Author: Casino.org

Football is more than just a sport; it’s a global business that attracts the world’s richest countries and enterprises!

Earning the most money allows you to attract worldwide stars, dominate competitions, and benefit from massive revenues through sponsorships, ticket sales, and merchandising. These revenue figures enable clubs to sustain success on the field and attract fans and viewers worldwide.

Usually, football’s wealthiest clubs have star-studded teams, iconic rivalries, and significant influence on the world of sports. In this page, we’ve looked at the richest football clubs in the world and explored what makes them financial powerhouses.

Richest Football Clubs

Image Credit: Rarrarorro/Shutterstock

Real Madrid

Winner of 36 Spanish titles and 15 Champions Leagues, Real Madrid is undoubtedly one of the biggest football clubs in the world. Los Blancos was founded in 1902 by a group of Oxford and Cambridge graduates.

The team’s all-white kit was an homage to Corinthian, a prominent English club that espoused the principles of fair play and spread the game of football around the world.

Real Madrid has consistently performed at the highest level. When the competition launched, the team won the first five European Cup titles and the first Intercontinental Cup, a challenge match between the Copa Libertadores winners and European Cup winners.

Over 120 years later, the club is still a beacon of excellence in football, home to some of the best footballers in the world, like Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham. In 2024, Forbes valued Real Madrid at nearly $6.6 billion.

Manchester United

Image Credit: Milosz Kubiak/Shutterstock

An iconic football club synonymous with English football, Manchester United emerged from the Premier League era to become one of the world’s richest and most prominent European teams.

Founded as Newton Heath in 1878 before becoming Manchester United in 1902, the Red Devils have been crowned English champions 20 times and won three UEFA Champions League titles and a Europa League title.

Manchester United made over $166 million in sponsorship, over $100 million in retail sales, and over $220 million from broadcast deals in 2023/24, totaling over half a billion dollars of revenue.

Despite a barren few years on the pitch, winning just two trophies since 2020, the club remains a titan in global football and possibly the most recognizable brand in football. Forbes valued Manchester United at $6.5 billion in 2024.

FC Barcelona

Image Credit: Milosz Kubiak/Shutterstock

Winner of 27 La Liga titles and 31 Copa del Rey titles, FC Barcelona is a colossal brand in sports history thanks to its status as the home of some of football’s greatest players like Luis Suarez, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, and Xavi to name a few.

Barca’s status as one of football’s greatest teams was exemplified by its 2024 sponsorship deal with Nike, which has a reported value of nearly $129 million annually.

The club is worth an estimated $4.1 billion, but, along with its Spanish rival Real Madrid, it has suffered from debt problems in recent years, with an estimated debt of over $1.4 billion.

Liverpool FC

Image Credit: Milosz Kubiak/Shutterstock

Worth an estimated $5.7 billion, Liverpool FC has been, along with Manchester City, dominant in English and European football for much of the 2010s and 2020s.

Owned by the Fenway Sports Group, the owners of another historic sports franchise, Boston Red Sox, the team generated nearly $725 million in 2024 and almost $137 million in merchandise sales. The club plays at the 61,000-seat Anfield Stadium, sold out for every first-team fixture in 2023/24.

The Reds are also a commercial juggernaut, benefiting from a four-year deal with Standard Chartered Bank for front-of-shirt sponsorship worth $63 million per year and a $36 million a year deal with Nike to manufacture its shirts and training wear.

Overall, the club is regarded as one of the best-run clubs in the Premier League and one of the most valuable soccer teams in the world.

Bayern Munich

Image Credit: Rarrarorro/Shutterstock

Bayern Munich is the dominant force in German football and a major force in European football. The side is known in Germany as FC Hollywood thanks to its rotating cast of stars, currently headlined by England captain Harry Kane. The club is also a commercial behemoth due to its structure.

Despite being a members organization, like all German clubs, Bayern’s football operations are managed by a joint stock company owned by the club along with major German corporations Adidas, Audi, and Allianz – each of which sponsors the club.

Adidas acquired its 8.33% share for $78 million in 2002, Audi purchased the same slice of the club for $92 million in 2009, and Allianz bought its share for $116 million in 2014. Forbes values the whole club at $5 billion, and it has a revenue of $696 million.

Paris Saint-Germain

Image Credit: Charnsitr/Shutterstock

Owned by Qatar Sports Investments, an offshoot of the sovereign wealth fund of the gas-rich Gulf state of Qatar, French club Paris Saint-Germain has accelerated towards the top of the football rich list since its takeover in 2011.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, has the final say on all decisions involving the club and has wielded his influence to sign a number of star players, including Neymar and Lionel Messi.

The club has used this influence to expand massively commercially. The Deloitte Football Money League has estimated that the club generated $822 million in revenue in 2022/23, meaning the club is valued at $4.4 billion in 2024.

Manchester City

Image Credit: Milosz Kubiak/Shutterstock

Another Gulf petrostate club, Manchester City, is wholly owned by City Football Group, an Emirati company worth $5.1 billion in 2024. The group operates clubs worldwide, including Manchester City, Melbourne City, New York City FC, and Girona in Spain.

The group has spread the City brand worldwide, leading to exponential growth since the club was taken over by the Abu Dhabi royal family in 2008.

Under its Emirati ownership, the club has won eight Premier League titles, a UEFA Champions League, three FA Cup titles, and six League Cup titles.

Chelsea FC

Image Credit: Charnsitr/Shutterstock

Chelsea FC was one of the first English clubs to benefit from large-scale investment from the former owner of Russian oil company Sibneft, Roman Abramovich. The club was propelled to the top of the Premier League thanks to the Russian oligarch’s riches.

Under the tutelage of Jose Mourinho, the club won two successive Premier League titles. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the club was sold to Todd Boehly, owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and has continued its ascent to the top of the football-rich list. It is worth an estimated $3.1 billion as of 2024.

Tottenham Hotspur

Image Credit: Rarrarorro/Shutterstock

Tottenham Hotspur is another English club that has developed since the mid-2010s to become a huge financial force in the football world.

The club has benefitted from the frugal on-field management of Daniel Levy, known as one of the best negotiators in world football, to invest significant amounts in its squad and compete at the top of the Premier League. The club is worth an estimated $3.2 billion, according to Forbes, and generates $647 million in revenue, according to Deloitte.

