Fact Checked by 
Today the best online poker tournaments are widely available across most states in the US, allowing players to compete in Texas Hold’em and Omaha poker tournaments for real money. These include multi-table tournaments that offer huge guaranteed cash prize pools, low buy-in MTTs, and freeroll poker tournaments online. Some of these tournaments serve as feeders, providing players with the opportunity to qualify for events, including the WSOP and the Venom.
Our Expert Selection of the Best Online Poker Sites for Tournaments
Top 10 Best Online Tournament Poker Sites
CoinPoker has been awarded the number 1 tournament poker site by our expert poker writers; however, there are other sites that have $100,000+ guaranteed online poker tournaments like BetOnline, ACR Poker, Bovada Poker, and Sportsbetting.ag, Ignition Poker, and Black Chip Poker.
| Online Poker Room | Main Weekly Tournament | GTD Prize Pool | Freeroll Tourneys |
|---|---|---|---|
| CoinPoker | The $5,000 Sunday Nemesis | $100,000 | ✅ |
| BetOnline | $109 Sunday Main Event | $150,000 | ✅ |
| Everygame | The Sunday Myriad | $10,000 | ✅ |
| ACR Poker | Moneymaker Sunday | $300,000 | ✅ |
| Bovada Poker | Sunday Guaranteed | $200,000 | ✅ |
| Sportsbetting.ag | The GTD Main Event | $150,000 | ✅ |
| Stake Poker | Grand Slam Freeroll | $2,000 | ✅ |
| Ignition | 200k GTD Sunday | $200,000 | ✅ |
| BetCoin | Sunday Main Event | PBR 5,000 | ✅ |
| Black Chip Poker | The Sunday Moneymaker | $300,000 | ✅ |
Best Online Poker Sites for Tournament Play
The best online tournament poker site for US players is CoinPoker. It offers Texas Hold’em and Omaha tournaments and features a 33% poker rakeback. Other top poker sites similar to CoinPoker and analyzed by our experts include BetOnline, Everygame, ACR Poker, and Bovada.
1. CoinPoker – Best for Online Poker Tournaments
- Poker Network: Independent
- Established: 2017
- License: Anjouan Internet Gaming License
- Types of Poker Tournaments: Multi-table (MTTs), Turbo, Progressive Knockout (PKO)
- Minimum Buy In: $0.01
- Maximum Buy-In: $5,000
CoinPoker is a leading crypto option for the best poker tournaments online. The headline act of the packed weekly tournament schedule is the $100,000 GTD ($5,000 buy-in) Nemesis on a Sunday.
CoinPoker is ideal for players of all levels, with daily freerolls for rookies and $0.01 buy-in satellites. New players get a 150% welcome bonus worth up to $2,000, and any player holding CHP (CoinPoker’s currency token) will be entitled to a 33% Rakeback every week.
CoinPoker offers pathways to the WSOP via crypto-friendly satellites, along with their flagship CoinMasters promotion. An entry into the $10,000 WSOP Main Event is bundled into a broader prize pool structure that also includes EPT Barcelona tickets and coaching sessions.
| Major Poker Tournaments | The ($100,000) Sunday Wrap High Roller is the signature event of the week at CoinPoker. |
|---|---|
| High Stakes Poker Tournament/s | The $5,000 Sunday Nemesis with a GTD prize pool of $100,000. |
| Daily Poker Tournaments | Daily Supreme – $7,500 GTD prize pool. |
Pros
- Crypto-native, decentralized platform
- Generous $2,000 welcome bonus
- Low rake & strong rakeback
- Big-money tournaments, including WSOP satellites
- Soft table conditions & decent traffic
Cons
- Low traffic on cash games
- Rakeback is available to CHP holders
2. BetOnline – Play the $150,000 Sunday Main Event
- Poker Network: Chico Poker Network
- Established: 2011
- License: Panama Gaming Control Board
- Tournament Types: Sit & Go Tournaments (SNGs), Progressive Knockout (PKO), Windfall Tournaments (Jackpot SNGs)
- Minimum Buy-In: $0.01/$0.02
- Maximum Buy In: $500
As with many of the best offshore poker sites for tournaments, Sunday is a big day at BetOnline. The flagship $150,000 GTD Sunday Main Event takes center stage every week but the support card isn’t bad either thanks to a $100,000 GTD Warm-Up and a $40,000 GTD Turbo.
