If you’re looking for online poker sites in Pennsylvania, check our page here:
Whether you play poker for fun or your livelihood, real-world casinos serve it with something that online can’t duplicate: dealers who enjoy the game as much as you do.
Parx Casino®, the #1 Casino in PA, is owned and operated by Greenwood Racing, Inc. Offering unique style and upscale flair 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Featuring innovative gaming, thrilling entertainment, exceptional amenities, and superior customer service, Parx Casino® has won the most prestigious industry awards since.
“You want your staff to be poker players … (and) see the room through the eyes of the players,” says Bill Entenmann, director of poker operations at Parx Casino, whose poker room generates more revenue than any other in the state “People who don’t play themselves don’t understand what the customers’ needs are.”
Pennsylvania Live Poker
Across Pennsylvania, casinos appeal to poker players not only with knowledgeable staffs but also with a plethora of tournaments, a broad range of table limits, and promotions such as high-hand bonuses and bad-beat jackpots.
Pennsylvania’s 10 largest casinos offer live poker, and a $600 million casino being built in South Philadelphia includes plans for a 33-table poker room. The rooms range from 48 tables at Parx to only seven at Presque Isle in Erie. All are smoke-free and publicize their offerings on the Bravo poker app.
Pittsburgh-based poker player David Eldridge, who has cashed in several WSOP tournaments and played on TV’s “Poker Night in America,” provides a checklist for a good poker room reflects what many players want:
- A decent-sized room that is separated from the smoke and noise in the rest of the casino
- Comfortable chairs
- Efficient and effective management, such as the handling of waiting lists or disputes
Beyond those, he enjoys amenities such as phone-charging ports at each seat, working wifi, good food options and the availability of tableside massages. While he usually looks for higher stakes cash games that typically would be offered at only one table, he says players at smaller stakes find more table selection at larger rooms.
Bad Beat jackpots and high-hand bonuses attract many players who enjoy $1-3 or $2-5 no-limit or $3-6 and $4-8 limit, but higher-stakes players often turn up their noses at such promotions.
Entenman said some view the extra dollar of rake taken from each pot to fund those promotions as “a lottery ticket” they’re forced to buy.
Generally, Pennsylvania poker rooms rake 10 percent of the pot up to $5, plus $1 or $2 for promotions. Hold ’Em and PLO are the most common games; the most prevalent no-limit games are 1-3 and 2-5, with limit games typically 3-6 or 4-8.
Internet gambling is on the horizon in Pennsylvania, with nine of the 13 land-based casinos applying for licenses to offer online poker in PA, other table games, and slot-like games. Applicants paid $10 million each for the licenses and include Stadium Casinos, whose Philadelphia facility is scheduled to open in 2020.
If Pennsylvania casinos follow New Jersey’s lead, many online promotions and tournaments will wind up bringing those players into the casino. Here’s a look at what each Pennsylvania poker room offers.
Cardrooms and Poker Rooms in Pennsylvania
Mt. Airy Casino Resort
Location: 312 Woodland Rd. Mount Pocono, PA 18344
Phone: (877) 682-4791
Website:www.mountairycasino.com/casino/poker/
Tables: Nine
Promotions: High-hand bonus
Comp rate: $1 per hour
Online Poker Partner:PokerStars PA
Real Money Online Poker: Real money on
Trivia: Mt. Airy’s non-casino offerings include an 18-hole lakefront golf course and a 16,000-square-foot spa, salon and exercise facility.
2017-18 gross poker revenue: $1.24 million, up by about $55,000
Parx
Location: 2999 Street Road Bensalem, PA 19020
Phone: 267-525-7300 (poker room)
Website:www.parxcasino.com/poker
Tables: 48
Promotions: High-hand bonuses, with winners also qualifying for twice-a-month cash drawings; Bad Beat jackpot; quarterly Big Stax tournaments; World Poker Tour stop.
