Best Real Money Poker Casinos

Quintin van Wyk by Quintin van Wyk Reading time: 21min

In 2024, if you want to play poker online for real money from Canada, you have a variety of high level online casinos to choose from. It's all about getting the most value for your play, and our ratings and reviews show you all of the best places to enjoy real money poker while getting great bonuses and other types of promotions. That's why we have full breakdowns of everything you'll want to know about the most popular sites to play with.

Top CA Real Money Casino Poker Sites for 2024

  1. 1 Sign-Up Offer 100% Match Bonus Up To $1600
  2. 2 Sign-Up Offer 100% Match Bonus Up To $250
  3. 3 Sign-Up Offer 100% Match Bonus Up To $150
  4. 4 Sign-Up Offer 100% Match Bonus Up To $1200
  5. 5 Sign-Up Offer 100% Match Bonus Up To $475
  6. 6 Sign-Up Offer 100% Match Bonus Up To $750
  7. 7 Sign-Up Offer 100% Match Bonus Up To $1000
  8. 8 Sign-Up Offer 100% Match Bonus Up To $480
  9. 9 Sign-Up Offer 400% Match Bonus Up To $4
  10. 10 Sign-Up Offer 100% Match Bonus Up To $1500
  11. Load More

the best canadien poker games

Real Money Poker Games at Canadian Online Casinos

When it comes to game selection, real money poker casinos in 2024 have tons of different options to pick and choose from. While they all have certain things in common like the fact that they use some type of poker hand rankings to determine wins, the fact of the matter is that they have some major differences as well. Along these lines, in order to help you figure out which titles might appeal to you the most, our expert team at Online-Casinos.ca has created an overview of all of the most popular games in what follows.

Stud Poker

If you're just getting started, then one of the easiest ways to play poker online is to sit down at a Stud Poker table. After making an ante, you're given five cards while the dealer is also given five cards with a single dealer card face-up. From there, you have to decide to make an additional wager to take the hand to showdown or if you simply want to fold. That's all there is to the game, and the strategies are there without being too overwhelming, making this an excellent title for starting out.

Pai Gow Poker

Known as the king of pushes (or ties), the Pai Gow Poker tables are known for being one of the lowest volatility styles of casino poker online. The rule set is about having you split up seven cards into two different hands, one that has five cards while the other has two. The key here is to try to beat both of the dealer's hands, but since you often win one and lose one, that leads most total wagers to being a push. With that said, there's definitely a lot more strategy in how you arrange your two hands in this title than in most.

Casino Hold'em

Based on the Texas form of hold'em poker, which itself is derived from seven card stud, this is a single decision title that simplifies everything down to the basics. Because of that, it's one of the most played forms of poker out there today even when more complicated styles are available. After making an ante, you're given two cards, as is the dealer, and three community cards are dealt that each of you can use. From there, you simply decide to stay in the game for another wager or fold with two more cards left to come.

Texas Hold'em

The full version of Texas hold'em is generally considered the most popular style of real money online poker running today, and that has been the case since the late 1990s or early 2000s. Each player holds two hole cards that the other players cannot see. However, five remaining cards are dealt face-up across the middle that anyone can use in any combination. Sharing so many cards leads to major strategic complications, which is where the popularity of this title comes from.

Caribbean Stud Poker

It's rare to see any real money online poker sites that do not have Caribbean Stud tables since it's typically considered the most played title in the genre in casino history. You get to put yourself up against the dealer in a game where you can see one of his cards with the decision to call or fold. However, this is a type of table that frequently has a progressive jackpot attached, so that's one way that you can spice things up quite a bit.

Three Card Poker

In almost every style of online casino poker, five-card hand rankings are used. These are the rankings that most people are familiar with where a flush beats a straight, a straight beats three of a kind and so on. However, in Three Card Poker, this gets thrown on its head because the three-card rankings go in a bit of a different order. It's also really easy to learn a perfect strategy for these tables since it only requires remembering one piece of information (always fold with Q-6-3 high or lower).

Five Card Poker

Some online poker casinos have a title called Five Card Poker, which is a variation on the stud games we've looked at above. The main difference is that you get the ability to discard up to two cards and receive replacements if you elect not to fold your hand. This increases your chances of making better hands and adds another element of strategy to the mix. It's also a bit of a cousin, so to speak, to Caribbean Draw, which has a similar rule set but allows you to discard as many cards as you want with no limit.

