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Black Chip Poker Review
Black Chip Poker runs on the Winning Poker Network alongside ACR, offering similar features but with its own player base and promo calendar. Known for high rakeback, crypto support, and big Sunday guarantees, it’s a strong choice for mid- to high-stakes players seeking serious action. In this review, I’ll cover the software, bonuses, and player traffic.
"Black Chip Poker has established a significant presence in the US over numerous years. They boast an excellent community for recreational players." - Cliff Spiller
Black Chip Poker
Black Chip Poker is one of the longest-standing skins on the Winning Poker Network (WPN). Known for catering to grinders with solid rakeback deals and leaderboard races. While the game selection is like other WPN sites, Black Chip often focuses on consistent promotions like The Beast and Sit & Crush.
They reward regular cash and SNG play. Traffic is steady across low stakes No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha. The high-stakes action is more rare, but there’s still a noticeable presence during peak hours.
The brand's player-first structure and incentives set it apart. They offer a flat 27% Rakeback (or Elite Benefits tiers up to 65%) and consistent value-driven promos. I also noticed CAP games and Blitz Poker pools running during testing, which add variety beyond standard tables. Their poker client is stable, supports multi-tabling with customizable views, and includes quick seating and four-color decks.
Rating Breakdown
My Overall Experience with Black Chip
Signing up was quick and straightforward. I just clicked “Sign Up” and filled out a short form with my personal details, it only took a few minutes. I made my first deposit using a credit card, though they offer a wide range of other payment options as well.
The software interface is easy to navigate, as I had no trouble finding tables or joining tournaments. One thing that impressed me was the variety of poker formats available, including the unusual 32-card format, which isn't often seen. There were even free tournaments if you’re just starting and don’t want to risk your money.
Something surprising was that the site was full of players, even late at night. What didn’t I like? The site design looks old, like it hasn’t been changed in years. Also, I couldn’t find a real live chat person for help. Just a form to fill out and wait for a reply. But overall, I enjoyed playing here.
Pros and Cons
Despite the many attractive features that draw players to Black Chip, it’s crucial to acknowledge that no poker platform is perfect. I’ve put together a comprehensive list outlining the pros and cons encountered while playing on Black Chip.
Pros
- Significant daily and weekly tournament schedules with large guarantees
- Regularly-scheduled multi-million dollar tournament series
- Fast and dependable withdrawal process
- Friendly to recreational players
- Dozens of cryptocurrency banking options
Cons
- High withdrawal fees
- Many reentry tournaments catering to bigger bankrolls
- Long late registration times
How Valuable are the Promotions and Bonuses at Bovada Poker?
Black Chip's poker bonuses compete well with top US-facing sites like ACR and BetOnline, offering solid value for grinders and frequent players. In addition to flagship promos like the $2,000 Welcome Bonus, Million Dollar Sundays, and The Beast, the site also offers several unique promotions. Bonus complexity is moderate and best suited for players who engage frequently.
| Promotion Type | Bonus Amount | Min/Max Deposit | Wagering Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome Bonus | 100% up to $2,000 (clears at 27.5 points per $1) | Not specified | 27.5 points per $1 cleared through poker play |
| Million Dollar Sundays | Weekly $1M GTD tournament | Tournament buy-in required | N/A (standard MTT entry, not a bonus) |
| The Beast Leaderboard | Weekly rake race payouts | None | Based on rake earned in cash games |
| Rakeback | Up to 27% via rewards program | Not applicable | Paid weekly based on contributed rake |
| Blitz Bonus Boost | 50% up to $500; code: BLITZ; clears via Blitz Poker | Not specified | Must play Blitz Poker hands to unlock |
| Refer-a-Friend | $50 for referrer, $25 for friend | $25 minimum deposit | Friend unlocks $5 for every 120 points earned |
| Daily Freerolls | $50 freerolls available daily | None | No wagering (free to enter) |
| Sit & Crush Leaderboard | Weekly leaderboard for Sit & Go volume | None | Based on Sit & Go tournament entries |
Welcome Bonus
Players can deposit up to $2,000 into a new account and receive a 100% match bonus. The minimum deposit is $25, and there is no special code required, as all players receive this welcome bonus. The requirement is that players must clear the bonus on cash game tables, and the money will be released in increments of $1 for every 27.5 award points generated in cash games.
