Best Online Poker Tournaments For Us Players
Posted By admin On 19/07/22While funding your poker account if you are a US player has become a little more difficult. US facing poker sites have been working diligently to add more different options - many players are pleasantly surprised how easily they can fund their accounts, See some of the best current US Deposit Options below for the key options in 2021.
Table Of Contents
Looking for the best poker freerolls to play online but don't know what sites have the best ones in 2020? You are not alone.
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Free poker tournaments (poker freerolls) are events where you connect with other players to play poker and win prizes with no buy-in fee.
While these tournaments can feature a wide range of prizes real money prizes, they all have one thing in common: they are all free.
In this guide to poker freerolls, you'll learn:
- and lots more
This isn't a collection of all the freeroll poker tournaments out there.
Our list of freerolls brings you only the best free poker tournaments running at the top online poker sites in 2020. In other words, if you are looking for value and you want to play freeroll tournaments to win real money, you'll love this guide.
Top Freeroll Poker Sites
What is a Poker Freeroll?
A poker freeroll is a tournament that costs nothing to enter. You register, you play, and (if you end amongst the top players) you win something.
Freerolls play exactly as the most expensive poker tournaments. They run around a structure made of levels, they feature increasing blinds and ante bets, and they reward a number of players at the end.
Beginners consider freerolls to be the ideal way to learn how to play poker (you play free poker games, get a chance to win, risk nothing). Pros, see them as value-packed events — especially when freerolls give you a shot at tickets to enter more expensive events for free.
While the real money prizes you can win playing freeroll poker tournaments online aren't massive or life-changing, these tournaments are popular among those who want to learn how to play poker without spending anything.
Once on a poker site, you'll find several different types of freeroll events.
The majority of them are open to all players, some require a password to play, and others are open only to VIP players who have collected a specific amount of points.
In this guide, you'll find everything about the different types of freeroll poker tournaments available online and you'll learn how to identify the best ones to play.
Pros and Cons of Freeroll Poker Tournaments
Before we dwell into the specifics of all the different types of freerolls to play online, let's have a quick run at the pros and cons of these poker games.
Freerolls are one of the most popular tournament formats in poker, played by hundreds of thousands of poker players every week.
Some people enjoy them because it gives them the chance to play poker for free, while others take advantage of the fact there is no tournament buy-in so they can try new strategies without any risk to their bankrolls.
It isn't only amateur players who you'll find competing in a poker freeroll because they are often used by more experienced players who are trying out the features and software of a poker room that they haven't used before.
Pros
- Freerolls cost nothing to play
- Most event tend to attract beginners and low-skilled players
- Freerolls are great to learn how to play different poker variants
- They are low-pressure poker events where you can explore different poker strategies.
Cons
- The prize pool is usually small
- Beginners make the play unpredictable
- The best freerolls are either password-protected events or open only to VIP players
- Only the biggest poker sites have freerolls to play lesser known poker variants
How Poker Freerolls Work
If you are about to sit at your first-ever freeroll, here are a few bits that we want you to go through before you begin.
These few points will help you understand more about the tournament you are about to play and spare you from any last-minute surprises.
The Prize. The poker site hosting a free poker event sets a prize pool that will be distributed to a number of players at the end of the competition. Prizes can include real money, tickets to other events, special poker bonuses, and swag.
The prize pool can either be split among a number of participants or go all to the winner's account (winner-take-all freerolls).
The Stack. Once the event begins, you receive a free stack of chips to play. This is referred to as the 'starting stack.' All players begin with the same starting stack.
The Gameplay. Everything in a freeroll plays as in a regular poker tournament — that's why beginners love these events so much. The goal of the game is to end the competition with all the chips in the game in your stack.
The Structure. The tournament's betting antes and blinds may increase as the event goes along. The straddle bet is not very common in free poker tournaments.
Additional Info. Each freeroll can feature a particular set of rules in regards to the time of play, the split of the prizes, or bounties awarded to the players when they complete a predefined action (e.g. bust a brand ambassador).
