The Biggest Poker Rooms in the UK – Take Your Pick
Posted: March 27, 2022
Updated: March 27, 2022
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London will always be a top destination for poker
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The biggest poker rooms in the UK vary a lot in style
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Fair buy-ins and availability are key factors in such places
Since the United Kingdom is one of the biggest markets for poker, it’s only natural to have a great selection when it comes to live poker venues. Some of the best poker players of all time hail from the British Isles and the majority of the population loves a good poker game. Both live and online tournaments are popular in the country and there are many of them across the year. From nationally televised tournaments to smaller weekend get-togethers, poker occupies a part in British culture.
Each year the number of poker events grows and casinos or poker rooms are always looking to expand. In this article, we will be listing some of the biggest poker rooms in the UK. If you are looking for a top-tier poker experience in the country, these are the places to go.
For any non-UK poker fan, we highly recommend visiting the country if you can to fully experience the quality poker there. It’s not just the tournaments that are big and popular, but the top-notch casinos and poker rooms too. We’ll only cover the biggest poker rooms in the UK in this article so if you’re interested in London casinos, for example, we’ve also got you covered. The best poker rooms can be found outside of London, in shopping malls, or top tourist spots. What they all have in common is that they are also easily accessible. Especially the London poker rooms. From schedules going into the early morning hours to nonstop cash games and multiple tournaments, these places have it all.
Nottingham’s Dusk Till Dawn is the Biggest Poker Room in The UK
If you’ve read some of our previous articles on UK casinos or are familiar with the British casino scene, you know the best venues are in London. But the Dusk Till Dawn live poker room or card room is widely considered the best and the biggest in the country. The Nottingham casino opened in 2007 and is owned by passionate poker player Rob Young. Since its opening, the establishment has helped poker grow in popularity, especially in the Nottingham area. Many professional poker players have sat at the tables of the Dusk Till Dawn over the years too. This place is a must-have on the bucket list of any poker fan. It has everything from low stakes to high stakes. For example, you could play for as little as £33 or go for the high roller event with a £1.000 buy-in.
The venue has 45 poker tables and is at a fairly accessible location in Nottingham. For the full schedule of the club, check out their official website. Dusk Till Dawn is currently closed between Mondays and Wednesdays but it makes up for it with its long opening hours later during the week. Between Thursday and Sunday, the venue is open from 3-6 PM until 4-5 AM. If you want to play here you have to be a member, but don’t worry, the signup is free at the reception. There are also cash games that suit each player’s skills and experience levels. Additionally, if you’re looking for some tournaments, the Dusk Till Dawn hosts many throughout the year. In April alone, people can play in the April Deepstack, DTD Team Event, and DTD Easter Cup tournaments. So if this piqued your interest, check out the biggest poker room in the UK.
The Vic and Grosvenor Casinos Remain on Top
The Grosvenor Casinos are bound to make it onto any poker list that’s related to the UK. As probably the biggest poker operator in the country, they have many casinos across multiple cities in England. Furthermore, they are the organisers of the biggest poker tournament in the UK, the GUKPT. Among their many venues, the Grosvenor Victoria or the Vic is considered the best. It’s located in Paddington and is extremely easy to access. Edgware Road, Marble Arch, the Paddington train station, and Hyde Park are all only minutes away.
As one of the, if not the most popular casino in London, the Vic receives many visitors. Just so, it’s open 24 hours a day. You’ll find plenty of cash games here from buy-ins ranging between £40 and £5.000. The blind levels for these cash games can be as little as £1-£1 and include Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and more.
The Poker Room is located above the casino and is open from 9 AM until 11 PM. With its 35 poker tables, the Vic has one of the biggest poker rooms in the UK. Apart from the poker tables, the venue has 20 slot machines and electric roulette too. Separate from the casino and the many other entertainment options. Do not be surprised if you run into some of the biggest names in poker here.
Apart from the world-renowned GUKPT series, the Grosvenor Victoria also hosts daily and weekly tournaments. Buy-ins can begin from £30 and the starting time is usually around 7 PM. Even late entries are allowed and the regular events have unlimited re-entries. If you can’t make it to London or the Vic any time soon, don’t worry. Grosvenor Casinos also have one of the many online poker sites in the UK.
One of the Biggest Poker Rooms in the UK is in East End – Aspers Stratford
Aspers Casinos own four casinos in the UK. They are in London, Milton Keynes, Northampton, and Newcastle. However, in this list, we’re only going to mention the biggest one. Aspers Casino Westfield Stratford or Aspers Stratford is the company’s main venue. While it doesn’t have a location as fancy as Leicester Square, the casino is easily accessible by the Tube, bus, or car. Stratford Station is right next to the shopping mall where you will find the casino on the third floor. Once you’re in, say hello to one of the biggest poker rooms in the UK.
Aspers Stratford sees a lot of visitors as it’s a popular destination for poker fans. The casino offers plenty of cash games revolving around Texas Hold’em. Buy-ins start from £70 and can go up to £1.000. The rake is set at 5% and the blind levels start between £1 and £25, depending on the game you entered.
The casino hosts plenty of poker tournaments too. There are smaller daily tournaments between Tuesday and Saturday but you can aim for the bigger leagues too. From April 1-3 the APAT Festival will have five events, the smallest buy-in beginning at £70 for the side events. Then comes the Aspers Spring Festival which will run from April 6 to 18. The 13-day festival schedule will see 17 poker events in total. Re-entries will be disallowed, restricted, or unlimited. There will be multiple satellite events for the main event too, with buy-ins as low as £60.
The casino has approximately 30 poker tables but more are available during festivals. Aspers Stratford is in a favourable location because the casino gets many visitors and tourists of varying poker experiences. Whether you want to go straight for the tournaments or a casual cash game, this is the spot.
The Hippodrome and All the Stars
The Hippodrome has a legendary reputation in the casino industry. It might very well be the biggest and most popular casino in the country. Not only that, but it also has one of the biggest poker rooms in the UK. In the past, there have been only 5 poker tables in the Hippodrome but that number has reached 17 already. Millions of people visit it every year. A partial reason for this is also that it’s located on Leicester Square. The circus turned music hall turned theatre turned nightclub turned casino has a history like no other establishment on this list. No casino screams style like this one. By now, the Hippodrome has become both the mecca of London poker and a top tourist attraction. The massive poker room is located on the third floor of the building, complete with a bar and a smoking terrace as well.
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Cash games are available 24/7 and include no-limit Texas Hold’em, pot-limit Omaha, and other mixed games. The poker room is also home to the UK and Ireland Poker Tour, one of the biggest poker tournaments in the country. The tournament will run from April 1 to 10. There are house policies and poker etiquette. When players enter a game, they must make the full buy-in for the minimum. There are tournament rules as well that are worth reading before making an entrance. As the UKIPT starting date is quite near, we would advise you to practice a bit with Betsson Poker. Many professionals visit the Hippodrome from time to time and being prepared is always a good thing.