Playing online poker is fun and rewarding, but nothing beats the experience you get from poker rooms. Imagine the sounds that chips make when you shuffle them between your hands and the crispy draw that dealers make on the turn and river. The problem is that poker rooms are too different from each other that, sometimes, it can be subjective.
Wynn/Encore, Bellagio, and Venetian are three of the best places where you can play poker. It is to be expected if you were to play in these Las Vegas heavyweights. But some hidden gems are outside the Las Vegas flair, such as Commerce, FireKeepers, and Harrah’s Cherokee.
These poker rooms aren’t the only ones that we have on this list. We still have a bit more to share with you, but let’s discuss each of them in great detail. We’ll provide you with the most comprehensive information about these rooms and help you find a place that’ll serve as your go-to for poker.
The Wynn/Encore Resort Las Vegas
In all of the poker rooms we visited to play live poker, one poker room stands out: the Wynn/Encore.
Here are three things that put it on a different league with the rest of the rooms in this list:
- It sports a high-end vibe that creates a luxurious poker experience. There’s something about the ambiance that makes it far better than any poker room.
- It has some of the most deep-pocketed clientele that you’ll find. Even the small-stakes tables in this room play deepstacks, so playing here is more rewarding!
- It always comes out on top when it comes to cleanliness. They keep the place squeaky clean. Many casinos don’t clean their chips as often as they should. But not at Wynn/Encore. Their dedication to cleanliness also goes as far as their chips; they have the cleanest chips we’ve seen!
In the past, Wynn Las Vegas had its poker room, which was exceptional. However, when they moved it to their sister property, Encore, the prize pools got bigger and better! If you play in their $550 dailies, you can win as much as $40,000. Their staff will also be on top of any situation to make sure that things are running smoothly.
There’s a total of 26 tables in the room, and each has its dedicated shuffler to build trust and reduce intervention with card distribution. You can choose from No-Limit and Pot-Limit Hold’em, Omaha, HORSE, and even Open Face Chinese Poker!
With a deep-pocketed clientele, you can expect some serious competition in this poker room. Wynn/Encore’s no-limit games have blinds as low as $1/3 and would go as high as $25/50. However, you’re in for a treat in this poker room because even the players in $1/3 tables are deepstacked!
They have a solid reputation for being one of the best poker rooms. That’s why you should expect long lines of players waiting to get in the gaming tables. When you’re at Wynn/Encore, you don’t have to spend a lot of time standing on the sides. They have an electronic queuing system that you can use to add yourself on the waiting list, then notify you whenever a seat is available.
If you’re looking for a poker room that we can consider as the benchmark for all poker rooms, you should visit Wynn/Encore.
They’re the best at what they do, and even if you’re paying for a premium for their tables, it’s all worth it. Imagine the amount of attention to detail that they’ve put up in everything you can find in their poker room.
Summary of what you expect from Wynn/Encore:
| Min Stakes | $1/3 |
| Max Stakes | $25/50 |
| Clean place and chips | The cleanest chips, poker room is also very clean |
| Highest daily tournaments | $550 runs daily |
| Stack sizes on cash tables | Many deep stacked tables |
| Waiting lines | Sadly, the waiting lines are long |
| Waiting line queue | Electronic queuing system |
The Bellagio Las Vegas Luxury Resort & Casino
Nevada isn’t a place where you’ll find massive poker rooms. They’re more focused on having a couple of tables with a luxurious vibe and ambiance that you can’t find elsewhere. The Bellagio is a quintessential Nevada poker room. In fact, of all the casinos in the area, it’s the one that we usually see in many gambling movies, including the notorious Ocean’s Eleven.
If that’s not enough to convince you that it’s one of the best places to play poker, then one of these reasons could:
- It has Bobby’s Room, which is a favorite for many high-stakes players. The minimum buy-in for you to get inside is $20,000, and it houses some of the best poker players.
- Its poker room has the most luxurious set up in the world. Cold room, warm and comfortable chairs, dark wood flooring and table, and a felt that never gets worn out.
- It has one of the most games available. Besides the different variations of poker with deep-pocketed players, you’ll also never run out of games to play!
If you’re used to playing online poker, their rake system could be surprising at a whopping 10%. However, it’s the norm around Vegas and has a cap of $4 per hand. Plus, if you’re playing with some of the most deep-pocketed players in the world, you shouldn’t worry that much about the rake structure. It’s a small fee that you’re paying to maintain the luxurious vibe at the tables.