To see the complete list of these rules and a complete breakdown of the prizes, open your favorite poker client and double click on the freeroll of your choice.
This will open a dedicated window where you find all the most important details about the event.
Can You [I]Really[/I] Win Money?
If you are looking for one shot to change your life forever, you better drop the idea of playing freeroll tournaments online.
(In all fairness, that's not the mindset you should have to play poker as that's the wrong approach even if you want to become a professional poker player)
Best Online Poker Tournaments For Us Players Online
But if you want to finance your bankroll at no cost, freeroll tournaments should be on the top of your list.
Yes, you can win real money when you play freeroll tournaments that award cash prizes to the winners.
While the numbers tend to navigate around the two or three-figure range, the cash you win on freerolls is real and appears on your poker account as soon as the competition ends.
Understandably, most of the best freerolls (i.e. those with a four-figure prize pool) tend to be connected with special requirements. These include having raked enough player's points or having played a certain number of hands in a set amount of time.
Are Freeroll Tournaments Really Free?
Freerolls are always free, by definition. To be included in the list of freeroll events, a tournament needs to have no entry fee and yet distribute prizes of some sorts.
You're probably sat there, reading this article and thinking that there must be a catch and that freerolls can't really be completely free.
Well, you need not to worry about there being any hidden fees or nasty surprises in store because freerolls are free poker tournaments that cost nothing to enter, otherwise, they couldn't be called a poker freeroll!
The only downside to these free poker tournaments is that the prizes on offer are not usually very large.
Often, the total prize pool is only $50 to $100 dollars, although there are regular PokerStars freerolls that have $3,000 prize pools to play for and some of the PokerNews-exclusive freerolls have massive prize pools of $10,000 and even $20,000 for you to compete in.
Real money freerolls are very popular amongst beginners. Qualifier satellite events where you play to win tickets to enter other tournaments are popular among the more experienced players.
Types of Freerolls
Every poker site on this list features a wide range of freeroll poker tournaments. As we mentioned, some come with real money prizes while others focus on giving away tickets to other events.
Poker sites offer freerolls because they want to introduce the game to as many players as possible.
Some of the biggest names in poker started out as freeroll players.
While players like Daniel Negreanu and Phil Ivey didn't start out grinding freerolls since online poker sites didn't exist when they started their poker journeys, many online players did have their first poker experience in freeroll tournaments.
Often, they've never looked back after their first win, and never had to deposit in their lives.
Of course, there isn't a success story for everyone. You got to get lucky and run good in these events. But, then again, there's no downside to trying as freerolls are truely free poker tournaments, there's no catch!
While all freerolls are free, some can come with specific entry requirements, limiting the number and types of players that can participate.
Online poker sites offer several different freeroll tournaments, all of which allow you to play free poker.
One of the most common poker freerolls is the new player freeroll, which is only open to players new to a site and is designed to give you the chance to feel your way around the site's software and to say thank you for signing up to them.
Another common freeroll is one that rewards you for making your first deposit on a site.
These usually have a larger than typical prize pool and are only available to players who've made their first deposit during the qualifying period.
Freerolls are often used as the first step in the satellite process, making it possible to qualify for major online and live tournament for free, while offers are exclusive to players who have created their poker account via PokerNews links.
PokerStars, GGpoker, and partypoker are an example of the sites sites that have these freeroll steps on offer.
The lowest step is free to enter. Win that one, and you'll find yourself with a ticket for Step 2. Continue on and you could make your way to a hefty payday, all for free.
Exclusive Freerolls
An exclusive freeroll is an event available only to a small set of players that meet requirements defined by the poker site that runs the tournament.
Most exclusive freerolls are 'password-protected' events, so only the players who have the right password can register and play.
Here on PokerNews we have our own set of exclusive freerolls running at all the largest poker sites in the world.
The events are open only to the players who are part of the PokerNews community.
Weekly Freerolls
The most common type of freeroll events. These free poker tournaments are part of a site's tournament schedule and take place every week at the same time.
