If youve ever watched poker on television or read a poker magazine, chances are youve seen an advertisement for an online poker site. Which of these poker sites are for you? There are a number of factors to consider.

1. Longevity.

Sites like PartyPoker, ParadisePoker, PokerStars, PacificPoker and UltimateBet have been around for some time now, and have only grown in membership. This is a good indicator that the site is reliable. A site that is not as reliable may shut down in a few months. If you know of one thats been around, such as the above, its probably a good place for you to play. Theres nothing wrong with testing out a new site to see if its for you, but keep in mind that you might get comfortable with a site only to have it disappear on you, and there have been a few cases in the past where sites have shut down and the money in the accounts have been lost.

2. Appearance.

Poker sites have different skins that is, a different graphic interface so that all the sites have their own distinctive look. The way the tables are laid out and how the chips are presented may make a difference, as you want to be able to see the amounts each player has and how much is being bet clearly so that you can make your decisions easily. How you appear may also be of interest to you. On PartyPoker, your avatar (the graphic icon that represents you, the player) is always the same depending on which seat you are in. On PokerStars, you can upload a picture of your choice to represent you. On FullTilt, you are given an option when signing up of a number of avatars to choose from. If how you appear on the site is of interest to you, this may be a factor to consider.

3. Opponents

Another thing to consider is the level of the competition. Many people find that certain sites have players who are generally weaker, or give more action, or are more likely to gamble than others. It is likely that the more heavily advertised sites are going to attract more weak players, simply because they attract more players overall.

4. Types of Games

Do you like tournaments? Cash games? Omaha? Hold`em? Most sites now offer all of these, but there is some variety within these options. For example some sites offer only ten handed single table tournaments, whereas others, like PokerStars and PartyPoker, offer six handed ones. PokerStars even offers four handed and heads up tournaments. Some sites have micro-limits where you can play limits as low as 25 and 50 cents, and some have 2000 dollar buy-ins. Among the sites that have what you want, see how many games are running and how quickly they are filled to give you an idea if that one is the right site for you. Also, many players like to play two, three, or four games at once. Look into whether multi-tabling is available at the site of your choice, and how conducive the interface is to multi-game play.

5. Celebrities

Many sites have celebrities that sponsor them. Mike Sexton is affiliated with PartyPoker, the last three WSOP champions with PokerStars, and Chris Ferguson with FullTilt, among others. This shouldnt really factor into your decision about where to play, as most of these players sponsor whichever site pays them the most. However sometimes the site will offer you the opportunity to sit and play with these celebrity pros, and if thats something that excites you, which sites offer these opportunities may be something for you to consider.

6. Do your Research

Many of these sites offer sign up bonuses. Take advantage of these to play with a small bankroll on a number of different sites and compare and contrast until you find the one you like the best. It also costs you nothing to sit back and watch the play on the different sites to see what the players are like. In addition, there are websites out there, such as www.pokerlistings.com which give detailed reviews of various sites to help you make your decision. See you online!