Today, we’re going to talk about real money online poker. If you think you’ve got what it takes to take on the fishes of the online poker world, you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to give you all of the best real money poker sites to get you started, as well as some other information you will need about online poker.

Best US Real Money Poker Sites

All new players who decide to explore the vast universe of real money poker sites should know that federally, online poker sites are illegal. However, on the individual level, online poker is legal in some of the states. Some websites such as Global Poker (which is a sweepstakes poker site) are allowed in 49 out of 50 US states. Yet, for all the legal challenges poker has faced throughout the years, it is completely legal to play online poker in the US in any of the 50 states today. This makes it very easy for you to find a reliable and trustworthy poker site, and more importantly, one that offers a good traffic and busy tournament and cash games schedule. The only state that has legal restrictions on poker with a certain real money is Washington State, but these two ten-year old laws have not been applied once and may not be appropriate to be forced due to legal unrest. All The USA New Online Legal Poker Casino Websites 2020 listed below, give No Deposit Bonuses for new customers.

Winning poker is also a science. So, to play poker well, you need to study hard. Studying well means that you know what and why you learned on a single day, and you have plans for how to use this knowledge in the future. It's time to work on the bugs. The secret of poker: working on bugs. Is Playing Online Poker for Real Money in the US Legal? Depending on which state you live in, there may be different laws about sports betting or playing casino games. However, no one in the USA has ever been prosecuted from playing real money online poker at safe sites like the ones we recommend.

If you’re in the US, you have plenty of options for playing real money poker. All of the sites that we recommend accepts US players. A common question we get is whether or not it is legal for players in the US to play real money poker online. So, we’re going to cover that question and go over online casinos by state.

Is Playing Online Poker for Real Money in the US Legal?

Depending on which state you live in, there may be different laws about sports betting or playing casino games. However, no one in the USA has ever been prosecuted from playing real money online poker at safe sites like the ones we recommend.

Legal Online Casinos by US State

We have a dedicated section that lays out different legal online casinos for USA players based on their state. So whether you live in California or New York, there is an online casino to play real money poker for you!

How to Get Started With Playing Poker for Money

Now, it’s time to cover a few basic tips you need to be aware of before playing poker online. These are essential things to keep in mind that you shouldn’t gloss over if you are serious about wanting to win real money playing poker.

Why Site Selection Matters

If you don’t select the right real money poker site, you’re going to have a bad time. Why? Well, because of how many untrustworthy sites that are out there, it’s easy to get scammed. Our dedicated team spends hours vetting online poker sites that offer real money play to find ones that are legit and safe to play at.

After a grueling vetting process, the online poker sites we’ve recommended are ones you can absolutely trust with your money. These sites will pay you your winnings and have excellent customer service teams. They’re just all-around great sites!

Poker Terms You Should Know

• All-In – You go all in when you bet all of your bankroll on a hand.
• Ante – The ante is a bet you’re forced to put into the pot so the hand can begin.
• Blinds – These are required bets by two players left of the dealer.
• Bluff – This is the act of trying to trick other players that you have a good hand when you don’t.
• Flop – The flop is the first three cards dealt.
• Pot Odds – This is the ratio of money that it takes to call the bet on the table.
• River – The fifth of the five cards dealt in a hand.
• Tilt – This is when you, as a player, become visibly upset and starts making bad decisions based on your emotions.
• Turn – The fourth of five cards dealt in a hand.

How to Stay Safe Playing Poker Online for Real Money

Before you start playing poker for money online, you want to make sure you do the proper research to make sure you know how to stay safe.

Play at Safe US Online Poker Sites

This one should be self-explanatory. You need to be very careful about the US friendly online poker site you choose, and that’s where we come in. Our team of experts has already gone through the painstaking process of finding safe poker sites for real money, so you don’t have to worry about playing at the wrong ones.

Start out Small

Before you jump right in and start giving real money poker sites all of your bankroll, stop and consider a few things. We recommend starting out small and only depositing a little bit of money at a time. This will potentially help protect your bankroll if you are at all worried about losing your money.

While the real money poker sites we recommend are very safe, this is just a measure we recommend for anyone who might still have concerns, just for their peace of mind.