Prizes can include real money, tournament tickets, and more.
New Players Freerolls
The most popular freerolls amongst beginners. These freeroll competitions are available only to new players right after they register to play on poker website.
Satellite Freerolls
A satellite freeroll is a feeder event where you play to win tickets to enter a bigger real money tournament.
Satellite winners win 'tickets,' entries they can use to participate in other games for free.
Poker Freeroll Passwords and Schedule
Keeping up with all the latest freeroll passwords and schedules can be a real nightmare. With so many poker sites out there, it's almost impossible to keep track of what happens every day in the online poker world.
And since passwords are usually released one or two hours before an event begins, the only way to make sure you don't miss anything is to live glued to the screen.
But you can't do that, can you?
The solution to your problems? Register here.
Every week, we send you all the latest freeroll passwords (and more!) in an easy-to-digest recap that brings you nothing but the best events to play.
Top Online Poker Players
Leave your e-mail on this page to receive:
- The best freeroll poker sites in USA.
- A list of the the Omaha and Texas Hold'em freeroll tournaments.
- All the latest passwords to enter massive online, freerolls
- Access to all the PokerNews-exclusive events
Where Are the Best Freerolls?
Each online poker room offers a different take on their freerolls so it is difficult to give one the label of best, plus what is not to like about getting to play for real prizes for free? Surely that means that all freerolls are best?
If we had to put our necks on the line and choose a best freeroll, then we would have to go with the World Series of Poker freerolls.
GGPoker and WSOP Poker NJ run special promotions in the run up to the World Series of Poker (WSOP) that award seats to the WSOP bracelet events and even the Main Event!
How awesome would it be to win your way to the WSOP for free?
PokerStars Freerolls: Top 5
| Tournament Name | Prize Pool | How to Enter | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly Stars Rewards Freeroll | $2,500 | Win tickets from playing games | Twice on Sundays |
| School Pass Event | $29.70 | Be a member of the PokerStars Poker School | Daily |
| EPT Live Freeroll | Tickets for future EPT tournaments | Open to people who have a password to enter the event | Daily |
| School Pass Big Bang Satellite | Big Bang competition tickets | Be a member of the PokerStars Poker School | Twice on Wednesdays |
| Weekly Stars Rewards Freeroll Big Value | $10,000 | Win tickets from playing games | Sundays |
888poker Freerolls: Top 5
| Tournament Name | Prize Pool | How to Enter | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| $20 SNAP Free Tournament | $20 | Available to all players | Multiple times each day |
| $1,000 Depositors Freeroll | $1,000 | Complete a deposit on the site in the past week | Twice on Saturdays |
| $500 First Depositor Freeroll | $500 | Available to people who have completed their first deposits on the website | At least once each day; the schedule varies |
| Level Up Freeroll | $500 | Available to VIP members | Daily |
| Level 20+ Freeroll | $500 | For VIP members who have reached level 20 or greater | Daily |
GGPoker Freerolls: Top 5
| Tournament Name | Prize Pool | How to Enter | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Step to WSOP | $21.60 | Earn enough tickets from playing | Daily |
| Mini Satellite Freeroll | Ticket for a future event | Open to the public | Daily |
| $50 Freeroll | $50 | For all members | Daily |
| $200 Daily Freeroll | $200 | Available for entry about an hour before it starts | Daily |
| $200 VIP Freeroll | $200 | Available only to VIP players | A few times each week |
PartyPoker Freerolls: Top 5
| Tournament Name | Prize Pool | How to Enter | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| $3 Daily Cash Boom Tournament | $3,000 | Score two points in SPINS at any limit for a ticket to qualify | Daily |
| $2.20 Mini Satellite Ticket Freeroll | Ticket for future event | Open to the public | Daily |
| Million Freeroll 20x 2.20 Qualifier | Ticket for future event | Available to VIP members and others who play often | Daily |
| $200 Daily Freeroll | $200 | Available for entry about an hour before the event starts | Daily |
| $500 VIP Freeroll | $500 | Available to VIP members | Daily |
Freerolls vs. Play Money: Main Differences
You may think that there isn't much difference between play money and freeroll tournaments because they are both playing poker for free — but that is where the similarities end.
