7 Best Online Poker Sites for Real Money in 2023

The thrill of the raise and the excitement of the bluff are closer to you than ever thanks to top online poker sites. Several platforms host Texas Hold’em and other cash games and tournaments, and our team has compiled a list of the top ones.

As you read on, you’ll discover the names of the best online poker sites and understand their game offerings, their rakeback, and their wagering limits. We have also included bonus codes for each online poker room so that you’ll be able to play poker games or tournaments with a larger bankroll.

Best Online Poker Sites for Real Money

Our team of online poker specialists has deemed the following online poker sites the best in the business. All of these online casinos are available throughout the US and provide a generous poker welcome bonus when you place your first deposit.

1. BetOnline – Best Online Poker Site in 2023.
2. Bovada – Freerolls for Active Players.
3. Lucky Block – 20+ Live Dealer Poker Games.
4. Everygame – Top Poker Casino for Casual Players.
5. SportsBetting.ag – Cash Games with $0.01 Minimum Stakes.
6. Ignition – Best Real Money Poker Sites for Beginners.
7. Juicy Stakes – Free USD Withdrawals with Rake.

Quick Facts: Online Poker in the US

• Legal status: By 2023, Delaware, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Connecticut has also introduced laws allowing online poker but there are currently no state-based platforms in operation.
• Most popular game online: No Limit Hold’em.
• The largest prize pool for an online poker tournament: $27,559,500.
• Estimated number of US-based online poker players: 60 million.
• The average age of US-based professional poker players: 20 – 30 years.

Reviews of the Best Poker Sites for US Players

Learn more about the best online poker rooms for real money in the US by reading through the following overviews.

1. BetOnline – Best Online Poker Site in 2023

BetOnline is a leading online gambling site offering both regular poker, casino games and sports betting. This site accepts both USD and cryptocurrency payments and has a minimum deposit limit of $20. The site is also home to an extensive library of free resources to help you learn how to play the game and there are several BetOnline promo codes that can be used for real money online poker.

Game Offering 5.0/5

BetOnline’s online poker platform is the Chico Poker Network which it uses to offer both real money games and poker tournaments. Texas Hold’em and Omaha are the primary variants on offer, and for each, you will find Limit, Pot Limit, and No Limit options. The site also offers 7 Card Stud, but this variant is only available in standalone games.

You can play poker using freerolls daily, and new players even get access to a $10,000 freeroll tournament. This type of poker promotion is widely available and is not usually subject to a qualifying deposit. The range of tournaments at BetOnline includes a $1 million windfall jackpot and numerous Sit and Go’s with a $5,000 prize pool.

2. Bovada – Freerolls for Active Players

Bovada is another top online poker site that offers a comprehensive range of gambling options. Offering several demo poker games and an extensive tutorial library, this online poker site is a favorite among newer players. More experienced players will also find this site appealing due to the collection of generous Bovada promo codes and the selection of high-value tournaments available.

While you can play poker online on standalone tables, Bovada is also a popular platform for tournaments. You can usually find up to four freerolls available each week. Prize pools vary in value, but can go up as high as $5,000. Sunday tournaments feature some of the highest prize pools on the platform. These can be as high as $150,000, with a top prize of $20,000.

Game Offering 4.9/5

Bovada uses the PaiWngLui Poker Network which features several online poker variants, including Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Omaha Hi/Lo. Real money games and Sit N Go’s are available throughout the day and several feature minimum stakes of just $0.05. While there is no rakeback, players earn loyalty points that can be redeemed for bonus cash, freerolls, or other prizes.

3. Lucky Block – 20+ Live Dealer Poker Games

Lucky Block is a relative outlier to the other online poker sites on this list. While it does not offer regular online poker, it features a collection of casino-style games where you can play against the dealer. To access this site from the US, you’ll need to connect through a VPN. Once connected, you’ll be able to create an account using just an email address.

Game Offering 4.9/5

Partnering with Evolution Gaming and other live dealer providers, this online poker site is able to offer a selection of popular variants. With minimum stakes of $0.25, you’ll find several variations of Hold’em, Caribbean Stud, and Triple Card Poker. Demo mode is available for virtual games, and you can use several Lucky Block promo codes to unlock matched deposit offers.

While Lucky Block does not offer any tournaments, you can play poker online in a variety of formats. You can use your knowledge of poker hand rankings to play virtual and live games for low or high stakes. This casino also offers video poker games where creating a winning hand leads to an instant payout.

4. Everygame – Top Poker Casino for Casual Players

Everygame is one of the oldest real money online poker sites on our list having been founded in 1996. It has become a leading provider of numerous forms of gambling and has developed a dedicated poker platform that accepts both USD and crypto deposits. This site also offers a poker welcome bonus and a fixed and market-leading rakeback rate of 36%.

