Top Online Poker Sites Canada

While not the largest site, 888 Poker is our top choice for online poker in Canada. 888 makes loose games a priority. It helps draw players to the tables through social media and free play action. This helps keeps games fresh. 888 offers new players a 100% up to $888 first deposit bonus. Sign up at 888 Poker. 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. Compare Reviews of Canada's Best Online Poker Sites. Sign Up Now & You Get an Exclusive Free Bonus Offer to Play at a Top Canadian Poker Site! While some lesser real money Canadian online poker sites will try to lure new players in with a big bonus, or a clever ad campaign, the best Canadian poker sites excel in every category.

• Best Online Poker Sites Canada Real Money
• Best Online Poker Sites Canada Reddit
• Top Online Poker Sites Canada Free
• Best Online Poker Sites Canada

This is the place to be if you're looking for the best online poker sites for Canada players. The landscape has changed over the years, but the game of poker is just as popular as ever.

There are a handful of Canadian poker sites that stand above the rest when it comes to the total player experience, and we're going to show you them.

We take our ranking process very seriously. As you will see when you get to the next section, we dig deeply into every aspect of the online poker sites that we evaluate.

When recommending real money online poker sites for Canada or anywhere else, we need to check off all the boxes.

There are several key factors that we dive into when we're establishing our rankings for the top Canadian poker sites online. We're not looking to recommend internet poker rooms that are just satisfactory, we're looking for the sites that offer the best possible all-round experience.

This means that poker sites need to perform well in a number of key areas to make our list. Let's take a look at some of the most important.

The Canadian real money poker sites that have received our stamp of approval are licensed in reputable jurisdictions. Applicants must bring sufficient operating capital to the table, and they have to submit to background checks. When a site is approved, they have to cough up hefty licensing fees.

All of our preferred online poker sites carry permits that have been issued by government bodies that provide strict oversight. You may win, and you may lose, but you can rest assured that you will be treated fairly at these poker rooms.

When a site passes the first test, we go straight to the monetary part of the equation.

We will never recommend a website unless they make it easy for players to deposit and withdraw funds. These real money Canada poker sites facilitate efficient transfers, and Bitcoin is an alternative currency that can be utilized.

There are online poker forums and message boards that are frequented by people that have played at them and others that are looking for feedback. Social media groups have also been created that serve the same purpose. We participate in these groups to monitor the firsthand experiences that are shared.

Though we do not jump to any judgments based on one single anecdote, if we see a pattern developing, we take it seriously. We have our own experiences to draw upon, too.

Best Online Poker Sites Canada Real Money

Longevity is another indicator, because a poker site that has been able to withstand the test of time must be doing something right.

When money is changing hands, it's important to have access to customer service if and when you need it.

The top Canada poker sites place an emphasis on the player experience, so they're readily available over the phone and through email. Some sites have live chat functions.

If you're going to spend time at an online poker room, the virtual environment is definitely a factor. We evaluate relevant design details, including ease of use, because intuitive navigation is key.

The leading poker sites have invested considerable resources to perfect their site designs.

You can't play real money poker online in Canada if there are no other players that join a game. Even if everything looks great on the surface, in large part, the volume of players will dictate the quality of your experience over the long haul.

The sites that have received our stamp of approval are popular because they have built solid reputations. There are peaks and valleys as you might imagine, but you will always be able to find a game with enough willing participants.

The Benefits of Online Poker

When you tap into the world of online poker, you add an exciting new dimension of entertainment to your life.

The convenience is off the chain when you can play from anywhere at any time. This is the most overarching benefit, but there are a number of other reasons why online poker is the way to go.

If you're interested in learning how to play poker, or if you simply want to get better, it's tough to play in a land-based casino environment. People in these card rooms are grizzled veterans, and they don't have any patience for newcomers that don't understand protocol and nuanced rules.

The dynamic is entirely different when you play online at one of our approved Canada poker sites. Yes, there are other players, but you cannot see them or hear their remarks.

Many of the sites even offer free gameplay, so you can play without risking anything until you're ready to move onto real money poker games. You can also learn to play variations of poker that you're not familiar with to add variety and broaden your skillset.

When you first sign up on one of our highly-rated Canadian poker sites, you will be greeted with some type of welcome bonus. In many cases, it will be a percentage of your original deposit, and it can actually be 100%. There's nothing better than free money, and there are other promotions beyond the signup bonuses.

And guess what? Nothing is stopping you from opening accounts at multiple different poker sites. If you go this route, you can pocket several different welcome bonuses. Once you identify the online poker room that you like the most, you can stick with that operator and earn loyalty rewards points.

When you play poker with others in a physical environment, savvy players look for 'tells.' This is some type of indicator that someone may inadvertently reveal through their actions. For example, the look in your eyes and the facial expression you show when you first look at your cards can be hard to mask.

Some people will finger their chips in a certain way when they have a good hand or show some signs of impatience. In addition to physical actions, decision-making patterns can be detected.

You never have to worry about tipping anyone off when you play at the Canada poker sites online, because you cannot be seen. On the surface, this may not seem like a big deal, but you can rest assured that winning players do exploit tells to gain an edge.

There are a few different types of games that can be played at real money online poker sites for Canada players. The exact offerings will depend upon the policies of each respective site. There are also different formats.

You have options, and when you understand all of them, you can add variety to your poker playing experiences. Here's a look at the various different formats and games that are most commonly available.

Online poker rooms typically offer three different structural formats. When you get into a cash game, you can come and go as you please. If you choose to do so, you could play one hand then pick up your chips and leave the table. You keep whatever you win on any given hand.