Play money games are free to enter, but you can't win any real money. You play against other players who risk their own play money bankrolls, and you can only win play money.
Especially in the lower stakes play money games, play can be wild. Players often go all in every hand, just to try and build a stack. Being patient in these games is important.
On some sites, most notably PokerStars, playmoney chips can be converted to real money, but you need millions of playmoney chips to really get a starting bankroll.
Playing freerolls is often a better starting point than to try and run up a bankroll in playmoney games.
In the early stages of a freeroll tournament, there are often players who go all-in frequently like there are in play money games.
However, once the prize money – which is real, actual money – is in sight or if the freeroll awards large prizes, free poker tournaments start to play very much like those tournaments that command an entry fee.
This fact alone makes freerolls the perfect platform to hone your poker tournament skills.
FAQs
You could play these tournaments on freeroll poker sites for free. Sometimes you might have to qualify by depositing enough funds. But you can get in an event without paying anything if you meet the proper requirements.
You can check what freeroll poker sites require before you start playing.
You can win actual money through many poker freeroll competitions. Sometimes you might win a ticket to a future event, but that is for a satellite program. But could still win real money.
You should review the terms and rules for your tournament before you enter the poker freeroll competition. The effort is to help you get more out of the game you play.
Many of the best freeroll poker sites in USA and in the rest of the world offer Android and iPhone apps that you can use for playing while on the go. You can log on the app and then start searching around for freeroll events.
Sometimes you might also need to play a game on a mobile browser. This point is for cases where the website doesn't have a dedicated mobile app.
The device you use should be up to date and capable of playing whatever it is you are interested in the most before you start.
Poker freerolls are only as hard for you to win as you make them. Your skills in playing poker will be essential to seeing whether you can win anything while playing.
You will be competing against many others who have experience in playing poker and are looking to win money just like you.
Poker websites often have limits on who can enter freerolls. They do this to encourage people to deposit money or reach the VIP club on a website. Sometimes a freeroll limits these tournaments to people who are learning how to play these games.
The most common point is that a site will want to keep a freeroll from being too crowded. A freeroll will be limited to having a specific number of people competing in the event.
You can check the rules on a freeroll to see what works when entering.
You have many choices to consider when looking at what poker site has the best freerolls. Some of the top choices include places like PokerStars, 888poker, GGPoker, and PartyPoker.
You can look around online to see what games are open and what you might be interested in playing the most.
Most poker freeroll competitions are open about an hour or so before they start. The tournaments open this late to ensure people are committed to playing and that they will be available for these competitions.
Most freerolls entail one of two poker games. You can play Texas Hold'em freeroll tournaments in most places.
You may also find Omaha poker games, or even seven-card stud competitions. These are among the more common versions of poker available at these venues.
Check what game will be played at an event before you start, so you can be prepared for whatever will come about in the game.
It is possible to learn how to play poker when competing in an online, freeroll Texas Hold'em or Omaha poker tournament.
The program is a great place to learn, as you're not going to spend any money on the competition.
It does help to learn fast if you want to be more successful in these events without leaving too soon. You can get more out of your game if you know where you are going regarding the rules of poker.
Poker Deposit Methods For US Players Include, Bank Cards, Credit Cards, Cash Transfers And Wires –
My Guide To The Best Poker Deposit Methods For US Players And How To Use Them.
Update: Adding Ignition Poker + some extra notes on how much easier Bitcoin deposits are getting.
As we go into 2021, depositing at US poker sites easier than ever. The established offshore sites have established cashier staff who are getting very good at finding deposit solutions for their players - even those times that your credit card deposit gets declined. The success with deposit methods means that these rooms are growing. This is reflected in bigger tournament prize pools, a bigger choice of cash game tables, and in bigger promotions and specials too.
