Head to an Ohio poker room today to discover a wealth of cash games, tournaments, and large-scale series. In our guide, you can discover where to play the best Ohio poker tournaments around.
Ohio has a host of well-established commercial casinos and racinos, a few of which offer live poker options.
The Hard Rock Casino offers an around-the-clock poker room, operating 24 hours a day to cater to the needs of poker enthusiasts at all hours. This establishment has made a name for itself in the poker community, particularly for its association with the Moneymaker Tour.
The poker room is designed to accommodate a variety of players, from novices to seasoned professionals. It offers a range of games to suit different skill levels and betting preferences. The presence of professional and courteous staff further enhances the overall experience. The cardroom makes full use of automatic shufflers for tournaments and cash games.
The Moneymaker Tour, hosted by the Hard Rock Casino, is a significant event in the poker calendar. With a guaranteed prize pool of $2,000,000, it attracts a large number of participants, making it a competitive and exciting event. It’s an opportunity for you to test your skills against a diverse pool.
One unique feature of the Hard Rock Casino’s poker room is its Poker Incentive Program. This program is designed for Wild Card members who frequent the poker tables. It’s an initiative that acknowledges and rewards regular poker players, thus creating a more engaging and rewarding poker experience for its members.
JACK Casino Cleveland is a premier destination for poker enthusiasts in the city. Open 24 hours a day, it accommodates the schedules of all players, making it a hub of non-stop poker action.
The cardroom’s range of cash games is impressive. It ranges from $1/$3 No Limit Hold’em to $10/$25 No Limit, right up to $4/$8 Limit with no maximum buy-in. This wide spectrum caters to both casual players and high-rollers, providing an inclusive environment for all.
Tournaments are a highlight at this cardroom. They run daily and offer buy-ins from $140 to $260, making them accessible to a broad range of players. The guarantees are generous, ranging from $2,500 to $10,000.
What sets this cardroom apart is the ClubJACK rewards program. This rewards scheme takes the poker experience to the next level by rewarding loyal players. Every hand you play contributes to your rewards.
Look out too for High Hand giveaways in the cardroom ($100 every 30 minutes), and lots of Hours-Played promotions. For example, the top 40 hours-played earners win $500 each during this bonus.
There are also leaderboards for the best-performing tournament players and $500 in instant cash for anyone hitting a royal flush. It’s the perfect way to enhance your bankroll in preparation for the JACK Poker Weekend series that arrives every few months.
Hollywood Casino Columbus, located in Ohio, is a well-known destination for poker enthusiasts. The casino operates from 10 a.m. to 4 a.m., providing a robust 18 hours of poker action daily. With 34 tables in total, it’s the largest cardroom in Ohio.
The variety of cash games offered is noteworthy. Games include Limit and No Limit Hold’em, Limit Omaha High/Low, and Pot Limit Omaha (PLO). These options cater to a wide array of poker styles and preferences, providing a diverse gaming environment.
In addition to the regular cash games, Hollywood Casino Columbus hosts special tournaments. A notable one is the Monthly Mega tournament. This event features a $300 buy-in and a $30,000 guarantee, attracting a substantial number of players each month.
The casino also offers an hourly high-hand promotion, where players can win $300 per hour. This reward is available to those who achieve a hand of A-A-A-2-2 or higher, adding an extra layer of excitement to the gameplay.
Players at Hollywood Casino Columbus can take advantage of the PENN Play card. This loyalty program allows players to earn points which can be redeemed for special deals. It’s a beneficial addition to the casino’s offerings, rewarding regular players for their patronage.
Hollywood Casino Toledo’s cardroom may not be as big as its sister site in Columbus. However, with more cash game action than you can handle, there’s plenty to recommend it.
The new cardroom is situated near the High Limit Room in the Hollywood Casino. It’s open from 11 a.m. until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, so there’s enough time for you to rack up some hours.
One of the standout features of the poker room at Hollywood Casino Toledo is the variety of cash games on offer. Players can choose from Hold’em, Omaha, or Omaha Hi-Lo. Notably, it is one of the few locations in Ohio where 7-Card Stud cash games are available.
It is worth noting that $2/$5 cash games are scheduled only on Saturday nights. This arrangement provides an opportunity for players who prefer this betting structure to plan their visits accordingly.
If you love tournaments, there’s a full weekly schedule that includes a range of Hold’em events. Also, keep an eye on the calendar for the $25,000 Freeroll that’s exclusively available for local players.
There are five tiers to the casino’s mychoice rewards program. You rack up PENN Play points by playing tournaments or mixed games, then redeem your points for perks and benefits.
