7 Best US Online Poker Sites for Real Money 2023

USA Best Real Money Poker Sites 

We have selected the 8 Trustworthy Online Poker Real Money Sites for US Players based on various criteria such as Popularity, Bonus Attractiveness & Easiness of Winning on top of Safety. 

Since each player has unique preferences when choosing a poker site, we highlight the Key Distinctive Feature of each poker site.

We list the world’s best offshore (see reasons why & how to start) poker sites accepting US citizens. 

List of Best Poker Sites for US Citizens

Ignition Casino Poker – Softest Poker Site

Bovada – The Most Successful Offshore Gambling Site in the USA

BetOnline Poker – The Best All-In-One Site

Sportsbetting Poker – Clone of BetOnline 

Intertops Poker – The Most Mobile Friendly Site with Longest History

America’s Card Room – The Best Rakeback Offer

Black Chip Poker – The Preferred Poker Site by Grinders

USA Online Poker Legality

In a nutshell, there are only 6 states that legally accept online real money poker, which are Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Michigan.

However, basically, a player can only play against other players located within that same state although the liquidity-sharing agreement inter-state has been gradually made. 

Regulated Poker Sites

There are a few approved and verified poker brands such as PokerStars NJ & Party Poker NJ, but only WSOP/888Poker established the solid multi-state poker network based on Interstate agreements signed between Delaware, New Jersey, and Nevada for online poker purposes.

888Poker 

But regulated doesn’t mean the best site.

Is Offshore Poker Site Safe & How to Start?

Offshore Poker Sites for US Residents

So, at this stage, the online poker business is pretty much banned in most of states.

However, players are free to access offshore online poker rooms, which means that Americans can access foreign-based platforms, which the US authorities don’t really have any control over.

In fact, there is no single federal law that specifically makes it illegal for US Citizens to bet online offshore. (see Bitcoin Sports Betting USA for details)

That’s the reason why despite the fact tens of millions of Americans bet over $150 billion through offshore sportsbooks every year, we never heard of a single case where an individual has been prosecuted for placing a sports wager offshore. Online poker is exactly the same. 

Top-Level Safety & Long Established Reputation

People often ask “What is the safest online poker site for US players?”.

The safety of poker sites should be verified by both legality and financial soundness.

All the bookmakers we list in this guide are not only licensed & regulated (mainly in Caribbean jurisdictions such as Curacao, Antigua, Panama & Costa Rica, etc.) but also rated A+ in many reputable review sites.

One of the important attributes that have led to their success over the decades (many of them were founded in the ’80 & ’90) is their financial health.

In short, the payout from these poker sites is ultra-speedy & flawless.

Besides, such offshore sites tend to be a bigger players pool, which can create larger tournament prize pools and a wider selection of cash games, etc. 

BTW, some poker players are concerned about “Are online poker games rigged?”. No, any questionable software or practices don’t allow these offshore poker sites to maintain a world-class reputation. 

How to Start an Offshore Poker Site?

The process to open an offshore poker account is more or less the same as any other online registration though, the followings are the general process & points you may want to pay attention to;

• Firstly, all the sites in this guide accept US residents. Just in case, you’re not from the USA, check if they accept your jurisdiction. If not, don’t register using the VPN suggested by the irresponsible sites, because you need to go through the KYC process at some stage except Nitrogen. 
• Second, don’t overlook the welcome bonus and check T&C carefully. Each site requires different conditions & possibly unique code as seen from the above list (if not shown, then not required), I know it’s boring but Essential to avoid any unpleasant surprises later.
• Thirdly, probably the best & only deposit/withdrawal for US residents is Bitcoin betting (deposit BTC, Play in USD & Cashout in BTC) or any other accepted Alt Coins like Ethereum. Watch the below BetOnline Cashier Video, which may give you a good insight into how it works (it shows the Sportsbook section but the Poker section works exactly the same)

A Few Other Key Criteria on Best Poker Sites for US Players

On top of the safety, we use the following factors to list our Best Online Poker Sites for US Residents;

1) Popularity (Traffic)

As said before, a poker site with large traffic can create bigger tournament prize pools and a wider selection of cash games. 

The below table from Poker Scout shows the world’s top 15 high-traffic poker sites;

Currently, the biggest poker networks accepting Cryptocurrencies, which means the sites the US players can access are the below 3 poker networks

•   Winning Poker Network – America’s Card Room & Black Chip Poker
•   Pai Wang Luo Network – Bovada & Ignition 
•   Chico Poker Network – BetOnline & SportsBetting 

2) Many Fishes & Fewer Sharks

As you imagine, poker sites with the highest traffic have many fishes because beginners feel safe in a big poker room. However, at the same time, there are many best players.

In case you are a Poker beginner, suggest taking a look at the Texas Holdem Strategies For Beginners – 15 Minutes Crash Course (this guide will take you to the level to beat most of the recreational players) before you spend your hard-earned money. 

