Most Popular Online Poker Sites
The equation is pretty simple - US poker sites that are the most popular and have the most traffic generally offer the best selection of games and tournaments. Why? Well they tend to attract a lot more players, either via advertising or simple word of mouth. This in turn enables them to provide an outstanding service and offer top notch poker action. If you are still considering signing up to a low traffic online poker site, keep this in mind:
- Online poker sites with lower traffic generally have fewer games and tournaments available.
- Playing on a low traffic site may have its advantages, but popular poker sites with the most players offer big bonuses and promotions.
- Poker sites with the highest traffic often offer great satellites to big live events.
We've ranked the best USA poker sites offering the most players and highest traffic around the clock, take a moment to check out our recommendations and use our research to ensure you play at a great poker site.
US Poker Players: For the best poker sites for US players please see the 2024 US Poker Sites guide.
Most Popular Poker Sites
The biggest online poker sites with the best traffic are often the more established brands such as PartyPoker and PokerStars.
The highest traffic and most popular poker sites online with the most US players have worked for years spending millions of dollars on worldwide advertising to build their online poker sites to these high traffic levels. Why? Because these sites make a small amount of profit off of each hand played on their site - so the USA busiest online poker sites are also the most profitable for the operators.
However, there is something given back to the players. The largest US online poker sites with the most players also have the biggest guaranteed tournaments, the juiciest promotions, the biggest welcome bonuses and the most seats given away to prestigious live events. So it plays to play at one of the high traffic online poker sites.
Busiest Poker Sites
Traffic is what makes a poker site great. Online poker is about fast paced action - and that's what high traffic sites deliver.Most players of online poker sites specifically seek out the largest poker sites because they know they offer the biggest rewards. The most popular and busiest poker sites also have the widest variety in player skill, meaning it is not uncommon to end up at a table of very weak players.
New poker sites, on the other hand, often join a poker network such as the Cake Poker Network to benefit from an existing player base and high traffic levels. So remember, just because an online poker site is new doesn't mean that their traffic is low per se so make sure to research our rankings before you decide on which of the biggest / most popular online poker sites to play on.
The high traffic USA poker sites we have listed all offer great opportunities for most players. High rollers in particular seek out the most popular poker sites to play on, as the high stakes cash games normally have a small pool of players who frequent only the busiest poker sites.
Don't miss out on all that online poker gaming going on. Sign up to one of the US popular poker sites with the most players on our list and follow the crowd. When it comes to chasing money and great deals, the masses are very rarely wrong.
How is the traffic monitored?
Poker traffic numbers are gathered a variety of ways and through a number of sources. Many poker sites make their traffic figures public through specific client software, on their website, or through special feeds provided specifically to poker websites. Some data is also simply gathered through tracking a poker site's lobby screen where it will typically tell you how many players are online in real time.
Most poker traffic stats simply measure the number of cash game players on a site at a given time. Others (especially numbers provided direct from a poker site) may also include players in tournaments as well as those just hanging out in the lobby.
Is this measure for traffic worldwide?
Yes, but different sites will have different peak hours depending on where they and their customer base are located. Keep this in mind when looking at poker traffic statistic websites, but most numbers you will see are based off 7-day averages as opposed to specific day and hour statistics. It's also helpful to figure out what time zone the traffic site you are looking at is based in.
Is there a benefit to playing at sites with higher traffic?
Yes! Because poker sites make a little bit of money off each hand played on their sites, the sites with the heaviest traffic are in turn going to have the most funds to kick back to you, the player. They do this in the form of bigger tournament prize payouts, loyalty and signup bonuses, as well as other special promotions.
Another benefit is that you simply won't have trouble finding action in the game of your choice and in your desired price range on these sites. This means no more waiting it out on tables with only one or two others hoping more players will join up. And even though it's technically more competition in terms of sheer numbers, the general rule of thumb is that the more popular a site is, the softer the competition is overall.
Should I opt for a site that has more traffic from my country?
One advantage of playing on a site based in your country is that the busiest hours will align with when you probably want to play the most. That said, if you play on a site based in a country located close to your own time zone, you'll also find heavy traffic at the same times. And if you work a night shift or a more uncommon schedule, try finding a poker site in a country with peak hours that match up with when you want to play.
Are the winning opportunities greater?
Yes and no. Of course with more traffic brings more competition, but this competition isn't always the best in terms of skill level. Casual players tend to drift to the same few online poker sites, meaning if you are an experienced player you can usually dominate these 'fish' pretty easily by taking advantage of their inexperience. But also with more players come more tournaments, more incentive bonuses for frequent players, and more unique promotions.
Will I find the best bonuses at these sites?
More often than not, yes. You will find that the most popular online poker sites typically have the largest bonuses and other incentives as well. This covers sign-up bonuses as well as great VIP loyalty programs that kick back great incentives to you based upon how much you play. These incentives could include entry to exclusive tournaments, cash prizes, and even vacation getaways.
What are the most popular poker games?
Thanks to the popularity of the World Series of Poker, Texas Hold 'Em is far and away the most popular poker game online and you will find it offered (in both limit and no-limit varieties) on just about every single poker site. Other popular variations that most sites offer include Omaha and 7-card stud variations. Beyond that, it can vary pretty wildly from site to site, but games like Razz and HORSE (which is actually five poker games in one) also have their own niche followings.
How should I choose between the above sites?
Every player is different and what is important in an online poker site will vary from person to person. But rest assured that any site we recommend on this page or any other will have heavy traffic that will bring you bountiful bonuses, a huge selection of tournaments, and opportunities to take advantage of plenty of fish. It is also our priority to recommend sites that have stringent security protecting both your money and personal information.
Knowing all that, try looking for a site that has the game types, bonuses, and tournament offerings that appeal to you the most. Also look at where a site is based, as typically the "prime time" hours for that location are going to have the heaviest traffic. If you prefer to play at nights and the site you are looking at is based on the other side of the world, it might be wise to choose a site whose peak hours align more closely with your playing patterns.
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