This article focuses on the bigger US sites, BetOnline (Chico Network), Bovada (the biggest US poker site), Ignition Poker (who pool players with Bovada / Bodog), ACR Poker (Winning Poker Network) and Intertops. Keep in mind that these sites are competing between themselves for your business - which means you can take advantage of some generous bonus offers, for example a 200% deposit match at BetOnline Poker.
Right below you will find the deposit options available, followed by notes on withdrawals and security. If you are looking for the easiest site to get money into and out of first time - then BetOnline (www.betonline.ag) are a long way ahead at the moment - more on this at the bottom of the page.
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| TOURNAMENTS HIGHLIGHT |
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Poker Funding Options for US Players - Top Deposit Methods In 2021
While funding your poker account if you are a US player has become a little more difficult. US facing poker sites have been working diligently to add more different options - many players are pleasantly surprised how easily they can fund their accounts, See some of the best current US Deposit Options below for the key options in 2021:
Visa Credit Card – This is the number one option when it comes to funding your poker accounts. The Visa Card has a very high success rate at most US facing poker rooms. Your card needs to be approved for international payments (some are not by default, to protect you from fraud), which may require a quick call to your bank. If you still have problems, then your choices are to try that back up credit card you were saving for emergencies - or to grab a prepaid visa, which you can purchase from convenience stores. I recommend that you get in touch with the support staff at your chosen poker site before you buy any prepaid card, they will be able to tell you which brands are currently working. Finally, you will be required to fill out a form and send Id with your credit card payment - again this might seem like a 'hoop to jump through' but it does protect you from fraud.
MasterCard Credit Card – Mastercards are welcomed by many US Poker sites, though not all of them. As long as your card is capable of international payments, you'll find this going through first time very frequently.
Amex (American Express) - Not the most commonly accepted card, though you can still find some operators able to take it. If you do have an Amex card it can be worth asking support staff about this, as it is not always advertized openly.
MyPayLinq: This one is no longer available - in fact, the domain is available to be registered!
Money Transfer via Western Union – Western Union is another popular funding option for US players, while it does include fees, this method will definitely work for you - and can now be used to withdraw your winnings too. You will often find this advertised as 'Person to Person Transfers'. There are two stages to the process of using this US deposit option. First you need to speak with the support staff at your poker site. They will provide you with the information on where the money will be wired too - this is important, you can not just send it to the site without this info. Armed with this, you go to a Western Union outlet, there is at least one in every city, and a quick check of their website will give you several local options in bigger metros. You'll give the details to the cashier, hand over your cash and pay a fee (usually between $8 and $20) for using the service. You then mail your transaction number to your poker site - which will receive the money instantly. You should be up and running within an hour using this method, sometimes even faster. Note that you can now use an online version of the wiring service called 'SpeedPay'
MoneyGram – MoneyGram is very similar to Western Union in the way it works. You purchase a MoneyGram in the amount that you would like to deposit from a MoneyGram retailer. You then transfer the money to the poker site that you would like to play at. Again, you will need to speak with your poker site before you transfer the cash - the recipient information will not usually be in the name fo the poker site itself! MoneyGram can not be used for withdrawals at the time of writing.
eChecks: This is another method which the banking system has managed to stop.
Player-to-Player Transfer: The ability to transfer between players has been withdrawn from the Merge Network (Carbon) and Bovada. You can still do this at the Winning Poker Network (America's Cardroom) and The Horizon Gaming Network.
BitCoin: All of the main poker sites now welcome Bitcoin, with Ignition Casino (which has taken the poker room from Bovada) making this their primary method of payments. America's Cardroom on the Winning Poker Network and BetOnline also offer this option. Your balance will be held in USD and you play the regular games. While many people think of Bitcoin as a) Technical and b) Volatile - neither of these are the case these days. You will likely only hold Bitcoin for a day (at most) when you deposit and wallets are very much the mainstream these days. With your balance converted into dollars as soon as you deposit, you will only need to think about the price of Bitcoin for that small period of time while switch back from BTC to USD when you withdraw.
