Most popular poker sites in 2023

Which are the most popular online poker sites?  

The short answer is that it depends on what you mean by "popular." If you're talking about the number of players, it's going to be . If you're talking about the total amount of money gambled, it will also likely be Ignition. If you're talking about brand awareness or crossover appeal, it might be partypoker or even the . 

For purposes here, we'll be looking at a combination of factors including player traffic, public profile, cultural significance, strength of brand, crossover appeal and public perception, reach of marketing efforts and other less quantifiable metrics to rank the most popular online poker sites currently operating.

Most Popular Online Poker Sites

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Why Are These the Most Popular Online Poker Sites?

What do all these sites have in common? For one, they are all highly reputable poker operators with strong brands and long track records of integrity and fairness. They also offer high-integrity gaming software which has been certified as truly random by independent testing agencies.

Another thing they share in common is a high volume of real cash games and with thousands of active players online around the clock there’s always a good game available no matter your skill level or preferred variant. Plus lots of big tournaments to play every day too.

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All these sites have also made significant commitments to security, using state-of-the-art encryption and other measures to protect their customers’ personal information and financial transactions from prying eyes and electronic thieves.

Finally, these top poker sites online feature some of the biggest and best bonus offers, VIP rewards programs, satellite tournament qualifiers and special promotions available anywhere in the online poker universe.

Ignition Poker

American players: Check out

is simply in a class of its own when it comes to popularity with US poker players. In fact it is by far the most popular US-friendly online poker site and arguably one of the world’s most popular sites overall. Part of the PaiWangLuo Poker Network (which also includes Bodog), Ignition attracts thousands of players to its tables 24/7 from micro through high-stakes levels in a wide range of and variants.

That makes it easy to find soft games and beat the cash games or tournaments – but it also makes it difficult because the fishy ones are the ones who can really put a hurting on your bankroll.

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One reason for its success is its innovative "Everyone's a Winner" , which guarantees each player a cash prize in most tournaments – even the real money beginners' snapplers. This has attracted a lot of newbies and recreational players to the site while driving more serious grinders a little batty with frustration.

Ignition also gets points for fast withdrawals (usually approved inside-to 24 hours) and a great selection of side games like blackjack and roulette. The only drawback is that HUDs (heads-up displays) are not permitted which levels the playing field somewhat but doesn’t help those of us who like to use them as a training aid.

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Pros:

• Thousands of real-money players online 24/7
• Offers both Texas Hold’em and PLO
• Innovative donkaments with guaranteed prizes for all
• Great selection of side games
• Fast payouts within 24 hours
• No HUDs allowed
• Coins instead of dollars for currency

Cons:

• No HUDs allowed
• Coins instead of dollars for currency
• No IPAI or table trickle
• Relatively low number of SHB tourneys

partypoker

Players outside the USA: visit partypoker

partypoker was once the world’s biggest online poker site and still enjoys plenty of name recognition thanks to its wild and crazy early advertising campaigns. While it no longer ranks among the top five international sites for real-money players it continues to enjoy solid growth under new management and is again one of the most innovative operators in the business.

For instance partypoker was the first operator to introduce RakeBack through its loyalty program Palladium, the first to offer instant registration for tournaments and sit & go’s, and the first to develop a table and hand-strength animation system that allows viewers to watch and chat online without interfering with play. It was also the first operator to offer live streams of televised events like the ongoing Dare to Define Greatness Tour.

A big part of its recent growth has come from its popular Twitch Open’s sponsored by ambassadors Jason Koon, Sam Trickett, Ike Hext, Kristen Bicknell, Fedor Holz and Anthony Spinella. Those free buy-in tournaments generate huge fields and have helped revitalize the site’s poker offerings.

Powered by its own proprietary software, partypoker does offer poker only in a downloadable format for PC users although there is a web-based lobby now being rolled out. Mobile play is supported via an app for Android and iOS devices.

Pros:

• Name recognition and Brand awareness.
• Strong management team and tech crew.
• Innovations like RakeBack, Instant Registration.
• Solid selection of Hold’em and Omaha cash games and tournaments.
• Deepest available late reg period (3 days).
• Low rake (1-3.5%) and decent rakeback.
• Good deposit bonuses (100% up to $500) and VIP rewards.
• 40,000-60,000 peak players.

