Get ready, folks. We’re hitting the Florida Turnpike and heading to the best poker rooms in Florida. Some of these are so good that we forget we’re in the Sunshine State and not Las Vegas or the . Others don’t Quite Live Up To the Hype (see what we did there if you’ve ever been on the turnpike).
But all of them offer something. So, before you , check out the following five poker rooms in south Florida because they might surprise you.
5) The Victory Casino Cruise Ship
Yes, you read that right – a casino cruise ship is one of the best poker rooms in Florida.
Who needs an address when you have GPS?
This “floating” poker room sails out into international waters, where it is permitted to offer all your favorite games. And let’s be honest here; who doesn’t like playing ?
Anyway, this ship leaves Port Canaveral daily at 2 p.m. and returns after four hours at 6 p.m.
While on board, you can enjoy several games running per trip, including No-Limit Hold’em, Pot-Limit Omaha, and even Mix Games. Buy-ins range from $5-$20 for most trips but can go as high as $100 during series and special events.
🇵🇼 BetRivers Casino West Virginia [2023] 🌃 Review & Top GamesThe poker area includes about 70 seats, a dedicated dealer and floor staff, two large screens displaying all the sporting action, and a full bar/food service. Plus, you get to play a few hands of poker in the Atlantic Ocean and maybe see a dolphin or two. Now, that’s unique!
FYI, the Victory Cruise Lines also has another ship operating out of Port of Palm Beach.
You can contact them at (386) 767-1act (1play), and for the latest departure times/details, visit their website at victorieshipcruises.com.
4) Best Poker Room in Fort Lauderdale: The Isle Casino
Island Luck became the Isle Meadows Poker Room became the Isle of Capri Poker Room became the Isle Casino. Regardless of the name, this poker facility remains one of the best cardrooms in South Florida. It is easily accessible from I-95 and FL-840 and offers ample parking – critical features when looking for the top Fort Lauderdale poker room.
Isle Casino offers a standard poker room setup with 12 tables surrounded by air/table side non-smokers pulling for your success. Games typically run 24/7 and include No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha in various limits.
And because this place knows how to host tournaments (more on that later), the regular games run a little higher than most rooms in south Florida. Expect $15/$30 to be the max buy-in for GSN during the day and possibly $50/$100 during the evening/weekends.
Speaking of weekends, the Isle Casino pits some of South Florida’s best players against each other every Friday through Sunday in a progressive bad beat jackpot. Started during the pandemic, this event draws upwards of 40 players competing for guaranteed $10k prize pools. Oh, and the bad beat quota starts at $10,000 and increases your chances of winning a big prize.
If you like tournament poker, look no further than the Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park.
real money cash out slotsThey run daily tournaments with buy-ins ranging from $8 to $125 (depending on the day of the week). And the weekend brings in bigger prizes since the buy-in is higher ($140 on Saturdays and Sundays).
Tournament payouts average around 10 paying positions, although they regularly stretch the love to 15% of the field.
In addition to live in-person poker, the Isle Casino offers online wagering on thoroughbred and quarter horse racing. You can also engage in table games (roulette, craps, etc.), slot machines, restaurants, and live entertainment. Basically, this is the Atlantis of I-95 (at least the poker room).
For more information, call 954-946-1650 or visit their website at myislecasino.com.
Oh, and for all you Seminole Hard Rock fans, read this first.
3) Best Miami Poker Room: The Poker House
As soon as you step foot inside the Magic City Casino, you hear clickity clackity clickity clack of slots and squeals of excitement from winners. But your focus should be straight ahead—through the carpeted jungle and toward the concrete pillar that supports the airport above. That, my friends, is where you’ll find the best Miami poker room.
It isn’t much to look at. The Poker House at the Magic City Casino consists of eight tables tucked away in a corner near the sportsbook. But what it lacks in square footage, it makes up for in heart.
This is a poker room owned and operated by poker players. And it shows.
Sure, the chairs aren’t the most comfortable, and the table rails aren’t adjustable. However, the pit boss and his floor staff are always attentive, the food comes quickly, and they know the games.