Million Dollar Sundays
Black Chip hosts this flagship $1M GTD tournament every Sunday, one of the largest recurring events available to US players. Buy-ins typically start at $265, but you can qualify via frequent satellites starting at just a few dollars. Prize pools are often fully met, with occasional overlays adding extra value. It's a standout event for serious tournament regulars.
The Beast
The Beast is a weekly leaderboard promotion based on cash game rake. There’s no opt-in required, and prize payouts exceed $50,000 weekly. Points accumulate automatically at real-money ring tables. Whether you’re playing micro or high stakes, it’s a rewarding bonus for volume grinders.
Blitz Bonus Boost
Players who enjoy fast-fold poker can claim a 50% match up to $500 using code BLITZ. The bonus is released through Blitz play and offers an excellent value-add for volume grinders.
Refer-a-Friend
Earn $50 for every friend you refer who makes a $25+ deposit. Your friend also gets $25. Bonus unlocks at $5 per 120 Award Points and is valid for 90 days.
Freerolls
Black Chip Poker runs numerous freerolls (currently 8 per day) the site, usually with $50 in the prize pool. The times may change, but they are usually capped at 2,000 players and only allow 30 minutes of late registration.
Sit & Crush
As an ongoing promotion, players can register for any SNG, Jackpot, or On Demand tournament and earn points. Points go toward leaderboards, and prizes are paid out each Saturday, with payouts offered in cash or tournament tickets.
Loyalty Program at Black Chip Poker
Black Chip Poker’s loyalty system combines a flat 27% rakeback, paid weekly in real cash with no milestone tracking, and the Elite Benefits tiered program, which offers up to 65% rakeback for high-volume players. The Elite Benefits program includes six tiers: Player, Rounder, Grinder, Veteran, Legend, and Icon, with point multipliers increasing as you move up.
This structure makes Black Chip Poker appealing to both consistent mid-volume grinders who want predictable cashback and high-volume players looking to maximize rewards across multiple channels. Here’s what you can earn through the loyalty program:
- Cash rewards: Redeem loyalty points for direct cash payouts as you rank up.
- Tournament tickets: Use points to enter tournaments, letting you freeroll events.
- Medals of Achievement: Earn digital badges for hitting volume milestones. Some may unlock prizes or simply serve as bragging rights.
- Leaderboard races: Loyalty points contribute to weekly Sit & Crush and cash-game leaderboards, awarding extra cash and tournament entries to top finishers.
Black Chip Poker Rewards System
The rewards program at Black Chip Poker is called the Elite Benefits Program. All real-money cash games and tournaments earn points toward the loyalty program. There are six tiers/levels to achieve, depending on the amount of money and time played. The levels are:
- Player: points earned in contributed rake, medals of achievement earned
- Rounder: 1.5x points multiplier, medals earned, $50 cash available for purchase
- Grinder: 2x points multiplier, medals earned, $300 cash available for purchase
- Veteran: 2.5x points multiplier, medals earned, $600 cash available for purchase
- Legend: 3.5x points multiplier, $1,500-$4,000 cash available for purchase, distinction medals earned and usable for cash credits
- Icon: 5x points multiplier, all rewards possible
What Poker Games Can You Play at Black Chip?
I spent several sessions testing Black Chip Poker’s game offerings, and overall, the experience felt tailored for serious players. The site delivers solid traffic across cash games, Sit & Gos, and tournaments, with consistent action even during off-peak hours.
The cash games were soft at lower stakes, and Sit & Gos filled quickly. The client is highly customizable. Black Chip also offers Blitz tables, a fast-fold poker format similar to Zone Poker, even though the platform doesn’t label it as such.
