Ethereum poker sites to try in 2024 [bonuses, tournaments, & more]

How to play poker with Ethereum (quick guide)

Ethereum is accepted at any crypto casino that accepts altcoin as it’s the second most popular digital currency after BTC, so you won’t find any issue playing poker with this crypto. The best Ethereum poker sites offer two main categories of poker games: live poker with a professional dealer, where you get to pit your skills against other players, and ETH video poker (sometimes referred to as RNG poker).

Even though the actual mechanics of each category are very different, both versions are based on the classic rules of the games. They also require a good degree of skill and knowledge, unlike other games like Ethereum slots. Here are the main differences between RNG and live Ethereum poker.

Live Ethereum poker

Live ETH poker replicates the experience of playing in a land-based casino, where you’ll find an actual table with a professional dealer and other players. The game is streamed live from a dedicated studio, although some gambling sites may stream from an actual casino floor for that extra touch of realism.

Software providers like Evolution and Pragmatic Play have really upped their streaming game, so you can expect the latest 4k or even 5k technology for crisp, high-resolution visuals. Following all the action won’t be a problem, thanks to the presence of multiple cameras.

A significant part of the attraction of live online poker with ETH is the social aspect. You can interact with the dealer and - sometimes, depending on the casino - even with other players. The pacing of the game is similar to what you’d expect if you were playing live with your friends. You’ll need to wait for the dealer to shuffle, draw, flip the cards and so forth, besides giving the other players time to decide on their next move.

Video poker (RNG)

With ETH video poker, all the action is carried out by means of a computer algorithm using a Random Number Generator (RNG) to ensure that the cards are dealt randomly and fairly.

Because you don’t have to wait on other players or a human dealer, the gameplay is very fast and you can simply ‘click and play’, rather than waiting for a table to close.

This type of online Ethereum poker also does away with the stress that may be associated with playing live poker if you’re still relatively inexperienced. You can practise your hands without getting ‘stage fright’, so to speak.

1. Pick a site from my list of best ETH poker sites below, follow the link, and create an account.
2. Make your first deposit.
3. Head over to the poker section and join a live table or pick a video poker version.

1. For live Ethereum poker: You will be asked to make your forced bet before the first two cards are dealt. You will then receive two hole cards face down and the first round of betting will begins!

2. Decide whether to fold, call, or raise, and the game continues with further rounds of betting and card reveals. After four betting rounds, all players reveal their cards and the best five-card hand wins the pot.

3. These rules are based on the most popular Texas Hold’em version, but different variants come with their own unique rules and betting options.

4. For video poker: The principles are the same, but you don’t have multiple rounds. Place your bet before any cards are dealt. After betting, you're dealt five cards (not two) and you can choose which to keep or discard. The final hand is revealed, and payouts are made based on the paytable, if you have a winning combination.

What casinos offer the best Ethereum poker bonus?

While all the sites I recommend above offer a variety of promotions, these unfortunately aren’t an actual Ethereum poker bonus per se. For example, sites like  BitStarz offer a temptingly large welcome bonus of up to 5BTC + 200 free spins at relatively reasonable wagering requirements of 40x.

This converts to the potential of approximately 11.8 ETH in bonus funds. But - yes, there’s a big but - you can’t use these funds to play live poker. You can use them on video poker games, but they will only contribute 5% to playthrough, so I honestly don’t think it’s worth it.

This is a recurring theme with all regular casino welcome bonuses. In fact, most sites actually exclude video poker from the list of eligible games. However, some of my recommended best Ethereum poker places offer specific poker bonuses on a regular basis.

Betplay is one of these - if you check the site's FAQs, you’ll see that poker bonuses are offered seasonally. Although there wasn’t an active promotion at the time of reviewing, keep your eyes peeled.

Top Ethereum Texas Hold ‘Em poker sites

It won’t be difficult to find Ethereum Texas Hold ‘em poker sites, as this is the most popular poker variant of all. Flush casino offers two of Evolution’s most well-known variants - Ultimate Texas Hold ‘em and Casino Hold ‘em.

Betplay offers 10 excellent options: high-rollers will want to look at Extreme Texas Hold ‘em, with stakes going up to 0.44 ETH. There are also a variety of other tables by Evolution. However, you can only access the latter from the exclusive live poker section - click on the Texas Hold ‘em thumbnail and it will expand into a bigger selection. That said, you’ll need to be logged in to see these.

If you’re an avid poker player, chances are that poker tournaments are what you’re really after. I’ve got excellent news in this regard, with two of my top sites offering a superior tournament experience, with back-to-back contests almost always available.

The first is Betplay. Here, you’ll find a weekly Monday to Friday freeroll tournament. You won’t need to pay a fee to take part as long as you’re good to put down the equivalent of $10 in your preferred digital currency. You get to choose the currency before making a bet, so if you’re playing, say, Bitcoin poker, you’ll be able to view the stakes directly in ETH. Given that having to convert from dollars to ETH every time is annoying and time-consuming, this is awesome.

For those of you who enjoy network competitions, Betplay also holds a Hybrid Poker Network (HPN) Series tournament, where the leaderboard brings together a number of participating operators.

Spin.bet also holds regular Ethereum poker tournaments that follow a very similar format to the above, with some $12,000 in prizes (approximately 5.19 ETH).