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Most Trusted Poker Site Reviews in 2021

[January 27, 2021]

We review the best legit poker sites so you can safely choose where to play real money poker online. Our top pick for January 2021 is Intertops Poker.

When you join one of the top USA real money online poker sites listed on CardsChat.com, you will find lots of easy-to-beat players.
You can use simple and secure banking options such as credit & debit cards and bank transfers.
Plus get access to exclusive promotions, including our private freerolls and specially increased bonuses.

Every Site we list must have passed the following checks

1

ALL POKER SITE OPERATORS MUST BE LICENSED AND SECURE

You will only find sites that are safe and secure to play on which have been independently regulated.

All poker sites hold legitimate certifications and are 128-bit SSL encrypted (the strongest type of protective measure).
2

EACH SITE MUST ALWAYS PAYOUT WINNINGS

Only reliable poker sites that can offer you fast payouts are recommended.

All recommended poker sites make it easy to cash out and withdraw funds as fast and as smooth as possible.
3

ALL SITES MUST OFFER A WIDE CHOICE OF POPULAR PAYMENT OPTIONS

Sites must allow you to easily deposit funds and withdraw them to make our shortlist.

All sites provide a good choice of payment methods and ensure it’s easy to utilise the bonus offers when making a deposit.
4

SITES MUST USE THE BEST GAMING SOFTWARE

Only sites using reliable gaming software and poker games that provide you with a great gaming experience are recommended.

All recommended sites provide poker games designed by leading developers like Netent and Microgaming.

This ensures all poker site games and software is easy to use and super reliable.
5

EACH RECOMMENDED POKER SITE MUST EXCEL IN CUSTOMER SERVICE

We only recommend sites that provide a superb customer experience and resolve queries effectively.

All sites offer a swift complaint resolution process, with multiple communication methods and fast response times.
6

THE SITE GETS A REVIEW SCORE HIGHER THAN 85%
We only approve and recommend sites that exceed all of our strict criteria. You can see our Top Rated Poker Sites for January here

A Quick Overview of The Best Poker Sites

With fast and safe payouts of between five to 10 days, and the option to use Bitcoin for free, Ignition Casino has the poker community in its grip. The online gaming site, which gives its players total anonymity, also offers a bunch of promotions to entice them. Get yourself the popular $1,000 poker welcome bonus (made available immediately) and start accumulating poker points. Collect enough and you may just be able to take a free shot at one of Ignition's huge weekend tournaments that offer five to six-figure prizes to its winners.

Play on the move with Ignition's mobile poker feature and don’t get bogged down by high-resolution graphics that create game lags – you will be rewarded with their fast and smooth interface instead. Download it straight to your desktop or if using your mobile or tablet, simply log in to their mobile site and start playing. For any trouble, their 24/7 customer service support will help rid you of any issues and maximize user experience.

Launched in 2004, Bovada Poker is a hugely popular poker site with US players. It actually closed for a year in 2016, but still manages to be the poker site with the heaviest US player traffic. This is largely thanks to its fast and reliable payouts, mobile app and decent range of banking options. You can play different variations of poker online, including Texas Hold'em and Omaha, plus plenty of other table games at the Bovada casino. There are always plenty of promotions on offer, which can be accessed on iOS and Android devices, as well as Windows.

US Poker players, and others around the globe, will be thrilled by one of the largest selection of tournaments offered online by America's Cardroom, which has been running since 2001. The site, part of the Winning Poker Network, uses SSL and 256-encryptions with banking level security to keep your money safe. Deposits are held in a separate account, ready to be transferred back to you in no time.

Whether it's from your desktop (Mac and Windows compatible) or your mobile, sign up with BetOnline to join thousands of other players at an authentic poker room. Enhance your experience by using their free-to-use BetOnline Poker Odds Calculator to see instantaneous odds and outs in an easy interface. Get excited by their promotions because there's always a big pot up for grabs. Take part in the $15,000 weekly cash race (leaderboard challenge) and give yourself the opportunity to claim the $2,500 cash prize for first place. Or get your adrenaline pumping with Six Plus Hold’em – a standard Texas Hold’em game with a few entertaining twists loved by high-stake players around the world. With fast deposits available now, BetOnline will have you playing poker in no time.

