I made my breakthrough online, after decades of fruitlessly sitting by myself in bars pretending I'd get lucky one night. On a dating site I can describe myself in writing, then have several email (written) contacts before having to improvise small talk on the phone or in person - something I'm terrible at with women I'm just meeting for the first time, but not with women I've talked to in writing first. The icebreaking is what I can't do live, and online dating neatly avoids that necessity.
I should add that my purpose in online dating was primarily to get laid for the first time, and secondarily to get a GF. I accomplished both (with the same person) after nosing around for a couple months on a dating site that had kind of low attendance.
I broke up with this woman last May and have not resumed looking, either online or otherwise, because I solved the V-card problem, and now with some perspective on the downside of being in a relationship I am no longer as eager to hook up. I miss the sex, but not the hassle, that this relationship provided.
I have gone back to bars once or twice since the breakup, not with a lot of hope, but mostly just to break up cabin fever, get some noise and look at some actual live women. My confidence at the bar game had not gone up any since losing my virginity, which was a surprise. I thought the breakthrough would solve more problems than it did. I'm still the same person I was, with a long-sought experience finally under my belt. I sympathize with the shy nice-guy virgins on here in general, but I would definitely caution you guys against thinking that your first breakthrough is going to miraculously change all kinds of things in your life.