Poker has made a huge resurgence in popularity in recent years, and you can't go a week without seeing commercials for the latest high-stakes tournaments. The game even has its own celebrities recognizable for the first time to even the most casual players or fans.

With all the interest in the game, it's no surprise that thousands of players, both new and experienced, are looking to find a game. Thanks to the Internet, finding a decent game no longer means having to set up shop in a smoky back-room saloon.

Make no mistake: online poker is big business. Dozens, even hundreds of websites have popped up in cyberspace, and the sheer number of options can be bewildering to someone looking for a good game. The good news is, on the Internet you don't need a good poker face. Here are some of the world's largest and most reputable online poker rooms to help you get started, whether you're looking for some serious cash or just a little fun.

PartyPoker.com

Players have consistently rated PartyPoker.com as one of the top gaming sites on the Internet, and, as the name implies, it's a lot of fun (especially when you're winning). The required software is free and easy to install, and the site is chock full of useful tips and strategies for beginners. This is the place to go for quick tournament play, with pots ranging in size from $5 to millions of dollars in the site's annual champions' tourney. Customer service is also a plus at PartyPoker.com, and the site offers great cash bonuses to its members who are willing to pay to play. It's consistently one of the largest online poker rooms for a reason.

Poker.com

The name of this site says it all. From Texas Hold`em to Omaha High, there's always a decent game to be played here. A relative newcomer to the online poker scene, Poker.com isn't always as crowded as some of the other sites out there, but the Flash-based software is easy to learn and there are generally plenty of rooms available to jump right in and start playing. The skill levels of players here are diverse; for a reasonably competent player, Poker.com is a great place to rake in some cash.

PokerRoom.com

This site is about as close to Vegas as you can get without leaving home, offering the gamut of traditional casino games. Its reputation is built on the quality of its poker rooms, and more than five million players continue to uphold that reputation. PokerRoom.com is one of the few sites that don't require players to download any software, and its Java-based rooms are intuitive and easy to learn. The site offers impressive bonuses of up to $100 for a $500 deposit, and offers a wide variety of game types including seven-card stud and tournament Texas Hold`em. This site is also rather unique in that it maintains a record of every hand dealt, so players can see what the odds are that their hands will hold up when it's time to lay the cards on the table.

ParadisePoker.com

One of the oldest poker rooms on the Internet, Paradise Poker keeps bringing serious players back to the table year after year. Thousands of people playing for real cash are online at any given time, and there's usually an open table for any skill level. Every Sunday the site offers a $100,000 Texas Hold`em tournament, and the sheer number of players online guarantees you'll find a game to suit your wallet. Paradise Poker also offers one of the largest varieties of game types any where on the Internet.

PokerStars.com

Home of the World Series of Online Poker, Poker Stars has taken its place as one of the premier online poker rooms around. Thousands of players are always online, and constant tournament action is the most compelling feature of Poker Stars. There are also plenty of other loose games around if you're looking to play a quick hand. The site adds a human touch to the game by allowing players to upload their picture, a feature that has proved enormously popular.