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Winning Poker Network review
Winning Poker Network (usually spelled WPN) is one of the largest US-friendly poker sites and perhaps the most media-driven. It has expanded worldwide and has been solid in the top 10 for traffic for several years.
Winning Poker Network skins
Winning Poker Network comprises 6 sites, although we offer competitive deals on only three of them.
- Americas Cardroom: Flagship network and US-friendly site.
- Black Chip Poker: European site also accepting American grinders.
- PokerKing: European site with a clear focus on the Russian market.
- YaPoker.
- TruePoker.
- PokerHost.
Difference between skins
Unlike many poker networks where the only differences between the skins are the graphics, WPN sites can be differentiated by:
Licensing
ACR and BCP do not hold any gaming licenses, although, in their terms and conditions, we read they are ruled under the laws of the Republic of Costa Rica.
PokerKing operates with an Antillephone (Curacao) License, and the other sites of the network hold a license from Gaming Curacao.
Payment methods
WPN is a Bitcoin-friendly network, and they encourage players to deposit via cryptos. Nevertheless, the skins also accept other payment methods like e-wallets but they are usually limited to ecoPayz. However, some skin also processes transactions via Skrill and Neteller.
Team pro and branding
Americas Cardroom stands out from the crowd in terms of marketing: Although Phil Nagy identifies himself as WPN CEO, he usually wears ACR branded clothing; this site also has a pet: Stormy, an eagle who always says present to announce promotions.
Americas Cardroom also sponsors several players, including Chris Moneymaker (WSOP Main Event champion) and Jon "apestyles" Van Fleet, the grandfather of online poker. Also, ACR is the only site running an active Twitter account where news such as general maintenance is shared.
Each site has different names for the six VIP program levels, but the rewards are the same.
Promotions
Although the VIP system and the welcome bonus are the same in all skins, some sites allow you to choose between a fixed rakeback deal, a multi-level cashback program, or a combination. Our team will explain which one suits you best according to your game schedule.
What is the best site on the WPN network?
There is no easy answer to this question. Let's start by saying all skins can be trusted, so the decision to play depends on your location, payment methods and the rakeback deal.
We must highlight that although ACR is the most media site and probably many only know this skin, players from other sites are perfectly safe.
How to choose the right skin
Americans should definitely play at Americas Cardroom, while RoW grinders can also choose between PokerKing and BCP based on what rakeback schedule is best for them and payment methods (Skrill and Neteller users should go to PokerKing).
Our recommendation is to ask our team for a free consultation on where to play on the Winning Poker Network.
Reach our manager if you have any questions:
Winning Poker Network rakeback
WPN is perhaps the only major network that sticks to a regular rakeback schedule in which heavy grinders are rewarded for their efforts. The offer is composed of a classical VIP-program, welcome bonuses and rake races.
Welcome package
All WPN skins offer the same massive welcome bonus: 100% up to $2,000, no strings attached. For deposits from $25 to $2k, you'll get a matched bonus credited to your account, cleared at a rate of $1 per every 27.5 Award Points. The wagering time is 60 days.
Loyalty program
Elite Benefits is the multi-tiered rakeback program of WPN. It consists of six levels with different names according to the skin (from military ranges to grinder's nicknames). Four of these statuses are monthly, and the best two are annual. The rakeback ranges from 10% to 70% for the best players, and is paid by exchanging points in the cashier plus special milestones (medals and awards).
Keep in mind that Elite Benefits is designed to reward high-volume grinders. Please contact our team and we will tell you which rakeback schedule will benefit you the most.
Fixed rakeback schedule
As a benefit for playing with us, you will be able to choose between Elite Benefits and a 27% fixed rakeback percentage paid to your account every week.
Rake race
Two traditional rake races are held every week: The Beast (cash games) and Sit & Crush (SnG and Spins). A fraction of the rake paid at the games goes to the prize pool of these promotions. There are four payout tiers from $50 to $500, and over 300 players cash a reward.
Bomb Pots
Bomb Pots were introduced in June 2020; up to four times per hour, every player seated at the table will be asked to drop in extra blinds in the pre-flop stage, and everyone's in to see the flop. No extra rewards apply, and the idea is to create massive multi-way pots.
Rake structure
Winning Poker Network applies a no flop, no drop policy and a weighted contributed rake method to distribute rake.
| Stakes ($) | Rake per pot ($) | 2 Player Cap ($) | 3 Player Cap ($) | 4 Player Cap ($) | 5 to 9 Player Cap ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All up to and including 1/2 | 0.01 for each 0.20 in the pot | 0.50 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 2/4, 3/6, 4,8 | 0.05 for each 1 in the pot | 1 | 1.5 | 2 | 3 |
| 5/10 and higher | 0.25 for each 5 in the pot | 1.25 | 1.75 | 2.25 | 3 |
- MTTs: from 5% to 10%. The higher the buy-in, the lowest the fee.
- SnG: 10%
- Spins: 6%
WPN has a fair rake schedule combined with a generous rakeback program, good news for grinders.
Games and traffic
Traffic on WPN will please almost any player. Although the network focuses its marketing efforts within the US, the truth is that many European and Asian players join the games; as a result, you will be able to find games around the clock.
