Poker is a card game in which players wager money or chips on the outcome of the hand according to the rules of the particular game. The game is very popular and is featured on television shows and in many casinos.

Most poker games require each player to contribute an amount of money or chips into the pot (called a buy-in) before cards are dealt. Players compete to minimize their losses with bad hands while maximizing their winnings with good ones. The ability to predict what cards their opponents have is a major skill in poker.

In casino poker the house dealer handles the cards for each hand. In casual games, the right to deal a hand rotates among the players and is marked by a token called a button. The button may also be used to designate a dealer who is responsible for opening betting in each round. Most packs of cards include two jokers that can be used as wild cards in some games.

A poker game is official if the player makes the first voluntary bet in a betting round, though some games have specific rules about when a player can open action on a betting round. Players should not make multiple bets in a row, unless the game’s rules allow them to do so. Moreover, they should not make a bet with a chip that has already been placed in the pot, unless it is to call another bet.