Real Online Poker for US Players Things are changing fast for online poker in the United States. There are five states with legal online poker games — Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, Michigan and Pennsylvania – plus legal, sweepstakes poker games in other areas. While the boom of 10 years ago is over, online poker for real money. The best online poker sites reviewed for real money, period. Fact-based ratings from actual play. Every site gets 5,000+ words from a 15-year player. The best news is that the early stages of the boom are already here, and you can play online poker for real money right now! Included in this guide, you’ll find the best online poker sites for every need, breakdowns of the strategies needed to win, and full explanations of everything else you need to know.

Table Of Contents

Best Online Poker Site To Play For Real Money

Who said free poker games are boring? From freeroll tournaments to mobile poker apps, there are a lot of ways for you to play poker online for free and enjoy it!

Get a glimpse of the best free poker sites as we get into 2020 and be prepared: the cards will soon be in the air!

Finding a reliable place to play free online poker can be an overwhelming task, especially if you are looking for some fun and you don't want to spend anything.

In this article, you'll learn:

• How to find free online poker games
• What is the best free online poker site
• The key differences between free poker and freerolls
• And lots more.

In case you are new to the poker scene, several online poker rooms offer these types of free poker games with no registration.

That's where you find the best free online poker games with fake money to play with other poker players from all over the world and engage in exciting Texas Holdem Poker and Omaha ring games and tournaments.

Playing on these play money poker sites helps you understand how poker works and how to use the right strategy to beat your opponents.

Many players started playing online poker from free games. That's because playing free poker online you can develop your poker skills and learn the ins and outs of popular games like Texas Hold'em and Omaha poker before you decide to play for real money.

Think of Anette Obrestad.

Once poker wunderkind, Obrestad started playing online poker for free — and then, one freeroll tournament after the other, she built the insane bankroll that helped finance games and tournaments for real money.

Use the free poker games online to become a better player.

The best online, free poker sites are essential to get some free poker practice. How else could you try our proven poker tips without risking a single cent of your bankroll?

In this article, you find all your best option to play free online poker in 2020.

All these sites have options to play free online poker games with fake money and help hone your poker skills with some good poker practice.

All the site in the list offer mobile poker apps or platforms, so you can play with other poker players on desktop, Android, and iOS.

The mobile poker apps feature the same games and tournaments you find on the desktop versions. Some (like the ClubGG app, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) app, Zynga Poker, and the World Poker Tour (WPT) Poker app) do not offer options to play for real money.

Others (like PokerStars, PartyPoker, and 888Poker) combine free poker games and tournaments with real money ones - so you can have an authentic 'full poker experience' always playing on the same website.

So, are you ready to start playing some poker? Join tens of thousands of other poker players on these exciting websites, claim all the poker bonuses available right now, and get busy with your first poker hand.

Best Free Poker Sites

Need more information to choose where to play some good free Texas Hold'em, Omaha, and stud games online?

Check out the description of all the free poker sites and don't forget you can read even more about them on the reviews published on our list of the top online poker sites.

Top 10 Poker Sites For Us Players

ClubGG Poker (US - All)

ClubGG is one of the newest social poker applications and is compatible with just about any mobile device with downloads available via Google Play, Android, and the App Store.

The app boasts many of the features that grew GGPoker into one of the biggest real-money online poker rooms in the world in a very short period of time with betting sliders, emojis, and other amazing features.

ClubGG is the best option to play no-limit hold'em and pot-limit Omaha cash games against friends and family as it is free to join and you can set up your own club with its own private cash games and tournaments in no time flat.

US players can play online poker games on the ClubGG free mobile poker app.

In addition to playing against family and friends you can also play against the PokerNews family of staff and readers in our dedicated Club PokerNews (ID: 811180) where we will be hosting a full slate of fun tournaments and non-stop ring games that you can play absolutely for free.

PokerNews Live Reporting Executive Jason Glatzer published an extensive guide on how to join our FREE Club PokerNews at ClubGG. There, you find everything you need to get started playing at ClubGG in no time as well as learn how to join our club.

Play free poker games on ClubGG Poker at the App Store and Google Play; free.

