When it comes to card games, there are very few as popular as poker. Although many people are intrigued by the game, not everyone's keen on playing for cash - especially at first. The good news is that there are several ways you can enjoy a hand or two (or more) of poker without putting any money on the line.
Here are some options to consider if you want to play poker without betting cash.
Casino Mobile vs. Bet365 Mobile – Find the Better App HerePlay Free No-Limit Texas Hold’em Online
The most obvious way to play poker without risking any actual currency is to play a free version of the game online.
Almost every online poker site in the world has a free version of No-Limit Texas Hold’em. Some sites even have free versions of other variants like Omaha, Stud, Razz, and HORSE. If you don’t have an account at an online poker site – and haven’t deposited in the past – you can usually set one up for free. Here are some tips for getting started in online poker.
Here are some pros and cons to playing free poker online to help you determine if it’s right for you.
Pros
- It’s totally free – You can play all you want with no financial commitment whatsoever.
- Lots of games – Even at the lowest stakes, live and brick-and-mortar casinos rarely offer more than one or two Texas Hold’em tables. Online, there are thousands of games running at every limit available 24/7.
- Fast – Online poker games are much faster than their live counterparts with less time between hands and fewer rules slowing down the action.
- Anonymous players – Most recreational players are much less experienced, and thus less intimidating, when they’re playing under an anonymous screen name rather than using their real name.
- Bonuses – Lots of online poker sites offer new players deposit bonuses, which give you added value for your play.
Cons
- Hard to tell who’s any good – While some fish (amateur players) may be easily spotted in a live casino, it’s tough to judge skill levels online because so many good players lose money online and beat up on novices.
- Can still be hard to follow – With several tables going on your computer at once and no physical layout, it can be difficult to keep track of which bets are whose.
- Less rewarding – There’s nothing quite like amassing a huge chip stack at a live table and no one online can match the thrill of crushing a bunch of real people in your line of sight. Default.
- Possibility of balance issues – Because you can only win money by buying in for money, it’s possible to win huge sums of money and have no way to pay them out immediately. This is far less of an issue at sites like PokerStars where you can reload your account instantly.
If you’ve never played cards on the Internet, check out our beginner's guide to online poker to get started. You could also look into using training sites to improve your online poker game.
Read more about free play options at your favorite card room with our list below:
Play Mobile Poker Apps for Free
If you prefer to take your poker with you everywhere you go, there are plenty of apps available for iOS and Android devices that let you play No-Limit Texas Hold’em for free.
Zynga recently resurrected its popular poker app, which competes against titles like Envoy, JackpotPoker and CardRunners Invitational. These apps use the freemium model, which means they are free to download and play but they try to sell you things. In this case Zynga tries to get you to buy chips and other perks to help you compete. That said, you can play hundreds of hands of poker without spending a penny. Just be wary of in-app purchases, as it can be really easy to drop $100 without realizing it.
If you’re ready to start playing, check out our list of the best poker apps for iPhone and Android.
Play "Money" Games
Almost every poker room at a brick-and-mortar casino offers “play money” games where you use specially designed chips with no monetary value.
These games tend to fly under the radar a little bit, as most recreational players who want to play in a casino do choose to gamble, but they can be a great option for beginners.
Play money games allow you to get comfortable with the flow of a poker game, shuffling chips and pushing them in the middle, without any pressure. Because these games aren’t generating any revenue for the casino, they really aren’t a priority so things like blinds and clock schedules can vary widely from place to place. Sometimes you might have to wait a long time for a play money game to break, while other times they’re plentiful.
If you’re looking to try a play money game I’d recommend asking your local casino if they offer them or giving them a call ahead of time to save yourself a trip.
Set Up a Fantasy Chip Currency
If you can’t find play money games in your area and you don’t want to play online, you can always create your own fake currency and play among friends.
Fantasy chips can be created using a simple word processing program, Microsoft Excel or another spreadsheet application. One potential downside to this method is that someone will probably try to be a cheat at some point so it’s best to only play with people you know and trust.
To make your own chips simply type out a design on a word processor then print them out. You can make as many or as few chips as you like and whatever denominations you prefer. Then just divide up the chips however you like and deal out some poker hands.
This method isn’t ideal for everybody but it’s certainly a better alternative to playing with real currency when you or someone you’re with feels uncomfortable gambling. It can also be kind of fun to design your own custom chips!
Best Caesars Casino Slots You Can Play OnlineUse Gifting Cards or Loyalty Points
Instead of using cash to play poker you could always use gifting cards or loyalty points to fund your play.