Tournaments take place around the clock at BetOnline, and there are buy-ins to suit all types of players. There are a range of satellite events that award a place in the big Sunday tournaments, although none provide a pathway to WSOP events.
Join BetOnline and you’ll get a 100% welcome bonus worth up to $1,000 to use on poker tournaments. Unfortunately, you’ll pay more in rake at BetOnline (typically 10% on tournaments) but it’s possible to earn up to 25% in rakeback via the Poker RISE Loyalty Program.
| Major Poker Tournaments | BetOnline comes alive on a Sunday thanks to the $150,000 GTD Main Event, the $100,000 GTD Warm-Up, and the $40,000 GTD Turbo. |
|---|---|
| High Stakes Poker Tournament/s | $150,000 GTD Sunday Main Event with a $109 buy-in |
| Daily Poker Tournaments | $7.5K GTD NL Hold’em with a $109 buy-in |
Pros
- Up to 25% weekly rakeback through the Poker RISE program
- Range of games including NLHE, PLO, Boost (fast-fold), SNGs, and MTTs
- Flagship tournaments include the $150K GTD Sunday Main Event
- $1,000 welcome bonus for poker players to use
- Games are typically softer than some other major poker sites
Cons
- Rake fees of 5-10% higher than other poker sites
- No direct satellites to the WSOP
3. Everygame – 200% Welcome Bonus + 36% Rakeback!
- Poker Network: Intertops/Revolution network
- Established: 2021
- License: Curaçao eGaming Authority
- Tournament Types: MTTs/Daily Tournaments, Sit & Goes Satellites
- Minimum Buy In: $0.20
- Maximum Buy In: $125
Everygame Poker’s tournament schedule is ideal for low-stakes/rookie poker players. The biggest tournament of the week on this platform is the Sunday Myriad, a $125 buy-in NLH event worth $10,000, but throughout the week the schedule is packed with smaller stake events such as Fast Fortune Tournaments (Hyper SNG-style) that carry buy-ins as small as $0.25. There are also free online poker tournaments every day, some of which are satellites to the big-money Sunday events.
Everygame is also a great site for newbies looking for a bigger welcome bonus to boost their opening balance. It’s a 200% bonus worth up to $1,000, so if you deposit $100, you’ll get $200 in bonus funds to play poker tournaments.
And it gets better because Everygame also offers a flat-rate 36% Rakeback (pays in $10 cash increments daily) and this applies to cash games and all tournaments.
| Major Poker Tournaments | Sunday is the big day at Everygame thanks to the Sunday Myriad, Sunday Six Max Series, and Sunday Sundowner. |
|---|---|
| High Stakes Poker Tournament/s | The $109 buy-in Sunday Myriad with a GTD prize pool of $10,000 |
| Daily Poker Tournaments | MTTs with buy-ins from $0.20-$55, worth $100-$1,000 |
Pros
- 200% welcome bonus up to $1,000
- Flat-rate 36% rakeback
- Great site for low-stakes players
- Regular satellite events
- $10,000 Sunday Myriad
Cons
- Limited high-stakes action or large tournament guarantees.
4. ACR Poker – Home Of The $10 Million Venom Tournament
- Poker Network: Winning Poker Network (WPN)
- Established: 2001
- License: N/A
- Tournament Types: MTTs, PKOs, Streak Tournaments
- Minimum Buy In: $0.01
- Maximum Buy-In: $2,650 (Venom)
ACR Poker is home to one of the biggest online poker tournaments in the world – the NLH Venom with a GTD of $8 million. The Venom takes place annually in late April and lasts four days. There is also a $2 million PLO Venom series, plus regular Sunday MTTs and high-stakes tourneys.
ACR’s HUD-friendly desktop poker client enables you to play on up to 24 tables at any one time and can be integrated with smart tools like PokerTracker & Hold’em Manager.
Bonus seekers won’t be disappointed with ACR’s 100% deposit match welcome bonus worth up to $2,000. That’s backed up by a flat 27% rakeback, which is paid weekly in cash. High-volume players can earn up to 65% rakeback via the Elite Benefits VIP system.
