4 Ways to Deposit Money to Online Poker Sites

Luckily, it’s never been easier to deposit money into online poker sites. You can use an assortment of cards, bank accounts, payment processors and even cryptocurrencies to get your money in and out of sites quickly, efficiently and securely. 

In this guide, we’ll go over all the options in detail. Remember though, each site has different ways to deposit. The speed that your funds are deposited and withdrawn also vary depending on the site. Some prefer cryptocurrencies while others prefer e-wallets and some work best on your card. 

For more in-depth information on specific sites and how they handle banking, as well as a ton of other features, check out our reviews page. In the meantime, we’ll go over some of the most popular ways to deposit money in US poker sites. 

1. Depositing with Cards

Most sites these days take debit or credit cards. This is also the most popular, reliable and fastest way to deposit money in your favorite poker site. All you have to do is type in your card number, its expiration date and security code and your funds will appear almost instantly. As in most places around the world, Visa and Mastercard are the most widely accepted, but some sites do accept American Express. 

Sometimes your bank can be a bit finicky though depending on local gaming regulations. If you have any issues, they can usually be cleared up by calling your bank. To have a credit or debit card, you do need to have a bank account. 

There is one workaround though. There are a number of prepaid debit card options out there. Most of these cards will charge you a monthly fee, transaction fee or some other kind of fee. But they’re a very effective and easy way to get some money on a site. Check out some of these prepaid debit card options for more information. 

2. Deposit with an E-wallet

If you don’t want to be handing out your credit or debit card information to a lot of sites, the E-Wallets are a great option. They’re also nearly as popular as credit and debit cards when it comes to depositing in US poker sites. They’re also accepted by merchants all over the internet and chances are you probably already have an account.

The most common E-wallets out there are PayPal, Neteller and Skrill. All these have their own advantages and disadvantages, but PayPal is probably the most popular globally. Neteller and Skrill are widely accepted and incredibly popular with online poker sites though. 

The advantage of these is that you can load up multiple credit cards, debit cards and bank accounts to them and then just use your account to deposit online. That means only the E-Wallet has your banking information and you don’t have to manually put it into every site you play at. E-Wallets are also very secure as long as you pick a strong password and use it only for that account. 

3. Depositing with Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies

The future is here. Many sites are now letting you deposit and withdraw using Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin is by far the most popular cryptocurrency out there and it’s also the most widely accepted in poker sites. There are a few that accept dozens and dozens of cryptocurrencies like Litecoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash and Dash.

The process may seem confusing for first-time Bitcoin users, but poker operators will offer detailed instructions. The first step is to sign up for a Bitcoin wallet. For more information, we’ve put together a guide on using Bitcoin for poker. 

Once you have the Bitcoin, follow the poker site’s instructions on how to deposit it into your account. While it may take a few extra steps to use crypto, deposits and withdrawals are usually instant. This is the biggest advantage of using crypto, the instantaneous transfer of funds in or out of sites. 

Cryptocurrency also provides anonymity, which means there are no records of transactions, wins or losses. As long as you keep your crypto passwords secure, it’s also incredibly safe. 

The downside to using Bitcoin actually acquiring the cryptocurrency. It’s different in every country and some are easier than others. And for people who have not yet handled any cryptocurrency transactions, it can be a daunting experience in unfamiliar territory.

However, considering its popularity, it may be beneficial to overcome your fears and dabble in the world of crypto. It can have benefits far beyond just poker. People have gotten rich just from buying some and holding onto it. Fortunately, if you just want to use crypto to play online poker you don’t have to worry about its volatile swings. It’s immediately converted to USD when deposited on an online poker site. When you make a withdrawal it’s converted back to crypto. 

3. Depositing via eCheck or direct deposits

You can also use your banking information to deposit directly into poker sites. This isn’t as popular or as widely accepted as the other options. This also requires you to go into your bank account and get your details and then input them into the site. 

Direct deposits are the faster of the two. You input your bank and routing information and the site handles the rest. There are some limitations to using direct deposits, so check the site and check with your bank to see if everything fits. 

An echeck works just like a regular check, except all the data is entered online. The biggest downside to using an echeck, however, is that it often takes upwards of 10 business days to clear with the bank. 

4. Deposit using Western Union or MoneyGram

 

These options are a bit of a hassle and not all sites accept Western Union or MoneyGram. There are a number of in-person steps you have to do to 

 First, request details from the poker site as to the proper address and attention for the transfer. Second, head to nearly any local supermarket or Walmart with these details and enter them on a form, then submit the form along with cash. 

They will provide a money transfer number or control number to give to the poker site. Most sites will credit your account instantly once received and possibly even offer a bonus the same size of the transaction fee, making this deposit method free.

These kinds of deposit options tend to have higher limits, so they’re good if you want to deposit a large amount of money. 

Other Deposit Methods

The banking options available at US poker sites are constantly changing. Also, some sites have their own banking methods, usually third-party processors, exclusive to their site or network.

WSOP Online also has an in-person deposit option in Nevada. There are five different casinos where you can go to the cage and deposit money in person. Check here for a list of those casinos. 

If there is a certain US poker site on which you’d prefer to play but are not sure which method to use for deposit, customer support representatives are always available to answer questions. Often, this is how players find out about alternatives or exceptions that a site is willing to make to earn your business or keep you as a customer. It never hurts to ask.