The biggest online poker sites by player traffic
It is worth making a small remark regarding the sites as part of the same network. Obviously, they have a shared pool of players; therefore, we include only each network's most famous online poker room in the TOP rating.
These are the most popular non-US online poker sites by player traffic:
| Rank | Poker site | Weekly players on average |
| # 1 | GGPoker | 6,000 |
| # 2 | PokerStars | 4,000 |
| # 3 | IDNPoker Network | 3,000 |
| # 4 | Winamax | 1,000 |
| # 5 | iPoker Network | 1,000 |
| # 6 | PokerStars.eu | 1,000 |
Let's take a closer look at the largest poker rooms by the number of cash game players.
Pokerstars - the largest poker site
PokerStars is a synonym for online poker for many beginners, casuals, regulars, and pro players. One gets the impression that PS has always been at the top of the pedestal, and it is improbable to change soon.
Today it is the biggest poker site with over 100 million members. During the top events, the number of active players at the tables reaches 200,000. In 2015, PokerStars even set a world record for the number of entries per tournament: the $0.01 buy-in $100,000 Gtd Common Cents Kick-Off event attracted 253,698 players.
By the way, this is not the only record set by PokerStars. Six years earlier (2009), the highest traffic peaked at 307,016 players across 42,814 tables simultaneously.
GGPoker
GGNetwork is the top contender for the online poker “crown.” GGPoker is already showing the best “players online” numbers. And this poker room has constantly grown since 2019.
There are about 4,000 active cash game players at GGPoker on average. During peak hours, you can find up to 200 tables at low-stakes (NL5-NL25).
The poker room maintained the highest traffic even after the spring poker “madness” of 2020 by organizing the first WSOP Online series in the history of online poker (54 events) in the summer.
| Deposit bonus | £40 free play or £500 |
| Rakeback | up to 60% |
iPoker Network
iPoker became trending after MPN shut down, and many iPoker skins switched to their network. Nowadays is a great site to play virtually any NLH stake from micro to €1k. The game portfolio includes Hold'em, Omaha, Short Deck, Spin&Go, and MTT, but in our opinion, they need to improve the offer (for example, boosting fast-fold poker) with more tournaments and formats to respond to the overwhelming traffic.
They are known for having a legal operation and operating in closed markets with local licenses like Switzerland or the Baltics.
888Poker
On the one hand, 888Poker ranks among the top independent poker rooms in traffic. On the other hand, it falls short in the TOP10 Pokerscout ranking. Moreover, the difference between GGPoker (1st place) and 888Poker is enormous: the average weekly number of cash game players is almost 10 times less!
888 Poker is still considered a serious player in the market, but it seems that every year it only regresses and may soon be forced out by more aggressive competitors.
So far, 888 Poker attracts up to 1,200 cash game players during peak hours. Regulars do not leave their "familiar" place due to HUD support, while beginners come for an $8 no deposit bonus.
The highest online poker traffic for US players
| Poker site | Weekly players on average |
| Winning Poker Network | 800 |
| Chico Poker Network | 500 |
| PokerBros app | access to 10+ private unions |
One US-friendly network reaches the TOP10 in the PokerScout list: Winning Poker. The site hosts a massive millionaire tournament several times per year: The Venom. WPN is known for its tough traffic due to its reg-friendly policy (HUDs allowed, high rakeback).
WPN also has action in formats trending in Las Vegas, like 7 Card Stud or Omaha Hi/Lo.
A smaller but softer network, Chico Poker, features similar traffic to 888 Poker. This site operates in almost all states, and it's a great side place to play 9-max tables mainly or 6-max up to NL/PLO1k. The tournament grid guarantees millions of dollars every month.
Let's not forget PokerBros, one of the most famous poker apps, is trending in the United States; hence although we cannot easily measure the traffic (due to the club scheme), we can guarantee action across the American prime time in all stakes, including the highest ones.
How to check the poker site traffic
Online poker is one of the few areas that has benefited from the covid-19 pandemic. March 2020 became the peak period for playing online poker, but the traffic declined by the summer. Still, the poker rooms were hardly upset: the indicators of usually the "off-season" summer period turned out to be 40% higher than the summer of 2019.
To monitor the situation on your own, you can manually check the number of online players at different poker sites or use a unique web resource (which is easier).
We are talking about Pokerscout.com. The rating of poker rooms is displayed on the site's main page and updated every 10 minutes. Please note that the number in the "Online" column displays the total number of logged-in users, while the rest of the data relates to seated cash game players.
Top 8 poker sites according to Pokerscout (June 2022 rankings):
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Cash – the number of players currently seated at real money cash game tables.
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24 H Peak – the peak number of active cash game players within the last 24 hours.
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7 Day avg – the average number of active cash game poker players over the preceding 7 days.
Why is high player traffic so important?
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Bonuses and rakeback;
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Players pool;
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Many recreational players;
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Reputation and trust;
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Game selection and massive MTT guaranteed prize pools.
If we talk about the benefits of playing at large poker sites, all of them will come down to diversity. This applies to the choice of poker variants, stakes, bonuses, and promotions.
And one more important advantage is safety. Leading sites care about their reputation and are constantly working to improve the software and game integrity to avoid negative feedback.
As for the shortcomings, they, first of all, concern beginners who can encounter strong opponents. But this can be avoided by choosing the proper tables. After all, there will be plenty to choose from.
FAQ
✅ What is the biggest poker site in the world?
PokerStars is undeniable one of the most influential brands in the gambling industry. It hosts prestigious events like the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) and the Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) and poker games and tournaments across all formats and stakes.
Nevertheless, GGPoker is right now challenging PokerStars for the first place, and you may have benefited from this "war" with massive promotions and MTT series.
✅ Is it profitable to play in large poker rooms?
The weaker the playing field, the easier it is to win. However, this does not mean that you can make a profit only at “new” or less popular poker sites. You can find your game and your table in every poker room. The main thing is to carefully study the rules, develop a strategy and understand the game math. High-traffic sites have more pros than cons, and they are safe to play.
✅ What is the best poker website?
The concept of the "best poker website" depends on many factors. Hence we cannot call a winner here. Any of the sites mentioned above can be your home if it fits your requirements.
And if you need advice on choosing online poker sites from a team of 10 Pro-players, get in touch right now - we are online seven days a week. Contact our manager to get yourself a deal.
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