Free Texas Holdem Tournaments Near Me

Pennsylvania boasts 10 Texas holdem poker rooms which are
spread out nicely, meaning you won’t ever have to travel far to
find a table. Most poker rooms here are in the casino section of
race tracks. This doesn’t mean they aren’t nice though, with
almost all of them well maintained.

Texas Hold’em variants include Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo (also called Omaha/8 or Omaha 8-or-better) as well as Royal Hold’em. Royal Hold’em is a unique poker game using only the aces, tens and court cards and is a rarely found on other online sites. Thousands of poker tournaments run each week. Ready right now!

Find over 265 Texas Hold 'em Tournaments groups with 78091 members near you and meet people in your local community who share your interests. Charities & Fundraising. Missouri Legends Poker League is proud to partner with a variety of charities to raise proceeds for local organizations. We host a variety of tournaments in local venues for non-profit organizations and these tournaments bring not just players from around the state, but also local patrons willing to support these charities.

Most players you come across will be tougher regulars;
although the low minimum buy-in’s for most cash games in the
state means you’ll get good action from amateurs on the weekends
and during busier times. This is always a good thing for the
game.

No limit holdem is the game of choice in Pennsylvania, with
only a handful of the poker rooms running regular Omaha and Stud
games. If you’re looking for other games, you’ll have to
restrict your play to mostly the weekends.

List of Pennsylvania Poker Rooms

Here is our compiled list of all the poker rooms you can find
in the state of Pennsylvania:

Harrah’s Philadelphia

Location: Chester, PA
Hours:24 hours, 7 days
Tables: 28
Games: This WSOP poker room offers Texas Holdem, Stud, and
Omaha. You’ll find limit games with stakes ranging from $2 / $4
/ $6 and no limit games feature stakes from $1 / $2 up to $10 /
$25. This room also runs two no limit holdem events per day with
buy in’s ranging from $55 to $75. They also sometimes hold a
WSOP circuit event here.
Ambience: This poker room is partially separated from the
rest of the casino by a half wall. The wood and yellow décor
matches well with the brown and red chairs and tables. TV’s
cover the walls to keep you up to date in your tournament or
across the latest sports scores. The room is naturally
non-smoking, although it does connect to the casino and a fair
bit gets through.
Hospitality: You can earn comps through the Total Rewards
program here while you play. The comp rates start at $1 per hour
and go up to $3 per hour if you are playing $5 / $10 no limit
holdem. They also feature some high hand prizes. Food and
cocktails are available at the table.
Players: You’ll find decent play in the tournaments here so
if you bring your game and play well you will be respected. In
the cash games, you may come up against groups of regulars that
will low-ball each other than play big against visitors and new
players. This is a shame, although it means you can still cash
in if you play a solid game.

Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs

Location: Wilkes Barre, PA
Hours: 24 hours, 7 days
Tables: 18
Games: The Mohegan Sun poker room offers two daily no limit
holdem tournaments with the buy in ranging from $30 to $230. On
busier days, they may also run a third tournament. If you are
looking for cash games you’ll find $1 / $2 and $2 / $5 no limit
holdem, $1 / $5 stud, $2 / $4 limit holdem, $4 / $8 limit Omaha
8s or better and $15 / $30 HOSE. The higher stakes games will
only run when it’s busier.
Ambience: This is a truly exquisite poker room with high
ceilings in a bright and open space. The blue table felt clashes
nicely with the dark carpet in this spacious room. The room is
non-smoking and separated from the rest of the casino only
partially, so a fair bit still gets in. TV’s are hung from the
ceiling so you can stay entertained between hands.
Hospitality: You can get food at the table while you play and
cocktail service is available and frequent for players. On top
of this they also hold a high hand jackpot to keep you
interested.
Players: Generally, the play will be a bit weaker here,
especially if you play a solid poker game and have many hours of
experience under your belt. The morning tournament is basically
a crap shoot, so maybe skip this one.

