As with any other type of online gambling game, you may be wondering whether online poker is legal. In Nevada, peer-to-peer poker is legal and can be played by anyone over the age of 21 that resides in N.V.
Best Online Poker Casinos In Nevada
Throughout the mid-2000s, online poker was the leading gambling game you could play on the internet worldwide. While its popularity decreased with the appearance of other types of games, the good news is poker is now making a comeback in popularity.
In fact, according to the World Series of Poker, there are now over 60 million online poker players in the U.S. alone.
Peer-to-peer poker is played by gamblers who compete against one another and not against the house. This means that if you enter an online poker match, the poker site won’t have a house edge, as it usually happens with other types of games at casinos.
Due to this, real-money online poker sites operate differently than other casinos: the websites take a small percentage (between 5% and 10%) of pots and tournaments’ entry fees to make a profit.
Now that you know that you just have to beat your opponents during an online poker match to boost your bankroll, the question that remains is: how easy is online poker? Let’s have a look at how you can become a successful player.
Is Nevada Online Poker A Game Of Skill?
One of the best parts about online poker is that it’s a game of skill. Unlike what happens with other types of casino games, such as slot machines or roulette, which are games of chance and completely random, poker players can improve their skills over time with practice.
So, how can you increase your chances of winning at Nevada online poker? The first step is to learn poker rules, particularly if you’re just now beginning your journey. It’s recommended that you start with Texas Hold ’em, as it’s the most popular form of poker, and more information can be found about it.
Once you know the ins and outs of the game of poker, you can start increasing your chances of winning through practice and following a few strategies:
Choose The Right Starting Hands: Although you might be tempted to play every hand, you should always take some time to consider whether your initial hand is worth it or not. We understand that you might not want to fold all the time and sit by while others have fun - but the question is, would you rather lose a game or wait around for a better hand?
Understand Odds And Hand Rankings: You already know that starting hands play an important role in your chance of winning online poker. But, your chances will increase if you understand the hand rankings.
You should always analyze what cards you have and which hands can win against your hand. At the same time, if you understand the odds of you hitting a winning hand, you may increase your chances even further.
There are several cheat sheets online with tables that explain the hand odds, which you can print out and have next to you during your online poker game.
Don’t Be Afraid To Fold: One of the best strategies you can follow to win online poker games is to learn when to fold hands. The online game is very fast, and you’re dealt an immense number of hands in a small period, so don’t be afraid to fold when you feel that you might not have the winning hand.
The same applies when you think you have a winning hand but might not be the best one. This is an ideal time to fold and save your money for the next hand.
Bankroll Management: The most important tip for online poker players is to manage their bankroll well. Although this is a game of skill, and you may end up winning big time, you may also lose, as there is still an element of chance at play.
Make sure that you set a maximum amount of money you are willing to lose, and stop once you reach it. Likewise, it’s important to know when to stop, especially when you are on a winning streak.
While you may lose after 10 wins and be certain that you can win your losses back, it’s better to put the game on hold and come back another day instead of chasing lost money. If you’re on a tight budget, we also recommend sticking with micro or low stakes poker.
Real-Money Nevada Online Poker Sites
For the time being, there is only one website that is licensed by the Nevada Gaming Authority to operate real-money poker:
WSOP.com
Launched back in 2013, WSOP.com is Nevada’s only licensed online poker site. It quickly became the market leader and has kept that title ever since. The site came into operation shortly after Nevada legalized online poker for the first time.
WSOP.com is the online platform of the renowned land-based World Series of Poker. Like its land-based version, WSOP.com is a division of Caesars Entertainment, one of the world’s largest casino and entertainment companies.
The World Series of Poker has been around for over 50 years and has hugely impacted the game. So with over 100 tournaments worldwide, it was only natural that this poker-mogul would make its way into the worldwide web.
WSOP.com offers you the excitement of the World Series of Poker from the comfort of your own home. At the same time, you have access to an impeccable balance between professional-grade poker and accessibility. This website was built to be where everyone can play and anyone can win.