Cash games can carry either pot limit or no limit designations. The no limit is self-explanatory, and with pot limit, the maximum bet is the amount that's in the pot when you're making a wager.

Tournament play is another option. Everyone that's participating will pay a buy-in fee, and the accumulation is the prize money minus the cut that is raked by the house. All players are given the same amount of tournament chips, so everyone starts out on an even playing field.

Some tournaments have a minimum guaranteed amount of prize money, and it will vary depending on the price of the buy-in and the number of players that are expected to comprise the field.

Sit and gos are the third option. This type of poker can best be described as a much smaller tournament with either six or nine players, but you have a better chance of winning. The final three finishers get shares of the prize money in a nine-player game, and for six-player sit and go tournies, it's the top two.

One poker game that you will definitely see on all of the online poker websites is Texas Hold‘em. In Texas Hold‘em, each player is dealt two cards face down. The dealer then overturns three cards that are the community cards. This is called the 'flop.'

All of the players use the community cards along with the two individual cards that belong to each respective participant. There's a round of betting after the flop, then a single card is added to the community cards. This is called the 'turn.'

Once again, there is a round of betting, and then the last card is overturned by the dealer. This stage is called the 'river.' There is betting after the river card is revealed. When all bets are in, the cards are overturned and the winner takes down the pot.

The game of Omaha is another variant that is offered at all of the top Canadian poker sites we recommend. In this game, each player is dealt four cards face down.

Community cards are drawn by the dealer in the same sequence as they are for Texas Hold‘em. You can only use two of the four cards in your hand and three of the community cards.

There is high hand Omaha, and there are also hi/lo games. With the latter, the pot is divided with half going to the person with the highest hand, and the other half won by the player with the lowest hand.

Seven-Card Stud is another game that you often see at internet poker rooms.

To initiate a game, each player is dealt two cards face down and one card face up. Then, there are additional rounds with each player getting another card face up until everyone that has not folded has seven cards.

These are the three poker games that are most commonly played online, but there are some others, including the following.

Canada Online Poker FAQ

There is no absolute answer to this question.

Some of the leading poker sites do require a software download, and others offer browser-based poker rooms.

Many would say that Bitcoin is the ideal choice.

Since there is no intermediary processing entity, the transactions can be consummated very quickly in a cost-effective manner.

Believe it or not, there are cash games that have blinds as low as .01/.02. Some tournaments have buy-ins of a quarter or a single dollar.

Of course, there are other games to satisfy players that are on all portions of the budgetary spectrum.

We're not lawyers, so we don't like to answer legal questions with any kind of definitive answer. And, in any case, gambling laws are often something of a grey area.

With that said, as far as we're aware it's perfectly legal to play online poker in Canada.

Yes, as long as you play at reputable online poker rooms.

Stick with our recommended Canada poker sites and you'll be fine.

Ready to Play?

We have done extensive research to identify the top poker sites for Canadian players. These online poker rooms offer tournaments, cash, and sit and go games, and there are different variations.

There are very inexpensive games, and the limits go up incrementally, so there's something for everyone. Our approved Canadian poker sites offer generous bonuses, and they facilitate swift and efficient asset transfers.

Playing poker online for real money is a lot of fun, and it's rewarding, because you can always get better as you gain experience. We have provided the basics here, and you can explore our website to obtain further information about poker and other forms of gambling.

What's the Best Online Poker Site in Canada for Real Money?

For most Canadians the best online poker site in Canada for real money is 888 Poker because the competition is weak and you will win more. Get other benefits by playing at 888 Poker too, like the no-deposit $88 bonus - but don't just take my word for it - lets look at some data and compare the top poker sites.

There are also other reasons to play at other top sites like bigger tournaments (Americas Cardroom), best for beginners (PokerStars) and best loyalty program (Party Poker).

How to Pick the Top Online Poker Site?

• Safe Online Poker Sites -Selecting the right site to play at during these uncertain times your first concern for a Canadian player is whether your money is safe on that site. First we recommend staying away from online poker sites that have us exposure - the top 5 sites that we list do not have any. The problems with the Full Tilt Poker Shut Down as well as the inability of players to withdraw money off of Ultimate Bet (UB) and Absolute Poker was due to difficulties arising from processing payments from US players. This has lead to the US DOJ calling Full Tilt a Ponzi Scheme. The best online poker sites to play at are publicly traded so that the public can see their books and they are transparent. Not like the privately held Full Tilt and Absolute Poker. In our editors choice of the top 5 poker sites the first qualification is that they must be financially safe.
• Poker site quality - This takes into account a poker sites software quality, ease of use, support and fun to play at. You want smooth running software that is easy to use, feature rich and enjoyable to play.
• Level of competition - The weaker the competition the better. To make money online it is better to play against weak players than strong ones.
• Traffic and growth - Finding the game that you are looking for is important this requires good numbers of players and rules out most smaller sites. Positive traffic growth is important to find new weaker players and to insure that there are enough players to give you action when you want.
• Deposit and withdrawal options- Moving your money should not be a hassle, it should be straight forward and quick and secure with a variety of ways to do it.
• Game variety- The more gaming options the better - for poker (Hold em, Omaha, Stud, Razz, H.O.R.S.E, H.O.S.E). Additional gaming options make for a more complete site this includes blackjack, online casino games and sports betting. Its always a plus to be able to get the best online odds to bet on hockey, football and other sports as well as play poker all in one place.
• Poker Tournaments - having a good selection of tournaments and large prize pools are important as is satellite entry tournaments to the WSOP and other real world tournaments. The more profitable tournaments are the ones with weaker competition, you will make more money if you avoid Phil Ivey.
• Bonuses and Promotions - Bigger and more frequent is better