Parx Casino

Location: Bensalem, PA
Hours: 24 hours, 7 days
Tables: 60 to 80
Games: This large poker room offers no limit holdem
tournaments every day of the week except Friday. The buy in will
range from $80 up to $230. If you are looking for a cash game
you’ll be able to find no limit holdem, limit holdem, pot limit
Omaha high, mixed games and Omaha 8s or better. Small stakes
games will be running all the time with the others spreading
when it’s busy.
Ambience: The dark earthy tones of this poker room make for a
great playing environment. The bright green table felt
accentuates the play making it clear where all the action is
happening. It’s a very nice poker room which is smoke free and
TV’s cover the walls to keep you up to date and entertained.
This is a nice poker room with a lot of space and action.
Hospitality: You can earn comps while you play here at a rate
of $1 per hour for small stakes and $2 per hour for mid to high
stakes games. They also offer food at the table and cocktail
service is provided for players. Moreover, they also have a high
hand bonus prize and a bad beat jackpot.
Players: The play will be quite tough here as it’s a hot spot
for most of the better players in the state. The Big Stax
tournaments are excellent if you want plenty of time to make
your moves. Cash games are always running and the action will be
juicy but tough. If you are a beginner player you may want to
start out at a smaller poker room to refine your game.

Rivers Casino

Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Hours: 24 hours, 7 days
Tables: 30
Games: The Rivers Casino poker room offers two no limit
holdem tournaments per day with the buy in ranging from $45 up
to $145 on weekends. If you are looking for cash games you’ll
fine $1 / $3 no limit holdem always running and $1 / $3 / $6, $5
/ $10 and $10 / $20 no limit holdem, $1 / $3 and $5 / $5 pot
limit Omaha high, $4 / $8 limit holdem and $5 / $10 limit Omaha
8s or better being played when there’s demand.
Ambience: This poker room is spacious and open and most
separate from the main casino area. The dark carpets, walls and
chairs pair up nicely with the green table felt and provide a
nice environment to play in. TV’s are viewable from most seats
and the room is non-smoking.
Hospitality: You can earn $1 in comps per hour played here
and you’ll also be served cocktails at the table and food is
available 24 hours. They also offer a bad beat jackpot which
heads well north of $100,000.
Players: This is a fun and welcoming place to play poker and
you’ll come across good and bad players. It depends on the table
you draw. You can find juicy games at night and on the weekends
and you’ll usually come across more tough regulars during the
week.

SugarHouse Casino

Location: Philadelphia, PA
Hours: 24 hours, 7 days
Tables: 28
Games: The poker room at SugarHouse holds one to two no limit
holdem tournaments each day of the week except Tuesday. The buy
in will range from $40 up to $250. They also offer a range of
cash games including $1 / $2, $1 / $3 and $2 / $5 no limit
holdem.
Ambience: This recently refurbished poker room is nice and
open with beige table felt and comfortable chairs. TV’s cover
the walls and the room is non-smoking.
Hospitality: You will get food and cocktails at the table
while you play here and they also run a range of jackpots. On
top of this you can earn comps through the Rush Rewards players
club.
Players: You will find a mixed bag of players here including
regulars, visitors and amateur players. The room is really nice
and will mostly offer you no limit holdem action. The games are
at their most juicy on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.

Hollywood Casino at Penn National

Location: Grantville, PA
Hours: 24 hours, 7 days
Tables: 16
Games: This poker room runs a daily no limit holdem
tournament with the buy in ranging from $80 to $120. On
Tuesday’s, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s they run two tournaments,
one at 11:15am and the other at 7.15pm. You can also find cash
game action here including $1 / $2 and $2 / $5 no limit holdem,
$1 / $2 pot limit Omaha 8s or better and $2 / $4 limit holdem.
Ambience: This is a nice poker room with clean and
comfortable tables and chairs. They have TV’s on the walls and
the room is non-smoking. The yellow table felt fits in nicely
with the overall Hollywood Casino décor.
Hospitality: Players are provided with cocktail and food
service while playing and you can also take your shot at the
progressive bad beat jackpot.
Players: You’ll find the best games on the weekend,
particularly on the $1 / $2 no limit holdem tables. During the
week, the games will be a lot harder. So, pick your times and
play solid poker and you should do well here.

