With more than 400 casino gaming venues spread across 19 states, it's fair to say that there is no shortage of places to play cards in this life. Yet when it comes to live poker, not all casinos are made equal. Some have a single felt table tucked away in the corner and others possess multiple rooms filled with games that ripple through the economy like stones in a pond.
Moreover, the best live poker rooms in America aren't always located inside the biggest casinos. For all the hype poured on Vegas and Atlantic City, the former hasn't even made our top 10 and the latter doesn't feature at all. Instead, the US poker hotspots can be found in unexpected areas such as the Midwest, the Northeast and even California - if you know where to look.
real money no deposit casinos usaFrom coast to coast, here are the top ten card rooms in the United States:
1. Bellagio Poker Room, Las Vegas
Caesars Palace may be the home of OPOR, the most iconic poker TV show of all-time, but it’s MGM Grand’s stablemate Bellagio that rules the roost when it comes to real-life Vegas poker action. Boasting two large rooms packed full of tables offering , , and , this casino will always be regarded as the spiritual home of high stakes poker in America.
As well as playing host to the famous WPT Five Diamond each desert season, the Bellagio poker room has welcomed the likes of Phil Hellmuth, Erik Seidel, John Juanda and Phil Ivey to its floors. Indeed, on any given day you can watch the best in the world battle for blood in a variety of cash games and tournaments.
Although the Bella isn’t as tidy as it used to be in terms of who you can see sweating in high stakes pots (we miss your cats, Hac), it remains the go-to place for both professional and recreational players alike. In other words, even if you’re not a millionaire you can at least live vicariously through their exploits as you sit sipping a drink alongside the poker room and gaze out at the famous fountains.
Address: 3600 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Phone: +1 702-693-7111
Online Site: www.caesars.com
2. Commerce Casino Poker Room, Los Angeles
Spread over three large rooms and boasting 200 tables, the Commerce Casino Poker Room in LA is one of the largest card rooms in the United States and easily the best close to the city. Specializing in cash games, this establishment attracts everyone from Hollywood A-listers to local blue collar workers looking to make some extra cash.
Indeed, commerce has cultivated a unique reputation within the industry by being a place where fish can climb up the stakes and, provided they have a bankroll, essentially set themselves up for life. Of course the sharks are there to help them on their way yet, unlike Vegas, these predators don’t flood the tables and create an impossible environment for novices.
This fact alone makes commerce #2 in our book and, although we’ve yet to visit, user reviews also suggest it’s friendly environment and strong loyalty program make it the top poker room in California.
Address: 6131 Telegraph Rd, Commerce, CA 90040
Phone: +1 323-721-2100
Online Site: www.commercecasino.com
3. Rio All-Suite Hotel Poker Room, Las Vegas
If you want to play poker in Las Vegas but and the Bellagio are a little too rich for your blood then the Rio is the perfect alternative. Home of the World Series of Poker, this boldly decorated hotel plays host to the annual poker extravaganza every summer and features 20 poker tables for your enjoyment during all other times of the year.
Although we can’t verify this statement, the Rio would be our pick for best themed poker room in America. As you walk off the Strip and onto the 6th floor you’ll instantly notice the multi-colored roof and, as your eyes adjust, a plethora of glass-enclosed feature tables come into view.
Sitting underneath a large model of the Gary Payton rookie card, complete with neon glow, is surely the coolest place to knock people out in a tournament or clean up at a cash game in Sin City.
Address: 3700 W Flamingo Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89103
Phone: +1 702-777-7770
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4. The Venetian/Palazzo Poker Room, Las Vegas
Connected to the sleek lines of the Palazzo, but located in the Venetian, this 6,000 square foot poker paradise is run by Sheldon Adelson’s empire and operates on the alluring motto: “Where the dealers speak Italian.” Jokes aside, this poker room offers tournaments and cash games around the clock plus all the latest promotions and games you’d expect from a big name Vegas establishment.
In addition to standard fare, the Venetian hosts the Deepstack Championship Poker Series and the World Poker Tour. What really sets this poker room apart from the rest in Vegas, however, is its design and seating arrangement.
Instead of having dozens of small tables crammed together this casino has four large pods containing plush chairs and tables that give players more room to breathe. When you add comfortable seating, attentive dealers and easy access to the finest restaurants and shops in the city into the equation, there’s no doubt this joint is one of the best live poker rooms in Las Vegas.
Address: 3355 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Phone: +1 702-414-1000
Online Site: www.venetian.com
5. Hustler Casino, Los Angeles
What happens when you take $10 million in investments, $5 million in personal funds from Larry Flynt and 18 months to build; you get the fantastic Hustler Casino. Located in the city of Gardena, just south of LA, this establishment opened its doors in December 2020 and immediately became the best casino in California.
Boasting 55 poker tables, food and drinks service at the table and a line-up of events featuring the likes of Daniel Negreanu and Phil Hellmuth, Hustler has fast become the top card room in the Golden State. In fact it’s so popular the waiting list to get a cash game has its own waiting list!
