Poker Rooms Accepting Americans - USA Texas Hold'Em Sites
When Chris Moneymaker won the Main Event at the World Series of Poker in 2003, the online poker movement boomed which thus created poker rooms that accept USA players. And since 2003, the game (particularly Texas Hold'Em) has been growing by leaps and bounds as made evident by the number of people which now play, the coverage the game gets and the money involved in the prize pool for these tournaments.
The thing about poker is that you need several people to have a good, competitive game and that can be hard to do which is why many turn to the Internet and poker sites for Americans to fill the need. Just try getting eight to ten people together on a Tuesday night to run a tournament... it's probably not going to happen unless you've got some friends that are rabid about poker. But no matter what day or what time it is, Americans can always turn to online poker to get some action or even just practice their game.
The goal of this page is to prepare our American readers for what they will encounter and the things they need to be aware of when choosing a website to play at. We've played at them all, before and after Black Friday, and have the experience necessary to back up what we say. First hand knowledge is a valuable tool which should be used in order to ensure a positive experience when playing poker online in the U.S.
Are Poker Sites That Accept USA Players Legal?
Because each state has it's own laws and definitions of what poker actually is (a game of skill or chance), it's possible that it might not be legal to play poker in your state. For the majority of states this isn't an issue because there are no gambling laws making online poker illegal which allows for residents of those states to freely engage in real-money poker games online. Plus, federal laws which mandate online gambling do not even apply to poker as the Department of Justice has even said so.
But, we never answer this question without saying that you should check the local laws where you live. The United States is basically 50 countries under one federal government however each country has it's own laws. Furthermore, you might even have local ordinances that only apply to those that live in your county in which case it would be best to consult a legal professional in your area.
Is It Safe To Play Online Poker In The U.S.?
Even with all that said, poker sites that allow USA players are safe to play at and that is because they will never reveal who plays poker at their site; not to your city, county, state or even the U.S. government. However the key to this is picking the right site to play at for which we've prepared some short reviews below. These will educate you about the individual poker sites that are legal, who is allowed to play and what to expect from playing online poker there. All these sites survived Black Friday because they are above board with their finances and aren't committing gross financial fraud as the previous generation of sites which were seized by the feds; that is not going to change so you have nothing to worry about.
Bovada Poker - Biggest Guaranteed Tournaments; More Players Than Most Websites
Despite the fact that Americans living in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Nevada are not allowed to play poker or even sign up for an account here, Bovada is still one of the biggest online poker rooms open to U.S. players. The frequently have 10,000+ users online at anytime and that number can peak to over 25,000 during prime time like when they run their $100,000 guaranteed poker tournament every Sunday.
The poker room is packed every other day of the week as well because they offer so many games like the very popular Texas Hold'em as well as favorites like Omaha, RAZZ, Stud, and H.O.R.S.E. plus they add new games as they gain popularity amongst the poker crowd. Bovada offers all these games in several varieties of stakes in their ring games, sit n go tourneys plus their huge multi-table guaranteed tournaments. If you are looking for freerolls, Bovada has them but they are generally used as a promotion for those who deposit but every now and then they are open to anyone with an account.
If you need an account, Bovada is very easy to join and it only takes a few minutes and that account gets you access to all parts of one of the greatest legal gambling websites for Americans. Once you've verified your email and some other info, you will be set to deposit. Bovada allows USA players to use VISA or wire transfers like Rapid Transfer or Western Union. They have low fees attached and when you do deposit, Bovada will double it all the way up to $1,000. That money can be turned into real cash as you play at the tables, ring games or tournaments.
Sportsbetting.ag Poker - American Express Accepted; Lifetime Reload Bonuses
The name can fool you but know that Americans can play online poker at Sportsbetting.ag; a name synonymous with online sports betting. Despite being a bookmaker, Sportsbetting.ag has a high caliber poker room which features everything you would expect from a poker room. We'll get more into those things later but the important thing to take away here is that Americans are accepted regardless of where in the U.S. they call 'home'.
Before going any further, we want you to know that Sportsbetting.ag does not use a proprietary software like Bovada and therefore other sites also use the same setup that is just branded differently for whatever site. This isn't a bad thing, in fact it is the opposite because Sportsbetting.ag and others combine their players which really fills the tables. It guarantees that action is going around the clock and that you will never have any issue with finding a ring game with action or some type of tournament that is about to start.
The financial end of things is also a very nice feature of Sportsbetting.ag as their poker room accepts American Express along with VISA. Beyond that, Sportsbetting.ag accepts checks or wire transfers if you do not have a credit card, don't want to use it online or it simply won't work. No matter how discreet you need to be, this site has an option that will work well for you... not that they're going to tell anyone.
