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Best Real Money Poker Sites 2021
To save you time sorting through the good and the bad, our panel of experts have tested and reviewed the best poker sites for you to enjoy. Our listed sites offer:
- Plenty of poker action at every stake level
- Easy and fast deposit and withdrawal options
- Excellent bonuses to reward your play
For October 2021 our top recommended real money online poker site is Governor of Poker 3 . Discover who else made our shortlist below…
- $30,000 in free chips when you sign up
- Fun graphics that works great on mobile or desktop
- Latest version is multiplayer for a true social experience
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Top US Poker Sites
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Our team of experts have gone through and carefully tested dozens of poker sites to advise you on the sites you should avoid. Check out the below poker sites that failed our test when it comes to playing real money poker games.
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.
Although one of the biggest US-facing sites right now, this Merge network skin has had some erratic records with player payouts recently (March 2019) and it's wise to tread carefully. Not only that, but affiliates were informed that the program shut down in June 2015.
Every site we list must have passed the following checks:
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All poker sites 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).
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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.
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Each site must offer a wide choice of popular payment methods
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.
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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.
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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.
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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 August here
How to choose the right site
There some very specific factors that will determine which poker sites are better than others. To choose the right poker site for you and your gaming needs, we've put together the key factors that you should check on your chosen poker site before playing with real money.
- Bonuses and promotions: Before you sign up to any poker site, look for the best poker bonuses and promotions on offer. Some will maximize your first deposit by giving you free real money to play poker with.
- Licensing: Always check if the poker site has a gambling licence and is independently regulated before depositing any real money.
- Banking options: Ensure the site allows you to make easy and secure deposits and withdrawals. The websites we've recommended on this page were selected for their wide variety of fast banking options.
- The fine print: Before you start playing with real money, it's a good idea to read over the terms and conditions to see if there's a limit on withdrawal amounts, high minimum withdrawals and restrictions with bonuses and promotions.
- Game variation: Choosing a poker site with a wide variety of games will enhance your gaming experience.
Why play poker for real money?
When it comes to playing online poker, real money poker cannot be beaten. While the prospect of winning or losing actual cash certainly adds to the excitement of the game, real money poker's long-term benefit is that it makes you a much better player, as you play against much stronger opposition. In a casual play money game of online poker, players are much more likely to avoid using a strategy and will just play every hand as it comes. More still, with no real money at stake, players are unlikely to fold, especially pre-flop, and may go 'all-in' purely to force a showdown for entertainment purposes. While play money games can be good for practice or if you're a beginner, you'll quickly find your need to become a better poker player cannot be satisfied - unless you play poker for real money.
Online real money poker vs free poker games
| Real Money Poker | Free Poker |
|---|---|
| Chance to win real money | No chance of losing real money |
| Improves your game quicker | Great for beginners to practice |
| Tougher opposition | Weaker opposition |
| Tense but exciting atmosphere | Casual atmosphere |
| Avail of bonuses and loyalty schemes | Try different variations of poker risk-free |
Real money poker games
Free poker is an extremely valuable tool for players that are still learning the rules of poker games, such as Texas Hold'em, Blackjack, Omaha, Three Card Poker, Mississippi Stud Poker, Pai Gow Poker and Five Card Draw. Of course, it's also useful for people that don't have any money to gamble. But for most players, online poker real money sites have a lot of benefits:
Knowing that you are gambling with real money gives you a real sense of motivation that makes every game more exciting and, in the process, you are forced to play card games as well as possible. This makes your experience more enjoyable and infinitely more useful when it comes to honing your internet poker skills.
The benefit which is potentially the most important has less to do with how you are playing and more to do with how the competition chooses to play. With play money, just about every player will stick around to see the flop. This also leads to excessive amounts of bluffing, so much so that the game becomes essentially unplayable.
At real money poker sites, even at the micro-limit tables, players tend to play in a much more reasonable way. This will save you a ton of headaches and be immensely more useful in terms of helping you improve your poker skills in a way that translates to all other real money poker situations.
Finding the best real money poker site with excellent promotions makes a huge difference. When you start to make real money deposits and contributing rake, promotional opportunities like bonuses and loyalty programs will have a lot of value in the long run.
So no matter where you are, or what your gaming goals are, the best poker sites for real money can be found on this page. The poker sites we have reviewed include PokerStars, Full Tilt, William Hill Poker, 888Poker, PartyPoker, Ladbrokes Poker, Unibet, Betfair and Ignition to name a few, and we always tell you exactly what we think. When you're ready, create a free account and when you're sure that you've made the right choice, you can start to play poker online for money.
