When you think of poker in Alabama, it’s not the first city that comes to mind. Yet Birmingham has produced more World Series of Poker bracelet winners per capita than Las Vegas. And it was home to the biggest cash game in the world at one point in time. So, if you want to play cards in Bham, where do you go? We’ve made a handy guide to help you find the best poker games in Birmingham today.
Surprising States with Legal Online Casino GamblingWhy Play Poker at a Casino in Birmingham, AL?
Most importantly, casinos offer the most action. That’s why we start with them first. The Regions Field cardroom isn’t a permanent fixture but pops during Birmingham Barons baseball games in the summer. During these months (June through September), you can play no-limit hold’em from 5:30 p.m. Until the end of the ninth inning. Limit games are available upon request. Remember to wear the designated poker play amidst the sea of baseball fans. Limits vary but $1/$2 and $2/$5 no-limit are common. Remember to wear the designated poker play amidst the sea of baseball fans. Limits vary but $1/$2 and $2/$5 no-limit are common.
The biggest downfall of the VictoryLand poker rooms is its ephemeral nature. One phone call to the authorities could shut it down for good. Another drawback is the location - it’s about an hour’s drive east on I-59 from Birmingham. Plus the gaming floor is small, so the number of tables is limited. Vincent “Vinny” Van Patten - yes, that Vinny Van Patten - played the Vic in 2015 and had some nice things to say about it. But most pros won’t make the trip because of the risk of getting raided. And casual players might get lost on the way. VMK (formerly known as Greyson Valley) has hosted EPT and WSOP Asia-Pacific events, which is a feather in any casino’s cap. So it has “real poker room” status in our minds. It also helps that it’s a world-class facility with plenty of things to do away from the tables. If you want to improve your golf game or go hunting,VMK is your spot. And the 2,500-seat Entertainment Center stage some of the biggest music acts in the country… along with comedians, motocross stunts, and other shows.
The Carmike 16 movie theater is attached to the casino, too. And there are dozens of poker players who would love to spend their day in theaters. VMK used to host a $40+$8 rebuy tournament on Sundays at 2 p.m. With a $2,500 guarantee and $30+$5 single rebuys that offered 30-minute levels. But alas, that game is defunct. Sorry, C-Town. You’ll have to make the drive to VictoryLand or Birmingham proper if you want to play cards. Location: 5000 Veterans Parkway, Montgomery, AL 36109Size: 15,000 sq. ft. Table Games: No Limit Hold'em, Pot Limit Omaha, Seven Card Stud, Razz, Lowball, Draw, Mixed Games, Dealer’s Choice Games: $1 / $2, $2 / $5, $5 / $10, $10 / $20 No-Limit Hold'em. $5 Antes No-Limit Hold'em. $20 Antes No-Limit Hold'em. $30 Antes No-Limit Hold'em Rebuys. $2 Ante Pot Limit Omaha. $10 Ante Seven Card Stud 8 or Better. $10 Ante Razz. $10 Ante Lowball. $10 Ante Ace to Five Lowball. $10 Ante Mixed Lowball. $10 Ante Dealer's Choice. Limit Hold'em, Limit Omaha and other games available by request. Additional info: Food and drink service available. Call ahead to arrange private tournaments. Location: 7500 U. S. 280, Birmingham, AL 35242Size: 42,000 sq. ft.Table Games: No Limit Hold'em, Pot Limit Omaha, Seven Card Stud, Razz, Lowball, Draw, Mixed Games, Dealer’s Choice Games: $30+$6 No-Limit Texas Hold'em (buy-in) - $60+$12 Rebuy; $20+$4 No-Limit Texas Hold'em (bring-in); $5 Anthony/Orbit w/ $250 Guaranteed; $10 Anthony/Orbit; $20 Anthony/Orbit; $30 Anthony/Orbit w/ $500 Guaranteed; $50 Noah w/ $1000 Guaranteed; $10-$40 Limit Hold'em - $20-$100; $20-$40 Limit Hold'em - $30-$60; $30-$60 Limit Hold'em - $50-$100; $50-$100 Limit Hold'em - $100-$200; $10-$40 Limit Omaha - $20-$100; $20-$40 Limit Omaha - $30-$60; $30-$60 Limit Omaha - $50-$100; $1-$5 Limit Hold'em; $1-$5 Limit Hold'em; $3-$6 Limit Hold'em; $5-$10 Limit Hold'em; $10-$20 Limit Hold'em; $15-$30 Limit Hold'em; $20-$40 Limit Hold'em; $30-$60 Limit Hold'em; $1-$2 Dutch; $2-$5 Dutch; $5-$10 Dutch; $10-$20 Dutch; $20-$40 Dutch; $30-$60 Dutch; $10 Spiral Hi-Lo; $20 Spiral Hi-Lo; $30 Spiral Hi-Lo; $10 Ace to Five; $20 Ace to Five; $30 Ace to Five; $10 Eight or Better; $20 Eight or Better; $30 Eight or Better; $10 Badugi; $20 Badugi; $30 Badugi; $10 Razz; $20 Razz; $30 Razz; $10 H.O.R.S.E.; $20 H.O.R.S.E; $30 H.O.R.S.E; $10 Court; $20 Court; $30 Court; $10 Black Chip Bounty No-Limit Texas Hold'em; $20 Black Chip Bounty No-Limit Texas Hold'em; $30 Black Chip Bounty No-Limit Texas Hold'em - $1,000 Bounty; $10 Color Up No-Limit Texas Hold'em; $20 Color-Up No-Limit Texas Hold'em; $30 Color-Up No-Limit Texas Hold'em; $50 Color-Up No-Limit Texas Hold'em - $1,000 Bounty; $50 Noah (Freezeout)/$10 Top-Up; $10-$40 Limit