Mount Airy Casino

Location: Mt. Pocono, PA
Hours: Monday to Thursday from 11am to 4am, Friday to Sunday
from 9am Friday until 4am Monday morning.
Tables: 9
Games: This smaller poker room doesn’t offer any tournaments
and only spreads $1 / $2 no limit holdem and $2 / $4 limit
holdem. When it’s busy they may open up $2 / $5 no limit holdem
tables.
Ambience: The poker parlor is separate to the rest of the
casino and well tucked away. The room has TV’s on the walls and
is non-smoking. The blue table felt is easy on the eyes in the
beige and purple room.
Hospitality: You can earn comps here while you play through
the Player’s Club reward program. They also offer cocktail
service. No food is available in the poker parlor itself.
Players: The play will be quite soft here with mostly
amateurs and weaker regulars. Because the poker room is so well
hidden from the rest of the casino you won’t get the gamblers
stopping it at the table to try their luck like you do in other
casinos.

Presque Isle Downs

Location: Erie, PA
Hours: Open every day from 10am
Tables: 9
Games: This room holds a weekly no limit holdem free-roll
tournament. On top of this they also run $1 / $2 or $1 / $3 no
limit holdem cash games all the time, and will spread $2 / $5 no
limit holdem and $2 / $4 limit holdem on weekends.
Ambience: This poker room is small and tucked away in the
main casino complex. It’s quite plain with blue pattern carpet,
beige walls and orange felt tables. They have plenty of TV’s on
the walls and the room is non-smoking.
Hospitality: You can earn $1 per hour in comps here and they
also provide cocktail service and food can be ordered and
consumed at the table.
Players: You’ll find mostly regulars in this poker room with
decent action on weekends. The games will be softer during those
times and tougher during the week. So, pick your times well and
play a solid game when you are here.

Sands Casino

Location: Bethlehem, PA
Hours: 24 hours, 7 days
Tables: 30
Games: The Sands Casino poker room offers no limit hold
tournaments most days, except Thursday’s and Saturday’s, with
buy in’s ranging from $45 up to $200. They sometimes hold
special event tournaments on the weekend days also. For the cash
game players, they spread $1 / $2, $2 / $5, $5 / $5, $5 / $10
and $10 / $25 no limit holdem as well as $3 / $6 limit holdem
and $5 / $10 limit Omaha 8s or better. The higher stakes run
only when it’s busy.
Ambience: This poker room is truly dazzling and brilliant on
the eye. The hanging lights brighten up the room which features
a striking red carpet and green felt tables and comfortable red
backed chairs. The room is non-smoking; however, it’s only
partially separated by a rail from the main casino area.
Hospitality: You can get food and drinks at the table side
during peak hours, with the main food court offering food 24
hours. Basic drinks and provided to players for free and you’ll
also be in the running for the bad beat jackpot. Comps can be
earned between 70 cents and $1.05 per hour depending on the game
and limits you are playing.
Players: This room is very friendly and welcoming,
particularly to visitors, which is a really good thing. Some
other rooms in PA should take note of this. You’ll find lots
of action on friendly tables with decent play.

The Meadows Racetrack & Casino

Location: Washington, PA
Hours: 24 hours, 7 days
Tables: 15
Games: This poker room offers plenty of tournaments with one
or two no limit holdem events running each day. The buy in will
range from $31 up to $126. For the cash game players, they run
$1 / $3 no limit holdem all the time and will open $1 / $3 / $6
no limit holdem, $2 / $5 pot limit Omaha high and $2 / $4, $3 /
$6 and $5 / $10 limit holdem when it’s busier.
Ambience: This poker room is quite basic with beige walls and
purple ceilings. TV’s cover the walls and are viewable from most
seats at the table. The basic black chairs and green table felt
makes for a nice enough playing environment. The room is also
non-smoking and has a good view of the race track out the
windows.
Hospitality: You can get cocktail and food service at the
table while you are playing in this poker room. On top of this
you can earn $1 per hour in comps via the Meadows Players Club
rewards program.
Players: The games here will be solid and tough, with mostly
regulars and solid visiting players. You will be able to get
more action on the weekends. This room isn’t known for big
bluffs, so you may be able to exploit this when you play here.

Conclusion

Pennsylvania has a large selection of poker rooms for Texas
holdem players of every skill level. While Texas holdem was
exploding in popularity in the 2000’s the availability of games
increased in PA just like in most states in the country. Use
this handy Texas holdem poker rooms guide to find a great place
to play if you live in Pennsylvania or to plan your next trip to
the state.

Another good name for this page may be how to find Texas
holdem games, because we’re getting ready to tell you the best
ways to find the nearest games no matter where you’re located.