Renowned for being the world’s largest poker room, as well as holding the biggest poker tournaments online – Pokerstars needs little introduction to veteran players. Operating since 2001, Pokerstars is playable in both mobile and download versions. Constantly experiencing very high traffic, tables, especially for tournaments, fill very quickly – meaning you’ll never be short on opponents or opportunities to win big. Offering new players a Pokerstars welcome bonus of $600, the site boasts a wide variety of games with a range of stakes to suit beginners and pros alike.

Best Online Poker Sites for US Players

A lot of members in the CardsChat forum ask, "What's the best US real money poker site?" Some of the best poker sites for USA players are Ignition Casino, Intertops Poker, Bovada, America's Cardroom and BetOnline.

Want to find out more? We've compiled some helpful tips in our poker reviews to help you decide where to play and which of the poker sites are best suited to USA players. We only list the best poker websites, and with that in mind, we follow the below guidelines:

The best poker rooms must be safe, secure, friendly, legitimate and reputable.
Which poker sites allow you to make money easily? This is based on the games, stakes, competition, promotions and bonuses offered by the website.
Many USA players enjoy other games when they're not hitting the Texas Hold'em tables. Plenty of fun and varied gambling games can be found on the US poker sites we compare.
All the best US poker sites will offer US players a bonus for signing up and playing, so picking a good bonus (and bonus code) is essential. Find out more about playing poker in the United States below.

See below for the best online poker sites for 2021.

Rank	Poker Site	Exclusive Bonus	Rating (5)	Review
#1	Ignition	$2000	4.87	Read Review
#2	Intertops Poker	$1000	4.70	Read Review
#3	Bovada	$1000	4.60	Read Review
#4	BetOnline	$1500	4.40	Read Review
#5	America's cardroom	$1000	4.14	Read Review

As well as the poker site reviews listed in the table above, we also have more reviews of where to play the Texas Hold'em card game. Other notable poker sites to play online include the following:

Legitimate poker sites reviewed by experts, trusted by players

90+

Poker Sites Reviewed

330,811

Total Members

4,065,585

Total Posts

307,584

Total Threads

Best Online Poker Sites for Bonuses

As a new player, poker bonuses ( such as freerolls )for poker sites are an important consideration when choosing which one of the best poker websites to sign-up with. Sites in the United States offer bonuses to try and entice new players away from the competition, allowing poker players to boost their bankroll - everyone's a winner!

Tips for Signing Up to a Poker Site

Before you sign up at a real money poker website, look for the best poker bonus that allows you to maximize your first funds deposit and receive some free real money to play poker with.
Compare the best online poker sites to find the type of bonus that's best for you. You'll be able to find hundreds of different promotions including satellites to live tournaments around the world, exclusive cash freerolls, merchandise and more.
Read the wagering requirements in the poker site's T&Cs section to see how easy it is to withdraw your winnings.

Types of Poker Bonuses

FREEROLLS

Freerolls allow you to play at the best poker sites at no cost. Meaning you can start playing at a table for free and collect real money if you win.

LOYALTY BONUS

Loyalty or VIP bonuses are awarded to players who play regularly at the same US poker sites. Varying from one poker site to the next, loyalty bonuses are highly sought after and can often be very big.

FIRST DEPOSIT BONUS

A deposit bonus is based on your first deposit on a poker site. The poker site usually sets a fixed percentage, but most of the time you get 100% on the total of your first deposit, with an upper limit.

NO DEPOSIT BONUS

With a no deposit bonus you don’t need to deposit any of your own money to receive the offered bonus. As with a freeroll, you receive any potential winnings in real money.

PERCENTAGE BONUS

With a percentage bonus, the real money poker site gives you a percentage of your deposit as additional bonus money.

REFER A FRIEND

Less common than most other poker bonuses, you can refer a friend to some poker sites and you’ll both be given access to bonus codes or other exclusive promotions.

REPEATED DEPOSIT BONUS

Similar to the loyalty bonus, a repeat deposit bonus allows you to receive extra bonus money with frequent deposits to the same poker site.

WELCOME BONUS

Sometimes also called a new customer bonus. In this case you will receive a bonus directly after your first registration in a poker room.

