players wager money on the outcome of a hand. It can be played by two or more players and is characterized by betting rounds and showdowns. The game is played using standard or modified decks of cards and is governed by a set of rules.
The game is most popular online, where it has become a hugely profitable enterprise for operators. Players pay a fee to play on a website, known as the rake, which is collected by the site operator and shared amongst the players. Online poker sites have also introduced new formats, such as high-stakes games, where the top players earn enormous sums.
Some versions of poker require players to make forced bets before they are dealt their cards, called an ante or blind bet. Once these bets have been placed, the dealer shuffles the cards, and then deals each player one card at a time, starting with the player to their left. The players can choose to raise their bets or check, and the action continues until someone raises their bet or every player checks.
A good poker player can be described as a risk-taker, willing to place a moderate amount of money at risk in the hope of a big reward. But this style of play can be exploited by opponents, who can spot when a player is trying to play it safe and target them with more frequent bluffs.