When you buy through affiliate links in our content, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn Pointing you in the direction of the best poker sites Canada has to offer is crucial to maximize your experience when playing this thrilling card game.
That’s why we’ve reviewed the top Canadian poker sites, helping you understand the types of games, tournaments, and bonuses you can benefit from.
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| Best Crypto Poker Site |
CoinPoker |
150% deposit bonus up to $2,000 |
150% deposit bonus up to $2,000
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CoinPoker
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Play Now
Copied
TECHO
Copy
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Ignition |
100% Poker Bonus + 100% Casino Combo Bonus |
100% Poker Bonus + 100% Casino Combo Bonus
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Ignition
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Play Now
NO CODE REQUIRED
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Americas Card Room |
New Player Bonus Up To $2,000 |
New Player Bonus Up To $2,000
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Americas Card Room
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Play Now
NO CODE REQUIRED
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Black Chip Poker |
100% up to $2,000 |
100% up to $2,000
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Black Chip Poker
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Play Now
NO CODE REQUIRED
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BetOnline |
100% Bonus up to $1,000 |
100% Bonus up to $1,000
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BetOnline
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Play Now
NO CODE REQUIRED
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Bovada |
100% Bonus up to $500 |
100% Bonus up to $500
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Bovada
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NO CODE REQUIRED
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Ya Poker |
100% up to $2,000 |
100% up to $2,000
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Ya Poker
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Play Now
NO CODE REQUIRED
|
- Show Full Guide
Top Canadian Poker Sites
- CoinPoker – Best Poker Site in Canada for Decentralized Crypto Users
- BetOnline Poker – Top Canadian Online Poker Site for Games and Features
- Bovada Poker – The Best Online Poker Site in Canada for Customer Service
- Ignition Poker – Excellent Mobile-Focused Canadian Poker Site
- Everygame Poker – The Best Poker Site in Canada for Promotions
- Sportsbetting.ag Poker – An Ideal Canadian Poker Site to Multi-Table
- Juicy Stakes Poker – The Busiest Canadian Online Poker Site
Five of the Best Online Poker Sites in Canada
What are the five best poker sites Canada has to offer? Based on hours of research, player feedback, and comparisons, we believe the following operators are the best real money poker sites in Canada:
1. CoinPoker – The Overall Best Poker Site in Canada
- Founded: 2018
- Payout Speed: Instant
- License: Curaçao eGaming
- Headquarters: Curaçao
CoinPoker gets top billing in our list of the best poker sites Canada has to offer for one reason: it’s a decentralized gaming platform. This means it has a litany of innovative features that other poker sites don’t have.
For starters, you don’t need a VPN to access CoinPoker in Canada. The same can’t be said for other Canadian poker sites.
You don’t need a VPN because its games, random number generators (RNGs), and payment options operate on a decentralized blockchain.
Blockchains aren’t governed by a single authority, so you’re free to play Hold’em and USD₮200,000 guaranteed MTTs from anywhere in the world.
You can also claim a three-stage welcome bonus, up to 33% rakeback, and make instant payments using BTC, ETH, USDT or CHP under a cloak of anonymity.
If you’re a high-stakes Pot-Limit Omaha player, you’re in luck, as CoinPoker hosts some of the biggest PLO cash games in the world, mostly featuring the world-famous Tony G.
Features Overview
- Poker Options: 9/10
- Mobile Poker App: 10/10
- Promotions & Rewards: 9/10
- User Experience: 9/10
- Payment Methods: 10/10
- Customer Support: 9/10
Pros 
- 33% rakeback
- ₮200,000 in Sunday guarantees
- Hold’em, Omaha, and Five-Card Omaha
- Anonymous platform and no VPN required
Cons 
- Design could be better
- Not a lot of mid-stakes action
2. BetOnline – The Canadian Poker Site with Something for Everyone
- Founded: 2001
- Payout speed: 24 hours
- License: Panama Gaming Commission
- Headquarters: St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda
BetOnline is one of the best poker sites for Canadian players who want the best of both worlds. Firstly, BetOnline offers fiat and cryptocurrency payments, so you can pick and choose the most suitable method.