Although things can get rowdy when the Lakers win and the dealer wishborne20 on the river, Hustler Casino is the first legitimate alternative to the maligned and now defunct , and the slightly less legendary Commerce Cardroom.
Address: 10000 South La Cienega Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90035
Phone: N/A
Online Site: https://www.hustlercasino.com/
6. Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, Reno
Despite being the 9th largest city in Nevada Reno will always be known as the Biggest Little City in the World and, until Vegas became the gaming capital of America at least, the biggest place to play poker in the region. Although the Strip has stolen some of Reno’s shine it still punches above its weight and the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa is the perfect example of why.
Featuring non-stop , daily tourneys, cash games and a stellar loyalty scheme, this poker room is the pride of Reno and a great place to hit the felt in the Silver State. In addition, Atlantis Casino Resort Spa hosts the World Series of Poker Circuit each year and, back in 2005, was the venue for the final table of the .
Address: 3800 South Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89502
Phone: +1 775-825-4700
Online Site: www.atlantiscasino.com
2023's Best Borgata Casino App & Desktop Site Reviews7. The Bike Poker Room, Los Angeles
Popularly known as simply “The Bike,” this card room is the birthplace of and the only place in the world where this particular variant can be played live. Naturally, because it was invented by “Upgrade” Phil Hellmuth, bad beat jackpot is in operation and, since its inception in March 2006, more than $200 million worth of side pot prizes have been handed out.
That’s a lot of free money and, undoubtedly, the reason why The Bike sees 3,500 -to-4,000 players per day making it one of the busiest card rooms in America. There are currently 50 tables offering No-Limit Hold’em, Pot-Limit Omaha and Bad Beat Jackpot games which run cash pots anywhere from $100,000 to $300,000.
Although the waiting lists can be long and the “Bike’r Me” catchphrase can grate after a while, there’s no doubting The Bike deserves its place among the best live poker rooms in the United States.
Address: 4319 East Yale Lot B, Los Angeles, CA 90065
Phone: +1 323-783-6453
Online Site: thebike.com
8. Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, Mississippi
Although Mississippi hasn’t enjoyed the same level success as its neighbor, we had to include a Gulf Coast state in our rankings and Beau Rivage just about shades Biloxi’s other two major resorts - IP Casino Resort Spa and Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
Located on 620-feet (190 m) of picturesque Gulf of Mexico beachfront, this resort features 850 guest rooms and a huge 7,000 square-foot poker area with 45 tables. Moreover, the MGM National Harbour is where you can find some of the best games in the region including and runs daily from noon until 6am.
Beau Rivage also welcomes the best MS poker players to its floors. During the , garvard_23 and DoylesRoom pro Scott Baumstein locked horns in a grueling heads-up battle for the title and $115,825 top prize. In the end it was hometown hero garvard_23 who emerged victorious and secured one of the most prestigious titles in regional poker.
Address: 875 Beach Blvd, Biloxi, MS 39530
Phone: +1 888-567-6667
Online Site: www.beaurivage.com
9. Seneca Niagra Casino, New York
There’s a clear pecking order when it comes to live poker in New York, with Resorts World Catskills the standout venue in the region. However, if you’re prepared to cross the border into Canada you can find one of the best card rooms in America hidden inside the Seneca Niagra Casino & Hotel.
Complete with stunning views of Niagra Falls, this casino features eight tables offering , , Stud and Draw games plus a selection of daily and weekly tournaments. Of course it’s not going to challenge the Bellagio for pure volume but, for a small town in the middle of nowhere, it’s the perfect place to get a game.
And, if you need some extra incentive, the $40 million dollar expansion project should be completed sometime in T2021. Entitled “New Horizons” this endeavor will increase the gaming floor to 105,000sq ft - that’s 30,00sq ft larger than the current floor.
Address: 5668 Fallview Rd, Niagra-Falls, ON L2E 6X7, Canadá
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Online Site: www.senecaniagra.com
10. Riverwalk Casino & Hotel, Pennsylvania
We close our rankings with the Riverwalk Casino & Hotel - Frenchtown’s finest and the best place to play cards in the Keystone State. Why? Well, Pennsylvania is going through a transition period regarding iGaming and, although temporary restrictions prevent local players joining international poker sites such as , brick and mortar establishments are exempt from the gaming purge.
In other words, if you live in the Commonwealth State right now you can either play cash games and tournaments at the Riverwalk Casino & Hotel or pack your bags and head to New Jersey or Delaware. And, when you consider the Delaware is nearly two hours drive and New Jersey is three hours journey, the former coal town of Frenchtown is a bit if a poker oasis.
In addition to having cash games and events almost every night of the week, Riverwalk Casino & Hotel also offers Pennsyvaniaia's only and monthly championship for a healthy $10,500 guarantee. Is it the best live poker room in PA? Absolutely. Does it deserve to be ranked in the top 10? Probably not, but needs to grow as a state before we can fairly judge its poker venues.
Address: 260 First St, Frenchtown, NJ 08825
Phone: +1 908-995-0000
Online Site: www.riverwalkcasinoandhotel.com
Other Noteworthy Mention Live Poker Rooms in USA
Of course, our top 10 list is subjective. Everyone has a different criteria when it comes ranking the best US live poker rooms and some readers may be shocked we haven’t included their favorite card rooms. Therefore, for completeness sake, we’re going to cover some honorable mentions that just missed the cut.