The first thing that comes to mind for most players when they
think about finding a place to play Texas holdem is the nearest
poker room or casino. But the games running in a structured
environment are just a percentage of the games running in
private clubs, businesses, and homes around the world.

One problem is that it’s fairly easy to find listings for
public places to play, but it can be quite difficult to find
private and home Texas holdem games. Learn more about how to
find holdem games in each of the next two sections and then
learn how to protect yourself when playing in private games.

Finding Poker Rooms and Casinos

We’ve built pages for each state and a few of the major
cities like Las Vegas listing all of the public poker rooms and
casinos that have poker rooms for your convenience. Most of the
information is current, but over time rooms open and close so
it’s always a good idea to check ahead if you’re traveling far
to play.

Most large and medium sized casinos have poker rooms, but
don’t assume one has poker tables. With the availability of the
internet on your home computer and on most mobile phones it only
takes a minute to look up the web site of the casino to see if
they have a poker room listed or to find the phone number to
call.

If you’re planning to play during the busiest times, usually
the weekend evenings, you can often call ahead and get put on
the waiting list. This can save a great deal of time waiting
when you arrive. Don’t waste too much money at the slots or
other games while waiting to play Texas holdem. Your best odds
to leave a winner are at the holdem tables, not at the slot
machines.

Simply search through our section of Texas holdem games by
state or city to see what’s available where you live or where
you pan to travel. Make a list of three or four different rooms
and try them each out.

Depending in the time and day each room has different numbers
of players and tables open. The overall level of playing ability
can also vary from time to time in the same room.

We read a story about a poker pro who decided that they’d
adjust their sleeping schedule so they could arrive at the
tables late at night / early in the morning so they could take
advantage of the players who had too much to drink and were
tired.

When they arrived at the poker room they saw a number of
other pros who had the same idea, turning a profitable situation
into one filled with sharks.

Finding Private and Home Games

Finding private and home Texas holdem games can be more
challenging than finding a game in a poker room. This is
especially true if you don’t live in the area where you hope to
find a game.

The best place to start looking for a home game is by talking
to other poker players. Many private games are by invitation
only so even if you found them you might not be able to play. A
recommendation by another poker player may be your only ticket
into the game.

If you don’t know any poker players where you want to play
you may be able to find some online. Message boards and forums
can be found where poker players hang out, but you need to be
wary of any information you receive from someone hiding behind a
user name in a forum.

One of the best places to find out about private Texas holdem
games is in bars. Many bars run their own poker games, and most
bars have at least a few people who play poker I them at any
given time. But they’re also wary of strangers asking questions
because in most places it’s illegal to run poker games in these
establishments.

We don’t know exactly how not to come across as a cop or
other law enforcement officer, but this is the main obstacle to
getting information in a bar or other drinking establishment.

Many communities run charity poker events, which can be a
great place to get leads about private games. Make sure you talk
to as many fellow players as possible while playing. The odds
are high that you’ll be invited to a few games or told where you
can find out more.

At the end of the day there isn’t a great way to find private
games, but if you’re a good communicator and persistent you can
find opportunities to play.

Just make sure you stay safe and smart about how you get your information and where you go.
The next section covers many of the possible pitfalls to playing in
home games.

Protect Yourself

Private and home games are not the same as ones offered in
poker rooms, so you need to be aware of some of the possible
areas you can get into trouble while playing.

One of our editors tells the story about a private game he
used to play in. It was well off the beaten path, off a one lane
dirt road, up a winding driveway that passed a number of houses.
He received an invite from a friend and knew many of the people
who played, but it seemed like a place that was ripe for someone
to rob the game.

When he asked one of the game’s organizers about it, the
reply was simple and to the point, and somewhat comforting.

“Did you see all of the houses you drove by to get here?
That’s all family, and anyone dumb enough to come up here with
bad intentions would be lucky to get through all of them alive.
We take care of our own issues up here. Not even the local law
enforcement comes up here without calling first.”

This is a comfort to some players but a scary situation to
others. After all, what if they decided they wanted your money?
If you haven’t played in many private games you may think this
type of situation is rare, but it’s more common than you think.