Looking for the best places to play live poker in Ohio? These are currently the hottest Ohio poker rooms running cash games and tournaments.
| Cardroom Name | Address | City | Phone Number |
| Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati | 1000 Broadway Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 | Cincinnati | 1-513-250-3150 |
| JACK Cleveland Casino | 100 Public Square, Cleveland, OH 44113 | Cleveland | 1-216-297-4545 |
| Hollywood Casino Columbus | 200 Georgesville Road, Columbus, OH 43228 | Columbus | 1-614-308-3333 |
| Hollywood Casino Toledo | 1968 Miami St, Toledo, OH 43605 | Toledo | 1-419-661-5200 |
| Shark Tank Poker Club | 1508 Bethel Rd, Columbus, OH 43220 | Columbus | 1-614-459-2678 |
| Mad River Poker Club | 2023 Harshman Road, Dayton, OH 45424 | Dayton | 1-937-522-0003 |
| Ruggles Social Club | 4844 Union Center Pavilion Drive, West Chester, OH 45069 | West Chester | 1-513-889-1441 |
| Spades Social Club | 9536 Cincinnati Columbus Rd, Suite 11, West Chester, OH 45241 | West Chester | 1-513-644-2451 |
All Ohio poker rooms have space for over 10 tables. Cash games can get full at weekends, particularly at the lower-stakes levels.
| Cardroom Name | Games Offered | Number of Tables | Major Events |
| Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati | $100 No Limit Hold’em tournaments, $1/$3 No Limit Hold’em cash, $5/$5 NLHE cash, $1/$2 PLO cash games. | 30 | Moneymaker Poker Tour |
| JACK Cleveland Casino | $1/$3–$10/$25 NLHE cash, $4/$8 Limit Hold’em, $5/$5+ PLO, $140–$260 daily tournaments | 23 | RunGood Poker Series, JACK Poker Weekend |
| Hollywood Casino Columbus | Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, weekly guarantees, progressive high hand jackpot | 34 | Monthly Mega ($30K GTD) |
| Hollywood Casino Toledo | Limit and No-Limit Hold’em, Omaha, 7-Card Stud, High-Hand payouts, splash pot, freerolls, bad-beat jackpot | 12 | $25,000 Fall Frenzy Freeroll |
| Shark Tank Poker Club | $80–$140 NLHE F/O, WSOP satellites, royal flush jackpots, bad-beat jackpots, high-hand jackpot, PLO, H.O.R.S.E., Limit Hold’em, Texas Hold’em, Omaha O8 | 20 | $5,000-GTD ($125 buy-in), Ultra Stack, Superstack |
| Mad River Poker Club | $110 NLHE tournaments, PLO, Omaha Hi-Lo cash, $1/$2 NLHE cash | 19 | $300,000-GTD, $500 NLHE ($100,000 1st place) |
| Ruggles Social Club | Freerolls, $1/$2 PLO cash, $1/$2 NLHE cash, | 14 | Live drawings, $1,000-GTD |
| Spades Social Club | Freebuy, deep-stack, NLHE, PLO | 5 | n/a |
None of our Ohio poker room picks have hotels attached. However, you can visit the reception when you visit to find local partners who offer room deals.
| Casino Name | Number of Rooms |
| Belterra Park Casino | 600+ |
The OH gambling laws are clear on live poker options: you can play cash games and tournaments provided you are in a licensed casino. Four commercial casinos have poker rooms, including Hollywood Casino and JACK Casino.
In addition, Ohio has four members-only “social” poker clubs that don’t take a rake. They run tournaments and cash games for members and pay out real-money prizes. These clubs also offer mixed games, something you won’t find in commercial casinos.
Racinos offer a mix of horse racing and traditional casino games at OH race tracks. However, these properties tend not to offer cardrooms.
The Ohio Casino Control Commission is responsible for overseeing gambling and poker in The Buckeye State. They help maintain the integrity of licensed casinos that offer poker.
The Ohio Lottery is responsible for the state’s lottery program. Under new laws, the Sports Gaming program comes under the remit of the Ohio Lottery too.
Online gambling in Ohio is mostly governed by the rules of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. However, like other states, Ohio has begun to relax its state laws.
The Wire Act, for years, effectively prohibited online transactions to poker sites and casinos. The rules are slowly changing, and online sports betting is now fully legal and licensed.
Several casinos in Ohio offer action for tournament and cash game players. Live poker in Ohio is restricted to Hold’em and Omaha at the state’s commercial casinos. However, members’ clubs run mixed games too.
In Ohio, cash games and tournaments are normally played as Hold’em. It’s easily the most popular poker format at every Ohio poker room. Hold’em and Omaha limits on cash games start at $1/$2 (anything lower is rare), but the members-only clubs will have the biggest limits. Limit, Pot Limit, and No Limit are available, but not necessarily all in one place.
For tournaments at Ohio poker rooms, you can play everything from Hold’em freerolls to events with $300,000 guaranteed prizepools.
You can play Omaha in cash games at most Ohio poker rooms. It’s a 4-card version of Hold’em known for its huge re-draws and swings. Omaha Hi is available as a Pot Limit cash game in most Ohio cardrooms. You can also find Omaha Hi-Lo up to $5/$5 in many casinos.
Stud and Razz aren’t so common in the major casinos around Ohio. However, some of the private poker clubs run Stud cash games. Stud and Razz also form two orbits of the game H.O.R.S.E., which you can play in members’ clubs.