Apart from being owned by Caesars Interactive Entertainment, WSOP.com is also associated with other Caesars’ casino brands:
- Harrah’s
- Horseshoe
- Bally’s Las Vegas
- Flamingo Las Vegas
- Harveys’ Lake Tahoe
- The Linq
- Paris Las Vegas
- Planet Hollywood
- Rio
- The Cromwell
One of the greatest advantages of WSOP.com is that you can benefit from numerous promotions, including:
- Welcome bonus of 100% up to $1000 deposit match
- $50 free play with your deposit
- Seven $100 freerolls for new players
- $100,000 weekly Sunday tournament
WSOP.com also offers Poker Rewards to its loyal players, which operates as a type of V.I.P. program. You’ll win points for each hand you play, and you can win APPs, which can then be redeemed for real money once you reach the bronze level. The levels are as follows:
- Player: 0+ APPs
- Bronze: 200 APPs
- Silver: 750 APPs
- Elite: 1,500 APPs
The APPs are calculated monthly, which means that you’ll have a new chance every single month to win more money!
Free Social Online Poker Sites In Nevada
Those looking for poker sites where you can play for free can take advantage of Global Poker. This website is regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority and focuses on the U.S. market.
Global Poker offers a wide range of entertainment for poker lovers, including:
- Ring games
- Tournaments
- Slots
- Blackjack
The best part about Global Poker is that it offers free online poker to play for residents of Nevada, as this state is one of the permitted jurisdictions.
Players can choose one of two playing options:
Standard play: the game is played with a virtual currency called “Gold Coins," which can be obtained for free. You can’t trade, transfer, or redeem Gold Coins for real cash. It’s also possible to purchase more Gold Coins to extend your poker experience.
Promotional play: this type of play offers players a sweepstakes promotion. You can enter the game for free by using the Sweeps Coins, which are always free of charge. You’ll receive Sweeps Coins by registering your account on Global Poker, through mailed-in requests, and also via the numerous bonuses available. Unlike the Gold Coins, the Sweeps Coins can’t be purchased.
As mentioned above, Global Poker is available for people residing or located in Nevada. You may be asked to show proof of residence or traveling tickets to the KYC team to prove that you are playing in the state.
This location confirmation is performed the first time you redeem your Sweeps Coins prize, but the team might also ask for additional information in other situations.
When it comes to the types of poker available, players at Global Poker can play:
- Texas Hold’em
- Omaha
- Omaha High-Low
- Bounty Poker
- Jackpot Sit’n’Go
- Caribbean Poker
- Crazy Pineapple
Likewise, the website also offers a wide range of tournaments and championships that players can join in. These include weekly poker tournaments, as well as the Daily Hundo.
In case you’re just starting your poker journey, Global Poker also offers lessons for different levels of experience so that you can become a more proficient player!
Who Can Play Online Poker In Nevada?
The Nevada Gaming Commission legalized online poker on February 25th, 2013, when legislators signed the AB 114 bill. Due to this, websites that have received a license from the gambling authority of Nevada can now offer online poker to the state’s residents.
Nevertheless, there is still a list of regulations that players must adhere to to be able to play:
- You must be at least 21 years old.
- Players must be within state lines to legally play online poker.
Online poker sites are required to ask for identification documents to prove your age and location.
It’s important to note that although you must be in Nevada to play online poker legally, you don’t have to reside there. Online poker sites often accept travel tickets to Nevada as proof of location or use geolocation software to confirm you are in N.V. if you have sorted this you can claim your welcome poker bonus in Nevada and start playing!
Online Poker Variants Offered
Although Texas Hold ’em is now one of the most popular poker variants globally, it wasn’t always like that. There are several options for poker games, particularly if we’re talking about online poker.
You’ll find numerous variants to choose from on online poker sites, and it’s important that you know the differences and rules of each option to ensure you know what you’re getting into.
While there are dozens upon dozens of poker variants, the most commonly found in online poker sites are:
Seven-Card Stud
This game can be played with 2 to 8 players, and the biggest difference between Seven Card Stud and Texas Hold ’em is that the first doesn’t involve a flop. In fact, in most cases, this game doesn’t involve community cards in general.
Instead, each player is dealt 2 cards face up and one card face down. Players will receive a total of 7 cards, out of which they need to choose the best 5-card combination. The card rankings are the same as in Texas Hold’em.
Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo / Eight-or-Better
This is a split-pot game, which can be played with 2-8 players. Just like it happens with the Seven-Card Stud, players receive a total of 7 cards, 3 facing down and 4 facing up.
The goal of this poker variant is for players to use the 7 cards they were dealt and make both their best 5-card high hand and their best 5-card low hand. The player with the best high hand wins 50% of the pot, while the best low hand wins the other 50%.
Omaha Pot-limit / Limit
Omaha is similar to Texas Hold ’em, and its official name is Omaha Hold’em. The most common version of this game is the Omaha Pot-limit (P.L.O.). Each player initially receives 4 cards but can only use 2 of their own plus 3 of the community to make a 5-card poker hand. P.L.O. also has different card rankings, which might be confusing for beginners. Due to being pot-limit, players can only bet the total size of the pot, including their call.
Five-Card Omaha
As mentioned above, Omaha is a community card variant of poker. It can be played with 2 to 8 players, and there are plenty of variations between different types of Omaha. One of them is the 5-card Omaha, which is very similar to the P.L.O. but doesn’t have a pot-limit.
Instead, players receive 5 cards during preflop and can use 2 of their cards plus 3 of the community cards on digitized green felt to make their hand.
Omaha Hi-Lo Eight-or-Better
This version of Omaha is very similar to P.L.O. The only difference is that players compete for both the high and low halves of the pot. This variant often has a fixed limit of betting. Players receive 4 cards preflop and must choose 2 of their cards plus 3 of the community to make their 5-card hand.
If there is a showdown, players with the best high hand and the best low hand each receive one half of the pot.
Five-Card Draw
This is one of the simplest poker variants and is ideal for beginners. Five-card draw poker can be played with fixed-limit, pot-limit, or no-limit. These three formats follow the same poker rules, which are quite simple and allow for a fast-paced and engaging game.
On the other hand, they have different betting structures that imply a need for changing your betting strategy. Although other variants are more popular than the five-card draw, you can still find it on some online poker sites.
Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw
Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw, often represented as 2-7 triple draw, is a 5-card lowball draw poker variant. Players receive 5 cards each, and their goal is to make the lowest possible 5-card hand. This variant has 4 rounds of betting and 3 draws, and the final round of betting happens after the third draw.
One important aspect to consider in the deuce-to-seven triple draw is that Aces are high. Since you’re trying to have a low hand, straights and flushes are the worst hands to have.
Deuce-to-Seven Single Draw
The goal of this variant is to make the lowest 5-hand hand possible. Unlike the 2-7 triple draw, the 2-7 single draw offers precisely what the name states: one draw. There are also no cards shown in this variant, so it’s practically impossible to know what cards the other players hold.
But this variant also has similarities with the deuce-to-seven triple draw, as it has a different ranking system.
Badugi
Badugi is another variant that can be found in real-money sites. It’s a 4-card lowball poker game, and the goal is for players to make the best Badugi. Players make a Badugi when they have 4 cards with no duplicates in suit or rank.
This variant is often played with a fixed limit, and players have a betting round before the first draw. After the first draw, players can discard any or all cards. Players can then decide how many cards they want to draw.
Eight-Game Mix
The eight-game mix, or simply called 8-Game, is one of the rotation games’ variants available. This variant is not recommended for beginners, as you must have some knowledge in all 8 variants that make part of the 8-Game.
These include Deuce-To-Seven Triple Draw, Limit Hold’em, Omaha Hi-Lo Eight Or Better, Razz, Seven Card Stud, Stud Hi-Lo Eight Or Better, No-Limit Texas Hold ’em, and Pot-Limit Omaha. There might also be different types of games, such as Flop, Board, and Draw.
H.O.S.E.
Like the Eight Game Mix, the variant H.O.S.E. is a mix of different games. In this case:
- H - Hold ’em
- O - Omaha Hi/Lo
- S - Seven Card Stud
- E - Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Eight or Better
The four games are played in the order mentioned above. However, in some rooms, they might be played in the S.H.O.E. order. Regardless of which game comes first, players should know the rules and rankings of each type of game.
H.O.R.S.E.
