Best online poker sites for US players
If you’ve ever played at an online casino you will know that online poker has become one of the most popular games around. Why? Because players can get their hands on impressive amounts of prize money. In 2003, Chris Moneymaker won the Main Event at the World Series of Poker after he qualified as an amateur at an online poker site. He turned a $39 investment into a whopping $2.5 million after playing against 839 players.
If you’re not sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place. After reading this article, you will know which sites are the best online poker sites for US players.
There are a number of things you need to take into consideration when choosing a poker site since you’ll be investing your hard earned cash. The site must be licensed and reputable and it should also have 128-bit SSL encryption to ensure that your personal data is safe at all times.
The other important thing that you should look out for is bonuses. Every reputable online poker site will give you the opportunity to earn bonus money on your deposits and who doesn’t want that?
Bovada Poker
Bovada is one of the oldest poker sites that can be enjoyed by US players. The casino is based in Costa Rica, has a stellar reputation, and is well known for having the highest traffic in the US as well as the fastest payouts. The bonus that is offered on this site is also pretty straightforward. Players can enjoy a 100% match bonus up to $500 when making their first deposit. The funds are deposited into your bonus account and players have 30 days to clear the bonus.
Ignition Casino Poker Room
This casino might be relatively new (they launched in 2016), but they’ve managed to build up an impressive traffic network. So how have they managed to become one of the leading poker sites so quickly? Well, while the brand “Ignition” might be new, the site is actually the Bovada poker wing rebranded. They’ve managed to impress thousands of players with their mobile poker and their incredible bonus – they provide a welcome bonus of 100% up to $1000 to all new players.
BetOnline Poker
BetOnline also holds a comfy spot in the top 3 in US player traffic and it has a reputation for being the casino that has the best credit and debit card processing for US players. Apart from the fact that players can get their hands on $100 worth of free bets and that Bitcoin payouts are only 24 hours, they also offer a 100% bonus up to $1000 that clears fairly quickly. So, if you make a $1000 deposit, you will receive an additional $1000 as a welcome gesture.
This poker site was established over a decade ago and has since traded under various names. They initially started in 1991 as a land-based bookmaker and entered the poker market when the US online gaming industry was at its most hostile. It is clear that this company has been ambitious since day one. They’ve managed to successfully enter the poker market with an independent platform and have marketed aggressively to US players, which obviously paid off and resulted in them being in the top 3.
SportsBetting Poker USA
While SportsBetting Poker seems less concerned about flashy bonuses and more committed to converting deposits, they still offer a very generous bonus of 100% up to $1000 for US players. After they relaunched in 2012 they promised brilliant deposit options that would suit the needs of US players specifically and they have honestly stayed true to their word. In recent years, online poker sites have lost some joys thanks to tight cashiers but players can deposit any amount whenever they want on this site, which is truly remarkable.
Americas Cardroom
This poker site was established in 2001 and still manages to impress. The US online gaming scene has a reputation for changing frequently and not many online poker sites are innovative enough to survive these nuisances, except for Americas Cardrooms. They have managed to become one of the busiest networks, in terms of traffic, in the US and seem to be untouchable with their massive huge tournaments, which features a guaranteed $1 million prize pool. Apart from this they also draw over 1000 players to their cheaper tournaments.
America’s Cardroom is a breath of fresh air. It is almost like the good old days when it was proved that brilliant concepts and stern execution can be rewarded with busy tables. The poker site is solid and strongly recommended for US players who enjoy high-level online poker. They boast plenty of tables, a cashier that simply works, and big tournaments that suit any budget. Their customer support is also really efficient – the trained staff will help you with any query 24/7.
Black Chip Poker
The 100% bonus up to $1000 is obviously a trend in the US online poker scene and Black Chip Poker is no exception. The minimum deposit is fair at $25 and they offer massive tournaments. They have a credible reputation and it is clear that Black Chip Poker is a solid site, but unfortunately, their games app is not supported on Mac or mobile, which is a big negative. However, they do offer double lottery Sit and Go’s, hybrid tournament/cash games, built-in straddle option in cash games, and instant tournament payouts.
