Wisconsin has many great options in relation to Texas holdem poker rooms and
you won’t have to travel too far to find a table near you.
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This state boasts, albeit perhaps infamously, that it’s the birthplace of one
of poker’s biggest names in Phil Hellmuth. Irrespective of what you think of the
man, he’s a fantastic no limit Texas holdem tournament player and he has the
record of the most WSOP bracelets of all time.
In any case, the poker scene is alive and well in the state with a few great
options. Particularly Potawatomi Hotel and Casino, which has the biggest poker
room in the state and is a 24 hour a day 7 days a week operation. After
this the Ho Chunk Wisconsin Dells is the next best poker room that you’ll find
in the state.
Given Wisconsin has such a vibrant poker community you’d think they would be
taking steps to regulate online play, but unfortunately this is not the case.
You can’t play any online poker in the state, unless you roll the dice
and play with an offshore provider that accepts US players, and we wouldn’t
recommend that.
The state offers a vast range of gambling options with pari-mutuel betting on
horse and dog racing being permitted. Casinos can operate, as is evidenced by
the below listed poker rooms, but these must be based on native Indian
reservations.
Finally, the state also runs and regulates the state lottery which allows
residents to purchase tickets for major lotteries like Powerball and Mega
Millions, as well as state based draws and instant win games.
But back to poker, because that’s what we care about the most. The standard
of play in Wisconsin is good without being great.
You’ll come across mostly amateurs battling it out in the smaller poker rooms
with the better players going to the larger rooms where there is more action and
higher stakes. If you have a decent game you should still be able to find a good
edge in the larger poker rooms though, so don’t be too concerned.
List of Wisconsin Poker Rooms
Here is our compiled list of all the poker rooms you can find in the state of Wisconsin:
Bad River Lodge & Casino
- Location: Odanah, Wisconsin
- Hours: Wednesday from 5pm until 2am and Saturday from 6pm until 2am
- Tables: 2
- Games: No tournaments are offered at the Bad River Lodge and Casino and
you’ll only find a $1 / $2 no limit holdem cash game running when they are open. - Ambience: This small poker area in the main Casino features two tables which
are clean and well maintained. The lighting and chairs are comfortable enough
for a longer session and no smoking is permitted at the table. Unfortunately,
they don’t have any TVs around the table so you’ll have to people watch to stay
entertained between hands. - Hospitality: You’ll only get food service while you play poker at this
Casino. On top of this they sometimes run some jackpots and promotions to keep
you coming back for more. - Players: The players in this poker room, which is only just two tables in the
Casino, will be quite random. You could come across some good players every now
and then but mostly it will be weak to average amateurs taking to the felt. From
all reports the staff and dealers here are quite good and look after players
well.
Ho-Chunk Wisconsin Dells
- Location: Baraboo, Wisconsin
- Hours: Open daily from 10am until 4am
- Tables: 12
- Games: Cash players will find $1 / $2 no limit holdem, $3 / $6 limit holdem
and $2 / $5 pot limit Omaha in this poker room. They also run a $5 / $10 limit
holdem game on Saturday. If you are looking for tournament play they hold
them on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. These are no limit holdem and
the buy in ranges from $40 to $90. - Ambience: This no smoking poker room is partially separate from the rest of
the Casino and features TVs on the walls the to keep you entertained between
hands and dark green felt tables that are clean and well maintained. The room is
nicely appointed with a modern decor and enough space for it to be comfortable.
Over all it’s a nice room to play in. - Hospitality: Comps can be earned while playing cash games in this poker room
at a rate of $1 per hour through the Rewards Club. You’ll also get cocktail and
food service at the table so you need never miss a hand. Finally, they also
offer players the chance to win more through a progressive bad beat jackpot,
high hand prizes and some other bonuses. - Players: You’ll come across a mix of regulars and visitors in this poker room
with the overall play being quite soft. Dealers and staff go out of their way to
make you feel comfortable, and you’ll always find a $1 / $2 no limit holdem cash
game running when they are open. It’s well worth a visit if you are in the area
and want some poker action.