The sharks tend to play lots of games. Playing 5, 10, or 20+ tables at once is normal for a full-time professional. Only the highest-traffic poker sites offering lots of game selection & high stakes games can accommodate such professional activities. Thus the poker sites with the highest traffic have many pro-infested tables.

Generally, you will find a lot of unskilled players on fewer traffic sites.

I’m sure you prefer online poker sites/tables filled by inexperienced or low-skilled casual players to consistently win. In other words, we need the Shark Free sites that provide anonymous tables like the below Ignition;

The poker sites belonging to Pai Wang Luo Network & Chico Poker Network are very soft while the ones from Winning Poker Network are relatively tight.

For this particular factor, strongly suggest you go through “Softest Online Poker Sites – Latest List to Prey Fish“.

•  The easiest poker sites are Bovada / Ignition / BetOnline / SportsBetting
•  The tough poker sites preferred by grinders are America’s Cardroom & Black Chip Poker 

3) Attractive Welcome & Recurring Bonuses

Deposit bonuses are a great way to build your bankroll and earn extra spending money. Loyalty programs are based on frequent player points and those points then determine what types of benefits/bonuses you get.

The more points you earn, the more free cash, free items, and free tournament entries you receive.

When it comes to online poker bonuses, you may want to go through Complete Guide to Online Poker Bonus Hunting for Dummies (find online poker bonus types & learn how to evaluate each bonus to rake them efficiently). 

Incidentally, fishes love playing the sites offering juicy bonuses/jackpots and they pursue a huge score on a long shot. Obviously, those players are not sharps and would be good for you to play against.

Best Deposit Bonus

Deposit bonuses are a great way to build your bankroll and earn extra spending money. The best bonus ranking of the poker sites for US players are;

•  Intertops – 200% Deposit Bonus up to $1,000 
•  America’s Cardroom – 100% Deposit Bonus up to $2,000
•  Blackchip Poker – 100% Deposit Bonus up to $2,000
•  BetOnline – 100% Deposit Bonus up to $1,000
•  SportsBetting Poker – 100% Deposit Bonus up to $1,000 
•  Ignition – 100% Deposit Bonus up to $1,000 
•  Bovada – 100% Deposit Bonus up to $500 (also BTC exclusive Membership)

Best Online Poker Sites for US Citizens Wrap Up

You Americans are historically poker lovers and actually, the USA is supposed to be the largest Poker market in the world.

Poker is regarded as gambling in the USA but actually, it’s pretty much a skill-oriented game. 

Some of you may aim to live off poker, see Play Online Poker For A Living – The Most Practical Solution (verified the realistic way to develop a nice monthly income stream from online poker cash games) by dreaming to become Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, or Erik Seidel. 

Then, surely you need to use the best HUD (Head-Up Display) as a grinder like the below;

PokerTracker 4

Since: 2012 (by PokerTracker Software)

License: Lifetime up to 3 PCs

Feature: Light Software / Compatibility with Windows & MAC

Support Sites: Major Poker Sites

+ Free Hand Grabber

Price: $99.99 for the most popular package (see a full price list)

Payment: Card, PayPal, Neteller& BTC

Offer: 14 Days Free Trial

Claim Free Trial

Note: With in-depth analysis of wide data collection coupled with real-time adjustment function during in-play & Free New Features for Heavy Serious Grinders, PT4 is next to none (Active forum is available).

Some of you want to play for fun. But you want to use the below best Poker Tracking Software to improve your skills constantly;

Holden Manager 3

Since: 2007 (one of the HUD pioneers)

License: Lifetime up to 3 PCs

Feature: Easy to install / Multi-language support

Support Sites: 12 Major Poker Sites + Free Hand Grabber

Price: $100 for the most popular package (see a full price list)

Payment:Card, PayPal, Neteller & BTC

Offer: 15 Days Free Trial 

Claim Free Trial

Note: With all the features of Full stats (customizable to make the feed less cumbersome), In-depth analysis (adjustable based on skill level) & Post Game Analysis (focusing on your core skills by finding your leaks) make HM3 the best HUD for Beginner/Casual Players (Active forum is available).

These are the poker tracking software not only for HUD but also can analyze your poker hands namely finding your leaks & studying opponents to spot their weaknesses. 

We explained in full detail about these excellent tools as well as a multi-tabling tool in Best Hud for Poker – Head-Up Display Software.

Hope you will find the best poker site that fits your unique needs & preferences in this guide. 

BTW, in case you want to be a sharp casino & game bonus hunter, strongly suggest taking a look at the List of 52 Best Bitcoin Casino Bonuses and for those who appreciate the highest privacy, go to the List of Best Anonymous Bitcoin Casinos & Bonuses, just FYI.

Good Luck!!

Joshua Walker (bio)

Editor – Global Extra Money (GEM)