WSOP Poker (US - All)

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) Social Poker site is one of the best free-to-play poker sites in the world. This poker site and mobile poker app comes from the kitchens of Playtika, the same social Casino giant that came up with uber-successful apps like Slotomania and House of Fun.

WSOP Poker is of the best options to play no-limit hold'em and pot-limit Omaha cash games against friends, family, and opponents from all around the world.

US players can play online poker games on the WSOP free mobile poker app.

Compared to other free poker sites, WSOP Poker hosts some massive games and tournaments where you compete for awesome prizes, including virtual WSOP bracelets.

Link the WSOP free poker app to your Facebook account to challenge your friends and brag to them when you beat them in a big pot or major free poker tournament.

The WSOP poker app offers the best free poker games online. It is a superb place to practise poker for free and hone your skills without any financial risk to your bankroll.

Play free poker games on WSOP Poker:iTunes, Google Play, and Desktop; free.

PokerStars NJ (US - NJ)

PokerStars NJ is the most obvious choice.

The New Jersey 'division' of the world's largest online poker site has been the first one to get back to the United States in the post-UIGEA world.

Here you'll play on (probably) the best poker client in the world and get the luxury to choose between the best (and juiciest) poker games in New Jersey.

Like all the other PokerStars websites, PokerStars NJ features a wide choice of real money and free online poker games.

Since this article is all about how to find the best free poker games online, know that PokerStars NJ is where you get the largest selection of poker freerolls - the tournaments with no buy-in but with real prizes on tap.

Play / fake money poker games are also an option on this site.

Play free poker games on PokerStars NJ:iTunes, Google Play, and Desktop; free.

PokerStars PA (US - PA)

As of today, PokerStars PA is the only legal online poker site in Pennsylvania. While we wait for the market to attract more operators, this world-famous poker site is your top (and only) choice to play some free online poker.

PokerStars is the most famous brand in the poker industry, with an unmatched offer in terms of free online poker games and real money options.

There are several ways to play poker online for free on PokerStars PA. These include:

• The virtual poker games with fake money
• The free home games to play with friends
• The freeroll tournaments with no buy-in

The main difference between the three, obviously, is that the freerolls come with real money prizes. These are your best shot at creating a bankroll from nothing and continue to play poker online for free.

The other games, however, are best suited for those who are looking for ways to learn how to play poker or practice Texas Hold'em online.

To play free poker games on the PokerStars PA website you need to be located in Pennsylvania.

Play free poker games on PokerStars NJ:iTunes, Google Play, and Desktop; free.

WSOP.com NJ (US - NJ)

Not to be confused with the more generic free 'WSOP poker app', WSOP.com NJ is the other poker giant in the Garden State.

This site combines free online poker with real money action and is the only one allowed to run prestigious events like the World Series of Poker online.

While free games are always free - no matter what - there's an interesting opportunity for you if you are in New Jersey and want to play free online poke to win real money.

As a new player, you get 7x tickets to play $100 tournaments, meaning you get to play poker online for free and possibly take down some cash, too.

The competition is not the worse (these are new players-only events) so you actually have a decent shot at turning nothing into something.

Play free poker games on PokerStars NJ:iTunes, Google Play, and Desktop; free.

Borgata Poker NJ (US - NJ)

Using the same engine as partypoker NJ, Borgata Poker NJ is another giant where you find free and real money poker games.

The wide choice of game formats and the active community of players that populate the site make it one of the most popular free online poker destinations in New Jersey.

Can you play online poker for free on Borgata NJ?

Yes! You can train with some free online poker games for fun or you can use their welcome to test the waters and join some of the 'more serious' games

There's a handy free $20 bonus on signup so you don't need to stick to the free games if you don't want to and you don't need to spend anything if you want to try something more than a few free poker tournaments.

Play free poker games on PokerStars NJ:iTunes, Google Play, and Desktop; free.

888poker NJ (US - NJ)

PokerStars' arch-enemy landed in New Jersey to fight for the market and convince local poker players that the triple eight is better than the red spade.

To be honest with you, 888poker NJ is a great poker website with plenty of options to play online poker with fake money.

Frequent updates allow 888poker NJ to continue to meet their players' demands and expectations - and the way these guys care about their product is reflected in one of the most modern and appreciated poker clients out there.