Red Dog

Some people consider Red Dog to be a game while others put it in a different genre. Nonetheless, it's one of the easiest card-based titles to learn. All you have to do is make a wager to see two cards dealt with a third to come if the first two aren't of the same rank or "adjacent" ranks. From there, you get the option to place another bet on whether that third card will land between the first two with increased payouts available for different situations.

how to play poker

How to Play Poker for Real Money Online

Getting signed up and started playing real money poker online only takes a few moments for Canadian players if you know the process to follow. To help make things as smooth and quick as possible, here we want to outline a quick and straightforward way to get things set up so that you can jump in and start trying to take down some winnings. Follow these steps, and you'll be playing in just a few minutes.

  1. Sign Up - After choosing where to play from our list of high rated options, simply register by putting in your basic information and details.
  2. Deposit - The cashier section is where you want to head next to make a deposit by including your banking details and the amount that you'd like to add to your account.
  3. Claim Bonus - When putting in your deposit details, you'll also want to claim a bonus or other type of promotion that allows these titles to be played.
  4. Choose Games - All of the Canadian poker sites real money games have different styles and rule sets, so choose what you enjoy the most instead of trying to fit in with what other people might be playing.
  5. Cashout Winnings - If you decide that you'd like to cash out some of your prizes, simply make your way to the cashier section once again, but this time, make sure to choose the withdrawal option.

Bonuses to Claim in 2024

A number of different types of bonuses are available at the best online real money poker casinos. Some of these are specific to this genre of games, and others can allow for a variety of other types of titles to be played. Nonetheless, you can get a lot of value for enjoying these games and other options with the following types of deals.

No Deposit Bonus

It's possible to land real money poker winnings without having to make a deposit, and this can happen with no deposit bonus options. You'll have a couple of ways that these can happen, but they both have one thing in common, which is an opportunity to land actual real money payouts that can be withdrawn.

Free Spins on Online Slots

The first way that these no deposit offers can play out is with free spins on slots. While these aren't poker titles, the idea is that your winnings from these slots are then put into a single bonus that can often be played with a wider range of games. Those free spins are ultimately just there to determine how big your initial bonus is, which is a cool and exciting way to mix things up a bit.

Free Cash for All Games

Other types of no deposit offers simply give you a free chip right away that can be played with a lot of titles. In this case, it's a fixed amount instead of having some randomness thrown into the mix by basing your bonus value on the results of spins on some slots. Several casino sites online have these types of deals, which are perfect for testing out the software and what they have available.

Signup/Welcome Bonus

When you're jumping in at a place you've never played at before, the first promotion available to you for a deposit is typically a welcome or sign up package. You can get these when you're playing from a computer or from a app on your mobile device, and either way you go, lots of promotional value can hit your account on your initial deposit. What's more is that many of these offers extend to multiple deposits after the first to give you value in several ways.

Reloads

Your first deposits aren't the only time that you can land a good deal. Reload bonuses are a great example of this because they give you value for doing just that: reloading your account with a fresh deposit. A whole lot of casinos offer these types of deals for established players on a regular basis. While the match percentage rates tend to be lower than for the welcome deals, the wagering requirements are lower as well to compensate. That means you clear the terms and conditions much more quickly on average.

Cashback

The perfect promotion to take advantage of after you've ran down a deposit below a low threshold amount is a cashback bonus. Online real money poker casinos offer these deals as a way to give you a second chance to win by giving you back a percentage of that previous deposit in the form of a bonus. The terms tend to be more flexible than most offers, particularly when it comes to having lower play-through requirements. However, that makes sense considering you've already previously made the deposit that went along with this offer.

Poker Freerolls

The idea of a freeroll is one of the best promotions that you can take advantage of. With the term "freeroll" itself, it means a situation where you can only win money or break even with no chance of losing money at all. This is typically applied to special tournaments and other promotions where you get a chance to win some prizes without any risk involved. While this concept could be applied to any number of games, it's strongly tied in to the culture that surrounds poker, so you'll see it there more often.

Our Featured Real Money Poker Casino Bonuses

With all of the different offers out there, it can seem tricky to try to figure out where to get started. To help you out, we've listed out five of our favorite offers that seem to give the most value to the most kinds of players in the following.

