The game of poker is played with a fixed number of cards by two or more players. The object is to win the pot, which is the total of all bets made during a hand. The higher the rank of your hand, the better your chance of winning the pot. The game can be played with 2 to 14 players. There are many variations of poker, but the basics are the same in all games.

Poker is popular in the United States, where it originated. It became especially widespread among riverboat crews transporting goods up and down the Mississippi River in the 1860s, and it was a staple of Wild West saloons. Today, it is widely played in casinos and private homes, as well as online. It has also become a popular pastime for many people in Europe, who are familiar with the game through television shows like The World Series of Poker.

A common mistake that beginners make is playing their draws too passively. This can lead to them losing a lot of money. Instead, you should be more aggressive when you have a good draw and try to raise your opponents’ bets.

Some poker variants use a wild card, which can represent any other card in the player’s hand. This adds a lot of complexity to the game, as it can increase the value of certain hands over others. For example, a hand that includes deuces wild can trump a straight.