Are Poker Sites Legal?

Currently in the US, just four US states currently offer regulated online real money poker. These are:

Four US states currently offer regulated online real money poker. These are:

Nevada
Delaware
New Jersey
Pennsylvania

Poker rooms are shared between the first three states mentioned, while Pennsylvania players play amongst themselves for now.

Meanwhile, West Virginia, Maryland, Missouri and New York are all expected to offer legal online real money poker to its citizens in the near future.

US players who live in states that do not currently offer regulated online poker often choose to access poker sites in other international countries.

Poker Software

All good poker players know that relying on luck is not a suitable long-term, or even short-term, strategy.

Poker software is the best option to gain access to the facts, figures, and statistics that will give you a real upper hand.

Not to be confused with the gaming software you use to play at poker rooms, poker software is a third party application which can:

Log your hand histories
Analyze your play
Critique your losses
Provide you with real time advice on how to play a hand
Provide you with information on an opponent

While there are many different poker software packages available, each has the same aim – to give you the edge on your opponents. The size of this ‘edge’ will most likely be determined by which package you choose to buy and how much you’re willing to pay.

For more information on different products, you can read our PokerTracker 4 review and Holdem Manager 2 review.

Of course, even the best poker tools won't play on your behalf, so you’ll need to make sure you interpret the data you’re provided with correctly.

Poker software with Heads Up Display will even display statistics you need right on your table, so make sure you’re paying attention to this information.

Unfortunately, poker software can be considered cheating by many popular real money poker rooms so is effectively banned on certain sites. Make sure you read the terms and conditions of each site when you sign up. If you’re suspected of using prohibited poker software on the best poker sites, you may be barred from playing or even have your funds frozen.

Poker software pros
- Dramatically improves your odds of winning
- Free options and trials available
- A great way to learn more about poker
- Gives you real time information without slowing play down
- Can quickly transform beginners into knowledgeable poker players
Poker software cons
- Top tools may be expensive for part-time players
- Considered cheating by many popular poker room
- Players suspected of using prohibited software may be banned or have funds frozen
- Not compatible with mobile play or no download poker rooms

Deposit and Withdrawal Option

Central to playing at the best poker sites, is the ability to play for real money. The difference between playing real money poker and free money poker is huge, as the potential to both take home the pot or lose your entire bankroll adds to the tension and helps you and your opponents stay sharp.

To ensure you and your funds are safe and secure when depositing or withdrawing, it is vital you use the best poker deposit methods from merchants such as Visa, MasterCard and PaySafe.

All of the best reviewed poker sites on CardsChat offer licensed and regulated deposit and withdrawal options, ensuring your funds won’t be stolen or unlawfully seized.

Gambling
Deposit
Methods

How Important is Traffic to Poker Sites?

One of the most important things to look at when reviewing the best online poker sites is how much player traffic the site receives.

The amount of traffic a poker site receives directly impacts player experience as the more traffic, the more tables there are to choose from.

At a massive site like Intertops Poker you can have hundreds of tables running simultaneously, meaning players can choose a stake that suits them. This also makes it easier to spot ‘softer’ tables, where it can be easier to win real money against weaker opponents.

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A final word on our online poker site reviews

Our poker site reviews are in depth and objective, sighting both the positive and negative aspects of each website based on their individual merits. As well as offering comprehensive reviews of the best poker sites for US players online, we have partnered with many of 2021's best USA online poker sites to bring our visitors exclusive bonuses and freerolls.

In addition to our exclusive online poker real money promotions, our top poker site reviews also cover the important aspects of gambling at poker sites such as poker games variety, competition levels, software quality, bonuses, banking options and currency, personal opinions and much more.

For information more local to you, check out our sitemap to find guides about the best poker rooms for residents of each region. Check out other real money poker games and classics available to play online:

CardsChat Online Poker FAQ - Be in the Know Before You Go

We rank poker sites by using a complex algorithm that takes into account scores from both regular players and our team of expert reviewers. With more than 30 years combined experience playing at the best online poker sites, our experts know what makes a fantastic site. Any sites included in our top rated lists are the best of the best and have all scored top marks in this five-point audit:

Is this site licensed and regulated?
What is the history of payouts?
Are there a wide variety of payment options?
What software technology is being used?
What is the complaint to accolade ratio?

