Few card games in the world will bring the riveting thrill and take players on emotional rollercoaster rides during gameplay like poker. The game of poker can be considered a card game where players require a mix of skill, psychology, and nerves of steel to become great and emerge victorious from showdowns.
Since the emergence of online casino gaming and first online poker sites coincided with the poker boom from the beginning of the 2000s, poker has seen a dramatic increase of new players and poker sites alike. With so many poker sites to choose from, players are faced with a tough choice: which poker site is the best?
One of the strategies online poker sites employ to allure new players is online poker bonuses. Poker bonuses are specific rewards poker sites give players. They are in the form of bonus funds that beef up players’ bankrolls and hone their playing skills. There are multiple poker site bonus offers to be found on poker sites, ranging from poker site welcome bonuses to tournament tickets and more.
Once you have done reading this article, you will learn more about the best poker sites bonuses, their types, how to claim them, and more.
What is an Online Poker Bonus?
Online poker bonuses are a sort of perks and benefits online poker sites give to both new and potential players to get them to sign up and stay loyal to the poker site. These perks and bonuses come in various shapes and sizes, depending on the poker site.
You can find the poker sites registration bonus offers where players can get extra cash for their initial deposit or receive bonus cash they can use on a couple of hands without having to deposit their own money. The bonus options are pretty versatile, and new types are being introduced regularly.
The important thing to know is that the purpose of these online poker bonuses is to entice players to sign up and become loyal players without risking much of their real bankroll. With bonuses, players can get a chance to test different types of poker games on the site, or even get a chance to play their way into some satellite tournaments and hopefully reach the main poker events.
What makes these poker sites bonus offers extra appealing is the fact that players can do more than just test the games. With poker bonuses, you even get real money prizes or a ticket to enter a tournament, as well as many other cashable prizes that are bound to keep players entertained, always wanting for more, and help them separate a good poker site from a bad one.
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888poker100% Deposit Bonus Up To $400 *T&C Apply Full terms apply. -
Betsafe100% Deposit Bonus Up To $2,000 *T&C Apply Full terms apply.
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GGPoker100% Deposit Bonus Up To $600 *T&C Apply Full terms apply.
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LeoVegas100% Bonus Up To $1,000 + 200 Free Spins *T&C Apply Full terms apply.
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PokerStars100% Deposit Bonus Up To $600 *T&C Apply Full terms apply.
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Unibet$30 + $1000 Playthrough Poker Bonus *T&C Apply Full terms apply.
Types of Online Poker Bonuses
There are multiple types of poker site bonuses seen across the iGaming world, and each has its unique features that some players are after. The following is a representation of the most common types of poker bonuses.
Deposit Poker Bonuses
As their name suggests, the deposit bonuses are bonuses where players need to make a deposit first and get some money as a result. The most common subtypes of these bonuses are the welcome deposit bonus and reload bonuses, but there are other types as well.
Welcome Deposit Bonus
The welcome deposit bonus is one of the most common types of bonuses seen on poker sites. These bonuses work straightforwardly. Namely, all players who register their accounts on a poker site and make an initial deposit will receive a portion of their deposit in the form of bonus cash from the site.
The welcome deposit bonuses are most frequently deposit match bonuses, which means the site will match your initial deposit up to a given point. The majority of poker sites sign up bonus offers are 100% deposit match offers that double players’ deposits. Some might even offer bonuses worth three times the first deposit or more.
The online poker joining bonus, like any other bonus, has certain limitations and requirements players need to be aware of before claiming the offer. These requirements are described in the bonus’ terms and conditions and include things such as the minimum deposit limit and the wagering requirement you need to meet before cashing out real money generated from the bonus.
Reload Poker Bonus
The situation with the reload poker bonus is similar to that of the welcome deposit bonus, but only this time, the bonus is directed towards existing players. Namely, reload bonuses are deposit bonuses where players receive bonus cash for any deposit after the first one. They have similar terms and conditions of use as those welcome bonuses but are not that great in size.
Tournament Tickets
Some online poker sites offer free tournament tickets to players who make their first deposits, or even to regular ones. A tournament ticket is a voucher that a player can use to enter a real money tournament entirely for free. In simple terms, you can see a tournament ticket as a reward, and the casino covers your buy-in, and any wins you accrue are yours for the keeping. Of course, the number of free tournament tickets, the type of tournament you can enter with that particular ticket, and other demands are all part of the terms and conditions of use you need to go over before claiming such an offer.
No Deposit Poker Bonus
Another big group of online poker deposit bonuses frequently seen is the group of no deposit poker bonuses. As their name implies, it is a type of poker bonus where players are not required to make a prior deposit to get some bonus cash and test the poker games offered. The amount of bonus cash players get is usually not that big, but considering the fact that you are given something simply because you registered an account makes it very valuable.
