Poker is an exciting and stimulating hobby, but looking for the best poker sites — not so much. You have so many options on hand, all of them offering too-good-to-be-true bonuses and promising the most exciting tournaments.
Sorting through this many online poker rooms can suck all the fun out of the game before you even start playing.
Before you drown in hundreds of questions and start second-guessing yourself — know that we did the hard work to bring the biggest, most frequented online poker sites available right now. We thoroughly researched each site for fairness, genuinely random hand outcomes, bonuses, and player traffic. Ignition is our top pick, but there are more poker sites worth your attention.
Let’s see what we’ve uncovered.
Best Poker Sites
- Ignition: Best poker site overall
- Everygame: Best for rakeback
- Americas Cardroom: Best for pro poker players
- BetOnline: Most valuable bad beat jackpot
- Bovada: Best for high-GTD tournaments
- Slots.lv: Best for free poker games
- Cafe Casino: Generous welcome bonuses
- Red Dog Casino: Best for video poker
- Cloudbet: Best for crypto poker
- Sportsbetting.ag: Best for freeroll tournaments
1. Ignition — Best Online Poker Site Overall
Pros
- Highest player traffic
- Protects non-professional players
- Compatible with all devices
- Well-established brand
- Numerous daily tournaments
- Most valuable poker bonus (up to $1,500)
Cons
- No official rakeback
If you’re a recreational player looking for some high-octane card action, there’s virtually no better poker site for you than Ignition. It’s one of the biggest poker sites today despite being relatively new, with thousands of mostly non-professionals online at any given time.
One of the primary reasons why Ignition became an instant smash-hit among avid poker players is that it got its poker room — along with its player base — from Bovada, which is one of the biggest names in online gambling. Ignition even managed to surpass this industry giant in its six-year spell on the gambling scene.
What makes this poker site stand out the most is its anonymous game structure where players are assigned numbers instead of screen names. Ignition also does not allow the use of third-party tracking software and limits HUDs to per-session statistics. All of these steps are designed to make it hard for pros to prey on recreational players.
You will find several poker variants here, but we especially liked Zone Poker. It maximizes your number of hands by moving you to another table with new cards as soon as you fold your hand. It also cuts the time you have to make a decision from 30 seconds in a normal cash game to 15. Overthinkers wondering whether to call with a bottom-pair, where art thou?
Sit & Go tournaments are also a big hit on the site. These are either single-table or multi-table tournaments that start immediately once enough players join. However, the spotlight is reserved for Ignition’s classic real money tournaments, including a massive selection of low-entry tourneys alongside high-GTD events designed for high-rollers.
You have Bounty Hunters, numerous Daily Guarantees, Satellites, Turbos, and many more.
Before you decide to sign up here, you should also know about the 100% up to $1,000 poker bonus, with 150% up to $1,500 if you deposit crypto. You will unlock $1 of the bonus by earning 30 Ignition Miles, which are only available by joining cash games or tournaments. Although there’s no official rakeback at Ignition, the welcome bonus more than makes up for it.
2. Everygame — Best Rakeback Structure of all Poker Sites
Pros
- High 36% rakeback
- Live since 1996
- Versatile cash game stakes
- Generous promotions
Cons
- Moderate traffic
- Software is below average
Everygame went live in 1996, which makes it one of the oldest and most recognizable online gambling sites in the poker world. This poker site offers stake flexibility ranging from $0.02/$0.04 to $10/$20. This goes for both pot-limit and no-limit tables, which is perfectly suitable for newer players.
However, traffic on the site is pretty moderate. You can expect only hundreds of players online, with most of them flocking to the low-stakes tables, so if you are looking for some heavy-hitting action, you will have to be patient.
That said, Everygame is one of the best online poker rooms out there in terms of deposit bonuses and rakeback. Once you sign up, you will get a 200% match on your first deposit up to $1,000. Moving forward, you can take advantage of multiple reload bonuses, a 36% rakeback, daily freerolls, and a wealth of other promotional offers.
You can choose which tables and opponents to play poker online against on the site, use tracking software, take notes, or review histories of previous hands. Overall, it is a great platform for players of all levels.
3. Americas Cardroom — Best Poker Site for Professionals
Pros
- Up to $2,000 poker bonus
- Accepts 30+ cryptocurrencies
- High player traffic
- Excellent user interface
Cons
- Withdrawal fees
- High-stakes action is a bit limited
Americas Cardroom or ACR is one of the biggest online poker sites today, with a player-traffic comparable to Ignition. That said, the competition is a bit tough here, considering the site allows players to use tracking software, HUDs, and other pro-player poker tools.
There’s a lot to like about Americas Cardroom, but one thing the site does exceptionally well is handling withdrawals, as most requests will be approved and processed within two or three days.
ACR’s welcome bonus is a 100% match on the first deposit up to $2,000, which is better than what most poker sites have to offer. All you have to do is accumulate 27.5 Awards Points to unlock one dollar. ACR’s Elite Loyalty scheme is pretty similar to Ignition’s Miles.
You can customize your tables here as well, which makes the interface unique. While it does not technically enhance the overall experience, it is nice to have the option to change the scenery from time to time.
You can choose one of the many games running at any given time ranging from micro limits all the way to $5/$10. However, you will see little action in high-stakes games, but there are numerous high-stakes tournaments to make up for this.
To get started here, you can deposit via credit cards, P2P, or choose any of the 34 available cryptocurrencies. Note that while crypto transactions are fee-free, you will encounter a $65 cost when requesting a check withdrawal.
Another thing that the poker site focuses on is game security. There were accusations some time ago about the games being rigged, but these have been cleared up quite nicely by iTech Labs who audited ACR’s RNG (Random Number Generator).
It’s perfectly normal for players getting busted with pocket kings to a three-of-a-kind river to hail the software rigged, so we wouldn’t pay too much attention to such claims anyway.
4. BetOnline — Best Bad Beat Jackpot of any Online Poker Site
Pros
- BadBeat Jackpot reaches $100k+
- Decent poker traffic
- $1,000 poker bonus
- Great user experience for mobile devices
Cons
- Fees on card deposits
BetOnline has been operating since 2004, but the group behind it dates further back; 1991, to be exact. The 13-year grind was obviously worth it as BetOnline came out with one of the most seamless poker sites when it debuted, and this has not changed until today.
BetOnline caters to a balanced mix of new, casual, and serious players — easily falling in the top three in terms of player traffic. Its software runs smoothly on all devices and operating systems, but the best online poker experience is via the downloadable version, which includes cool features like automatic buys and rebuys, a buddy list, and hand history.
Another reason why players of all skill levels like this poker site is its collection of bonuses. The welcome package is a 100% match for the first deposit up to $1,000, which is industry-standard, but it can be cleared quite easily at an average rate of $5 every two hours by accumulating Comp Points. Just remember to enter the code NEWBOL upon depositing to get it.
More incentives await you as you spend more time on the site, including leaderboard rewards, weekly tournaments, and New Player missions, with the most valuable BadBeat jackpot we’ve seen. There’s a record of it reaching $130k one time, but it triggers around $40k most of the time, which is extremely valuable.
One thing that you have to consider before signing up is that BetOnline charges a 7.5% fee on deposits made through credit cards. So try using one of the accepted cryptocurrencies or other supported banking options instead.
5. Bovada — Best for High-Roller Poker Tournaments
Pros
- Online casino, sportsbook, racebook, and poker platform available
- Cutting-edge user interface
- Vast pool of players
- $1 Million Monthly Milly Tournament
Cons
- Limited VIP rewards
Similar to Ignition, Bovada is designed to level the playing field for recreational poker players. It implements the same anonymous games to make it difficult for pros to use tools for long-term analysis or even table selection to pick on weak and new users.
In terms of player traffic, Bovada has arguably the biggest, but this is not even its most unique feature. What would jump out at you immediately is how comprehensive it is in terms of the gambling experience it offers.
With a sportsbook, casino, racebook, and poker platform, it is a veritable one-stop shop for online gamblers. It is also a safe haven for crypto users all over the world.
The software it uses is state-of-the-art, with helpful features like quick seating. It ran into some minor problems several years ago, with heavy crashes and other issues disrupting the play, but these issues have since been fixed.
The tournaments on hand are also top-notch, with the most notable one being the Monthly Milly, taking place one random Sunday each month and featuring a — you’ve guessed it — one million dollars in GTD. Besides the standard Texas Hold’em, you’ll also find Omaha tourneys.
That said, if you are looking for huge rewards, you are better off using other sites. Bovada implements a very conservative VIP program that is roughly equivalent to a 3% rakeback.
6. Slots.lv — Best Selection of Free Poker Games
Pros
- All games are free to play
- Up to $7,500 Bitcoin welcome package
- Good selection of casino games
Cons
- Offers video poker and table card games only
If you’re a big casino games fan looking to mix things up by dabbling in video poker and table games from time to time, Slots.lv has you covered. Granted, casino-style poker does not pit you against other players, and its design is heavily influenced by slots. Nevertheless, it still requires some level of skill for you to win, which means that it can be just as exciting.
And if you’re missing that skill level, you can always indulge in all the free casino-style poker games Slots.lv offers.
Another advantage that Slots.lv has over other online casino sites for real money poker is that it offers a very enticing bonus package to new accounts. You can receive up to $5,000 for your first eight deposits and up to $7,500 if you use cryptocurrency.
Once you have an existing account, you will find plenty of reasons to keep playing on the site. You can get $10 worth of free chips simply by supporting them on Facebook or up to $200 if you refer other gamblers to their site, and this is just for starters. Just keep on visiting their promo page so you do not miss out on anything.
7. Cafe Casino — Best Bonuses of any Poker Site
Pros
- Plenty of bonuses and promotions
- Great user interface
- Robust customer support service
- Low minimum deposit
Cons
- Limited banking options
- No poker room
As you might have guessed, Cafe Casino is another gambling site that carries mostly casino games. Poker action comes in the form of video poker and some table games like Caribbean Hold ‘em, Let ‘em Ride, and Tri Card Poker.
The biggest difference between casino-style poker and a poker room is that the player is betting against the dealer and not other online players. This might be a turn-off for some people, but technically, you would still need the same skill sets to be successful against the house.
In other words, it offers an equally exciting and engaging poker experience, so it is easy to look past its limitations. Once you do, and you decide to sign up for Cafe Casino, you will have access to a treasure trove of bonuses and promotions.
After setting up your account, you can choose between two welcome bonus schemes. One is the 250% match on the first deposit that can go as high as $1,500, which has a wagering requirement of 40x. The other is a 350% match worth up to $2,500 for crypto deposits.
Aside from rolling the red carpet for new accounts, Cafe Casino keeps its players engaged with an abundance of promotional offers. For instance, you can earn $100 if you manage to refer the site to another player and that player eventually makes a deposit of at least $25. They also have the Perks program and other incentives for existing players.
Cafe Casino accepts deposits and withdrawal requests through major credit cards (including Amex) Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, and Ethereum, which is a bit limited compared to most other poker sites, so this is something you have to consider before making a decision.
8. Red Dog Casino — Best Video Poker Selection of all Poker Sites
Pros
- 14 video poker variants
- Excellent customer support service
- Platform is easy to navigate
- No fees on payouts
Cons
- No poker room
- High minimum withdrawal
- Banking options are few
Red Dog is heavy on graphics, visually stimulating, and easy to navigate, even if it’s your first time visiting it. You can play online poker here using your desktop or any mobile device and get the same level of experience.
Since Red Dog is mainly an online casino, it does not have a separate poker platform. However, you would still see plenty of poker action from their selection of 14 video poker games — which is the biggest number on our list of poker sites. On top of this, you can play Caribbean Hold ‘em, Caribbean Stud Poker, or Caribbean Draw Poker.
While some gambling sites focus on many things except customer support, Red Dog Casino takes a different route by putting a premium on the needs and wants of the players.
It starts with the platform’s FAQ section which answers most of the questions that new and experienced players often ask. If you prefer to interact with someone from their team, you could get in touch with them via live chat, email, or phone.
All communication channels are open 24 hours a day and seven days a week, all year round. The response time is also very impressive since it usually takes just a few seconds for a player to get through.
There are two things you have to keep in mind, though, about Red Dog. You can only make withdrawals of no lower than $150, which is a bit steep compared to other sites. Also, the banking options are a bit limited to credit cards and a few cryptocurrencies.
9. Cloudbet — Best Crypto Online Poker Site
Pros
- Enormous match for Bitcoin deposits (5 BTC)
- Quick payouts
- Excellent website design
Cons
- Only accepts some cryptocurrencies
- No poker room
Cloudbet is arguably the best poker site for players who heavily use Bitcoin. It’s one of the best crypto casinos, it offers an enormous deposit match of 100% up to 5 BTC, which you can clear in increments of 0.001 for every 150 Welcome Bonus Points that you accumulate from playing online poker on the site. You’ll have enough time to do it, too, since the Cloudbet bonus is valid for a full year.
Cloudbet carries both a sportsbook and a casino, which gives you plenty of betting options. It does not have a poker room, but as with other mobile casinos on this list, you will get your fill of poker from its top-notch selection of video poker games and an assortment of table games.
The platform works well with desktops and all mobile devices, but you may need a reliable VPN like NordVPN to access it from certain countries.
10. Sportsbetting.ag — Best Freeroll Tournaments of all Poker Sites
Pros
- Valuable freeroll tourneys
- Heavy poker traffic
- Soft competition
- Easy to navigate
Cons
- Anonymous table not available
Sportsbetting.ag is one of the best online poker sites today for a set number of reasons, but the most compelling is that it allows users to partake in free poker tournaments with real cash prizes.
There’s even a $10,000 GTD Summer Freeroll organized by the site, so you can imagine the number of smaller ones taking place every day.
Competition in the online poker room is fairly soft as it consists mostly of players who are taking a break from the sportsbook, casino, racebook, and other sections of Sportsbetting.ag. You can expect thousands of players online at any given time since it is an all-in-one platform that offers a comprehensive gambling experience.
However, if you are an inexperienced poker player, you must be careful because the site does not offer anonymous table gaming.
The platform is stable, but the design just doesn’t look good. However, it’s highly intuitive and you can navigate it with ease whether you use a browser or download the mobile application, especially after they updated its proprietary software several years back.
How we Selected the Best Online Poker Rooms
Player Traffic
Your goal as a poker player is to play poker, which is hard to do if there are not that many other players to go up against. That’s one of the first things we look at when selecting poker sites.
Variety of Games
Poker is very exciting, but it can get boring if you keep on playing just one type of game. A good poker site keeps players engaged by offering variety.
Poker Bonuses
The online poker market is very saturated, so different sites have different bonus offers to entice as many players as they can. The thing is, some are more generous than others — and we preferred the ones providing better value.
Level of Competition
Poker is ultimately a game of skill, so naturally, some people will have the advantage over others. Still, the top poker sites take steps to give inexperienced players a fighting chance. That said, we also looked into poker sites offering anonymous tables.
User Interface
Since online poker players miss out on seeing their opponents face-to-face and being in a real poker room, most gambling sites try to make up for this by creating a unique but equally stimulating virtual atmosphere. Our goal was to bring sites that feature both highly-intuitive and good-looking platforms that also work great on mobile.
Guide to the Top Online Poker Sites
What are the Benefits of Using Online Poker Rooms?
The biggest draw of virtual poker is convenience. You can play online poker anytime you want in the comfort of your own home. If you are new to the hobby, online poker rooms can level the playing field for you by offering anonymity. Lastly, playing online allows you to do something impossible to do physically: join multiple tables simultaneously.
Sites like Ignition Casino are very popular for offering an anonymous game structure to discourage sharks from exploiting the inexperience of other players.
What Banking Methods Do Online Poker Rooms Accept?
Online poker rooms accept a number of banking options, including credit cards (Mastercard, Visa, Amex), cryptocurrencies, bank transfers, and others. However, not all sites implement the same methods, so it is best to check them out individually.
Are Online Poker Sites Trustworthy?
Most online poker websites are legit. The best poker sites use complex encryption technology to guard their players’ information and the best online poker software to keep track of each and every hand played, in addition to being licensed by a reputable gambling commission.
Our featured poker sites satisfy these criteria, so you have nothing to worry about.