🎡 Deal Casino Review NJ 2023 - PokerListingsRegular games include No-Limit Hold’em, Pot-Limit Omaha, and . They also dabbled in 2-7 Triple Draw and Razz during our recent visit. Most importantly, the regular players are friendly and welcoming—a far cry from down I-95.
As of my last visit, were running $25/$50 No-Limit Hold’em and $5/$10 Pot-Limit Omaha. A bad beat jackpot triggers whenever someone loses a hand with Queens or better in Omaha or Aces or Kings in Hold’em. The juice is included in the rake (one dollar per hand), but you receive a free drink and decent food at reasonable prices.
Overall, this is a great place to play poker in Miami Gardens and Dade County. The Magic City Casino is located at 4505 NW 72nd Ave, Miami, FL 33166. Phone: (305) 638-2272. Website: magiccitycasino.com.
Best Casino Apps for iPhoneCheck it out and support one of the few player-run card rooms left in South Florida.
2) Best Poker Room in Hollywood, FL: Seminole Hard Rock
Okay, hear me out. The Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood may not be the best poker room in Broward County (that would be the Poker House at Magic City); however, it deserves recognition as one of the top card rooms in Florida. Here’s why.
First, location, location, location. You cannot beat the Seminole Hard Rock’s location one block from Young Circle in the heart of downtown Hollywood. It sits among beautiful homes, fantastic restaurants, and fun bars—all within walking distance of the poker room. Who knows? If you put enough money in the game, the dealer might sell you a beer and sandwich and let you sit outside and enjoy the gorgeous Broward County weather.
Second, the Seminole Hard Rock gets crazy during the WSOP Circuit and WPT stops. During these events, everyone flocks to the Hard Rock, creating a buzzing energy throughout the building. It reminds me of the Rio in Las Vegas, only without the smoking section and all-you-can-eat buffet.
Best Video Poker Jackpot Games You Need to Know AboutThird, the Seminole Hard Rock has everything. In addition to the poker room, you will find high stakes blackjack, exciting roulette games, and every slot machine ever made. Of course, you cannot talk about the Hard Rock without mentioning the restaurants. From Council Oak Steaks + Seafood (an absolute must!) to Kuro, a top-rated Japanese restaurant, you cannot go wrong stuffing your face between sessions.
Finally, the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood is one of Florida’s largest concert venues. It attracts musical artists from around the world, giving visitors another reason to stay off the poker tables.
Here’s their contact info: 1 Seminole Way, Holywood, FL 33021. Phone: 954.924.3200. Email: GuestServices_SHRHollywood@SeminoleHardRock.com. Website: www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com.
Now, onto the best poker room in Hollywood, Florida.
Sites Where You Can Play Casino Games to Win Real MoneyUpdate: The Seminole Hard Rock sold and is now known as Hardi Mardi.
Gulfstream Park Poker Room Is #1
There is one stand-up comedy bit I love about growing up in the north and moving to Florida. The joke goes something like this:
“Did you know that Florida has theme parks? Like, they have a park devoted to gators. Another for cows. And a place where people live in mobile homes and are paid to dance monkeys!”
Gulfstream Park is the Dan Marino of professional football scouting, Thoroughbred race horses, and South Florida poker rooms. It need not be pretty; it just needs to make the Pro Bowl. And the same applies to this poker facility. It doesn’t need to be the best poker room in Florida; it just needs to be the best in its region. And it is.
Unbelievable Gambling Losses You Can't Believe Were RealLocated near the Greek town of Loxahatchee (Google it), the Gulfstream Park Poker Room benefits from easy access via I-95 and the Florida Turnpike. It is the closest poker room to the Palm Beaches and, arguably, Broward County.
And it recently went through a facelift!
Of course, the biggest draw is the racing. The historic racetrack plays host to some of the fastest horses in the country. It also means the poker room thrivns during the winter months. Unfortunately, things slow down once the races end (typically in early summer).