ACR does offer satellites to events like the WSOP Paradise series in the Bahamas, but NOT the Las Vegas WSOP Main Event.
| Major Poker Tournaments | $8 million Venom NLH and $2 million Venom PLO, Million Dollar Sunday (GTD $1 million). |
|---|---|
| High Stakes Poker Tournament/s | $300,000 GTD Moneymaker Sunday, $25k Sunday Sueeze, and Big Poker Thursdays ($1.14 million weekly total) |
| Daily Poker Tournaments | Lightning PKO 45-Minute Tournaments, Daily Doubles Series (Jackpot Style), Daily Freerolls (8 per day). |
Pros
- Home of the $10 million Venom series
- Get up to 65% rakeback via the VIP program
- NLH, PLO, PLO5, PLO8, Stud, and mixed games
- Great site for MTT grinders and micro-to-mid-stakes players
- 100% welcome bonus worth up to $2,000
Cons
- No WSOP Main Event satellites
5. Bovada Poker – Big Money Super Sunday Tournaments
- Poker Network: PaiWangLuo Network
- Established: December, 2011
- License: Curacao eGaming license
- Tournament Types: SNGs, Knockout, Turbo, & Hyper Turbo
- Minimum Buy In: $0.02
- Maximum Buy In: $60
The Super Sunday trend continues at Bovada when the site’s flagship tournaments, the $200,000 GTD and $100,000 Guaranteed High Roller, take place. There are also big-money annual comps like the Million Dollar Weekend and Super Millions Poker Open (SMPO).
Bovada Poker is an excellent option for recreational and casual players who want a soft field and fast crypto banking. However, more serious players will be put off by the absence of HUDs and rakeback, although reward points can be earned via the loyalty program.
There is also a handy 100% welcome bonus worth up to $500 for new poker players on this site and although that headline number is smaller than many welcome bonus offers, the lack of any playthrough requirements is very appealing.
Whilst there is no specific information about WSOP satellites on the Bovada site, it has hosted several WSOP Main Event satellites in the past so it’s worth keeping an eye on their tournament schedule.
| Major Poker Tournaments | $200,000 GTD, $100,000 GTD High Roller, and Monthly Milly, with a GTD $1 million prize pool. |
|---|---|
| High Stakes Poker Tournament/s | The $162 buy-in $200,000 GTD flagship tournament every Sunday |
| Daily Poker Tournaments | A mix of turbo, knockout, and standard formats, with prize pools ranging from $3-$5,000 |
Pros
- $200,000 & $100,000 GTD Sunday tournaments
- History of hosting WSOP satellites
- Reputation for soft player pool
- Anonymous tables
Cons
- No traditional rakeback
What are the Best Online Qualifying Poker Tournaments for US Players this June?
The best online qualifiers and poker tournaments for US players this month are for the WSOP and the Venom. You can play the WSOP at CoinPoker and the Venom at ACR Poker. Other big prize-money poker tournaments include the World Poker Tour, European Poker Tour, The Triton, and the World Championship of Online Poker.
| Event | Event Dates | Qualifying Sites | Min Satellite Buy-In | Automatic Buy-In |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WSOP – World Series of Poker | May-July | WSOP.com, GG Poker | $1 | $10,000 |
| WPT – World Poker Tour | February-October | WPT Global, PartyPoker, GG Poker | $1.10 | $25,000 |
| EPT – European Poker Tour | April-December | PokerStars.com | $1.10 | $5,000 |
| The Venom | October | ACR, Black Chip Poker, True Poker | $0 | $2,650 |
| Triton Super Series | March, May, September | WPT Global, GG Poker | $5 | $15,000 |
| WCOOP – World Championship of Online Poker | September-October | PokerStars.com | $0.11 | $109 |
WSOP – World Series of Poker
The highest-profile series of poker tournaments in the world is held annually in Paradise, Nevada. As of 2020, the WSOP consists of 101 events but the Main Event, a $10,000 buy-in no-limit Texas Hold ’em, attracts the most attention. In 2024, Jonathan Tamayo picked up a cool $10 million for winning the Main Event. It’s been won by some of the game’s most famous poker players, including Phil Hellmuth, Joe Cada, and Chris Moneymaker.
WPT – World Poker Tour
Founded in 2002, the WPT is a series of international poker tournaments broadcast on CBS Sports Network. The biggest event of the series is the WPT Main Tour, where buy-ins can be as big as $25,000. Main Event winners are awarded membership to the WPT Champions Club, along with the WPT Champions Cup trophy. Darren Elias holds several WPT records, including the largest win in a WPT event ($5,282,954), the winning-most WPT player (4 titles), and the most money finishes (46).
