Black Chip Poker - Online Poker Room Review

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Features

Pros & Cons of Black Chip Poker

PROS

CONS

Black Chip Poker Online Card Room Information

Official Websitehttps://www.blackchippoker.eu/
NetworkWinning Player Network
Established 2009
Licensed ByMalta Gaming Authority
US PlayersYES
 Min Deposit$10.00 USD
Bonus CodetbpsRB

Banking Options

Device Compatibility

Our Complete Review of Online Poker Site Black Chip Poker

Black Chip Poker is an online poker room that is part of the Winning Poker Network.  It was founded in 2009 as first being part of the Merge Network until 2011 when it joined the Winning Poker Network serving US players looking for a new place to play after the Black Friday Shutdown.  They quickly established a solid reputation and remains one of the top choices for American poker players looking to play some online poker. 

They spread a wide variety of game formats and different type of poker games so whether you’re an experienced tournament grinder or just someone looking to play some cash games on the weekends, Black Chip Poker is sure to have a game for you.  Both US players and international players are welcome to play on the site and for the average player looking for a game, is an excellent choice.

Software

There have certainly been some issues in the past with the Black Chip Poker software but they updated the software in 2019 and things have been much better since then.  The lobby is presented in a way where everything is easy to find and access.  There are also filters available so you can filter your favorite games and not see games you’re not interested in playing.  As far as promotional material, it’s very limited with just a small banner at the bottom of the lobby.

The software also boasts some other great features such as:

  • Blitz / Fast Fold Poker
  • Fun, Dynamic Avatars
  • Auto Top Off Settings
  • Set Preferred Seating
  • Preset Bet Size Buttons
  • Synchronized Tournament Breaks
  • Jackpot Sit & Go’s
  • 6 Max / Full Ring
  • Cap & Short Tables
Black Chip Poker Software Screenshots

Player Traffic

Black Chip Poker joined the Winning Poker Network back in 2012 and quickly started gaining traction and built a solid reputation as a site for American Players.  They offer a wide range of poker games and formats and have more than enough traffic to where you can usually find a game at most stakes.

As of 2020 Black Chip Poker remains in the top 10 for global online poker traffic, with an average of 1,200 cash game players online at a time with some tournaments getting upwards of 3,000 entries. 

You will usually be able to find NLH & PLO action all the way up to the mid-stakes at most times of the day, morning hours can be a bit slow at times.  High-stakes action is hit or miss but the $50/$100 no-rate-hole game runs pretty regularly.

Games Spread

Black Chip Poker spreads a wide variety of poker games and formats.  You can find cash games, multi-table tournaments, sit & go tournaments, and jackpot poker tournaments.  Micro to mid-stakes games usually run around the clock so you can almost always guarantee a game of your liking will be running.

Black Chip Poker Games Spread & Limits

Game TypeMinimum StakesMaximum Stakes
 No-Limit Holdem$0.01 / $0.02$50 / $100
 Fixed Limit Holdem $0.02 / $0.04 $40 / $80
 Pot Limit Omaha / Omaha 08 $0.01 / $0.02$50 / $100
 Limit Omaha / Omaha 08 $0.04 / $0.08 $75 / $150
7 Card Stud$0.04 / $0.08$40 / $80
 Multi-Table Tournaments $0.10 $2,650
 Sit & Go Tournaments $1.50$520
Jackpot Sit & Go Tournaments$2$40

Big Tournament Guarantees

If you happen to be a tournament player you are in luck.  Black Chip Poker has one of the best weekly schedules and some of the biggest guarantees.  They are home of The Venom, which a $6,000,000 GTD tournament which happened in December of 2019 with the winning player taking home $1,039,982.

Here are some of the best tournament highlights for Black Chip Poker:

  • Over $3.8 million tournament guarantees every week
  • A daily High Roller, $530 buy-in
  • A daily $25k guaranteed with $215 buy-in
  • Sunday warm-up with $150,000 guaranteed
  • Sunday Special Main Event with $200,000 guaranteed
  • They have freeze outs!!

