About Us

Best Poker Sites is built for one job: helping US poker players work out where to actually put their money down. We compare real money poker sites and apps on the things that matter once you sit down at a table — traffic, game selection, rake, cash-out speed, and whether the games are soft enough to be worth your time. This page explains who we are, how we put our rankings together, and what we do and don't promise.

What We Actually Do

We research online poker operators available to US players and rank them against each other, then publish that comparison as a top-ten list. That means looking past the marketing on an operator's homepage and into the details that separate a good room from a mediocre one: how many players are seated at your stakes on a Tuesday night, whether the software supports the formats you play, and what happens when you try to withdraw your balance.

We don't operate any poker site ourselves, and we don't process deposits, withdrawals, or account sign-ups. Our role is research and comparison — the sign-up and gameplay happen entirely on the operator's own platform.

Commercial Disclosure

Best Poker Sites may earn a commission when a reader signs up with an operator through a link on this site. That relationship never decides where a site lands in our rankings — positions are based on the research criteria below, not on which operator pays the most. We'll always tell you where a bonus or offer carries wagering requirements, deposit minimums, or time limits, because those terms affect whether an offer is actually worth claiming.

How We Rank Poker Sites

Every site in our rankings — including Coinpoker, Bovada, Stake, Ignition, Americas Card Room, Black Chip Poker, Ya Poker, BC Poker, Betonline, and Jack Poker — is assessed against the same set of factors:

• Traffic and liquidity — how many players are typically active, and whether that holds up outside of peak hours and at less common stakes.
• Game variety — the spread across No Limit Hold'em, Pot Limit Omaha, mixed games, Sit & Gos, fast-fold formats like Zoom or Snap, and lottery-style Spin & Go games.
• Rake and rakeback — how rake is structured at different stakes, and whether a loyalty or rakeback scheme gives regular players anything back.
• Bonus terms — the headline offer, but also the playthrough or clearing requirements, deposit minimums, and time limits attached to it.
• Payments — deposit and withdrawal methods available to US players, typical cash-out times, and any fees.
• Software and mobile experience — client stability, HUD/tracking software support where relevant, and how the iOS and Android apps hold up.
• Player pool quality — a rough read on how recreational the games are, since a site full of regulars plays very differently to one with a healthy fish-to-reg ratio.

No operator can pay to move up this list. Commission from affiliate links funds the site, but it has no influence on scoring.

A Note on Bonuses and What "Welcome Offer" Really Means

Every welcome bonus listed on this site — deposit matches, bonus cash, or coin packages — comes with conditions attached: a minimum deposit, a playthrough or wagering requirement measured in rake or hands dealt, an expiry window, and eligibility rules that vary by state. Nothing on this site should be read as free money. A bonus only has value once you've worked out whether you can realistically clear it, and we try to flag those terms next to the offer rather than bury them in a footnote.

Licensing, Regulation and Why It's Different in the US

Online poker in the United States is regulated at the state level — there is no single federal license that covers the whole country, and availability varies depending on where you live. Some operators hold licenses in specific US states; others operate on international licenses (for example from Malta or Curaçao) and accept US players without being licensed by a US state regulator. We look at what licensing each operator actually holds and note it plainly rather than assuming a license we can't verify. Readers should always check that a site accepts players from their own state before signing up, since availability and legality shift from state to state and can change over time.

Payments in the US Market

Most operators serving US players support a mix of cards, ACH bank transfers, PayNearMe cash deposits, and operator-issued prepaid cards, alongside crypto options like Bitcoin at some sites. Withdrawal speed and methods vary by operator and by the payment type used — crypto withdrawals are typically faster than bank-based methods, though this depends on the individual site's processing times, which we cover in each review rather than here.

Age, Eligibility and Responsible Gambling

Real money poker is restricted to adults only. Most regulated US states set the minimum gambling age at 21, though a small number allow 18 for certain forms of gambling — readers must confirm the legal age and legal status of online poker in their own state before playing. This site is not intended for, and does not target, anyone under the applicable legal age.

Poker involves real financial risk. Skill can influence outcomes over time, but it doesn't remove the possibility of losing money, and no site or strategy guarantees a win. We don't present poker as a source of income or a way out of financial difficulty, and we'd encourage any reader to treat it as entertainment with a cost, not an investment.

If gambling stops being fun, or starts affecting your finances, relationships, or mental health, free and confidential help is available around the clock through 1-800-GAMBLER. Our Responsible Gambling page has more detail on setting limits, self-exclusion programs, and where to find support.

Questions About This Site

If you'd like to raise something about a review, suggest a correction, or just get in touch, our Contact Us page has the details. Our full Terms and Conditions cover how the site operates and how the rankings are used.

Getting Started, Sensibly

If you're comparing sites for the first time, start with what matters to how you actually play: casual players usually care most about a soft, welcoming player pool and a straightforward mobile app; regulars care more about traffic at their stakes, rake structure, and rakeback value; anyone chasing a specific bonus or payment method should read the terms before depositing anything. Whichever group you're in, treat any bankroll you commit as money you can afford to lose, and only play where your state's laws and the operator's terms both allow it.