This type of poker sites registration bonus is a zero-risk bonus, as you won’t be required to risk your own cash in order to put poker games to the test. What’s more, the opportunity to win real cash from the no deposit bonuses is what makes them even more exciting and sought after. In reality, not too many online poker sites offer these bonuses.
The amount you can expect from a no deposit bonus is relatively small, ranging from just a couple of dollars to $10 or more, depending on the poker site. Of course, most of these no deposit bonuses have a specific set of wagering requirements that you need to meet before the money you generate can be turned into real cash. These wagering requirements vary from 5x to 30x or more times the amount of the bonus, which is also subject to individual poker site’s terms and conditions.
Poker Freeroll Bonus
A lot of marketing strategies concerning poker sites with bonus offers are being devised daily, and among the best ones is the introduction of freeroll bonuses. A freeroll is a poker tournament that has no entry fee and is open to all players. These tournaments are usually available to newly-registered players and might not even require them to deposit in order to play. The prize pools for these tournaments include tournament tickets, real cash, and many other prizes.
Rakeback Poker Bonus
Online poker sites are no strangers to rakeback poker bonuses, although they are hard to come by these days. Rakeback bonus represents a percentage of the money raked from your hands and claimed by the poker site at the end of the week, month, or a year. You will get a portion of that money back and possibly use it to generate wins, which can help you break even or turn a profit. The percentage of the rakeback bonus goes from a few percent to more than 50%. It all depends on the poker site in question.
VIP Bonus
Loyalty always pays off on poker sites with bonus offers, such as VIP programs. The more time you spend playing poker on a given site, the more loyalty points you stand to win and the faster you will move up the VIP levels. With higher VIP levels, you will gain access to more significant rewards that include bonus cash, tournament tickets, and more.
How to Claim an Online Poker Bonus
Claiming the best poker sites bonus is a simple process you can complete by following these steps:
- Choose from the top online poker sites that offer a series of different bonuses.
- Register an account by supplying the site with your personal details, such as DOB, username, password, email, and similar.
- Opt for one of the poker bonuses from the Bonus Page on the site.
- Make a minimum deposit, if required, or claim the no deposit bonus.
- Insert a bonus code if required.
- Use the bonus cash on your favourite poker game.
What to Look for in Poker Bonuses
With so many different poker bonuses on poker sites, it is easy to get mixed up in their options and terms and conditions of use. Here are some typical caveats to have in mind when choosing the best poker sites bonus for you.
Playthrough (Wagering) Requirements
The playthrough or wagering requirements are an indelible part of the most deposit and no deposit bonuses. The playthrough requirements represent a number of times the amount of the bonus needs to be wagered in a poker game before the earnings accumulated with the help of the bonus can be withdrawn. The usual range for the playthrough requirements goes between 5x and 40x times, but it depends on the poker site.
It is also very important to note that not all wagers you make in all poker games will count towards meeting the requirement. Only specific wagers on selected poker versions contribute to the requirements, so make sure to read the terms and conditions carefully to see if your Omaha or Five Card Draw poker game is among the vetted games.
Game Restrictions
It is not unusual for poker operators to limit the use of poker bonuses on certain versions of poker. The list of games is usually visibly presented and pointed out, but sometimes you need to consult the T&C page for more details. These restrictions often apply to tournament games, while regular Omaha, Stud, and Texas Hold’em games are usually available.
Deposit Limits and Capped Winnings
All deposit poker bonuses have a minimum deposit requirement needed to activate the bonus. The usual minimum limit corresponds to the minimum processing limit of the payment processor the poker site cooperates with. The usual range goes around $10, but it is the site’s prerogative to set the limit.
On the other side of the spectre are the limits that apply to how much you can win from the poker bonus. No poker site will let you play your way to a chip stack worth millions with the help of bonus chips. The typical win caps are set at around $100, but there are poker sites with more lenient rules where you can cash out even more than that.
Are Poker Bonuses Worth the Time?
Poker bonuses are a great way of getting some extra cash for your deposits and learning more about the poker site and its games without having to risk much of your real money, or any of it, depending on the type of the bonus. There are several rules you need to abide by when playing with the poker bonus cash, but in general, you can have a great time learning the ropes of poker with a little boost from the poker site and winning some real cash with the help of the bonus.
FAQ
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What is a poker bonus?
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What types of poker bonuses are there?
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Who can claim the welcome deposit bonus?
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What are the wagering requirements for poker bonuses?
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Can I win real money from the poker bonus?