APRIL 1, 2012 UPDATE (post 749 in this thread)
by detdet

This is a slightly more comprehensive guide designed to help Americans get back into online gaming. I ask that you not come in here and just post "where should I play?" and expect to shown "the best site to play on" as many people in the other thread have done. This is a decision you need to make for yourself as everyone has different priorities when it comes to picking where to play.

First off are your current legal options. Several poker sites have blocked players from certain states from playing in their rooms. Listed after each state are the sites that they are allowed to play on. For example, I'm from New York so my only options are cake and wpn. If your state is not listed, then all 5 networks are available to you.

Restrictions by state
Kentucky: Bovada
Louisiana: Bovada + Cake + WPN
Maryland: Cake
Missouri: Bovada + Cake + WPN
New Jersey: Bovada + Cake + Merge + WPN
New York: Cake + WPN
Utah: Cake + Intertops + Merge + WPN
Washington: NONE
Washington D.C.: Bovada + Cake + Intertops + WPN

Next is general information about the different poker sites. Clicking on their names will bring you to their respective threads/sections here on 2+2. I have also included links to their respective cashout threads so you can get a good idea of how long it takes to get money off the site by simply scrolling through the last few pages. Software quality is rated out of three stars, three being nearly flawless and one being half assed.

Bovada (formerly bodog)
Support Cashouts
- No rakeback
- Anonymous tables - player names are hidden which renders notes/trackers useless post session
- Software: *

Cake
Support Cashouts
- Affiliates such as rakebrain, raketherake & thenuts have been known to help speed up cashouts
- 33% dealt rakeback
- Software: ***

Intertops (skin on the cake network)
Support Cashouts
- Intertops uses a separate cashier which charges $50 per check but is noticeable faster than regular cake cashouts
- 33% dealt rakeback
- Software: ***

Merge
Skins - Merge skin discussion
Black Chip
Carbon - Support Withdrawal
Hero - Support
Lock (uses seperate cashier) - Support Cashout WU
RPM - Support
Merge Cashouts
- Uses VIP system which rewards players depending on how much they rake
- Weighted contributed rakeback
- Software: **

Winning Poker Network (formerly yahatay)
Skins
America's Cardroom
True Poker
- They don't have a dedicated cashout thread so cliffs for cashouts as of recently: 2 weeks max for check, few days max for debit cards and WU.
- Uses a VIP system similar to Pokerstars which rewards players depending on how much they rake.
- Dealt rakeback (for points)
- Software: **

Before you sign up and deposit, I would advise you to download the client from the site you are interested in playing in to get a feel of it. Doing so will let you see the amount of games they have running, what stakes, etc. And last but not least, you may want to sign up through an affiliate so that you can receive rakeback, as well as participate in freerolls, rake races and other promotions exclusive to your affiliate. For more information click here

See you on the felt

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ORIGINAL POST

So from my research, this is the latest on US-Player-friendly Online Poker Sites/Networks. Please give me some confirmation or respond to this post with corrections since my only knowledge is what I've read today and some things you read in posts are inaccurate or untrue.

There are Four (4) Networks and One (1) Seperate site that are still accepting US Players with deposit AND withdrawal capabilities.

Everleaf: Which houses these top sites:
Everleaf, Minted, Luvin, RaiseandFold
--> Has fast withdrawals, 2-3 days via W/U (Pro)
--> Reliable (Pro)
--> Low/Medium traffic (Con)
FEB 9/12 EDIT - Minted Poker and all other Everleaf skins are now closed to US players

Merge: Which houses these top sites:
Carbon, BlackChip Poker, Lock, RPM
--> High Traffic (Pro)
--> Gets a 5/10 for reliability. (Con)
--> Terrible for withdrawals - 2 Month Cash-out period (Con)
--> Doesn't accept some stats (NY, MD) (Con)

Cake: Which houses these top sites:
Cake, Intertops
--> Traffic is mediocre at best. Slower than Merge/Bodog. How is it compared to Everleaf Traffic? (Con)
--> Terrible for withdrawals - 2 Month cash-out period (Con)

Yatahay: Which houses these top sites:
America's Cardroom, TruePoker
--> Traffic is slow but picking up due to ads on ESPN.
--> Fast Cash-outs (up to 2 Weeks) (Pro)

Bodog: Which is a Site in itself/on it's own network.
--> Fast Cash-outs
--> Decent Traffic
--> No RB

OTHER OPTIONS:
Does anyone have info on other options? I read somewhere that BetOnline accepts US players but I have also read that it's unreliable/sketchy. Can someone confirm what the deal is with BetOnline? And any other options there may be.

Also i'd appreciate if people could confirm/correct anything I've posted here. This seems to be the latest on updated information for current online poker from what I've read but I'm not 100% sure...