EPT – European Poker Tour
Launched in 2004, the EPT has been owned and sponsored by PokerStars. Events take place in some of the biggest cities around Europe, including Paris, Barcelona, and Prague. Steve O’Dwyer ranks the top earner from EPT appearances with nearly $12.5 million in prize money from his winning poker hands, while Mike McDonald has bagged the most cash ($3.42 million) from his appearances in the Main Event. In 2006, EPT hit the mainstream news when UK celebrity Victoria Coren Mitchell became the first female to win an EPT event (she won two EPT events that year).
Venom Poker Tournament
The Venom is ACR’s flagship $10 million NLH & PLO event that carries a $2,650 buy-in. The monster prize pool is split across two tournaments – a No Limit Hold’em event ($8 million) and a Pot Limit Omaha ($2 million). Both events take place annually in the spring, with satellite tournaments taking place months in advance on ACR and other Winning Poker Network sites like Black Chip Poker.
Triton Super High Roller Series
The Triton Poker Super High Roller Series is a series of exclusive poker tournaments, held three to four times a year at various prestigious locations around the world. Launched in 2016, by-ins for these big-money events start at $15,000 and go up to $1 million. These high-roller events can attract enormous fields and prize pools – the 2024 Jeju festival awarded $21.6 million from a $100k buy-in Main Event. Bryn Kenney leads the all-time Triton money list with $48.2 million, followed by Jason Koon ($33.6 million).
WCOOP – World Championship of Online Poker
The World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) is PokerStars’ flagship annual online tournament series, and it’s regarded as the online counterpart to the World Series of Poker. Launched in 2002 and held every Fall, it features dozens of tournaments across formats like Hold’em, PLO, HORSE, Razz, Short-Deck, Badugi, and more. Over $80 million is guaranteed in prize pools across 379 events, spread over 25 days.
How to Sign Up to a Poker Tournament at Online Poker Rooms
It’s simple to register at any of the best online poker sites for tournament play and real money. In the below example, we take you through the fast process at CoinPoker, but it’s worth noting that these steps are fairly generic across other top poker rooms listed on this page.
Step 1 - Visit the CoinPoker Homepage
Head over to the CoinPoker site and click the red REGISTER button in the top right corner of the website.
Step 2 - Complete the Simple Registration Form
The simple registration form requires basic information like an email address, a nickname, and a password of your choice. Then just hit the red SIGN UP button.
Step 3 - Download The Poker Software
You’ll now be taken to the screen below, where you download the CoinPoker software by clicking the red DOWNLOAD button.
Step 4 - Verify and Confirm Your Email
Finally, verify your account at CoinPoker by clicking on the link in the email sent by CoinPoker. Once you have done this, you can deposit and start playing your first poker tournaments on CoinPoker.
Comparison of The Best Online Tournament Poker Sites
The table below makes it easy to determine what types of tournaments are available at the poker sites we have reviewed on this page. A green tick means the site hosts this type of poker tournament, while a red cross means this tournament type is not available.
| Online Poker Room | Texas Hold’em Tourneys | Omaha Tourneys | Satellite Tourneys | Multi-Table Tourneys | Bounty Tourneys | Freeroll Tourneys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CoinPoker | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| BetOnline | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Everygame | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| ACR Poker | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Bovada Poker | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Sportsbetting.ag | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Stake Poker | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Ignition | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| BetCoin | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Black Chip Poker | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Popular Types of US Poker Tournaments
The most popular US poker tournaments are multi-table knockout tournaments (MTTs). Satellites and cash tournaments are also super-popular across online platforms, especially among more experienced players looking for some soft action. Here is a breakdown of the main types of tournaments.
Where Can You Play Freerolls Poker Tournaments for Real Money?
Freerolls are hugely popular among rookie or low-stakes poker players but they are not available everywhere. Here are three of the best sites for free poker tournaments for real money.
- CoinPoker – 15 freerolls every single day with $2,000 up for grabs on Sundays
- BetOnline – There is a freeroll tournament every hour at BetOnline, the feature being the $1,500 GTD daily shootout.
- Everygame – 7 freerolls each day + the $50 Weekend Warrior on a Saturday evening
Which is the Best US Online Poker Website for Beginners?
We found CoinPoker to be the best when it comes to being beginner-friendly. Here are three key features that make CoinPoker a popular choice amongst beginner poker players:- Educational Resources – CoinPoker provides tutorials, guides, and community support that help beginners understand poker rules, hand rankings, and strategies.
