Poker in Macau is nothing like poker in Las Vegas and the
United States. You'll struggle to find Texas holdem poker rooms
at most Macau casinos, although they still do exist in some
parts. The experience on the whole will be a lot different to
the United States and you'll need to adjust your expectations
when looking for a game.
First and foremost, the waiting lists for cash games in Macau
are crazy. It's not unheard of to wait up to 6 hours for a spot
at the table. Even though most poker rooms only have a few
tables open, they let lists accumulate up to 60 or 70 people and
won't even open more tables. Poker is a bit of a spectacle here
and isn't treated like a table game that should be offered for
players on demand. It's treated more like a service or amenity
that the casino and hotel offers, much like they offer a valet
service or room service. On top of all of this, the number of
table games a casino offers is strictly regulated by the Chinese
government and the fact is poker just doesn't make as much money
as a baccarat or blackjack table.
The one exception to this is the Pokerstars Live room in
Macau. This is more of a player's poker room and is the closest
you'll find to a United States or Europe style poker room.
Closely following this room is the Wynn and Venetian poker
rooms; they obviously run great poker rooms in Las Vegas.
They've had to slightly change it up for the different market
though.
In general, the poker play in Macau is quite tough. When
poker arrived on the scene here in the mid-to-late 2000's the
games were very juicy. Since then the newcomers to poker have
returned to other games and the players that persevered have
become much more skilled and harder to beat. You can still
certainly find good games at a wide variety of stakes; however,
you won't get the baccarat players basically giving away their
hard earned cash at the table like you did in 2008.
List of Macau Poker Rooms
Here is our compiled list of all the poker rooms you can find
in the state of Macau:
You can find a lot poker tourneys in Houston. These are permitted as long as there are prizes and not real cash to be won. Furthermore, great poker tournaments are held frequently in Texas Texas! Current tournaments can be discovered in the tournament schedule. Past Tournaments. $ 350 No Limit Hold'em - Senior Championship #3 ( Website). Poker rooms and tournament operators in Macau are beginning to react to the Chinese government's announcement of an upcoming ban on social online poker apps, with some suggesting there will be.
Pokerstars Live Macau Poker Room
- Location: Level 2, City of Dreams, Macau
- Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Tables: 13
- Games: You'll find a good mix of cash games and
tournament play at the Pokerstars Live Macau poker room. At
any given time, you'll be able to find a no limit Texas
holdem cash game running, usually with stakes of HK$25 / $50
and HK$100 / $200 and higher when there's demand from
players. In US dollars this is about $3 / $6 and $13 / $26.
These limits are quite high although everything is like that
in Macau when it comes to gaming. For the tournament players
out there you'll find some major events taking place in this
poker room including Macau Poker Cup 'Red Dragon' series,
Macau Millions, the PokerStars Championship PSC Macau and
Asia Championship of Poker ACOP. On top of this they usually
run a major tournament on Saturday's and Sunday's with
satellite entry tournaments to these running all through the
week. The standard weekly tournaments range from HK$1000
US$130 buy in up to HK$4000 US$515. Most tournaments are no
limit Texas holdem with the odd Omaha one running from time
to time. - Ambience: It's all about the red and black of Pokerstars
here. The room is huge, open and airy and provides a great
playing experience. The tables are covered with black felt
and the black leather chairs clash nicely with the red
carpet. The room is connected to the rest of the casino so
some noise and smoke will get through, although it's pretty
well ventilated. This is a great place to play poker which
is no surprise considering Pokerstars is involved. - Hospitality: You'll need to request service while
playing poker in this room, although water, tea and coffee
will be provided most of the time free of charge. Alcohol
wise you will struggle to get complimentary drinks here
although some report when they asked they did receive beer.
This seems to be hit and miss and the service certainly
won't be anything like you would get in Las Vegas. - Players: The players are quite good and competition
tough in this poker room. The game has certainly reached a
maturity point where the remaining regulars are of a higher
skill than in the boom day in the late 2000s. You can still
find the odd soft table here and there and during major
tournaments you'll find a lot of good action. Generally
speaking the players in Macau will be friendly. We've heard
reports they have been welcoming and the table and room has
had a generally fun atmosphere.
Free Texas Holdem Tournament Poker
Poker King Club Macao
- Location: Venetia Casino, Macau
- Hours: 24 hours, 7 days
- Tables: 10
- Games: Both cash games and tournaments are offers in
this poker room. Cash game wise you will find no limit Texas
holdem games running almost always. Stakes offered are HK$25
/ $50, $50 / $100, $100 / $200, $200 / $400, $500 / $1000.
