How To Host A Poker Night: Tips & Tricks To Wow Your Friends (2024)

Looking for a way to elevate your next poker night? Then you need our tips and tricks on how to host a poker night your guests never forget. Trust us, you don’t have to be an expert poker player to throw an amazing poker night. Anyone can up the ante on a terrific night with friends with a bit of creativity, the perfect setting, and a whole lot of poker chips.

Start by setting the scene and booking an incredible Peerspace venue for your poker night. Peerspace is the largest online marketplace for hourly venue rentals, including event spaces ideal for your poker night. Here’s everything you need to know about how to host a poker night that your crew will never forget!

1. Book a spectacular gathering venue on Peerspace

The first step to hosting the best poker night is to book an exciting venue. While your basement or man or lady-cave may suffice for small gatherings, hosting an epic poker night means you want to book an epic location. And if you need a little boost with finding the perfect event space, you can bet that Peerspace will come through for you.

So what exactly is Peerspace? Only the most extensive online event marketplace in the world. You can use it to find glamorous bars, sultry lounges, or sweeping ballrooms that are perfect for an upscale poker game. And if you need help setting up poker tables, you can ask your venue’s friendly local host to help you out. 

So what types of spaces are available on Peerspace and ideal for poker night? Here are some of our favorites:

• This secret underground speakeasy and wine cellar in Los Angeles, CA (pictured above) with a bar, vintage Vegas vibes, and poker table rentals with an optional professional dealer.
• This Park Slope private lounge in Brooklyn, NYC with poker tables, a poker mural, a lounge, TVs, and outside catering allowed.
• This underground poker table set in Compton, CA with a one-of-a-kind vintage wooden poker table and a private speakeasy ambiance.
• This VIP strip club, bar, casino, and poker room in Los Angeles, CA with a modern Vegas casino ambiance for productions only.
• This unique poker space in Glendale, CA that is a private room in the back of a warehouse with tables, chips, dealers, cards, and a sound system.
• This Old English-style pub in Camarillo, CA with a poker table, a bar, dart boards, and a piano.
• This games barn in Port Rowan, ON with a poker table, shuffleboard, foosball, cornhole, an outdoor fire pit, and complimentary hot chocolate.

As you can see, Peerspace offers you access to venues across the globe that can suit different types of poker nights. When you’re wondering how to host a poker night, the answer is to always start by booking the perfect setting through Peerspace!

2. Pick a show-stopping theme 

The theme you choose will set the tone and atmosphere for your overall event. For poker night, upscale, glamorous, or entertaining themes are definitely where your money should be.

This could be something classic, like a Las Vegas Casino theme, or something a bit more unconventional, like a Wonderland-themed poker night where the Queen of Hearts would feel right at home. You could even theme your soiree off a favorite movie, like Casino Royale. Just pick something that speaks to you, and start planning your event around it. 

3. Go all out with refreshments

Refreshments are vital to making your poker night a winner. Choose a menu that compliments your overall theme and is easy to eat while you’re playing the game. Elegant hors d’oeuvres are a great way to elevate the occasion, or you could go with something more classic like gourmet pizza or wings. It all depends on the vibe you’re going for!

If you’re feeling lost, remember that your Peerspace host is always willing to help and can even put you in touch with a caterer, leaving you more time to focus on other aspects of poker night planning. 

Also, check out our fun poker night ideas for more poker night for more party-planning inspiration!

4. Don’t forget the drinks and a beautiful cocktail bar setting

No self-respecting poker night is complete without some delicious libations. You could give it to ‘em straight with bottles of plain beer or whiskey or provide some custom casino night cocktails mixed at a private bar venue procured through Peerspace. Some venues include mixologists who can whip up the perfect custom drink for you and your poker buddies.

One of our favorite options for hosting poker night with some craft drinks is this vibey dark cocktail bar with red lighting in Cincinnati, OH. It is a welcoming and super cool space that definitely looks like it may have hosted a poker game or two in its time! The fact that the host provides catering and full bartending services is just the icing on the cake (or maybe the green felt on the poker table?).

5. Hire a professional dealer to create an authentic experience

Want to know how to plan a poker night that feels like playing in a real casino? Hiring a professional dealer is an excellent way to up the ante. Having a professional dealer on-site can speed up play, letting you and your group focus more on the game. It’ll also make your guests feel like they’re at a real casino in Vegas or Monte Carlo. You can find professional dealers for hire on local party-rental services or put the word out on social media to see if any of your friends know someone willing to take on the job!

6. Make like a High Stakes poker player and dress to impress 

Want to know one of the best ways to make your poker night wow-worthy? Two words: dress code. Ask your guests to come decked out in full casino attire. That means a jacket and collared shirt for men and a cocktail dress or elegant blouse for women. Getting all dressed up is a fantastic way to make any night special. Just make sure that you stipulate the dress code beforehand on your invitations. 

7. Get some entertainment

While a heated poker match is already some fantastic entertainment, you can take it to the next level with some fitting music. Hire a musician on Thumbtack to bring a bit of classy background ambiance to your event. Think pianists, violinists, or classical guitarists. Anyone not playing a game can enjoy the music while they chat with their fellow guests. It’s a great way to set a sophisticated tone for a poker night with plenty of glitz and glamour. 

In Chicago, IL, and need an equally stylish venue to pull this idea off? Then check out this downtown condo with skyline views in the Near North Side. Its ambiance is pure poker party class and the piano can be perfect for your chosen entertainment.

8. Let your guests play more than poker

Who says you only have to play poker on your poker night? Elevate your ordinary poker night into a full-blown casino night with games like roulette, craps, or even some homemade slot machines. You’ll have tons of options for guests who aren’t into poker but still want to have a good time with their friends.

Incorporate these epic Roaring 20s party ideas into your poker night for total sophistication and a nod to a bygone era in gambling!

9. Set up a custom photo booth

While your guests are having a fabulous time playing poker, they’ll want a photo to remember the night by. Set up a custom photo booth where your guests can take some snapshots for Instagram in their snazziest duds. You could go with photo booth classics, like balloon arches and oversized props, or go with something more understated for your glamorous poker night, like a simple backdrop with plush chairs. 

10. Host a screening of your favorite poker movies

One way to instantly add the poker ambiance to your poker party is by screening poker movies in the background. It’s a great way to keep your guests entertained in between hands, and there are so many great poker movies out there that choosing your favorites will be a challenge but fun! Casino, Rounders, 21, Molly’s Game, and All In are only the beginning!

Ideas like this are best when hosted at a private movie theater venue, which is easy to obtain through Peerspace. If you’re in the LA area, then you need to check out this Art Deco screening room that includes a poker room!

11. Pass out souvenir poker chips for play and take-home gifts

To host a proper poker night, you’ll need around 35-50 chips per person. Make sure you have plenty on hand before inviting your guests over. But if you want to up the ante, you can make some custom DIY poker chips for a totally unique experience. Customize them to match your poker night theme, or include the date of your unforgettable poker night bash. They also double as some fun party favors for your guests. They make the perfect souvenir to remember a spectacular night of bluffs, big risks, and fun with friends. 

How to host a poker night: conclusion

We hope this has cleared up the question of “how to host a poker night” for you! Start by booking a party venue through Peerspace that suits your personal aesthetic, theme, and amenity needs, and then follow these tips to ensure a perfect night is had by all.

For more awesome tips, tricks, and hosting secrets, check out the rest of our blog!

Find unique poker night venues on Peerspace