Juventus

Image Credit: Rarrarorro/Shutterstock

Owned by the Agnelli family since 1922, the operators of the world-famous Fiat car brand, Juventus is known as the Grand Old Lady thanks to its consistent and unwavering success in Italian football.

The Torinese side has won 71 titles in its history – 61 Italian titles and 11 international titles, including two Champions Leagues and three UEFA Cups.

Despite this, it has not always been plain sailing for the Bianconeri. The club was forcibly relegated in 2006 due to the Calciopoli scandal and struggled to return to the top of the Italian pyramid.

Under the guidance of Antonio Conte, the club returned to the summit with an unbeaten 2011-12 season, the first of ten successive titles. Today, the club generates around $443 million in revenue and is worth an estimated $2 billion.

Arsenal FC

Image Credit: Michael715/Shutterstock

One of London’s biggest football clubs and famous worldwide, Arsenal’s trophy cabinet is well stocked with 13 Premier League titles, 14 FA Cups, two EFL Cups, and a UEFA Cup Winners Cup.

The Gunners’ 2003-04 team, known as The Invincibles, was only the second team in English history to go unbeaten for an entire season. Its stars, like Theirry Henry, Patrick Vieira, and Dennis Bergkamp, established Arsenal as a globally known football club.

Today, it is one of the most commercially successful sides in the world, valued at $2.6 billion and generating revenues of nearly $544 million in 2024.

Borussia Dortmund

Image Credit: Rarrarorro/Shutterstock

Home of the world-famous “Yellow Wall,” a 24,000-capacity terrace, and potentially one of the most famous stands in world football, Borussia Dortmund is the second largest club by membership in Germany after Bayern Munich and the fifth largest sports club by membership in the world.

In recent years, the club has become known for developing young players for sale on the international player market, selling Erling Haaland to English club Manchester City, Jadon Sancho to Manchester United, and Jude Bellingham to Real Madrid in the last few years.

The club is worth an estimated $1.9 billion and has a reported sponsorship revenue of $143.3 million.

Inter Milan

Image Credit: Charnsitr/Shutterstock

Another of Italy’s largest and most successful football clubs, Internazionale Milano, or Inter Milan, has won 20 Italian titles and three Champions League titles since its founding in 1908. In recent years, the club has experienced ups and downs but has rallied and reached the final of the 2023 Champions League and won the Serie A title in 2021 and 2024.

For years, Massimo Moratti personally bankrolled the club, but it was purchased by Indonesian businessman Erick Thohir in 2013 before Suning Holdings Group, the club’s current owners, bought it in 2016. Inter is worth an estimated $1 billion and generated $386 million in revenue in 2024.

Atletico Madrid

Image Credit: Charnsitr/Shutterstock

Atletico Madrid has rocketed to football’s top echelons since 2011, when Argentine manager Diego Simeone arrived at the Vicente Calderón. While Atleti had won nine titles before Simeone’s arrival, El Cholo broke the dominance of the Spanish duopoly of Barcelona and arch-rivals Real Madrid.

After sustained success on and off the field, including domestic titles in 2014 and 2021, a Copa del Rey win against Real in 2013, two Europa League titles in 2012 and 2018, and two Champions League finals in 2014 and 2016, the club is much healthier financially.

It moved into a new stadium in 2017, and Forbes values Atleti at $1.6 billion, with revenues of $372 million. The club coffers have swelled to allow Atleti to rebuild their side again in recent years, with Julian Alverez and Conor Gallagher arriving to reinvigorate the Rojiblancos’ attack.

AS Roma

Image Credit: Rarrarorro/Shutterstock

Playing in the Italian capital at the Stadio Olimpico, AS Roma is one of the biggest clubs in Italy and Europe. Owned by The Friedkin Group, owners of Gulf State Toyota, which also owns Everton FC. In 2024, the club was valued at around $600 million and generated around $307 million revenues.

The club has several high-value sponsorships totaling $15.2 million annually, including Adidas, Riyadh Season, Hyundai, and Zytara.

Everton FC

Image Credit: Rarrarorro/Shutterstock

Another club owned by The Friedkin Group, Everton is one of the most famous football clubs in England. The team has never been relegated from the Premier League.

Despite the club’s recent financial struggles, Friedkin purchased the Toffees from Farhad Moshiri for nearly $540 billion, and the club looks set to generate more significant commercial revenues in the coming years from a move to a new stadium.

How We Picked the Richest Clubs in World Football

We didn’t select the richest clubs at random. Our team analyzed key factors like ownership stability, sponsorship deals, ticket sales, youth development, and global economic trends to determine which clubs truly dominate the financial landscape of world football. Below, we explore each factor in detail.

Ownership

Strong and stable ownership is the cornerstone of a football club’s strategy and ability to generate revenue. A turbulent ownership model can affect on-field performance, reducing a club’s value in the long term.

When we examined the richest clubs in world football, we looked for teams with solid ownership, a long history of success, and deep enough pockets to sustain long-term success. Clubs like Manchester City and Paris St-Germain, effectively owned by states that have led to significant cash injections, feature prominently alongside clubs like Juventus and Chelsea, which wealthy individuals own.

Sponsorship

Sponsorships and partnerships are crucial ways for football clubs to generate funds. With so much exposure available on the biggest football competitions, companies value partnerships with football teams.

Long-term partnerships, like Bayern Munich’s partnership with Adidas, Audi, and Allianz, foster long-term wealth. When assessing the richest clubs in world football, we examined the total value of sponsorships.

Ticket Sales

While television contracts and sponsorships generate a large amount of football team revenue in the modern era, the richest clubs still sell stadiums out regularly. Clubs invest in the matchday experience all the time, with the richest clubs building and renovating stadiums to create a world-class environment for fans.

Supporters respond to this, and the best and richest clubs routinely sell out stadiums, which we analyze to produce our richest club rankings.

Youth Development

With a growing and rapidly expanding transfer market and a gradually expanding financial regulation in football surrounding profit and loss, youth development is the key to maintaining a football club’s place at the top of the global pyramid.

Sales from your players can boost your balance sheet and enable you to fund purchases of the world’s best players. Clubs like Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, and Manchester City have excelled in selling young talent for profit.