Only sites that easily pass our five-point inspection can be featured on our top ranked lists. This means that the poker site is licensed, has outstanding customer service and an above average response time to issues. It will have minimal complaints, a decently sized players base and fast, hassle-free payouts. On top of all this we make sure they have a history of honoring bonuses and loyalty rewards.

So in short, you can't go wrong with any of the sites found in our top rated lists, especially as you'll be covered by our satisfaction guarantee. However, if none of the sites meet your requirements it's a good idea to check out our blacklisted sites so you can avoid rogue operators.

Loyalty bonuses and promotions are ways for the best online poker sites to say thanks for choosing us. They are also a great way for you to build up your bankroll so don't underestimate the importance of free bonuses when choosing a site.

With 330,811+ members CardsChat.com is one of the biggest poker forums out there, and that size allows us to negotiate exclusive bonuses for our users. We offer a BEST BONUS GUARANTEE on all of our top ranked poker sites, meaning you will not find a better welcome bonus anywhere else online within 24 hours of sign-up or we'll match that offer.

Having fast, reliable payouts is a key factor for many of our users when choosing a poker site. Our expert reviewers anonymously play on poker sites for real money to check bonuses are honored, deposits are easy and payouts are speedy.

Any sites that fail on these points are automatically blacklisted as rooms you need to avoid. Trustworthy sites that have proven to be extra speedy in paying out cash to players are listed on our fastest payouts page.

Not all online poker sites are equal, and if you're not going with one of our trusted sites, then it's important to do a little research first. You'll want to check that your chosen site has a good reputation, pays out, and is financially stable. Without that information, you won't know if your money is safe or the games are fair.

To help you know which sites to avoid we keep a list of unsafe or disreputable sites. Check out the most recent additions to our blacklist before choosing a real money poker site.

Just because a site is new does not mean it can be automatically trusted. The main thing to remember when trying out anything new is that it's okay to test the waters. Before depositing money on any poker site you'll want answers to the following questions:

Is the site licensed?
Who regulates this organization?
Are they using safe, reputable payment mechanisms?

If you're not sure whether a poker site can be trusted, check out our listings for proven trustworthy new poker sites.

All of the top rated sites that we list have large amounts of beginner players and recreational players. That means that your chances of success on these sites are higher than normal, as most of the players here are playing casually and for fun. They may not have the perfect strategy for the game, which means that you have a better chance to win.

Yes, online poker is legal in the United States but it depends on the state. Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia have all legalized online poker. Many other states are considering legalization, plus there are sites that operate outside of these states that are legally operating as they offer alternative ways to gamble. However, in some states, such as Washington, online gambling is illegal.

Those looking to play real money poker will find that there are many sites open to them. The best of these sites have been reviewed and recommended here at CardsChat.com. Any poker site we recommend offers a few key attributes, including big bonuses, a wide selection of poker options and a really safe place to play. So, to find the best online poker real money site, just read through our many comprehensive reviews.

Don’t forget: it is possible to sign-up with more than one online poker site. Doing so allows a player to test the sites out for themselves, plus the player can also earn multiple welcome bonuses.

No. 1 Ranked Poker Site For U.S. Players

VISIT SITE

Intertops Poker

$1000 Bonus

Secure, fast deposit methods

Read Review

USA's No. 1 Ranked Poker Site

US players accepted

Rating : 4.86/5

VISIT SITE

Read Review

Intertops Poker

$1000 Bonus

Have an established reputation with over 21 years online
200% up to
Use the same account for Sportsbook & Casino

Secure, fast deposit methods

Games offered

VISIT SITE

Top us poker sites

Rank

Top US poker sites

Sign-up Bonus

Best for

Deposit Methods and Compatibility

VISIT SITE

$1000
Bonus

Top Pick

Banking Options Include:

Compatible Devices Include:

Banking Options Include:

Compatible Devices Include:

Banking Options Include:

Compatible Devices Include:

Banking Options Include:

Compatible Devices Include:

Banking Options Include:

Compatible Devices Include:

Read Review

NON-RECOMMENDED SITES

With the hundreds of poker rooms available, it's easy to become overwhelmed. They all sound great on the surface, so that's why our expert reviewers dive deeply into each room, in order to give you the real story.