Lake of the Torches Casino
- Location: Lac Du Flambeau, Wisconsin
- Hours: Open Thursday from 4pm until close
- Tables: 3
- Games: You will only find a tournament played here on Thursday at 6pm, with
registration opening at 4pm. - Ambience: This isn’t really a poker room; they just offer a weekly
tournament. The tables are temporary and are good enough for what is offered
here. They have TVs around the room and no smoking is permitted. - Hospitality: You’ll only get basic cocktail service while playing in the
tournament at this Casino. - Players: It’s hard to say what the other players will be like in the weekly
tournament, although overall the field will be quite soft. So, if you can play
weekly and have a solid game you should be able to make a tidy profit in the
long run. Keep in mind the tournament won’t always run, so call ahead to check.
LCO Casino
- Location Hayward, Wisconsin
- Hours Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 4pm, Wednesday from 6pm, Saturday from 12pm and
Sunday from 10am - Tables 5
- Games Tournaments are held on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday with the games
being Pot Limit Omaha on the Sunday, and no limit holdem on the other two days.
The buy in for all tournaments is $30. If you are looking for a cash game,
you’ll find $1 / $2 no limit holdem tables running most of the time. - Ambience This small poker room features TVs on the walls to keep you
entertained while you play in a completely non-smoking environment. The decor is
plain yet modern with decent lighting and well maintained tables and chairs, so
you will be in relative comfort while you play. - Hospitality You can earn comps for the buffet based on your cash game play
in the poker room, on top of this they also offer cocktail service while you
play. You can also get food, but this is available in the room next door and not
in the poker room itself. They also offer a progressive bad beat jackpot to keep
you coming back for more, especially because you are contributing all those
dropped dollars. - PlayersYou’ll come across a mixed bag of players in this room with the play
being quite soft in the tournaments and a little bit harder in the cash games.
Some regulars take to the tables so make sure you analyse the play for a little
while when you sit down to ensure you make the right moves against the right
opponents. Staff and dealers are competent and welcoming in this poker room.
Oneida Casino
- Location: Hayward, Wisconsin
- Hours: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 4pm, Wednesday from 6pm, Saturday from 12pm and
Sunday from 10am - Tables: 5
- Games: Tournaments are held on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday with the games
being Pot Limit Omaha on the Sunday, and no limit holdem on the other two days.
The buy in for all tournaments is $30. If you are looking for a cash game,
you’ll find $1 / $2 no limit holdem tables running most of the time. - Ambience: This small poker room features TVs on the walls to keep you
entertained while you play in a completely non-smoking environment. The decor is
plain yet modern with decent lighting and well maintained tables and chairs, so
you will be in relative comfort while you play. - Hospitality: You can earn comps for the buffet based on your cash game play
in the poker room, on top of this they also offer cocktail service while you
play. You can also get food, but this is available in the room next door and not
in the poker room itself. They also offer a progressive bad beat jackpot to keep
you coming back for more, especially because you are contributing all those
dropped dollars. - Players: You’ll come across a mixed bag of players in this room with the play
being quite soft in the tournaments and a little bit harder in the cash games.
Some regulars take to the tables so make sure you analyse the play for a little
while when you sit down to ensure you make the right moves against the right
opponents. Staff and dealers are competent and welcoming in this poker room.
Potawatomi Hotel & Casino
- Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Hours: 24 hours, 7 days
- Tables: 20
- Games: No regular tournaments are offered at this Casino poker room, but the
mid states poker tour does make a yearly stop if you want some action. Other
than that, you’ll find some regular cash games including $1 / $3 and $2 / $5 no
limit holdem, $5 / $5 and $5 / $10 pot limit Omaha high, $2 / $4, $3 / $6 and $4
/ $8 limit holdem, $3 / $5 mixed and $3 / $6 limit Omaha 8s or better. - Ambience: This no smoking poker room is open and spacious with pink felt
tables and comfortable seats. The bright and colorful patter carpet clashes well
with the beige decor in this well-lit room. They have plenty of TVs across the
walls so you can stay entertained while you play. - Hospitality: Comps can be earned by players in cash games through the Fire
Keeper’s Club. On top of this they offer cocktail and food service at the table
so you need never miss a hand. You’ll also be in the running for some more cash
with a progressive bad beat jackpot. - Players: You’ll come across some decent play in this poker room given the
location and size. Sometimes you may need to wait a bit of time for a seat in a
game, so be sure to get in early if you don’t want to spend too long waiting
around. Dealers and management here are great and go out of their way to make
you feel comfortable while you play, which is essential these days. For best
value visit on the weekends and sit in on some low stakes no limit holdem cash
games.
