Read the article below if you are new to poker bonuses or if you have any questions regarding them. The article is a bit long but please bear with me as there is a ton of great info.
All online poker rooms offer incentives designed to get new customers to sign up as a real money player. The most common of these incentives is a first deposit bonus, in which a poker room will match the amount of money deposited.
Some things to consider when choosing a bonus:
1. Size of the bonus
2. Difficulty of clearing rate
3. Expiration date
4. Other factors not bonus related include size of the poker room, VIP programs, payment methods, security, etc.
Size of bonus:
The size of the poker bonus includes both the percentage that is matched as well as the maximum amount of money that is matched. Percentages range from 50% all the way up to 1000%. Keep in mind that higher percentages usually mean it is harder to clear. The amount of money that is eligible to be matched can be $5,000 or more.
Some poker rooms offer deposit bonuses different than match bonuses. Party Poker offers $50 free to new players with no deposit required. VC Poker offers a huge 200% up to $500 bonus. Titan Poker offers one of the best bonuses including $25 instant cash plus a 100% match bonus up to $500. When considering between offers like these keep in mind the size of your starting bankroll. Many times it will make sense to take an instant cash bonus over a match bonus depending on your bankroll.
Difficulty of clearing rate:
Once you have made your deposit, the bonus money is placed in a seperate area and is considered "pending" (unless it is an instant cash bonus, which can be played with right away). This means the money isn't yours quite yet. In order to release this bonus, you must play raked hands or buy-in to tournaments. As you do this, the pending bonus is released into your real money account. For example, Full Tilt Poker has a bonus clearing rate of $100 in rake equals $6 bonus released. The clearing rate will vary from room to room, and it is one of the most important factors when choosing a bonus.
Expiration date:
Most bonuses also have an expiration date, meaning a date when the pending bonus money is no longer able to be redeemed. These dates can range for 30 days up to 150 days or more. When choosing a bonus keep in mind how often you play so it doesn't expire before you are able to redeem all of it.
Our Top 3 Deposit Bonuses: Sportsbook Poker - 10% instant cash + 100% up to $1,000 bonus Titan Poker - $25 instant cash + 100% up to $500 bonus Doyles Room - 110% up to $1,000 bonus + free bounty tournament entry
Reload Bonuses:
Poker rooms will also offer reload bonuses as an incentive to make another deposit. These are usually sent out via email or are offered within the poker room software. Sportsbook Poker is one of the rare rooms that offers a 5% instant cash bonus on every reload deposit.
Now that you have all the facts about bonuses, take a look at these exclusive bonus offers. They are the best poker bonuses available online.
If you feel that anything is inaccurate or should be added to this intro to bonuses, please do not hesitate to contact me.