North Dakota Texas Holdem Poker Room Reviews

You have four main options in respect to Texas holdem poker rooms in the Peace Garden state. These rooms offer cash games with three also offering tournaments. All tournaments are no limit Texas holdem, except for a no limit Omaha 8 weekly event at the Dakota Magic Casino.

Cash game wise you won’t find any no limit games due to the states gambling laws which restrict the pots going past $300. As such, most of the games are either limit or spread limit holdem, which can still generate quite large pots from time to time. But you won’t strike it super rich in a single hand like you can at a $2 / $5 no limit Texas holdem table in other states.

The standard of play in North Dakota is decent, with most players at all the poker rooms being regulars. You’ll still find a lot of amateurs taking to the felt though, which is great for the game and the poker economy at the same time. From all reports, all poker rooms have a friendly and welcoming vibe, which is also great for the game.

All the casinos that house poker rooms are on native Indian reservations as this is all that’s allowed under state legislation. Aside from these casinos you can also gamble on horse and dog racing, some other games of skill and you can also purchase tickets in the North Dakota lottery.

The lottery features the major national draws like Powerball and Mega Millions as well as other smaller draws and instant win games. All proceeds from the lottery go to the state government who then pass this on to important projects and provide support for those dealing with drug issues and gambling addiction.

On top of the four rooms listed below, the Vegas Motel in Minot also opens for a series of poker events in December. This is known as the Annual North Dakota Texas Holdem Championship Event which attracts huge fields all in the name of charity.

The games are great and offer great value for the player and they raise a ton of money for the local university so that they can provide scholarships to those in need who want an education. This is a great initiative and really improves the overall visibility of the game in North Dakota.

While the state doesn’t boast rooms that would rival Las Vegas, they do well in offering up some great games within the state laws. This means if you’re a local in North Dakota you should be able to find a good game that will ease that poker itch.

If you’re travelling the country looking for the best poker games, then it’s probably not worth a special visit to North Dakota as you can find much better action, games, and rooms in other states. Still, North Dakota does well when it comes to Texas holdem poker.

List of North Dakota Rooms

Here is our compiled list of all the poker rooms you can find in the state of North Dakota:

4 Bears Casino & Lodge

• Location: New Town, North Dakota
• Hours: Wednesday and Thursday from 7pm, Friday from 6pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 2pm. The room is closed on Monday and Tuesday
• Tables: 6
• Games: You’ll find no limit holdem tournaments in this room on each of the days they are open. The buy in will either be $20 or $30. On top of this they spread $5 / $10 and $10 / $20 limit holdem and $2 / $10 and $2 / $50 spread limit holdem cash games.
• Ambience: This no smoking poker room is clean and well maintained with TVs across the walls to keep you entertained while you play and a modern decor to make you feel comfortable. The play will be fast given they have automatic shufflers in all their tables.
• Hospitality: Comps can be earned and redeemed through the 4 Bears Player’s Club and you’ll also receive food and cocktail service at the table while you play.
• Players: You’ll come across a random group of players in this poker room, made up with some local regulars and amateurs. The play will be decent standard without being great so you should be able to do quite well just by playing some basic ABC poker.

Dakota Magic Casino Resort

• Location: Hankinson, North Dakota
• Hours: Wednesday and Sunday from 3pm, Thursday and Friday from 6pm and Saturday from 2pm. The room is closed on Monday and Tuesday.
• Tables: 7
• Games: For the cash players, they spread $2 / $10 and $5 / $20 spread limit holdem as well as $2 / $10 dealer’s choice. If you are a tournament specialist you will find no limit holdem and Omaha events on some days of the week with the buy in ranging from $20 to $65.
• Ambience: TVs are placed strategically around this poker room so you can keep yourself entertained while you play. On top of this they provide clean and well maintained felt tables and leather chairs so you will be comfortable while you play. The room is partially separate from the rest of the casino and no smoking is permitted at all.
• Hospitality: Comps can be earned and redeem through the Magic Player’s Club and you’ll also get food and cocktail service at the table when you play so you need never miss a hand. Discounts are also available in the hotel for poker players who play a minimum number of hours.
• Players: If you’re looking for a soft game visit on the weekend evenings when the drinks are flowing and the amateurs take to the tables, at other times you’ll come across tables mostly filled with regulars which will mean the standard of play will be vastly improved. Staff and dealers here are good and will make sure you are looked after when you play.

Sky Dancer Casino & Resort

• Location: Belcort, North Dakota
• Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday open from 4pm, Saturday and Sunday from 12pm. The room is closed on Tuesday and Thursday.
• Tables: 5
• Games: No limit Texas holdem tournaments are offered each day they are open either at 5pm or 7pm with a buy in of $20. If you are looking for a cash game you will find $3 / $6 limit holdem and $3 / $15 dealer’s choice.
• Ambience: This no smoking poker room is located just off the main casino and features clean and well maintained tables and chairs amongst a modern and colorful decor. Smoking is permitted in the rest of the casino so this may impact you if you are sensitive to smoke. Thankfully it’s not permitted at the table or in the poker room. To keep you entertained between hands they have plenty of flat-screen TVs on the walls.
• Hospitality: Cocktail and food service is provided for players at the table here while you play. If you are playing you will get drinks for free. On top of this they also run a series of jackpots and promotions and offer comps through the Northern Lights Players Club.
• Players: The atmosphere in this room is great and the staff and dealer’s will make sure you are looked after when you play, more so if you become a regular. The standard of play will be decent here with a lot of regulars dominating the games. This isn’t such a bad thing as they will look to exploit you if you are visiting and you can use this to your advantage.

Spirit Lake Casino

• Location: St. Michael, North Dakota
• Hours: Wednesday to Friday from 5.45pm and Saturday and Sunday from 1pm. The room is closed on Monday and Tuesday.
• Tables: 5
• Games: No tournaments are offered in this poker room and they only spread $5 / $20 dealer’s choice cash games.
• Ambience: This poker room is spacious, well-lit and features TVs around the walls so you can stay up to date with all the latest sports scores. The room is completely non-smoking for your comfort and is partially separate from the rest of the casino so ambient noise shouldn’t be too much of an issue.
• Hospitality: Comps can be earned while playing cash through the Spirit Lake Player’s Club. On top of this you’ll be served cocktails at the table while you play so you need never miss a hand.
• Players: You’ll come across a good mix of local regulars, amateurs and visitors in this poker room with the play being quite good during the day and loosening up in the evenings. The overall vibe is good and you’ll feel welcomed by dealers and stuff. Everyone here is trying to have fun while playing poker, so the vibe in the room isn’t too serious which is always a good thing.

Conclusion

While North Dakota isn’t the Texas holdem capital of the world, the state does offer many opportunities to play. Use this handy guide to find the tournament or cash game closest to you.