Hold'em/Lottery; $20-$40 Limit Hold'em/Lottery; $30-$60 Limit Hold'em/Lotery; $1-$5 No-Limit Texas Hold'em; $3-$6 No-Limit Texas Hold'em; $5-$10 No-Limit Texas Hold'em; $10-$20 No-Limit Texas Hold'em; $20-$40 No-Limit Texas Hold'em; $30-$60 No-Limit Texas Hold'em; $1-$2 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Gigantic; $2-$5 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Gigantic; $5-$10 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Gigantic; $10-$20 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Gigantic; $20-$40 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Gigantic; $30-$60 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Gigantic; $1000 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Gigantic; $1-$2 NL $100 Bounty; $2-$5 NL $100 Bounty; $5-$10 NL $100 Bounty; $10-$20 NL $100 Bounty; $20-$40 NL $100 Bounty; $30-$60 NL $100 Bounty; $1000 NL $100 Bounty; $100 NL $1000 Bounty; $100 NL $3000 Bounty; $1-$5 Limit Omaha; $1-$5 Limit Omaha; $3-$6 Limit Omaha; $5-$10 Limit Omaha; $10-$20 Limit Omaha; $20-$40 Limit Omaha; $30-$60 Limit Omaha; $10 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Cutty; $25 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Cutty; $50 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Cutty; $100 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Cutty; $500 Cutty; $5 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Cutty; $10 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Cutty; $20 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Cutty; $30 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Cutty; $40 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Cutty; $50 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Cutty; $100 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Cutty; $200 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Cutty; $300 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Cutty; $400 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Cutty; $500 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Cutty ; $10 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Cutty (Re-Entry); $25 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Cutty (Re-Entry); $50 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Cutty (Re-Entry); $100 No-Limit Texas Hold'em - Cutty (Re-Entry); $500 Cutty (Re-Entry)Additional info: VMK hosts several , including WSOP International, with satellite tournaments. Location: 1760 4th Ave W #200, Birmingham, AL 35211Phone: (205) 324-4848Email:
Home Games in Birmingham, AL
If you don’t like the local casinos or cardrooms, what’s left? Well you can always host your own games. This is legal in Alabama as long as no house is taking rake or the organizer “profiting” in any way. Of course you’re probably accepting food and drink while you’re hosting so that line can get a little blurry. But if it’s a friendly game among friends, everyone is cool with it and the police aren’t bothering you, then run it how you want to run it. Just be smart about who you invite over to your crib. Also consider player skill level so it’s a fair game for everybody involved. And make sure the stakes aren’t crazy high - even though Alabama does allow for certain .
caesars casino reviewBirmingham Area Card Rooms
Birmingham doesn’t have much in the way of traditional card rooms with ultra-low stakes games. There are a few poker nights around town but they are far and few between. So calling up every Tom, Dick and Harry and running a regular home game might be your only chance to grind out some small stakes action.
Former UB/IveyPoker pro Andrew Robl once , which may have been an exaggeration. But it certainly fits the sentiment that Motown has struggled to keep a regular poker game going since the boom years. However, a few home games here and there do exist - you just need to track them down. Reach out to us via Twitter @PokerListings or Facebook and we can try to put you in touch with someone. Otherwise check Facebook under groups for “Detroit Poker,” “Poker in Detroit” and “Metro Detroit Poker.”
Social Poker Apps
If you live in Birmingham and can’t find a game to your liking, consider playing on your phone. are a dime a dozen these days and most of them offer free-to-play versions of poker. Some even have “clubs” or ways to transfer chips to friends, which essentially creates a virtual home game. Others have highly competitive real-money games and tournaments that you can play for pennies.
Meanwhile social apps can introduce you to new concepts in poker that you haven’t experienced before. Like Club Games on Facebook, for example, and you can compete in daily leaderboards and win prizes for yourself and your friends. Or check out Big Win Poker, which lets you swipe left/right to fold, bet or raise. It’s a simple concept but very addictive and enjoyable.