Game Offering 4.9/5

While smaller than other featured online poker sites, Everygame still welcomes an average of 400 players every day. Texas Hold’em and Omaha are the main variations available, and you’ll find several daily standalone tables and tournaments available for either. Minimum stakes are also casual player-friendly and start off at $0.02/0.04.

Everygame offers daily freerolls to all registered players as well as a monthly freeroll to any player that has deposited $25 or more. If you want to play poker online for a chance of winning a valuable prize, you might consider joining the Sunday Sundowner Special which features a pool of $10,000. There are also several other tournaments that normally have an entry fee of 10%.

5. SportsBetting.ag – Cash Games with $0.01 Minimum Stakes

SportsBetting.ag shares many similarities with BetOnline, including the shared use of the Chico Poker Network. This online poker site can accept both USD and crypto payments and provides a dedicated poker bonus to new players. The web-based platform is accessible from desktop and mobile devices, but you can also download an app for Windows or Mac.

Game Offering 4.9/5

There are several ways to enjoy playing online poker at SportsBetting.ag. Minimum stakes on Hold’em and Omaha games are $0.01/$0.02 and several poker tournaments have buy-ins in the range of $1 to $200. The Sunday Main Event is the overall most popular tournament and features a guaranteed prize pool of $150,000.

Sportsbetting.ag offers daily freerolls as well as fee-based tournaments, including Sit and Go’s and Knockouts. A 10% fee applies to most of these, though this is reduced slightly to 9% for competitions with a $100 buy-in. There are also other ways to win big prizes, including participating in the Bad Beat Jackpot promotion by playing eligible games.

6. Ignition – Best Real Money Poker Sites for Beginners

Ignition is another leading online poker platform that’s suitable for both beginner and experienced players. A sister site of Bovada’s, this casino offers an extensive variety of poker tutorials and provides free play mode on several casino-style poker variants. Generous matched bonuses are also available, and freerolls are available through the site’s rewards program.

Game Offering 4.8/5

Using the PaiWangLuo Poker Network, Ignition offers poker tournaments and standalone tables for Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Omaha Hi/Lo. This site also offers unique features, including Zone Poker which reduces waiting times after you’ve folded, and Anonymous Tables, which keep your profile hidden. Seasoned players will also find the GTD $1 million Monthly Milly tournaments to be a popular option, though buy-ins are set at $535.

While Ignition has a rake of $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot, no rake is taken if the game does not progress to the flop. Buy-in tournaments, meanwhile, have an average entry fee of 10%, but players can also get weekly freerolls with a guaranteed prize pool of $2,500. However, only players with an Ignition Rewards Chrome status or higher can participate in these.

7. Juicy Stakes – Free USD Withdrawals with Rake

Juicy Stakes is an online poker site that’s part of the Horizon Poker Network along with Everygame. Both sites share numerous similarities, including accepting USD and crypto payments. Withdrawing funds via Bitcoin is always free, however, USD withdrawals are only free when you accumulate a net rake of $50 for checks and $60 for direct bank transfers.

Game Offering 4.8/5

You’ll find numerous poker tournaments available at Juicy Stakes, including Sit and Go’s, bounty, and ones with a guaranteed prize pool of $10,000 or more. The majority of all featured real money games are either Texas Hold’em or Omaha. Just like Everygame, this online poker site also offers a fixed rakeback rate of 36% that’s paid on a weekly basis.

Juicy Stakes has a rake of $0.01 for every $0.20 in the pot. This rake is limited by the number of players and the value of the stakes. For example, with four players at the table and minimum stakes of $0.25/$0.50, the maximum rake is $2. Most tournaments have a 10% fee, but freerolls are availalbe both daily and monthly to eligible players.

Is Online Poker Legal in the US?

The short answer is both yes and no. US states have the autonomy to determine their own online gambling regulations. Currently, six states, including New Jersey and Pennsylvania, provide licenses for state-based operators. Many of the other states have a robust land-based licensing system but have yet to introduce licenses for online poker sites.

Offshore Poker Sites

For the majority of the US poker player population, offshore poker sites provide the best way to play online. These sites are based in other countries, oftentimes Caribbean ones such as Curacao or Panama. Moreover, US players won’t face any legal action from the federal government for playing at these casinos.

Comparing Online Poker Sites

There are several ways to compare the best online poker sites for US players. In the following table, you’ll learn more about each platform, such as the most popular poker tournament.

Online Poker Tournaments

Almost all of the featured best online poker sites for US players offer tournaments. There are several types available, and whilst some are better suited for seasoned players, others are beginner-friendly.