Here are some rooms that might appear to be competitive, but that failed to pass our rigorous screens for real-money poker games:

	POKER SITE	RATING	Our Verdict
		0.00	Accused in the past of embezzling players' funds, OddsPoker is still operating through its Antigua license, but that doesn't make it a safe place to play.
		2.13	Although one of the biggest US-facing sites right now, this Merge network skin has had some erratic records with player payouts recently and it's wise to tread carefully. Not only that, but affiliates were informed that the program shut down in June 2015.

Play Poker at Intertops Poker, CardsChat.com's Top Rated Poker Site »

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this website. However, online gambling laws vary from country to country and are subject to change. We therefore urge you to check the current laws of your country of residence before gambling online. CardsChat.com in no way condones breaking the law for online gambling purposes.

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Play at the best poker sites online for real money with the reviews & rankings at Cardschat. Use exclusive bonus codes and read in-depth reviews about all of the best real money online poker sites, software & games.
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At CardsChat.com, we take transparency seriously.

Most Trusted Poker Site Reviews in 2021

Every Site we list must have passed the following checks

ALL POKER SITE OPERATORS MUST BE LICENSED AND SECURE

EACH SITE MUST ALWAYS PAYOUT WINNINGS

ALL SITES MUST OFFER A WIDE CHOICE OF POPULAR PAYMENT OPTIONS

SITES MUST USE THE BEST GAMING SOFTWARE

EACH RECOMMENDED POKER SITE MUST EXCEL IN CUSTOMER SERVICE

THE SITE GETS A REVIEW SCORE HIGHER THAN 85%

A Quick Overview of The Best Poker Sites

Ignition Casino

Intertops Poker

Bovada

America's Cardroom

BetOnline

Pokerstars

Best Online Poker Sites for US Players

Best Online Poker Sites for Bonuses

Tips for Signing Up to a Poker Site

Types of Poker Bonuses

Are Poker Sites Legal?

Poker Software

Deposit and Withdrawal Option

How Important is Traffic to Poker Sites?

A final word on our online poker site reviews

CardsChat Online Poker FAQ - Be in the Know Before You Go

How do you rate poker sites?

How can I be sure I'm playing on a safe site?

Where do I find the best bonuses?

What sites offer the fastest payouts?

How do I know which sites I should avoid?

Can newer sites be trusted?

Which online poker site can I win the most money on?

Is online poker legal to play in the US?

What is the best poker site for real money?

Top us poker sites

At CardsChat.com, we take transparency seriously.

Most Trusted Poker Site Reviews in 2021

Every Site we list must have passed the following checks

ALL POKER SITE OPERATORS MUST BE LICENSED AND SECURE

EACH SITE MUST ALWAYS PAYOUT WINNINGS

ALL SITES MUST OFFER A WIDE CHOICE OF POPULAR PAYMENT OPTIONS

SITES MUST USE THE BEST GAMING SOFTWARE

EACH RECOMMENDED POKER SITE MUST EXCEL IN CUSTOMER SERVICE

THE SITE GETS A REVIEW SCORE HIGHER THAN 85%

A Quick Overview of The Best Poker Sites

Ignition Casino

Intertops Poker

Bovada

America's Cardroom

BetOnline

Pokerstars

Best Online Poker Sites for US Players

Best Online Poker Sites for Bonuses

Tips for Signing Up to a Poker Site

Types of Poker Bonuses

Are Poker Sites Legal?

Poker Software

Deposit and Withdrawal Option

How Important is Traffic to Poker Sites?

A final word on our online poker site reviews

CardsChat Online Poker FAQ - Be in the Know Before You Go

How do you rate poker sites?

How can I be sure I'm playing on a safe site?

Where do I find the best bonuses?

What sites offer the fastest payouts?

How do I know which sites I should avoid?

Can newer sites be trusted?

Which online poker site can I win the most money on?

Is online poker legal to play in the US?

What is the best poker site for real money?

Top us poker sites

Why more than 330,811 poker players have joined CardsChat

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