St. Croix Casino Turtle Lake
- Location: Turtle Lake, Wisconsin
- Hours: Open Thursday to Sunday from 10am
- Tables: 10
- Games: You’ll find tournaments here on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday with the
game being pot limit Omaha on Sunday and no limit holdem on
Thursday and Saturday. The buy in ranges from $50 up to $75. If you are looking
for a cash game you can find $1 / $2 no limit holdem tables running here when
they are open. - Ambience: This non-smoking poker room is open, spacious and features TVs on
the walls to keep you entertained while you play. The tables and chairs are
clean and comfortable and the room lighting is at a good level on the eyes for
longer sessions. - Hospitality: You can earn comps through the TLC Player’s Club at a rate of 75
cents per hour in cash games. On top of this they offer food and cocktail
service at the table so you need never miss a hand. They also run a bad beat
jackpot to keep you coming back for more. - Players: You’ll come across mostly local regulars and amateur visitors in
this poker room which means the play will be somewhere between soft and decent
at most times. If you take your time and analyse the table, you should be able
to pick up quite quickly who the amateurs are. The staff and dealers in this
room are good enough and will provide you with decent customer service as would
be expected in a poker room. For the best games visit on
Friday and Saturday evenings.
Conclusion
Wisconsin is not only the birthplace of the famous poker player Phil
Hellmuth, but it also offers quite a few poker rooms for local players. On your
next trip to the state of if you live there and are looking for another poker
room use this handy guide to find what you need.
Texas is the birthplace of poker as we know it, and specifically no limit
Texas holdem, which is by far the most popular form of poker played around the
world today.
This state saw the rise of some of the most famous poker names that we know
today such as Doyle Brunson, who’s known by many as the grandfather of poker.
The state was once overflowing with underground poker games where shootouts
that were common in the wild west still occurred even as recently as 30 or 40
years ago. This state has now calmed down a lot in respect to poker, and the way
players treat each other, with only one casino poker room operating.
This is the Kickapoo Luck Eagle casino in Eagle Pass which offers up 12
tables and a range of Texas holdem cash games and tournaments. This casino is
located on a native Indian reservation which is the only place that live poker
and casino games can now be offered.
Elsewhere in Texas you can’t bet on any cards games at all or casino games.
The only form of gambling that the state allows outside of this one casino is
pari-mutuel betting on horse racing and greyhound racing, lotteries including
pull tabs and scratch cards, and some social gaming such as bingo and raffles.
The social gaming is a bit of a grey area, and certainly doesn’t include
charity or home poker games, so make sure you don’t think that you can get away
with running a poker game under this clause in the law. That’s unless you’re
willing to fight a charge on the basis that it was held in a private place,
which there has been some small success in doing in the state.
Social gaming in general really only applies to community organizations and
not for profits running a bingo game or a raffle in order to raise funds for
their respective cause. Outside of this you can’t really do much more in this
respect.
Lottery
The lottery that’s available to Texas residents is state run and all profits
go towards veterans and education. This money provides services to veterans who
return home and suffer hardship or issues as a result of mental or physical
trauma they received while serving the country.
The education component supports maintenance and facilities at schools,
scholarships for college and higher education, and also provides support to
those who are disadvantaged yet still wish to gain a higher education level.
The lottery offers players the major national draws such as Powerball and
Mega Millions, and they also run some state specific games and offer pull tabs
and scratch cards for those who love an instant game.
Free Texas Holdem Poker Games
Pari-Mutuel Betting
As we touched on earlier, you can also bet on horse and greyhound racing in
the state of Texas. You can only participate in pari-mutuel wagering though, so
you can’t just place a bet via a bookmaker or something similar.
Pari-mutuel wagering, also known as the tote or totaliser, is a system where
all bets are placed into a pool for a specific race and then the pay outs are
determined by popularity of bets on certain outcomes. From the main pool a
commission is taken out based on the total amount bet. This commission goes to
the organization or business that’s administering the pari-mutuel betting
system.
Other Poker Options
Depending on where you live in Texas it may be faster to travel outside of
the state to find a poker room, as opposed to driving to Eagle Pass which is
right down south on the border with Mexico. If you live in the north of Texas,
you’ll be able to travel just a short distance across the border into Oklahoma
where there are three casinos.