  • You can get a free chip worth $35 at Grand Fortune with a simple 30x play-through requirement that's paired up with a strong $100 maximum withdrawal.
  • 888 Casino offers $88 free with no deposit required with a $100 max cash out and a straightforward 30x wagering requirement.
  • Your first five Colosseum Casino deposits can be hit with bonuses totaling as much as $750.
  • Golden Tiger Casino also offers up to $1500 in bonuses for Canadian players across five deposits.
  • With Ice Casino, a 120% bonus offer is available with a $350 cap.
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How to Signup and Claim a Bonus at Canada Online Casinos

Taking advantage of strong bonus offers for playing games online is easier than you might think. To show you just how straightforward it is, we'll walk you through a few simple steps in the following:

  1. Pick out a place to play from our top suggestions, and sign up for an account.
  2. Once your account is ready, go into the cashier section, and choose the option to deposit if your offer requires one.
  3. When you make this deposit, you can put in a bonus code to claim an offer that way, but some sites allow you to simply select the promotion you want from a simple list.
  4. With your deposit processed, you're then ready to play with your bonus.

Is it Worth Playing Free Poker Games?

Free poker games fall into two categories. On the one hand, you have no deposit offers with a chance to win real money. On the other hand, you have play money games that let you play without any risk or opportunities for winnings. We think that both have a lot of merit, especially with trying out titles that you haven't played before or simply want to get familiar with again before playing for real money. The play money options are also fun for plenty of people on their own.

Playing Real Money Casino Poker vs Free Games

Playing for free compared to playing online each have their own advantages and disadvantages. That means that some players will prefer one over the other while some will like both. If you aren't sure which category you may fall into, consider these "pros" for both styles of play.

Pros for Real Money Poker

  • The big appeal that many have with playing for real money is that they can win bigger prizes than they can with no deposit offers due to maximum cash out restrictions.
  • You get more flexibility with betting sizes.
  • Progressive jackpot options typically aren't available in free money games.

Pros for Free Poker

  • With no risk, you can experiment with other strategies that you wouldn't have tried before.
  • This option is perfect for players who want to try a new game without being worried that they aren't playing it correctly.
  • If you use no deposit promotions, you can hit real money poker wins without any risk involved.

The Difference Between Online Casino Poker & Poker Rooms

While they're based on largely the same types of hand rankings, the games played in poker rooms are a bit different than what's played in a new online casino. For the former, you're typically playing against other players, often as a group. However, for the latter, you're playing primarily against the dealer and a set of house rules. You can find games in one group inspired by titles in the other, but they're two separate sets of experiences.

RNG, RTP, and Odds

If you want to really understand what's going on in the real money online poker games that you play, then there are a few terms that are useful to know. In what follows, we'll break down terms like RNG and RTP, explain the differences and show you how to use both to have a better idea of which titles will be the best fit for you.

What is RNG Software?

To randomize a deck of cards in person, there are strictly regulated shuffling styles that each dealer or croupier must be trained in. However, with virtual decks, this randomization has to happen with a computer program. This program is actually called a random number generator, or RNG for short, and it's one of the most important parts of the overall software. In short, these RNG programs are inspected and audited regularly to make sure that they actually serve their purpose correctly, which helps to keep the games fair for players.

What does RTP Mean?

All of the best real money online poker titles for casino play have something called an RTP, which is short for return to player and is almost always referred to as a percentage. The idea is to give players an understanding of how much these tables are designed to pay out. If you take all of the wagers players would make, and you assume they all play the strategic sides of things correctly, then a percentage of those funds are returned to players (on average) in the form of different types of wins. This percentage is the return to player rate or RTP.

Best Odds for Real Money Online Casino Poker

To get the highest payout percentages you can and the best odds available in these games, you have to learn how to play the strategic side well. Even then, your maximum average payout rate will depend on the RTP of the game you're playing. With Pai Gow Poker, for example, the maximum you can expect is a shade over 97%, but with Casino Hold'em, you can get up over 97.5%. The trade-off is that the higher RTP games tend to have more complicated strategies to learn.

Real Money Poker Strategies - How to Get the Most Out of Your Bankroll

At the poker real money Canada online casino tables, how you choose to deploy various strategies can ultimately help to determine your chances of coming out ahead. With that said, each specific game variation has different particular strategies that can be highly specific. In what follows, we want to give you some general guidelines to use in the larger genre and when it comes to learning particular titles as well as you reasonably can.

