Mar 19, 2012 You don’t have to be playing in an online casino site to claim a promotional or a bonus. In fact, online poker sites carry ample bonuses and promotions for players, too. Whether you favour a proper full-on welcome bonus, or deposit deals, rakebacks and freerolls or loyalty VIP deals, there is always something ready and waiting for you to snap up when you decide to play at online poker sites. With a good bonus you can also move up to some decent stakes for lesser risk. Stay Clear of Bad Bonus Offers. Bad bonus offers are those that are hard to unlock and have unfavorable terms and conditions. For example, a poker site may offer a massive bonus, but requires you to play a lot of raked hands so it is impossible to unlock the bonus. The welcome bonus at Bovada might be enough to list them as one of the best online poker sites US players can access, but in reality, it’s their massive list of different games and fantastic tournaments that put them at the top of the list. New players are eligible for a.
There are several online poker sites servicing the US market that are worth playing in order to get the initial deposit bonus. The bonuses offered by some poker sites are so lucrative that it pays to open a new account to try to build a bankroll from that initial deposit using the bonus. The payoff can be significant for players with some poker experience.
Before depositing, be sure to look for recent reviews and information on your prospective site(s). This will help you to choose a trusted operator that is paying players in a timely fashion and offering the best bonuses. Any operator that does this will have a bright future in online poker.
To understand why the largest bonus is not always the best value, you need to know that poker sites don’t give away free money just for making an initial deposit to a new online account. The illusion is that they do. However, poker sites operate by giving players a pending bonus that they must clear by participating in real-money cash games or tournaments. The terms by which a player can play through that bonus money vary by site, which is why is it important to read the fine print or simply read our reviews that explain all of the bonuses in detail.
Online Poker Sites Best Bonuses 2020
US Poker Site with the Largest Bonuses Based on Dollar Amount
BetOnline has one of the largest poker bonuses out of all US-friendly poker sites, which is a 200% bonus up to $2,000. First, there is a good chance your credit card company will not let you deposit $1,000 to get the full $2k bonus, but most player don’t deposit that amount anyway. It merely sets the upper limit so high-roller players don’t take advantage of the bonus. If you do choose to deposit the full amount, it can be done with Western Union or MoneyGram, or the player can arrange a bank wire or other funds transfer in coordination with the site itself.
Another reputable site with a somewhat similar bonus is Ignition Poker (previously known as Bovada/Bodog), which offers a 100% initial deposit bonus match up to $2,000. This Ignition bonus is easier to clear because of the fewer times a player is required to use the money in real-money play before cashing out any winnings.
However, if you’re a serious player who puts in a large amount of volume (such as 20,000 or more hands per month at $100 Max NLHE or 10,000+ hands at stakes higher than $200 Max NLHE), then BetOnline’s online poker site is the best choice because they don’t have the four-table limit that Ignition Poker imposes. It’s easier to clear a large bonus when you can multi-table in big numbers, if that is your normal style of play. It is not recommended for beginning players or those not already accustomed to multi-tabling.
No matter which site you choose, BetOnline.ag or IgnitionPoker.eu, both are known for offering some of the softest poker games online. And both do offer bonuses that can be lucrative when paying attention to the terms and remaining within your normal playing limits.
US Poker Sites with the All-Around Best Bonuses
As of early 2020, the expansion of state-regulated online poker in the US was open for action in four states – Nevada, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. Michigan and West Virginia have both passed pro-online poker legislation but aren’t expected to launch until 2021 at the earliest. The state-licensed and regulated rooms have excellent support and the security of the US law on their side, but they still can’t touch most of the offshore poker rooms in terms of bonus offers and liquidity. Until the US market grows through the inclusion of more states and their connection through a multi-state online poker network, the bonuses from US-based sites will simply not be as lucrative as those offered by offshore sites.
Our favorite room for all-around bonuses, plus some fishy action, is BetOnline. This US-facing room offers excellent deposit bonuses and fast withdraw speeds. BetOnline.ag has been moving up the cash game traffic charts, more swiftly in the past several years, and is becoming a top option for US players. The site offers the best deposit bonus, a 200% match bonus up to $2,000. The poker room is heavily frequented by sportsbook and casino gamblers, giving savvy poker players quite a few easy targets at the tables.
