Thousands of people play PokerStars for real money every day, are you one of them? You have likely landed on this page because you're looking for how to play poker at PokerStars, so you should be delighted to discover that is exactly what you will learn about in this article! We'll go everything you need to know, but if you're ready to get started right now, then just hit the link and it will take you to the version of PokerStars for your location.

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Note: Please always check your eligibility to play before signing up and making a deposit.

How to Play Real Money Poker at PokerStars

The first step to playing real money poker at PokerStars is to download the industry-leading software via PokerNews. Downloading and installing the software should only take a minute or so depending on your internet connection.

Next, click the "Join" button in the top-right corner of your screen to start creating your free Stars account. Choose a username, password, and click "Next,"

Enter your email address, country of residence, and confirm you have read the terms and conditions, and the privacy policy, before clicking "Create Account."

You will need to enter some more basic personal information, such as your real name, date of birth, mobile phone number, and postal address before the registration process is complete.

PokerStars may also require you to submit some documentation to confirm your identity before you can play PokerStars' real money poker games. This is due to the strict rules PokerStars adheres to in order to have a valid operating license.

Why Play Real Money Poker at PokerStars?

• Real money players enjoy a generous welcome bonus
• You can win real money in cash games and tournaments
• Real money games feel more like poker, even at the lowest stakes

Real money players enjoy a generous welcome bonus
You can claim a generous welcome bonus when you play PokerStars for real money. Your first three deposits made within a 60-day period, when using the bonus code "STARS400" are matched 100% up to a combined maximum of $400. The bonus releases into your playable balance as you play real money cash games and tournaments at PokerStars.

You can win real money in cash games and tournaments
Although many people play poker for the joy of doing so, even more play real money poker at PokerStars to win more money! PokerStars' real money cash games and tournaments pay out in cold, hard cash, meaning that you can sometimes win a tidy sum once you have honed your skills, and if Lady Luck is on your side!

Real money games feel more like poker, even at the lowest stakes
Playing any form of poker is fun, but play money games sometimes do not feel like a true representation of poker. This is because there is nothing at stake apart from pride and bragging rights. The moment you begin playing poker for real money, even if it is only for a few dollars, it feels more like poker because you and your opponents have money on the line.

Where Can I Play PokerStars for Real Money?

PokerStars' real money poker games are available to play around the world, although not every country allows its citizens to play online poker legally. The following places are the most popular places that people enjoy playing at PokerStars.

Play PokerStars for Real Money in the US

The legal landscape for poker is forever changing in the United States, with an increasing number of states allowing PokerStars and other operators to offer their services to customers.

PokerNews' US Poker Map is kept up-to-date with the latest developments for online poker sites in the US.

Play PokerStars for Real Money in Pennsylvania

Online poker in Pennsylvania has been legal since 2017, which means you can play PokerStars for real money in Pennsylvania.

PokerStars PA launched in November 2019, making it the first online poker provider in the Keystone State. You can only play at PokerStars PA while you are physically located within the Pennsylvania's state borders.

Play PokerStars for Real Money in Michigan

It has been possible to play PokerStars for real money in Michigan since late January 2021 thanks to state officials permitting legal online poker in Michigan. The PokerStars MI site is one of the biggest and busiest online poker sites in the Great Lake State, particularly when it comes to real money poker games.

Play PokerStars for Real Money in New Jersey

New Jersey was one of the first US states to offer legal online poker. Real money online poker in New Jersey has been around since 2013, with thousands of the Garden State's residents logging in to play PokerStars for real money in New Jersey every day.

Like most other states, PokerStars NJ is only available if you are within New Jersey state borders.

Play PokerStars for Real Money in Nevada

Nevada is the home to Las Vegas, which most people see as the home of poker. Although online poker is allowed in Nevada, it is only the online poker site of the World Series of Poker that holds an operating licence there. Currently, it is not possible to play PokerStars for real money in Nevada.

However, PokerStars Play is available to play while you are located in Nevada, opening the door to online poker and casino games. Real money is not available at PokerStars Play, but at least you can enjoy playing your favorite cash games, tournaments, and slots.

Play PokerStars for Real Money in Delaware

Although online poker is allowed in Delaware, it is not possible to play PokerStars for real money in Delaware at present.

Delaware, known as the First State, passed online gambling legislation in 2012, the first state to do so. Until PokerStars obtains a license to operate in Delaware, you could try PokerStars Play, a free-to-play online poker and casino that is legal throughout the United States.

Play PokerStars for Real Money in West Virginia

You can play legal online poker in West Virginia but it is not currently possible to play PokerStars for real money in West Virginia. The Mountain State legalized online poker in 2019 but no real money online poker sites are operating there yet.

Perhaps you could use the PokerStars play money product, aptly names PokerStars Play, to get your online poker fix?

Play PokerStars for Real Money in Canada

You are free to play for real money at PokerStars in Canada. However, since April 2022, residents in the province of Ontario can only play against fellow Ontarians, leading to several online poker sites, including PokerStars, to launch an Ontario-only platform.

Play PokerStars for Real Money in Ontario

Playing PokerStars for real money in Ontario is allowed but you must be physically located in the province, and be playing poker from an Ontario-specific online poker operator. You can download PokerStars Ontario via PokerNews and enjoy real money cash games and tournaments to your heart's content.

Play PokerStars for Real Money in the UK

PokerStars real money games are available in the United Kingdom and have been since PokerStars launched in 2001. Residents of the UK play at PokerStars UK but they share traffic with the PokerStars dotcom global site. The main differences are related to how the British government taxes PokerStars, so your playing experience is no different.