  • Know the maximum RTP of the game you're playing so that you have a reasonable idea of what you're aiming for with your strategies.
  • Three Card Poker can give you a high payout rate of a little more than 97 percent if you simply raise any hand that's a Queen/Six/Four-high or better, which is the way to play perfectly in that particular title.
  • The best app game for in-depth strategy is generally considered to be Ultimate Texas Hold'em, which requires that you learn how to read the first several cards and streets of play. Playing for pairs and draws to flushes or straights will get you most of the way to playing perfectly at these tables.
  • Learning the odds of hitting common draws with three or four cards in your hand makes it easier to adjust to different situations in a variety of different titles.
  • In Caribbean Stud, you should always raise with one pair or better, and you should always fold with Ace/Queen-high or lower, but the Ace/King-high hands themselves are situational.

Popular Canadian Deposit and Payouts

Getting funds to your account and cashing out your winnings are all about which banking methods you use. Lots of them are available, but we have good reasons for favoring the payment options that we do. With that said, the very best deposit and withdrawal methods will vary a bit from player to player, so we want to give you a breakdown of what each brings to the table to make it easier to decide what will get you started the easiest.

Credit and Debit Cards

If you think about the convenience factor, it's not difficult to understand why so many people just use a debit or credit card. Since they have them available already, and since the process is just like making any other online transaction, it's quick and easy. The downside is that the fees are about average, and while deposits are quick, withdrawals can take a few more days than some of the other options. However, it's difficult to beat the convenience.

E-wallets - Instadebit, PayPal, eCheck

Many players have heard of electronic wallets like Instadebit or PayPal. While PayPal isn't available in Canada for gambling deposits or withdrawals, Instadebit is a very popular option. This works by putting money in a separate account that acts as a sort of intermediary between your bank and the casino that you might be playing with. The withdrawal times tend to be a little better than average, and the fees are reasonable as well. Some eCheck options can work somewhat similarly, but the popularity level isn't as high for Canadian players as Instadebit.

Use Your Bank with Interac

Of all of the real money poker app Canada specific payment options, Interac is one of the overall best. This method connects to your bank account to make transfers for both deposits and withdrawals. What stands out is that it's quick for both deposits and withdrawals, and the fees are lower than average. While it does take a small amount of time to set up, once you're set, it makes your transactions particularly easy.

Cryptocurrency

The cryptocurrency options for playing at real money online poker casino sites are more convenient and easier to use in 2024 than ever before. One big reason is that the learning curve for Bitcoin, Ethereum and other crypto payment methods is much more reasonable than it used to be when these first became available. At this point, it's no more complicated to use in modern casino cashier sections than something like an electronic wallet. To this end, it can be a solid option if you're looking for faster withdrawals and lower fees.

How to get the Fastest Withdrawals on Your Winnings

Getting quicker withdrawals can primarily come from two things. First, you'll want to verify your identity ahead of time so that you don't have to wait on that to clear when you go to make your initial withdrawal. This verification is a regulatory requirement that has to be completed before they can process your cash out. Additionally, you can choose options like Interac and cryptocurrencies that have a faster transaction time for withdrawals.

poker mobile version

Real Money Poker App - Play at Mobile Casinos

All of the top online real money poker casinos have mobile apps now that let you play when you head out. All you really need is your Android or iOS device and a connection. They're popular to the point that many sites report more mobile wagers than bets made using a computer. Additionally, you can manage your account and promotions all from the same smartphone or tablet, which is particularly convenient.

Online Poker Real Money App - iPhone and Android

It doesn't really matter what size device you use with these mobile casino apps. We have reviewed all of the top, most popular places to play poker online, and all of the best sites for Canadians have them set up in a way that the games will scale appropriately to your tablet or smartphone. That goes for even the mini style iPhone devices and Android phones as well as tablets like the iPad. The controls scale differently so that they're always large enough to be easy to use while not getting so big that they're a distraction.

how we review the best poker casinos

How We Rate & Review Real Money Poker Sites

It can seem overwhelming to jump in and try to figure out where to play on your own. A ton of research has to go into each individual site for you to know if they are even reputable and have the games you want to play. To help you speed things along, we have compiled all of this research into in-depth reviews that we have then broken down in terms of straightforward ratings. This rating system makes it easy to start with confidence with one of our recommended options because it uses the following criteria.

  • Mobile Options - We like to see a strong mobile option that allows you to play while you're on the go.
  • Game Selection - This includes both the poker-specific offering as well as the larger selection of other types of titles.
  • Licensing - The licenses held by the best establishments online are all in good standing from reputable regulatory bodies.
  • Quick Withdrawals - One thing we must see is that players get paid their money promptly without unnecessary delays.
  • History and Reliability - We think it's important for a casino to have a history and reputation for taking care of their players.
  • Good Bonuses - Players want to get as many solid promotions as they can, and at the core of this is a set of bonus options that are a good value.
  • Safety and Security - The safety of the players is our top priority, so we only recommend places that follow regulatory best practices when handling player data.