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Cons:

• Not currently available for US players.
• Poor convergence between ring and tournament strategy.
• Inferior hand-replay functionality compared to competitors.

888Poker

Players worldwide: visit 888poker

has become one of the most popular poker sites in Europe and is quickly gaining ground in other parts of the world thanks to its quick-loading software, innovative features and effective bonus offers.

The poker client recently got a significant facelift that improved the visual appearance of the lobby and the playing surface while making navigation easier and more intuitive. There are also dedicated tabs for convenience, allowing one-click access to the cash games, SNG’s and tournaments you want to play plus a search function so you can find specific games or opponents.

888poker also developed the patent-pending software innovation called Snap Poker that lets you fold your cards and instantly get dealt into a new hand and table without waiting for a hand to play itself out. That means you can play twice or three times as many hands per hour and never waste time on draws to no-hopers or slow players. You can also multi-table to an extreme degree without missing the action.

888poker also supports swapping hole cards with another player before the flop for a small fee – a useful tool in certain situations.

Likewise the daily tournament schedule is quite robust with guaranteed prize pools ranging up to $100,000. Add in occasional series like the XL Inferno with $5 million in guarantees and the relatively cheap entries for live tournament satellites and it’s easy to see why 888 is growing in popularity.

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Pros:

• Available in more countries than any competitor.
• Modern, user-friendly software.
• Innovations like Snap Poker and Hole Card Swaps.
• Solid selection of Hold’em and Omaha cash games, SNG’S and MTT’s.
• Guaranteed tournament prizes as high as $100K.
• Four maximum tables per game allows some pros to bleed out.
• Moderate rake (2.5-5%) and okay VIP rewards.
• Good deposit bonus (100% up to $200).
• 1,000-2,500 average players; 2.5k-5,000 during peaks.
• Good conversion rates for recs from casino and sportsbook.

Cons:

• Soft on standard and time outs.
• Some odd decisions on account closures.
• Limited stakes for some games and formats.
• No RakeBack or RakeBet-like options.

GGPoker

American players: Check out GGPoker

GGPoker has exploded onto the scene over the last few years to become one of world’s most popular online card rooms and the fastest-growing poker brand. It accomplished this lofty goal by offering an extensive line-up of tournaments and with some of the juiciest fish this side of Bodo.

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There are tens of millions of Chinese players on the network and many of them play rather creatively. GGPoker also offers some unique features that aren’t found elsewhere, including:

ALL-IN MOTION: When a player goes all-in, you’ll see a real-time animation of the chips moving into the pot. GENIUS HAND NORME: Automatically turns every hand into a teaching opportunity by showing you the correct play. TABLE SIDE BETTING: Players can bet on a shared Side Pot throughout the hand for a chance to win extra when the hand is over. SNAP PLAYERS: With thousands of players online from Asia and around the world, you’ll never have to wait long for a SNG or cash game – but some of them will click fold so fast your screen won’t even register it properly. UNLIMITED CONCEDED FOLDS: Quit on any street of any hand at any time. POPUP NOTE TO PLAYERS: While we love the popups that appear to celebrate a win or a beat-down (very amusing), we strongly recommend disabling all the others because they are very distracting. POOR COLOR CONTRAST: The grey felt and green chip tray make it hard to distinguish between chips at times. BAD BEAT JACKPOT: The ultimate bad beat story happens sometimes on GGPoker – only to happen to someone else. You’re welcome. GGPoker doesn’t allow third-party software like hole card display (HUD) programs or trackers of any kind so it’s harder to use the site as a training tool but there are so many bad players there there are still ways to make a profit.

It also supports tableselection and has a cool “Choose Your Stake” feature that let’s you pick your ideal effective stack for each session.

On the downside, the lack of IP-address restrictions means players are not bound by geographic limitations and can sit in from anywhere in the world at any hour. This contributes to the loose action you’ll find at GGPoker but it also makes it tougher to get a seat when a major-powered series like the crolucky Series runs.

Also, unlike almost every other major poker site GGPoker does not offer direct bank transfers and only offers withdrawals by crypto or processed through third-party e-wallets or credit cards.