For tournament players you'll find a wide range on offer
usually with buy in's at the higher stakes. They run Asia
Poker Tour events here and some World Poker Tour affiliated
events. They once offered a big game tournament which had a
prize of $50 million, which is crazy high. It's safe to say
this hasn't happened again and probably won't anytime soon. - Ambience: The Venetian is a wonderful casino with bright
beige filled rooms which are well ventilated and welcoming.
The poker room is new and is smoke free, which is a major
bonus considering smoking is almost always permitted in
poker rooms in this city. The bright blue felt of the table
contrast well with the beige fittings and plush carpets. The
chairs in this poker room are leather and comfortable. You
will also be able to view a TV from most seats at the
tables, as well as charge your phone via USB charging ports. - Hospitality: You'll get around the clock table side food
and beverage service in the Poker King Club at the Venetian
casino. This is another rarity in Macau, as poker is almost
the second class citizen to other more favorable games. - Players: The players here will be quite tough and the
games usually at the higher limits. Because of casino
regulations in China they really need to make some bang for
their buck and that's why most limits are a little bit
higher than you would expect to find in poker rooms in the
United States. You'll still be able to find juicy tables in
the Poker King Club during peak times.
Wynn Macau Casino
- Location: Rua Cidade de Sintra, Macao
- Hours: 24 hours, 7 days
- Tables: 11
- Games: The Wynn poker room in Macau offers cash games
and tournament play. For the ring game players, you will
find no limit Texas holdem at medium and high stakes as well
as pot limit Omaha. Stakes range from HK$25 / $50 up to $500
/ $1000. Remember you get about HK$8 for each US$1. The Wynn
poker room won't offer many tournaments. However, they do
run special events on occasion with a range of buy in's. - Ambience: The Wynn in Macau is very similar to the Wynn
in Las Vegas. Steve Wynn won't allow his brand to diminish
in value or integrity at all and as such the poker room here
is very nice with great décor and well maintained seats and
tables. - Hospitality: Tea, coffee and water will be free for
players here. If you want alcohol you may be able to get a
free beer while you pay, but most drinks must be ordered
from the menu and will attract a charge. You can also order
food and eat at the table while you play. - Players: This is a wildly popular poker room and as a
result you will sometimes have to wait hours for a table.
Book a seat many hours before you plan on playing and you
shouldn't have a problem. Because of this, the poker is
tough and you'll need to be playing very solid poker to do
well. The vibe is quite serious due to this but also a lot
of fun at times, particularly on weekend evenings.
Macau Billionaire Poker Room
- Location: Babylon Casino, Macau
- Hours: 24 hours, 7 days
- Tables: 5
- Games: This poker room currently offers no limit holdem
cash games at various stakes. While they are aiming to offer
higher stakes you will most likely be able to find HK$50 /
$100 and $100 / $200 games running more frequently. They run
tournaments on occasion including their Jade series which
features a HK$2000 buy in event. - Ambience: This is a nice poker room which features gold
and beige colors on the wall with ruby and gold carpet. It's
a nice place although it is near and on the casino floor so
can be quite smoky at times. The blue felt tables are basic
with gold wrapped simple seating. Regardless it's still a
decent poker room. - Hospitality: You will get basic drinks provided
including water, tea and coffee. If you want anything
further you will need to request for a server to come and
take you order and you'll usually be paying full price off
the menu. - Players: The quality of play in this poker room will
usually be quite good. This is because it's such a niche
market now in Macau and as such you won't get as many
amateur players trying out poker. That's not to say you
can't do well if you put in a few solid sessions playing
decent and straight forward poker.
Conclusion
Macau is a different experience for players used to poker
rooms and casinos in the United States. But if you're planning a
trip you can still find some good Teas holdem games. Just plan
well ahead and be prepared for extended wait times in some
rooms.
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.
Aol Texas Holdem Poker Tournaments
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.
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.
Time slot spreadsheet. 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.
Live Texas Holdem Poker Tournaments
Other Poker Options
Macau Texas Holdem Poker Tournamentr Tournaments
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
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.
Live Texas Holdem Poker Tournaments
Other Poker Options
Macau Texas Holdem Poker Tournamentr Tournaments
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
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.
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.
