Best Us Poker Site For Tournaments

Most poker players don’t live in one of the four states where online poker is legal, but there are other options out there. While online poker for real money is only available in New Jersey, Nevada, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, sweepstakes poker or social gaming can also offer a fun alternative. Some even feature a chance to win real prizes and cash payouts.

1. Best Us Poker Sites For Tournaments
2. Best Us Poker Site For Tournaments Today
3. Best Us Poker Site For Tournaments 2019
4. Best Us Poker Site For Tournaments 2020
5. Lock Poker Review
6. Best Us Poker Site For Tournaments Results

1. The Best US Poker Sites: Freerolls and More. So now we’ve given you an overview of the business of poker sites, freerolls and everything in-between, it’s time to point you in the direction of our best recommended poker rooms. When it comes to our top US poker sites, freerolls form a major part of our review criteria.
2. Americas Cardroom is the flagship site of the Winning Poker Network, meaning it also has several sister sites. It has excellent traffic and massive tournaments that offer millions of dollars in guaranteed prizes. No-limit Texas Hold’em is the most popular game on the site, even though it offers other variations, including Omaha and stud poker.

And don’t forget you can always make an account and play play-money poker at real money online poker sites, too. Here’s a look at some of the best free poker sites & apps available.

Global Poker

BetOnline Poker is one of the highest-ranking card rooms for US players for a number of reasons, among which is the fact that the site offers some of the highest clearance rates for credit and debit cards as depositing methods. Ignition might be one of the best online poker sites for US players, but Bovada can sure give it a run for its money. Bovada has an advantage because it has been around since 2004. Therefore, it has the most US players of all poker online sites. #1 Poker Site for Tournaments: Americas Cardroom Americas Cardroom, on the Winning Poker Network, beats all other companies serving the United Stateswhen it comes to the strength of its online poker tournaments schedule.

One major positive for Global Poker is that it offers players all across the U.S. and Canada a real opportunity to play 100% legal poker online. Through its unique free sweeps casino model, players use virtual chips (Gold Coins), which they accumulate and play with but cannot redeem for real money.

However, when purchasing Gold Coins, players receive bonus sweepstakes prizes called “$weeps Coins.” This virtual currency can then be used for $weeps Coins tournaments and ring games. $weeps Coins is considered to be “bonus sweepstakes prizes” and so Global Poker avoids being classified as gambling.

As a player wins, $weeps Coins can be cashed out through WorldPay, which offers several withdrawal methods. Players who play enough gold coins can qualify for real money freerolls – the Daily Hundo and Daily Five Hundo – as well.

Starting chips: 5,000 gold coins

How to get more chips: Purchase more for cash (as low as 5,000 for $1), earning $weeps Coins in the process, which can be used to earn more of the cash.

Games offered: Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Crazy Pineapple.

Pros: The tables feature smooth gameplay and fun avatars. Games can be played easily within a web browser and don’t require a program download. Thousands of dollars are given away each week via the $weeps Coins. Players can cash out for real cash when they reach at least $50 in $weeps Coins. Those who play regularly have some $weeps Coins freeroll opportunities pretty regularly.

Cons: Action moves very quickly from player to player – don’t dawdle too much or your hand will be killed. That’s tough if you have a nice hand and considering tables can even be four-handed. Multitasking while playing isn’t really an option.

PokerStars Play

While Black Friday may have ended your game on one of the biggest sites in poker, the PokerStars free play offers a chance to relive some of those 2000s poker boom years. The action may not be for real money, but PokerStars offers plenty of fun and a chance to work on your game.

Players can join leagues or start their own, and move to bigger tournaments on the poker trail – ending up in Las Vegas of course. There are also numerous player challenges. Along with poker, those players who become a little bored can also switch to several slot machine games.

Starting chips: 50,000 (with Facebook login).

How to get more: A daily spin earns a player more, and 1,200 chips are always free. More chips are available for purchase starting at $1.99.

Pros: The PokerStars app interface works well with easy finger swipe motions – betting, calling, raising, and checking is very easy. The music and sound effects also give off a kind of retro Las Vegas vibe. It’s overall a smooth game one would expect from PokerStars.

Cons: The addition of Omaha is nice, but the game can only be unlocked after reaching Level 10.

PlayWSOP

Playing for a gold bracelet at the Rio in Las Vegas may not be a reality for some of us. But with this social game offering from the World Series of Poker, every player has a chance at some poker glory. While the WSOP offers real-money poker in the state of Nevada, PlayWSOP offers a chance to work on your game in a fun virtual atmosphere. Players advance along the international poker circuit – beginning in Atlantic City and culminating in Las Vegas.

Starting chips: 500,000 and player get an extra 250,000 with Facebook login.

Best Us Poker Sites For Tournaments

How to get more: Free daily Mega Bonus Spin. Purchase also available beginning at $2.99.

Pros: The game comes with all the music and sound effects that seem to define the game on ESPN. Gameplay is fairly easy and the dealer at the table is a nice touch. Cash games and tournaments are easy to jump into. The WSOP also offers Omaha for fans of other forms of poker. Sorry though, no Omaha Hi/Lo yet.