Poker Sites For Canadians

The best Canadian poker sites are safe fro real money poker games, have great software and a ton of action with lots of players and a variety of stakes to play at. Canada has a lot of great poker players: Daniel Negraneu, Evelyn Ng, Gavin Smith, Isabelle Mercier and of Course Jonathan Duhamel winner of the 2010 WSOP. One thing that sets Canadians apart from US players is that we have access the best online poker sites. Canadians are winning more big titles and more money online and bringing the cash and titles back home. Poker Games available include Texas Hold em Limit and No Limit, variations of Omaha, Stud and mixed games.

Making money with online poker is how most of these pro players got their start and for good reasons. Playing online poker you can play far more hands that in a real world poker room, the rake is lower and swings in profits are far quicker giving players a couple of bad days instead of a couple of bad weeks. The smart players don't go charging after the pros - they go for the weak players - its far more profitable. We have played at and evaluated the best Canadian poker sites to play poker online in Canada. These sites are not only of the highest quality but also the most profitable we have included the good and the bad for each room so that you get a more complete picture.

Never play poker online in Canada at just any random site, it may cost you your bankroll! A great poker site must be trustworthy with a long track record of keeping your money safe.

Poker Site Traffic

The highest poker site traffic in Canada is at PokerStars with about 4X the traffic of the number 2 site Party Poker. Below are the total number of cash game players based on a recent 7 day average from Poker Scout:

Poker Site Popularity in Canada

Although PokerStars has the most traffic internationally, 888 poker and party poker are more popular in Canada. The reason they are more popular is tough competition at PokerStars and better loyalty programs like cash back to name but two.

How I Pick The Best Poker Sites for Canadians

To find the best Canadian poker sites for October 2020 you must consider not only what rooms accept Canadians but also traffic volumes and that you get the fastest deposits and Withdrawals and more. Those factors are a must - you do not want to play at a site that leaves you hanging like whenblacklisted sites shut down. Quality websites that are properly run, that's the starting point in finding the right site to play for money online. That's where we come in to review and rate the best online poker sites in Canada and offer you exclusive promotions and bonuses.

Factors used in choosing the best sites include: poker site quality, level of competition, traffic and growth, deposit and withdrawal options, game variety, reputation, financial security, US exposure, tournaments and more. By ranking the sites we make it easy for you to pick the best online poker site to play at.

Real Money Poker Sites

Picking a profitable poker site with weak competition is one of the key factors to being successful at online poker. Weaker competition gives good players an edge and the ability to be profitable in the long term at real money poker sites.

The best real money poker sites for Canadians have: high quality software that is easy to use, excellent customer support, weak competition, a multitude of safe secure deposit and withdrawal options, good poker game variety, poker tournaments running 24/7 at a variety of stakes, a great sign up bonus and high player traffic.

Our editors have rated the top real money online poker sites and have come up with their top picks for Canadians to play poker online for real money at. 888 poker is the #1 real money poker site for Canadians with its long standing reputation, award winning software - high traffic levels, the fastest growth amongst online poker sites in the last 12 months, quick highly reliable withdrawals and deposits, a great sign up bonus for new players, VIP rewards program and lots of fishy players.

Real Money Poker Canada

Playing poker online for real money in Canada is legal, super easy and if you are half decent you can even make a living from it. Bankroll management is key to being an effective real money poker player so never bring more than 1/20th of your bankroll into any one poker game.

Playing poker online for real money in Canada is legal, super easy and if you are half decent you can even make a living from it. Bankroll management is key to being an effective real money poker player so never bring more than 1/20th of your bankroll into any one poker game.

Deposit Options

Signing up to play for real money at an online poker room you have several deposits depending on your preference:

• VISA
• Prepaid VISA
• MasterCard
• Prepaid MasterCard
• PayPal
• Instadebit
• Ukash
• Wire Transfer
• Click and Pay
• Entropay

Our Recommendation is to Use a Credit Card VISA /M/C or Prepaid VISA / M/C. The reason is that your funds will be available immediately and no fee added for making the deposit. Its also safe - if you are really worried about putting your credit card information online (unjustly paranoid) then go to your local shop and get a prepaid one.

Poker Bonuses

Online poker rooms offer sign up bonuses and deposit bonuses - free money some times - initial deposit match bonuses will match you dollar for dollar or better like at Bodog poker where you can get $2 in bonus money for every dollar you deposit. You can even get free money with no deposit required. 888 poker offers Canadians $8 free with no deposit required - just download the software and sign up. Now for the real exciting part. Playing online the number of hands that you play per hour is 3-5 times greater than at a real world casino - and you can play at any stakes that you wish - from just pennies right up to thousand dollar blinds. This increased hand count makes for a much quicker transition through the inevitable dips in your cash roll that all poker players go through, as well as the increased earnings by playing more hands.

Best Low Rake Poker Sites

The low rake poker sites do very in percentage rake for different No Limit Texas Holdem stakes. PokerStars does have lower rakes but it has a weaker rewards progam than the other sites. The only rakeback poker site is Americas Cardroom at 27%, but the cash back rewards at Party Poker in Canada is even better at 20%-40%. Most tournaments online are priced in at 5.00% with the very highest buy-ins being reduced. The maximum rake per pot also does differ between different sites. Check the table below for low rake poker site comparisons for No Limit Texas Holdem games for 6-9 players.