Cash games
With Americans at the tables, action on all stakes is guaranteed. In our analysis, we have spotted active tables from NL2 to NL5000 on all stakes. The proportion between Texas Hold'em, and Omaha is about 65%-35%, although another exciting feature of the network is the presence of PLO5, LO8, 7-Card Stud, Limit Hold'em, mixed, and CAP games.
The "zoom" version of WPN is Blitz Poker, a fast-fold poker format in which we have spotted up to 150 connections at low and mid-stakes up to $200.
There are no HU games on Winning Poker Network, but the site features 6-max and 9-max tables.
Tournaments (MTT)
Many players join WPN after checking its MTT grid. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are guaranteed every day, and tournament series like The High Five and Online Super Series Cub3d are held several times per year with millions of dollars added. Special events are played on weekends under the brands Saturday Super Series and Sunday Mania with guarantees up to $250,000. High Stakes Wednesday welcomes high rollers to play events of up to $600 throughout the day.
The network's signature event, $2,650 The Venom, is played several times per year, and its prize pool has been no less than five million dollars.
Sng and Spins
Regular SnG can be found in all stakes and formats, including NLH, PLO Hi/Lo, regular, turbo, and hyper turbo. 10-max, 9-max, and 6-max games are available. A curious format called On-Demand adds a late registration period once the minimum number of players is registered.
Spin&Go are called Jackpot Poker on the Winning Poker Network. There are four stakes available: $2, $10, $25, and $40. There are special millionaire Jackpots for $5, $15, and $50, in which one of 5,000,000 (or 10 million for the lowest buy-in) results in a life-changing event.
Game softness
Holding so many promotions and having a regular rakeback schedule has a counterproductive result for the overall ecosystem: Winning Poker Network is considered a challenging site in terms of fishiness of the field.
Although the presence of American gamblers at the tables helps offset this, the truth is that many pros and rake machines play on WPN to secure an income via rakeback.
Hence, you must be ready to play with HUD and constantly improve your game if you want to beat the games on WPN.
Attitude towards professional players
Only regular malpractices are prohibited on WPN: bots, real-time assistance, chip dumping, collusion, seating scripts, bumhunting, etc. All other, you will be welcome to play your best game on the network.
HUDs are welcome by default, and GTO strategies can be applied as long as they don't give you an unfair advantage. Third-party layouts are prohibited.
We consider the Winning Poker Network attitude towards professional players loyal.
Reliability and trustworthiness
Overall we consider Winning Poker Network a legit site to play online poker. They have been operating for over 20 years, and in recent years they have worked hard to have a safer environment to grind.
License
From our deal, only PokeKing holds a license issued by Antillephone (Curacao), although this is a non-US-friendly room. Other sites do not feature gaming licenses, a common situation on the American market.
RNG
Winning Poker Network (WPN itself and its skins) exhibits a Random Number Certificate (RNG) from iTech Labs, issued in June 2020.
Reputation
WPN has a strong reputation among the poker community. They have held millionaire tournaments which have been paid instantaneously and signed famous pros like Chris Moneymaker. The site features an active community on social networks and runs a forum where players share their opinions.
Deposits and cashouts
It is stated that over 90% of the transactions on WPN are processed via cryptocurrencies, mainly Bitcoin. Over 30 cryptocurrencies have been added to the portfolio, including USDT Tether (stablecoin), Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Ripple, etc.
There are also alternatives for players that use e-wallets like Skrill, Neteller, or ecoPayz, but usually limited to particular skins and subject to high fees.
Suppose you want to avoid Bitcoin volatility. In that case, we recommend checking USDT Tether, a stablecoin that has its value fixed to $1.
Software review
WPN overhauled its platform in 2019. It features desktop PC and web-browser client. At the moment, the mobile software is under development.
The client for desktop computers is available for Windows and macOS. The in-browser version is compatible with Internet Explorer, Safari, Google Chrome, etc. In short, you won't find any problems in joining the games, unless your computer is very outdated.
The graphic design resembles an older version of PokerStars. The lobby shows a list of games depending on the selection made with the buttons above. The tables can be arranged by stake, active players, etc.
Tracking software like Hold'em Manager or PokerTracker is compatible. Up to 24 tables can be played simultaneously. All grinder features like displaying chips in BB and using a 4-color deck are available.
Mobile app
WPN finally launched a mobile version of its client (although only for Android) in 2023. All games can be accessed (MTTs, cash games, Jackpots, etc.) and all features like cashier or filters are available.
You can join up to 4 simultaneous tables. The design is friendly and competes with any modern platform.
Winning Poker Network history
Winning Poker Network, also known as WPN, is a US-facing network headquartered in Costa Rica. It opened its doors in 2001 under the name MyPokerNetwork.
In 2005 its current flagship site, Americas Cardroom, switched to the OnGame Poker Network. Later in 2007, the Yatahay Poker Network added ACR and other sites like True Poker to their offer.
After Black Friday, the network kept operating in the US for a short while until the U.S. Attorney's Office seized their domains. Then it got rebranded to Winning Poker Network.
In 2011 WPN switched its platform to IGSoft, a crucial decision for the network that also led to the inclusion of PokerKing, a Russian-facing poker room. In 2019 the network switched its platform again to SJH, which has led to new game formats.
Do you have any questions about Winning Poker Network? Send us a message now. We are online seven days a week!