Pros:

• Runner-up in EGR Poker Operator of the Year 2020
• All New Game Variations Including SpinNGo, FlipNGo, WindNGo
• Innovative features like Snap Cameras, Smart AI Bots and Genius HUD Norms
• Easy to beat SNG’s and cash games 24/7
• One of the few places where Americans can play iPoker
• Cool “choose your stake” feature
• Lots of tournaments including daily tickets worth up to $100,000 and leaderboards
• Bad Beat Jackpot
• Runs occasional Series with huge guarantees
• Excellent mobile software for both Android and iPhone
• Soft competition from hundreds of thousands of Asian players
• Up to $600 bonus, frequent promos, SnapCam chats w/pros, VIP support

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Cons:

No ban on HUDs or tracking websites.

Limited withdrawal options (only crypto, Skrill, credit cards or other money transfer services)

No loyalty sum or racbek

Can’t search or filter for specific players or hands.

William Hill Poker

UK and Ireland players: visit William Hill Picker players: visit William Hill

William Hill Poker has gone through something of a renaissance since switching from the troubled iPoker Network to the booming , which is owned by the same parent company (EasyUSF).

Traffic is actually down slightly from William Hill’s peak Playtech days on IPN but the overall level of play on the mostly-European player pool is much lower these days so it’s easier to make money unless you’re a complete moron, too.

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The main downside to the move to CH is that the software isn’t nearly as functional or customizable as the old IPN software developed by WagerLogic. Indeed, the standard Playtech interface feels clunky by today’s standards and lacks many of the bells and whistles offered by rivals.

In addition, the multi-tabling capabilities are limited and some players have reported problems with the virtual card border occasionally obscuring hole cards or the board texture making it hard to read the cards.

Still, the games are soft and plentiful at the lower limits with lots of European and UK players looking for quick action at any hour. And William Hill remains a trusted and well-respected brand in Europe so it benefits from excellent brand awareness and crossover appeal.

Unlike most online poker sites William Hill is licensed in the UK and operates according to strict UK and EU gaming laws. That means deposits and withdrawals are safe and secure and processed promptly. It also means there are numerous convenient payment options for UK and Irish players, including PayPal.

Pros:

• Renowned brand awareness from land-based casinos.
• Soft European player pool (renowned in a good way).
• Several marquee live tournament sponsorships.
• Full range of cash games and tournaments in Hold’em and Omaha pidlum.
• Daily guaranteed tournaments.
• Fast six-max and standard 9/10-max PLO games with decent volume.
• 400 IMarticle rakeback through Player Club.
• Occasional freerolls for new players and bonus hunters.
• Average of 1,500-2,500 played during peak hours; 3,000+ in spikes.
• Licensed in the UK for safer gaming and convenient payouts.
• PayPal accepted for deposits/withdrawals.

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Cons:

• Software not as functional or stylish as rival clients.
• Multi-tabling cumbersome due to large table space requirements.
• Virtual card borders often cover hole cards or obstruct board.
• Green table theme hard on the eyes; no customization.
• No HUDs allowed and no loyalty sum or racbek.
• Support staff not particularly helpful or knowledgeable.
• Traffic down slightly from iPoker days but still sufficient.

PokerStars

Most players are excluded: Play on PokerStars via natural_stacks (US Players may be able to access PokerStars via PokerStars PA or BSIP)

Nothing more needs to be said about that hasn’t already. But to summarize briefly: PokerStars is the most popular online poker site in the world if you combine all its various country-specific networks into one mega-network. It does have national or region-specific versions operating under slight variations of the main brand name, however:

• PokerStars: Covers Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, Portugal, Spain and some other smaller nations.
• PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA): Open to players from around the world but dominated by players from the Netherlands, Belgium and Scandinavia.
• PokerStars Italy: Self explanatory.
• PokerStars France: Open only to residents of France.
• PokerStars Latin America: Argentineans, Brazilians and players from other Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking nations.
• PokerStars NJ: New Jersey residents and visitors.
• PokerStars PA: Pennsylvania residents and visitors.
• PokerStars EU: Players from most European Union countries.
• PokerStars Asia Pacific: Australians and Japanese.

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Each of those networks features similar tournaments and cash-game offerings though the European and Latin American networks have the most players and the juiciest games. Unfortunately, due to the passage of the unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in 2006 Americans are no longer permitted to play on PokerStars.com.

Instead, some American players can access the .NJ or .PA sites while others must travel to a nearby province to play on the Canadian site. The good news is PokerStars is working closely with legislators and regulators to secure licences in other states and provinces so hopefully the situation will improve for American players in the near future.