Harrah’s Council Bluffs
Although we’ve chosen Riverwalk Casino & Hotel as the best place to play poker in Pennsylvania, it wouldn’t surprise us if Harrah’s Council Bluffs, Horseshoe Council Bluffs Casino & Hotel and Caesars Council Bluffs start dominating the market in the near future. Why? Because in 2020 these three Midwestern establishments merged to form one enormous gaming entity with 75,000sq ft of combined gaming space.
In simple terms, this mega complex gives locals three opportunities to get a game and, therefore, could rival the volumes posted in some of the smaller rooms listed above. At the minute HCCB&C running the majority of events, with $20k Wednesday’s being the highlight of the schedule, but that could change at any point in the future.
Types of Casino Rewards Programs - Which Ones are Best?Address: 777 Casino Drive, Council Bluffs, IA 51501
Phone: +1 712-366-7777
Online Site: www.horseshoecouncilbluffscasino.com
The Star Gold Coast
You may be surprised to see a Australian venue nestled between the best US live poker rooms, but The Star Gold Coast is 40% owned by the Allegiant Gaming LLC - a business headed up by ex-MGM Resorts chief executive, . In other words, the Star will eventually become a American casino and, therefore, it seems fair to give the former MR Coral a shout out.
So, what’s so special about this Aussie poker room? Well, The Star Gold Coast has 100 felt tables offering No-Limit Hold’em and , plus it’s home to the annual $5,000,000 Guaranteed Championship event. Indeed, the 2021 edition of this series smashed through the half decade mark to distribute $5,118,801.42 across 1,194 entrants.
Even if you strip out the huge numbers and massive events, The Star Gold Coast is still a very competent mid-sized poker room operated by a major US gaming corporation. It deserves to be bigger on the international stage and, one day, it will be.
Address: Hooker Boulevard, Broadbeach QLD 4218, Australa
Phone: +61 7 5595 8888
Online Site: star.com.au
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is one of many Seminole casinos dotted around Florida, but it stands out above the rest. As well as having 51 tables offering , Stud and Draw games, this establishment boasts the annual (SACH), which generates millions of dollars in revenue and thousands of stories shared around the felt in the Sunshine State.
In fact SACH is so popular it’s now capped at 40 events and $6 million guaranteed in prizes. That’s a long way from how it started back in 2004 when just 214 players paid the $1,100 buy-in to generate a $527,660 top prize.
It’s not just the tournaments that make this casino one of the top places to play cards in the southeast. Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa also features a loyal client base, competent regulars and occasional visits from big name pros such as , Vanessa Rousso (above), Dan Katz and Jeff Kimber.
Address: 5223 Orient Rd, Tampa, FL 33610
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Online Site: www.seminolehardrocktampa.com
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City
Before the reopening of the , Hard Rock AC was the only game in town and attracted players from all over the north east. Now it sits in second place but that’s not a bad spot to be in when you’re still turning over cash and hosting events on a regular basis.
In fact, the Hard Rock occasionally throws a monkey wrench into the works by running tours and series that rival those offered by Borgata AC. Recent examples include the $2 Million Spectrum Collection and $500,000 Winter Freeze, both of which featured 18 events and total guarantees of $200,000 and $500,000 respectively.
When it comes to cash games the blinds vary between $1-$5 up to $3-$15 and you can usually grab a seat to play NLHE, Pineapple, Omaha and Seven Card Stud. Overall, Hard Rock Hotel & Atlantic City is a solid choice if you’re in the area and can’t get a game at Borgata.
Address: 1000 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Phone: +1 609-449-1000
Online Site: http://www.hardrockcasino.com/ac
Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa
Speaking of Borgata, there is no way we couldn’t include this property in our list. Sure, it’s not quite as good as it was a decade ago, but Borgata still attracts the highest traffic levels in the region and hosts the prestigious (BSO).
In fact, the BSO is the flagship tournament series for the GGPoker Network and draws players from all over the world via satellites and qualifiers on Deltin Poker, Red Dragon, Newton Poker and, of course, GGPoker itself. Add to this mix a steady stream of high profile pros such as Daniel Negreanu and Antonio Esfandiari, and Borgata could easily shoot back up the rankings with a few key hires and a revamped schedule.
Address: 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Phone: +1 609-317-1000
Online Site: www.borgataonline.com
Final Thoughts
And there you have it: the top 10 live poker rooms in the USA. It wasn’t an easy list to compile because the standards vary from state to state and different players have different requirements.
For example, if cash games were given more weight in our decision process then venues such as the Bike, Hustler and Commerce would shoot up the rankings. Conversely, if you’re a fan of big buy-in tournaments, the likes of Bellagio, Borgata and the Rio would always get top billing.
Hopefully we’ve managed to shed some light on the best places to play poker in the US, but please let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. Where should poker players go to get a game in America? We’d love to hear your suggestions and additions to our list.
