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In years past, if you wanted to find a game of poker, you had to either travel to someplace like Vegas or find one in your area — and home games could be notoriously dangerous.
Nowadays, though, thanks to the internet, you can find a game with players from all over the world, all without leaving the safety and comfort of your home. That doesn’t mean that the site itself will be safe, though — so how do you find a poker site worthy of your time and money?
Below, we’ve ranked the best and most reliable online poker sites on the internet today, so you can decide which one you can trust the next time you feel the urge to shuffle up and deal.
Best Poker Sites Online Today
1. Ignition Casino – Best Poker Site Overall
- Million-dollar MTTs every month
- Quick-seat feature makes it easy to find games
- Regular deep-stack tourneys
- Anonymous tables protect players from sharks
- Limited banking options
Ignition Casino does an excellent job of threading the needle between being newbie-friendly and being the type of place that pros can make a living at, making it the best overall poker site we’ve found.
They have a regular multi-table tournament known as “The Monthly Milly,” which has a guaranteed million-dollar prize pool. There are also daily monster stack tournaments in which each player starts off with a massive amount of chips, giving skilled players more opportunity to outplay their competition.
There are other features that are aimed at making novice players feel welcome. For example, they have a quick-seat feature in which you simply enter your preferred game, stakes, and table size, and they’ll sit you immediately, so that you don’t have to waste a bunch of time scrolling through available tables.
They also offer anonymous tables in which user names are hidden, which discourages the use of HUDs and other shady software.
Unfortunately, their banking options are limited, and you can pretty much only deposit with a voucher, credit card, or Zelle — no e-wallets allowed.
2. InterTops Casino – Most Generous Poker Bonus Offers
- Offers 36% rakeback
- Generous loyalty program
- 3 different no-deposit bonuses available
- Bubble protection feature refunds tourney buy-ins
- Lacks a dedicated app
There’s nothing worse than watching a poker game and not having enough money to play, but InterTops Casino does its best to ensure that never happens to you.
They have an excellent rakeback structure at 36%, and that money is deposited directly into your account, allowing you to get back in the game quickly. Their loyalty program is generous as well, and it’s easy to progress up the various levels.
You can also qualify for one of their three no-deposit bonuses; these use frequent player points rather than your own cash to boost your account. They protect tournament players as well, as they offer some tourneys in which your buy-in will be refunded if you get busted on the bubble.
Their mobile experience is fine, but you’ll have to play on your browser, as they don’t offer dedicated apps for iOS or Android.
3. BetOnline Casino – Best Variety of Poker Types
- Excellent Omaha tournament action
- Good game variety
- Crypto-friendly banking options
- Large bad beat jackpots
- 7.5% fee on all credit card transactions
No-limit hold ‘em continues to be the most popular game out there, and BetOnline certainly has its share of NLHE action. However, it has a ton of other games as well, including stud, Omaha, and even 32-card draw and 6+ hold ‘em.
That variety extends to their tournament action, as they have some great Omaha tourneys running regularly. You can also win big for losing, as their bad beat jackpot often gets fairly massive.
This is a very crypto-friendly site, and they accept a variety of cryptocurrencies beyond Bitcoin. Be careful when using plastic, though, as they levy a 7.5% fee on all credit card transactions.
4. Black Chip Poker Casino – Best Poker Site for Grinders
- $3.8 million in weekly tournament guarantees
- Offers one free check payout per month
- Bomb pots drive crazy action
- Openly caters to pro players
- 10% fee on some credit card deposits
Grinders will find a welcome home at Black Chip Poker Casino, as it’s one of the most pro-friendly sites around. They offer $3.8 million in weekly tourney guarantees (and there are a lot of tourneys to enter), and they proudly allow HUDs and hand trackers.
Gamblers will find a lot to love here as well — most notably their bomb pot tables. At these tables, 4 times per hour a set amount will be deducted from each player’s stack, creating a massive pot. The action will then fast-forward to the flop, with the entire table entered with whatever hole cards they were dealt.
Their banking options are a mixed bag. They boast quick processing times and offer a free check payout every month, but they assess a whopping 10% fee on some credit card deposits.
5. Red Dog Casino – Best Video Poker Site
- 16 different video poker titles available
- No withdrawal fees
- Crypto-friendly
- Offers practice games
- Long payment processing times
If you’d rather play against a computer than a real person, Red Dog Casino is the place for you. They offer 16 different video poker games, and all of them allow you to play for free, so you can get the hang of things before risking any cash.