Cons: Simpler keystrokes would be a nice addition and just a bit more time for raising. Text showing names and chips is a little small also

Zynga Poker

Zynga now has the largest poker site in the world with millions and millions of players online 24/7, 365. The partnership with the World Poker Tour makes for even more options – including tournaments and sit and gos. It may not be real money, but chip challenges keep players hungry for more.

Starting chips: $60,000

How to get more: Numerous options to earn more including purchase for as low as $0.99. Daily free slot spins also add to your total.

Pros:Easy interface and plenty of player options – leagues, cash games, tournaments, and more. The Hand Strength Meter offers a nice way for beginners to gauge their starting hand value.

Cons: If you’re a fan of Omaha or Seven Stud, this might not be the game for you. Only Texas Hold’em is available.

PlayWPT

The World Poker Tour took the world by storm in 2002 and helped launch the poker boom with players dreaming of big money and poker fame. The tour and television show debuted the hole-card cam, helping to launch the sire of televised poker that continues today. This game attempts to recreate a WPT final table right down to the television set backdropping the players. PlayWPT allows players to play cash games, tournaments, and sit and go’s. Fittingly for the World Poker Tour, players can advance to events at locations around the globe from Tokyo to Rio de Janeiro.

Best Us Poker Site For Tournaments Today

Starting chips: 25,000 with bonuses for new players.

Best Us Poker Site For Tournaments 2019

How to get more: Available for purchase for as low as $1.99 with regular free games to earn more as well. Complete missions to earn more also.

Pros: Gameplay is smooth and simple, and the avatars and graphics are nice. The game offers something truly unique – video replays of WPT events while playing hands – complete with commentary from longtime commentators Vince Van Patten and Mike Sexton. Play poker while watching some WPT, nice!

Cons: Again it’s only Texas Hold’em in this game. A few more avatars available for newbies would be nice.

Other Options

While these are some of the more popular free and social game offerings, other opportunities to play exist. That includes some nice poker apps not affiliated with major tours that still get nice reviews. Here’s a look at a few other options.

• Scatter Hold’em Poker – This unique game offers more than just poker. Scatter Holdem combines elements of a fantasy game as well. Players must “navigate mysterious worlds filled with magic skittish fairies, blazing elementals, and other fantasy creatures.” New characters and worlds are constantly added and updated. You can even throw fireballs at opponents.
• Red Dead Redemption II – Video game fans will be pleased to check out this game from RockStar Games. RD2 offers players a trip to the Old West in 1899. As an outlaw named Arthur Morgan, gamers ride horseback across the range, stage train robberies, shoot it out with lawmen, and travel through forests, deserts, and towns. The trailer notes that the game creates “a living world that’s not simply open, but deeper. And more interactive and detailed than ever combining action, storytelling, and gameplay in new ways.” And that Old West world includes poker. Players can challenge fellow outlaws to some Texas Hold’em and accumulate funds for use throughout the game. The poker scenes feature these tough outlaws in cowboy hats around an old wooden table. It a fun twist on a video game with poker playing a major part of the action.

The legality of playing online poker in the United States is a matter of much discussion at the moment. Legislation has made simply logging onto your favorite poker site, making a deposit, playing, and withdrawing your funds a thing of the past.

There are still sites that offer players based in the US a full service, however, and in this post, we will look at their various merits to help you find the ideal one for you.

We will comment on the various poker sites based on a combination of the criteria below. We are not attempting to find the best poker site with this post; our purpose is simply to discuss what the various sites available to US players have to offer and help you make a decision where to play.

Deposit bonus

All poker sites offer first-time users some form of bonus when they make their first deposit. These range in the amount that the player is given and also the method that this bonus is earned. In most cases, the player has to play a certain number of hands before this bonus is paid out. The size of the bonus and the ease with which it is earned is how we judge a poker site on this criteria.

Alternative devices

This is a simple matter. Does the poker room’s software cater for Mac or mobile players?

Competition

This is a tough criterion to use when judging a poker site since a “soft” poker site might not be what everyone is looking for. Some players are actively looking to play against slightly more experienced regulars rather than a table full of fish so that they can improve their skills.

Software

Some poker sites’ software is simply more user-friendly and stable than others. If you are a regular player and enjoy multi-tabling, this is an important consideration.

Game variety

Despite what many may think, the world doesn’t revolve around Texas Hold’em. Many players look to enjoy other forms of poker, and the variety of games available on certain sites can be an important reason for selecting it.

Ease of transactions

This information deals with how easy or hard it is to deposit funds into your bankroll and how cumbersome or lengthy the withdrawal process is.

Supported by HUDs and trackers

Not all online poker rooms are supported by poker HUD software. Only poker rooms that save hand history files to your computer as you play can work with a hand tracker and a HUD. This is not a complete negative – if you can’t use a HUD, nor can your competitors.

Ignition Casino

Having undergone a change in ownership and rebranded in 2016, Ignition Casino is one of the newest kids on the US block and offers an eye-watering welcome bonus for new players. All new players receive a bonus matching their first deposit up to a maximum of $2,000. The bonus is released incrementally, and players have 30 days in which to release the full amount.