Their poker room is in a 7,000 square feet of space that houses 40 tables and two high-limit areas, including the notorious Bobby’s Room. It has a 24-hour dining service that serves some of the most exquisite meals and complimentary beverage service. To top it all up, they have the most advanced overhead speaker system connected to 8, 32-inch monitors and 11, 42-inch TVs.
No-Limit Hold’Em and Pot-Limit Omaha have $1/3 up to $10/20 blinds but could go higher during events. Their Limit Hold’Em tables have $4/8 up to $80/160, while the 7 Card Stud starts at $20/40 and goes higher when they have events. All of these are small to mid-stakes tables, but if you were to play at no-limit tables, you’d be playing with deep-pocketed players who don’t care about money—you’ll surely love it!
The Bellagio is one of the gambling heavyweights in Nevada, and with good reason. If you want to have the best poker experience in the US, it’s one of the best places to visit. It’s the epitome of luxurious poker games, and with the right skills, it’s also one of the most rewarding places where you can play.
The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City
The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa has been the country’s top destination for poker players for years. If you are to visit Atlantic City to play poker, Borgata is the place to go. It has a diversified player profile that is perfect for both new and seasoned poker players.
Here’s a quick list of the things that make the Borgata one of the best poker rooms in the US:
- It has state-of-the-art live reporting for their gaming tables. It provides a bird’s eye view on how many players are playing, the number of seats open, and the hottest tables in real-time.
- It has one of the highest blinds in poker rooms. If you visit Borgata, you can choose from the usual $1/2, but it can go up to as high as $200/400!
- It hosts multiple season tournaments all-year-round. They have spring, summer, fall, and winter tournament series that can last for one month.
If you’re in for small stakes no-limit, Borgata is where you can find deep-pocketed players. Although seasoned pros are lurking in some tables, it’ll be one of the most rewarding places for you to play poker. If you have the right skills, hit the felt at the weekend and play with inexperienced high-rollers who are okay with losing thousands in a night.
They have one of the spacious areas for table games, but you won’t see it half-empty. That’s because of their live reporting, which creates a quick view of the gaming activity in their area. Depending on the action that they’re getting, the management in Borgata will open or close sections of the room to accommodate more players and keep the space well-balanced.
In terms of tournaments, it seems that they’re in tournament mode, half of the time that you’ll visit the place. They have a tournament every week, together with the infamous “Wednesday’s at the Borgata” with a $15,000 prize guarantee. If you’re playing on a Friday night, you’ll have the chance to participate in a tournament with a $30,000 guaranteed prize. Aside from these, they also have 4 season opens—spring, summer, fall, and winter—that can last for a month.
If you’re looking for live poker action, you can never go wrong with the Borgata. With all of their tournaments and poker tables that never sleeps, it’s one of the best poker rooms that you can visit. Just be sure that you have your deep pockets ready when you visit them because you’re in for some competition.
The Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas
The Mirage is another MGM Resorts entry on this list. Upon entering the casino, you’ll already have all kinds of attractions and gaming tables, including their notorious poker room. It has one of the best setups for a poker room, providing you with a luxurious and professional vibe. In fact, it’s a top destination for most high-rollers in the country.
If you’re visiting Mirage for the first time, here are the top three things that’ll get you hooked:
- It hosts multiple daily and weekly tournaments. Mirage has four slots for daily tournaments, bounty every Wednesday and Thursday, bounty tournament every Wednesday and Friday, and No-Limit Texas Hold’em every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
- Their poker room has received the “Best Poker Room in Vegas” from the Las Vegas Weekly. It tells you almost everything that you can expect when you enter the area.
- It gets one of the highest foot traffic of all casinos in Vegas. If you’re visiting them, you’ll never run out of poker players who’d be willing to gamble with you.
Mirage’s poker room has an open door, so even if it is smoke-free, it tends to get a bit of smoke from the surrounding area. If you tend to get distracted easily, you should take the inner section tables. That’s because they’re getting so much foot traffic that you may get distracted whenever a person joins the room.
The room has a total of 30 poker tables available for players at any time. However, they’re opening and closing sections of the room, depending on the number of players. They’re doing it so seamlessly that you’d think the room is always full, but they can accommodate hundreds of players, playing simultaneously.