Bank With Cryptocurrency

This isn’t a must, but it’s highly recommended by our team at BestUSCasinos.org. Cryptocurrency is a fantastic way to keep your money safe when dealing with online banking. It also gives you the option of maintaining anonymity.

Real Money Online Poker Bonuses

One way to enjoy US online poker to its fullest is to take advantage of online bonuses and promotions that are offered. Here is an example of an online poker bonus found at Ignition Casino:

As you can see, you have the option to receive up to $1,000, or even more if you deposit with Bitcoin. There are many other bonuses like this at other casinos, most often a welcome bonus of some kind.

Other types of bonuses you’ll see are things like the following:

• “Bad Beat” bonuses
• “Royal Flush” bonuses
• And others

Free Poker Tournament Entries

Another thing many real money USA poker sites will do is have recurring tournaments. Here are a few online poker tournament examples, courtesy of Ignition Casino:

Again, many sites will have different promotions, there are just two examples of real money poker tournaments happening at the time of this writing. Many US poker sites for money will also have bonuses that may allow you to enter for free or match a deposit you make into the tournament.

Poker tournaments for real money are a great way to get your feet wet with online poker if you are new.

Online Poker Real Money Apps

You’ll find many apps on the App Store or Google Play store, but most of them will not be for real money. If you’re looking for a real money poker app, we recommend checking to see if it’s an app from one of the casinos we recommend.

If you’re just looking to play poker for fun and not worry about real money, then any of the free to play apps would be perfectly fine. Just be careful about what company you would be giving money to if you aren’t familiar with them, especially if it isn’t one of our recommended best United States online poker sites.

Start Playing Poker Online in the USA

Well, that about does it for today. We hope you have found the US online poker site of your dreams. Be sure to check back regularly as our rankings change quite a bit. Our team continues day after day to make sure we recommend only the best real money online poker sites out there.

Have fun, stay safe, and win big!

FAQ About Playing Real Money Online Poker

Now, we’ll cover a few of the questions we get asked most often about playing poker online for real money. If we haven’t covered your question here, please feel free to reach out at any time.

• Of course you can! To get started playing poker for real money online, just follow the steps outlined in this guide. And, make sure you stick with our recommended list of sites to ensure you are playing at only the best and safest real money poker sites.

• A growing trend today is the use of virtual reality for online poker games. Right now, many online casinos have not caught up with this trend of technology yet, but they’re not far behind. To find real money VR poker games would be a stretch, but if you do find someone offering real money games, just proceed with caution.

• Where Can I Play Real Money Online Poker in the USA?

  For online poker real money USA, you can play at any of the sites we recommended at the top of this page! All of these sites are safe for US players to use and vetted by our team of experts.

• As we stated earlier, unless they’re apps directly from the casinos themselves, we would hesitate before depositing any real money. However, there are real money poker apps out there that are safe to play at.

• Best customer support and prompt payouts
• Also offers an online casino and well respected USA sportsbook
• Easy to clear 100% to $500 deposit bonus

“Bovada has been a favorite among US players for 10 years. Good software, lots of tournaments, great support & fast cashouts.”
~ Legaluspokersites.com Staff

Bovada Poker receives a good amount of attention from Americans. With fast banking, super-soft games and quality software, Bovada is a competitive choice for anyone from the United States who wants to play real-money poker online.

How Tough is the Competition at Bovada?

Other reviews of Bovada will focus on the games available and mundane details regarding Bovada’s software. We know that US poker players only really care about one thing when they’re thinking about playing at a room – namely, whether or not they can make some money playing poker at that room.

When it comes to Bovada, the answer to that question is a clear yes. The games at Bovada are softer than the average poker room that takes US players, and there are a few unique aspects of Bovada that help to generate this weaker-than-average competition:

1. Attached sportsbook and casino: It’s always a bonus for United States online poker players when a room has a casino or sportsbook attached, and Bovada has both. We’re not saying that everyone who bets sports is bad at poker, or that all those who play slots are losing hold’em players. What we are saying is that having more gamblers in a poker room is generally going to work out well for the skilled players in that room.
2. No datamining: Serious online poker players like to have a lot of information on their opponents. Bovada makes it much harder than other rooms for players to acquire and apply data concerning their opponents, so a good percentage of serious players avoid the room altogether.
3. Fast transactions: Casual players don’t want to jump through hoop after hoop to make a deposit, and they like to get their cash quick when they make a withdrawal. Bovada has over a decade of experience of processing transactions under tough conditions, and it shows in their industry-leading turnaround times for US players.