Economic Trends

Global economic trends and politics can significantly impact football. Events like the conflict in Ukraine have caused clubs like Chelsea and Everton to change leadership. In the past, decreases in commodities markets have caused clubs to curtail spending or enabled individuals to purchase clubs and invest significant funds. We have examined economic trends to project the world’s richest football clubs.

The Future of Wealth in Football

The teams listed in this article represent the financial powerhouses of global football, combining historic success, commercial might, and immense global reach.

The wealth stems from various factors, including stable ownership, lucrative sponsorship deals, world-class stadiums, and youth development systems that keep the team and the balance sheet healthy.

However, football’s landscape constantly changes, and competitors are always just around the corner to challenge the elite. Manchester City and Chelsea’s emergence at the top of the global rankings was due to the enormous financial injections from owners.

In that vein, we should expect Newcastle United, owned by the Saudi Investment Fund, to grace the list in future years.

Similarly, as competitions like the FIFA Club World Cup enter the calendar with massive cash prizes and leagues in Asia and America, like the Saudi Pro League, Brazilian Serie A, and Major League football, gain more prominence, we might expect to see a less Euro-centric list in the future as football’s financial might spreads around the world.

While the teams on the list dominate today, the next decade may see new contenders reshaping the football rich list as economic trends shift and new markets emerge.

• Grasp Bankroll Basics: Understand the concept of a poker bankroll management strategy and why it’s significant for continuous poker play and long-term profitability.

• Learn About Risk Management: Explore techniques to properly manage your bankroll, minimizing risk of ruin while attempting to maximize returns on your investment in poker games.

• Ideal Buy-in Amounts: Learn how to determine the right buy-in amounts based on your bankroll size and the format/type of poker game you’re playing.

• Handling Losses: Develop strategies to handle downswings and losses without dramatically impacting your bankroll.

• Distinguish Personal & Poker Finances: Discover the importance of keeping your personal finances separate from your poker bankroll for effective financial management.

Poker bankroll management strategy might not be the sexiest part of poker, but it’s one of the most essential skills for long-term success.

At its core, it’s about setting aside a specific amount of money exclusively for poker and making thoughtful decisions about how much to risk in each game or session.

Skipping this step can lead to financial strain, emotional frustration, and even the demise of your poker career.

Picture this: A new player, brimming with confidence after a few home game wins, sits down at stakes far above their means, hoping for a big payday. The cards don’t cooperate, and within hours, their bankroll is gone and their confidence is shattered.

Without a solid poker bankroll management strategy, what could have been a rewarding experience quickly becomes a lesson in regret.

This guide will help you avoid those pitfalls. You’ll learn what a bankroll is, some effective bankroll guidelines and the mindset needed to stick to your plan even when variance challenges your resolve.

What Is a Poker Bankroll and Why Is It Important?

Your poker bankroll is the amount of money you’ve set aside specifically for playing poker, be that in a casino or in online poker games.

It’s not just a random chunk of your savings or the extra cash you happen to have lying around. Instead, it’s a dedicated fund that you use exclusively for poker. Think of it as a business expense account for your poker career.

By defining your bankroll clearly, you gain a clear picture of what you can afford to risk without jeopardizing your personal finances.

A good rule of thumb is, if you have $500 set aside as your poker bankroll, that’s the amount you’ll use for buy-ins, rebuys, and other poker-related expenses. It’s a boundary that helps protect both your finances and your poker mindset.

Title Image Credit: RomanR/Shutterstock

Why Separating Your Bankroll from Personal Finances Is Essential

Mixing your poker bankroll with your personal finances is a slippery slope. Without a clear boundary, it’s all too easy to overspend, chase losses, or let emotions influence your decisions.

Even worse, financial strain from poorly managed bankrolls can creep into your daily life, causing unnecessary stress.

Keeping your poker funds separate changes everything. When your bankroll is clearly defined, your financial security remains intact. Rent, groceries, and other essentials stay safe, no matter what happens with poker.

It also forces you to track your wins and losses carefully, which will give you a realistic view of your progress. And, when you know exactly how much you have to play with, choosing the right stakes becomes a logical decision instead of a gamble.

Practical solutions make this simple: open a separate bank account, set up an e-wallet, or even use an envelope system to keep your poker money entirely separate. This small step goes a long way in protecting both your game and your peace of mind.

The Psychological Benefits of Proper Bankroll Management

A well-managed bankroll isn’t just about protecting your finances; it also strengthens your mental game. When your poker funds are clearly separated, stress decreases, and your focus sharpens.

You’re no longer sitting at the table worrying if you can afford your next buyins for cash games, and that leaves you free to focus on making the best decisions possible.

This separation also helps you stay emotionally grounded. Playing within your limits allows you to accept variance as part of the game rather than letting it derail your confidence or discipline. Even during downswings, you can feel calm knowing you’re still in control.

Your bankroll is like a safety net. With proper management, you eliminate financial distractions, reduce emotional volatility, and give yourself the structure needed to play your best.

Common Bankroll Management Mistakes Beginners Make

Bankroll management can go off track quickly if you’re not aware of the common traps many beginners fall into. Overconfidence, inexperience, and emotional decision-making often turn what could be a rewarding poker experience into a costly lesson.

Let’s take a look at some frequent mistakes and how to avoid them.

Playing in Games Where the Stakes Are Too High

The allure of bigger payouts often tempts beginners to jump into games that they’re not rolled for. A few wins might leave you thinking, “Why not take a shot?”

But higher stakes bring higher risks, tougher opponents, and bigger swings. If your bankroll isn’t prepared for the volatility, it’s easy to lose everything after just a few bad beats.

Stick to established guidelines. For cash game players, aim to have 20–30 buy-ins for your chosen stakes.

For poker tournaments, where variance is greater, you’ll need a larger bankroll, so set aside 50–100 buy-ins. These guidelines will help you weather the inevitable ups and downs without risking your entire poker bankroll management strategy.

Title Image Credit: VITALII BORKOVSKYI/Shutterstock

Mixing Poker Bankroll with Other Funds

Blurring the line between your poker bankroll and personal finances is a slippery slope. Dipping into your bankroll for everyday expenses—or worse, pulling from your personal money to cover poker losses—can cause unnecessary financial strain.

