Online poker has revitalised and reinvented the traditions of the original card game. With quick fire games played between people from all around the world, each competing for pots of various sizes. With the new capabilities made available by the virtual forum, games are not bound by the traditional restrictions of the game. With tables open 24-hours a day and large tournaments organised throughout the day at regular intervals, players can try their hand in any manor of game, for any amount of money and at any time of the day.

Poker sites make their money through a highly unique but hugely effective way. Unlike in other online gaming industries there is no gambling against the house, so money is not won and lost in the same way. In poker the stakes are only wagered between the players, which makes direct financing for the sites a seemingly impossible venture. However in online poker as with many of the larger real life tournaments, additional fees on top of the tournament entrance generate the money. For example if a player enters a $10 tournament, it will be presented as a $10+1, with the 1 representing the 10% charge that goes to the house. Therefore in every tournament that takes place, the competitors play for the cumulative pot generated by the remainder of the cash, but the house picks up the 10% surcharge from every player that joins. So with dozens if not hundreds of people competing in single table and multi table tournaments throughout the day, making it a simple but effective way to generate revenue without the player being effected too much.

Similarly in the standard games of poker played between a number of people on a variety of tables, the house collects what is known as a rake. The rake is a small percentage of the money generated by each hand, which usually has a predetermined maximum. Rakes are imposed after a certain amount of money is wagered on a hand, which covers the vast majority of games played. With poker games occurring on dozens of tables at all times, these rakes can soon amount to serious amounts of profits for the house.

For most Internet users the idea of getting a piece of this money may seem to be an unrealistic, even impossible dream. But through affiliate programs any person with online capabilities can share in this extremely simple but effective revenue system. The poker affiliate program simply works by having websites host advertisements for a site. When a person follows the link and becomes a fully signed up member of the site, that affiliate is rewarded with a percentage of the player's lifetime money generated. Therefore all a person needs is a little initiative, a website and an affiliate program and they too can begin earning money in this unique online gaming system.