Best Poker Sites in 2022 for Real Money Poker Tournaments & Cash Games

The massive number of avid card players flocking to online poker sites has created a virtually unlimited supply of options. This now begs the question — how do you track down the best poker sites? 

To clear the air, we did an in-depth analysis and ranked the best online poker sites for player traffic, bonuses, variety, and most importantly — the number and value of real money tournaments. 

Ignition leads the pack with non-stop cash game and tournament action alongside a $1,500 poker bonus, but there are 10 top poker sites you should also consider.

Without further ado, let’s dive into our online poker site reviews.

Best Poker Sites

1. Ignition — Best Online Poker Site Overall

Pros:

  • Highest player traffic
  • Top choice for newbies because of anonymous tables
  • Millions in weekly tournament guarantees
  • Dedicated poker bonus up to $1,500
  • Quick payouts
  • Fully optimized for mobile poker

Cons:

Ignition launched in 2016, and players have been frequenting this safe and trusted brand ever since — making Ignition one of the biggest and best online poker sites out there. 

From anonymous tables that protect newer players, to million-dollar tournaments and bad-beat jackpots — Ignition’s got it all and more.

Rewards and Promotions: 5/5

Ignition gets you off to a good start with a generous Bitcoin poker and casino welcome bonus of 150% up to $1,500 each. The amount is slightly smaller for regular credit card deposits — 100% up to $1,000.

On the poker side, bonus funds are released at a rate of $1 per 30 Miles earned, and the casino bonus comes with a 25x rollover. 

Besides the welcome bonus, Ignition offers a great reward point system — Ignition Rewards — where ongoing players can exchange Miles for cash bonuses.

Additional promotions include weekly Bitcoin boosts and a monthly giveaway, freeroll tournaments for rookies, and a Bad Beat Bonus to help make up when your kings full of tens lose to quads. 

Poker Variety & Tournaments: 5/5

Poker players can enjoy Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Omaha Hi-Lo for cash games. You also have daily and weekly tournament options, which often include sit-and-gos, satellite, turbo, and the most popular Monthly Milly $1 Million GTD tournament, with $17,000 up for grabs for the winner. 

What really makes this online poker room unique and stand out is that they utilize anonymous tables, preventing sharks from preying on weaker opponents. HUDs are limited to per-game sessions, which means you’ll never get to know who you’re up against immediately. 

There’s also a decent range of ring games with bet sizes for both high-rollers and low-stakes poker players.

Banking Options: 4.5/5

You can deposit via over eight different options, including Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Zelle, LItecoin, Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, and voucher deposits. Payout options include Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, wire transfer, and check by courier. 

What makes payouts using Bitcoin or Litecoin very enticing is that funds are received usually in less than 24 hours and have no fees, which is much faster than other online poker sites.

However, credit card deposits carry specific fees, which is why we had to remove some points.

UI & Mobile Compatibility: 4.8/5

Many top online poker sites require you to download computer software to play, but Ignition offers both online and downloadable options. We suggest you download the software, as it offers a better overall online poker experience.

There are no dedicated mobile poker apps for Android and iOS, but the website is fully optimized for smaller screens, so you should have no trouble enrolling in a tournament and playing on the go.

Misc: 4.7/5

Ignition also offers an online casino section with a modest amount of casino games and slots. You’ll also discover a top-notch live dealer section with over 30 games on hand, most of them being blackjack.

Some of the more popular live games include two early payout tables, American and European Roulette, Baccarat, and Super 6.

The support team is fairly reliable as well, and we suggest you get in touch via live chat, as email replies might take up to 48 hours.

Explore poker games & tournaments at Ignition

2. Everygame — Best Rakeback Structure of all Poker Sites

Pros:

  • 36% bar-setting rakeback
  • Active for over 2 decades
  • Top-notch online poker software
  • Up to $1,000 poker bonus

Cons:

  • Steep terms on the welcome bonus
  • Lower tournament GTDs

Rebranded in late 2021, Everygame originally launched as Intertops in 1996, making them one of the longest-running and biggest poker sites in history. 

Rewards and Promotions: 4.5/5

Everygame offers a poker welcome bonus of 200% up to $1,000, plus 25 free spins for the casino section. 

The requirements to release the bonus funds are a little complex and will require you to play online poker more often. The money is paid out based on Frequent Player Points earned, and you have three months to release the entire amount.  