888poker offers free and legal online poker games to all players in New Jersey.

Play free poker games on PokerStars NJ:iTunes, Google Play, and Desktop; free.

partypoker NJ (US - NJ)

Could a poker market ever see PokerStars and 888poker fight for the leadership without a partypoker product to make things harder for them?

partypoker NJ is a spectacular site to play online Texas Hold'em for free and probably also the bets free poker app you can download on your mobile today.

While you can play free online poker with no download and no money, we recommend you do not miss the welcome bonus so you can play to win some real money, too.

There's a free $25 signup bonus on registration that you can use to play cash games or free poker tournaments online.

You need to be in the state of NJ to access the games on partypoker NJ and claim their free poker bonus.

Play free poker games on PokerStars NJ:iTunes, Google Play, and Desktop; free.

PokerStars (Global)

If you already play poker, you know PokerStars.

PokerStars is like a mecca for poker. It is:

• The largest online poker site in the world.
• The host of the most successful online poker series.
• The only site everyone has an account on.

PokerStars is also known for providing great free poker games online — although this isn't a 100% free poker site like the one that operates under the World Series of Poker brand.

Best Online Poker Site For Real Money

This online poker site is known for the breadth of poker games and tournament formats that you can get accustomed to if you're starting and learning to play online.

Playing free poker games on PokerStars is simple:

1. Register a gaming account (it's free)
2. Select the 'Play Money' option.

From there, you are good to go. Ready to take on the world.

Pro tip: when you run out of chips, you can top up by taking a seat at a ring game table. That way, you can continue with your free poker games.

PokerStars Team ProBarry Greenstein joins the action of free Texas hold'em games on PokerStars very often.

As an American player, Greenstein can't play real money poker in the US. So he often shows up at the play-money tables over at PokerStars.

To play free poker games with Barry Greenstein, you'll need to work yourself up to the highest play-money stakes and grow a bankroll able to survive those limits.

Play free poker games on PokerStars:iTunes, Google Play, and Desktop; free.

888poker (Global)

888poker is another behemoth in the poker scene. They too offer both real-money and free poker games.

The free poker practice mode helps you familiarise yourself with the poker rules and learn how to avoid all the most common mistakes beginners make.

To play free poker games on 888poker:

• Register a gaming account (it's free)
• Head to the 888poker Practice Play Lobby

If you qualify for their welcome bonus, you can also play free online poker games to win real money.

Just for registering with 888poker, you get a free $8 instant bonus to play free poker games and an additional $80 free bonus as you collect status points.

888poker is where you get non-stop cash games, giving you the ultimate freedom to decide when and for how long you want to play poker online.

With the number of players who have signed up for 888, free games for play money are always on offer. You never have to wait long to play a play money cash game or free poker tournament.

And, when you're finally ready to stretch into real-money games, you can take your first deposit, get 888poker to double it, and gain entry into nine free tournaments.

Play free poker games on 888poker:iTunes, Google Play, and Desktop; free.

partypoker (Global)

Partypoker also allows you to play online poker free and for real money. These games allow you to explore your ability, strategy, and luck.

If you're serious about playing, you can jump right into a free game in the 'Play Money' tab or even go to the free poker school to learn about how to play online.

New players can receive a money bonus for when they decide to step up their game and try real-money poker.

On Partypoker, you can track your progress, take free poker missions for rewards, and grab free poker promotions for a wide variety of prizes and tournament offerings.

Like on 888poker and PokerStars, there are plenty of players on the free partypoker client, so you should never be bored. Free poker awaits!

Play free poker games on Partypoker:iTunes, Google Play, and Desktop; free.

GGPoker (Global)

GGPoker is one of the newest and most interesting poker sites out there - with plenty of free online poker options for you to discover and play.

The flagship site of the GGNetwork is a modern and truly 'mobile-first' poker product. After gaming traction in Asia at first, this poker site became a major global player and one of the fastest-growing poker sites in the game's history.

There's plenty to read about GGPoker here on PokerNews, so there's no point in describing the client, the free poker app, and the games available on the site.