Best online poker bonuses
One of the biggest benefits of playing real money poker online is the ability to claim huge poker bonuses. As all the best online poker sites compete against each other, one of the ways they can stand out from the crowd is by offering huge bonuses. Check out our list below of the best bonuses for poker players:
Types of Poker Bonuses
Freerolls
Loyalty Bonus
First Deposit Bonus
No Deposit Bonus
Percentage Bonus
Refer a Friend
Repeated Deposit Bonus
Welcome Bonus
How to choose the best bonuses
To make sure you pick the best poker bonus for you, consider the following:
- Read the bonus terms and conditions and make sure you understand the wagering requirements.
- Wagering requirements mean the amount of money that you need to wager in the game before you can withdraw any winnings. For example, if you receive a 100% bonus on a deposit of $100 but the wagering requirements are 35 times, then you have to wager a total of $3,500 before you can claim any winnings.
- If you cannot or do not want to use the maximum bonus, you can deposit a smaller amount and play with a smaller but still worthwhile bonus.
Top real money poker apps 2021
Android Devices
Iphone Devices
How to sign up to a poker site
Looking to play online real money poker but not sure how to sign-up? Simply follow the steps below and you'll be at the tables in no time:
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Choose your online poker site
Read the bonus terms and conditions and make sure you understand the wagering requirements. -
Sign up
Click through to the site and register as a new member. -
Details
Fill out all the requested details including your name, address and proof of ID. -
Bonus code
Reclaim your bonus code if offered. -
Confirm
Confirm your account via email. -
Play
Your account is now open and your bonus is normally applied instantly. So, get playing!
Legal gambling age to play poker
Wondering what is the legal age to play online poker in the US? Check out our image below to find out:
- 18 years
- 18-21 years
- 21 years
- unspecified age
Gambling Requirements
To comply with anti-money laundering legislation, legal US poker sites are not allowed to accept new players unless they provide Personal Identifiable Information (PII).
Under Know Your Customer (KYC), US players cannot open an account with a poker site without providing basic PII details.
These include:
- Full legal name
- Address
- Social security number
More importantly, no real money transactions can take place unless players submit official US government ID and proof of a permanent address.
Real Money Poker FAQs
How do you rank these poker sites?
Our ratings are calculated monthly using scores given by our team of expert reviewers and thousands of regular players. For more info on how we rate see our About Us page.
Is it safe playing poker for real money?
It is perfectly safe to play online poker for real money as long as you do your homework. Make sure that the real money online poker site you choose is encrypted. If you are worried, or do not have the time to research each website you are interested in, check out our list of the best internet real money poker sites.
We've done all the work for you and made sure that the gambling websites listed are safe and secure for game play, deposits and cash withdrawals. We've got heaps of experience from years of trying out many of the top online poker sites, so we know exactly what to look for when it comes to player safety.
Can I trust these sites with my details?
Every site listed on this page is fully licensed and regulated in trustworthy jurisdictions. Our review team has checked each one to ensure they use secure encryption technology that keeps your personal and financial details safe.
Do I have to play for real money?
No, there are a lot of online poker sites that allow visitors to use their free play games without real money. However, these are only practice games, and any money won during those games is just for show, you cannot cashout to your bank or credit card account. The advantage of using the free instant games is that they allow you to practice before jumping in on a real money poker game, which is great for beginners. Free internet gambling also lets experienced players practice new strategies or get used to a game style that differs from Texas Hold'em.
Is it difficult to withdraw funds?
The poker sites on this page have been selected because of their easy deposits and withdrawals. We've played on each site for real money and cashouts take anywhere from one day to one week, depending on the payout method.
Can I play in multiple currencies?
It depends on the real money poker room you choose. A handful of gambling websites allow you some financial flexibility, by selecting which currency you'd like to keep your funds in. This also means that any payments and winnings you cashout would remain in that currency.
Can I play other games for real money?
There is a wide variety of online poker games available for cash on the web. However, when you're ready for a bit of change, you can try games like Blackjack , roulette or slots at a wide range of real money casinos. Many of the poker sites we list above also have casinos tied to them. We also review a great selection of Canadian Casinos too!
Do poker sites accept Bitcoin?
Yes. Some real money poker sites do accept bitcoin, the cryptocurrency, as an alternative to regular cash. Find the best Bitcoin poker sites here.
What’s the best poker site to play at?
The best poker site to play at is Governor of Poker 3 . With great poker bonuses, a huge variety of games, and plenty of busy tables, it’s the ideal choice for players.
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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