Real Money Banking Options

Black Chip Poker accepts real money play from US players and is able to accommodate them easily to get money on and off the site.  Here are the most used ways to get your money on and off the site:

Black Chip Poker Deposit Options for US Players

  • Bitcoin & CryptocurrencyAll players on Black Chip Poker have the option to deposit using a cryptocurrency like Bitcoin.  They currently accept deposits of more than 70 different cryptocurrencies.  There is a $10 minimum deposit and a $25,000 maximum deposit for Bitcoin and some alt-coins, with some of them having smaller limits.  This is the method we recommend as it’s free, fast, and secure.
  • Credit/Debit Cards – Players also have the option to deposit using a credit or debit card.  As of 2020 they accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover Card.  Even though they accept these methods, they won’t always work because the transaction is often declined by the card issuer.  There are also fee’s to deposit using a credit/debit card and therefore we do not recommend this option unless you have no other choice.
  • Money Transfer – Another option to get money onto Black Chip Poker is to use a money transfer service.  They currently accept deposits ranging from $50 – $500 via Money Gram.  We do not recommend using this service unless no other choice due to the high fee’s and extended time it takes.
  • Player to Player Transfer – One final option for you to get money onto Black Chip Poker is to have another player transfer you funds from their player account to your player account.  You may choose to do this with a close friend or visit one of the online marketplaces such as the one on 2+2 and find someone looking to sell some Black Chip Funds.  If you are making a trade with someone online ALWAYS do your due diligence and make sure it’s someone with a good reputation when it comes to buying and selling player funds.  While this method is quick and reasonably safe if you know the person, we do not recommend it unless you really don’t have any other options or know the person in real life that you are making the trade with.  Never send money in a trade that you could not live without. 
 Deposit Method Minimum Deposit Maximum Deposit Fees
 Bitcoin $10 $25,000 None
 Other Cryptocurrencies $10$25,000* None
 Visa $25 $700 10%
 MasterCard $25 $650 None
 American Express $25 $600 None
 Discover Card $25 $600 None
 Money Transfer $50 $500 Yes – Varies

*Some alt-coins have a smaller maximum deposit limit

Black Chip Poker Withdraw Options for US Players

  • Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency – The best way to cash out all your winnings is via Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency.  Bitcoin is usually the one we recommend for most people as it is the most widely used and readily available to trade but if you have reason to choose another alt-coin then please do so.  The minimum withdraw is $50 and the maximum withdraw is $10,000.  The process withdraws Monday thru Friday, 7am – 7pm EST and are pretty good about getting most withdraws processed within 48 hours.
  • Money Transfer – Another withdraw option for Black Chip Poker players is to use a money transfer service.  They currently allow you to use Money Gram should you choose and have a $100 minimum / $350 maximum withdraw amount.  There is also a $60 fee to use this method and because of such we can not recommend using it.
  • Check In Mail – Some Black Chip players may have the option to withdraw their winnings via a check in the mail.  The minimum payout amount via check is $100 with the maximum being $1,500.  They will process 1 check payout per week and will send you 1 free check per 30 day period with additional checks costing $65 each.  We do not recommend using this method unless no other options.  You may run into issues trying to deposit the check, your bank may place an extended hold on the check, and there have even been some rare cases of people having their bank accounts closed for cashing a check related to online gambling.
  • Player to Player Transfer – The last method is probably better suited for more experienced players but it involves selling your funds for real life money and then transferring funds from your player account to the person that bought your funds.  You can sell them to a close friend or try one of the online marketplaces like the one found on 2+2.  Always do your due diligence on the person you are making the trade with.  Once you send the player funds from your account you will have a difficult time getting them back if anything happened.
Withdraw MethodMinimum Withdraw
Maximum Withdraw
FrequencyTurn Around Time
Bitcoin$50$10,0001 per day / 5 per weekUsually < 48hrs
Other Cryptocurrencies$50$10,0001 per day / 5 per weekUsually < 48hrs
Check$100$3,0001 per weekUp to 3 weeks
Money Transfer$100$3501 per weekUp to 1 week
Player to Player
$1
$2,500
$5,000/day
Usually < 10 mins

Withdraws are processed Monday – Friday, 7am – 7pm central time.

Sign-Up Bonus

For new players on Black Chip Poker, you are eligible to take place in the new player sign-up welcome bonus.  Players will receive a 100% match bonus on your initial deposit up to $1,000.  If you want a bigger bonus, simply deposit using a cryptocurrency and you will receive an amazing 200% match bonus on your initial deposit up to $1,000.  You will simply not find a better bonus than this.

Black Chip Poker also runs reload bonuses numerous times a year for existing players looking to cash in on a little extra bonus.

Claiming your sign-up bonus is easy, just click here to create your new account and make sure you enter the code tbpsRB when signing up to get your bonus as shown in the picture below.

Rewards & Promotions

If you are looking for great rewards and promotions, look no further, Black Chip Poker has you covered on both ends.  For rewards players have the option between choosing Elite Benefits or 27% rakeback.  If you are looking for great promotions, check out the Beast and Sit & Crush weekly promotions.

Elite Benefits

The Elite Benefits program is Black Chip Pokers VIP point program which is the default reward program new players are enrolled into when signing up.  The idea of the program is that you accumulate points based on how much you rake, as you generate more points you go up in levels which gives you better rewards/incentives.  You can then trade your points for cash and tournament seats.  The Elite Benefits is not recommended unless you are a serious grinder that rakes more than $18,000 a year.