H.O.R.S.E. is very similar to H.O.S.E., with the main difference being that there is an additional game. Therefore, in this variant, players have to play five games in the following order:
- H - Hold ’em
- O - Omaha Hi/Lo
- R - Razz
- S - Seven Card Stud
- E - Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Eight or Better
The basic rules of each game can be found above, with the only one missing being Razz: this game is similar to the Seven Card Stud, with only one difference - players with the lowest possible 5-card hand win.
Online Poker Cash Games In Nevada
One of the most popular forms of online poker is cash games, which are often called ring games. These are any type of poker game that is played with real money at stake, but that doesn’t make part of a tournament.
Ring games don’t have a finish time, and the best part is that players can join and leave as they please, as long as the table requirements are met.
The table requirements vary from one website to another. However, these usually include:
- The player must pay a buy-in
- The website takes a rake
Since WSOP.com is the only real-money poker site in Nevada, we wanted to give you all the information about the rake structure for its cash games. A rake is a fee associated with participating in cash games, also called ring games. It’s usually a small percentage of each pot that the house retains.
The rake depends on numerous factors, such as stakes, pot size, and even the number of players. You can find all the information about the rake limits on the WSOP.com website. However, this is typically capped at 10% of the pot.
Players that are interested in playing poker cash games should also be aware that there are three types available:
- Heads-up: these tables are one-to-one games with only two players
- Shorthanded: usually, the tables have 4-6 players
- Full ring: with 8, 9, or 10 players and, usually, all the seats at the table are taken
Online Poker Tournaments In Nevada
If you’re new to online poker, you may be wondering: what are the differences between cash games and tournaments? Well, although they might seem similar, there are quite a few differences between the two:
As explained above, cash games are usually played on one single table. On the other hand, tournaments can consist of multiple tables.
Cash games have a minimum buy-in amount, which is part of the participation requirements and depend on the stakes. On tournaments, players have the same amount of buy-in and are usually given the same chips to bet with.
Players can join or leave a cash game at any time. On the other hand, tournaments only end when one single winner has all the chips.
During cash games, the amount of the blinds remains the same for each hand. The cost of the blinds in tournaments escalates over time.
If you lose all of your chips in a cash game, you can just buy in again and join another table to continue playing. If you lose all your tournament chips, you may be out, depending on the type of tournament.
As you can see, the stakes (pun intended) are higher for tournaments than cash games. That happens not only because it’s a highly competitive form of poker but also because the pool prizes are much higher than in cash games. For instance, WSOP.com’s tournaments often offer payouts of $150,000 or more.
WSOP.com also has its marquee events throughout the year online in Nevada, including:
- 25 Seat Scramble
- Millionaire Maker
- Ladies Championship
- Monster Stack
- Double Stack
- Seniors Championship
- The Colossus
- Crazy Eights
- The Closer
Types Of Online Poker Tournaments
As you can see by the section above, there are plenty of types of tournaments. These might be according to gender (women’s events), expertise, number of tables, or other characteristics.
Nevertheless, some other aspects differentiate one tournament from another:
Freezeout: This is a tournament where players are eliminated one by one until only one player is left that holds all the chips. In a freezeout, players also don’t have the opportunity to rebuy their way back into the game. This means that once your chips are over, you’re out.
Re-entry/Rebuy: As the name indicates, players can rebuy or re-enter the game in these types of online poker tournaments. There are usually a limited number of times a player can re-enter the game, which is often during the first stages of play. These periods often last between 60 and 90 minutes. Once any rebuy or re-entry period is over, the tournament operates as a freezeout.
Freeroll: Unlike the two types of tournament mentioned above, a freeroll tournament doesn’t require a buy-in with money. Some websites might offer completely entry-free tournaments but might also require a payment of points (if the site develops a point system) or require players to deposit into their account.
Satellites: Satellites are very popular, as these are lower buy-in tournaments that offer players a chance to win an entry into higher buy-in tournaments. Since the main aspect of this type of tournament is the buy-in cost, there might also be different types of satellites that are either freezeout, rebuy/re-entry, or even knockouts.
Bounty: Some tournaments may have a bounty feature, in which a player is rewarded for eliminating another player. These rewards are often money but may also be points or other rewards. In some tournaments, the rewards may be offered for each player you eliminate or if you eliminate a specific player. This feature is quite rare but does occur in some small tournaments.