When at the gaming tables, you can play your favorite poker variation. They have Limit Hold’em with $3/6 up to $10/20 blinds, No-Limit Hold’em with $2/5 blinds and $200 to $1000 buy-in, and $1/2 PLO with a buy-in of $100 to $500. If that’s not enough for you, they’re also hosting high-stakes games that attract many seasoned high-rollers.
Mirage is the best place for you if you’re looking for a casino with a diverse group of players. Whether you’re only starting to learn the game or ready to take on some of the highest-stakes games you’ve played, they have all of it for you.
The Venetian Poker Room
The Venetian Poker Room is one of the best poker rooms in the US because of its high-end furniture and state-of-the-art setup. In fact, it received a silver award for having the “Best Poker Room” in much-coveted “Best of Las Vegas Awards.” So, if you’re in Vegas, and there’s an uncontrollable itch for you to hit the felt, the Venetian Poker Room is one place for you to visit.
Here are the top three reasons why we love the Venetian Poker Room:
- It has one of the biggest high-end poker rooms in the country. The poker room sits on 11,000 feet of space with 39 tables and a max of only five players per table.
- It hosts daily, weekly, and seasonal tournaments for their poker players. Aside from the daily tournaments, they also have weekly and seasonal tournaments with guaranteed cash prizes.
- It prides itself on the cleanliness and elegance of their tables. Despite having a massive space for poker, they can keep it clean, and it never feels old even after years of playing there.
Aside from the 39 tables that they have, the Venetian Poker Room also has seven high-stakes sections, where you can play with some of the best high-rollers in the country. It’s complete with luxurious amenities that tops even the big names in Vegas. Aside from this, they’re also one of the latest poker rooms to be smoke-free.
Hold’em is the most common poker variation that you’ll find in their tables, but there are also a handful of tables with PLO, Omaha 8 or better, and even OFC. It’s also a top destination for mid-stakes players because the limits for their games start at $4/8. If you’re looking for more action, then you can just transfer to their high-stakes section.
One of the reasons why the Venetian Poker Room became a top destination for poker players is their DeepStack Poker Series. It’s one of the most popular poker festivals globally, with three different tournaments that run simultaneously. The DeepStack Poker Series is notorious for having some of the biggest wins in poker history.
The Venetian Poker Room is still one of the best options for you to play poker, whenever you’re in Vegas. Their daily tournaments, high-end vibe, and world-famous tournaments are some of the reasons you’d want to visit them. It’s also the perfect place if you’re looking for a rewarding poker game against players with various experience levels.
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort
The best poker room in North Carolina earns a spot on our list for having the best amenities for poker players. Honestly, their video poker is also quite entertaining. It has some of the best odds to win (yes, some people actually make a living playing video poker), but let’s focus on live poker and their vast clientele that spans five states—Tennessee, North & South Carolina, Georgia, and Mississippi.
If the number of players that they’re getting isn’t enough, here are other reasons why Harrah’s Cherokee is one of the best poker rooms in the US:
- It has the best setup for poker rooms in a hundred-mile radius. Being within the vicinity of four neighboring states makes them a popular destination for a lot of players. However, the service and amenities they have are some of the reasons many players consider it their “home casino.”
- It’s one of the regular hosts for the World Series of Poker Circuit. Their setup is even enough for WSOP to have their WSOP Circuit Global Casino Championship.
- It’s the perfect place for poker players of various experience levels. They have several low-stakes tournaments for new players and a handful of deepstack tournaments for their seasoned high-rollers.
The space for poker players isn’t as massive as other poker rooms; they only have 20 tables for players. However, it gets so busy that even during the week, most of it is full, and you’ll need a reservation to play during the weekends. Given the number of players that they consistently get every day, the management is now working on a plan to expand their poker room.
Aside from the lively tournaments and diverse group of players that they’re getting, Harrah’s Cherokee also has a Bad Beat Jackpot that can go as high as $300,000—that’s a lot higher than what you’ll get from most casinos. They’ll post a losing hand that a table should have, and when it does, the player with the losing hand takes 50% of the jackpot. The player who beats the losing hand takes 25%, and the rest of the players on the table splits the remaining 25%.
The only downside in playing at Harrah’s Cherokee is that they’re not getting as many high-rollers as you would when at Las Vegas or Atlantic City. However, if you’re a bit low on funds and still want to see real live poker action, it’s one of the best places that you can visit.