The different poker sites have nearly identical poker rakes at 5% at all stakes with PokerStars, Americas Cardroom and Party Poker having the lowest caps. Overall PokerStars has the Lowest rake for most No-Limit Holdem cash games online, just don't play the $3.00 / $6.00 game with its higher cap.

Cash Rewards

Cash Rewards programs give players a percentage of the rake that they pay back up to 40% through cash back rewards programs and gives the bankroll of frequent players a large boost that can turn an average break even player into a net winner.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Poker Site

Do They Accept Canadian Players? - Not all sites accept Canadian Players. All the online rooms we list do accept Canadian Players. For the top Canadian friendly poker rooms.

What Operating System is on Your Computer? - Some sites do not have Mac versions available and not all Mac software runs as well as Windows software. All of the 5 poker sites recommended here are Mac compatible. But if you run Linux you need no-download software like at 888 poker.

Traffic Levels For Canadian Hours - Many poker sites have good traffic but they are mainly from European countries and traffic levels in the evenings in Canada are very low. Rooms with higher traffic levels for Canadian prime time hours are Americas Cardroom and Bodog..

Is The Competition Weak? - If you play at some sites the rooms are filled with sharks trying to take your money, you will be much more profitable and have a better time playing against weak players that are looking just to gamble or have fun. The fishiest poker sites are 888 poker, Americas Cardroom and Bodog.

Company Reputation, Financial Security and Support - Online poker and gambling has been around for a while now and the places where you play for real money should have rock solid a reputation, be more than adequately financially secure and offers fast cash outs. Support should be quick and responsive with multiple ways to access it. These companies treat customers fairly because they are in it for the long haul - only the safest sites get selected for our top 5.

Best Online Poker Sites Canada Reddit

Software Quality and Reliability - Poker software not only needs to look nice with sharp graphics high quality software has tested random number generators, is functional and easy to use and is up and running almost all the time with few disconnects.

What Promotions and Bonuses are Available? A great sign up bonus for new players plus frequent promotions where you can get free cash and prizes need to be of interest to you and truly rewarding. While many promotions are ongoing some of the best ones are offered for only a limited time.

If your not sure what online poker site to play at or weather its safe to play at for real money - those are very common concerns and the reason for us to create this website to give you only the best options of the most popular sites. Choose from one of our top sites and give it a try, change the skins for the table and avatar options to get a better feel for the site - that often makes a big difference on your enjoyment level. Now go flop that set and make your move on the unsuspecting online world.

New Poker Sites 2020

There are no new poker sites in 2020 that are worth your time in 2020. You are much better off sticking with large established sites and only try a new one once it has been deemed credible.

New sites need to prove that they are financially stable and can pay back your money. New sites that are also able to show consistent growth and popularity as well as financial stability, Licensing, and credible individuals in charge.

The benefits of playing on a new online poker site include better sign up bonuses and bigger player promotions. In order to gain players attention the sign up bonus may be double or more when compared to established poker sites. Though these sites are new we have evaluated them to ensure that they are reliable, safe, secure and financially sound. No site meet this criteria this year.

The Fishiest Poker Sites

The fishiest online poker site is 888 Poker, the next two easiest places are Bodog and Americas Cardroom. Party Poker is tougher and PokerStars is by far the toughest poker site.

We have ranked the fishiest poker sites after careful examination of all the top poker sites that accept Canadian players. The poker sites with the most fish have high growth with a lot of new players, more gamblers, less poker pros, few prop players and a lot of recreational players that like to play because of cool software and features.

Finding the easiest poker sites with a lot of fish and few sharks is where its at to help you win more money online. Weak players give a lot more action and play with almost any hand. They like to call a lot and will often show down to the river with nothing.

Free Poker Sites

Top Online Poker Sites Canada Free

Play poker online for free with no download in Canada - Governor of Poker 3 plus get my top picks and reviews of the best free online poker sites in Canada. Here you can even find out which sites let you play poker for free with no download and get free poker money or how to win real money in free poker tournaments - freerolls.

Compare Online Poker Sites

Comparing online poker sites is the best way to pick the right site for you to play at. A great online poker site a game at the stakes you want when you want and a lot of fish with few sharks and a rich sign up bonus to get you started. Top notch security, software, support and fast cash-outs are a must. Sites with no US exposure are more financially secure and less risky to play at - all of these factors and more have gone into our extensive rankings. Additionally sites on poker networks including 888.com, Party Poker, Bodog, Winner, and PokerStars are the best online poker sites for Canadians to play poker online.

Online Poker Site FAQ's

Online poker is legal to play in Canada both for free or for real money. There is no laws against playing poker online in any of the provinces or territories and you are legal to play at 888 Poker, Party Poker, Bodog, Americas Cardroom and PokerStars.

There are some online poker sites that have been rigged in the past, they include Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet. The poker sites for Canadians that I list here are not rigged and are safe to play online poker at.

Safe poker sites are licensed and regulated by the government in the jurisdiction of their license. Third party audit sites like eCOGRA audit and verify that there is no rigging or scamming going on - if there is it will show up there or on Reddit forums first.

The safest online poker sites in Canada are those that you find on this website, they have a long track record (15 years or more) of fair games and have a strong reputation with high traffic levels. The safest 5 sites are: 888 Poker, Party Poker, Americas Cardroom, Bodog, and PokerStars.

Licensing and third party audits monitor poker sites for random number generators and segregated players funds is another factor that needs to be verified to ensure the safety of your real money accounts.