Best Real Money Casinos - Awards for 2024

If you look at what different kinds of players prefer in their experiences, you'll find a lot of variety. That means that the best online real money poker option for one person can be completely different than that for another. To make it easier to pick out a good fit based on what you're looking for more specifically, we have recommendations in what follows based on individual things that we've found some players focus on the most.

  • Best For Mobile : Yukon Gold

    If you're playing while out and about, Yukon Gold is the place to be. They offer 125 free spins on your initial deposit of only $10, and you can land 100% up to $150 on your second deposit, all of which can be played through via mobile.

  • Best For Live Dealer : Luxury Casino

    Getting in on the action with other players in the live dealer setting is easy with Luxury Casino's wide selection of tables. Along with that, you can earn up to $1000 in bonuses across your initial five deposits to add some serious padding to your bankroll.

  • Best For Bonus : Zodiac

    Zodiac Casino has some of the top bonuses out there with an aggressive promotional schedule. This includes 80 free chances to be made a millionaire for a deposit of just $1 along with other welcome package bonuses totaling as much as $480.

  • Best For Fast Cashouts : Captain Cooks

    With multiple fast cash out options, Captain Cooks is our top pick for a real money poker site that gets your payment to you as quickly as they can. They also make it easy to start off with a $5 deposit for 100 opportunities to become a millionaire instantly on the Mega Money Wheel.

  • Best For Minimum Deposit : Spin Casino

    A small deposit goes a long way at Spin Casino. They start you off with 50 free chances on the Atlantean Treasures Mega Moolah progressive slot for a deposit of only $1 with a 200x play-through requirement, and they have a wide range of different types of titles to pick from.

Online Poker Real Money Winning Tips

Putting everything together to increase your chances of winning and having a good time is a great way to go. In the following, we'll break down some tips that will help you to do just that. While they're not all strategic in the traditional sense, you can think of them as strategies for having an excellent time and boosting your chances of coming out ahead in your sessions.

  • Know which game variations you're looking to play ahead of time along with what the expected RTP levels are like to make better game selection decisions.
  • Don't be afraid to use the "play money" option to practice strategies for a game that you're learning.
  • Make sure to have a bonus clearing as much as you can because it's essentially extra money for something you would have been playing anyway.
  • Know the pay tables and the ways to win, especially for any side bets, before you jump in and start playing.
  • If you're considering a live dealer table, keep in mind that you'll likely get in fewer hands per session.

Alternative Games to Play and Win Big in 2024

A variety of other types of card games can help to get a similar strategic style of play. Blackjack is known for its strategy while Baccarat is much lighter on strategic play. Additionally, video poker games have a lot of strategy with a similar hand-based payout system. However, if you want something a bit different, then roulette and slots both offer the quick betting rounds that you may be used to when playing online.

FAQs

  • Where can I play poker online for real money?

    Our recommended casino options are great places to play for real.
  • What are the best casinos to play real money poker online?

    We think that Jackpot City and Zodiac are good options for these games.
  • Is playing online casino poker legal in Canada?

    Yes, it's legal to play these games for Canadians.
  • Are there progressive jackpots available?

    Some styles of casino poker have progressive jackpot side bets.
  • Which game has the best odds?

    This depends on which strategies you use, but Caribbean Stud is a solid place to start.
  • How hard is it to win real money while playing poker?

    Most table poker games in online casinos have a low volatility, so you can win small and medium amounts more often.
  • Which software provider has the best variants?

    Microgaming is known for having a great library of titles in this genre.
  • How do I know the games aren't rigged?

    Each place we've recommended is fully licensed and audited regularly as a part of the licensing requirements.
  • What's the best bonus to claim?

    We like welcome package at Luxury Casino for up to $1000 across five deposits.
  • Are the wagering requirements high?

    The wagering requirements depend on the specific promotion you've claimed and the games you're using to clear the play-through.
About the Author
 Quintin van Wyk
Quintin van Wyk - Lead Editor

Quintin is a strategic wordsmith and avid gambling enthusiast who has been editing and writing content for the iGaming industry for over 10 years. With the gaming industry constantly expanding and evolving, he is ready to guide both newcomers and experienced players with comprehensive news articles, unbiased casino reviews and informative how-to guides you can trust.