FireKeepers Casino Hotel in Michigan
Many poker rooms are taking a hit with their visitors and have decided to reduce the space that they allot for their poker tables, but not FireKeepers. In fact, they recently doubled their size from a measly 13-table gaming room to 26! That says a lot about the traffic that they’re getting from poker players who consider it a hidden gem outside the Las Vegas flair.
Here are some of the things that contributed to their massive growth:
- FireKeepers Casino looks at their poker players as the most significant contributors to their success. Unlike other casinos that treat their poker room like an unwanted stepchild that they have to keep, FireKeepers provide their players with the best service and amenities.
- It hosts the biggest poker tournaments in Michigan. Mid-States Poker Tour is a tournament that only has a buy-in of $1,100 for the Main Event, but gets consistent $1,000,000 prize pools. They even had the biggest MSPT prize outside Las Vegas for $1.5 million!
- It has some of the most aggressive strategies to attract poker players. If you’re an avid poker player near Michigan, FireKeepers will provide you with the best offers and promotions that you’ll find.
FireKeepers is one of the success stories of casinos outside Las Vegas. With its location in the middle of nowhere, they’re still getting players, new and seasoned, from the Midwest. In fact, one of their biggest tournaments has received 1,287 entries, making it one of the biggest tournaments in the Midwest area.
Last year was the biggest year for the MSPT Main Event. There were a total of 1,615 participants in the tournament and garnered a total of $1.5 million in the prize pool. The winner took home a whopping $262,145, making it one of the largest poker tournaments outside Las Vegas! This tournament shows you how much traction they’re getting from poker players in the Midwest.
If you’re looking for a poker room that caters all types of players—new and seasoned and small and high-stakes players—FireKeepers Casino is the best place for you to visit. They don’t have the luxurious vibe that you’re apt to get when in Vegas, but they have some of the best amenities, offers, promos, and tournaments for poker players.
Commerce Casino in Los Angeles
Of all the poker rooms on this list, Commerce Casino is, perhaps, the most accessible. It’s just minutes away from the Los Angeles International Airport. Since it’s getting players from around the world, it’s normal for them to have a massive poker room. But it’s far beyond any that you’ve seen—Commerce Casino houses 200 poker tables, the biggest poker room in the world.
Aside from their massive poker room that beats any that you’ll ever find, here are three things that make the Commerce Casino one of the best:
- World-class amenities and service that matches their location. Since they’re getting players from different countries, they made sure that their service matches anything that you’ll get from other casinos.
- It’s close to the heart of LA. You can already imagine why it’s a popular destination for poker players, right? It’s just across downtown Hollywood, the Venice Boardwalk, and Universal Studios!
- They don’t take rake per game. If you’re not fond of paying high rake fees in every game that you play, then Commerce Casino is perfect for you. Instead of taking a chunk of the pot, they’re charging a reasonable hourly fee for their players.
Aside from their vast poker room, they also pride themselves with classy furniture, cold room, warm leather seats, dark wood tables, and carpet flooring that never gets old. With such an elaborate setup for their poker room, it’s no wonder that they’re getting all kinds of poker players worldwide. Whether you’re looking for small-stakes amateurs or high-stakes professionals that will give you a run for your money, the Commerce Casino has it all!
The size of their poker room is enough to earn them a spot on this list, but it doesn’t end there. They’re also hosting high-stakes tournaments that even Las Vegas regulars can’t let pass. Plus, with a space that can accommodate over a thousand players, you’re sure to find serious competition.
If you have plans to go to Los Angeles, the Commerce Casino is a must-visit for you. Whether you’re looking for real live poker action or just keeping yourself entertained while in LA, this poker room will make sure that you’re having a good time. If you have enough experience, be sure to participate in one of their weekly tournaments and play with some of the world’s best poker minds!
Conclusion
There are hundreds of poker rooms in the US, but there are some that stand out from everyone else. Whether from their world-class amenities, a vast pool of players, or tournaments that everybody is waiting for, you’re sure to find a poker room that is perfect for you.
We know that this list can be subjective, but, for us, the eight best poker rooms in the US are:
- The Wynn/Encore Resort
- The Bellagio Luxury Resort & Casino
- The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa
- The Mirage Hotel & Casino
- The Venetian Poker Room
- Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort
- FireKeepers Casino Hotel
- Commerce Casino