Cash Games
Black Chip Poker offers cash games for all bankrolls and styles. No-Limit Hold’em starts at $0.01/$0.02 and runs up to $5/$10, with occasional higher-stakes tables. Pot Limit Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo see steady action across similar stakes, while fixed-limit games range from micro to $100/$200.
A standout feature is the “CAP” table format. This is a standard cash game with capped pots, typically $10 or $50. It’s ideal for shorter sessions or managing variance and is with capped pots, typically $10 or $50. Beyond Hold’em and Omaha, the site supports active tables for Stud, Stud Hi/Lo, 32-Card Draw, and Omaha Hi/Lo. Bomb Pots also pop up on 6-max and 9-max tables, randomly juicing the action with forced preflop builds and big flops.
Zone Poker
Blitz Poker is a solid option when you don’t want to wait for hands to play out. It’s a fast-fold format where you’re moved to a new table as soon as you fold, keeping the action constant. Blitz is available from micro to mid-stakes. NLHE runs from $0.05/$0.10 up to $5/$10, while Blitz Omaha is more limited, topping out around $1/$2.
All Blitz hands count toward Black Chip’s cash-game promos, and there are no additional jackpot or side fees, just the standard rake. There’s also a 50% deposit bonus up to $500 with code BLITZ, and bonus points stack even faster during Happy Hour. Making it a solid choice for volume-focused players.
Sit and Gos
Black Chip Poker is one of the few sites still fully invested in Sit & Gos. You’ll find classic formats like 2-player, 6-max, and 9-max, with buy-ins ranging from just a few cents to higher stakes. Prize structures vary, from standard top-three payouts to double-or-nothing games where half the field doubles their buy-in.
For players who like higher variance, Jackpot Poker offers 3-player turbo SNGs with $5, $15, or $50 buy-ins and randomly drawn prize pools. There are also On-Demand SNGs, which are multi-table sit-and-gos that begin as soon as the minimum number of players join. These allow brief late entry and payout multiple spots.
Another variation is “Spin to Get In,” a lottery-style satellite where you spin for tournament or SNG seats with entries as low as $0.01. Regardless of the format, every SNG fee earns points toward the weekly Sit & Crush leaderboard.
Black Chip Poker Tournaments
There is a wide variety of poker tournament action on Black Chip Poker, most of which is shared with the other US-facing poker sites on the Winning Poker Network. As mentioned, players can search by any number of filters to find the tournaments that best fit their skill level, bankroll, and time constraints.
At all times, the tens of thousands of players on Black Chip can find hundreds of tournaments. There are some standout tournament series and regularly-offered events, too, though.
- Venom: The Venom is WPN’s signature tournament. It typically requires a $2,500 buy-in, but months of promotions for each edition of the Venom provides opportunities for satellites and freerolls. The Venom runs several times each year, with the standard version offering No Limit Hold’em with a regular structure and $10M to $12.5M guaranteed. Alternating with that one is the Venom PKO, which offers half of that guarantee but focuses on its progressive knockout format and paying bounties.
- Online Super Series: The Online Super Series is the flagship series of WPN, each edition offering a leaderboard contest and other promotions and satellite lineups. The standard OSS offers hundreds of tournaments with a range of buy-ins. OSS Cub3d is a three-part series that includes the MOSS (Mini Online Super Series), OSS, and BOSS (Bigger Online Super Series). The OSS XL version offers an even larger-than-usual schedule.
- High Five: This is a player-favorite series, as the High Five – in its title and other components – refers to marijuana. The “high” reference, as well as breaks scheduled for 4:20, tournament start times set for 4:20, and other weed terms thrown in for good measure, make poker players happy. The High Five runs several times each year with millions of dollars in guarantees and a leaderboard competition.