Using Bitcoin Wallets: Bitcoin is becoming almost as easy as the old PayPal transfers (in as far as setting up an account 'wallet' and sending the money with a few clicks is concerned). There are two main steps:
1 - Get a Bitcoin wallet, unless you are a serious high roller then an online one at blockchain.info is just fine. You can fund this legally and without hassle from your bank account.
2 - Log on to your poker site, go to the cashier and select Bitcoin payments. Your site will give you a string of letters and numbers called a 'Receivers Id'. You then go to your wallet, choose 'send' and use this senders id as the receipent. The transaction is fast and when it comes to withdrawing, you just generate a receivers id and give this to your poker site - all very simple.
Note: I have now created an in-depth guide to using Bitcoin Poker Deposits.
Planet Mark's Summary: Visa should be the first method you try, if this gets declined then you are faced with either a trip to the convenience store (for a pre-paid visa) or switch to Bitcoin instead. I am predicting that Bitcoin will become the clear number one deposit option next year (2021), as someone who was skeptical myself, it was a pleasant surprise to find out how easy this is to use once I took the plunge. Either way, speak to your site - they really are getting good at making deposits happen! BetOnline has a great track record when it comes to accepting Visa card deposits first time - if I had to pick one site to give my top rating for both easy deposits and great games, it is BetOnline.eu - check them out first!
LiteCoin: This coin is known as the 'Silver to BitCoin's Gold'. For those of us who are non-technical (myself included!) the way it works is almost identical to BitCoin. You have a wallet, fund via an exchange and use 'receivers ids'. This is somewhat less volatile than BitCoin (though does move in synch). Good to see another option, though I am unsure if there is any real advantage over BitCoin for your deposits.
Other Cryptocurrencies: Bovada now welcome Bitcoin Cash (BCH) transactions. America's Cardroom have gone one better, accepting around 60 different coins.
Minimum Deposits and Maximums
These do vary a lot according to the method you use and the poker site. Standard minimums for major credit cards are $20 ($50 in places), and $100 for the money transfer services / bankwires are not unknown. If you want to deposit using BitCoin or LiteCoin, then the minimums are more flexible. Maximums for credit cards cap out at around $2k (this protects the sites and you from fraud). For bigger transfers, speak to your site about bank wires or even money orders - once again the cryptocurrencies do get around these limits.
Options For Withdrawing From US Poker Sites
Fewer options here, the mainstay is still paper checks. These take a few weeks in total, first for the check to be created and mailed, second for it to clear through your bank account. On the plus side this method is very reliable. The other key option is using Western Union, you'll need to swallow a fee (around $20, can be more for bigger withdrawals), though you'll get your money significantly faster.
Note that Bitcoin is now a very quick and easy option for withdrawals. The only rule is that you will need to have deposited using this method before withdrawals are allowed (this is to prevent money laundering).
US Poker Deposits And Security
Many players ask whether it is safe to deposit money into an offshore poker site. I believe that this is as safe as any poker site serving the US could be in 2015. These sites have spent a lot of money and time building their brands, and gaining the trust of players. The chance of any 'shady dealing' from the better known sites when it comes to handling your money is pretty slim. At the same time there is the risk of the DoJ having a second crackdown similar to Black-Friday. As we move towards legal poker in the US this risk is getting smaller. If you are worried about this then just keeping a small proportion of your total bankroll on any one site would be a sensible precaution.
Easiest US Poker Deposits Of All In 2021 - BetOnline Poker
BetOnline have more than 10 years of experience looking after US sports bettors and poker players from their Panama base. They have gained a reputation for their easy deposits and smooth withdrawals process. BetOnline are part of the Chico Network, a fast growing network of poker sites with very soft games (a lot of recreational players coming over from the sports betting section helps!). Visa card deposits will go through first time a lot more often than before in 2021. New players will get a 200% welcome bonus, and enjoy a long list of player friendly promotions - I recommend you check out BetOnline Poker for yourself!
More On US Online Poker
- Person to Person Deposits at US Poker Sites