Treat your bankroll as an investment in your poker progress. Keep it separate with a dedicated account, e-wallet, or tracking system. This clarity helps you monitor performance, stay disciplined, and make smarter decisions.

Chasing Losses and Emotional Decisions

Losing streaks are part of poker, but chasing losses by playing more aggressively or at higher stakes is a dangerous habit. Tilt, a state of emotional frustration, often leads players to abandon their plans, compounding losses in a desperate attempt to break even.

Set a loss limit before each session and commit to walking away if you hit it. Taking a break to reset—whether it’s a quick walk or practicing a calming breathing technique—can help you regain control and avoid impulsive decisions that deviate from your proper bankroll management strategy.

Overestimating Skill Level or Underestimating Variance

Confidence is essential in poker, but overconfidence can be costly. Early wins might feel like proof of your skill, but they often overlook the role of luck. Poker variance doesn’t discriminate, and even the best players face rough patches.

Start at stakes that match your skill level and bankroll and focus on improving without overextending yourself. Learn about variance so you can approach the game with realistic expectations and avoid letting they natural ebbs and flows shake your confidence.

By recognizing these common mistakes and planning for them, you’ll protect your bankroll and set yourself up for long-term success.

Poker is a marathon, not a sprint, and with discipline and smart decisions, you can enjoy the game while steadily improving.

Title Image Credit: VITALII BORKOVSKYI/Shutterstock

Building a Solid Poker Bankroll Management Strategy

Managing your bankroll effectively requires a solid plan. Without one, it’s easy to make impulsive decisions that could lead to unnecessary losses. Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating a poker bankroll management strategy.

Step 1: Setting Aside a Dedicated Bankroll

Your bankroll should be a specific amount of money that’s reserved only for poker. It’s part of your poker “investment fund,” not a part of your general savings or disposable income.

How Much Should You Start With?

●     The exact amount depends on your personal financial situation, but it should be an amount you’re comfortable risking that won’t impact your day-to-day life.

●     If you’re new, start small—$500 to $1,000 is often recommended for low-stakes games. For micro-stakes, even $100 can be sufficient.

Step 2: Deciding on the Right Stakes to Play

Choosing the appropriate stakes is critical for protecting your bankroll and giving yourself the best chance of success. The general rule is to only risk a small percentage of your bankroll in any single game or session.

Guidelines for Different Poker Tournament Formats:

●     Cash Games: Keep at least 20–30 buy-ins for your chosen stakes. For example, if you’re playing $0.50/$1 games, you’ll need $2,000–$3,000.

●     Tournaments: Since variance is higher in MTTs (multi-table tournaments), aim for 50–100 buy-ins. To play $20 tournaments, you’d want $1,000–$2,000 set aside.

●     Sit-and-Goes: These generally require 30–50 buy-ins since they’re lower variance than field MTTs.

Step 3: Tracking Your Results

Tracking your wins and losses is like shining a light on your poker progress. It’s one thing to play the game while hoping for the best, but when you take the time to track your results, you’re taking control.

You’re not just guessing how well you’re doing. Instead, you’re gathering evidence that shows you where you’re excelling and where there’s room for improvement.

Tracking doesn’t have to be complicated. Many players start with a simple spreadsheet where they record the basics: session date, game type, stakes, buy-ins, cash-outs, and overall profit or loss.

This method gives you a hands-on way to see patterns in your results over time.

Prefer something digital? There are poker software tools like Poker Bankroll Tracker or Poker Income that make it easy to log and analyze your sessions.

Why Tracking Your Progress is Important

But why is tracking so important? For starters, it keeps you accountable. When every session is documented, you’re less likely to brush off a bad decision or ignore a growing problem. It also highlights which games, stakes, or formats are the most profitable for you.

Maybe you crush at $1/$2 cash games but struggle with low-stakes tournaments. Tracking gives you the data you need so you can double down on what’s working and rethink what’s not.

Knowing your data helps you plan with confidence. Thinking about moving up in stakes? Your records will show whether your bankroll and win rate are ready for the challenge.

On the flip side, if you’re running bad, tracking can help you identify when it’s time to move down temporarily.

Title Image Credit: RomarioIen/Shutterstock

Section 4: Adjusting Over Time

Bankroll management isn’t a “set it and forget it” strategy. As your skills grow, your financial situation evolves, or variance rears its ugly head, you’ll need to adapt your approach.

Here’s how to make adjustments so your bankroll remains healthy while your game keeps progressing.

Knowing When to Move Up

Moving up in stakes is exciting, but it requires careful planning. You’re ready to move up when you’re consistently beating your current stakes, your bankroll comfortably exceeds the buy-in requirements for the next level, and you feel confident in both your technical and mental game.

You can take it slow by testing the waters with occasional higher-stakes sessions while continuing to play mostly at your regular level.

This approach lets you acclimate to the challenges of bigger games without putting your bankroll size at unnecessary risk.

When to Drop Down

Even seasoned players must move down in stakes occasionally. Whether it’s due to a bad streak, excessive losses, or testing a new poker strategy, dropping down is a smart way to protect your bankroll and rebuild confidence.

Moving down shouldn’t be seen as a step backward. It’s a strategic decision that gives you breathing room when you need it. By reducing financial pressure, a good poker player can refocus on the fundamentals and regain momentum without risking your entire bankroll.

Managing Variance with Discipline

Variance in poker is part of the game, and everyone experiences it, even professional poker players.

The key is sticking to your bankroll management plan, even when you’re tempted to chase losses or play scared. Trust the math, trust your edge, and stay disciplined.

Create a safety threshold for your bankroll level. If it drops to 75% of its original size, move down in stakes and reassess your strategy.

Taking breaks to reset mentally during downswings can also help you approach the game with a clear head.

Title Image Credit: Marian Weyo/Shutterstock

Stay Flexible and Disciplined

Poker is always evolving, and your strict poker bankroll management strategy should adapt alongside your goals, skill level, and financial circumstances.

Flexibility and discipline are the keys to navigating challenges and maximizing your long-term growth while maintaining a healthy bankroll.

By regularly assessing your progress and adjusting your plan thoughtfully and carefully, you’ll ensure that your poker bankroll management strategy supports your continued success.

Now it’s time for you to take action. Start by setting aside a dedicated bankroll, creating a simple tracking system, and committing to staying disciplined no matter what challenges you meet.

