Real Money United States / US Poker Sites

Getting started with real money poker online can be overwhelming. There are a lot of things you need to do before you can sit down and start playing. Find US accepting poker sites. Review said sites. Find a site and create an account. Make a deposit. Etc.

It's totally worth your time though, as you'll be able to take advantage of tons of bonuses, promotions and variety of games like guaranteed tournaments. So enjoy the process; it's definitely worthwhile.

We understand that finding the right site to play at, especially for US players can be a time-consuming process. So we've already some of the work for you. Below you'll find what we feel are the best real money poker sites for Americans.

Beginner Questions About Playing Real Money Poker Online

Here are some typical questions we get from beginners about playing real money poker games online.

How Do I Get Started With Online Poker?

Getting started with online poker is pretty simple. Here's what you do:

• Choose a site. Base your decision off where you live, our reviews and your own personal preference.
• Download the software. Most sites have both PC and Mac software for download. The download wizard will walk you through the process of installing the software and helping you create an account.
• Make a deposit. Be sure to take advantage of the deposit bonus, or other promotion(s).
• Choose a game to play.
• Play.

Although that is a simplified overview, it really is that simple to get started. If you've already researched what site you want to play at, you can be up and running in less than 30-60 minutes.

Do Poker Sites Accept Real Money Players From the USA?

Yes! There are several global poker sites that still accept US players.

However, not all of them accept players from all 50 states. For example, all the sites on the Merge Network and Bovada do not accept players from states that have strict gambling laws. So if you live in a state like Washington or Kentucky you'll have to look a little bit harder to find a site that will allow you to play poker. Don't worry, they do exist.

How Do I Make a Deposit?

Making a real money deposit is straightforward. Find an option that will work for you, such as Visa, Mastercard or Western Union, enter in your card details, the amount you want to deposit and a bonus code, if necessary. Then hit submit. In the case of Western Union you'll need to visit your local WU branch to send the money. In most cases your money will be available in less than 1 hour.

The real challenge to depositing from the US is approval rates. You might find that your card or bank decides to decline the transaction. So you'll have to contact support and/or try another deposit method.

What Types of Poker Games Can I Play for Real Money?

Any game that you can think of. Seriously.

The most popular game is Texas holdem, although omaha has been increasing in popularity over the years. But you'll find that many sites offer, 7-card stud, razz, mixed poker games (HORSE, HOSE, HOE, etc) and draw game (Badugi, 5-card draw, triple draw, etc).

Formats include cash games, tournaments and sit n goes, and too many variations to list. One worth mentioning, though, are guaranteed tournaments. These have guaranteed prize pools of hundreds, thousands or millions of dollars. Usually you can get in pretty cheap, and even cheaper if the poker site offers satellites or step tournaments. These let you get into the bigger tournaments for a fraction of the cost. For example, you can play a $15 satellite that awards the winner a seat to a $200+ buy-in tournament.

How Do I Cash Out My Winnings?

It's the opposite of making a deposit. You'll go to your cashier and choose withdrawal. As a US player you'll have fewer options than other countries; maybe echeck, Western Union, bank wires and paper checks.

One thing to keep in mind about withdrawing funds is that it can take several days, a couple of weeks and in extreme cases months before you get your funds. This is due to what I mentioned earlier about the difficulty of processing payments for US players. So this is something you'll want to be prepared for. The sites we list as the best will have faster/more reliable processing times compare to other sites, though.