Secondly, you can choose to play seriously or embrace the lighter side of poker. Those who want access to $100,000+ MTTs and fast-fold cash games have got it.
Players who are more focused on fun can take advantage of novel features such as throwables (throwing virtual objects at people).
Those of you who sit somewhere in between these two extremes can straddle in cash games, run boards multiple times, and play jackpot Sit & Gos.
Basically, BetOnline is one of the top Canadian poker sites because it offers something for everyone.
Features Overview
- Poker Options: 9/10
- Mobile Poker App: 9/10
- Promotions & Rewards: 8/10
- User Experience: 9/10
- Payment Methods: 10/10
- Customer Support: 9/10
Pros
- Huge welcome bonuses
- Tons of MTTs, including $3 million series
- Hold’em, Omaha, Draw, Stud
- Straddles, all-in cashouts, throwables
Cons
- You need to use a VPN
- Doesn’t offer rakeback
3. Bovada – Canadian Poker Site Veteran with Excellent Customer Service
- Founded: 2011
- Payout speed: 24 hours
- License: Curaçao eGaming
- Headquarters: Costa Rica
Bovada has been a big name on the international poker scene since 2011, so it came as no surprise to us that it offers excellent customer service. This means more than a customer support team that’s active 24/7.
Bovada’s customer service extends to its games, instant-play software, and promotions. Put simply, there are plenty of free, micro, low, and mid-stakes games spanning the most popular variants.
Our personal favourites are the fast-fold Zone Poker tables and turbo tournaments that usually cost between $3.30 and $109.
Making sure everyone is catered for also extends to the promotions at Bovada. Specifically, you can convert loyalty points to cash, which means you don’t need to worry about wagering requirements.
Features Overview
- Poker Options: 9/10
- Mobile Poker App: 8/10
- Promotions & Rewards: 10/10
- User Experience: 9/10
- Payment Methods: 9/10
- Customer Support: 9/10
Pros
- $1 million+ in weekly MTT guarantees
- Excellent fast-fold and turbo games
- Instant cryptocurrency withdrawals
- Great customer support
Cons
- Can only be accessed with a VPN
- Some withdrawal options have fees
4. Ignition – A Great Canadian Online Poker Site for MTT Players
- Founded: 2016
- Payout Speed: Instant to 24 hours
- License: Curaçao eGaming
- Headquarters: Costa Rica
Ignition is fourth on our list of top Canadian online poker sites, largely because it’s become a haven for tournament players. Our personal highlight is the $200,000 guaranteed Sunday Major.
Although the $162 entry fee is higher than the industry average ($109), there’s a healthy selection of satellite qualifiers throughout the week, with many starting from just $1.
Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that the winner of the Sunday Major gets a $20,000 minimum payout.
Indeed, it’s not all high-stakes tournaments. Ignition has plenty of MTTs that cost less than $50, as well as a nice selection of freerolls. Cash games are less popular above $5/$10, but you’ll find plenty of tables at $0.10/$0.25 to $0.50/$1.
Another overlooked feature that’s great for mobile users is the quick seat option. Input your stakes, game, and table size, and the software will thrust you into the next available seat.
Features Overview
- Poker Options: 9/10
- Mobile Poker App: 9/10
- Promotions & Rewards: 8/10
- User Experience: 10/10
- Payment Methods: 9/10
- Customer Support: 8/10
Pros
- Generous welcome bonus
- Loyalty rewards and crypto bonuses
- $2 million in weekly guarantees
- Excellent mobile software
Cons
- Need a VPN to use in Canada
- Weekly withdrawal restrictions
5. Everygame Poker – The Best Poker Site in Canada for Added Value
- Founded: 1996
- Payout speed: 48 hours
- License: Curaçao eGaming
- Headquarters: St Kitts and Nevis
Everygame has become the home of added value over the last decade or so. Everyone has the chance to earn up to 36% rakeback when playing cash games or tournaments.
For context, that’s higher than the industry standard. Perhaps the best offer of all is the monthly freeroll pass.
Anyone who deposits $25+ in a month gets to enter a freeroll with a four-figure guarantee. If that’s not enough, there are daily freerolls, loyalty rewards, and cash races.