Remember, poker is a long-term endeavor, and with proper bankroll management, you’ll be prepared to play for years to come.

Title Image Credit: Marian Weyo/Shutterstock

Preflop play is an essential part of any poker strategy. Being able to make good preflop decisions is essential, and our poker preflop charts are designed to simplify these decisions and make them as automatic as possible.

On this page, you will find detailed preflop charts for tournament and cash game play, detailing the hand ranges you should play from each position and on every stack depth in any game you find yourself playing.

Comprehensive Guide to Preflop Charts

Preflop charts are one of the essential tools for studying poker. The are especially useful for new poker players, but can still help advanced players. They are designed to help you make the first and most important decision whether or not to play a particular combination of cards.

Our preflop charts offer a detailed rundown of optimal preflop ranges for different positions, stack sizes, and game formats.

Whether you are playing in a short-handed cash game with a deep stack or the final stages of a 9-handed tournament table with just a few big blinds, the charts offer the optimal actual ranges you should be opening, calling, and 3-betting with.

Note that the use of these poker charts is allowed only for educational purposes, while using them in-game is considered cheating.

You are not allowed to have the charts open while playing the game, whether you play at a live poker table or online poker. However, you can spend any amount of time studying the charts outside of the game.

Learning the preflop hand charts will not only help you memorize the hands you should be playing in each situation but also teach you the logic that goes into creating such preflop hand ranges.

How to Read Poker Charts

Good preflop charts contain all the information you need to be a tight player without second-guessing yourself. Our charts are designed in such a way and will always give you the answer to any question you have at a simple glance.

Before you can start using them to study the game, you will need to learn how to read our poker charts and every element they contain.

Key Elements of a Preflop Chart

Each poker chart we offer is made up of a few simple elements. The poker hands grid is the most important one, as it displays all the hands you can possibly be dealt and tells you which hands to play and which ones to fold.

Except for the poker hand grid, each poker chart displays the position and stack depth it is designed for, as well as the raise size you should be making it with the hands that fall into the raising category.

So, for each situation in poker, you will need to look up the chart for the table position and stack size you want and then take a look at the grid. The poker hands that you should open will be highlighted, while all the others that are grayed out should be folded.

Understanding Hand Ranges

If you want to play poker like the advanced players do, you need to start thinking in terms of hand ranges. A hand range is a collection of poker hands that you should play in a given situation.

Our preflop hand charts display different hand ranges to play from different positions and at different stack depths.

Each time you look at a poker chart, you are looking at a hand range. The range is made up of a variety of hands, some of which are a part of the range as value hands and others as bluffs.

For example, hands like AA, KK, and AK are found in all preflop ranges, as they are strong enough to play from any position. Other hands, like A2s or 87s, are bluffing hands added to the ranges for balance.

Typically speaking, you will be playing wider hand ranges from later positions, as fewer players means you can open more hands and steal the blinds more often without any resistance.

When you do get called, being in a late position means you will be playing last on each subsequent street, still allowing you to play a wider range and win chips post flop.

Common Starting Hands

The range of hands you should play changes as stack depth and position do. However, some poker hands are present on every starting hand chart, and these are the best poker hands like AA, KK, QQ, AK, and AQ.

The poker hand grid can be split into several distinct hand categories, such as:

●        Pocket pairs

●        Suited Broadways

●        Suited aces

●        Suited connectors

●        Offsuit hands and aces

Looking from the top left to the bottom right, you will see all the pocket pairs lined up on a diagonal line. These hands are played from most positions, barring the smallest pairs, which can be folded in early positions.

Hands like suited Broadways and suited aces are also great opening candidates in all positions, while poker ranges are expanded with hands like suited connectors, offsuit aces, and suited gappers as you get into the later positions.

How to Use Preflop Charts

The preflop poker strategy is a foundation for everything you do in a poker hand. Starting with the appropriate hand ranges means putting yourself in a position to succeed across the board.

There are a few basic preflop decisions you need to make:

●        Which hands to raise first in

●        Which hands to call a raise with

●        Which hands to 3-bet with

Our preflop charts define the appropriate hand range for each of these plays. Whether you are raising first in, thinking about calling a raise, or deciding on a 3-bet, you will find the right range to do it with in our hand charts.

Applying Charts in Tournaments

Tournament poker strategy is a bit simpler than cash game strategy, as stacks are generally shallower, and there are fewer tough decisions to make.

That said, the preflop game is very important in tournaments, which is why poker hand charts are such a big part of learning tournament poker.

In tournament poker, you will need to know the preflop charts at all times, including opening, 3-betting, and all in charts. Since the stacks get very short quite often, knowing which hands you can profitably shove all in with can make all the difference in your bottom line.

Applying Charts in Cash Games

Cash game poker is more complicated than tournament poker, as deep stacks mean more postflop decisions and wider preflop ranges.

When playing in cash games preflop hand charts can be a great tool to ensure you are playing profitable and optimal ranges from every position. However, more deviations can be made depending on the table dynamics, types of opponent tendencies, and more.

The 3-betting charts are very helpful in cash game poker, as 3-betting is such a big part of cash games. If you want to play well in cash games, mastering both the opening and 3-betting charts is essential.

Specialized GTO Preflop Charts

Game theory optimal (GTO) poker strategy, as opposed to exploitative strategy, has become an essential part of the poker world today. If you want to be an elite player, mastering optimal strategy is a must, and our specialized GTO preflop charts are the first step in that direction.

Tournament GTO Preflop Charts

Out tournament GTO charts are based on GTO solutions and solver outputs, and they offer a full rundown of key preflop decisions.

These charts can differ slightly from other preflop charts, as solver solutions take into account various elements that human players don’t always consider.

The tournament GTO charts provide the most optimal and balanced hand ranges for preflop raises, calls, and 3-bets in tournament poker. If you want your ranges to be truly balanced, these charts are your go-to.

6-Max GTO Preflop Charts

6-max is the most common format in cash games these days. In 6-max cash games, being balanced is even more important than it is in tournaments, which is why our 6-max GTO charts are some of the best cash game resources out there.

Learn which hands you should raise, 3-bet, and 4-bet from each position in a cash game and build a hand range that cannot be exploited even by elite poker tournament players.