Comp rate: $1 an hour for 1-2 no-limit; increases with higher stakes
Extras: Phone-charging port at each seat; free wifi; rake for promotions limited to $1 per pot
Trivia: New poker room opened in January as part of a $50 million project that included the addition of the XCite Center concert venue. It includes 28 large-screen TVs and a three-table high-limit room. Poker Operations Director Bill Entenman says Tuesdays tend to be the nights for high-limit games; a recent Tuesday had 10-10 No Limit Hold ’Em, 15-30 and 40-80 Limit Hold ’Em, 50-100 HOE and 10-10 PLO in addition to more than a dozen more common games, such as 1-3 and 2-5 No Limit Hold ’Em.
2017-18 gross poker revenue: $17.3 million, up by about $14,000 from 2016-17.
Rivers
Location: 777 Casino Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15212
Phone: 412-566-4606 (poker room)
Website:https://www.riverscasino.com/pittsburgh/casino/poker-room
Tables: 30
Promotions: High-hand bonuses; Bad Beat jackpot; regular stop for “Poker Night in America;”
Comp rate: $1 per hour
Extras: Call-ahead seating good for up to an hour; phone-charging ports at each table.
Trivia: Rivers was the site of two showdowns between some of the world’s top heads-up poker players and Artificial Intelligence units developed at Carnegie Mellon University. In the 2017 test, which involved 120,000 hands over 20 days of play, the AI crushed the four human pros, the first such victory in the world.
2017-18 gross poker revenue: $6.6 million, down from $6.7 million
Harrah’s Philadelphia
Location: 777 Harrah’s Blvd. Chester, PA 19013
Phone: (800) 480-8020, Option 3
Website:www.caesars.com/harrahs-philly/casino/poker
Tables: 28
Promotions: High hand bonus, typically paid every hour or half hour; Bad Beat Jackpot, quarterly Diamond Delight tournaments that include cash prizes plus entry into WSOP Main Event and Millionaire Maker tournaments or Diamond level players club membership for a year.
Comp rate: $1 to $3 per hour, depending on game and blind structure
Extras: Mississippi Straddle allowed on all Hold ’Em and Omaha games; “run it twice” option allowed on time-raked no-limit and PLO games.
Trivia: Only World Series of Poker-affiliated room in the state
2017-18 gross poker revenue: $4.77 million, down from $5.3 million
SugarHouse
Location: 1001 N. Delaware Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19125
Phone: 215-717-3883 (poker room)
Website:www.sugarhousepoker.com
Tables: 28
Promotions: High-hand bonus, can qualify by playing one hole card.
Comp rate: $1 to $2 an hour, depending on game
Extras: In-seat text-to-order food service available
Trivia: Regular stop for “Poker Night in America”
2017-18 gross poker revenue: $7.9 million, up from $7.7 million.
Sands
Location: 77 Sands Blvd. Bethlehem, PA 18015
Phone: (877) 726-3777
Website:www.pasands.com/en/Gaming/poker-room
Tables: 26
Promotions: Bad Beat jackpot
Extras: Phone-charging ports at each seat; complimentary beverage service; massage service available.
Trivia: The Sands, currently owned by Sheldon Adelson’s Las Vegas Sands Corp., is being sold for $1.3 billion to Wind Creek Hospitality, an affiliate of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama. The sale is expected to be final by early 2019.
2017-18 gross poker revenue: $10.5 million, down from $11.1 million
Mohegan Sun Pocono
Location: 1280 Highway 315 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702
Phone: (888) 946-4672
Website:www.mohegansunpocono.com/playing/poker
Tables: 18
Promotions: Bad Beat Jackpot for both cash games and tournament play; progressive royal flush jackpot for each suit grows by $25 per day; daily tournaments.
Trivia: Mohegan Sun was the first legal casino in Pennsylvania, opening in November 2006. The casino and its 400-acre site are owned by Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut.
2017-18 gross poker revenue: $2.3 million, down from $2.7 million
Hollywood at Penn National
Location: 777 Hollywood Blvd. Grantville, PA 17028
Phone: (717) 469-2211 Opt. 9
Website:www.hollywoodpnrc.com/casino/poker
Tables: 17
Promotions: High-hand bonuses; Bad Beat jackpot; cash rewards for 50 or more hours played per month.