Our one issue with Everygame is that the Sunday Myriad’s $10,000 guarantee is pretty small for a $125 entry fee, especially given that it’s a feature tournament. But, apart from this small issue, Everygame is a great Canadian online poker site, particularly for low-stakes value hunters.
Features Overview
- Poker Options: 9/10
- Mobile Poker App: 8/10
- Promotions & Rewards: 10/10
- User Experience: 8/10
- Payment Methods: 9/10
- Customer Support: 9/10
Pros
- High rakeback rate of 36%
- Exceptional number of freerolls
- Crypto and fiat deposits
- Plenty of low-stakes action
Cons
- Need to use a VPN in Canada
- You’re restricted to one withdrawal per week
How We Test and Review Poker Websites
150+ Gambling Platforms Reviewed
1,100+ Games Software Tested
200+ Monthly Hours of Research
375+ Promotions Verified
Playing online poker is becoming more popular by the day and you need to choose a reputable site that best matches your needs.
We here at Techopedia have an in-house review process that’s analyzed by our poker experts that covers each and every aspect of the most popular online poker sites in the world.
In particular we look at:
- Rakeback and other bonuses
- Game selection
- Player pool size
- Reputation and safety
- Payment methods
To find out more, take a look at our detailed guide on how we test gambling platforms and poker sites featured on Techopedia.
Types of Poker Games at Best Canadian Poker Sites
As you’d expect, the best real money poker sites Canada has to offer are packed with games. Indeed, if you’re catering to a diverse demographic of poker players, it makes sense to spread as many different games as possible.
Based on our research, these are the most popular poker variants at Canadian poker sites. We will also explain the basics of how to play them.
Texas Hold’em
Otherwise known as the “Cadillac of poker”, Texas Hold’em is the variant you’ll usually see on TV as it’s used for major events, such as the World Series of Poker. Play starts with two players putting in the small and big blinds. In online tournaments, every player will usually ante up about 1/10th of a big blind per hand. In live tournaments, the big blind usually gets charged an additional big blind that goes into the middle, naturally named the big blind ante.
After that, everyone receives two cards that only they can see (hole cards). From there, the action moves clockwise from the player directly to the right of the big blind. The first player has the option to call (put in a bet equal in value to the big blind), fold, or raise.
Subsequent players get the same three options: call, fold, or raise. In all instances, calling requires you to match the current biggest bet. This dynamic continues until everyone has called the current biggest bet. After that, three community cards (the flop) are dealt.
Everyone can use these cards in conjunction with their own to make a five-card hand. That’s why they’re called community cards. Two more betting rounds release an additional two community cards (as long as two or more people remain active in the hand).
After the fifth community card (the river), a final betting round leads to a showdown if two or more players call the last biggest bet. The player with the best five-card hand wins. If only one player remains active at any point, they win the pot.
This means you can win Hold’em hands by making everyone else fold. Our top tip for playing Texas Hold’em is to enter pots with strong starting hands (e.g. pocket pairs, Ace-King, and Ace-Queen) and bet aggressively when you hit something.
Omaha
Omaha is a community card variant that’s almost identical to Hold’em in terms of the way hands play out. The two major differences are that you start with four hole cards, and you must use two of them. This also means that you can only use three of the five community cards.
The fact that everyone has four hole cards and must use two means you have more ways to make ranked poker hands (aka possible hand combinations). This makes Omaha more volatile than other poker variants.
Therefore, the concept of playing tight is even more pertinent in Omaha than it is in Hold’em, because low-ranking hands can be easily counterfeited.
Bonus Tip: If you’re a fan of action, CoinPoker offers Five-Card Omaha.
6+ Hold’em (Short Deck Poker)
Poker’s rise in popularity and the subsequent demand for action spawned a new variant in 2018. First devised by high-stakes players in Asia, 6+ Hold’em is a strip-deck game, which means cards with a value of 5 or less have been removed from the deck.
This changes how easy it is to make flushes and full houses, so the hand rankings for 6+ Hold’em are slightly different from Texas Hold’em. Specifically, flushes beat full houses in 6+ Hold’em, compared to the other way around in Texas Hold’em.