With the help of these charts, you will be able to crush low-stakes and mid-stakes games and hold your own even against the best players out there, as your preflop decisions will be next to perfect.

Live Poker GTO Preflop Charts

Live poker is a significantly different game from online poker. If you play live often, the live poker GTO charts are a tool you need to use to your advantage.

These charts take into consideration the somewhat expanded hand ranges live players often use, as well as the very deep stacks that are in play.

Designed specifically for live cash game players, the live poker GTO preflop charts provide different ranges and solutions that work well in a live setting and allow you to demolish live games time and time again.

Practical Tips for Using Preflop Charts

If you are just starting with our preflop charts, you may need some help getting started. We have some tips that will help you make the most of each poker chart offered and get optimal results with these resources.

Remember Your Hand Ranges

The key advantage you will gain from our preflop range charts is the ability to know which hands you should play in each preflop situation. In order to acquire this knowledge, you will need to memorize each chart, which is not an easy task.

The trick to memorizing charts is to remember the cutoff hands. These are the weakest hands in each hand category that are included in the chart.

For example, if a poker chart includes 65s as an open, you can remember that hand and know that 87s, 98s, and T9s are all also included, as these are all suited connectors superior to 65s.

While there can be some exceptions to this rule in some charts, remembering the cutoff hands in each hand range will typically allow you to see the entire range in your head immediately.

Adjusting to Opponent Tendencies

Our preflop ranges are optimal and balanced, but there are times when you can change them based on opponent tendencies and allow yourself to win even more chips.

For example, if you are playing from a late position and the two players in the blinds are extremely tight, you can easily expand your range and play even more hands than the charts suggest. Since the players will fold more than they should, you can get away with raising even wider.

Similarly, if you have extremely loose and aggressive players behind you, you can adjust by playing a tighter range than the poker chart suggests. This way, you will lose fewer chips to 3-bets and be able to 4-bet for value more often.

Why You Should Use Preflop Charts

Preflop hand charts in poker are among the strongest resources you can use when studying poker, regardless of your level of experience. No other resource will improve your fundamental poker strategy as quickly and as profoundly as our charts, which is why we strongly suggest using them.

Once you have mastered the preflop charts, you can expand on that knowledge by running simulations of your own in poker solvers and looking into how to play postflop after making the optimal preflop plays.

Get started by learning the preflop charts for the most common stack sizes and applying the knowledge in your games. The more experience you get, the more correctly you will be able to apply the charts, and the higher your win rates will get.

Use the preflop charts to study the game before your next session, and your confidence and results will both improve dramatically within a very short time.

Title Image Credit: VITALII BORKOVSKYI/Shutterstock

The World Series of Poker Paradise was launched in December 2023, bringing players together from around the world to Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas for a winter series with plenty of sunshine and high-stakes tournaments.

This year’s series recently concluded in December and featured 15 championship gold bracelets up for grabs as well as millions of dollars in prize money.

The $25,000 WSOP Super Main Event highlighted the action with the largest guarantee in poker history at $50 million.

In the end, China’s Yinan Zhou came out on top for $6 million and his first bracelet. The 24-year-old is based in Switzerland and is mostly an online player.

He also finished 28th last year in the $5,000 main event in the Bahamas for $72,000. Some added preparation for the year’s series appeared to have paid some nice dividends.

“I have no plan [for the money]… it is big money,” he said after the win. “Now I feel good. I decided to play more, practice more, study more to become better and better, to fight against the best and become the best.”

A Look at Other Winners

Some other big names also stood out in the Bahamas. High-stakes regular Alex Foxen grabbed his third bracelet by taking down the $100,000 Triton Main Event for $3.9 million and now has $42.8 million in live tournament winnings.

It’s been quite a run for the high-stakes regular, who also won a $50,000 Triton Poker super high roller in November for $1.5 million and won an online bracelet event in October at WSOP.com in October.

In January, Foxen captured a title in a $25,000 event at the Lucky Hearts Open at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida for $426,075.

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Kitreel

In the $26,000 Dealer’s Choice Championship in the Bahamas, Pennsylvania’s Eric Wasserson grabbed the win for $353,340 and his first bracelet. Jeffery Hakim, also of Pennsylvania, took the win in the $2,750 Mini Main Event for $575,050 for the biggest cash of his career.

Mike Gorodinsky, of California, scooped up the $10,400 pot limit Omaha title for $393,250 and his fourth bracelet.

Poker commentator and PokerGO commentator Nick Schulman also recorded his sixth WSOP win, taking down the $5,000 turbo bounty event for $145,000 and now has almost $22 million in live tournament winnings.

Argentinian rapper Alejandro “Papo MC” Lococo continued to show that he is more than just a man with a microphone. The PokerStars ambassador brings plenty of card-playing skills as well and took down the $525,000 Triton Million event for more than $12 million and his first bracelet.

CAMPEÓN DE TRITON MILLION WSOP

Mi primer brazalete ❤️ pic.twitter.com/n2l1Lxqp2X

— BESTIA Papo MC 🔥🦅 (@PapoMcArg) December 10, 2024

Lococo now has several wins on his record, including a $5,150 event in Cyprus in October 2023 for $102,292. The massive win in the Bahamas moved his lifetime poker tournament earnings to almost $15 million.

In other action, Stephen Chidwick collected his second bracelet in the $50,000 pot limit Omaha championship for $1.4 million. The Englishman sits third on poker’s all-time money winnings list with $63.4 million.

First Major Series Since GGPoker Purchase of WSOP

The Bahamas series was one of the first run by GGPoker since the online operator purchased the WSOP from Caesars Entertainment earlier this year.

The company plans on building the brand and expanding more WSOP online and live tournament opportunities for players around the world. That included ramping up the number of online qualifiers heading to the Bahamas.

One of poker’s biggest names and a GGPoker ambassador made a nice run in the series. Seven-time bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu took eighth in the $10,000 pot limit Omaha event for $45,710. He produced his popular vlogs throughout the series.

Image Credit: Pokerstars.Net

Negreanu scored that seventh bracelet in the summer of 2024 at the Las Vegas WSOP, winning the $50,000 Poker Players Championship for $1.2 million.

The title is highly coveted among many high-stakes pros and Negreanu’s win came after several close calls.