One point is awarded for every dollar a player pays in rake or seven points for every dollar a player pays in tournament fees. For every 83.335 Frequent Player Points earned, you will receive $5 of the bonus. 

However, it’s not the welcome bonus we praised here — it’s the stunning 36% rakeback, paid daily in $10 installments. This percentage is as high as you will likely find in all the online poker sites and worth playing online poker here alone. 

Poker Variety & Tournaments: 4.7/5

This poker site offers the two industry standards for cash games — Texas and Omaha Hold’em, with No Limit and Pot Limit options for Texas, and Pot Limit for Omaha. 

Tourney fans can enjoy 10 options, including satellite tournaments, sit-and-gos, wipeout, re-buys, weekly $10,000 GTD, and bounty contests, among others. Everygame also offers a Bubble Protection feature, where you have the chance to win your buy-in back if you get busted just before you enter the prize draw.

Banking Options: 4.5/5

This online poker site offers all the usual deposit options, including BTC, BCH, LTC, and all major credit cards.

You can also benefit from Person 2 Person withdrawals, which are processed almost immediately.

UI & Mobile Compatibility: 4.7/5

Everygame has been through a makeover, which has resulted in a sharp-looking poker site that is a joy to play online poker at. You can either download Windows software or play straight through your browser.

The mobile version is user-friendly and compatible for all devices, providing all the action one would need, though the interface is a bit dated.

Misc: 4.8/5

Besides poker, Everygame has two different casino wings, with one on the same site as their poker and the other on a dedicated website. Between the two, you will come across over 250 games, out of which around 200 are slots. 

In addition, Everygame runs one of the most competitive sportsbooks with stellar odds and sports markets. If you want a genuine one-size-fits-all gambling site — Everygame is the right choice for you. If you want whopping tournament prizes, go with Ignition.

See all about Everygame’s poker options

3. Americas Cardroom — Highest GTD Tournaments of any Poker Site

Pros: 

  • Poker tools such as HUD allowed
  • Numerous daily tournaments
  • First-ever $10 million GTD Venom tournament
  • Casino with over 15 live dealers 

Cons:  

  • Required download for desktop
  • Limited options on mobile

Americas Cardroom, often referred to as ACR, made its debut in 2001, and many players consider it one of the best online poker sites for professionals and high-GTD tourneys. 

Rewards and Promotions: 4.5/5

This online poker site offers a welcome bonus of 100% up to $2,000, awarding one dollar for every 27.5 Award Points earned — a more balanced dollar-point ratio than several online poker sites. 

ACR’s Elite Benefits program is a military-like ranking system where the more points you earn, the higher you will rank (from Captain to 5-Star General). The higher a player is ranked, the more benefits they receive, including freerolls and cash bonuses. 

This poker site also offers daily freerolls on certain games for the first set number of players, which is illustrated in their convenient tournament and promotion schedules. 

Poker Variety & Tournaments: 5/5

This is the brand to visit when you are strictly looking for poker tournaments—period. 

Besides providing the common Texas and Omaha Hold’em, ACR’s other cash game offerings include Omaha Hi-Lo, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo, and 32 Card Draw.  

But that is just touching the surface. Other cash action includes Full-Rin, 6- and 8-Max, Heads-Up, BombPot, and Short-Stack options, among others. 

If you like tournaments, be prepared for Freezeout, Re-Entry, Re-Buy, Bounty Knockout, Turbo and Hyper-Turbo contests, and satellites, as well as 4- and 6-Max tables. 

Even more alluring to some will be the multitude of cash-heavy GTD tournaments of over a dozen daily five-figure guarantees, with the Venom tournament taking the spotlight with a massive $10 million GTD (twice a year).

Banking Options: 4/5

Players will find all the standard deposit options here, including Visa, Mastercard, P2P, and Bitcoin, as well as a digital wallet option for cross-border payment solutions for over three dozen cryptocurrencies. 

Payout options include Bitcoin, digital wallet, check by courier, and MoneyGram in-person pickup. What is not as desirable is that their fastest method, Bitcoin, can take up to three days, where most online poker sites process this within hours or minutes.

However, given all the advantages ACR has to offer, this is a minor inconvenience.

UI & Mobile Compatibility: 4.6/5

Americas Cardroom has a mobile platform that works well across Android and iOS devices, though the gaming options are not as robust as its desktop counterpart.