Deposits and Cashouts at Bovada

A poker room can be the softest in the world but still be of no use to you if you’re not able to get money on and off of the site. Thankfully, Bovada receives higher-than-average ratings from players and industry observers when it comes to banking transactions.

Methods

Bovada accepts multiple methods for deposits, including credit card, bank transfer and money transfer services such as MoneyGram. Cashouts can be processed by check and money transfer services. Turnaround time for deposits is generally under one hour, and cash outs are processed in under two weeks on average.

Fees

Bovada has some of the lowest fees for US poker players of any site you’ll find online. Deposit fees for almost every method are covered by the room, and players incur only minor withdrawal fees depending on the method they choose to cash out funds.

Security

Bovada operates on the same cashier as the world-renowned Bodog brand, and brings Bodog’s decade-plus reputation and experience to the table as a result. When you’re dealing with a system that has handled billions in transactions without one significant issue, you can feel comfortable trusting your personal information and funds to that system, a level of comfort that Bovada is unique in being able to claim.

How to deposit on BovadaPoker with Bitcoin

Bovada Poker is one of the most efficient Bitcoin gambling sites out there. The site has fast deposits, fast withdrawals and there are never any fees. In nearly every case, you’ll have your cryptocurrency in the site and ready to play in less than 60 seconds.

To deposit, all you have to do is have your Bitcoin wallet, select Bitcoin as your deposit method and you’re good to go. You can even use a QR code to do it. You even get bigger bonuses when you deposit with Bitcoin. Visit their Bitcoin FAQ page for more.

How Valuable are the Promotions and Bonuses at Bovada?

The bonuses and promotions at Bovada Poker are worth less than the value you’d find at the average US-facing poker site. Bovada lacks a robust VIP program, and the standing promotions offered by the room return single-digit rakeback percentages to players.

Don’t let this picture dissuade you from playing at Bovada, however. While the room may offer below-average promotional value, it more than makes up for that lack of value in other areas. Here are a few reasons why Bovada may still be a very profitable room for United States players despite weak promotions and bonuses:

1. Soft competition: As we mentioned earlier, Bovada has perhaps the weakest competition of any US-friendly online poker room. Getting to dine on soft competition at the tables can make up a lot of value lost on the promotional front.
2. Low-cost banking: Many rooms give US players great value upfront with bonuses, but then charge them substantial fees when it comes time to cash out their winnings. Bovada has some of the cheapest banking fees of any room serving United States online poker players.
3. Tournament overlays: The one promotional area where Bovada really shines: Generous tournament overlays on both minor and major tournament events. With thousands of dollars added to tournament prize pools every week, Bovada provides tournament players from America with a nice way to boost their ROI without lifting a finger.

Other Products at Bovada

In addition to the Bovada online poker room, players can also access a sportsbook, racebook and a full-featured casino that houses dozens and dozens of games. All of these products are linked from a single Bovada wallet.

Breaking Down the Bovada Software

In addition to multiple table views that give players maximum flexibility when playing poker at Bovada, the room also offers a completely unique feature that you won’t find at any other US online poker site: Anonymous tables. When you play at Bovada, you don’t have to worry about anyone building a profile on you, as all play takes place anonymously. This feature is in place for both cash games and tournaments at Bovada.

Mobile Options for Bovada Players

There is no dedicated mobile poker client for Bovada poker. There are mobile options for the Bovada casino and sportsbook, however. The Bovada casino works on Android and iPads.

Operating System Compatibility

In addition to the native Windows client, Bovada Poker is also available to players from the United States in a dedicated Mac poker client. Linux players will be able to run the Bovada software using Wine or a similar program for running Windows executables within Linux.

Bovada Poker Network & License Information

The Bovada poker room is licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. Bovada is part of the same poker network utilized by several international arms of the Bodog brand. When you’re playing at Bovada, you’re up against an international player pool that also serves as the poker home for players from Bodog.ca and Bodog88. The Bodog Poker Network has offered online poker to players from around the globe since the early 2000s.