Ignition Casino allows a wide variety of users to play on their site, with Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android currently supported.

The player base at Ignition is still relatively small. Because most of the poker players are overflow from the integrated casino games, the competition on the site is very soft. This should be good news for standard tight-aggressive players looking to get their bankroll started.

This site does not support a wide variety of games, with only fixed, pot, and no-limit Hold’em available along with and Omaha and Omaha Hi-Lo. The site also offers the usual selection of Sit & Go’s as well as a small selection of scheduled tournaments.

One of Ignition Casino’s biggest flaws is that it only offers withdrawals in the form of a mailed check or Bitcoin, which is not ideal, but, sadly, typical for US sites.

Ignition is not supported by major HUDs.

BetOnline Poker

If you thought Ignition Casino offered new players a warm welcome, BetOnline Poker is going to blow you away. With an industry-leading offer of $2,500 first deposit bonus, it’s impossible to ignore the benefits of selecting BetOnline as your poker room. Unlike Ignition, however, BetOnline gives their new players 60 days to clear their bonus, which is paid out in $5 increments.

Mac, Android, and Apple devices are supported and the site is known for having excellent software from a user interface and stability perspective.

BetOnline launched as a sports betting platform and the majority of their users still mostly gamble on sports. As a result, many of the players at the poker tables are recreational and are extremely soft. Unfortunately, these players tend to stick to the micro-stake levels to it’s unlikely that a regular will ever become wealthy from playing only at this site. It is, however, the ideal site for the typical multi-tabling grinder.

Aside from the typical games offered by the smaller poker sites, BetOnline Poker also includes Seven-card stud as an option. While there are several tournaments available, they are mostly of the very low buy-in variety – again something that might deter a more serious player.

Something that BetOnline has received some criticism over is the inclusion of a free odds-calculator add-on. This feature goes a long way towards levelling a regular player’s “edge” over players he’d normally be crushing.

Regarding payout methods, BetOnline offers the same options as Ignition, but also includes Skrill, Neteller, Western Union, and bank wires.

BetOnline doesn’t store hand history files as you play, and therefore is not supported by major HUDs.

Americas Cardroom

Let’s get the (potentially) bad news out of the way first: Americas Cardroom’s first deposit bonus offer of only $1,000 is minuscule in comparison to BetOnline and Ignition Casino.

Having said that, this is still a solid option for US poker players. One of the most positive comments this site receives is how similar its user interface is to PokerStars – without a doubt the industry leader in the software front. The graphics and animations are stylish and stable; more experienced players will have no trouble multi-tabling. On Windows, at least. Their Mac software is reasonably new and needs some serious polishing.

Another area where Americas Cardroom beat out its competition is in the number of players. If you are the type of player who prefers not to sit at a full-ring table with eight fish and want to test yourself against some better opposition, Americas Cardroom is a better option than the sites above. The larger group of players also means that there is action at the mid and high stake levels too.

Its popularity means that players have more options in terms of game variety, with higher-stake Sit & Go tournaments available regularly and a large selection of scheduled tournaments also on offer.

Best Us Poker Site For Tournaments 2020

Payouts are processed quickly, although if you want to cash out to any method other than Bitcoin, you will be paying a higher fee than some of the other sites on the list.

One of the main reasons to select Americas Cardroom is the fact that it is supported by Poker Copilot and other major poker HUDs on both Mac and Windows.

BlackChip Poker

As with Americas Cardroom, a site with which they have an affiliation, BlackChip Poker only offers a first-deposit bonus of $1,000. The bonus is paid out in much smaller increments, however, with new players seeing their bankroll increase with $1 as they reach the site’s bonus milestones. Unlike Americas Cardroom, BlackChip Poker only caters for Windows users.

As is generally the case with US-friendly poker sites, BlackChip Poker also shares a lot of their traffic with a sports-betting network, again resulting in a large number of very loose “gambler” types – a gift for tight-aggressive grinders.

BlackChip boasts decent traffic, with a minimum of approximately 5,000 players online at any given time of the day.

An area where BlackChip’s software excels (although it is debatable whether any serious player will actually make use of this feature) is that it enables players to play up to 40 tables simultaneously. This is a remarkably useful feature if your game consists entirely of set-mining, but not ideal if you have any desire to eventually graduate to more sophisticated strategies.

BlackChip Poker is supported by Poker Copilot and other major poker HUDs.

Selecting a Poker Site

Finding the site that is best for you depends on your priorities as a player. It is important to remember that it’s worthwhile to stick to one room until the first-deposit bonus is paid out.

Lock Poker Review

Switching from one poker room to another for any combination of reasons is feasible, but don’t miss out on the enormous benefit that first deposit bonuses have for your bankroll.

Many grinders build the skill and bankroll they need to move up the stake levels by trying out many poker sites and taking full advantage of the first deposit bonuses they have to offer. A patient and committed poker player can easily build a sizeable bankroll by employing this strategy.

Best Us Poker Site For Tournaments Results

If you are an American and are interested in more information about this topic, we recommend reading this guide.

See you at the tables!