This modified ranking system is used at the best poker sites Canada has to offer. Other than the hand rankings, 6+ Hold’em plays out in the same way as Texas Hold’em. What you will notice, however, is that it’s a volatile game due to the stripped nature of the deck.
Other Popular Games at Poker Sites in Canada
The following variants are less popular than Hold’em and Omaha, but you can still find them at the top Canadian poker sites:
- Five-Card Draw: Every player starts with five cards and the option to call, fold, or raise. All players who remain active after the initial deal can exchange as many cards as they wish. Another betting round ensues at this point, and if two or more players remain active, a showdown takes place.
- Seven-Card Stud: Everyone gets a maximum of seven cards in this variant. Three of them are hidden, and four are exposed to everyone at the table. This means you need to judge what opponents might have based on their exposed cards, your cards, and the betting action.
- Mixed Games: Games such as H.O.R.S.E combine different variants. The variant changes after a set number of hands, which means you need to think on your feet and be adept at different games. There are also Stud games like 2-7 Triple Draw that are an entirely different style of poker that many believe is incredibly fun.
Ways to Play at Canadian Poker Sites for Real Money
Our favourite Canadian poker sites’ real money games come in three main formats: cash games, tournaments, and Sit & Gos. These formats dictate how you enter, make bets, and win money.
What’s great about the best Canadian poker sites is that they’re linked to international networks, meaning you have a vast network of players to compete against.
The value of any game is determined by the number of players who have access to it. The more players who can play, the bigger the prizes will be. Moreover, having access to international networks means you’re more likely to run into weaker players.
Therefore, if you want access to cash games and generous tournament prize pools, offshore Canadian poker sites are by far the best options. These are some of the types of formats to expect:
Bonuses & Promotions at Best Poker Sites in Canada
We have shown you the best poker sites in Canada and explained the games they offer, but we can’t guarantee that you’ll win money. Poker is a game involving skill, but the right moves can still yield the wrong results through bad luck.
That’s why bonuses are an essential part of poker. They can help offset a run of bad luck and take your bankroll to new heights when you’re winning. The main ways to benefit from these are:
Welcome Bonuses
You should be looking to receive bonuses when joining a new poker site. Like casino bonuses, the best Canadian poker sites give new customers a combination of bonus credits, tournament tickets, and rakeback.
For example, eligible customers who make their first deposit at CoinPoker get a deposit match worth up to ₮100. There are two more deposit bonuses up for grabs after that, taking the total bonus to ₮1,100.
Welcome bonuses aren’t always linked to a deposit. Some offers are known as no deposit or sign-up bonuses and give you a reward as soon as your new account is verified.
Satellites and Ticket Giveaways
Tournaments often give you the most bang for your buck in terms of ROI (Return on Investment) because the buy-in is relatively small in comparison to the prizes you can win.
The best poker sites in Canada run feeder events (aka satellites) that allow you to win entry into big-money tournaments for a fraction of the cost.
Running in tandem with satellites are ticket giveaways. Once in a while, a poker site will send you a tournament ticket via e-mail or directly into your account as a thank you for your loyalty or as part of a running promotion.
Freerolls
Freerolls are tournaments without any entry fee that pay cash prizes to the top finishers. Top Canadian poker sites, such as CoinPoker and BetOnline, have daily freerolls, which means you’ll always have ways to win cash prizes without spending any money.
Rakeback
You pay a small fee each time you enter a tournament or play pots in cash games. This fee is known as rake, and there’s a way to get a percentage of it back every month.
Each operator has its own way of calculating the percentage you get, but the system is known as rakeback.
You can get 33% rakeback at CoinPoker. So, let’s say you pay $1,000 in rake over the course of a month. This means you’re entitled to $330 in rakeback. If you’re an active player, rakeback is the most valuable bonus you can claim.
Monthly Leaderboards
The best poker sites Canada has to offer run leaderboard challenges. These challenges pit you against other players in a race to earn as many points as possible. The top-ranked players at the end of the race win a share of the prize pool.
CoinPoker’s ₮15,000 is a shining example of what you can win if you’re an active tournament player. Points are calculated based on the buy-in, number of entrants, and where you place in a tournament. Players who finish in the top 150 win tournament tickets and cash prizes worth up to ₮1,000.