Comp rate: “Rake Back” offers cash for hours played per month, starting with $50 for 50 to 74 hours and maxing at $150 for at least 150 hours.
Extras: Phone charging ports available at each table
2017-18 gross poker revenue: $3.6 million, down from $4.3 million
Meadows
Location: 210 Racetrack Road Washington, PA 15301
Phone: 724-503-1700 (poker room)
Website:www.meadowsgaming.com/casino/poker-room/
Tables: 14
Promotions: Bad Beat jackpot, with minimum qualifying hand reduced as jackpot grows;
Comp rate: $1 per hour
Tidbits: Regular stop for Heartland Poker Tour
Extras: Poker room overlooks harness-racing track
2017-18 gross poker revenue: $2.2 million, up from $1.8 million
Presque Isle Downs
Location: 8199 Perry Highway Erie, PA 16509
Phone: (814) 866-8379 (poker room)
Website:www.presqueisledowns.com/gaming/poker
Tables: Seven
Promotions: High-hand bonuses; Bad Beat jackpot; players with seven visits per month are entered in a drawing for a $75 dinner for two at casino’s LBV Steak and Pasta restaurant.
Comp rate: $10 food voucher after three hours of play
Trivia: Room opens at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, at noon Monday through Friday; it remains open as long as there is substantial play.
2017-18 gross poker revenue: $947,293, down from $981,057.
Contents
Poker is a big part of casino and gaming culture in Pennsylvania. In fact, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board reported there were 225 tables operating in ten different rooms offering casino poker in Pennsylvania across the state as of June 2017.Pennsylvania actually has 12 casinos open and operating inside the state. Of those properties, only Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin and the Valley Forge Casino Resort do not have poker rooms.
Here’s a look at the ten poker rooms offering casino poker in Pennsylvania welcoming poker players across the state:
Harrah’s Philadelphia
The Poker Room at Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino is the only WSOP-branded poker room offering casino poker in Pennsylvania.
The room features 28 tables and is open 24 hours per day, seven days per week, offering cash game and tournament action. When the World Series of Poker Circuit comes to Pennsylvania, it goes to Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino.
Plus, year-round cash game action at the room includes Texas hold’em, seven card stud and Omaha. Limit games range from $2/$4 to $20/$40. No-limit games range from $1/$2 to $10/$25.
The room also runs its own TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS series in June and regular promotions including high hands, and satellite tournaments offering WSOP Main Event seats.
Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course
The Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course has a 16-table poker room that is open 24 hours per day, seven days per week, 365 days a year.
The room spreads Texas hold’em, Omaha and Omaha hi-lo, seven sard stud, and various mixed games on demand.
The poker room also runs regular tournaments, high hand promotion, and a progressive bad beat jackpot.
Mohegan Sun Pocono
Mohegan Sun Pocono’s poker room features 18 tables and promises to spread a variety of the most popular poker games with a wide range of limits.
The non-smoking room also includes several flat screen televisions and a bar. Mohegan Sun Pocono runs daily tournaments with Texas hold’em and bounty structures. The room also runs a Bad Beat Jackpot for both cash games and tournaments.
Plus, Mohegan Sun Pocono’s poker room runs a progressive Royal Flush Jackpot promotion, adding $25 to the pot for each of the four suits daily. It’s a great option for playing casino poker in Pennsylvania.
Mount Airy Casino Resort
The Poker Parlor at the Mount Airy Casino Resort is open 24 hours per day, seven days per week.
Live poker action is featured on nine tables. The room spreads hold’em, stud and Omaha, No-limit and limit.
The Mount Airy Poker Parlor also runs regular random seat and high hand promotions.
Parx Casino
Parx is the largest and most popular casino poker room in Pennsylvania. There is live action on more than 80 tables, weekly tournaments, and high-limit games. Parx has a full-service menu and bar and offers free wi-fi access. It’s as close to Vegas as you’ll get for casino poker in Pennsylvania.