The desktop version of the site is pretty neat and straightforward to navigate, but you’ll have to download an app to play internet poker — you can only play casino games or bet on sports through the browser.  

Misc: 3.8/5

This brand offers both a casino and sportsbook, but both offer just the bare minimum of betting options, except when it comes to live dealers. 

Only Ignition — the best online poker site on this list — offers more live dealers than ACR’s 17. Here, you can play multiple types of blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and Super6.

Click here to claim the poker welcome bonus at America’s Cardroom

4. BetOnline — Best Variety of Real Money Poker Games

Pros:

  • 30+ casino poker games
  • One of the best online poker software for desktop
  • 350+ casino games
  • 100% poker welcome bonus 

Cons:

  • High minimum deposit for the welcome bonus
  • Credit card deposit fees

BetOnline debuted as an online sportsbook and casino nearly 20 years ago and launched its online poker rooms in 2011. We’re looking at one of the best online casinos, but is it that good for online poker? You can bet it is. 

Rewards and Promotions: 4/5

BetOnline offers a poker welcome bonus of 100% up to $1,000 on deposits of $50 or more. The bonus is paid out in $5 installments for every $50 you earn in rake. Although the value is pretty good, the minimum deposit of $50 is not something we’d call newbie-friendly.

BetOnline’s rake uses a fixed schedule based on the table limit and number of seats. With this method, you will certainly see some of those $5 releases hit your account, but it will take some persistent playing to get the full $1,000 with the 30-day timetable. 

Other bonuses include a 50% welcome sportsbook promotion up to $1,000, and a first-time crypto 100% deposit bonus up to $1,000. There’s also a Bad Beat Jackpot, where you can win a share of a massive prize pool (often $30,000+) if your four-of-a-kind deuces get busted by a better hand. Imagine losing with quads…

Poker Variety & Tournaments: 4.5/5

This poker room focuses primarily on Texas Hold’em, Omaha, with some options for Seven Card Stud. For both Texas and Omaha, they have Limit, Pot Limit, and No Limit tables. Other options include Ante, Capped, Jackpot, Straddle games, as well as Six-Plus. 

Regarding poker tournaments, you’ll find an abundance of $30k+ GTD daily tournaments, which is fantastic. However, there aren’t too many six-figure tourneys, but the sheer number of the rest offered on a daily basis should be good enough to keep you engaged.

If you’re hunting the big bucks, BetOnline has a $1 million windfall sit-and-go tournament, where you have a chance to turn $10 into a million by playing in one of the three-player hyper-turbo contests.

Besides ring games and tourneys, BetOnline has more than 30 online poker variants, including some of the most popular video poker titles like Jacks or Better, in addition to Andar Bahar, Bonus Texas Hold ‘em, Let it Ride, and many more.

Banking Options: 4.2/5

You can fund your account at BetOnline via 19 deposit options, including all major credit cards, Money Orders, MoneyGram, eChecks, and more, in addition to Bitcoin and 9 other cryptocurrencies.

The crypto withdrawal times are pretty competitive, so expect to get a payout within 1 to 48 hours. The one thing we didn’t like here was the 7.5% credit card fee, but it seems to be somewhat of an industry-standard nowadays.

UI & Mobile Compatibility: 4.7/5

BetOnline was recently re-designed from scratch, and we can say the developers have done a heck of a job with the new look. The site works perfectly whether you want to play real money poker or other casino games. You can either download software or play online poker straight through your desktop browser.

There’s also an app for Android and iOS devices, and you will have to download it to start playing. You can’t join tournaments through your mobile browser — the app is necessary.

Misc: 5/5

BetOnline’s poker room is nothing to sneeze at, even if it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles as the other sites on our list. 

Casino gamers can enjoy a robust casino with hundreds of games, including 265 popular slot titles, five keno options, four bingo offerings, and 10 tables with live dealers, among many other options. 

Beyond the popular sports and leagues within the States, you can wager on international sports, obscure sports (table tennis, snooker), eSports, and even cosmic coin flips. Heads or tails, what do you think?

Explore all poker games & tournaments at BetOnline

5. Bovada — Fastest Payouts out of all Online Poker Sites

Pros:  

  • 1-hour crypto withdrawals
  • Fully optimized for mobile devices
  • Non-stop real money poker tournaments
  • $2 million in weekly tournament guarantees

Cons:  

  • Underwhelming welcome bonus
  • Buggy poker software
  • High credit card fees

Bovada has been a long-trusted destination for players looking for some high-octane card action. Although primarily a sportsbook, Bovada has more than enough to show with its dedicated poker platform.

