Bitcoin poker sites in Canada have some of the softest games and biggest bonuses. And they’re also safer, fairer, and more transparent than their fiat counterparts, with every transaction trackable through the blockchain.
Add in huge global player pools, major events, and lightning-fast withdrawals, and you can see why crypto poker in Canada is taking off in a big way. We dig into the best of these sites below, but first, let’s check out the welcome promos available right now.
Top Crypto Poker Sites
In This Guide
Pros and Cons of Canadian Bitcoin Poker
Blockchain poker technology is great, but it’s not without its flaws. Here are some pros and cons of crypto poker in Canada that you should consider before you choose which site to join.
Pros
- Withdrawals are processed instantly.
- Crypto poker sites allow you to play anonymously.
- Bitcoin poker bonuses are bigger and better than fiat offers.
- Decentralized blockchain poker sites have innovative features.
Cons
- You need a crypto wallet or exchange account to play anonymously.
- Crypto transfers can be confusing at first.
Provably Fair Poker Games in Canada
Provably fair games are ones where the site allows you to see the true RNG outcome so you know your badbeats are genuine and not rigged. The blockchain technology behind crypto poker sites gives them a huge advantage here over legacy poker sites. Here’s why.
Provably Fair Games
Canadian BTC poker sites build their random number generators (RNGs) on blockchains. They do this so you can verify the result of every hand dealt.
This wasn’t possible before poker sites were built on blockchains. We, as players, had to rely on regulators and third-party testing agencies, such as GLI, to verify the legitimacy of a poker operator’s RNG.
All of the best non-crypto poker sites are still audited by third parties. But it requires us to trust the operator, its regulator, and a testing agency. There’s no reason to distrust reputable operators, but why leave it to someone else when you can verify it yourself?
How Blockchain Improves Poker
That’s where provably fair games have changed the game. Blockchains are public ledgers, which means information is viewable and verifiable at all times. From there, the hand replayer shows you the seed phrase used on the blockchain to identify the hand. Copy and paste this phrase into the RNG validation tool to get confirmation that it was a fair deal.
It’s a fantastic way to take control and ensure you’re getting a fair deal every time you play poker with crypto in Canada.
Bitcoin Poker Variants Available in Canada
BTC poker sites in Canada offer a huge range of poker variants for you to try, from the ever-popular Hold’em to 6+ and PLO options. If you’re a complete newbie, check out our quick guide on how to play poker to get a deep grasp of each one.
These are the most common poker variants you’ll find at Canada crypto poker sites.
Hold’em
The best Bitcoin poker sites have a ton of Hold’em games. If you want low-stakes 6-max cash games with antes, you’ve got them. If you want mid-stakes MTTs or jackpot SNGs, you’ve got them.
Hold’em games are available in any format you prefer, which is why it pays to know the rules. Here’s a quick overview of how to play Texas Hold’em at CA crypto poker sites:
- A game starts with two forced bets: the small blind and the big blind.
- Everyone receives two hole cards.
- Play starts with the player immediately to the left of the big blind and proceeds clockwise.
- There are up to four betting rounds that play out over four streets: pre-flop, the flop (three community cards), the turn (a fourth community card), and the river (a fifth community card).
- Players can combine one or both of their hole cards with the community cards to make a five-card hand, or just use the five community cards.
- Players can win the pot by forcing everyone else to fold or by having the best hand at showdown.
Hold’em Strategy Tip
The top tip for beating low-stakes online crypto poker games in Canada is to play more hands in position than out of position.
Being “in position” means you’re either last to act or one of the last players to act. Being able to act after other people gives you more information, which is hugely advantageous in a game of incomplete information.
Omaha
Like Hold’em, Omaha is incredibly popular. The top Canadian Bitcoin poker sites run plenty of Omaha cash games and tournaments. In fact, some BTC poker sites even offer five-card games.
Regardless of whether you’re playing traditional Pot Limit Omaha (PLO) or Five-Card Omaha (PLO5), the basic rules are the same as Hold’em. This means you combine hole cards with community cards that are dealt over four betting rounds.
The major difference between Omaha and Hold’em is that you have four hole cards instead of two. You must use exactly two of these cards, which means there are more possible hand combinations in Omaha than Hold’em.
Omaha Strategy Tip
Omaha is a more aggressive game because you have more possible hand combinations. For example, a pair is more common in Omaha than it is in Hold’em, which is why it isn’t as valuable. Essentially, because it’s easier to make ranked hands, players bet more often.
The way to exploit this tendency in your opponents is to have a tight starting range. Try to enter pots when you’ve got four high-value cards or connected cards that are close in value, such as 5-6-7-8 double-suited.
Having a tight opening range gives you a better chance of making strong hands on later streets. This, in turn, gives you a better chance of winning showdowns.
Stud
Stud is slightly different from Hold’em and Omaha. The main aims are the same, i.e., you’re trying to win pots uncontested or by having the best five-card hand at a showdown.
Stud is typically played as a Limit game, so that’s slightly different from Hold’em, which can be No Limit, Pot Limit, or Limit.
Another difference is the fact that everyone posts an ante (a forced bet), and one player posts the “bring-in.” These bets replace the small and big blinds you get in Hold’em and Omaha.
The biggest difference between Stud and other crypto poker variants is the lack of community cards. All of the cards needed to make a hand are dealt to you.
Everyone gets up to seven cards. Four of these cards are dealt face-up, so they’re visible to the whole table. Three cards are dealt face down.
Stud Strategy Tip
Observation is the first skill you need to master if you play Stud. Take note of everyone’s face-up cards because they tell you two things:
- The type of hand someone might be trying to make/has made.
- Cards that have been removed from the deck.
Knowing these two things can help you make better reads and, therefore, better decisions.