Just know that GGPoker is where you find some of the best free online poker games to play Texas Hold'em and lots of other variants. All the action is available with real and play money.

To play free poker games online on GGpoker:

• Register a gaming account (it's free)
• Choose your free poker games and play

Play free poker games on GGPoker:iTunes, Google Play, and Desktop; free.

Free Poker vs Freeroll

Freeroll tournaments are online multiplayer events that cost nothing to enter.

The difference between these free games and the ones with play money is that these are the event where you can win real money.

No other free poker event let you win real money for free. That's why freeroll poker tournaments are hugely popular with beginners.

Play is often reckless on these free poker events, so you have to be patient and smart about it.

Free Online Poker FAQ

According to our latest survey and market data, the best all-free online poker site is the World Series of Poker mobile poker app. In terms of hybrid sites (those where you can choose to free and real money poker games), the world's best poker site in 2020 is still PokerStars.

You can play free poker games in various forms. You can use a no deposit bonus to play real money games and tournaments (e.g. the one at 888poker), open an account on a hybrid site to combine play money and real money games (e.g. PokerStars), enter a freeroll tournament, or download a free mobile poker (e.g. WSOP Poker).

A: In what states can you play online poker?

As of June 2020, the only states where you can play online poker in the United States for real money are Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

To know what operators offer legal online poker games in these states, check our pages dedicated to PA Poker Sites and NJ Poker Sites. Also, you can follow the legislative process and know when more states are likely to regulate online poker via our US Poker Map.

The WSOP Poker app is legal in all US states.

Additional Readings

• PokerStars freeroll events (PokerNews-exclusive): full list of online, free poker tournaments available only to the readers of PokerNews.com.
• The best poker app in 2020: a complete overview of the top free poker apps available today with tips to play the best games of Texas hold'em, Omaha, and more.
• Best online poker sites in 2020: all the top websites to play online poker in 2019, ranked from the most beginner-friendly to the hardest ones.

_{This article was originally published on Feb. 17, 2017. Last update: June 19, 2020.}

• Tags

  888Free GamesOnline CasinoOnline PokerpartypokerPoker bonusPoker promotionsPokerStarsWPTWSOPPoker Rules

• Related Tournaments

  World Series of PokerWorld Poker Tour

How We Find the Best Play Money Sites

Our team of experts have years of poker experience. They play poker online for money and for fun, using their knowledge to seek out the best free online poker sites. They do this by acting the same way you will, creating accounts and testing the free poker sites for real.

This means that they usually follow standard steps:

• Creating an account: This is usually quick and easy, simply creating login credentials and giving basic personal details at a top free poker site.
• Finding a great game: The team checks which games are available and popular at each free online poker site.
• Entering a freeroll: To truly experience the full scope of a site, it's best to try out their freerolls and tournaments, just like you will.
• Switching to real money poker: Once the team has a sense of the free play poker for fun, they will make a deposit to test if it's easy to switch to real money poker.
• Resolving an issue with customer support: Whether it's to verify an account or ask a question about freeroll prizes, our reviewers will contact customer support to test how long it takes to get a response and how friendly the team is.

What is Play Money Poker?

Play money poker is known by many names. Some sites refer to it as free play poker while others talk about free online poker games with fake money. You might also call them free poker sites for fun.

The point is that you'll be visiting free poker sites that let you play free online poker games for fake money. You won't need to make any deposits or worry about any risks as you won't be playing for real money.

Usually, you'll use a certain amount of play money to take part in various poker games for fun. You might accrue points through play, or win a certain amount of play money, and then you can be invited to special tournaments and events where you'll play free poker and win real money.

What are the advantages of playing free poker online?

• Test out a casino without any risk
• Earn special rewards at free poker sites
• Learn a new poker variation without any risk
• Try different poker strategies for free
• Get all the thrills and excitement playing poker for fun

What Makes a Free Poker Site the Best

Plenty of free poker sites have decent offerings, but of course you want to play the best free online poker. You might even be looking for the best free poker sites to win real money.