Their banking practices are just as player-friendly as their game offerings. They have a variety of deposit and withdrawal options, and they’re very crypto-friendly (there’s no deposit limits using cryptocurrencies, for example). Better still, they won’t touch a dime of your withdrawals.
The only downside to that is the time it takes to get your money off the site. While some transactions are processed in about 24 hours, others can take as long as 5 business days.
6. America’s Cardroom Casino – Most Secure Software
- Most payouts processed in 24 hours or less
- Security team works to eliminate bots
- Uses bank-grade encryption
- Extensive daily tournament schedule
- Little action for non-NLHE games
If you’re worried about your financial safety while playing online, America’s Cardroom has your back. They use bank-grade encryption standards to safeguard your information, and their security team regularly sweeps for bots, reducing the risk you’ll be cheated at the tables.
It’s not just the site’s security that earns it a spot on this list, however. Their banking options are quite varied, and most payouts (with the exception of checks and some e-wallets) are processed in less than a day. They also have a ton of tournaments every day.
If you want to play anything other than no-limit hold ‘em, though, this isn’t the place to do it. There’s little Omaha action outside the micro limits, and you’ll rarely see a stud game running.
7. Bovada Casino – Most User-Friendly Interface for Poker
- Zone poker great for speed play
- Site optimized for mobile
- Interface is clean and easy to use
- Rabbit cam reveals unshown cards
- Credit card fees in excess of 15%
If you’re an action junkie, Bovada Casino lets you get in a massive amount of hands without getting overwhelmed in the process. Their Zone Poker feature ensures you always have a hand to play, as every time you fold you’ll be whisked to a new table with a new hand.
Despite the blinding game speed, it’s easy to follow the action as the interface is clean and simple to read. It works beautifully on mobile devices, and their Rabbit Cam software even gives you the option of seeing what the turn or river would have been if the hand finishes before those cards are dealt.
While the site is undoubtedly fun to play on, all that enjoyment will cost you, as they charge exorbitant fees (15%+) on credit card transactions after the first one.
8. Cafe Casino – Best Video Poker Jackpots
- Multiple jackpot titles
- Wide variety of bonuses
- Payouts issued in as little as 1 hour
- Can convert player points to cash
- Only accepts credit cards and cryptocurrencies
You won’t find live poker action at Cafe Casino, but if you prefer video poker machines, it’s a great place to play. They offer 17 different types of video poker, and each of the games they offer is fun and rewarding.
That includes several jackpot poker titles, some of which have impressive payouts. They also have several interesting bonus offers, including a “mystery bonus” that’s deposited into players’ accounts every Thursday. It’s easy to convert player points into cash as well.
Getting your money off the site is a breeze, as most payouts take less than a day, and some are processed in as little as an hour. Don’t expect a lot of options when it comes to depositing and withdrawing, though, as they only take credit cards and cryptocurrencies.
9. Juicy Stakes Poker and Casino – Best Specialized Tournament Options
- Special freeroll tourney for new depositors
- Offers both classic and progressive bounty tournaments
- Plenty of 6-max MTTs available
- Good variety of deposit options
- Low withdrawal limits
If you like a little bit of variety in your MTT action, then Juicy Stakes Poker and Casino is the place to be. They offer both classic and progressive bounty structures, and they even have quite a few 6-max table tournaments as well.
There’s even a special freeroll tournament just for first-time depositors, so you can take your initial stake and multiply it right off the bat, with no risk involved.
They offer a wide variety of deposit options, including credit cards, bank transfers, and e-wallets, but no matter what method you use, you’ll be subject to their onerous withdrawal limits (which are capped at around $2,500 per transaction for most methods).
What Makes a Poker Site the Best?
Reputation – The poker community is a small world, and if a site is untrustworthy, word soons spreads. We only included sites that have a sterling reputation among players.
Variety – While no-limit hold ‘em is still the most popular game by far, everyone wants a little variety now and then. Sites that offered many ways to play — including different game types, tournament styles, and more — were given consideration on this list.
Rakeback – Online poker rooms make money by taking a percentage of each pot, called “the rake.” In order to lure players, some poker sites return some of that rake back to the players. This is called “rakeback,” and it’s essentially free money. As you might expect, the poker sites that offered the most rakeback earned bonus points with us.
Players and Traffic – The more traffic a site has, the better. This accomplishes three things: it ensures there are always active games you can play in, gives you a better chance of finding weak players to profit from, and acts as a tacit endorsem*nt of the site’s trustworthiness.
Bonuses and Promotions – Who doesn’t like free money? The larger and more varied a site’s bonus offerings were, the better they fared in these rankings.