H.O.R.S.E is available at one or two of Ohio’s members-only poker clubs, but not the casinos. In H.O.R.S.E, the poker variant changes after each orbit, from Hold’em to Omaha, Razz, Stud, then Stud Eight-or-Better.
You can try a large selection of cash games and tournaments at every Ohio poker room. You must be 21 or over to play live poker in Ohio. Always gamble responsibly when you play games.
In cash games, you buy in up to the maximum allowed limit and play Omaha or Hold’em with set blind levels. You can win bad-beat jackpots or high-hand jackpots as you play. Some Ohio poker rooms also add bonus chips to random pots with their Splash the Pot promotions.
In a tournament, you receive a set number of chips to start the game with. You may be able to re-buy once you run out. Tournament schedules can be erratic, so always check the casino calendar before you travel.
Most cardrooms offer 4–5 tournaments a week. This increases during busy series and championships. The biggest tournaments carry guarantees that must be honored, regardless of how many players turn out.
Satellites are offered at some of Ohio’s private members-only poker clubs. You win player points for every tournament finish you make. These qualify you for an end-of-series final where you can win entry into a major event like the World Series of Poker.
Most of the commercial casinos and private members’ clubs in Ohio run special events. Series like the Moneymaker Poker Tour run several tournaments in one schedule, with over $1m in guarantees promised.
You can claim player points whenever you play poker in Ohio. Rewards programs are usually open to both tournament and cash game players, provided you meet the minimum age for gambling.
A basic VIP scheme like Caesars Rewards or PENN Play lets you accrue points for every hour you spend at the tables. You swipe your card at the start and end of your playing session.
The benefits of a poker loyalty scheme vary depending on the venue. The more points you rack up, the more you can claim. Perks may include some of the following:
In addition, every Ohio poker room offers some kind of deal during cash games. These include:
Find out more about online gambling and poker with these guides:
No one comes close to David Peters and Byron Kaverman in the world of Ohio live poker. Here are some of the top poker players to come out of The Buckeye State.
You may be subject to tax if you play and win at poker in Ohio. At a state level, certain gambling winnings are subject to a 4% tax rate. In addition, the IRS will withhold 24%.
As in other states, it’s possible to deduct gambling losses from your overall profits. Make sure you complete the Ohio IT 1040 Line 1 with full details of all your gambling winnings.
You should also mention any federal tax already withheld on your Ohio Schedule of Withholding. You’ll find this on Line 14 of your state tax return.
Online betting is restricted in Ohio. If you’re a professional poker player, however, you may need to detail your online wins and losses when you submit your tax return. There’s more information in our helpful online gambling tax guide.
Yes, Ohio is legal at casinos and members’ clubs across the state. You must be 21 or over to play at an Ohio live poker room. Check our guide to US gaming laws for more information.
There are eight cardrooms in Ohio where you can play poker. There is a mix of traditional casinos and members’ clubs that spread cash games and tournaments.
The Ohio Casino Control Commission is responsible for all casino and poker gaming in the state. They ensure cardrooms and casinos act responsibly and protect players. Read more on individual states with our state gaming commission directory.
There is no regulated online poker in Ohio. However, you can access offshore poker sites that provide regular tournaments, Sit ‘n Gos, and cash games. You can also claim a welcome bonus when you set up your account.
You must be 21 or over to enter any of the Ohio poker rooms. You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid form of photo ID. Find out the minimum gambling age where you live.
No, most Ohio poker rooms operate a casual dress code. You may be required to wear a shirt and pants to enter. VIP areas and restaurants at casinos will also have slightly stricter rules.
Yes, the best poker rooms like Hard Rock and JACK Casino are open 24 hours a day. You can play cash games through the night, or you can enter a weekly tournament for a shot at sharing a giant prizepool.
Ohio poker rooms tend not to host WSOP legs. However, you can choose from a range of special events at the largest cardroom, such as the Moneymaker Poker Tour and RunGood Poker Series.
Yes. You are subject to 4% in Ohio tax, and 24% federal tax on poker tournament winnings worth over $5,000. It is possible to deduct losses on your IRS Form Schedule A. You must usually itemize all tournament losses before you submit your return.
Absolutely. Casinos and cardrooms must employ responsible gambling practices. That includes self-exclusion and providing information on gambling addiction support.
Yes. David Peters is perhaps the most successful poker player from Ohio. He has amassed over $43m in tournament winnings during his career, and he’s won multiple WSOP gold bracelets.
Rake is a charge made by cardrooms when you play cash games. The amount of rake is usually capped at 5–10% of the pot, up to a maximum of $5–$10.
Ohio live poker rooms don’t offer freeroll tournaments. But that shouldn’t stop you from playing for free to win real money. You can enter freerolls online at the best poker sites. They guarantee some free cash that is split amongst the top finishers.
Yes. The biggest cardrooms in Ohio run rewards programs that let you earn player points for entering tournaments and playing cash games. You can unlock various benefits, including cheap room rates.
No. Some of Ohio’s casinos are expanding to accommodate new hotels. However, there are currently no plans to build brand-new casino resorts in The Buckeye State.
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