Conclusion
Alabama isn’t exactly a hotbed of activity for poker enthusiasts, especially in the Birmingham area. Casinos offer your best bet for structured tournaments and the base for home games. But they aren’t plentiful and schedules aren’t guaranteed, considering the raid at Victoryland in 2019. Still we remain hopeful as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial & Museum poker game shows that people want to gamble and in Birmingham, that’s starting to include poker.
Bad Beat Jackpot Rules
Progressive bad beat jackpots are becoming increasingly popular in the US due to their ability to draw in players and generate huge payouts. They work by establishing a set of rules that trigger a bonus payout when a losing hand meets certain criteria, such as four of a kind or better. Here’s an example of what those rules might look like:
Poker Room
Game Type(s)
BB Jackpot Rules
Regions Field
Texas Hold'em
Easy Deposit Casinos in UK with Minimum Grievances (2023)Four of a kind with the same suit by both the winner and the loser. Losing hand receives greater of two hands.
VMG Racing
Texas Hold'em
As above.
Harlaws Saucy Freddy’s
Texas Hold'em
Four of a kind with the same suit by both the winner and the loser. Losing hand receives greater of two hands. Seeds at $5,000.
Player's Lounge at BCC
Texas Hold'em
Ways to Tell If an Online Casino Is Legit or a ScamFour of a kind with the same suit by both the winner and the loser. Losing hand receives greater of two hands. Seeds at $3,000.
The losing hand takes a large portion of their stack and gives it to the winners and sometimes all players at the table or in the room. The amount varies depending on the room, but it can be anywhere from 50% to the entire stack. The seed is usually a predetermined amount that the jackpot starts at if no one hits the bad beat. Players often have the option to opt-in or out of the jackpot for a set cost, usually $3-$5. The buy-in for the game is typically higher than average to accommodate the extra prize pool. The frequency of hitting a bad beat varies widely and depends on the games' pace and the room's success in building the jackpot.
Historic Moments in Birmingham Area Poker
Alabama isn’t traditionally seen as a poker powerhouse. Even when UB became a poker powerhouse in the early 2000s, most of the famous alumni like Daniel Negreanu moved to Vegas or elsewhere to further their careers. So finding big name wins or high roller tournaments is rare in The Heart of Dixie. But that doesn’t mean no one has achieved glory. Here are a few of the best moments in Birmingham poker history.
Hoyt Corkins Wins Third WSOP Bracelet (2013 LA Poker Classic)
When most people think of Hoyt Corkins, they picture a tough UFC fighter who got knocked out in his first fight. But the former professional pugilist has found a second career in poker and he now has three bracelets and over $1 million in earnings. His third bracelet came at the 2013 LA Poker Classic at the Bicycle Casino and Hotel. He topped a field of 655 players in the $1,500 Monster Stack event for $617,504. And he did it in his typical style - coming from behind with short stack wizardry. Corkins had as little as eight big blinds at one point but battled back and eventually faced off against Erick Lindgren for the gold bracelet. Corkins opened with the Q♦ Q♠ and ELiNy called with the A♣ J♥. The board ran out A♠ 8♥ 4♥ 5♣ 6♠ and Corkins lost the hand and the final heads-up adjustment. He actually lost another adjustment in this tournament (-150), when he fell one player short of the money. But he bounced back and proved once again that he’s one of the toughest competitors in poker today. Oh yeah, Corkins is from Birmingham and started his poker career at VictoryLand. So this was a special moment for one of Alabama’s favorite sons.
betfair casino promo code njTony Hartmann Wins Second WSOP Bracelet (2006 WSOP - Event #36 $1k Turbo NLHE)
Tony Hartman
is yet another member of Alabama’s Card Counters who has achieved great success on the poker felt. We’ve already mentioned his Card Counters stablemate Hoyt Corkins, who is from Hoover, Alabama (a Birmingham suburb). Then there’s Ashley Flowers, who graduated from Bob Jones High School in Madison, Alabama. And David “Doc” Sands, who grew up in Huntsville and played basketball with Charles Barkley. All of these players have won WSOP bracelets and Hartmann is no exception. He earned his first ring in 2004 by beating Dan Harwood heads-up in the $2,000 Pot-Limit Hold’em event. That was a huge accomplishment for an up-and-coming player like Hartmann - Harwood was one of the hottest players on the circuit at the time. Three years later, Hartmann was able to defeat another ace in Brian Wilson to win his second bracelet. This one was a little more low-stakes and didn’t take Quad Queens to get there. Instead Hartmann opened with A-4 and Wilson had K-3. The board ran Ace high and Hartmann locked up the victory. He earned $594,760 for the win and improved his lifetime live tournament earnings to $2,379,418 - over $1 million of which came from poker!
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Can you provide me with more information on the poker room at VMG Racing? Specifically, what are the minimum betting limits and the maximum number of players allowed at each table?