- Turbo Boost Mini-Series: The latest arrival on the WPN tournament scene is the Turbo Boost, a series of tournaments with low buy-ins and fast structures. This, too, offers a leaderboard contest, and the mini version of the series focuses on low buy-ins to include a range of players.
- Supersized Sundays: Since the biggest day of each week for online poker is Sunday, WPN network sites like Black Chip Poker offer Supersized Sundays. The big draw is a $500K GTD tournament with a $215 buy-in, but there are also $100K guarantees for $16.50, both of which enhance the Sunday experience.
- Big Poker Thursdays: When a tournament series or Venom isn’t on tap, Big Poker Thursdays give players the chance to play for more than $1M in guarantees every Thursday. Recently, WPN increased the Thursday lineup by $315K in guarantees, putting that number over the $1M mark. Buy-ins start at $0.11 and top off at $1,050, and satellites run for many of the events.
Daily and Weekly Tournaments
The new and upgraded tournament schedule for 2024 includes something for every day of the week. There are more than 1,600 tournaments on the schedule each week, complete with more than $10M in prize pools.
Sundays remain the days of the week with the biggest value, with events like the Sunday Squeeze $50K GTD for a $16.50 buy-in and the Dime $10K GTD for a $2.50 buy-in. Those tournaments feature starting flights throughout the week and finish on the weekends.
Every day of the week has special events, some regular offerings like the Big10 and the PKO Big10. Sponsored WPN pros host regular events like the Loncar Mega Stack and the Boski Special. Buy-ins throughout the week start at just pennies, and there are high rollers for hundreds of dollars. Most tournaments hover in the $10-$100 range, though, with something for everyone.
How Tough is the Competition at Black Chip Poker?
After players began flocking to Black Chip Poker, especially following its move to WPN, the action got tougher. More pro poker players discovered the value of playing on the network, and tournaments began filling up with a better caliber of players.
Luckily for those recreational players, Black Chip Poker continued to protect that iGaming environment that made poker fun.
- The network began to block the use of some third-party software that gave professional players the upper hand via the opportunity to prey upon less-skilled players.
- WPN implemented an overall plan called “Player Protection” at all cash game tables. It prevents players from seeing the name of any opponent until sitting down and paying a big blind. Pro players trying to take advantage of so-called weaker players can no longer prey upon them in cash games.
- WPN recently installed a component to prevent its poker sites from running on virtual machines, which prevents bots from cheating.
The overall competition at Black Chip Poker can be tough, but there are players at all levels at the cash game, SNG, and tournament tables. And there are more freerolls and satellites than ever before, making it an ideal time to use those tools to build bankrolls and enjoy the game.
Black Chip Poker Traffic and Network
As a part of the Winning Poker Network, Black Chip Poker has the ability to offer players more cash game and tournament options than most other poker sites that accept players from the United States. Black Chip Poker is a sister site to the largest US-facing site, ACR Poker (formerly Americas Cardroom), as well as True Poker, YA Poker, and Poker King. Not all of them cater to players in the same territories and countries, but Black Chip and ACR do and share the same platform to do so.
Sharing an online poker platform means that the sites maintain their own player accounts and balances, site layouts and designs, and overall branding, but they share the actual poker tables. That partnership allows WPN to offer a much greater variety of cash game stakes and game variations, tournament buy-ins and guarantees, and benefits and promotions.
At any given time, Black Chip Poker shows tens of thousands of players at the virtual tables. There is always a current number provided at the bottom of the home page, showing 20,000 to 25,000 players on any given weeknight or double or triple that number on the weekends.
It is difficult to obtain an accurate network number, much less calculate poker network player statistics, as WPN and the major cash game traffic tracker do not work together to share these numbers.
Breaking Down the Black Chip Poker Software
Black Chip Poker does share software with its sister sites, meaning that the overall WPN software is the baseline for all of the WPN sites.
As for style and layout, Black Chip Poker is one of the clearest poker rooms available online, complete with crisp graphics and easy-to-navigate pages. The tabs at the top of the main page and each individual lobby provide a clear path to finding everything a player will want from a poker site, including the latest news and social media posts right on the home page.