Guide to Poker Sites Online
How Do I Choose the Best Poker Site for Me?
The first thing you need to do is make sure that it can be trusted. Check to see that it’s licensed by a reputable gaming commission, and ensure that it uses top-of-the-line encryption methods to safeguard your data.
After that, it’s a matter of deciding what you value in a poker site. That could mean a wide variety of tournaments, different types of cash games, a generous bonus structure, and the like.
The site should be fun to play on as well. That means software that’s easy to use and mobile-friendly, and games that aren’t full of pros. It may take some trial and error to find the right site for you, but luckily, you should have a lot of fun in the process.
Are All Poker Sites Safe?
Not necessarily. Before sharing your personal information with a poker site, you should do some research to ensure that it’s trustworthy.
That includes checking to ensure it’s licensed and regulated by an independent gaming commission, seeing that their software is regularly inspected by a third-party security firm, and reading reviews to see the experiences that other players have had on the site.
Are Online Poker Sites Rigged?
The reputable ones aren’t. They use random number generators that ensure each deal is as random as the one you’d get in a brick-and-mortar casino.
However, while a reputable casino won’t cheat you, we can’t say the same for your fellow players. Look for a casino that promises to weed out bots, collusion, and other forms of shady behavior.
What Is the Safest Place To Play Online Poker?
Americas Cardroom Casino and Ignition Casino are two of the most secure places to play online poker, alongside the rest of the poker sites featured in our article.
Americas Cardroom Casino is especially safe, as in addition to being licensed and regularly audited, they use bank-grade encryption and their security team regularly performs sweeps for bots.
Is Online Poker Legal?
This depends on where you live. Online poker is legal in many places around the world, but you should check your local laws before you start playing.
Why is Traffic Level Important for a Poker Room?
The more players a site has, the more games and tournaments they’ll have running at any given time. It also means there will be more weak players on the site, so your odds of winning will be better.
Additionally, while having a large player base doesn’t guarantee that a site is trustworthy, it’s a good sign. After all, that many people wouldn’t keep coming back if they felt they were getting cheated.
Do Any Poker Sites Offer Bonuses?
Yes, most poker sites offer bonuses. First-time deposit bonuses are standard, and many will offer reload bonuses to existing players. You may find other promotional bonuses from time to time as well.
Beyond deposit bonuses, some sites offer rakeback programs and loyalty structures that reward users for playing on the site.
What Are the Best Poker Sites to Play for Real Money?
That depends on your skill level relative to the competition and which games you like to play. Ignition offers the most games and has the most players, so it’s likely to have something for everyone.
Can I Deposit with Bitcoin?
Yes, most sites accept Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, and many actually encourage it. Not every site is crypto-friendly, though, so check your deposit options before you sign up.
What Tools Do Professional Poker Players Use?
There are two basic tools that pros will use to give themselves a leg up on the competition. One is a hand history tracker; this lets them log and review the hands they’ve played to see their results and analyze their play and that of their competition.
The other is a HUD, or heads-up display. This tool takes information from the hand history tracker and displays it during a game, so that they know how often their opponents raise, call, fold, and so on.
While hand history trackers are a valuable tool for any player to improve their play, HUDs are controversial, as many believe they give users an unfair advantage. As a result, some sites (like Ignition Casino) try to limit their use by offering things like anonymous tables, which render HUDs useless.
Have Fun Playing Online Poker
There’s no better time to be a poker player, as the rise of online poker sites ensures that you can get a game going 24/7 — provided you can find a site you trust, of course.
The poker sites on this list are all trustworthy, have a wide variety of games and tournaments, and enjoy quite a bit of traffic, ensuring that the only thing capable of holding you back in your poker career is your own skill level.
And the best way to get better at poker? Why, playing more hands, of course! So which one of these sites will you use to hone your skills — and maybe end up one of the next superstars in the poker world?
DISCLAIMER:
If you suffer from a gambling problem or suspect somebody you know does, then we strongly suggest that you call the National Problem Gambling Hotline at 1-800-522-4700 to talk with an advisor for help and to make gambling safer for you or your loved ones. Remember all gambling sites and guides are 18+ only.
Casino sites listed on our site may not be available in your region. Check your local laws to ensure online gambling is available and legal where you live. Our guides are reader supported and we may receive commissions for recommendations made in our guide, but this does not affect product ranking.
Visit these organizations for free gambling addiction resources:
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/
http://www.ncpgambling.org/
http://www.gamblingtherapy.org/
The news and editorial staffs of the Bay Area News Group had no role in this post’s preparation.