You can play real money poker games online in Canada in Canadian, US dollars or cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Many deposit options are available such as credit Cards like VISA and MasterCard but NO PayPal.

Best Online Poker Sites Canada

Real money poker sites offer deposit bonuses on your first deposit of up to $1000, additionally there is often free poker money or no-deposit bonuses.

Crypto withdrawals are the fastest, but other options like bank wire or check by mail might be more to your preference.

PokerStars has the most players over all and is number 1 in traffic worldwide. Party Poker is number 2 and 888 is third. 888 poker has the most Canadians followed by PokerStars then Party Poker.

Its super easy to get an online poker bonus: first follow one of the links from this site to the poker room of your choice, second create your new player account, third make a real money deposit and your bonus will be linked to your account, fourth and finally you must complete the play through requirement in order to have the bonus cash released into your account.

Though we do not jump to any judgments based on one single anecdote, if we see a pattern developing, we take it seriously. We have our own experiences to draw upon, too.

Best Online Poker Sites Canada Real Money

Longevity is another indicator, because a poker site that has been able to withstand the test of time must be doing something right.

When money is changing hands, it's important to have access to customer service if and when you need it.

The top Canada poker sites place an emphasis on the player experience, so they're readily available over the phone and through email. Some sites have live chat functions.

If you're going to spend time at an online poker room, the virtual environment is definitely a factor. We evaluate relevant design details, including ease of use, because intuitive navigation is key.

The leading poker sites have invested considerable resources to perfect their site designs.

You can't play real money poker online in Canada if there are no other players that join a game. Even if everything looks great on the surface, in large part, the volume of players will dictate the quality of your experience over the long haul.

The sites that have received our stamp of approval are popular because they have built solid reputations. There are peaks and valleys as you might imagine, but you will always be able to find a game with enough willing participants.

The Benefits of Online Poker

When you tap into the world of online poker, you add an exciting new dimension of entertainment to your life.

The convenience is off the chain when you can play from anywhere at any time. This is the most overarching benefit, but there are a number of other reasons why online poker is the way to go.

If you're interested in learning how to play poker, or if you simply want to get better, it's tough to play in a land-based casino environment. People in these card rooms are grizzled veterans, and they don't have any patience for newcomers that don't understand protocol and nuanced rules.

The dynamic is entirely different when you play online at one of our approved Canada poker sites. Yes, there are other players, but you cannot see them or hear their remarks.

Many of the sites even offer free gameplay, so you can play without risking anything until you're ready to move onto real money poker games. You can also learn to play variations of poker that you're not familiar with to add variety and broaden your skillset.

When you first sign up on one of our highly-rated Canadian poker sites, you will be greeted with some type of welcome bonus. In many cases, it will be a percentage of your original deposit, and it can actually be 100%. There's nothing better than free money, and there are other promotions beyond the signup bonuses.

And guess what? Nothing is stopping you from opening accounts at multiple different poker sites. If you go this route, you can pocket several different welcome bonuses. Once you identify the online poker room that you like the most, you can stick with that operator and earn loyalty rewards points.

When you play poker with others in a physical environment, savvy players look for 'tells.' This is some type of indicator that someone may inadvertently reveal through their actions. For example, the look in your eyes and the facial expression you show when you first look at your cards can be hard to mask.

Some people will finger their chips in a certain way when they have a good hand or show some signs of impatience. In addition to physical actions, decision-making patterns can be detected.

You never have to worry about tipping anyone off when you play at the Canada poker sites online, because you cannot be seen. On the surface, this may not seem like a big deal, but you can rest assured that winning players do exploit tells to gain an edge.

There are a few different types of games that can be played at real money online poker sites for Canada players. The exact offerings will depend upon the policies of each respective site. There are also different formats.

You have options, and when you understand all of them, you can add variety to your poker playing experiences. Here's a look at the various different formats and games that are most commonly available.

Online poker rooms typically offer three different structural formats. When you get into a cash game, you can come and go as you please. If you choose to do so, you could play one hand then pick up your chips and leave the table. You keep whatever you win on any given hand.

Cash games can carry either pot limit or no limit designations. The no limit is self-explanatory, and with pot limit, the maximum bet is the amount that's in the pot when you're making a wager.

Tournament play is another option. Everyone that's participating will pay a buy-in fee, and the accumulation is the prize money minus the cut that is raked by the house. All players are given the same amount of tournament chips, so everyone starts out on an even playing field.

Some tournaments have a minimum guaranteed amount of prize money, and it will vary depending on the price of the buy-in and the number of players that are expected to comprise the field.

Sit and gos are the third option. This type of poker can best be described as a much smaller tournament with either six or nine players, but you have a better chance of winning. The final three finishers get shares of the prize money in a nine-player game, and for six-player sit and go tournies, it's the top two.

One poker game that you will definitely see on all of the online poker websites is Texas Hold‘em. In Texas Hold‘em, each player is dealt two cards face down. The dealer then overturns three cards that are the community cards. This is called the 'flop.'

All of the players use the community cards along with the two individual cards that belong to each respective participant. There's a round of betting after the flop, then a single card is added to the community cards. This is called the 'turn.'

Once again, there is a round of betting, and then the last card is overturned by the dealer. This stage is called the 'river.' There is betting after the river card is revealed. When all bets are in, the cards are overturned and the winner takes down the pot.

The game of Omaha is another variant that is offered at all of the top Canadian poker sites we recommend. In this game, each player is dealt four cards face down.