Meanwhile the games continue apace on the international network with thousands of real-cash players at all hours on a wide variety of and games.

As usual PokerStars was the driver of many major innovations in poker software including , adjustable backgrounds, player notes, multiple currencies, multipal table play, custom avatars, , auto-top-up and many others. Third-party software developers are also permitted to produce seating scripts, waiting list scripts, table selection scripts and HUD programs to display statistical data on opponents.

Stars also offers one of the most comprehensive and lucrative bonus programs in the industry with $500 bonus for new players, frequent reload bonuses, Steps SNG’s, Spin & Go’s, various Challenge paths, Chests full of spoils and the wildly popular (formerly Frequent Player Points). Redspapers receive VIP support and tons of benefits just for continuing to play at Stars.

Pros:

• Best overall software for both Mac and PC platforms.
• Wide variety of innovative features like Multitble, Beast, Home Games, Casual Games.
• Substantial, loyal player base ensures lots of action.
• Full range of cash games in Hold’em, Omaha, Stud, Draw, Badugi and more.
• Large field live and online satellites, massive weekly MTT’s ($1M+ guaranteed).
• Biggest online tournaments series in the world: WCOOP, SCOOP, Tennis Nation, MEGA STACKS.
• Table selection, SNG cycles, HUD programs, many poker strategy tools.
• 25c to $250+/$1k stakes for mixed cash games.
• 3MPPs (Maximum Preferred Rakeback) of 40%-50% for big-volume players.
• 2-5 seconds average timeout periods keep the action coming.
• Generates millions in annual revenue for good-quality, fast payouts.

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Cons:

• Reputation as a nanny state with some players feeling hand history reviews are too limited and timeouts too frequent and long.
• No loyalty sum or racbek – switched entirely to Volumn and SRPs.
• Despite numerous tables available, waiting lists can be slow.
• Chat boxes often freeze during major events.
• Sometimes sluggish customer service and support personnel.
• High rake in most cases (up to 10.5%) offset by high volume.

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Players in New Jersey/Pennsylvania: Visit PokerStars

If you live in New Jersey or Pennsylvania you can now enjoy the thrill of playing on the world’s premier online poker site without fear of prosecution. PokerStars obtained its first American license in November, 2015 and soft-launched its NJ online poker site a month later.

It then went live in Pennsylvania in November, 2019. Both sites feature the same great software and poker lines previously only available to players outside the US – including , fast-fold zone PLO games, mixed games, Jackpot Sit & Go’s and the biggest online tournament series in the world (NJCOOP/SCOOP).

The player pool is currently quite small, however, with only a few hundred logged on at peak times. Still, it’s growing slowly but surely and the games are generally quite soft.

The big disadvantage for low-stakes players is the high rake at PokerStars, which ranges from 5.5-10.3% depending on the game and stakes. There’s no loyalty program or rakeback aside from the occasional VIP promotions and the effective rake is even higher when factoring in the jackpot sit & go’s that seem prevalent on the site.

But the few bucks more you pay in rake at Stars buys you entry to the highest production value site on the Internet with the least glitches, bugs or lag time. There are also occasional series with guarantees as high as $100K and the legendary NJCOOP/SCOOP tournaments in the spring offer millions in total guarantees.

Deposits and withdrawals are safe and sound thanks to regulation by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. Security is also top-notch with SSL encryption certifies by IOGTENNY STATE DID YOU KNOW? THAT IOGTENNY IS ACTUALLY A STATE?!? Secured by Keystone Cops.

Pros:

• International quality cash games and tournaments in US.
• Zoom Poker, Jackpot SNG’s, mix games, daily/weekly assests.
• Major NJCOOP/SCOOP series with $2M+ guarantees in NJ.
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• VIP promotions with cash and tickets to live tourney.
• Satellites to major live events EPT, PCA, SAM, ATT, EPT Barcelona, Sochi.
• Safe and secure deposits/withdrawals with DGE/PGCB oversight.
• Top-notch software with few glitches or downtime and knowledgeable support.
• Developed by global leader in responsible gaming and innovation.
• Certain to grow along with legal online poker in the U.S.

Cons:

• Only allows one active table per game in other sites and your own.
• Small player pool means long waits for some games or stakes.
• No HUDs allowed and no loyalty sum or racbek.
• Very high effective rake of up to 15% with jackpot Sit & Go’s.
• No cross-site transfer of funds or player accounts.

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