- Soft Player Pool – Because the platform attracts many casual players and crypto enthusiasts, beginners may find the competition less tough compared to major traditional poker sites.
- Free Tournaments – Rookie poker players can play daily freerolls to practice strategies and get comfortable with the software before playing for real money.
The Boom in Global Tournament Poker
In 2024, the U.S. Online poker market reached a worth of $54 billion. However, due to its rapid growth, projections estimate it will grow to $183 billion by 2034. Pro players like Stephen Bryn Kenney, one of the richest poker players globally, have dramatically influenced poker popularity in the States.
The Hendon Mob ranks Kenney first on the all-time money list, with live tournament winnings exceeding $75 million. In 2019, Kenney secured the largest single payout in live poker tournament history, receiving $20,563,324 after placing second to Aaron Zang in the £1,050,000 No-Limit Hold’em – Triton Million. He earned more than the winner due to a special heads-up deal win.
Is Playing Online Poker Tournaments Legal in the US?
In most states, online poker is not specifically regulated, but not criminalized either. This means you can play online poker tournaments at offshore sites like CoinPoker.
How We Rate Poker Sites
Comparison of Online vs Offline Poker Tournaments
There are some key advantages to playing at the best online tournament poker sites rather than heading to your nearest land-based casino. Being able to play in tournaments that offer huge cash prizes from the comfort of your own home is a major draw.
| Online Casinos | Land Based Casinos |
|---|---|
| Play from the convenience of your own home | Travel & expenses |
| Get welcome bonuses and earn rakeback | Fewer bonuses/promos |
| Option to play multiple tables | Fewer hands per hour |
| Buy-in’s to suit all stakes | Higher buy-ins |
| Tournaments are completed much faster | Time commitment |
Bonuses and Promotions at the Best Online Poker Sites
The best poker online websites offer a great range of bonuses and promotions. However, these vary across each platform, so we’ve created a table that makes it easy for you to see what bonuses poker players can expect at the sites we have reviewed on this page.
| Online Poker Room | Welcome Bonus | Rakeback % | VIP Program Y/N | Reload Bonuses Y/N |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CoinPoker | 150%, up to $2,000 | Up to 33% | ✅ | ✅ |
| BetOnline | 100% on your first three deposits, up to $1,000 per deposit | MTTs: 10% of buy-in; SNGs: 5–13% (varies with format) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Everygame | 125%, up to $1,000 | 36% flat rate (excludes MTTs) | ❌ | ✅ |
| ACR Poker | 100%, up to $2,000 | 27% flat rate | ✅ | ✅ |
| Bovada Poker | 100%, up to $500 | No rakeback | ✅ | ✅ |
| Sportsbetting.ag | Up to $3,000 across the first 4 deposits | Up to 25% | ✅ | ✅ |
| Stake Poker | 200%, up to $3,000 | Up to 25% | ✅ | ✅ |
| Ignition | 300%, up to $3,000 (Crypto) | No rakeback | ✅ | ✅ |
| BetCoin | 150%, up to $1,500 | No rakeback | ✅ | ✅ |
| Black Chip Poker | 100%, up to $2,000 | 27% flat rate or up to 65% at ‘Icon Level’ | ✅ | ✅ |
Real Money Online Poker Tournaments Summary
We’ve detailed a whole host of big-money competitions at the best online tournament poker sites but the standout tournament has to be the Venom. It’s a monster $10 million GTD tournament that can be played at ACR (and Black Chip Poker).
However, there are stacks of other tournaments for players of all stakes and abilities, and we particularly like the range and depth of tournaments available at CoinPoker.
March Promo: 100% Rakeback Deal
- Instant deposits & withdrawals
- Low and high-stakes tables are always available
- No KYC process, decentralized blockchain poker
Poker Resources and Training
If you found our guide to the best online tournament poker sites useful, you might be interested in checking out some of the other poker-related guides produced by our team of experts.
- Bankroll management
- Poker strategy
- How to win at poker
- Types of poker
- Poker terms
- Best poker streamers
Responsible Gambling
Like all forms of gambling, playing at the best online poker websites carries significant risk. It is imperative that you stake sensibly and with a long-term view, while only depositing money that you can afford to lose. If you would like some more advice on responsible gambling, then check our dedicated page or any of the following free-to-use sources.
- American Gaming Association
- National Council on Problem Gambling
- American Association for Marriage & Family Therapy
References
We used a variety of websites and online resources to build out this page, including the following:
