Online Poker For Real Money In Us
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- Can You Play Online Poker For Real Money In Us
Online poker and online gambling, in general has had a tumultuous history in the United States. The gambling obsessed population of the US was responsible for the vast majority of online poker revenues worldwide until a government crackdown put an enormous dent in those numbers.
- 888poker is fully licensed and regulated to offer real money online poker in New Jersey. Provided you’re 21+, and currently in the state of New Jersey, you can play real money poker with us. Let’s get ready to roll! Consider this your official invitation to play real money online poker in the USA. This is the real deal – no holds barred.
- So, without further delay – let’s have look at the very best that US real money online poker sites have to offer. These are my top picks for reliable USA online poker sites that accept US players in 2021: BetOnline Poker. Americas Cardroom. Juicy Stakes Poker.
- Top 10 US Poker Sites: Best legal Real Money USA Online Poker websites for 2021 by Adrian Sterne Updated: September 6, 2021 Ancestors to the game of poker may have come from the Middle East and China, but the game as it stands today is thought to pretty much have been born in the United States.
Today, even in an unregulated market, the United States still makes up about 10 percent of a massive $33 billion dollar online gambling market. Although, online poker still has a way to go in the US, there has been a giant shift in policy over the last several years. To understand the path where online poker is headed, we first have to look at the history of the game.
Top USA Real Money Poker Sites
| Rank | Poker Site | USA | Bonus | Bonus Code | Play Now |
| #1 | $2000 | N/A | Visit Ignition Poker | ||
| #2 | $2500 | N/A | Visit BetOnline Poker | ||
| #3 | $500 | N/A | Visit Bovada Poker |
Early Adopters
States We Anticipate Will Offer Real Money Online Poker in the Future. The moral of the story with the legality of online poker in the US in 2021 is that users of online poker sites need not worry over any ramifications from partaking in this activity.
The first online poker site in the world was established in 1998. Planet Poker was the first site onto the scene in what would eventually become a multi-billion dollar industry. They grew a small player base almost immediately. Paradise Poker then emerged in 1999 and immediately became a rival. As the new millennium approached more and more real money poker sites began popping up looking to cash in on this newest craze.
The Poker Boom
The number of players continued to rise each year since the game’s inception, and there was a long list of sites vying for market share. Party Poker emerged as the world’s online poker leader, with other sites competing for second place.
Online Poker For Real Money In Us
The years of 2003 to 2006, were regarded as the “Poker Boom.” Up until about 2007, the number of online poker players each year doubled in size. The 2003 WSOP Main Event win of Chris Moneymaker and the movie Rounders became part of American culture. ESPN televised nearly every event of the WSOP tournament, and it looked as if the rise of online poker could never be stopped.
The UIGEA
As all this money was heading offshore due to online poker, many members of the US government became concerned with the issue of online gambling. Though Congress had tried to ban it years earlier, a measure in late-2006 would become successful and rock the landscape of the online poker world across the globe.
The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was passed in the late hours September, 29th, 2006 and was added as a rider by the House of Representatives by a vote of 409-2 and by the Senate by unanimous consent. The bill was signed into law by President Bush, and the first shots were fired from the Department of Justice against real money online poker. The bill did not criminalize the act of gambling online, but instead went after foreign operators who were offering their services to US citizens. While citizens who gambled online from the United States were safe from any criminal repercussions, the DOJ had their eyes set on the industry’s biggest sites and their executives.
Almost overnight, the industry changed. Many top online gambling operators pulled out of the US market within a matter of days and even more dropped out in the weeks after the bill was passed. Party Poker, the industry leader at the time, left the US market, along with several other top European-based sites. Any publicly traded company was essentially forced to stop accepting US citizens because their shareholders could be charged criminally for the deeds of the company.
Though the regulations and the laws surrounding the UIGEA had not yet even been written, the bill’s passage scared many of the top online poker rooms in the world out of the US market. This created a void in the market and the title for the largest poker room in the world was once again up for grabs.
Even with the threat of jail time hanging over their heads, it was easy to see why operators continued to accept customers from the United States. The online poker in the US was still multi-hundred million dollar industry. Two sites emerged as front runners after Party Poker exited, PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker.
The poker market was still more than viable in the United States, but players did take a few hits along the way. Popular e-wallets, such as Neteller and Moneybookers stop servicing US citizens, as well. It became harder to fund accounts and player numbers were not increasing at even close to the level they did during the poker boom.
All the while, no one knew how serious the Federal government was in regards to online gambling. Yes, they outlawed it, which caused some sites to leave the market immediately, but was it a true priority of law enforcement?
Black Friday
After years of competition between PokerStars and Full Tilt, the US government, more specifically, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York came down hard on the three largest online poker sites servicing US players.
On April 15, 2011, a day that was dubbed as “Black Friday” for online poker players the US Department of Justice unsealed an indictment against the owners and operators of PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and the Cereus Network. The crimes all centered around UIGEA violations as the government froze assets and seized bank accounts. Many online payment processors and banks were also indicted for processing illegal gambling transactions.
Immediately, PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker left the US market. The government allowed each company to pay players their current balances a week after the indictment was handed down. PokerStars paid these balances back to play within two weeks, but there were plenty of issues with Full Tilt Poker and Cereus.
Fast-forward to two years later, and Cereus’ customers from Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet have almost no chance of being repaid. Full Tilt surprisingly turned out to be an insolvent company, and was bailed out by PokerStars in a deal brokered by the US government. Full Tilt’s US client base is expected to be paid back in full by the first quarter of 2014.
The Aftermath
Not only did this move tie up hundreds of millions of bankrolls held by US players, but it brought the online poker industry to its knees. In less than 24 hours, the two largest sites in the world pulled out of the US online poker market.
While playing online poker as a US citizen was still legal, player confidence took a massive hit and all of a sudden people were worried about the safety on their bankrolls when they played online. Nevertheless, online poker was still far from dead in the United States.
Unregulated Market
Today, online poker revenues are still strong. While the number are not near the levels they were when the game exploding was during the early to mid-2000s, few would argue with that there are not still plenty of excellent options for US online poker players.
There are strong VIP & rewards programs available, and deposit bonuses galore. No Limit Hold’em is the preferred game of choice, but Pot Limit Omaha has a strong following, as well. The best action takes place during the evening hours, but there is action around the clock.
Black Friday didn’t kill the online poker industry in the US, but it put a sizeable dent in player numbers across the board. However, one decent thing that came out of the seizures and indictments was that the issue is now on the forefront in Washington.
The Wire Act
In December 2011, the Justice Department reinterpreted the Wire Act of 1961. The longstanding law was always thought to be applicable to all forms of online gambling, but just before the end of 2011, the DOJ stated that the law only applied to online sports betting, and not casino and poker games.
This was a massive shift of opinion, one that spawned legislative action across a number of states. Currently, Nevada, Delaware, and New Jersey have some combination of online poker and real money online casino games legal in their states on an intrastate level.
Regulated Market and Future
As I mentioned above, several states have begun to offer online gambling to their residents and even more are expected to pass laws in 2014. However, offshore sites are still currently the most viable choice for poker players across the country. Most state regulated rooms currently do not have the liquidity to support a strong poker ecosystem. Though, this will almost certainly change in the coming years.
This sets up an interesting showdown between offshore gambling sites and regulated entities of the states and perhaps the Federal government if congress legalizes online poker nationally. While the latter is still a long shot, it would create a compelling showdown between offshore sites and state approved licensees.
Regardless, the outlook for online poker in the states has not looked this good since the Poker Boom. One must remember that we have yet to enjoy a full 15 years of online poker worldwide. The game is still in its infancy. For the first time in years, the future looks bright for US poker players.
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About The Author: Joseph Falchetti has been part of the online poker world in some form for the past 10 years. An avid online poker player, Joe was a professional player for seven years before transitioning into a part-time role as an online gambling writer. Having lived through the UIGEA and Black Friday as a pro player, he knows the poker world inside and out.
Connect with the author via:Google Plus LinkedIn
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The Best Online Poker Sites for Real Money
The best online poker sites that accept US players for real money poker games are:
What is the best US poker site online?
The best US poker site online is Americas Cardroom for real money poker games because:
- Biggest & most guaranteed tournaments - $3.8 Million GTD weekly
- Most tournament traffic averages 6253 players on regular Sunday Majors
- Best cashback rewards program (5.5 - 66.2%)
- Lowest rake cap for mid and high stakes Texas No-Limit Holdem games at $3
- 100% Sign up bonus up to $2000 on with 60 days to clear bonus for new US players
Claim bonus and get up to 66.2% cashback at Americas Cardroom - use referral code: Sydney100
Contents
Top US Poker Sites for Real Money
Americas Cardroom
States Accepted: US players accepted from all states except: Delware, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Nevada and Washington
Online Poker For Real Money In Usa
Americas Cardroom
- $3.8 Million GTD MTT's weekly
- Fast fold Blitz Poker
- #1 Cashback - Elite Benefits
- 60 days to clear bonus
- Low rake cap $3 cash games
- 12-48h Crypto withdrawals
100% up to $2000 Bonus
5.5% - 66.2% Cashback
Game Types: Fixed Limit & No Limit Texas Holdem, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, 7 Card Stud
Deposits: VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Bitcoin, 60+ Crypto's, Ria, ecoPayz
Ignition Poker
States Accepted: US players accepted from all states except: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Nevada and Washington
Ignition Poker
- $2.0 Million GTD MTT's weekly
- Most Popular US Poker Site
- #1 Easy to Clear Bonus
- HUD Free & Anonymous
- Low Stakes $2 Rake Cap
- 12-48h Bitcoin Withdrawals
125% up to $1250 Bonus
No Cashback
Game Types: Fixed Limit & No Limit Texas Holdem, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo
Deposits: VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash
Bovada Poker
States Accepted: US players accepted from all states except: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Nevada and Washington
Bovada Poker
- $2.0 Million GTD MTT's weekly
- Fast fold Zone Poker
- HUD Free & Anonymous
- 30 days to clear bonus
- Low Stakes $2 Rake Cap
- 12-48h Bitcoin Withdrawals
200% up to $500 Bonus
No Cashback
Game Types: Fixed Limit & No Limit Texas Holdem, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo
Deposits: VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Zelle
BetOnline Poker
States Accepted: AL,AK,AZ,AR,CA,CO,CT,DE,FL,GA,HI,ID,IL,IN,IA,KS,KY,LA,ME,MD,MA,MI,MN,MS,MO,MT,NE,NV,NH,NJ,NM,NY,NC,ND,OH,OK,OR,PA,RI,SC,SD,TN,TX,UT,VT,VA,WA,WV,WI,WY,DC,MH
BetOnline Poker
- Accepts All US Players
- $2.5 Million GTD MTT's weekly
- $2500 X4 Freerolls
- 30 days to Clear Bonus
- Online Casino Games
- 24-48h Crypto Withdrawals
100% up to $1000 Bonus
No Cashback
Game Types: Fixed Limit & No Limit Texas Holdem, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, 7 Card Stud, Americana, 32 Card Draw
Deposits: Credit Cards, Bitcoin, Dash, Ethereum, Ripple, Money Order, Wire Transfer
Online Poker Real Money Usa Legal California
Mobile Apps & Downloads
Find the best real money US poker apps & downloads for device:
| Poker Software | Americas Cardroom | BetOnline | Bovada | Ignition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downloads | ||||
| Windows PC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Mac | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | No-Download | No-Download | No-Download | No-Download |
| Chromebook | No-Download | No-Download | No-Download | No-Download |
| No Download | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Apps | ||||
| Android | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| iOS: iPad & iPod | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Traffic
The US friendly poker sites with highest traffic for real money players are Ignition and Bovada (same network) for cash games at 4280 players on average for all cash games. The site with the most players for tournaments is Americas Cardroom with over 2500 players in the largest tournament: The $50000 GTD with a $22 buy-in (Single largest tournament by number of players not dollar value).
Traffic numbers vary widely through out the day with evenings the busiest followed by afternoons. Large online tournaments like OSS and Venom spike traffic much higher.
| Rank | Poker Site | Cash Game | Sunday Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ignition Poker | 4280 | 4792 |
| 1 | Bovada Poker | 4780 | 4792 |
| 2 | Americas Cardroom | 3731 | 6253 |
| 3 | BetOnline | 1467 | 4500 |
| 4 | WSOP USA | 827 | 837 |
| 5 | PokerStars NJ | 604 | 662 |
| 6 | Party Poker NJ | 271 | 498 |
Traffic numbers is an aggregate of traffic monitoring sites and my best estimate based on active player participation where precise data is lacking.
Real Money
US players can play Ignition Poker for real money using US dollars or Bitcoin. Real money games can be played with software downloads for Windows PC and Mac as well as mobile poker apps for iPhone/ iOS or Android devices.
New accounts qualify for free poker cash deposit match bonuses of up to 125% for real money players in the United States. Deposit options include credit cards, bank transfer, Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash. Texas Holdem cash games and tournaments are offered with fast fold Zone Poker, MTT's and Sit n Gos.
Is it Legal to Play Online Poker for Real Money in the United States?
US Federal Laws - Do not prohibit online poker for real money, the seizure of domains and assets of Full Tilt, PokerStars, Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker were due to unlawful banking practices of these companies in relation to the UIGEA. The online poker sites that I have listed here are not affected.
US State Laws - The one state that prohibits online poker for real money is Washington State where it is a class C felony. No one has ever been charged under this law. New York, Utah, Missouri, Maryland, Louisiana, and Kentucky have vague laws where online pokers legality is a gray area. All other states either approve of online poker or have no laws against it.
The Wire Act - The wire act is a law that prohibits Sportsbooks from taking bets across state lines via telegraph or telephone and also applies to the internet. This makes it illegal for the Sportsbook and not the bettor.
UIGEA- This law was created in 2006 and is called the unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act: This law was not aimed at US Players but at banking and gaming companies that were using certain financial transactions that relate to money laundering. An unregulated Poker Site, Casino or Sportsbook that did not pass the strict KYC or Know Your Client laws for banks created an opportunity for transactions that were used to launder money into the financial system. On certain poker sites 'chip dumping' in heads up games was seen as a possibility for moving illicit funds, the Department of Homeland Security wanted it closed, thus the law. source
Jurisdiction - The online poker / betting sites on this site are all outside of US jurisdiction and are legal and regulated in their offshore countries. Making US interference in an international business a violation of the World Trade Organization to which it is a member. Bet Online accepts players from every state.
Regulation - All the listed poker sites listed on this website are Licensed and Regulated offshore. This means that they are required to meet a lengthy list of regulations most important of which is to provide fair games, segregated accounts for players funds and customer support including problem resolution. If a site is found in breach of any of the regulations and a request to address the problem is not met their license can be pulled.
Deposit Options That are Accepted for US Players
The most commonly accepted deposit options for US players are Credit Cards and Bitcoin.
Americas Cardroom has the most deposit methods with over 60 cryptocurrencies accepted, all credit cards plus several other options.
For US players the best deposit option is to use cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin because:
- There are zero deposit fees
- Deposits are nearly instant
- Americas Cardroom and Ignition offer increased deposit bonuses
- Withdrawals are the fastest
There are currently no us poker sites that accept PayPal or Skrill.
| Deposit Method | Americas Cardroom | BetOnline | Bovada | Ignition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accepting Credit Cards | ||||
| American Express | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Diners Club | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Discover | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MasterCard | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VISA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VISA Debit | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Prepaid VISA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Accepting Cryptocurrency | ||||
| Bitcoin (BTC) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bitcoin Cash (BCH) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ethereum (ETH) | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Other Methods Accepted | ||||
| Bank Transfer | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Cashiers Check | No | Yes | No | No |
| EcoPayz | Yes | No | No | No |
| Money Order | No | Yes | No | No |
| Player Transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ria | Yes | No | No | No |
| Zelle | No | No | Yes | No |
| Methods Not Accepted | ||||
| PayPal | No | No | No | No |
| Paysafe Card | No | No | No | No |
| Skrill | No | No | No | No |
Deposit Minimums
The US friendly poker sites with the lowest minimum deposit amount are Bovada Poker and Ignition Poker at $10 for depositing with crypto and still qualifying for the deposit bonus.
| Deposit Type | Americas Cardroom | BetOnline | Bovada | Ignition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin / Crypto | $10 | $20 | $10 | $10 |
| Credit Cards | $25 | $50 | $20 | $20 |
| To Claim Bonus | $25 | $50 | $10 | $10 |
Withdrawals - Options and Payout Times
Ignition Poker, Bovada, Americas Cardroom and BetOnline all are competing for who has the fastest payouts. Withdrawals at all sites are active Monday through Friday, excluding holidays and take 12-48 hours to be reviewed. Once reviewed payments for Bitcoin and other crypto are done immediately, checks and wire transfers take from 3 - 14 days.
Withdrawal options for US players are much faster for crypto and average about the same times for Americas Cardroom, Ignition, Bovada and BetOnline:
- Bitcoin 12- 48 hours
- Other Cryptocurrency - 12- 48 hours
- Wire Transfer - 3 - 14 days
- Cheque by Courier - 3 - 14 days
Rake
The poker sites for US players with the lowest rake:
The lowest rake at US poker sites is at Americas Cardroom for medium and high stakes cash games with a rake cap of $3. Ignition and Bovada have the lowest rake for low stakes cash games with a rake cap of $2.
The highest rake percentage is BetOnline poker with 5.56% vs 5% at Americas Cardroom, Bovada and Ignition Poker.
This rake comparison is for Texas No Limit Holdem cash games with 6+ players - it is by far the most trafficked types of poker game, thats why I choose it. Other rake caps are in place for Limit Holdem, Omaha, Stud and other games as well as heads-up games and 3-5 player games.
| Stakes | Americas Cardroom | BetOnline | Bovada | Ignition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $0.10 / $0.25 | $3 | $3 | $2 | $2 |
| $1 / $2 | $3 | $4 | $4 | $4 |
| $5 / $10 | $3 | $5 | $4 | $4 |
Cashback Rewards
Cashback rewards (rakeback) for real money US poker sites:
Americas Cardroom is the best rakeback site for US players with a range of 5.5% to 66.20% cash back with Elite Benefits Rewards. Americas Cardroom rakeback is 27% vs Elite Benefits VIP program at 66.20%, Elite is a better deal for players generating more than $1500 rake per month.
Ignition poker and Bovada do not offer cashback or rakeback to its players.
BetOnline currently does not offer any rakeback or cashback rewards to its players.
Americas Cardroom offers an increasing percent of rake back you get on a sliding scale:
| Rake & Fees | Americas Cardroom Elite |
|---|---|
| $100 | 5.5% |
| $250 | 9.50% |
| $500 | 12.80% |
| $1000 | 21% |
| $2500 | 18.56% |
| $5000 | 22.20% |
| $10000 | 22.35% |
| $20000 | 30.55% |
| $50000 | 37.87% |
| $100000 | 36.20% |
| $200000 | 66.20% |
Tournaments
Where are the best online poker tournaments for US players?
The best online poker tournaments for US players are at Americas Cardroom. They have more guaranteed tournaments, more often, with more players plus they have more than 2X the weekly amount of guarantees ($3.8 Million) as second place is BetOnline with $2.5 Million in weekly guarantees. third is Bovada & Ignition ($2.0 Million) that share the same player pool.
Tournament stakes start at nothing for freerolls and go up to $5150 buy-in for the Americas Cardroom Super High Roller on Wednesdays.
The best day for tournament traffic is Sundays which have the biggest guaranteed tournaments of the week.
Tournament traffic is highest during evenings, followed by afternoons, then mornings for all poker sites. Overnight traffic is considerably lower.
The most popular poker tournament of the week is the Sunday $50 000 guaranteed with a $22 buy-in at Americas Cardroom which draws over 2500 players weekly.
Biggest Daily Guaranteed Tournaments
You can play in freerolls at all US friendly poker sites. Freerolls allow you to play real money poker tournaments for free and win real money. Ignition and Bovada require rewards points to qualify but the amount to be won is significantly larger. BetOnline offers its new players 4 $2500 freerolls in their first month. Americas Cardroom offers on demand $50 freerolls that you can play in every time 270 players sign up.
| Time (ET) | Poker Site | Guarantee | Buy-in | Play |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11:15 | Americas Cardroom | $8 000 | $55 | Register |
| 13:00 | Americas Cardroom | $20 000 | $530 | Register |
| 15:00 | Bovada Poker | $7 777 | $22 | Register |
| 15:00 | Americas Cardroom | $10 000 | $66 | Register |
| 17:00 | Bovada Poker | $5000 | $5.50 | Register |
| 19:00 | BetOnline | $15 000 | $55 | Register |
| 18:45 | Americas Cardroom | $3 000 | $5.50 | Register |
| 19:00 | Americas Cardroom | $20 000 | $109 | Register |
| 19:00 | Bovada Poker | $7 777 | $11 | Register |
| 19:07 | Bovada Poker | $17 777 | $33 | Register |
| 19:45 | Americas Cardroom | $20 000 | $88 | Register |
| 20:00 | BetOnline | $10 000 | $109 | Register |
| 20:00 | Ignition Poker | $25 000 | $55 | Register |
| 22:00 | Ignition Poker | $15 000 | $109 | Register |
21 Biggest Sunday Guaranteed Tournaments
The biggest online poker tournaments of the week are on Sunday. The biggest Texas Holdem Sunday tournaments from micro to high stakes are listed below. While there are plenty of choices for US players, Americas Cardroom has the most major tournaments on Sundays.
| Time (ET) | Poker Site | Guarantee | Buy-in | Play |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 | Americas Cardroom | $1 500 | $3.30 | Register |
| 13:00 | Americas Cardroom | $10 000 | $5.50 | Register |
| 14:00 | BetOnline Poker | $25 000 | $55 | Register |
| 14:00 | Bovada Poker | $15 000 | $33 | Register |
| 14:00 | Americas Cardroom | $50 000 | $22 | Register |
| 14:00 | Americas Cardroom | $200 000 | $1050 | Register |
| 14:30 | Americas Cardroom | $125 000 | $215 | Register |
| 16:00 | BetOnline Poker | $12 500 | $22 | Register |
| 16:00 | BetOnline Poker | $150 000 | $109 | Register |
| 15:00 | Americas Cardroom | $30 000 | $55 | Register |
| 16:00 | Ignition Poker | $30 000 | $55 | Register |
| 16:00 | Ignition Poker | $150 000 | $162 | Register |
| 16:10 | Americas Cardroom | $40 000 | $88 | Register |
| 17:30 | Bovada Poker | $28 888 | $16.50 | Register |
| 18:00 | Americas Cardroom | $50 000 | $530 | Register |
| 19:00 | BetOnline Poker | $40 000 | $109 | Register |
| 19:00 | BetOnline Poker | $10 000 | $11 | Register |
| 19:00 | BetOnline Poker | $1 000 | $1.10 | Register |
| 19:00 | Americas Cardroom | $30 000 | $109 | Register |
| 19:10 | Americas Cardroom | $20 000 | $66 | Register |
| 19:15 | Americas Cardroom | $50 000 | $215 | Register |
Biggest Online Poker Tournaments for US Players in 2021
Even bigger than the usual Sunday Majors, these are the largest online poker tournaments of the year for US players:
- Americas Cardroom Venom - March 23 2021
- Venom Main Event is $8 Million Guaranteed with first place Guaranteed at least $1 Million
- 160 Online Tournaments with the OSS 3D
- $15 Million Guaranteed
- $2650 Buy In or qualify via Cyclone Tournaments from $0.25 or with Sit n Go STEPS
- Americas Cardroom Online Super Series XL - March 18 - May 6
- 4 - $1 Million Guaranteed Main Event Tournaments (3X $630 buy-in, 1X $2650 buy-in)
- 110 Online Tournaments with the OSS XL
- $12 Million Guaranteed
- Qualify via Cyclone Blitz Tournaments from $0.25
- Americas Cardroom Online High Five - May 7 - May 26
- 3 - $840 000 Guaranteed Main Event Tournaments ($450 buy-in)
- 100 Online Tournaments
- $10 Million Guaranteed
- Qualify via Cyclone Blitz Tournaments from $0.25
- Black Diamond Poker Open (Ignition & Bovada) - March 28 - March 31
- $450 000 Guaranteed Main Event Tournament ($425 buy-in + 2 re-entries)
- 150 Online Tournaments
- $6.3 Million Guaranteed
- Qualify via Satellite Tournaments from $3.30
Freerolls
You can play in freerolls at all US friendly poker sites. Freerolls allow you to play real money poker tournaments for free and win real money. Ignition and Bovada require rewards points to qualify but the amount to be won is significantly larger. BetOnline offers its new players 4 $2500 freerolls in their first month, these are the biggest freerolls for new US players. Americas Cardroom offers the most freerolls with on demand $50 freerolls that you can play in every time 270 players sign up.
| Date | Poker Site | Guarantee | How to Qualify | Play |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursdays 21:05 ET | Ignition Poker | $2500 | Chrome Rewards Level | Register |
| Any Tournament | Bovada Poker | $50 - $75000 | Rewards Points | Register |
| Sundays | BetOnline Poker | $2500 X 4 | New Players - 4 tickets | Register |
| On Demand | Americas Cardroom | $50 | Open to Everyone | Register |
If you don't want to play for real money with no deposit your best bet is Americas Cardroom, remember once you place in the money you can use that to buy-in to real money tournaments starting at $0.11.
Bonuses
Biggest US New Account Bonus
Ignition Poker offers the biggest sign up bonus for US players at a maximum of $1250 on a first deposit of $1000. Americas Cardroom does offer 100% deposit bonus up to a maximum of $500. Americas Cardroom gives you 60 days to clear your bonus while all US sites give you 30 days to clear your bonus by playing in real money games and tournaments in which you pay rake & fees.
Best Bonus for US Players
Ignition Poker offers the best poker bonus for US players because of a 125% deposit match and its super easy to clear. The poker bonuses at Bovada and Ignition poker both clear to your account at a rate of 50% of the rake / fees paid ($5 Bonus released for $10 paid). Americas Cardroom and BetOnline both clear at 20% of the rake & fees paid ($5 Bonus released for $25 paid).
Poker Bonus Codes for USA Players
| Poker Site | Sign up Bonus | Bonus Code |
|---|---|---|
| Americas Cardroom | 100% up to $500 | Referral Code: Sydney100 |
| Bovada Poker | 100% up to $500 | Bonus Code: PWB500 |
| Ignition Poker | 125% on Bitcoin up to $1250 (Poker) | None: Claim Bonus |
| Ignition Casino | 200% on Bitcoin up to $2000 (Casino) | Bonus Code: IGBITCOIN200 |
| BetOnline | 100% up to $1000 | Bonus Code: NEWBOL |
Free Poker Sites
US facing online poker sites that you can play poker games for free online:
- Americas Cardroom - Play free poker games and win real money with on demand freerolls
- PokerStars.net
- Governor of Poker 3
- Global Poker
- Play WSOP
- Zynga Poker
- Replay Poker
- 24/7 Free Poker
- WPT Free
These poker sites are free but many hassle you to buy points to play with or advertisements to make their business viable.