Mod edit
Popular forum topic stickied with MarcusMPG's exc. Nov 21 post to lead it off.
He's been invited to PM me an update.
Previous thread - now closed.
Meanwhile thanks to sandbagged for post #2

also
Things change fast and whilst this post Nov 21, and Post 2 from Dec 18, may have been correct, it was only the opinion of the user at the time of writing.
The current situation may be different.
Users should read the later comments in the thread as well, in order to try to come to a balanced view about any particular site.

List needs updating given recent changes

Merge: Carbon, BlackChip Poker, Lock, RPM

1. highest traffic out of all sites still accepting US players
2. different bonuses/rakeback for each skin
3. Slow withdrawals, ~1-2 months via check
4. doesn't accept some states

Yatahay: America's Cardroom, TruePoker

1. Medium traffic
2. 27% rakeback
3. Fast cashouts (visa check WU)

Cake: Cake, Intertops

1. Medium traffic
2. 33% rakeback
3. Slow withdrawals, ~1-3 months via check
4. certain affilliates can help speed up cashouts
5. intertops uses seperate cashier which is faster

Everleaf: Minted, Luvin

1. Low traffic
2. Fast withdrawals, ~1 week via WU
3. 40% rakeback
4. $1 max rake on usd tables until 2012
5. amazing support
6. fishy italians
7. limits player profits against said italians to $750 a week
8. software freezes up sometimes

FEB 9/12 EDIT - Minted Poker closed to US players


Bovada (formerly Bodog)

1. Medium traffic
2. No rakeback
3. Fast cashouts via check
4. Completely anonymous tables - notes useless after session

Can someone actively playing at America's Cardroom inform me on the traffic for low stakes SnGs? I'm a recreational player trying to get better mainly wanting to play 1-5$ sng's so I feel like straight up rakeback is much better than the VIP system at merge. But if the traffic just isn't there than there's no point in going there.

sng traffic is low all around. merge is the only network you could really multitable them.

--

some general updates/info:

bovada doesn't support any trackers/huds.
pokertracker supports merge/everleaf/cake/yatahay.
holdem manager supports only merge/everleaf but is developing support for cake/yatahay.


merge:

- some sites on the network offer bankwire cashouts.
- “DOJ Plans Action Against Merge” - http://www.subjectpoker.com/2011/09/doj-merge/ , 3 months ago and everything is clear, but still something to keep in mind.

yatahay:

- the doj attacked them back in may - http://pokerfuse.com/features/in-dep...f-blue-monday/ .

cake:

- http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/28...ttled-1040155/ .

everleaf:

- win limit on the euro tables is 750 euros a week ~ $1000.
- current software is bad but they should have a new one soon.

bovada:

- no waitlists.
- full tables are hidden from the lobby.
- games considered fishy.
- no person to person transfers.

Strange to see that the best network for US players (Everleaf) is the one with lowest traffic.

i last cashed out from rpm(merge) in june and august. both checks took 3 weeks. neither check bounced either! it may be longer now. i don't know. i've only been back there for about 2 weeks now.

i can't say enough about their live support. always been real prompt for me.

saint john

Important to point out that Cake still has dealt RB method, which is approximately equivalent to 55-60% rb if it were contributed. That doesn't even count promos.

*

Edit/MH: See:

Pretty much none now

i don't think these numbers are even close for anyone but it is very style dependent anyway.

Except for the same 5 networks that have been available all year long. But if you don't like them, you should probably just post in B&M.

Mods please correct the OP, to reflect the fact that Cake is not even in the same universe w/ Intertops as far as cashout processing speed! Intertops uses their own Cashier!

This is false, but even if it was somewhat remotely true it would only be true to a degree for parasitic nits who can only "profit" by getting paid to fold and filling seats at the table. But considering the pathetic traffic on the Cake network, it would prove to be an enormous challenge to fold your way into positive territory. A competent LAG will do much better under a weighted contributed RB method scheme.

Does Everleaf have any skins that also have a sportsbook and offer casino games?

If people want to know where they can play, just go to PokerScout.com.

Just because you say it's the best network for US players doesn't make it so.

My last 4 cashouts took (in order) 4 weeks, 3 weeks, 7 weeks, and 4 weeks from request to reception.

Can't comment on exact numbers, but:

Cake 33% "dealt" rakeback > Merge 35% "contributed" rakeback

Does Merge offer Omaha SNGs or MTTs?

Yea sorry I grossly overcalculated my numbers. It probably closer to the 42-45% range for majority or regs. Again though, Cake also has numerous other promos that increase RB% - most notably the rake race.

Are the only options for limit holdem Merge, Bodog, and Cake? I don't think there is much action on other networks at this moment.