Rakeback

Black Chip Poker also has a reward program in the form of rakeback which is when you get a percentage back of the total rake you paid.  Black Chip Poker offers a very generous 27% rakeback so if you rake $100, you would receive $27 back.  You are able to claim your rakeback every 24hours in the rewards section of the poker client.  If you would like to be enrolled in the rakeback reward program simply contact Black Chip Poker and asked to be switch to rakeback.  Please be  aware that you are only able to change your reward program once so once you enroll in rakeback you will always get rakeback.  New players may also create a new account and use the code XXX at signup, like pictured below, to be automatically enrolled in the rakeback program.

Elite vs Rakeback

If you are still left a little unsure on what reward program is the most beneficial for you, don’t sweat it.  We took all of the data and ran calculations at all the different levels to find out what program generates you the most rewards and for most players they would benefit the most from rakeback.  To generate more money via Elite Benefits, you would have to reach the level of General which means you would have to rake $18,181 in a single year and for the average player this is simply not realistic. 

Sit & Crush

Black Chip Poker is home of the Sit & Crush weekly progressive race rake for Sit & Go’s.  The promotion runs each week, starting on Saturday 12:00am until the following Friday at 11:59pm EST.  Players receive points for every Sit & Go, Jackpot Poker, and On-Demand tournament that they enter, your results in the tournament are irrelevant for the promotion.  If you climb to the top you have the chance to win cash prizes up to $1,250 every week as well as tournament entries.

The Beast

If you are a cash game player looking for a juicy promotion, look no further than Black Chip Pokers The Beast which is their weekly progressive cash game race.  It runs every week from Saturday, 12:00am until the following Friday at 11:59pm EST.  All you have to do to compete is sit down at a cash game table and start playing.  You accumulate points as you play and if you are able to get enough points you can win a cash prize of $2,500 per week as well as tournament entries. 

Mobile

Unfortunately Black Chip Poker does not currently support mobile play.  If you would still like to play on the Winning Poker Network via your mobile device, we strongly recommend you check out Americas Card room.  Our full review can be found here.

Safety & Security

When it comes to playing online poker, safety and security should be at the top of the list when deciding what room to play on.  As part of the Winning Poker Network, Black Chip Poker maintains an excellent level of player safety and security.  There have been some bumps along the way but at the end of the day, Black Chip Poker has always paid out and kept their players safe.

By using military grade encryption on all their software and cashier systems, they have maintained an excellent level of safety and security, never having a security breach and always protecting players information.  They have a security team on staff that is constantly reviewing hands and players behavior to spot any malicious activity.  If they detect anything that doesn’t seem normal, they will investigate and confiscate that players balance if they find they were doing something malicious like botting or colluding with another player.

The Random Number Generator used by Black Chip Poker is certified by iTech Labs who is an ISO/IEC 17025 certified testing laboratory for online gaming systems.  If you would like to find more about iTech and the RNG you can watch the short video below.

Customer Support

Overall when you take everything into consideration, Black Chip Poker has pretty good customer support.  Players have the option to contact them via phone, live chat, and by sending a message via their contact form on their website.  Telephone support is available 24/7 but if you call at odd hours you may get stuck waiting for someone to answer.  Live chat is available as well but only during normal business hours.  You can also fill out the contact form on their website which they usually reply to within 48 hours.  One thing to note is that you will usually be speaking with someone who speaks English as a second language so there may be a bit of langue barrier when trying to communicate your issue.  It’s best to communicate in simple, easy to understand wording, and don’t get frustrated with them.

Conclusion

For online poker players residing in The United States of America, Black Chip Poker is an excellent choice, especially for those more experienced players looking to get in some volume.  They have a great tournament schedule with big guarantees. Cash games at most stakes run at most times of the day and they have one of the best bonus/reward programs in the US market.  Another and most important feature about Black Chip Poker is that they have always paid out so you can be sure to collect when you hit that big score.  Sign up HERE to receive a 200% match bonus of up to $1,000 when you deposit via Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency. 

Frequently Asked Questions about Black Chip Poker

Is Black Chip Poker Legit?

While not officially licensed and regulated in The United States of America, Black Chip Poker is as legit as they come.  Since joining the Winning Poker Network in 2012, they have remained one of the leading sites serving US players.  The most important thing when it comes to an online poker room is can you get paid or not and Black Chip Poker has always paid.  They have some room for improvement in some areas but overall they are going to be one of the best choices for American online poker players.

How is Black Chip Poker Legal?