In general, Parx spreads no-limit Texas hold’em, limit Texas hold’em, pot limit Omaha, Omaha 8 or better and mixed games. Limits range from $1/$2 with a $60-$300 buy-in, up to $10/$25 with a $3,000 to no-max buy-in.
The room runs regular weekly tournaments and its own Big Stax major tournament series with buy-ins ranging from $300 to $1,500, large starting stacks and unlimited re-entries.
Parx provides coverage of major tournaments on the property through its own poker blog. The room also updates all cash game activity online.
The Parx Poker Room has a Bad Beat Progressive Jackpot in raked Texas hold’em games paying 40 percent to anyone who loses with quad sixes or better. The winning hand takes 20 percent and the other 40 percent is divided between the remaining players at the table.
Parx Online Sports Betting
Sands Bethlehem Casino
Sands Bethlehem is home to a 30-table poker room. The room runs a regular tournament schedule, five days a week, a Bad Beat Jackpot, and high hand promotions.
Sands spreads limit and no-limit Texas hold’em, stud and Omaha, with limits starting at $3/$6.
The room also features 12 plasma televisions, adjustable chairs, complimentary beverage service, tableside dining and massage service. It is also located right next door to Sands’ Market Gourmet Express Food Court.
Players can also find out what games are currently running at Sands Bethlehem online.
SugarHouse Casino
The Poker Night in America Poker Room at SugarHouse Casino is Philadelphia’s first poker room. It features 28 tables and a focus on customer service that includes 24/7 food options, in-seat text-to-order food service, and complimentary alcoholic beverages.
In addition to the $1/$2 to $2/$5 No-Limit Hold’em and $5/$5 Pot Limit Omaha cash games, The Poker Night in America Poker Room at SugarHouse Casino runs tournaments six days a week and twice on Saturdays and Sundays. The staff will also spread other games on request.
The poker room’s affiliation with Poker Night in America means the TV show runs regular tournaments and other events at the venue as well.
The room also features an instant high hand progressive jackpot promotion. Plus, The Poker Night in America Poker Room at SugarHouse Casino runs its own poker blog promoting events at the room.
Harrah's Chester Poker
Rivers Casino
The Rivers Casino Poker Room at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh features non-stop poker action and is one of the newer places to play casino poker in Pennsylvania. The almost 8,500 square-foot room hosts 30 tables with limit and no-limit Texas hold’em, Omaha hi-lo and pot limit Omaha action going all the time.
The Rivers Casino Poker Room also features dedicated 24-hour food service. The room has a Bad Bead Jackpot that regularly reaches mid six-figures and staff use the BRAVO system allowing patrons to access information about latest promotions, tournaments, and games through a smartphone app.
The room is also affiliated with Poker Night in America and the TV show runs regular tournaments and other events at the venue, including the Pittsburgh Poker Open.
Its regular tournament schedule includes two, and sometimes three, events per day. The Rivers Casino Poker Room runs its own poker blog promoting events in the poker room.
The Meadows Racetrack & Casino
The Meadows Poker Room at the Meadows Racetrack & Casino is located on the casino floor. The room features 14 tables with an open view of the live racing action on the track. The room spreads Texas hold’em and Omaha, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Meadows Poker Room runs a regular tournament schedule, hosting tournaments twice a day, six days a week, and one on Sundays. The venue also hosts special events throughout the year including a stop on the televised Heartland Poker Tour.
The Meadows Poker Room also runs a High Hand Jackpot Progressive paying out when a Royal Flush is hit and set Bad Beat Promotion paying off when Four-of-a-Kind is beaten.
Parx Blog Big Stax
Presque Isle Downs
The Presque Isle Downs & Casino features a state-of-the art poker room with seven tables. Games spread include hold’em and Omaha. The room opens at noon on weekdays and 10 a.m. local time on weekends, staying open as long as there is action at the tables.
The room offers both multi-table and single-table tournaments on a regular basis, and host special events. The Presque Isle Downs & Casino poker room offers full-service dining.
In addition to regular comps, poker players at the Presque Isle Downs & Casino can earn a $10 dinner voucher after only three hours of play.