Community cards are drawn by the dealer in the same sequence as they are for Texas Hold‘em. You can only use two of the four cards in your hand and three of the community cards.

There is high hand Omaha, and there are also hi/lo games. With the latter, the pot is divided with half going to the person with the highest hand, and the other half won by the player with the lowest hand.

Seven-Card Stud is another game that you often see at internet poker rooms.

To initiate a game, each player is dealt two cards face down and one card face up. Then, there are additional rounds with each player getting another card face up until everyone that has not folded has seven cards.

These are the three poker games that are most commonly played online, but there are some others, including the following.

Canada Online Poker FAQ

There is no absolute answer to this question.

Some of the leading poker sites do require a software download, and others offer browser-based poker rooms.

Many would say that Bitcoin is the ideal choice.

Since there is no intermediary processing entity, the transactions can be consummated very quickly in a cost-effective manner.

Believe it or not, there are cash games that have blinds as low as .01/.02. Some tournaments have buy-ins of a quarter or a single dollar.

Of course, there are other games to satisfy players that are on all portions of the budgetary spectrum.

We're not lawyers, so we don't like to answer legal questions with any kind of definitive answer. And, in any case, gambling laws are often something of a grey area.

With that said, as far as we're aware it's perfectly legal to play online poker in Canada.

Yes, as long as you play at reputable online poker rooms.

Stick with our recommended Canada poker sites and you'll be fine.

Ready to Play?

We have done extensive research to identify the top poker sites for Canadian players. These online poker rooms offer tournaments, cash, and sit and go games, and there are different variations.

There are very inexpensive games, and the limits go up incrementally, so there's something for everyone. Our approved Canadian poker sites offer generous bonuses, and they facilitate swift and efficient asset transfers.

Playing poker online for real money is a lot of fun, and it's rewarding, because you can always get better as you gain experience. We have provided the basics here, and you can explore our website to obtain further information about poker and other forms of gambling.

What's the Best Online Poker Site in Canada for Real Money?

For most Canadians the best online poker site in Canada for real money is 888 Poker because the competition is weak and you will win more. Get other benefits by playing at 888 Poker too, like the no-deposit $88 bonus - but don't just take my word for it - lets look at some data and compare the top poker sites.

There are also other reasons to play at other top sites like bigger tournaments (Americas Cardroom), best for beginners (PokerStars) and best loyalty program (Party Poker).

How to Pick the Top Online Poker Site?

• Safe Online Poker Sites -Selecting the right site to play at during these uncertain times your first concern for a Canadian player is whether your money is safe on that site. First we recommend staying away from online poker sites that have us exposure - the top 5 sites that we list do not have any. The problems with the Full Tilt Poker Shut Down as well as the inability of players to withdraw money off of Ultimate Bet (UB) and Absolute Poker was due to difficulties arising from processing payments from US players. This has lead to the US DOJ calling Full Tilt a Ponzi Scheme. The best online poker sites to play at are publicly traded so that the public can see their books and they are transparent. Not like the privately held Full Tilt and Absolute Poker. In our editors choice of the top 5 poker sites the first qualification is that they must be financially safe.
• Poker site quality - This takes into account a poker sites software quality, ease of use, support and fun to play at. You want smooth running software that is easy to use, feature rich and enjoyable to play.
• Level of competition - The weaker the competition the better. To make money online it is better to play against weak players than strong ones.
• Traffic and growth - Finding the game that you are looking for is important this requires good numbers of players and rules out most smaller sites. Positive traffic growth is important to find new weaker players and to insure that there are enough players to give you action when you want.
• Deposit and withdrawal options- Moving your money should not be a hassle, it should be straight forward and quick and secure with a variety of ways to do it.
• Game variety- The more gaming options the better - for poker (Hold em, Omaha, Stud, Razz, H.O.R.S.E, H.O.S.E). Additional gaming options make for a more complete site this includes blackjack, online casino games and sports betting. Its always a plus to be able to get the best online odds to bet on hockey, football and other sports as well as play poker all in one place.
• Poker Tournaments - having a good selection of tournaments and large prize pools are important as is satellite entry tournaments to the WSOP and other real world tournaments. The more profitable tournaments are the ones with weaker competition, you will make more money if you avoid Phil Ivey.
• Bonuses and Promotions - Bigger and more frequent is better

Poker Sites For Canadians

The best Canadian poker sites are safe fro real money poker games, have great software and a ton of action with lots of players and a variety of stakes to play at. Canada has a lot of great poker players: Daniel Negraneu, Evelyn Ng, Gavin Smith, Isabelle Mercier and of Course Jonathan Duhamel winner of the 2010 WSOP. One thing that sets Canadians apart from US players is that we have access the best online poker sites. Canadians are winning more big titles and more money online and bringing the cash and titles back home. Poker Games available include Texas Hold em Limit and No Limit, variations of Omaha, Stud and mixed games.

Making money with online poker is how most of these pro players got their start and for good reasons. Playing online poker you can play far more hands that in a real world poker room, the rake is lower and swings in profits are far quicker giving players a couple of bad days instead of a couple of bad weeks. The smart players don't go charging after the pros - they go for the weak players - its far more profitable. We have played at and evaluated the best Canadian poker sites to play poker online in Canada. These sites are not only of the highest quality but also the most profitable we have included the good and the bad for each room so that you get a more complete picture.

Never play poker online in Canada at just any random site, it may cost you your bankroll! A great poker site must be trustworthy with a long track record of keeping your money safe.

