Bonus Reload and Clearing

For many online-poker players, a bonus is the major reason for playing their favourite game in a Web-based poker room. Every poker site offers this “extra” to attract new players. Many sites even offer “reload” bonuses to reward and keep loyal customers. If you are going to play online poker you should make bonus offers one of the three or four key factors when choosing a site.

When an online casino or poker room offers a “bonus” the company adds money to your account – money that you don’t have to deposit. This is a great idea for the player and the poker room if everything goes according to plan. But this is the key – there is a plan.

Poker Bonus: When Does the Bonus Become The Bonus?

Suppose you choose to deposit $100 in a new account at “Poker Room A.” If the company is offering a matching bonus at 100 percent, an additional $100 will be deposited in a bonus account for you. You can start playing poker immediately with the $100 you deposited. The question is: When will you have access to the extra $100? Usually, you won’t be able to use that added amount right away. Some sites offer a smaller, immediate bonus. For instance, if you deposit $100, some sites will add $10 right away, so you have $110 to play with from day one.

However, the advertised 100 percent bonus amount – $100 – will only be available after you “clear” or qualify. You get to this level by playing a lot of poker online, which most avid online players do. You’ll have to play a set number of hands or in some cases you get points for each dollar, Euro etc. When you get to a specific points level, your bonus amount is available. *Tip: Be sure you know if the point’s level or “clear” level is determined on cash play only or if tournament play is included.

A Bonus In Time…

Another key factor to consider is the time limit that might be applied to qualifying for the bonus amount. Some sites count points or dollars only for the first 30 days. Other sites assign points based on amount of play and hold your bonus dollars or points for 60 days. The bonus amount is forfeited if they are not released in that time.

Of course, these are just the basics of the poker bonus. There is a lot more a visitor to a new site should understand. Experienced poker players know about “rake.” That’s the amount that the “house” takes from each hand as their income/revenue. How “rake” affects bonuses is its own subject.