Gift cards for places like iTunes, Best Buy and Amazon can be used to purchase just about anything poker related. From high quality streaming video of low stake online poker to poker books and DVDs, there are tons of resources available online for aspiring poker players.
Alternatively you could use loyalty points earned through credit card rewards programs or frequent flier miles to cover the cost of a poker vacation. Staying at a fancy hotel and playing in a fancy casino is definitely a step up from playing on your kitchen table but it doesn’t have to break the bank if you use loyalty points wisely.
Even taking a cheap vacation to a legal poker destination like Tunica or the Oxford of Mississippi can be a great bonding experience with friends and family members, regardless of whether or not you turn a profit at the poker table.
Play Poker with a Bankroll Challenge
If you’re looking to up the stakes a little bit and actually hit the felt why not put a small bankroll together and see how long you can last in a live game?
Ask some friends or family members to each put $20 into a pot and the person who can turn that $20 into a profit of at least $10 can win a prize or have their entry fee refunded.
Obviously you don’t want to set the challenge up in a way that makes it too easy or too hard but the goal should be to have fun and maybe introduce a few new people to a great game rather than declare a winner and call it a day.
No matter what challenges you set for yourself or others participating in a bankroll challenge it’s a good idea to establish a clear set of rules before anyone puts their money down.
Play Poker with a Set Cash Amount
If you’re not comfortable playing with made up money or even real money with a challenge you could always sit down at a cash game and vow to only spend a certain amount of money, no matter what.
online casino games guideThis is a great strategy for people who want to get some experience playing live poker for the first time but aren’t interested in losing huge sums of money online.
While it can be tempting to chase your losses it’s important to remember that you’re playing for fun and stick to your predetermined budget. After all nobody wants to go into debt chasing the dream of winning money in their first live poker game.
Play Poker with a Point System
For people who want to play a living, breathing game of poker without worrying about the specifics of hand rankings a point system can be a great option.
One player could be dealer for the “hand” and pass out points based on the following system:
- Winning = 3 points
- Losing = 1 point
- Draw = 2 points
You could also add bonus points for particular feat, such as:
- 5 people left = 1 point each player
- Win with worse hand = 2 points
- Make other player go broke = 3 points
Again the exact details of the point system aren’t all that important but the game does a good job of keeping score without requiring a strong understanding of hand rankings and complex betting schemes.
Play Poker with a Highest Score Game
Rather than keeping score by declaring winners and losers you could also assign values to different outcomes and tally up totals after each hand.
For example winning a hand could be worth two points while losing is worth one point but players could also earn bonus points for particular accomplishments, like:
- Win three in a row = 5 points
- Get a straight flush = 10 points
- Make someone go broke = 15 points
Because every hand is potentially worth double digits it adds an exciting element of competition that has nothing to do with actual poker skill.
In fact having a high score only increases the pressure to make bold plays and run big bluffs, which can be both fun and educational for players still learning the game.
Play Poker with a Bust Out Structure
If you really want to feel what it’s like to play high stake poker without putting real money on the line you could always try playing a short handed cash game with a turbo bust out structure.
FanDuel Casino Exclusive Slots We Wish Were Available in NJEight out to six player tables run frequently at almost every casino in the world and five minute levels paired with an eight big blind ante means hands will whiz by at breakneck speed.
It won’t take long for someone to hit the rail and the heat of busting or getting busted can definitely get your heart racing, regardless of whether there’s cash on the line or not.
Just be careful not to get too wrapped up in the excitement and make a rash decision you’ll regret later.
Play Poker with a Charity Event
Depending on where you live you may be able to find charity poker tournaments in your area.
These events raise money for various charities by charging an entrance fee that usually includes a meal and X number of tournament chips. Every participant gets the same amount of chips to start and blinds increase over time to force players to make tough decisions or buy more chips.
When one or two players remain they face off in a heads up match for a substantial top prize while the rest of the participants go home with a share of the remaining chips.
Charity poker events are a great opportunity to sharpen your poker skills while supporting a worthwhile cause. Not everybody can win the prize but everyone walks away a little bit better at poker than they were before.
Play Poker with a Mystery Bounty
If you have a large group of people who want to play poker without risking too much money you could always post a mystery bounty on each player’s head at the beginning of the game.
Best Online Casinos in Pennsylvania for 2023Everybody puts up the same amount of money but instead of using it to buy into a game it’s set aside as a bounty.
Anybody can go after any player at any time by paying a specified amount to the pot. Whoever collects the most bounties by the end of the game wins the overall prize.
This structure turns otherwise innocent family members, coworkers and friends into ruthless bounty hunters eager to knock each other out of the game and collect valuable scalps.
