A lot of people around the world love playing online poker, and for good reason. Online poker is among the most accessible games out there. I also consider myself a regular grinder at the six max cash games.
Whether you’re a high-powered professional or just an average Joe, everyone can play poker. For some, it’s a guilty pleasure, and for others, it’s a means to relax and have fun. So, it’s really no surprise that the global online poker market is worth around 76 billion USD, with the US alone reaching numbers such as $54 billion.
With the apparent lucrativeness of the poker industry and the current consumer demand for easy accessibility, there has been a rise in online poker companies such as Americas Cardroom and PokerStars. In this article, I will be giving you some of the key differences between playing on either one of them.
Americas Cardroom History
Americas Cardroom started its journey into the hearts of poker players in 2001. It was created as a safe space for online poker games. At that point, it was launched using the Dobrosoft software platform. However, after a while, America’s Cardroom moved to the OnGame network.
This was where it was until the OnGame network was taken away from the US market, thus causing Americas Cardroom to move to the Yatahay Network. Yatahay Network was small compared to other big poker network players.
Still, by 2011, the US Department had served indictments against several online poker sites, such as Full Tilt Poker, PokerStars, and Full Tilt Poker, forcing them to cease operations in the US.
Yatahay capitalised on this by acquiring Doyle’s Room, which became one of the biggest poker networks. This would change the life of America’s cardroom.
Cash Games On ACR Poker
Cash games, in general, give you the feel of playing poker with stakes. In this, you can lose or win real money. Americas Cardroom (ACR) offers some of the most incredible cash games out there, such as No Limit Texas Hold’em and Omaha High/Low.
The only negative I can give you about using ACR Poker is that the competition here is quite good. It’s a bit harder to stack opponents since you’ll find a lot of regulars on the site. However, if you feel you have what it takes don’t let me talk you out of anything.
Here are some of the best Americas Cardroom Cash Game Stakes:
- No Limit Texas Hold’em – $0.01/$0.02 – $25/50
- Fixed Limit Texas Hold’em – $0.02/$0.04 – $30/60
- Pot Limit Texas Hold’em – $0.01/$0.02 – $25/$50
- No Limit Omaha & Omaha High/Low -$0.01/$0.02 – $1/$2
- Fixed Limit Omaha & Omaha High/Low -$0.02/$0.04 – $75/$150
- Pot Limit Omaha & Omaha High/Low -$0.01/$0.02 – $3/$6
- Fixed Limit 7 Card Stud & 7 Card Stud High Low -$0.04/$0.08 – $40/80
Here are the cash game table sizes
- No Limit Texas Hold’em – 9-handed, 6-handed, heads-up
- Fixed Limit Texas Hold’em – 9-handed, 6-handed, heads-up
- Pot Limit Texas Hold’em – 9-handed, 6-handed, heads-up
- Pot Limit Omaha & Omaha High/Low – 9-handed, 6-handed, heads-up
- No Limit Omaha & Omaha High/Low – 9-handed, 6-handed, heads-up
- Fixed Limit 7 Card Stud & 7 Card Stud High Low – 8-handed
- Fixed Limit Omaha & Omaha High/Low – 8-handed
These cash games also offer different multi-table tournaments that you can play at.
Tournaments Available On ACR Poker
There are several tournaments available on ACR Poker. In fact, the game gives you access to different high-stakes tournaments, such as the Venom PKA tournament, which gives you a chance to win up to $10 million.
A lot of other multi-table tournaments are popular, such as the Sunday tournaments. These tournaments can allow participants to win up to $150,000 in one go! Other tournaments include:
- PKO Turbo
- Turbo
- GTO 1RS
- The Dime
- GTO PLO8
Traffic On ACR Poker
The traffic on ACR Poker may actually surprise you. During peak hours, there can be around 1,000 players and more at a time. And the ACR player pools about one million hands of poker. But generally, you won’t run into trouble playing even at peak times.
Should You Play Here?
Yes, you should definitely play here. Americas Cardroom is one of the best options for online poker, especially in the US. ACR accepts players from all around the world with absolutely no issue. They are also run by a parent company that’s reliable. So, they’re 100% legit and trustworthy.