Blacklist
Blacklisted US Poker Sites
It is recommended that you avoid and do not play real money poker games at these shady poker sites that accept US players:
- Carbon Poker
- Odds Poker
- Pay No Rake
- UPN Poker
Shut Down Poker Sites - Defunct
These defunct poker sites are now shut down:
- Lock Poker
- Cake Poker
- Absolute Poker
- Ultimate Bet
- Card Spike
Banned Poker Sites
Online poker sites that have banned US Players from real money games:
- PokerStars
- Party Poker
- 888 Poker
- Bodog Poker
- Bet365 Poker
- Full Tilt Poker
- WSOP
Bodog is the same player pool as Bovada and Ignition poker so US players can play there. PokerStars offers low traffic real money games in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Party Poker has a New Jersey site, 888 Poker and WSOP offer some low traffic (ring fenced by state) real money games in New Jersey and Nevada.
Other US Friendly Poker Sites
Poker For Real Money In Usa
There are other US friendly poker sites you may know of and wonder why they are not listed as recommended These poker sites have low to very low traffic or are 'skins' of other networks Chico Network or Winning Network.
- Interops Poker
- Black Chip Poker
- Poker King
- True Poker
- Ya Poker
- Sports Betting Poker
- 5 Dimes Sports Poker
- Nitrogen Sports Poker
- Seals with Clubs
In my opinion there are better poker sites for US players.
US Online Poker FAQ
You can play online poker in the United States legally in New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Delaware In Washington State it is illegal. In all other states it is not officially regulated at the state or federal level.
In all other states there are no laws that make playing online poker illegal there are online poker sites that offer real money poker games to US players. These US poker sites have a long standing reputation of hassle free quick payouts and have not been charged under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act like Party Poker, PokerStars and Full Tilt.
No US player has ever been charged with illegally playing online poker.
Americans can play poker online in the United States at the following websites:
- Americas Cardroom - americascardroom.eu
- Ignition Poker - ignitioncasino.eu
- Bovada Poker - bovada.lv
- BetOnline Poker - betonline.ag
You can play for real money in the USA at the following US friendly online poker sites:
Online poker is not banned in the United States, it is seen more of a gray market where the law is not clear. Online poker is not illegal under federal law, it is left to individual states to make online poker legal or illegal. In Washington State online poker is a class C felony and is illegal, but nobody has ever been charged under that law.
Safe US online poker sites including Bovada, BetOnline and Americas Cardroom (Doylesroom at the time) were not charged in Black Friday 2011 and are still operating today for US players with consistently fast payouts.
Can You Play Online Poker For Real Money In Us
There were rigged poker sites pre 2011 at Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet in which employees hacked the software to see opponents hole cards and were able to steal millions in rigged poker games.
Pokerstars Real Money Usa
ECOGRA was created as a third parter watch dog to flag rigged online poker sites and legal jurisdictions have software audits, monitor for patterns of rigged games and segregated player funds which make legal licensed US poker sites legitimate and safe to play real money games for US players.
On Black Friday in May 2011 PokerStars was charged with wire fraud under the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act. PokerStars had their domain name confiscated and was ordered to pay $547 million in fines to the US government.
PokerStars now legally allows US players for real money poker games in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Yes you can play 888 poker in New Jersey for real money, visit their website at us.888poker.com
Ignition Poker and Bovada have the most real money players of any US poker site with 4280 +/- players online on average, The two sites are on the same player network and game play is anonymous so an accurate count is impossible. Americas Cardroom is a close second for cash games but they have more tournament players with bigger guaranteed prizes.