Free Bonus Video Poker
Whether choosing BetOnline or Ignition Poker, players can be guaranteed of some soft action and bonuses that are helpful in building or boosting bankrolls. It is especially helpful for new players without a lot of money to deposit into a new account, and the experience gained by working through the bonus will only strengthen that person’s overall poker skills.
Clearing bonuses and adding money to your bankroll is something every player should take advantage of, as depositing without using a bonus is simply a waste of time and money that could be used to win extra cash. In the long run, however, playing in soft games and seeking out the fish is what will push you in the direction of becoming a long-term winner.
Best Bonuses or Softest Games?
It is not the million-dollar question, but it is worth money in the end.
The poker site advertising the largest bonus online is not always the one with the highest valued bonus. As important as it is to compare all of what a site offers in terms of bonuses, loyalty programs, etc., perhaps far more important to maximizing your value at a US poker site is finding the games you can beat for the most profit.
Generally speaking, most poker players will find the games at BetOnline quite soft since they also offer a sportsbook and casino, and the players tend to cross over to the poker site to try to play like the pros they’ve seen on television. Is it enough to offset the difference in bonus value? That’s something you’ll need to consider yourself.
When researching an online poker site, it is a good idea to look at the full picture of what the site offers, starting with the deposit bonuses. However, that full picture also consists of reload bonuses that will be available if you choose to stay on the site, as well as loyalty points and player VIP programs that reward everyday play and offer more incentive to stay. This is how our overall reviews can help make that choice, as we take all aspects of the sites into consideration – from customer service all the way to software capabilities and player safety. With that said, the action at the tables is something you must judge for yourself once you begin playing.
For more on finding soft poker games online, see our article on US poker sites with the softest games.
What is a Poker Bonus?
If you’ve never dealt with poker sites before, you may be unfamiliar with online poker bonuses. Essentially, a poker bonus is some sort of perk, benefit, or discount that an online poker site may offer you. Obviously, the site’s goal with a poker bonus is to entice you to play on their site.
How do you collect a Poker Bonus?
The instructions for collecting a poker bonus vary from bonus to bonus and site to site. What constitutes the best online poker bonus will be a matter of personal preference.
Some will be rather self-explanatory to redeem. However, others may have several hurdles to navigate.
By and large, they will conform to similar steps, though. Collecting a poker bonus typically involves the following:
- Logging into the site
- Proceeding either to the bonus section of the site or the player’s unique account section
- Opting into the desired bonus, and ensuring that it becomes active
- Fulfilling the requirements to release the bonus
Most bonuses have a requirement known as “playthrough.” Essentially, the site requires the player to wager some multiple of the bonus amount in order to release the funds from a sort of limbo.
So, for instance, let’s say that a $100 bonus comes with a 5x playthrough requirement. The player would have to wager $500 in total before they could collect the bonus money.
Now, that doesn’t mean that the player must lose the money they wagered. In a manner of speaking, it simply means that the player gave the site the opportunity to recoup the bonus money.
However, the requirements for bonuses are as varied as the offers. An instant bonus may have no playthrough, and the funds will hit the player’s account immediately.
On the other hand, a large playthrough requirement may mean that the bonus takes months to clear. In those situations, the site will typically release portions of the bonus at established milestones. So, the bonus will drip to the player gradually, rather than coming in a huge payout.
Be careful, though. Most bonuses come with a time limit, and expire afterward.
So, before you redeem a bonus, consider its playthrough requirement versus its timeframe. If you’re required to play thousands of hands in a couple of days, you may want to reconsider how realistic the bonus offer truly is.
Types of Poker Bonus
Needless to say, there are several different types of bonuses available. The more common types of poker bonuses include:
1. Sign-up Bonus
Sign-up bonuses are, as their name implies, bonuses given to players as a reward for signing up on the site. Often, a site will use a sign-up bonus as its hook to get the player to sign up in the first place.
2. No Deposit Bonus
Bonuses that do not require any kind of deposit from the player are appropriately called no deposit bonuses. Many of the sign-up bonuses as described above would fall into this category of bonus.