Poker Site Traffic

The highest poker site traffic in Canada is at PokerStars with about 4X the traffic of the number 2 site Party Poker. Below are the total number of cash game players based on a recent 7 day average from Poker Scout:

Poker Site Popularity in Canada

Although PokerStars has the most traffic internationally, 888 poker and party poker are more popular in Canada. The reason they are more popular is tough competition at PokerStars and better loyalty programs like cash back to name but two.

How I Pick The Best Poker Sites for Canadians

To find the best Canadian poker sites for October 2020 you must consider not only what rooms accept Canadians but also traffic volumes and that you get the fastest deposits and Withdrawals and more. Those factors are a must - you do not want to play at a site that leaves you hanging like whenblacklisted sites shut down. Quality websites that are properly run, that's the starting point in finding the right site to play for money online. That's where we come in to review and rate the best online poker sites in Canada and offer you exclusive promotions and bonuses.

Factors used in choosing the best sites include: poker site quality, level of competition, traffic and growth, deposit and withdrawal options, game variety, reputation, financial security, US exposure, tournaments and more. By ranking the sites we make it easy for you to pick the best online poker site to play at.

Real Money Poker Sites

Picking a profitable poker site with weak competition is one of the key factors to being successful at online poker. Weaker competition gives good players an edge and the ability to be profitable in the long term at real money poker sites.

The best real money poker sites for Canadians have: high quality software that is easy to use, excellent customer support, weak competition, a multitude of safe secure deposit and withdrawal options, good poker game variety, poker tournaments running 24/7 at a variety of stakes, a great sign up bonus and high player traffic.

Our editors have rated the top real money online poker sites and have come up with their top picks for Canadians to play poker online for real money at. 888 poker is the #1 real money poker site for Canadians with its long standing reputation, award winning software - high traffic levels, the fastest growth amongst online poker sites in the last 12 months, quick highly reliable withdrawals and deposits, a great sign up bonus for new players, VIP rewards program and lots of fishy players.

Real Money Poker Canada

Playing poker online for real money in Canada is legal, super easy and if you are half decent you can even make a living from it. Bankroll management is key to being an effective real money poker player so never bring more than 1/20th of your bankroll into any one poker game.

Playing poker online for real money in Canada is legal, super easy and if you are half decent you can even make a living from it. Bankroll management is key to being an effective real money poker player so never bring more than 1/20th of your bankroll into any one poker game.

Deposit Options

Signing up to play for real money at an online poker room you have several deposits depending on your preference:

• VISA
• Prepaid VISA
• MasterCard
• Prepaid MasterCard
• PayPal
• Instadebit
• Ukash
• Wire Transfer
• Click and Pay
• Entropay

Our Recommendation is to Use a Credit Card VISA /M/C or Prepaid VISA / M/C. The reason is that your funds will be available immediately and no fee added for making the deposit. Its also safe - if you are really worried about putting your credit card information online (unjustly paranoid) then go to your local shop and get a prepaid one.

Poker Bonuses

Online poker rooms offer sign up bonuses and deposit bonuses - free money some times - initial deposit match bonuses will match you dollar for dollar or better like at Bodog poker where you can get $2 in bonus money for every dollar you deposit. You can even get free money with no deposit required. 888 poker offers Canadians $8 free with no deposit required - just download the software and sign up. Now for the real exciting part. Playing online the number of hands that you play per hour is 3-5 times greater than at a real world casino - and you can play at any stakes that you wish - from just pennies right up to thousand dollar blinds. This increased hand count makes for a much quicker transition through the inevitable dips in your cash roll that all poker players go through, as well as the increased earnings by playing more hands.

Best Low Rake Poker Sites

The low rake poker sites do very in percentage rake for different No Limit Texas Holdem stakes. PokerStars does have lower rakes but it has a weaker rewards progam than the other sites. The only rakeback poker site is Americas Cardroom at 27%, but the cash back rewards at Party Poker in Canada is even better at 20%-40%. Most tournaments online are priced in at 5.00% with the very highest buy-ins being reduced. The maximum rake per pot also does differ between different sites. Check the table below for low rake poker site comparisons for No Limit Texas Holdem games for 6-9 players.

The different poker sites have nearly identical poker rakes at 5% at all stakes with PokerStars, Americas Cardroom and Party Poker having the lowest caps. Overall PokerStars has the Lowest rake for most No-Limit Holdem cash games online, just don't play the $3.00 / $6.00 game with its higher cap.

Cash Rewards

Cash Rewards programs give players a percentage of the rake that they pay back up to 40% through cash back rewards programs and gives the bankroll of frequent players a large boost that can turn an average break even player into a net winner.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Poker Site

Do They Accept Canadian Players? - Not all sites accept Canadian Players. All the online rooms we list do accept Canadian Players. For the top Canadian friendly poker rooms.

What Operating System is on Your Computer? - Some sites do not have Mac versions available and not all Mac software runs as well as Windows software. All of the 5 poker sites recommended here are Mac compatible. But if you run Linux you need no-download software like at 888 poker.

Traffic Levels For Canadian Hours - Many poker sites have good traffic but they are mainly from European countries and traffic levels in the evenings in Canada are very low. Rooms with higher traffic levels for Canadian prime time hours are Americas Cardroom and Bodog..

Is The Competition Weak? - If you play at some sites the rooms are filled with sharks trying to take your money, you will be much more profitable and have a better time playing against weak players that are looking just to gamble or have fun. The fishiest poker sites are 888 poker, Americas Cardroom and Bodog.