They also give you a nice rakeback of 27% as well as a nice range of options for withdrawal. A remarkable aspect of ACR is the ability to cash out in bitcoin. This can improve gameplay for those who prefer to transact in crypto. ACR has good customer service and an enjoyable interface designed so players can get the most out of their rewards.
ACR & Pokerstars Bonuses
- ACR Poker $1k – Claim Here
- Pokerstars $1k – Claim Here
Pokerstars History
Pokerstars has had an interesting history. It started when it was founded by a senior Israeli programmer, Isai Scheinberg. Isai worked for IBM at the time. By 2001, the game was officially launched but didn’t use real money. It wasn’t until December of the same year that money became an option.
The game was initially running in Costa Rica. However, it later moved to the Isle of Man for tax reasons. This move also gave them a chance to break into the US market. Since then, their growth has been astronomical, and one can argue that they are one of the biggest online poker sites in the US.
Cash Games On Pokerstars
The cash games on Pokerstars are really where all the fun is because there is a range of cash games available for every tax bracket and buy-in level. There are several games, such as
- Pot Omaha
- 6+ Hold ’em
- No Limit Hold ’em
- Tempest
Here are some games and their minimum stakes
- No Limit Hold’em $0.01/$0.02
- 6+ Hold’em $0.02/$0.0
- Pot Limit Omaha $0.01/$0.02
Tournaments on Pokerstars
Pokerstars has an array of tournaments to choose from! You have the chance of winning up to $1 million in one event. Sundays especially, are their peak times. Some tournaments include:
- Sunday Warmup
- Spin & Go Max
- Knockout Poker
- High Roller Club
- Bounty Builder
Here are some and their buy-in
- Sunday Marathon $530
- Sunday Cooldown $1,050
- Sunday Warm-Up $1,050
- Sunday High Roller $2,100
- Bounty Builder High Roller $530
- Omania High Roller $530
- Sunday Supersonic $1,050
To qualify for any of these tournaments, you must open an account with them.
Traffic on Pokerstars
For years now, Pokerstars has had some of the highest traffic of any online poker site in the world. This is good since it allows you to find several events and prize pools of up to $50,000 for as little as a $10 buy-in.
In fact, Pokerstars has more player traffic than several poker sites combined. At a point, they can draw up to 200,000 players worldwide! At peak times, you can see up to 30,000 cash players.
Because of this, a lot of events fill up in just a few minutes. The edge of tournament selection would have to go to stars because of the sheer volume of players here. However, the competition level is also slightly better on Stars, in our opinion, making your overall win rate lower if you choose to play here.
Should You Play Here?
Yes, you should absolutely play on PokerStars. Pokerstars is one of the biggest and most known names in the business. The poker platform is built to standard, so you don’t have to worry about slow loading or a bad user experience.
Instead, you just focus on your game. The platform also has state-of-the-art encryption to protect your personal data.
There is a bonus for new players, lots of tournaments, and fair games for everyone. Withdrawal from the platform is also pretty easy.
All you have to do is verify your bank details and receive funds through a direct bank transfer. With the excellent gaming experience, alright customer care, and large player base, you should definitely play here.
Final Thoughts
So, Americas Cardroom or Pokerstars—that is the question. Both sites are legit and offer exciting perks. However, for some, the gameplay on Americas Cardroom may not be as engaging and smooth as Pokerstars because of the lesser activity on ACR.
But I do think when it comes to overall software, it’s pretty close. Both sites have been operating for decades, giving them advantages in perfecting the poker experience for players. The main issue is that, depending on where you currently live, you may have issues getting past the play money options with Pokerstars.
However, look at it from this angle. If you are looking for rakebacks, smaller fields, and easier competition, then ACR may be the one for you.
But if you are looking for a more challenging online game space, Pokerstars is for you. Still, overall, both sites are good to play. Whatever you choose to go with, remember to have fun and play responsibly. Good luck, and let’s hope those big pocket pairs hold up!