3. First Deposit Bonus
A site may offer a first deposit bonus concurrently with their sign-up bonus. This type of online poker bonus, as its name implies, augments a new player’s first deposit into their poker room account. These tend to be match bonuses.
4. Match Bonus
A match bonus is the broader class of bonuses that first deposit bonuses occupy. These bonuses involve the site matching all or a portion of the player’s deposit.
The exact percentage matched varies from bonus to bonus. It can be as high as 100%.
However, there will always be a maximum amount of online poker bonus one can acquire. The site will always specify the limit explicitly.
5. Reload Bonus
A reload bonus is simply a match bonus given to existing players. Existing players have the option to deposit more money (reload) and receive a match bonus, similar to the first deposit bonus.
Best Online Poker Bonuses
When it comes to sign-up and first-deposit bonuses, the key is to bargain hunt. There are several offers out there for each poker site, so take the time to get the best return on these one-time opportunities. Keep in mind too, that what may be good for the pro may not be as advantageous for the recreational player.
Below are some of the best online poker bonus offers we could find. Sign up using the matching bonus code to ensure you get a great deal every time you give a new site a shot.
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What is a No Deposit Poker Bonus?
A no deposit poker bonus is a class of online poker bonuses that requires no investment from the player. The site volunteers to place funds directly into a player’s account.
No deposit poker bonuses are usually sign-up bonuses. That is, the player who redeems the bonus is likely doing so concurrently with their registration on the site.
In order to redeem, the player will enter a specified code into a designated box during sign up. Once the registration goes through, the player will find the funds waiting for them, ready to play.
The only tricky part is that it is quite rare for this free money to be immediately available for withdrawal. The player must usually wager through a multiple of the amount, meaning that they must place bets on the site equivalent to that amount.
Only after satisfying the playthrough requirement may a player withdraw their free cash. As is often the case, many players can’t make their free money last that long.
How do No Deposit Poker Bonuses work?
Nevertheless, one should never turn a blind eye to the offer of free money. Even if it is tied up in playthrough, it is still valid to use on the site.
Here’s what to do if you see a no deposit bonus available to you:
- If it’s a sign-up bonus, make sure that you haven’t signed up for the site in the past. It can be challenging to remember this detail.
- Register for the site or otherwise identify yourself. Remember to provide accurate information and confirm or verify the account.
- Make sure to enter the code, if any, into the appropriate box. Not every code will be case-sensitive, but it’s best to treat them as if they are.
- Once you’re registered and active on the site, proceed to the cashier to confirm that the no deposit bonus is there.
- If it is, then take note of the playthrough requirement, but go and have fun.
- If not, email or call the website’s support. Some sites can take time to issue one of these bonuses, but you always to want to confirm that everything is processing correctly.
How to determine which poker bonus is best for you?
In terms of what sort of bonus is best for you, there are a few considerations to take into account. The best bonus for you will be different than someone else’s best bonus. Consider:
- Do you have to put any money up to redeem the bonus?
- What percentage of your deposit is the site matching?
- What is the maximum amount of deposit or bonus that you can receive?
- How many times must you play through the bonus amount to release it?
- When does the bonus expire?
Obviously, no deposit bonuses are an easier decision, because you don’t have to come out of pocket to redeem them. However, finding the bonus with the highest maximum is not necessarily the best choice.
If your bankroll cannot handle the maximum amount, then you may be better suited finding a different bonus. Sites are more likely to match a greater percentage of a deposit if the maximum is smaller.
Also, have some understanding of how many hands you play in a given time period. Be honest with yourself about the likelihood of you satisfying the playthrough requirement before the bonus expires.
For instance, if you typically play 5000 hands per day and wager $1 per hand, then a $25,000 playthrough requirement would take five days, usually. Maybe you can stretch a bit, but you’re not going to be able to play through 25,000 hands in two days.
That’s an extreme example, but you get the idea. Make sure the bonus is feasible with your time constraints.
Also, be honest about your skill level. A $15 bonus will ring pretty hollow if you have to spend $150 to get it.
How To Play Bonus Poker
Good luck!