Payment Methods at Best Canadian Poker Sites
The best Canada poker sites allow you to play free games using a virtual bankroll. However, if you want to win cash prizes and claim bonuses, you need to ante up in real money games. The only way to do this is by depositing funds using one of the following methods:
How to Sign Up to Top Canadian Poker Sites
Here's how to ante up at CoinPoker, which we consider Canada's best online poker site. However, if you choose a different operator, the process should be similarly straightforward.
Tap to Register
Use our secure link to open the CoinPoker homepage. Tap the “Register” button to open the sign-up form.
Enter Your Details
Input your email address, nickname, and password. You can also enter a CoinPoker promo code if you have one. Tap “sign up” to complete the process.
Verify Your Account
Open the email from CoinPoker and tap the link to verify and activate your account.
Download CoinPoker
Use the download button to install CoinPoker on your desktop device or mobile. Open the app and enter your phone number to receive the SMS verification message.
Deposit and Play
Open the cashier page and make your first deposit to claim the 100% deposit bonus. Choose your favourite game and have fun.
Tips for Playing at the Best Canadian Poker Sites
Using the best poker sites Canada has to offer is the easiest way to get the most enjoyment from your time online. However, if you want to get maximum value from your time online, you need a strategy.
These tips below should help you formulate a strategy to give you the best chance of winning:
- Learn the Basics: Learning the basics of how to play poker is essential. Make sure you know hand rankings, as well as poker strategy concepts such as position and bet sizing, before you play real money games. BetOnline has a great selection of beginner guides, as well as a poker odds calculator.
- Become a Hunter: Don’t be afraid to shop around and play at different Canadian online poker sites. Doing this not only gives you access to more bonuses and promotions, but it also gives you a better chance of finding weaker players.
- Start Small and Check Your Ego: An ego is the worst trait poker players can have. Always be humble and be aware that people can be better than you, particularly if you’re a newbie. Start off in free-play games and freerolls. From there, move up to micro-stakes games and only go to the next level once you’ve got enough money and skills.
- Tight is Always Right: Tight, aggressive poker has proven to be profitable ever since Doyle Brunson revealed his secrets in Super/System. This means entering pots with strong starting hands and betting aggressively when the moment presents itself.
- Take Control: Take the lead whenever possible. Sometimes, you’ll need to sit back and wait for opponents to make a move, then counter. Other times, you’ll have to be on the front foot. Assess the dynamics of a game and try to take control by exploiting an opponent’s tendencies.
Are Canadian Online Poker Sites Legal?
Online poker is legal in Canada, but the rules vary depending on the province you’re in. Ontario published its own set of local laws in 2022. This made all forms of gambling, including Canadian casinos and poker, officially legal in the state.
Outside of Ontario, provincial governments have taken a hands-off approach to online poker. This means there aren’t any laws making it legal, nor are there laws prohibiting it. This means offshore poker operators are free to serve players in Canada.
What you might find, however, is that you need a VPN to access sites such as BetOnline and Bovada. The only Canadian poker site we recommend that doesn’t require a VPN is CoinPoker. As well as fast transactions, the decentralized nature of the platform means you can play anonymously.
Best Poker Site for Canadian Players – Our Verdict
The best poker sites Canada has to offer are packed with generous promotions, instant payment options, and supreme software that’s suitable for desktop and mobile devices.
What’s more, they tap into international networks, meaning there’s plenty of action whenever you want it. This also means you’ve got a great chance of beating less experienced players who are betting big without the goods to back it up.
We’ve picked CoinPoker as the top Canadian online poker site because its decentralized setup means you don’t need a VPN to access games, promotions, and instant withdrawals.
FAQs
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Affiliate Disclosure: Techopedia may receive advertising commissions for visits to a suggested operator through our affiliate links, at no added cost to you. However, all our recommendations are unbiased and follow a thorough review process. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly and you must be of legal gambling age.
Resources
- https://www.bitcoin.com/get-started/ (How to Use Bitcoin)
- https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/how-to-use-a-vpn/ (How to Use a VPN)
- https://www.amazon.co.uk/Doyle-Brunsons-Super-System-Course/dp/1580420818 (Super System)