Nitrogen Sports
When you hop on to the Nitrogen Sports site you might be thinking that it is a good old Bovada site that underwent a facelift, but not in a bad way. It’s almost like putting on a comfortable pair of trainers or sweatpants. You might be asking why this site is highly recommended and the answer to this question is quite simple – Bitcoin is the center of their universe with no credit cards or dollars in sight anywhere on their platform.
When you play poker, you’ll obviously be playing in mBTC, which is one-thousandth of 1 BTC. It might be a bit confusing at first if you are a poker player that automatically thinks of betting limits in dollars but as soon as you get used to it, you’ll see that it is pretty simple. The other perk is that all accounts are anonymous, no address or name is required to open an account. So, if you want to bet in complete privacy, this site will let you.
Intertops Poker
This brand has been well known for many years and when they entered the online gaming scene, it set off an entire division for the respected company, offering a solid and entertaining online poker experience for US players. The site is run on the Revolution Gaming Network and has decent traffic that flocks to several games and hundreds of tournaments. The site is gaining increased popularity thanks to their attractive promotions and bonuses that boosts players bankrolls and essentially doubles their chances of winning.
Most often poker rooms offer players a 100% match bonus up to $1000, but Intertops Poker took it to the next level. When you open an account, you will be offered a 200% match bonus up to $1000. And, it doesn’t stop there. The site often runs re-load bonuses that will give you the opportunity to enjoy another bonus on your second and/or third deposit. If you combine this with their generous loyalty program and many other unique promotions, you can be sure to stand a decent chance at winning.
SB Poker
SB Poker was initially launched as a sports betting site, but it has become quite common for these sites to introduce poker. It gives the player the opportunity to bet on sports and poker on one platform. The other massive perk of SB poker is that the site has not imposed any country limitations, which means that any player can enjoy betting from anywhere in the world, including the US. And, they also don’t lack in the bonus department – they offer new players up to $2500 in bonus money.
True Poker
True Poker seems to have it all. It is one of the most reliable poker sites in the US where players can enjoy fantastic customer support and incredible bonus offers on the same platform. The brand first formed part of the sports betting group Bookmaker but has since merged with one of the biggest and most reliable online poker sites for US players, Winning Poker Network. Since the merge, True Poker has improved drastically and offers various attractive promotions, benefits, and a wide variety of betting options.
The software is easy to navigate, which makes it incredibly user-friendly especially for new players and the instant-play solution makes up for the fact that the software is not downloadable for Mac users. It is clear that their target market is Texas Hold’em players but with a 100% up to $1000 match bonus on your first deposit, you might be willing to forget about Omaha and other variations. Make sure to read the terms and conditions before using the bonus because you might need to claim it in $1 segments.
NLOP Free Poker Room
If you see a free poker site, you automatically think there’s a catch. Think again. NLOP poker gives players the chance to play for free simply because they want to bridge the gap between social and real-money poker, which in turn makes it a legal alternative for US players to enjoy. Players can sign up with no strings attached to take part in daily tournaments while standing the chance to walk away with pretty decent cash prizes that are instantly cashed out.
Yes, cash is king but you can also win incredible prizes such as trips to Las Vegas or buy-ins to Main Events. On average, a new tournament starts every minute so there is never a shortage of action at NLOP. You build your token bankroll and use the credit to buy-in to bigger tournaments. They claim to have paid out over $5,000,000 to players since 2006 so what are you waiting for? It won’t cost you a cent which means that you will never lose money.
Global Poker
Global Poker is doing things differently. This poker room is the only site in the US that offer players the chance to play a social, disruptive online poker experience using Facebook. Players still stand the chance to win real prize money through tournaments and sit and go ring plays. What’s more is that players automatically get 5000 free gold coins when they sign up to enjoy high stakes and low stakes games while the support team is available 24/7. It’s new, interesting and definitely worth a shot.