But the other side of playing in private games is some of
them are vulnerable to being robbed. Doyle Brunson tells stories
about being robbed and held at gun point. You need to be aware
of your surroundings and careful about what you do and don’t do
and where you go.

Most private games are cash only so you’re carrying a bunch
of cash, often into a blind or unknown situation. Sometimes the
only thing you can do is only carry enough for the game and hope
for the best. If someone points a gun in your face what are you
going to do? When you’re faced with the question of your money
or your life have you thought about what you plan to do?

Most people give up the money and pray they get to keep their
life. While we hope you’ll never face this situation, if you
play private Texas holdem games you need to at least consider
the possibility.

Another real danger in private Texas holdem games is the
possibility of being cheated. While a few players try to cheat
in regular casinos and poker rooms, you’re more likely to run
into it in private games.

The first area you need to watch is when the cards are being
dealt. In many private games the players shuffle and deal, which
creates a perfect situation for someone to try to cheat.

In order to cheat during the deal the player usually first
needs to stack the deck, so watch how the cards are collected
and placed for the shuffle. Then watch how the cards are
actually shuffled. It’s fairly easy to learn a false shuffle and
to shuffle cards in a way that leaves a number of cards on the
bottom or top.

Next you need to watch for the way the cards are dealt from
the deck. Most players deal with the deck held in one hand. A
player dealing cards from the bottom or holding the top card
while dealing the second, also called a mechanic, can be tough
to spot. The best cheating dealers are almost impossible to
catch.

Don’t always expect the dealer to give themselves the best
hand, as many players work in teams of two or more. The dealer
may be giving strong hands to someone else at the table and
splitting the win at the end of the night.

Free Texas Hold'em

Sometimes players also secretly exchange information about
what they hold to other player’s they’re working with. This is
often a simple as adjusting the way they hold the cards.

Example

If a player has a strong hand they hold their cards in their
left hand and if they have a weak hand they hold them in their
right hand. The number of fingers held in front of the cards
also indicates a second piece of information. The third piece of
information is shown by the way the hand not holding the cards
is held on the table.

Each finger has three knuckles which can be assigned
different values, so each one can be assigned a value.

Imagine the elaborate communication system you could devise
using all of these things simply using your hands.

Free Texas Hold'em Tournaments Near Me

Add in the possibility of moving chips in your stack you add
a fourth piece of information and you’re starting to reach the
place where you can almost show another player the exact two
cards you hold.

Free Texas Hold'em Poker

Unless you play with the same players many times it’s almost
impossible to pick up on these types of signals unless the
cheaters are sloppy. All you can do is keep your eyes open and
try to track any players who seem to have too much information.

We’ve also seen pairs of cheaters sit beside each other and
exchange cards. If the duo is especially good the only way you
can even see evidence of their cheating is by watching them from
behind.

When they switch cards
their shoulders that are against each other dip at the same
time. From behind the player on the left has their right
shoulder against the left shoulder of the player on the right.
If they dip at the same time frequently the odds are that
they’re exchanging cards. But be warned, just because you see it
doesn’t mean you can prove it, so it’s probably going to start a
fight and they won’t admit it anyway.

So what do you do if you’re being cheated in a private game?

Of course how you react is up to you, but the safest course
of action is to quit playing and leave as quickly as possible.
Consider the possibility that whoever is organizing the game may
be in on the cheating or receiving a cut. You could be in real
danger if you start accusing someone of cheating.

The last danger to consider is one involving legal issues
that may come up if the local law enforcement becomes involved
in the game. Most people don’t even consider if it’s legal or
not to play Texas holdem in a private or home game. But in most
places it’s illegal to gamble outside of a licensed business.

We aren’t lawyers and we don’t offer legal advice so you need
to know your local laws and make your own decisions. In many
areas local law enforcement and even judges play in private
poker games. But this doesn’t automatically protect you legally.

Conclusion

Finding Texas holdem games near you is often as simple as
keeping your eyes and ears open and talking with everyone you
know. Start talking about poker and you’ll often find that
others are just as interested as you and play. They can lead you
to private and home games that you won’t be able to find any
other way.

Free Texas Holdem Poker Near Me

If you want to find a holdem game in a poker room or casino
use our directory of Texas holdem games by state. We have a page
for each state and major poker hot spots like Las Vegas. Simply
find the area you’re interested in and follow the link.