Bovada Poker Compatibility Review

Bovada is a top pick for American players. Why?

1. They receive the most (US) traffic. More traffic means more games running – less downtime.
2. Bovada is rec-player friendly. You won’t find many grinders here, trying to hunt you down and take your money. They don’t allow 3rd party tools either.
3. Bovada runs many promotions, including their $1,000 deposit bonus, more than $170,000 in guaranteed tournaments every Sunday and satellites to live tournaments.

Sounds good, right?! Are you ready to get started?

The first step is to download their software to your computer. That’s what I’ll help you with now, followed by an explanation of what to expect in terms of their software once you sign up.

How to Download Bovada to Your Computer

The download process will only take a couple of minutes. But first, here are the system requirements:

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1. Operating System – Min. Windows XP Rec. Windows 7
2. Processor – Min. 1Ghz Pentium Rec. Same
3. Memory – Min. 500Mb RAM Rec. 512Mb RAM
4. Disc Space – Min. 30Mb Rec. 60 Mb
5. Screen Resolution – Min. 1024×768 Rec. 1366×768

Here are the steps you need to take to download the software:

1. Visit Bovada.
2. Click download.
3. On the first screen you’ll be asked if you want to run or save the file. Choose run.
4. The next screen is the setup wizard. Click next, and choose where you want to download the files to. Then click install.

From here you’ll be asked to create an account. You’ll need to enter your name, address, phone number, email, user name and password. Once completed you’ll be asked to verify your email address. From this point forward you should be able to log-in.

How to Play Poker on Your Mac

Bovada also has a download for Macs. The process is the same as outlined above. Here are the system requirements.

1. Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard or later
2. 800 MHz G4 processor or faster
3. 1 GB memory (RAM) or greater
4. 70 MB of available disk space

Bovada Poker on the Go

Does Bovada Poker have a mobile app? Absolutely! Although relatively new, the mobile poker app is smooth, clear and provides the necessary functions without any lags or delays.

Sportsbook – There is nothing that you need to download for their sportsbook. Their website allows for iPhone poker, iPad poker & Android poker. All you need to do is visit Bovada on your phone, log-in and you’ll be set.

Casino – With their casino you can add the app to your home screen. That’s just to avoid having to use your browser each time you want to play. From your phone you can play games like blackjack, roulette and more than 5 different slot games.

Bovada Poker Download / Software / Features

Bovada has a couple of software features worth pointing out.

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Zone Poker – Zone Poker is Bovada’s response to the fast-fold craze that Full Tilt started with Rush Poker and PokerStars with their Zoom Poker. The idea is that you can fold your hand before the action gets to you. Once you do you’re taken to another table where everyone is dealt a new hand. This enables players to get 3-4x the number of hands in per hour. The game is a huge draw to fish players that enjoy constant action.

Anonymous Tables – Anonymous tables are just how they sound – no one knows who you are when you sit down. Each player is labeled a number (1-9). Your notes only last for one session too. The idea is to make it so that grinders don’t have an edge through 3rd party programs, datamining, lobby stats and so on.

Rabbit Cam – This shows you what cards would’ve been dealt had you continued with the hand.

In-Client Blackjack – You will have access to play blackjack from the lobby / table of the poker download.

Bovada’s software also includes standard stuff like 4-color decks, table layout options, note taking and chatting.

Are 3rd Party Programs Supported?

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No. The following programs are not supported:

1. Hand trackers / HUDs
2. Data mining
3. Auto-Hotkey programs

Bovada doesn’t allow you to use this software because it would give grinders an edge, for one thing. Two, it’s not possible to use these programs anyway because they don’t label the players other than with a (temporary) number. You have no idea who your opponents are once you (or they) leave the table. You’re not even able to save notes longer than your current session.

You are able to download your own hand histories though, so that you can review your own play. But you’re not able to track or label other players. This is inline with Bovada’s attempt to create a safe atmosphere for recreational players, and to improve the poker economy as a whole.

• Website:www.bovada.lv
• Bonus:$500
• Licenced:Antigua
• Banned States:NY, MD, and WA
• Payment Options:Bitcoin, Visa, Bank Wire
• Support:Click Here
• Legal Info:Click Here