“Obviously this one is special, but I wouldn’t want to relive all the second-place finishes that I had,” he told PokerGO. “It felt like it was like 10 in a row. And the anxiety and stress, just to be over it – and to get all the chips in the end, win the all-ins, it’s just a massive relief.”

As the series at the Atlantic wrapped, Negreanu already had his eye on more action after the WSOP officially released dates for the summer series in Sin City.

“Man time flies,” he noted on Twitter. “Finishing up WSOP Paradise and already have WSOP Vegas to look forward to.”

If you’ve already read my 10 poker tips article and are looking to take it to the next level, you’re in luck! Here are 10 MORE essential advanced poker tips to improve your strategy!

These 10 tips will help you move from simply learning how to play poker to implementing poker strategies for maximum success on your poker journey.

Here’s the list.

●     Game Select Wisely

●     Never Ignore Table Image

●     Understand GTO vs Exploitative

●     Polarize Your Bets

●     Know When to Trap—and When NOT to Trap!

●     Don’t Try to Bluff Multiple Opponents

●     Calculate Pot odds

●     Exercise Bankroll Management

●     Keep Your Emotions in Check

●     Improve Your Game Off the Felt

Advanced Poker Tips #1: Game Select Wisely

If you’re serious about your poker journey and want to consistently win and build your bankroll, then game selection is critically important. As renowned poker pro Michael Acevedo explains in Modern Poker Theory: Building an Unbeatable Strategy Based on GTO Principles:

“You could be the ninth-best player in the world, but if you only play against the eight players who are better than you, you will get destroyed.”

There’s also an old joke that illustrates this concept.

Two poker players are lost in the wilderness. A bear jumps out of the bushes and starts chasing them. They’re about to start running, but one stops to tie his shoes.

His friend says, “What are you doing? You can’t outrun a bear!”

The other friend replies, “I don’t have to outrun the bear. I only have to outrun you!

That’s how it goes in a poker game. I can’t stress this enough — always seek out “soft” poker tables with less experienced players. Avoid tables where players are glued to their phones or zoned out with headphones on — these opponents are likely to be focused and skilled.

Don’t let your ego get in the way. Poker isn’t about having something to prove — it’s about winning, even against weaker players. As professional poker player, author, and coach Jonathan Little said:

“To be successful at poker, you just need to do two things: find a game you can beat and play it a lot.”

Image credit: VITALII BORKOVSKYI/Shutterstock

Advanced Poker Tips #2: Never Ignore Table Image

A common pitfall of more advanced professional players — especially those who transition from online poker sites to the live casino — is that they forget to consider their “table image.” They don’t factor-in how other people may see them.

Let’s be honest: a bet by a 95-year-old grandma is a lot more intimidating than a bet by someone partying at the casino on their 21st birthday.

I remember watching poker vlogger Mariano Grandoli early in his career saying how he had yet to correctly ‘hero-call’ with Ace-High. Every time he tried, his opponents were never bluffing. They always had a hand.

“Of course!” I thought, “That’s because people are much less likely to bluff a 22-year-old guy!”

You must be aware of how people see you at the poker table — and adjust accordingly. If someone perceives you as tight and likely to ‘always have it,’ bluff more. If someone perceives you as loose and full of it, bluff less.

You’d be shocked by how few poker players actually take their opponents’ perception of them into consideration.

When I first started studying poker, I would think to myself, “Is this a good board for my opponent to bluff?”

As I gained more real life experience, my thought process shifted.

Now my first question is always, “Is this person even interested in bluffing?”

Establish your opponent’s M.O. before anything else. Why are they sitting down at this poker table? Are they a retired recreational player just looking for a way to pass time? Or are they there to show off and impress their friends?

Think of who is betting before you think of why they’re betting.

Image credit: VITALII BORKOVSKYI/Shutterstock

Advanced Poker Tips #3: Understand GTO vs Exploitative

You’ll want to have a firm grasp on the GTO vs Exploitative debate.

The classic way to think about GTO versus exploitative strategy is the game rock, paper, scissors.

Game theory optimal (GTO) strategy says you should pick each option equally, making your optimal strategy perfectly balanced and impossible to predict.

But if your opponent ALWAYS picks scissors, exploitative theory says you should adapt to their weakness by ALWAYS picking rock — even if it makes you imbalanced and less tricky.

In poker skills, this follows along the above section on table image — adjusting for the player rather than going only by the book. I highly recommend an exploitative strategy for low stakes. Even if it’s unbalanced, it’ll definitely win you more money at the smallest limit tables (ex. only betting when you have premium hands).

That changes as you move up in stakes and face tougher competition.

Now you want to divide yourself more equally between rock, paper, and scissors. Bet when you have a good poker hand and when you have a bad hand because it makes your bets less predictable. If you only play aggressive poker when your hand is nutted, perceptive opponents will pick-up on this.

A good place to start making yourself tougher to read is with a “c-bet” or “continuation-bet” on the flop. If you raised preflop, you should generally bet on the flop to continue telling the story you have a good hand — even if you don’t.

There are definitely exceptions to this and times you should not c-bet. But if this is a new concept to you and you’re just now looking for a way to get trickier with your poker strategy, start by always c-betting after you raised preflop. You can always scale back your c-bet frequency later.

The idea is to get you in the habit of betting because of the wider range of hands you could be holding, not your actual cards.

Image credit: VITALII BORKOVSKYI/Shutterstock

Advanced Poker Tips #4: Polarize Your Bets

You always want to know the reason why you are betting. This may sound like common sense, but as they say, common sense isn’t so common anymore.

For example, someone once told me this hand history:

●     He had Q♦️9♠️

●     Board: K♣️9♣️5♠️3♠️3♣️

●     He shoved all-in

Why is this a bad play?

It’s a bad play because he does not know if he’s value-betting or bluffing. It’s a nonsensical “value-bluff,” where he’s merged the two, which is a recipe for costly mistakes.

A pair of kings, a full house, or a flush is unlikely to fold, making it a poor bluff. A pair of fives or a small pocket pair is unlikely to call, making it too big of a bet to extract value.

What he’s done is de-polarize his hand. It’s not quite a value bet and not quite a bluff. It’s… well… something murky in the middle.

Instead you want to polarize your bets.