Do Online Poker Sites Offer Bonuses?
Yes, virtually all poker rooms offer bonuses, but in different forms. Note that some are more open-handed than others, so make sure that you review their terms and conditions before you commit to a site.
How Do I Choose the Best Poker Site for Me?
We have talked about some of the most important features that you should look for in a poker site, like player traffic, variety of games, and bonuses. Simply follow those guidelines and you should be able to find one that matches your unique needs and preferences.
If you’re not up to the task, you can choose any poker site from our list as we’ve assigned a “best for” category to all of them to help you narrow down your choice easier.
Comparing the Best Online Poker Sites
We’ve summarized the main points that make our featured poker sites stand out. Check them out:
- Ignition: Best online poker site overall; 100% up to $1,000 welcome bonus; high player traffic; numerous daily poker tournaments; overall score 99%
- Everygame: Generous 36% rakeback; 200% up to $1,000 welcome bonus; moderate player traffic, good choice of freeroll tournaments; overall score 97%
- Americas Cardroom: Perfectly suitable for pros; 100% up to $2,000 welcome bonus; high player traffic; solid choice of high-GTD tourneys; overall score 96%
- BetOnline: Generous BadBeat Jackpot; 100% up to $1,000 welcome bonus; high player traffic; 8 types of poker tournaments; overall score 95%
- Bovada: Best for high-GTD tourneys; 100% up to $500 welcome bonus; high player traffic; multiple high-roller tournaments; overall score 94%
- Slots.lv: Best if you want to play free poker; up to $5,000 welcome package; doesn’t offer live poker; offers a decent real money poker games selection; overall score 93%
- Cafe Casino: Best for valuable bonuses; 250% up to $1,500 welcome bonus; doesn’t offer live poker; casino-style and video poker available; overall score 92%
- Red Dog: Best selection of video poker; 235% + 55 free spins welcome bonus; doesn’t have a live poker platform; offers 14 video poker variants; overall score 91%
- Cloudbet: Best for BTC poker players; up to 5 BTC welcome bonus; doesn’t offer a live poker room; offers a stellar selection of video and casino poker; overall score 90%
- Sportsbetting.ag: Best for free poker tournaments; 100% up to $1,000 poker bonus; high player traffic; multiple high roller and freeroll tournaments available; overall score 89%
How to Get Started at Online Poker Rooms
Registering for an online poker room is easy and you can finish it in a few simple steps. Below is the signup process for Ignition Casino, and it should be fairly similar to other sites.
Step 1: Open Ignition’s Website
- Click the Join button
- Enter the required personal information
- Accept the terms and click Register
Step 2: Verify your Phone Number
- Once you complete the registration process, Ignition will send you an SMS
- Enter the 4-digit code in the pop-up box to verify your phone number
- A pop-up box will appear asking you to create a PIN; enter something you’ll remember
Step 3: Deposit
- Click the Deposit button
- Select your payment method along with the bonus you like to claim
- Enter your preferred deposit amount and click deposit
- Start playing poker
So, What Are the Best Online Poker Sites?
Getting the best poker sites in one place wasn’t really an easy challenge, but we sincerely hope it helped you choose a favorite.
Among the many real money poker sites online, Ignition stands out as the best one. It has a steady stream of players, so you won’t have any problems finding a table to join at any given time. The site has soft competition, and it protects inexperienced players by using anonymous table gaming.
It has everything else that serious players look for, like a great user interface, generous promotions, and compatibility with all devices. That said, all other poker sites excel in different categories so it’s up to you to choose them.
We can’t really say good luck since poker is a game of skill, so make sure you bluff responsibly!
DISCLAIMER: The information on this site is for entertainment purposes only. Gambling comes with its fair share of risks and it's important to recognize that when using online gambling sites.
While we review different gambling sites, you should check with local laws in your area before gambling online. Also, all gambling sites and our guides are rated 18+ only. We may receive compensation from the sites we recommended in our guides, but our reviews remain independent and reader-supported.
If you have a gambling addiction problem or anyone you know does, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700. In addition, the following free gambling addiction resources can be of help:
This is a Partnered Post.
https://ift.tt/KYGLC5f from Firstpost Business Latest News
0 Comments