One of the main advantages of Nevada’s only licensed online poker site WSOP.com is that it offers daily freerolls tournaments to its users, as well as $10,000 guarantees every single day. It also has over $250,000 in guarantees on Sunday and recently launched its $100,000 guaranteed weekly Sunday tournament.
The Sunday tournament has a $320 buy-in, but you can also check out WSOP.com’s lobby for freerolls and satellites into this tournament.
WSOP.com Blast Poker
WSOP.com offers a unique product to its poker players called BLAST Sit & Go. It’s a 4-handed, super-turbo Texas Hold ’em Sit & Go.
One particularly exciting part about this product is that the prize pool is never the same, as it’s determined based on a draw taking place at the beginning of the BLAST tournament. As a result, it usually varies between 2 and 10,000 times the buy-in of each particular BLAST Sit & Go.
This tournament has another particular feature: the countdown. Once the tournament starts, the BLAST timer starts its countdown. Once the timer goes off, all the remaining tournament players are all-in until a single winner remains.
The timer follows the same multiplier as the prize pool, so you’ll only find out how much time you have right before the tournament starts.
Players can register for the BLAST tournament on the WSOP.com website and just have to buy in to register. Once 4 players register to a specific BLAST, the draw takes place, and the tournament starts.
Live Poker Rooms In Nevada
In case you’d like to take advantage of the multiple poker rooms available in Nevada, you can check out the following:
- Resorts World Las Vegas Poker Room - 30 tables - Opened in 2021
- Sahara Las Vegas Poker Room - 7 tables - Opened in 2020
- Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino Poker Room - 6 tables - Opened in 2017
- Wynn Casino Poker Room - 24 tables - Opened in 2016
- Aria Casino Poker Room - 28 tables - Opened in 2020
- Bally’s Las Vegas Poker Room - 14 tables - Opened in 1973
- Bellagio Casino Poker Room - 37 tables - Opened in 1998
- Boulder Station Poker Room - 13 tables - Opened in 1994
- Caesars Palace Poker Room - 18 tables - Opened in 1966
- Golden Nugget Las Vegas Poker Room - 13 tables - Opened in 1946
- Mandalay Bay Poker Room - 10 tables - Opened in 1999
- M.G.M. Grand Poker Room - 13 tables - Opened in 1993
- Poker Palace Casino Poker Room - 7 tables - Opened in 1974
- Red Rock Casino Poker Room - 20 tables - Opened in 2006
- Santa Fe Station Poker Room -14 tables - Opened in 1991
- Skyline Casino Poker Room - 1 table - Opened in 1974
- South Point Casino Poker Room - 30 tables - Opened in 2005
- The Orleans Casino Poker Room - 34 tables - Opened in 1996
- Venetian Casino Poker Room - 32 tables - Opened in 2006
- Sam’s Town Casino Poker Room - 13 tables - Temporarily closed
- Rio Las Vegas Poker Room - 9 tables - Temporarily closed
- Palace Station Poker Room - 6 tables - Temporarily closed
- Mirage Casino Poker Room - 12 tables - Temporarily closed
- Green Valley Ranch Casino Poker Room - 22 tables - Temporarily closed
- Binion’s Casino Poker Room - 6 tables - Temporarily closed
Nevada Online Poker Liquidity Sharing
In 2015, Nevada and Delaware merged their poker player pools to increase the network of poker gamblers and the prize pools. At the time, WSOP.com was the only online poker operator in both states, and it saw this merger as a necessary step due to the small population in both states.
A similar thing happened when WSOP.com and 888 Poker created a single network between New Jersey, Delaware, and Nevada. Before this decision, the two companies were already working together as WSOP.com uses 888 Poker’s software.
This shared player liquidity reaped benefits for all those involved, including the end-users. This was a huge collaborative effort to help move online poker forward, which brought advantages to all three states.
For Nevada and Delaware, players began noticing an influx of players from New Jersey, which made the competition aspect of the game even more exciting. On the other hand, New Jersey players are now able to compete in the World Series of Poker online bracelet events.
Although these are excellent news to players from all three states, it’s important to note that some rules still apply. For instance, WSOP.com and 888 Poker agreed to set limits to the shared liquidity, particularly in the type of games and tournaments. These measures allow both companies to better monitor the players’ experience and decide which is the ideal mix for them.