Company Reputation, Financial Security and Support - Online poker and gambling has been around for a while now and the places where you play for real money should have rock solid a reputation, be more than adequately financially secure and offers fast cash outs. Support should be quick and responsive with multiple ways to access it. These companies treat customers fairly because they are in it for the long haul - only the safest sites get selected for our top 5.

Best Online Poker Sites Canada Reddit

Software Quality and Reliability - Poker software not only needs to look nice with sharp graphics high quality software has tested random number generators, is functional and easy to use and is up and running almost all the time with few disconnects.

What Promotions and Bonuses are Available? A great sign up bonus for new players plus frequent promotions where you can get free cash and prizes need to be of interest to you and truly rewarding. While many promotions are ongoing some of the best ones are offered for only a limited time.

If your not sure what online poker site to play at or weather its safe to play at for real money - those are very common concerns and the reason for us to create this website to give you only the best options of the most popular sites. Choose from one of our top sites and give it a try, change the skins for the table and avatar options to get a better feel for the site - that often makes a big difference on your enjoyment level. Now go flop that set and make your move on the unsuspecting online world.

New Poker Sites 2020

There are no new poker sites in 2020 that are worth your time in 2020. You are much better off sticking with large established sites and only try a new one once it has been deemed credible.

New sites need to prove that they are financially stable and can pay back your money. New sites that are also able to show consistent growth and popularity as well as financial stability, Licensing, and credible individuals in charge.

The benefits of playing on a new online poker site include better sign up bonuses and bigger player promotions. In order to gain players attention the sign up bonus may be double or more when compared to established poker sites. Though these sites are new we have evaluated them to ensure that they are reliable, safe, secure and financially sound. No site meet this criteria this year.

The Fishiest Poker Sites

The fishiest online poker site is 888 Poker, the next two easiest places are Bodog and Americas Cardroom. Party Poker is tougher and PokerStars is by far the toughest poker site.

We have ranked the fishiest poker sites after careful examination of all the top poker sites that accept Canadian players. The poker sites with the most fish have high growth with a lot of new players, more gamblers, less poker pros, few prop players and a lot of recreational players that like to play because of cool software and features.

Finding the easiest poker sites with a lot of fish and few sharks is where its at to help you win more money online. Weak players give a lot more action and play with almost any hand. They like to call a lot and will often show down to the river with nothing.

Free Poker Sites

Top Online Poker Sites Canada Free

Play poker online for free with no download in Canada - Governor of Poker 3 plus get my top picks and reviews of the best free online poker sites in Canada. Here you can even find out which sites let you play poker for free with no download and get free poker money or how to win real money in free poker tournaments - freerolls.

Compare Online Poker Sites

Comparing online poker sites is the best way to pick the right site for you to play at. A great online poker site a game at the stakes you want when you want and a lot of fish with few sharks and a rich sign up bonus to get you started. Top notch security, software, support and fast cash-outs are a must. Sites with no US exposure are more financially secure and less risky to play at - all of these factors and more have gone into our extensive rankings. Additionally sites on poker networks including 888.com, Party Poker, Bodog, Winner, and PokerStars are the best online poker sites for Canadians to play poker online.

Online Poker Site FAQ's

Online poker is legal to play in Canada both for free or for real money. There is no laws against playing poker online in any of the provinces or territories and you are legal to play at 888 Poker, Party Poker, Bodog, Americas Cardroom and PokerStars.

There are some online poker sites that have been rigged in the past, they include Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet. The poker sites for Canadians that I list here are not rigged and are safe to play online poker at.

Safe poker sites are licensed and regulated by the government in the jurisdiction of their license. Third party audit sites like eCOGRA audit and verify that there is no rigging or scamming going on - if there is it will show up there or on Reddit forums first.

The safest online poker sites in Canada are those that you find on this website, they have a long track record (15 years or more) of fair games and have a strong reputation with high traffic levels. The safest 5 sites are: 888 Poker, Party Poker, Americas Cardroom, Bodog, and PokerStars.

Licensing and third party audits monitor poker sites for random number generators and segregated players funds is another factor that needs to be verified to ensure the safety of your real money accounts.

You can play real money poker games online in Canada in Canadian, US dollars or cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Many deposit options are available such as credit Cards like VISA and MasterCard but NO PayPal.

Best Online Poker Sites Canada

Real money poker sites offer deposit bonuses on your first deposit of up to $1000, additionally there is often free poker money or no-deposit bonuses.

Crypto withdrawals are the fastest, but other options like bank wire or check by mail might be more to your preference.

PokerStars has the most players over all and is number 1 in traffic worldwide. Party Poker is number 2 and 888 is third. 888 poker has the most Canadians followed by PokerStars then Party Poker.

Its super easy to get an online poker bonus: first follow one of the links from this site to the poker room of your choice, second create your new player account, third make a real money deposit and your bonus will be linked to your account, fourth and finally you must complete the play through requirement in order to have the bonus cash released into your account.

The best poker sites on Reddit for Canadians are a mixed bag of the 5 that I recommend on this website with either Party Poker or 888 Poker being recommended the most. You have to watch however that it is not just a poker site trying to pump itself in a well know forum.

Online poker players go from huge losses to huge winnings, but if you are a decent player with good bankroll management and you put in 6+ hours a day 5+ days a week, you should be able to make $100 000 plus per year. This is playing at middle stakes where the competition is not too tough and you need to be ready for the swings.

The most profitable players have accounts at multiple online poker rooms and specialize in either cash games, sit n gos, heads up or tournaments to make their living. Sit n gos and cash games have the lowest swings while tournament wins are less frequent.