There is a lot of talk out there about whether online poker is legal or not with some people believing it to be illegal.  This is simply not true and as of 2020 there are no federal laws that prohibit a person in The United States from playing online poker.  There is a law in the state of Washington that prohibits a person from engaging in online gambling but to this date, there have been zero cases of anyone in the US ever being prosecuted for playing online poker.

How can I deposit onto Black Chip Poker?

Black Chip Poker has numerous options for players to deposit onto it’s site but the deposit method we recommend the most is using a cryptocurrency like Bitcoin.  Using cryptocurrency is fast, safe, secure, not tied to your personal accounts, and will get you a 200% match bonus compared to 100% when using another deposit method.  If you don’t wish to use cryptocurrency you may also be able to use a credit/debit card or money transfer services like Money Gram.  These methods have higher fees, may not always work, or may take longer than cryptocurrency.  Basically we recommend using cryptocurrency for all banking transactions related to online poker.

Can US players play on Black Chip Poker?

Absolutely, Black Chip Poker has served US online poker players since 2012 and doesn’t look like they plan on stopping anytime soon.

How to download Black Chip Poker?

If you would like to download the Black Chip Poker client, simply click this link and select either the Windows or Mac download depending on what type of computer you are on.  Once downloaded simply install it as you would any other program, create your new account (make sure you use XXX to receive your bonus), make a deposit, and play.  Total time from download to play is about 15 minutes when using cryptocurrency to make your deposit.

Does Black Chip Poker have a mobile app?

Black Chip Poker does not have a mobile app nor can you play on your mobile device via web browser like other rooms.  If you are looking for a room that is mobile friendly check out Americas Cardroom or Ignition Casino, both offer mobile play and are top recommended sites.

How to play Black Chip Poker on iPad?

Unfortunately there is no way to play Black Chip Poker on your iPad.  You can however play via your iPad on Americas Cardroom or Ignition Casino, both top sites in the American market.

How to install Black Chip Poker on a Mac?

If you are a Mac user that wants to play on Black Chip Poker all you have to do is click this link, select the Mac user download and install the program as you would usually do.  When signing up don’t forget to use the code tbpsRB to receive your 100% match bonus (200% when using crypto) up to $1,000.

Can I use a HUD on Black Chip Poker?

If you are a player that is wanting to use a HUD while playing on Black Chip Poker you are in luck.  They currently support Poker Tracker 4, Holdem Manager 2 & 3, Drive HUD, and Hand2Note. 

What games are offered on Black Chip Poker?

When it comes to game selection, Black Chip Poker is one of the best when it comes to US Online Poker Rooms.

They have tournaments for all levels, with buy-ins going from $0.10 all the way up to $2,650.

If you are a Sit & Go player, you will find single and multi table Sit & Go’s ranging from $1.50 to $520 and being spread in both NLH and PLO formats.

For American online cash game players, Black Chip Poker has some of the best action around.

You will find NLH and PLO games at the following blinds:

  • 0.01/0.02
  • 0.02/0.05
  • 0.10/0.20
  • 0.25/0.50
  • 0.50/1
  • 1/2
  • 2/4
  • 3/6
  • 5/10
  • 10/20
  • 15/30
  • 25/50
  • 50/100

Limit Omaha games are spread with the following blinds:

  • 0.02/0.04
  • 0.05/0.10
  • 0.10/0.20
  • 0.25/0.50
  • 0.50/1
  • 1/2
  • 2/4
  • 3/6
  • 5/10
  • 10/20
  • 15/30
  • 20/40
  • 30/60
  • 40/80
  • 75/150

Limt 7-Card Stud games are offered at the following blind levels

  • 0.04/0.08
  • 0.40/0.80
  • 1/2
  • 2/4
  • 4/8
  • 5/10
  • 10/20
  • 20/40
  • 30/60
  • 40/80

Black Chip Poker also offers a fast fold poker format which they call Blitz  Poker.  You will find NLH games being spread at both 6-max and HU tables at the blind levels listed below:

  • 0.05/0.10
  • 0.10/0.25
  • 0.25/0.50
  • 0.50/1
  • 1/2

If you’re a bit of a gambler, maybe Jackpot Sit & Go’s are for you!  They are 3-handed hyper-turbo Sit & Go’s where the winner takes all.  The prize amount is random and determined before the start of each tournament.  Prizes will range from 2x the buyin all the way to 2,500x the buyin.  Think of these like scratch offs, you will most likely be playing for 2-4x the buyin but may get a chance at a huge payout.  Jackpot Sit & Go’s are offered at the following buy-in levels:

  • $2 – max prize of $5,000
  • $10 – max prize of $25,00
  • $25 – max prize of $62,500
  • $40 – max prize of $100,000.

For more information about Jackpot Sit & Go’s on Black Chip Poker, click here.

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