Six Plus Hold’em
Six Plus is a novel Hold’em variant. Technically, it’s a strip-deck version of Hold’em, which means certain cards have been stripped out of the deck.
In this instance, cards 2, 3, 4, & 5 have been removed. This shakes up the hand rankings by making flushes beat full houses.
Six Plus Hold’em Strategy Tip
Not many Bitcoin poker sites in Canada offer Six Plus Hold’em, but there are places to play. But Six Plus Hold’em is an action game. Therefore, you’ll naturally play more hands in Six Plus than you do in classic Hold’em.
Canadian Bitcoin Poker Bonuses
You can’t afford to overlook poker bonuses. Even the great Phil Ivey has losing sessions, so make sure you take advantage of every opportunity to claim what are, essentially, low-risk bankroll boosts.
There are the usual suspects, such as rakeback, loyalty rewards, and free tournament tickets. These are available at all of the best online poker sites, regardless of whether or not they offer crypto deposits.
Right now, let’s take a look at the crypto-specific bonuses available to Canadians who play online poker using Bitcoin.
Welcome Bonus
A crypto poker welcome bonus is, as you’d expect, an opening offer that awards crypto (usually Bitcoin) to new players.
Some are credited once you’ve created an account (aka no deposit bonuses), and other Bitcoin poker welcome bonuses require a deposit.
Operators on our list give you dollars when you register, but make up for it by giving you crypto bonuses as an existing customer.
Reload Bonus
CA crypto poker sites that don’t offer newbies a BTC bonus will often have something for existing users. All you have to do is make a crypto deposit on set days of the week to receive extra credits.
Playthrough Requirements
Even though they’re a low-risk way to get extra credits, you do have to wager crypto poker bonuses to withdraw them. Deposit bonuses have minimum transaction limits and maximum payouts.
Once you’ve signed up for the promo, it’s time to generate some rake. Hitting rake targets releases part of your funds. In this context, ‘release’ means that the free credit is transferred from your bonus vault to your main wallet as cash.
The only way to generate rake is by playing cash games and tournaments. The more you play, the faster you’ll release the extra cash. That’s important because these credits expire.
What’s great about bonuses at the best Bitcoin poker sites is that they’re released incrementally. That means you’re not under pressure to claim the entire amount like you are in casino gaming and sports betting. So, while it’s useful to know when offers expire, don’t feel obligated to wager more than you’re comfortable with.
Freerolls
Crypto poker freerolls in Canada are free-to-enter MTTs that pay fiat and crypto prizes.
The premise is simple: you enter without paying a cent, and there are crypto cash prizes up for grabs.
Cash prizes don’t have any wagering requirements. The tokens are yours to keep. That’s why free Bitcoin poker tournaments are zero risk. It’s rare to find something that’s truly risk-free in the gambling world, which is why you shouldn’t ignore freerolls.
Freeroll Strategy Tip
Entering cryptocurrency poker freerolls and winning them are two different things. The truth is that these tournaments are crapshoots. People play fast and loose because they’ve not paid to enter.
The good news is that you can take advantage of this by sticking to simple ABC poker. That means playing tight and aggressively. Bet when you’ve got a strong hand. Fold when you haven’t. It requires discipline, but it’s effective in freerolls.
Check out our poker coaching hub for more tips on crushing tournaments and freerolls.
How to Play Poker in Canada Using Crypto
If you want to play crypto poker in Canada, you just need to take a couple of simple steps to set things up. After that, it’s like playing at any other online poker site.
Step #1: Learn the Basics of Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain Technology
You need to understand how cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology work before using Bitcoin poker sites in Canada. It can be a daunting process for newbies, but there are lots of resources across the web that can help you understand the basics of crypto before you start converting your hard-earned CAD into ETH.
Step #2: Select a Site From Our List
There are many impressive places to play Bitcoin poker in Canada, so use these as your starting point. Create accounts, play a few freerolls, and see if you like the software.
Testing out the software and player pools yourself is the best way to find the right platform for you.
Step #3: Convert Your CAD Bankroll to Crypto
You need cryptocurrency to play poker with crypto in Canada. If you’re completely new to crypto, convert CAD to one of the best-known tokens (such as Bitcoin) via a reputable exchange such as Coinbase.
Our tip is to convert CAD to Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT. Holding your bankroll in crypto is a good idea for a few reasons:
- Cryptos are universal, which means you can access them with ease from any location.
- Crypto transactions are anonymous, so they’re incredibly secure.
- Cryptos such as Bitcoin have increased in value over the last 15 years, so there’s a chance you can make money without playing if you hold your bankroll in crypto.
Step #4: Link Your Crypto Wallet
The top cryptocurrency poker sites in Canada accept a range of crypto wallets from Tangem to MetaMask, so you can safely transfer your crypto onto the poker platform.
It’s as simple as scanning a QR code, so you should have no problems here.
Step #5: Claim Your Welcome Bonus and Play Poker with Crypto
The final step into the world of Bitcoin poker in Canada is claiming a welcome bonus. Once you’ve done that, you’ll have bonus funds in a vault waiting to be unlocked.
Final Verdict
That’s just about everything you need to know about crypto poker in Canada. This rapidly evolving part of the poker industry is packed with unique innovations, soft games, and generous bonuses.
Cash tables are just as busy at the top Canadian crypto poker sites as they are at the legacy poker brands, and tournament structures offer larger payouts and more unique rule sets for you to enjoy.
Before you ante up, here are a few key points to remember:
- Make sure you’ve got a crypto wallet so you can make instant deposits and withdrawals.
- You need to generate rake by playing real-money games to unlock massive bonuses.
- Blockchain poker software gives you the power to verify every game you play.
If you’re willing to embrace new technologies, there’s a world of great options waiting for you at online Bitcoin poker sites in Canada.