• Sit and Go’s – Also known as SNGs, these one-table tournaments start whenever there are enough players at the table. The biggest poker sites are the best for these competitions because you won’t have to wait long to start playing. You can find the best selection of Sit and Go’s at BetOnline.
• Multi-Table Tournaments – MTTs feature the same variant that’s played across multiple tables. Normally, each table holds 10 players and the final round sees the winners of each table battling it out for the top prize. Several poker sites offer MTTs, but the best one overall is SportsBetting.ag.
• Heads-Up Tournaments – HUs feature a fast-paced setting where players are paired and when one is knocked out, another takes his or her place. These tournaments normally feature Hold’em or Omaha, but other variants are also sometimes played. If you’re looking to play HUs, you’ll get the best choice at Bovada.

Free Poker vs. Real Money Online Poker

Many of the listed best online poker rooms let you play virtual poker games for free. These games are slightly different from regular poker as you will play against the house and not other players. However, they are a great way to get used to creating winning hand rankings and discovering single-player versions. Bovada, Lucky Block, and Ignition all provide free poker games that you can play without an account.

When you’re ready to switch to real money mode, you’ll be able to use all our listed online poker rooms. You’ll be able to choose between regular poker which includes other real players, casino-style poker, where you’ll play against the house, or video poker, where creating a winning hand is all that’s needed to win a prize.

How We Rate The Best Online Poker Sites for Real Money

To determine which online poker platforms are the best ones in the US, our team of casino specialists considers several factors. Below, you’ll find the most important characteristics that are featured by the best online poker sites.

Rakeback

Many of the best online poker sites for US players offer rakeback to active players. This is a special type of reward that is based on a percentage of the rake. In certain cases, this can be as high as 36% and while some sites feature a fixed rate, others offer a variable one.

Poker Bonuses

When you play online poker at our recommended sites you’ll be eligible for generous casino bonuses. The majority of featured sites offer a dedicated poker welcome bonus along with several ongoing promotions. These include Bad Beat Jackpots, freerolls, and loyalty rewards.

Online Poker Varieties

Almost all the featured online poker platforms offer Texas Hold’em and Omaha as their primary varieties. However, the biggest online poker sites also offer additional games, such as 7-Card Stud or Omaha Hi/Lo. In addition, these sites also offer several casino-style games in both virtual and live formats.

Poker Tournaments

The best online poker sites for real money are designed to cater to both novice and seasoned players. Small buy-ins or high-value guaranteed prize pools are sure ways to attract new players, so these sites host several daily and weekly tournaments, including SNGs, MTTs, and HUs.

Banking Options

To play with real money, you need to be able to deposit funds. Top online poker sites accept multiple payment options and currencies, including cryptocurrencies. They are able to support wide payment limits and provide fast and low-cost payouts.

Safe and Secure

Our team only considers online poker sites that are licensed by reputable jurisdictions and adhere to international safety standards. As licensed operators, platform owners must continually prove that they offer a secure environment and adhere to responsible gambling best practices.

How to Sign Up & Play at Online Poker Sites

One of the benefits of the featured online poker sites is a fast and simple registration process. You can sign up, deposit funds, and start playing online poker in just a few minutes. To do this, you will simply need to follow the steps below. While we’re using BetOnline in this example, a simple process is necessary for all our featured casinos.

Step 1: Create Your BetOnline Casino Account

Visit BetOnline and click on ‘Join’. Enter your personal, contact, and residential information as requested on-screen.

Step 2: Confirm Your Email Address

Within a few seconds following registration, you should receive a welcome email from BetOnline. In this email, you’ll also be asked to click a link to confirm your email address. Do this to complete this step.

Step 3: Complete Your First Payment

On the ‘Deposit’ page, select your preferred payment method and follow the instructions to complete your first deposit. Remember to include the promo code POKER1000 to claim your 100% match poker bonus.

Step 4: Play Online Poker

Click on ‘Poker’ and choose one of the poker games or tournaments. You’ll be redirected to the BetOnline Poker platform where you’ll be asked to sign in once more. You’ll then be able to join a table and start playing real money online poker.

Step 5: Get Rewarded

The poker bonus will be automatically released in stages of $5 every time that you earn $50 in rake. You’ll have 30 days to release your entire bonus, but you’ll lose any unreleased balance if you make a withdrawal.

Online Poker Apps

You can play online poker from anywhere using a variety of desktop and mobile apps. Almost all of the featured sites offer one or more downloadable apps, but in any case, you will always be able to play real money games using a web browser.

If you’d prefer a faster startup with your favorite tables and customizations saved, you might wish to download an app. Top online poker sites, such as BetOnline and SportsBetting.ag, offer desktop and laptop apps for Mac and Windows as well as mobile apps for Android and iOS. Other sites, including Bovada and Everygame, don’t provide downloadable mobile apps but do offer desktop apps.