That's why all our reviews are based on a variety of criteria, with each casino ranked across those elements to determine which are the best play money poker sites. The assessments include:

• Licensing and security: Even though you're playing for fake money, sites should still be reputable, with full certification for fairness. Additionally, they need to still protect your personal data with modern encryption technology.
• Software: Whether using apps, software, or instant play in your browser, the free poker sites should be stable and work well on any modern device.
• Games: The reason you're visiting free poker sites for fun, there needs to be a wide range of poker variations available.
• Customer support: The customer service team should be available across different communication channels to answer questions or resolve issues.
• Banking methods: Whether you decide to play online poker for money, or you simply need to withdraw your winnings from a free-entry tournament, online poker sites need to offer fast payouts with a range of banking methods.

Types of Free Games Available to Play

When you visit the best free poker sites online, you'll be able to play a range of different poker variations. These are just some of the free poker games available.

• Texas Hold'em: The most popular form of poker, this is the variation played at the World Series of Poker. With a combination of community cards and your hole cards, you have excellent chances to form a stellar hand, or bluff your way to success.
• Omaha: Similar to Texas Hold'em, except you get four hold cards instead of just two. Still, you'll combine your cards with the community cards to create a winning hand.
• Stud: This is the poker that was played in saloons for decades. When you see poker played in old Western movies, this was the variation of the game.
• HORSE: The letters stand for Hold'em, Omaha, Razz, Stud, and Eight-or-better, with these games played in rotation, letting you experience all the different variations.

What are Freerolls?

Freerolls at free poker sites are poker tournaments that don't require any entry fee. They often offer cash prizes, though, which means that you can play free poker tournaments for real money.

You may need to use your play money to enter, or get invited after clocking a certain number of free online poker games. Either way, you can visit the best free poker sites to win real money in freerolls.

How to Play Free Poker Online for Real Money

If you're looking to play free poker online for real money, one of your best options will be freerolls. These are tournaments that don't require any entry fees, but let you win cash prizes.

There are also options at some free poker sites to play in real money tournaments without a buy in. This is most common for players who are in the top tiers of play money poker players, added to the mix for some extra fun and challenge. You might be invited to these tournaments if you're a loyal player at top free poker sites.

Finally, you could take advantage of no deposit bonuses, letting you playing poker online for money. The amounts are usually quite small, but you'll still get some real money to play with, without any deposits or risks.

Enjoy Free Poker on Mobile

You can visit the best free online poker sites when you like and where you choose with your smartphone or tablet. You can choose to download free online poker apps, or visit free poker sites with no download instantly in your browser.

No matter how you choose to play, you can access the best free poker sites on any modern mobile device. This includes iOS, Android, Windows, Kindle Fire or BlackBerry smartphones and tablets.

Conclusion

It's clear that free poker sites offer excellent experiences and tons of great rewards. Whether you simply want to play free poker online for fun, or you're looking to win real money playing free poker, you can do it all.

Visit one of our recommended sites today to enjoy the best free online poker games with fake money.

What is play money poker?

Play money poker (sometimes also called free play) are online poker games where you don't risk any real money.

How much money do I get to use?

Every site is a little different and starting amounts can vary by game type and from table to table. For tournaments, there will of course be a set starting amount that will be the same as the rest of the players.

What poker variations are available?

Texas Hold 'Em is going to be found on 99.9% of these sites. However, games like Omaha, Stud, and mixed games are starting to gain momentum with the play money crowd as well.

How does it compare with real money play?

Using play money can be just as fun as real money play. It's a great opportunity to focus on the fun of trying to figure out what other players are holding, what card will come out next, and if you should hold them or fold them.

One other thing about play money poker is much more aggressive play. This is only natural since really there is no downside to going all-in.

Are there any benefits?

For players that may be new to poker in general or one of the less common game types (lowball, razz, etc.), choosing play money games may be a good place to start. Even for intermediate to advanced players, play money is a great option for testing different poker strategies.

Additionally, many of the sites we recommend even offer real money rewards (such as freerolls or various prizes) for winning in play money games.

What are the best free poker sites?

We are always updating our list, found on this page, of the best play money poker sites. We regularly assess the best free poker sites, adding new ones and even removing some that don't meet our standards.

Can I play free poker for real money?

Yes you can! Whether you join freerolls or enter free poker tournaments for cash, you can win real money playing free poker.

• Play Money :