Winstar casino and two Choctaw casinos operate right on the border and both
offer great poker rooms. If you live in the west you can travel in to New Mexico
where a few poker rooms are available, but these are more of a drive into the
state.
To the east of Texas you’ll be able to find three poker rooms nearby in Lake
Charles in Louisiana. Here you’ll find a Golden Nugget, an Isle of Capri Casino,
and Lauberge casino, all of which offer great poker rooms and a lot of solid
action.
Online Holdem
Texas Poker Holdem
When it comes to the online world Texas certainly doesn’t offer any regulated
online poker rooms. In respect to Texans playing at online casinos and card
rooms that operate offshore, this is a little bit different and there isn’t much
legislation which covers this.
If you were to operate an online casino or poker room in Texas you’d end up
in a lot of hot water. But, if you’re simply playing casino games at an online
casino that’s operated elsewhere you may be OK.
While it certainly carries some risk you may be fine in wagering on your
favorite casino games at one of the respectable online casinos.
For online poker it’s a little bit different again. Poker is frowned upon in
general after black Friday and the big online poker rooms such as Full Tilt and
PokerStars certainly won’t welcome players from Texas, or the US on the whole.
Smaller poker sites may allow you to play though, but you should proceed with
caution as you could end up in trouble doing this, and also because of the fact
the smaller sites that allow US players to play are generally not as well
respected or trusted and have been known to conduct some shady business tactics.
We also advise you to take the safe route and avoid online play all together if
there’s any doubt at all.
We’ve provided you below with a small amount of information on the one poker
room that runs in Texas at the Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino. Aside from this your
options are limited, and you’ll need to get your kicks from playing lottery or
bingo.
If this doesn’t sound that great to you then you can travel just a little bit
out of the state to find some excellent poker rooms in New Mexico, Oklahoma, and
Louisiana. Short of this, you’ll need to move interstate or jump on a plane and
hit up Las Vegas for some of the best poker action in the world.
Birthplace Of Texas Holdem Poker R Game
The standard of play and action that you find at the lone poker room in the
Lone Star State will be pretty good, and if you have a solid game you should be
able to find a large edge.
If you’re in the area some time you should really drop in and play at the
Kickapoo, just so you can say you’ve played no limit Texas holdem in Texas.
After all, it’s the state where it all began and where the history is rich with
amazing stories which center around the great game of poker.
Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino
- Location: Eagle Pass, Texas
- Hours: Open Monday to Friday from 12pm until 5am and Saturday and Sunday from
10am until 5am - Tables: 12
- Games: No limit Texas holdem tournaments are held on Sunday, Tuesday, and
Thursday with a buy in ranging from $35 to $130. The Sunday tournament begins at
1pm, with the Tuesday and Thursday tournaments commencing at 7pm. If you’re
looking for a cash game you will find $1 / $2 and $2 / $5 no limit Texas holdem
and $3 / $6 limit holdem tables running most of the time. $5 / $10 no limit and
higher limit games may run on the weekends if there’s demand for it from
players. - Ambience: This partially separate poker room features green felt tables with
black trim, surrounded by black comfortable chairs in a brown, orange and maroon
decor. The room is well lit for poker and the colorful pattern carpets match
nicely with the rest of the area. The room is no smoking for your comfort and
TVs are placed strategically so that you can stay entertained between hands. The
tables also feature automatic shufflers to keep the play moving at a steady
pace. - Hospitality: You can earn comps here in the cash games at a rate of 50 cents
per hour through the Lucky Eagle Players Club Pass card rewards program. On top
of this you’ll receive cocktail and food service at the table while you play so
you need never miss a hand. Finally you’ll have a chance to win big with the bad
beat jackpot that they run which increases progressively until someone wins. - Players: You should be able to find some pretty decent action in this poker
room any time that it’s open. The cash games will present some great value with
mostly amateur and loose players taking to the felt. If you stick to the $1 / $2
no limit game and can ride out the variance you should do well. Dealers and
staff in this room are excellent and really go out of their way to make sure
that you’re looked after as you play poker. If you want the best possible
action, and hopefully the biggest edge, take to the felt on a Friday, Saturday,
or Sunday.
Conclusion
You might think the state that the most popular form of poker is named after
would have more poker rooms. Even though Texas only has one public poker room,
the state is filled with private games and clubs offering Texas holdem.