Payment Methods for Playing Online Poker

By choosing any of the listed online poker sites, you’ll be able to deposit and withdraw funds using a variety of banking options. In the following section, we’ve taken a closer look at some of the more popular options and highlighted their main pros and cons.

Crypto Options

Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies have become popular banking options at online poker sites. Crypto payouts are normally much quicker than USD alternatives and are also subject to lower or no processing fees. Paying with crypto can also lead to better casino bonuses and other exclusive perks, such as access to low minimum limits.

eWallet Options

When online poker sites first appeared, eWallets were the payment method of choice for many players. Top providers, including PayPal, Skrill, and ecoPayz provided fast transfers in a highly secure environment. However, their high fees proved unpopular among operators, and today, fewer US gambling sites accept them.

Traditional Payment Methods

Bank cards, such as Visa or Mastercard, along with other traditional payment methods, such as Wire Transfer, remain a popular banking option for many Americans. Most of the featured online poker sites accept these payment methods, however, they are normally subject to high processing fees and delayed transfers.

How to Play Online Poker – The Basics

There are a number of online poker variants available, and while they are all based on the same set of hand rankings, they feature significantly different gameplay. Poker sites normally offer a combination of regular and casino-style poker. In the following section, we’ve focused on regular poker games, such as Texas Hold’em or Omaha.

To play regular online poker, you’ll need between two and 10 players sitting at a table. One player holds the button while the two players sitting on his or her immediate left must place the small and big blinds respectively. Once these mandatory bets are placed, all players receive two hole cards face-down. A round of betting follows where all players must place a bet equal to or higher than the big bet. Betting continues until all players that have not folded placed the same wager.

The rest of the online poker game involves alternating between placing community cards on the table and betting rounds. By the time that all five community cards are on the table, the remaining players complete a final betting round before showing their cards. The strongest hand ranking wins the game and the total value of the pot.

Poker Hands & Names

Before you can play any game, you should familiarize yourself with the main hand rankings. There are 10 standard hands, though some variants, such as video poker, may feature slightly different ones.

Key Online Poker Terminology

Here are some of the most common words and phrases that you’re likely to encounter when using online poker sites.

• Ante – A mandatory bet that players need to place before getting their cards.
• Blind – A type of bet that is placed before players are dealt their cards.
• Bad Beat – When a player with a good starting hand loses after a flop, turn, or river.
• Cash Games – Real money poker games where players can join and leave at will.
• Flop – The first three community cards.
• Pot Limit – A betting structure that allows players to bet up to the size of the pot.
• River – The fifth community card.
• Turn – The fourth community card.

Online Poker Strategy

No matter whether you’re playing real money games or joining tournaments, keeping the following strategies in mind could help perform better.

• Don’t be afraid to fold – If you’ve got a weak starting hand, it’s better to fold than waste your bankroll. One of the reasons why professional players win regularly is that they know when not to play at all.
• Play aggressively – When you decide to play your hand, be careful not to become a follower who always calls. It’s better to play aggressively by raising to keep other players wondering what you’re holding.
• Build the pot with strong hands – If you’ve got a strong hand, such as a high-value Pair, you’ll want to raise strategically to encourage others to match and grow the pot. However, remember that you can get a Bad Beat, so try and encourage other players to fold using raises.
• Understand your position – If you’re placing the small or big blind, you’re at a disadvantage to other players who can choose whether to play or fold. However, don’t keep on playing just for the sake of it and you could end up losing much more than your Ante.

Our Top Tips for Playing at Online Poker Sites

Playing online poker gives you the opportunity to enjoy a casino card game that’s based on both luck and skill. Using the following tips, you should be able to enjoy a better experience and reduce the risk of problem gambling.

• Learn the basics – Before you place your first real money online poker wager, you should have a good understanding of hand rankings and gameplay.
• Set your budget – Determine the size of your bankroll, but limit it to funds that you can afford to lose. No amount of skill or strategy can guarantee a win.
• Claim a bonus – Boost the value of your bankroll by taking advantage of casino welcome bonuses as well as ongoing promotions and loyalty rewards.
• Try different variants – Different players will find one or more poker games that suit them best. Don’t be afraid to try new variants, including single-player options.
• Limit session times – When you play online poker, it’s normal to tire after a while. This game requires skill, so your mind is constantly at work and requires frequent breaks.

Rated: The Best Online Poker Site

BetOnline is the best online poker site in the US as it offers a very good variety of poker games and tournaments that are suitable for both casual players and high rollers. These include Texas Hold’em and Omaha which can be played in Sit and Go’s, Knockouts, and a variety of other formats.

This online casino also offers a generous sign-up bonus and accepts both USD and cryptocurrency payments. You can play poker using the web-based platform or by downloading apps for Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac devices. Moreover, if you ever need assistance, you’ll find the BetOnline team available via live chat 24/7.

Online Poker Sites FAQs