Top Rated U.S. Poker Sites |
Deposit Bonuses |
Avg. Players |
Play Poker Now |
| Bovada Poker - 46 States | $1,000 Max - 100% Match | 20,000+ | Go To Bovada |
| Sportsbetting.ag - 50 States | $1,000 Max - 50% Match | 8,000+ | Go To Sportsbetting |
| BetOnline Poker - 50 States | $1,000 Max - 50% Match | 8,000+ | Go To BetOnline |
Poker Deposit Methods For USA Players
If you read the reviews, you probably noticed a theme with USA poker deposits which is that you've got three or four options... credit cards and wire transfers are the most common while some sportsbooks have methods like sending a check in the mail or wiring funds from your bank account to the poker room's account. Like we said, the latter aren't common and you will need to check with the cashier to find out if either are available but you can almost count on VISA being accepted, followed by American Express, followed by MasterCard in terms of availability. Services like Western Union and Moneygram are also available for sending funds to USA poker rooms which are very flexible and safe.
Each of the methods above has advantages and disadvantages depending on where you use them. It's always the fine print that gets you and usually that fine print has a lot to do with deposit fees. Be sure to consult the cashier to see what fees apply plus the minimum/maximum deposit limits for the method you are thinking about using. Live help should always be available through toll-free phone, live chat or worst-case scenario through email.
USA Poker Deposit Options
- Credit / Debit / Gift Cards - VISA / American Express / MasterCard (rare) / Diner's Club (rare)
- Wire Transfers - Western Union, Moneygram, Rapid Transfer
- Bank Wire - Account To Account Transfer
- Check / Money Orders / Cashier's Check - Drop Payment In Mail
Can You Play Online Poker For Free?
As a matter of fact, U.S. players are allowed to play free online poker. Every poker website promoted here has a version of their poker room that provides users to play at the tables for free. This for two reasons... 1) players can get acclimated to the feel of the software, 2) it also allows players to practice strategies and get familiar with the games before playing for real-money.
But just because you're not paying to play doesn't mean you can't win anything. Granted, if you are sitting at a ring game table, you can't win anything but more play chips that have no value. However, most online poker sites (the ones found here do) have freeroll tournaments that can pay players with some type of currency that has value at that poker room. It's usually not cash, but it is something that can be used to enter into cash tournaments!
USA Poker Bonuses + Poker Promos - Bonuses Found At Online Poker Rooms
Free money is always something that is nice to receive, and at online poker sites there is plenty of it that is given out. They are what's known as online poker bonuses. If you have been to a poker site, you have probably noticed these. Not all bonuses are created equal, and if a bonus is important to you, then you should definitely shop around at the poker rooms to check out your best available.
What you will find at online poker rooms are deposit bonuses and no deposit bonuses, in general terms. Poker sites could have one, or both of these different options. The deposit bonus option is the most common. Here, a poker site will match a designated percentage of the deposit made into a player's account for a bonus. This bonus will be accompanied by a maximum amount in most cases, though not always.
For a no-deposit bonus, it would be a reward option such as a new player sign up bonus, or a welcome bonus. This is a bonus where the player's bonus received is not based on how much they deposit. There will still be stipulations for either type of bonus, which is know as a rollover requirement. This is the number of times that the bonus must be played in order to be eligible to be withdrawn.
USA Poker Payouts + Withdrawal Methods
Before we talk about getting paid, let us stress that your poker account should never be confused as your bank account. You should only keep enough funds in your account for what you need to play with assuming you don't win a dime. Anything other than that then you are really doing yourself a dis-service because that money can be put into interest-bearing accounts instead of sitting idly in a poker room. If you are that guy, you need to request a payout and the good news is that most poker rooms use checks to pay USA players and they generally have high withdrawal limits.
There are things you need to consider though such as fees and transaction times. Most poker rooms allow players one free withdrawal every month and then charge for subsequent payout requests made within that 30 day window. Each site is different and depending on how big of a highroller you are, you can probably talk them into waiving those fees. The charges always vary from site to site and usually between method to method which means it's best to check with the cashier or customer service team. Players can avoid fees altogether with proper payout planning and bankroll management.
Payout Methods Used By American Online Poker Sites
- Checks - FedEx / UPS / DHL
- Wire Transfers - Western Union, Moneygram, Rapid Transfer
- Bank Wire - Account To Account Transfer
- e-Wallets - Intermediary Financial Account (like PayPal, very hard to find)
Online Poker Games For U.S. Players
If your online poker room only offers Texas Hold'em then we feel sorry for you. There are a lot of great games out there which involve strategic thinking and manipulation to win. Always look for American poker rooms that have variations like Omaha, Stud games, RAZZ, H.O.R.S.E., and any other formats you see in the WSOP or on the WPT.
The game is so much bigger than just hole cards, the flop, the turn and river. Furthermore, you should also be able to play any of those games as a raked ring game or in tournament format; in multiple levels of stakes and with betting limits such as no-limit, pot-limit, etc...
A Final Word...
We hope you walk away from this with a better understanding of what is out there for Americans that want to play poker online. Remember, there is no commitment to these poker rooms until you deposit funds into your account; signing up should always be free (mandatory on our site) and the site should also have freeroll tournaments and free ring games where players can practice the game. Even when you've deposited into your account, there is no risk until you hit the real-money poker tables... for some that risk is more than others.