Although it can seem cutthroat at times the mystery bounty format is actually a lot of fun and a great way to bring some excitement to any casual poker game.
Check out our full guide on hosting a successful poker home game for more helpful tips on getting a game running smoothly.
Play Poker with a Pot Limit
If you really want to play a live poker game without breaking the bank considering implementing a pot limit.
Unlike typical No-Limit games where anybody can shove at any time for all of their money pot limit games limit bets and raises to the total amount in the pot at the time. That means the maximum bet in an empty pot is just the big blind while a pot limit game with seven players and a flop of Q♥ T♠ 8♣ would have $90 in the pot, meaning a player could bet the full pot of $90.
Pot limit games are considerably less wild than their No-Limit brethren as players simply can’t shove at any time for all of their money. Instead strategies focus heavily on proper sizing, pot control and hand selection. Because players can only bet what’s in the pot at any time it also makes bluffs significantly harder.
Caesars Casino PA Free Spins Welcome Offer - An Honest ReviewWhile some players might find pot limit games a bit dull compared to the nonstop action of No-Limit that’s part of what makes them a great choice for beginners or players on a budget. Check out our guide to to get a better idea of what you’re in for.
Play Poker with a Max Buy-in
If setting a pot limit seems like too drastic a change for your regular game you could always implement a max buy-in amount that all players must agree to at the beginning of the night.
For example instead of allowing players to buy in for $100, $500 or $1,000 like you might find in a cash game section at the casino you could cap the max buy-in at $20 or $40 and make players pick a level that’s comfortable for them.
Capping buy-ins has a couple of useful effects on your average home game. Firstly it makes things significantly less volatile since there won’t be one or two players at the table who can afford to shove over the top of everything. Secondly it makes things more fair and inclusive, allowing players of all backgrounds and income levels to compete on equal footing.
Finally capping buy-ins helps minimize the likelihood of somebody going broke and chasing their losses in the hole, which can put undue strain on a friendly home game.
Play Strip Poker (With Limits)
Honestly strip poker is pretty terrible way to learn poker and we don’t recommend it for true beginners. That said if you’re an intermediate or advanced player who is just looking for a fun way to kill some time with some attractive partners then read on.
Like cash games strip poker can be played with virtually any rules as long as both parties are comfortable with the setup. That being said it’s a good idea to establish some firm boundaries ahead of time and maybe even a method for determining what actions warrant clothing removal.
Common methods of determining the winner of a strip poker hand include:
Online Slots Ranked From Best "Spin?" to Worst “Meh”- High card wins – The player dealing starts each hand and attempts to beat his or her opponent. If he or she wins then the loser takes off an article of clothing.
- Lowball wins – Similar to high card but the winner is the player with the lowest ranked hand.
- Bluffing game – A strip poker game in which bluffing is critical to success. Popular variations include Never Have I Ever and Truth or Dare.
There are a lot of factors that go into picking the right strip poker variation so it’s a good idea to talk to your partner about what they’re comfortable with before getting naked and playing cards.
Play Poker While Drinking (Responsibly)
Drinking and poker are like peanut butter and jelly, irrespective of whether or not you’re playing for cash.
While having a beer or a cocktail while you play can certainly loosen you up and help you make some daring plays it’s important to drink responsibly. Getting wasted at the poker table might seem like a good idea at the time but it can lead to bad decisions both at the table and behind the wheel on the drive home.
For these reasons we suggest drinking responsibly and perhaps setting some sort of limit for yourself. One beer every hour or two hours or alternating each alcoholic beverage with a glass of water are good ways to stay lubricated without becoming a liability at the table.
If you’re feeling particularly festive you could always spice things up by making some boozy poker drinks to celebrate big pots or special moments at the table. Just be sure to have some non-alcoholic alternatives on hand for the designated driver or anyone else who doesn’t want to get sloshed.
Play Poker for Drinks or Food
If cold hard cash makes you uncomfortable why not play for something a little less tangible yet infinitely more immediate; drinks and food.
At most poker games chips are just a representation of money anyway so it’s not a huge leap to say that one set of chips represents one drink or one plate of food. It can be a good way to get people who might not want to gamble with cash involved in the action.
Of course someone has to be responsible for keeping track of who owes what and making sure everybody gets what they earned at the end of the night but if everyone pitches in for a communal meal or round of drinks it can be a fun way to spice up a standard poker night.
What Will You Gamble On?
As you can see from the above options there are lots of different ways to play poker without putting actual currency on the line. Whether you prefer traditional poker with fake money, some light gambling or even getting naked there’s likely a good option for you.
Do you have any suggestions for playing poker without money? Let us know in the comments below!