Nonetheless, GP offers a standard set-up for its poker clientele. The room boasts 17 tables spread mostly No-Limit Hold’em and PLO (with a smattering of mixed games and Omaha 8). Max buy-ins rarely exceed $200, making this a must-visit for beginners and grinders alike.
A typical day will have an early morning/daytime tournament (mostly $50-$150 buy-ins) followed by a late afternoon/early evening turbo bounty event ($25 buy-in, $5 bounty). Evening games consist of $1/$2 NLHE and $4/$8 PLO with a bad beat jackpot starting at $1000 and going higher as the night progresses.
By the way, the bad beat requires aces to lose to quad sevens or better. Not ideal, but they don’t call it the Gulfstream Grind for nothing.
So, if you are looking for a solid poker room in Hallandale Beach, Florida, head over to 11th Ave. & Hallandale Beach Blvd. Call them at (954) 454-7000 or visit online at gulfstreampark.com.
Other Great Card Rooms in Florida
Florida isn’t exactly known for its gambling (despite what Jeff Greene might think). Yes, we have jai-alai (pronounced guy-eye-LYE), but most people consider that a side show to the gaming options.
That said, the best poker rooms in Florida are doing just fine. Sure, we could use a few more. Maybe one in Brandon? One in Vero Beach? And how about a floating poker room in the Keys? But overall, we’re doing okay.
Best No Deposit Bonus Casinos in NZ for 2023 [New Update]Most of Florida’s card rooms sit along I-95 and the Florida Turnpike. This makes sense, considering 90% of the snowbirds fleeing the northeast in February follow one of those two highways to warmer climates.
Below are some other notable Florida poker rooms you can try:
- Dania Poker Room – 8300 Dania Beach Blvd., Dania Beach, FL 33004 | Phone: (954) 920-1511
- Delray Meadows Poker Room – 5050 West Atlantic Avenue Delray Beach FL, 33484 | Phone: (561)-499-3000 ext. 6
- Daytona Beach Raceway Poker Room – 1801 West International Speedway Boulevard Daytona Beach, FL 32117 | Phone: (386) 254-DAYTONA (329-862) ext. 242
- Seminole Casino Coconut Creek – 5550 Northwest 40 Street Coconut Creek, FL 33073 | Phone: (954) 977-6700
- Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa Poker Room – 5223 Orient Rd, Tampa, FL 33610 | Phone: (813) 631-6000
- The Poker Room Palms West – 12000 Okeechobee Blvd, Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411 | Phone: (561) 793-5300
Not convinced those are the best poker rooms in Florida? Well then, keep driving until you hit the state line. Unless you want to play online, of course.
If so, check out our rankings below.
Top Online Poker Site in Florida
18+ | Play Responsibly | T&C Apply
Recommended Online Poker Site
8.8
18+ | Play Responsibly | T&C Apply
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A Word About the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Poker Room
It pains me to not discuss the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa poker room. It is easily accessible from I-275 and is one of the largest rooms in the state.
Unfortunately, it suffers from the same malady affecting all Florida card rooms—the seasonal tourist population. From April through September, the SHR Tampa poker room rocks. They have excellent promotions, a full restaurant/bar menu, and a bad beat jackpot that routinely pays 50 players.
However, when the snowbirds fly back north in September, things change. The SHR Tampa poker room transforms into a ghost town. On multiple occasions, I was heads-up Cash or MTT, and the floor had to search the building to find the other player.
It is unfortunate because the SHR Tampa is one of the largest casinos in Florida and can draw players from three different interstates (75, 275, and 4). So, why not fire up a couple of tournaments in the afternoon and offer separate brackets for South Tampa and Carrollwood?
Maybe then the hard rock tampa poker room would join the best poker rooms in florida.
Update: The Seminole Hard Rock Tampa changed its name to Hard Rock Tampa.
Author | Marcus Miller
Marcus is a producer and writer at PokerListings.com with over a decade of experience in the poker industry. He has worked previously as the Media Director for the World Poker Tour and produced popular podcasts for E! Entertainment and Playboy TV. When not writing about all things poker you can find him playing (badly) at the local pool hall.