Where Else Can You Play PokerStars for Real Money?

You can play PokerStars for real money in dozens of countries around the world, including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, and Sweden, among others.

PokerStars also operates in France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain, but those countries are "ring-fenced" much like the PokerStars sites operating in the United States.

What Real Money Games can you Play at PokerStars?

Poker players wanting to play real money games are spoiled for choice at PokerStars. The online poker giant has one of the best selection of cash games, sit & go, and multi-table tournaments, in addition to having an unrivalled selection of different poker variants; no other online poker site comes close to matching the choice at PokerStars!

Play Real Money Poker Tournaments at PokerStars

PokerStars is where its at if you love playing real money poker tournaments because you have a huge choice of formats, variants, and buy-ins. Real money players can enjoy playing in free-to-play freerolls, while those wanting to invest some of their poker bankroll can play real money tournaments from as little as $0.11. Buy-ins increase all the way to $5,200 during a regular week, and sometimes up to $50,000 during major festivals such as the Spring Championship Of Online Poker (SCOOP) or World Championship Of Online Poker (WCOOP).

Tournaments are available in No-Limit Hold'em, Pot-Limit Omaha, Seven-Card Stud, Razz, 2-7 Draw, Badugi, and more. No online poker site can match PokerStars for variety of real money tournaments.

Play Real Money Poker Cash Games at PokerStars

There are hundreds of real money cash games at PokerStars running at any one time, with stakes starting as low as $0.01/$0.02 and increasing to $200/$400. Of course, there is a massive selection of different stakes between these two extremes.

Real money cash games can be play heads-up, one six-handed or nine-handed tables, across Hold'em, Omaha, Draw, Stud, and challenging mixed games such as H.O.R.S.E. and 8-Game Mix.

All of cash games are available on the site's mobile app, so you can play real money poker cash games at PokerStars on the move if you have a WiFi or mobile internet connection.

Play Real Money Bounty Builder Poker Tournaments at PokerStars

Bounty tournaments are a hugely popular format in the online poker world, and every day thousands of poker grinders play real money bounty builder poker tournaments at PokerStars.

The tournaments, often called Progressive Knockout or PKO tournaments, see each entrant sit down with a bounty on their head. Eliminate an opponent to instantly receive half of their bounty amount as a cash payment, with the remaining 50% added to your bounty, which makes you a more attractive target for your opponents.

Of course, your opponents are also having their personal bounties increased, which leads to some interesting situations as the tournament progresses and the bounties continue soaring!

Best of all, bounty tournaments make it possible to win money without having to reach the payout places. Eliminating just a couple of foes before you bust can see you turn a profit!

Play Real Money Zoom Poker at PokerStars

If you play real money Zoom Poker at PokerStars you are in for a treat because it is the fastest and arguably the most exciting way to play cash games online.

Zoom Poker cash games play like a traditional cash game but with a couple of game-changing differences. First, Zoom players are part of a pool or players rather than being forced to stay at one table. Once you fold, you are whisked away to a fresh table with new hole cards and opponents. Don't like your cards? Fold again and the process happens again.

Second, you can fold out of turn, which takes you to a new table to start a fresh hand! The only time you cannot fold out of turn is when you are seated in the big blind and nobody has raised before the action is on you.

These unique features make it possible to play more hands per hour than any other cash game at PokerStars. playing multiple Zoom tables at once sees you log some serious volume, racking up hands like never before.

Play Real Money Spin and Go Poker at PokerStars

Spin and Go tournaments are PokerStars' take on jackpot sit & go tournaments, a massively popular format that makes it possible to win up to $1 million in a matter of minutes.

Real money Spin and Go Poker at PokerStars takes place on three-handed hyper-turbo structured tournaments that start as soon as three players buy in. Unlike traditional sit & go games, Spin & Gos do not have a set prize pool. Instead, the prize pool is randomly determined before the first hands are dealt.

Mostly, the prize pool will be twice the size of your buy-in. However, it can be up to 240,000 times your buy-in in some games, making it possible to play for a $1 million prize for only a $5 investment!

Spin & Go have buy-ins from $1.50 to $1,000, so there is a real money Spin & Go tournament for everyone.

Play Real Money Sit and Go Poker Tournaments at PokerStars

Sit and Go poker tournaments are not as popular as they once were, but they are still a good way to build a bankroll and gain tournament poker experience.

You can play real money Sit and Go poker tournaments at PokerStars across a wide range of formats, variants, and buy-ins. These tournaments start when the correct number of players have bought in, from only two up to 180. They come in with standard speed blinds, turbos, and hyper turbos, and with buy-ins from $0.25 to $1,000.

Many multi-table tournament players honed their skills in Sit and Go games because they replicate the final table of an MTT.

Why Can��t I Play PokerStars for Real Money?

It is not always possible to play at PokerStars for real money. Usually, this is because the region you are currently located in does not allow real money online poker, or PokerStars does not hold an operating license in that jurisdiction. Contact PokerStars' customer support team if you cannot play real money poker, and they will assist you further.

Play at PokerStars Play Instead

If you live in or are visiting a region where real money online poker at PokerStars in not available, you could consider playing poker for free at PokerStars Play.

PokerStars Play is PokerStars' play money site, which is legal globally because no actual gambling occurs. You can still battle it out with poker-loving players in cash games and tournaments, and can even try your luck playing some incredible slots in the casino section. The only difference is there is no real money changing hands, but you still get to enjoy the thrill of running an elaborate bluff against an opponent, or making an epic hero call with bottom pair!

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