There are many unique components of Black Chip that make it, along with other WPN sites, quite unique in the virtual poker space:
Railbird
Players can send a link to friends with access to watch their table action. Any player can email, text, or send a social media post to a friend with a direct link to their cash game or tournament table. Friends make the best railbirds.
Avatars
It is always nice to allow one’s personality to shine through their choice of avatar. There were always been a plethora of avatars from which to choose. WPN adds more all the time, now including everything from zombies to aliens, and criminals to sports figures to robots.
Double or Nothing
Many poker players pride themselves on the skill component driving their play, but risk can be fun, too. The Double or Nothing feature allows players to flip a virtual coin for their cash game or tournament winnings.
Maximizer
The Maximizer is a fast-play feature on WPN sites. It allows players to opt in to this feature at No Limit Hold’em or Pot Limit Omaha games, and the site will reseat players immediately after ending a hand. There is no need to wait for blinds to come around or watch the same players over and over.
Auto Top-Up
Players can use this feature at any cash game table to indicate that Black Chip Poker can automatically top-up his or her stack when it reaches a certain low point. This saves time when players can focus on the action instead of finding the cashier to manually top-up their stack.
Straddles
A popular feature in live cash games is now available on Black Chip Poker. Online poker players can now straddle in cash games. The player to the left of the big blind may double the big blind before the deal, and play then starts to his or her left.
Progressive Payouts
When a player makes it into the money in a tournament, play can slow down as the payouts increase. Instead of waiting until the tournament is over, players can now receive payouts as soon as they survive the money bubble. At every new pay jump, the tournament pays that increase as an additional payout.
Raise Methodology
When playing cash games, players can choose standard raises or favorite amounts to raise. By using a slider that tracks a player’s methodology, it eliminates the need to type in a particular amount by making it easy to find with the slider.
CAP Tables
The lobby offers capped tables (signified by $CAP with the amount replacing CAP) in limit poker games. A cap enables players to experiment with higher buy-ins but without some of the risk of losing bigger. The CAP feature automatically sets a cap for a hand based on a pre-selected amount.
On-Table Statistics
Players can now see their tournament statistics on the table as they play. This shows the player’s position in the tournament, average chip stack of all remaining players, the smallest stack still in, and prize pool details. The in-the-money symbol is also available to let the player know that he or she is in the money and how much a current payout is worth.
Black Chip Poker Deposits and Withdrawals
Black Chip Poker’s banking is quite seamless. Compared to Bovada, who has lower limits, and ACR, who provide higher rakeback but slower verification times, Black Chip hits a nice middle ground. Deposits work as expected, and most crypto withdrawals arrive within 48 hours. Card processing can be hit or miss, and checks remain the slowest option, similar to most US-facing sites.
Deposit Options
Crypto is the fastest and most reliable deposit method, with no fees and high limits. Credit/debit cards are convenient but may carry provider-specific fees and inconsistent approval rates. Person-to-person and e-wallets offer flexibility but vary by speed and availability.
| Method | Min. Deposit | Max. Deposit | Fees | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin / Crypto | $10 | $25,000 | None | Instant |
| Person to Person | $50 | $500 | Varies | Varies |
| E-wallet | $10 | $25,000 | May apply | Fast |
| Credit / Debit Card | Varies | Varies | Depends on provider | Instant |
Withdrawal Options
Crypto withdrawals are the fastest, usually processed within 24–48 hours with no fees, making them the top choice for most players. Checks are the slowest, taking up to 15 days and carrying high fees. These timelines are on par with industry standards, though crypto provides the best balance of speed, cost, and reliability.
| Method | Min Withdrawal | Max Withdrawal | Frequency | Time Frame | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin / Crypto | $50 | $10,000 | 1 per 3 days | 24–48 hours | None |
| E-wallet | $50 | $25,000 | 1 per 3 days | 24–48 hours | May apply |
| Check | $100 | $3,000 | 1 per 7 days | 10–15 days | High; not advised |
What is Missing from Black Chip?
