What are the best poker rooms in the United States? There are so many to choose from, but only five made our list. We based our rankings on a number of factors, including popularity of the room, quality of games (cash games and tournaments), and proximity to other casinos. Just missing the cut were a number of deserving rooms worthy of recognition, such as Venetian (Las Vegas), Wynn (Las Vegas), Commerce Casino (Los Angeles), Choctaw (Durant, Oklahoma), Canterbury Park (Shakopee, Minnesota), and Seminole Hard Rock (Tampa).
1. Aria Resort and Casino (Las Vegas, Nevada)
There isn't a more well-rounded poker room than Aria, an MGM Resorts property on the Las Vegas Strip. The card room is always kept clean, and the staff are among the best in town (dealers, floor managers, and cocktail waitresses). Cash game players receive $2 per hour in comps, far above the $1 industry standard, and those comps can be used at the many delicious restaurants inside the gorgeous resort.
Aria has a game for everyone, whether you're a low-stakes recreational player, or Phil Ivey. Aria hosts low-stakes daily tournaments, along with regular high rollers that attract popular pros such as Daniel Negreanu and Fedor Holz.
2. Bicycle Casino (Los Angeles, California)
Who says all the poker action out west is in Sin City? That couldn't be further from the truth. Bicycle Casino, aka "The Bike," has one of the largest card rooms in the world, with 184 tables often packed full of locals, tourists, high-stakes crushers, low-stakes grinders, and just about everyone in between.
The massive poker room plays host to "Live at the Bike," the most popular and longest standing live-streamed cash game show in the world. Bicycle Casino has been a staple in Los Angeles since it opened in 1984.
3. Bellagio (Las Vegas, Nevada)
Arguably the most well-known poker room around the world, Bellagio features over 30 card tables and the most legendary high roller room in poker — Legends Room (formerly Bobby's Room). Much like Aria, Bellagio is an MGM Resorts property that pays its cash game players back $2 per hour in comps, and there are a plethora of tasty options to spend those comps on.
Bellagio has played host to numerous major events over the years, including the annual $10,000 buy-in Five Diamond World Poker Classic, one of the most prestigious events on the World Poker Tour. Pros such as Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negreanu, Jennifer Harman, and many others have spent countless hours over the years playing for hundreds of thousands of dollars at Bellagio.
4. Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (Hollywood, Florida)
Clear across the country in beautiful South Florida lies a gorgeous casino, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel. Inside this mega resort you'll find one of the top places for tournament poker in the world. Seminole Hard Rock hosts multiple World Poker Tour events every year, and each tournament draws in hundreds and often thousands of players.
But there's far more to the Seminole Hard Rock than just tournament poker. The card room has 45 tables available at all times, and will expand that during major tournaments. You'll find a solid mix of low and high-stakes games, including no-limit Texas hold'em, pot-limit Omaha, and some mixed games.
5. Maryland Live! (Baltimore, Maryland)
There isn't a better or more happening place to play cards in the northeast than the modern Maryland Live! Casino, a property in the Baltimore area. Players come from all over Maryland and surrounding states every day to get some action at Maryland Live!
What makes this casino such a special place to play poker is the huge crowds it attracts for major events, including an annual World Poker Tour tournament. As for cash games, there are 50 card tables, more than any other card room in the area, and the top players in the northeast look for action from the many recreational players who frequent Maryland Live!
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