Best Online Poker Sites in the US

Online Poker Site Best Features

Here are some of the best features for each of the online poker USA sites ranked above. You can learn much more about each site by reading our in-depth poker reviews.

Expected Date of Online Poker Legalization by U.S. State

People often come to the site wondering, “Where can I play legal online poker?” Online poker is legal in eight states in the USA: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Nevada, West Virginia, Connecticut, Michigan, and Rhode Island. 

Big global sites like PokerStars operate in some of those states, but they’re not really part of those big global player pools. Those sites operate in those states, usually alone and separate from each other. Offshore sites, on the other hand, accept players from all over the United States.

Figuring out when individual states will pass online poker legislation is very much like trying to hit a moving target. Even after states enact bills and amendments for legalizing and regulating online poker, there tends to be a one or two-year waiting period before online gambling sites actually come to market.

We’ve been following the US online poker market for over a decade, and we’ve decided to highlight some markets that could be close to full-blown legalization. Keep in mind, there are no guarantees and the dates are still very much in flux, but these are our updated predictions.

West Virginia, Connecticut, and Rhode Island have legalized online poker but issued any online poker licenses yet. West Virginia is the most likely to do so in 2024 or 2025.

New York, Maine, Maryland, Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana are all distinct possibilities for state-regulated online poker in 2025 or 2026. All have examined legislation in the past, expressed interest in some form of igaming, and will likely see more proposals in the coming years.

Having a Hard Time Finding an Online Poker Site? This is Why.

We know it can get a little confusing. There are 50 states with 50 different laws, and most poker sites don’t serve the majority of those states.

The poker boom saw large poker sites serving the global market, but two US government actions put a stop to that. The 2006 UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act) instructed banks and financial institutions from doing transactions with online gambling companies. Sites like partypoker left the US market at that time. And in 2011, Black Friday marked the US government indictments of the heads of PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, UltimateBet, and Absolute Poker – the largest poker sites in the world.

Since then, the United States Department of Justice has issued contradictory rulings about the application of the Wire Act, though the latest relegated the bill to sports betting only. Exempting online poker from the Wire Act allows states to legalize it and permit licensees to connect their sites across state lines. Even so, few states have done this.

Currently, there is no federal law legalizing online poker in the US and no law prohibiting it. The UIGEA only pertains to financial transactions from US banks. And in the absence of federal law, the states can make their own online poker laws, though fewer than ten have done so thus far. And only half of them have signed the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) to provide for liquidity.

With this massive void of federal and consistent laws, US players turn to offshore poker sites for everything from entertainment to action necessary for their poker careers. Our focus – on this site – is to recommend the best offshore sites, review and monitor them, and provide information to US players.

Online Poker Bonuses

Aside from being fun, online poker is generous to newcomers. The more, the merrier, and sites often offer sign-up bonuses or promotions. While these bonuses vary from site to site and change throughout the year, they generally follow a similar pattern.

Most sites double your deposit amount with a cap. To clear the bonus, you have to play for some time, and then you earn the bonus over that playing time. Lots of sites also offer reload bonuses, special holiday-themed bonuses, and more. The only way to keep tabs is to play consistently on your favorite site and see what new offers pop up.

We also offer bonuses on our site review pages. They are the most current and generous available for our recommended poker sites.

Differences Between Live and Online Poker

The main difference between online and live poker is convenience. Live poker truly is an event. You have to get dressed and ready to be in public and often drive a considerable distance, find parking, show ID to get into the casino, see if there are any poker tournaments or cash games running, sign up at the desk, and wait for them to call your name.

When you play online, commuting is non-existent; in fact, you can even play during your commute to somewhere else. There is also no dress code, and clothing is even optional (depending on where you are, of course). You only need to show ID when you sign up for your account, After that, you can log in almost instantaneously from wherever you have an internet connection and begin playing.

Aside from convenience, the other main difference is the sensory experience. At the casino, there are all sorts of sights, sounds, smells, and tastes (if you order food or drinks). For some people, this is part of the appeal of playing live poker, but for others, it can be distracting and a little overwhelming.

Online poker lets you control your environment and focus exclusively on the game. Everything is happening on one screen, and you can pick your own music or mute sounds altogether. But this also means that you won’t be able to see your opponents.

In live poker, a big part of the game is reading your opponents to determine whether they’re bluffing or not. But even though you can’t see opponents online, there are tells. This mostly comes down to timing and bet patterns. You can monitor to see the bet sizes and how fast players react, and you can use that to gauge a baseline pattern for reading them.

The other main difference between live and online poker is the cost. Live poker can get pretty pricey. You have to factor in gas, parking, food, rooms if you’re staying overnight, and then there’s tipping. You have to tip the servers and valet attendants, and it’s a good practice to tip the dealer when you win a large pot.

All this adds up pretty quickly. When you’re playing online, the only real direct expenses are electricity and internet.

About Our Poker Reviews

If you’ve researched online poker, you’ve probably noticed there are dozens of sites. It can be pretty overwhelming and feel like you could use a full-time team of poker players to review them. Well, it’s your lucky day, because that’s who comes to work every day at US Poker Sites. Our team of dedicated reviewers are long-time poker players with decades of experience among them.

They’ve seen all kinds of poker rooms and know what the best online poker sites consist of. What’s most important is that they have first-hand experience with risky sites and know what to look for. Probably the most important thing to take into account when choosing a new site is making sure it’s reputable and fair. You can rest assured that every site you see here is safe, using the most up-to-date software with all possible consumer protections.

We test deposit and withdrawal times, and we check each site’s customer service and banking options.

Most importantly, we look at which sites are the most fun to play, with the best games and offers. For all of this info and more, check out our reviews section to find the site that’s right for you.

Other Helpful Online Poker Guides

Feel like you’re not quite ready to jump into poker games online or want to brush up on your skills a bit? Don’t worry, we got you covered on that front too. We can ease your poker jitters with our comprehensive poker guides. We cover everything from poker hand rankings to the best way to deposit on sites. 

We have a complete guide on how to play Texas No-Limit Hold’em and an overview of the other kinds of poker games out there. After we help you cover the basics, it’s up to you to put that knowledge to use and start honing your poker game. 

Like chess, poker is a game that’s easy enough to learn, but it takes a lifetime to master. 

Conclusion

Hopefully, we have provided some insight into US poker sites and how you can play online safely. Ideally, USPokerSites.us will be your one-stop shop for online poker in the United States as states continue legalization and licensing. There’s plenty to learn about how online poker works in the USA, and we can break it down into digestible pieces of information.