Black Chip Poker delivers a solid poker experience as part of the Winning Poker Network, but a few limitations are worth noting. The software, while functional, lacks the polish and customization options of some major international operators, which may affect the user experience for serious multi-tabling players.
Additionally, while the site accepts a wide range of cryptocurrencies and offers generous promotions, it does not provide a dedicated loyalty program beyond the general rakeback system, something that could better reward long-term player engagement.
Black Chip Poker Network & License Information
Black Chip Poker operates under parent company WPN and on the Winning Poker Network platform. The flagship site on WPN is ACR Poker, formerly Americas Cardroom.
The Winning Poker Network does not show evidence of a current gambling or igaming license certification in Costa Rica or other gaming jurisdiction. The Black Chip Poker terms and conditions states that the company operates “in accordance with the laws of Costa Rica” and under “the license issued under Curacao law International Processor Services, S.A.” However, there is no record of a current license in Curacao.
WPN does have a certification from iTech Labs for maintaining a viable and tested random number generator (RNG). The RNG generates random numbers for online games and virtual shuffling for card games. “iTech Labs has found that the card sequences are unpredictable, non-repeatable, and uniformly distributed.” This certificate pertains to SJH Studio software, operated by WPN, and is dated April 24, 2023.
Are 3rd Party Programs Supported?
Black Chip Poker’s parent company, WPN, has banned some third-party software. In 2023, the company updated its rules to ban the use of virtual machines and real-time screen sharing tools, also known as RTA (real-time assistance) software. TeamViewer is one program that is specifically banned, as it allows players to remotely access another computer or operating system.
The current external assistance tools rule permits many study and performance improving materials, including hand trackers and heads-up display (HUD) tools, though it must collect statistics based “solely on your own hand history collected through the games you have personally participated in.”
Prohibited tools are listed as automated players, bots, RTA materials, and programs that analyze complex ICM, Nash Equilibrium, EV, and GTO actions in real time. There are no specific programs outlined by name in WPN security terms and rules.
Customer Support
Black Chip Poker offers a virtual assistant in the form of a live chat box. It is an automated assistant that uses articles and indexed pages from the Winning Poker Network to provide answers. Alternately, players can use the contact form on the “support” page of Black Chip’s website. Customer support is typically responsive and timely.
My Black Chip Poker Verdict
As a part of the longstanding Winning Poker Network, Black Chip Poker is a trusted poker site in the world of online poker. Players trust its decade and a half of experience in the gambling industry. Black Chip Poker pays its players, operates alongside the largest US-facing poker site (ACR Poker), and pays attention to what its customers want.
Some players would like to see more transparency with regard to third-party software and banned programs and cheaters. However, the technical team at WPN proves that it is constantly monitoring situations and potential unethical behavior to stop it and prevent it from happening again in the future.
Overall, there are more than enough poker options—cash games, tournaments, SNGs, and satellites—for every player to find what suits them. Players trust Black Chip Poker's deposits and withdrawals, tournament guarantees, and other promises.
This poker site remains a favorite of players across America and Canada. It is a dependable poker home in an uncertain and slowly changing gaming world.
Best Bonus 100% up to $1,000
- Large tournament schedule with big guarantees
- Fast crypto withdrawals
- Wide range of SNGs & MTTs
Poker Sites Similar to Black Chip Poker
FAQs
Black Chip Poker does not accept players from Delaware, Louisiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, and Washington State.
Black Chip Poker’s phone number is 877-314-4195. It is the same support phone number used by Americas Cardroom and True Poker. Live chat is also available. Both are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Black Chip Poker Key Details
| Available Country |
USA
|
| Phone | N/A |
| Number of payment methods | 10 |
| Number of available games | 5 |
| Tournaments | Yes |
| Licensing | Costa Rica |
| Compatibility | Android, iOS, macOS, Windows |