Rewards and Promotions: 3.5/5

The poker welcome bonus at Bovada is 100% up to $500, a fairly lower figure than nearly every other online poker site. 

You will unlock the bonus in $5 increments for every 150 points earned, and you have a 30-day time limit to collect the entire amount. 

Poker Variety & Tournaments: 4.3/5

Bovada has options of no-limit, pot-limit, and fixed-limit for Texas Hold’em and Omaha, and they also offer Omaha Hi-Lo. Here, tournament players can enjoy multi- and single-table options, sit-and-go, heads-up, 6-Max, and full-ring. 

Those looking to play poker online for a chance to win big have come to the right place; Bovada has two weekly GTD tournaments for $100,000 and $150,000, respectively. Additionally, the exciting Monthly Milly tourney takes place one Sunday each month, with $1 million in GTD and $17,000 for the winner.

Banking Options: 4/5

This poker site provides 9 methods to fund your account, including credit cards, Bitcoin, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, MatchPay, and vouchers. When you deposit via cryptocurrency, there are no fees. 

For withdrawal options, you can use Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, and check by courier, among other methods. Crypto withdrawals take 1 hour to get processed, which is basically setting the bar as high as it gets — quite frankly, Bovada is one of the best crypto casino sites out there.

However, the whole point we removed is because Bovada levies up to 15.9% on credit card deposits.

UI & Mobile Compatibility: 4/5

You can either play online poker directly on your browser or download software, though some players have complained that the desktop software is buggy at times. 

The mobile version of the site is a smooth experience for both Android and iOS users, so whether playing on your cell or computer — utilizing Bovada’s web-based platform is the way to go. 

Misc: 4.8/5

Bovada provides a racebook, sportsbook, and casino — making them one of the few online poker sites that are an all-in-one destination for gamblers. The betting options for all the major sports run deep, sometimes even stretching towards 150+ specials per single game. 

The casino side of things offers hundreds of games, as well as over two dozen tables for live dealers with options for roulette, baccarat, blackjack, and Super 6. 

View the latest bonuses at Bovada Casino

Best Online Poker Sites Runners-Up:

How We Selected the Best Online Poker Rooms

Rewards and Promotions: 

We deeply analyzed the poker bonuses of the sites we feature to determine their fairness, in addition to VIP programs, and other special features the best online poker sites offer that would enhance your bankroll. 

Poker Variety & Tournaments: 

Nearly all the best online poker sites offer Texas Hold’em and Omaha, so we studied to see which ones offer other game types, as well as the variants within those games. 

Additionally, we looked at cash games and tournament offerings, along with their value, stake size, and entry fee to ensure that both high rollers and newbies are covered. 

Banking Options: 

We considered both the number of deposit and withdrawal options available, as well as the speed of payouts and fees. We paid special attention to those accepting cryptocurrencies as it’s currently one the most widely-used payment methods to play poker online.

Misc: 

While some players visit poker sites strictly for some card action, we understand that many also enjoy playing casino games and betting on sports. That said, we performed an in-depth analysis on the sports offering, casino section, and other features these poker sites also offer. Most poker sites you see here excel in other areas, too. 

Guide to the Best Online Poker Sites

Is Online Poker Safe?

Generally, playing poker at regulated sites is perfectly safe. That said, we only recommend reputable and safe casinos, so if an online poker site made this list — then you can trust that it is safe to play. 

Do Pros Play at Poker Sites?

Professional poker players may play on some of these platforms. However, if the poker sites have anonymous seating, then it won’t be as likely. Cardsharps like to target players and the table they play at, and anonymous seating prevents targeting. 

Are There Bots in Online Poker Sites?

All licensed poker rooms utilize innovative technology to prevent bots, in addition to experts watching the online poker websites to eliminate any suspicious activity. Additionally, poker sites that use anonymous tables make it difficult for unsavory players to utilize bot technology. 

What is Sit-and-Go Poker?