When you go all-in on that run-out, you either want to be at the top of your range with a very strong hand — like a full house, a flush, or maybe Ace-King if you think your opponent will call with a worse kicker — or your absolute worst hands, your stone bluffs, like Q♠️J♠️ that missed it’s flush and straight draws.

Image credit: VITALII BORKOVSKYI/Shutterstock

Advanced Poker Tips #5: Know When to Trap—and When NOT to Trap!

Rule of thumb when you’re playing low stakes poker: don’t trap too much. Most—but not all—players don’t bluff very often. Or if they do bluff, they’re unlikely to bluff all three streets (flop, turn, river).

The all-in bluff that you see on TV? The average player doesn’t have them in it.

For that reason, it’s generally advised that you do not restrain from betting in hopes that your opponent will commit to a major bluff. MAYBE they will bluff once on a the flop as a test, and then shut it down once called.

You will make a lot more money at lower stakes by simply betting your good hands.

Do not wait for someone to build a pot for you. This advice comes from highly experienced player Bart Hanson, owner of the CrushLive Poker training site and host of its radio-style poker call-in show. He sounds like a broken record at this point—when you have a good hand, bet!

There are exceptions to this rule. If you’re playing against someone you know is prone to bluff, then of course, trap and let them fire away. Give them rope to hang themselves on.

Just keep in mind that the general population doesn’t really bluff. Traps are overrated.

Image credit: VITALII BORKOVSKYI/Shutterstock

Advanced Poker Tips #6: Don’t Try to Bluff Multiple Opponents

This tip is straightforward but crucial:

The more players in a hand, the less effective bluffing becomes.

Why? It’s much easier to convince one person to fold than three or four. Statistically, more opponents mean a higher likelihood that someone has connected with the board.

For example, if you’re facing just one opponent, there’s about a 32% chance they’ve flopped a pair. Most of the time they’ve missed—a single bet on the flop could take down the pot.

Now imagine you’re up against three opponents. Each has that same 32% chance of hitting a pair, making it very likely that at least one of them has a strong enough hand to call your bluff.

Bluffing into a crowd is a losing strategy. Focus on situations where you’re up against fewer opponents to play the mental game, saving you from bluffing into oblivion.

Image credit: VITALII BORKOVSKYI/Shutterstock

Advanced Poker Tips #7: Calculate Pot Odds

Pot odds is a critical concept for the more advanced player to consider. At its core, poker odds measure risk and reward. Understanding pot odds helps you make a mathematically-informed decision to determine whether or not calling a bet is profitable.

This concept is especially valuable when deciding whether to call or fold with a drawing hand. To calculate pot odds, you must compare the size of the pot to the size of the bet you need to call.

For example, if the pot is $10 and your opponent bets $5, the total pot becomes $15. Since you need to call $5 to potentially win $15, your pot odds are 3:1. This is often described as “getting 3:1 on your money.”

Once you know your pot odds, the next step is to compare them to your chances of making your poker hands. Suppose you’re on a flush draw on the turn with only one card left to come, so the odds of completing your flush are roughly 20% or 5:1. In this case, the right move is folding as the pot odds of 3:1 don’t mathematically justify calling.

Take time to research and practice pot odds. They’ll become more intuitive the more poker you play!

Image credit: Kitreel/Shutterstock

Advanced Poker Tips #8: Exercise Bankroll Management

Let’s be honest—poker is a very different experience playing for a living vs. playing for fun. When poker is a job, everything changes.

Especially how you manage your finances.

When you have regular, non-poker income coming in, you can afford to take more risks. Why? Because if you “go broke” and lose your poker money, you’ll still be able to replenish those funds.

But if poker is your career, you need to give yourself much wider buffer room. You need to prepare for downswings and bad luck.

The amount of breathing room you need is probably much larger than you’re thinking. Here’s a loose estimate:

●     25 buy-ins for cash games

●     100 buy-ins for poker tournaments

This means if you’re buying-in for $500 at a cash game, you shouldn’t sit down without at least $12,500 in reserve! Even $100 tournaments will require 10 grand.

There are a multitude of factors that can stretch this even further. For example, if you’re playing big field poker tournaments with more than 1,000 people, responsible bankroll management would call for much more than 100 buy-ins since your variance is going to be higher and your likelihood of winning is going to be lower.

It’s important to say that no amount of buy-ins can prevent a bad player from going broke. That’s a skill issue! But a healthy bankroll to manage swings effectively can definitely prevent a good player from going broke.

Image credit: Kitreel/Shutterstock

Advanced Poker Tips #9: Keep Your Emotions in Check

“Tilt” is the Achilles’ heel of some of the world’s best poker players. Without proper tilt control, your chances of long-term success are slim to none.

Tilt occurs when emotional stress clouds your judgment, and you start to make bad decisions at the table. Even highly-skilled players can fall victim to tilt after a brutal string of bad beats—resulting in reckless play and significant bankroll damage.

Tilt isn’t always about frustration. There’s also “winner’s tilt”—a big winning session sees you playing a lot looser than normal and gambling in spots that aren’t profitable. Taking unnecessary risks can spiral into hopping stakes and suffering major losses.

Tilt control is about keeping an even keel. Your highs can’t get too high and your lows can’t get too low.

We’re all human, so take breaks as you need to and avoid playing when you are drunk, tired, or just plain unfocused. Quitting when necessary is not a sign of weakness—it’s a sign of discipline. Good players need to be able to fold when it’s not fun, and take a breather when it’s not fun either.

Leaks can be fatal!

Image credit: Kitreel/Shutterstock

Advanced Poker Tips #10: Improve Your Game Off the Felt

True poker mastery is built away from the table. To elevate your skills over your poker career, dedicate time to studying and preparing for key aspects of the game:

●     Understand the Math: Learn to calculate outs, ICM, pot odds, and probabilities quickly and accurately.

●     Analyze Board Textures: Study when and how to bet based on the board and your opponents’ likely ranges. Resources like training sites and apps can help refine these instincts.

●     Plan Your Bankroll: Develop a clear strategy for managing your money to minimize risk and maximize longevity in the game.

Also remember that success isn’t just about grinding at the tables—it’s about preparing and maintaining the mindset and skills needed to win in the long run.

Go to the gym, maintain healthy relationships, touch grass. It’s hard to succeed spending your time grinding in the casino all day.