This type of game, also known as Single Table Tournaments, has three main differences from the standard poker tournament:

  1. They run on a constant basis and start when the required number of players have registered. 
  2. The game is formatted to move swiftly, preventing tournaments from lasting too long. 
  3. These are single-elimination tournaments with a table typically ranging from six to nine players, where the loser of each match is eliminated, so each game feels like you have reached the final table of a standard poker tournament. 

What is the Difference Between Texas Hold’em and Omaha?

The primary difference is the number of pocket cards the player will receive. In both variants, eventually, five cards will make up the river. In Texas Hold’em, players have two pocket cards they must match with three of the five river cards to create the best poker hand. 

In Omaha, a cardholder has four pocket cards and must use two of them and three of the river cards to create the best hand. You also have 5-card and 6-card Omaha games.

What is Omaha Hi-Lo Poker?

Also known as split-pot, this is where there are two pots instead of one, with one being a higher value and the other one having a lower one, and players compete for both.

What is the Most Trusted Poker Site

The most trusted online poker site right now is Ignition. This renowned poker room is trusted by thousands of players, which is the biggest factor regarding safety and security. Ignition is also licensed in Curacao and boasts all necessary measures to create a fair gambling environment.

Comparing the Best Online Poker Sites 

Here is a brief recap of the top poker sites and their primary features. 

  • Ignition: Features a rock-solid poker variety along with the highest player traffic. You can claim up to a $1,500 poker bonus on your first deposit. Ignition also features one of the highest GTD tournaments, with the Monthly Milly $1 million taking the spotlight. This site is perfectly suitable for newer players because of its anonymous tables.

  • Everygame: Known as one of the longest-running poker sites online, featuring the highest 36% rakeback. Offers a 200% welcome bonus of up to $1,000 and 25 free casino spins. You can also bet on sports and play over 250 casino games.

  • Americas Cardroom: Popular for offering the most poker variants, including Seven and 32 Card Draw, along with high GTD competitions. You can get a 100% welcome bonus of up to $2,000 upon depositing a minimum of $25. This poker site is suitable for professionals because it accepts HUDs and many other pro poker tools.

  • BetOnline: Known for its excellent in-browser play and the best poker software. BetOnline offers a competitive range of daily $30k+ GTD tournaments, with numerous others suitable for low-stakes players. When you make your first deposit, you can claim a 100% bonus up to $1,000 by entering the code NEWBOL. 

  • Bovada: Known for its weekly and monthly high-GTD tournaments. You can hit the felt with a 100% poker welcome bonus of up to $500, just enter the code PWB500 on your first deposit. This site is perfect if you’re searching for an all-around gambling experience.

How to Sign Up at the Best Online Poker Sites

Since Ignition ranked first on our list of best poker sites, we are going to walk you through signing up on that platform. 

Step 1: Open Ignition’s official website

  • Click the orange ‘Join’ button located in the upper right corner of the website 
  • Fill out the requested information box that pops up; you should include your full name, DOB, phone number, email, ZIP code, and create a password
  • Accepts the terms and click ‘Register’

Step 2: Check your email

  • Open your email address
  • Search for a message by Ignition; check your spam folder as well
  • Open the message and click the link inside to verify your email

Step 3: Deposit

  • Log back into your account (this might happen automatically), and click on ‘Cashier’
  • Choose your preferred banking option and enter the amount you wish to deposit
  • Click deposit
  • That’s it; you can now start playing online poker

Ready to Play at the Biggest Online Poker Sites for Real Money

We hope our article provided you with enough insight on how to choose the top online poker sites based on your needs. 

Our top pick is Ignition — a great spot if you’re a rookie searching for tournaments but also a solid choice for seasoned poker players because of its sheer number of high-GTD events.

However, all other poker sites excel in different areas, so it all boils down to your personal preferences.

Regardless of the best online poker site you choose from our list, you can rest assured that it’s a safe spot for some card action. Remember to always have fun when playing and never get carried away. Bluff away!

DISCLAIMER: Online gambling comes with risks. There’s no guarantee of financial gain, so you should only gamble with what you can afford to lose. All information on this site is for entertainment purposes only.

While gambling can be fun, it can also be addictive. If you or anyone you know suffer from a gambling addiction problem, we recommend that you call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700 to speak with an advisor. Please remember that our guides and all gambling sites are only for people who are 18+. Also, check with local laws to find out if online gambling is legal in your area.

For free online gambling addiction resources, visit these organizations:



This news is republished from another source. You can check the original article here.

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