There are a large number of different poker bonuses available to poker players; in fact, it can be hard to keep track of all the different kinds of bonuses you can claim! To help you cut through the noise and find the most valuable bonuses available to poker players, we’ve created a list of the different types of poker bonuses and what they can offer.
So, keep reading to find out everything you need to know about the different types of poker bonuses!
What is a Poker Bonus?
A poker bonus is a bonus available to players of an online poker site. There are a number of different bonuses available to claim, all offering different rewards, such as tournament tickets, bonus funds, and cash bonuses. Many online poker sites offer bonuses and promotions as a way of attracting new players to their sites.
Why Are Poker Bonuses Worth Claiming?
Poker bonuses are worth claiming as they offer players additional value. This value can come in the form of additional bonus funds, tournament tickets, and rakeback, among other things. These bonuses add value to your deposits and can even provide value without needing a deposit at all. If you choose your bonuses wisely, your rewards can really start to add up!
What Are The Different Types Of Poker Bonuses?
There are a variety of different types of poker bonuses offered by online poker sites. While comparing different online poker rooms, you’ll come across most, if not all of these bonuses. To ensure you know exactly what you’re getting from each type of bonus, we’ve provided a breakdown of each poker bonus below.
Welcome Bonus
The welcome bonus is one of the most common bonuses you’ll find at online poker rooms. These bonuses are designed to attract players to the poker site with generous offers, the most common of which is a matched deposit bonus. A matched deposit bonus matches a percentage of your deposit up to a certain amount.
For example, Poker King has a welcome bonus offering a 100% matched deposit worth up to $2,000. This means that if you deposit $2,000, you’ll get an extra $2,000 in bonus funds to play with! However, it’s worth noting that most of these bonuses are unlocked by paying rake at the site, so don’t expect to find an extra $2,000 in your account immediately,
Reload Bonus
A reload bonus is similar to a welcome bonus, only it’s targeted towards existing players of a poker site rather than new players. These bonuses can come in many forms, such as tournament tickets, cash bonuses, or loyalty points. All of these bonuses require players to make a qualifying deposit.
No Deposit Bonus
A no deposit bonus is one of the most popular bonuses found at online poker sites. This is because they offer real money rewards without the need to make a deposit, giving you the chance to play your favourite poker games with zero risk. These bonuses can also come in multiple forms, such as free tournament tickets, small cash bonuses, or SNG tickets.
Loyalty/Rakeback Programs
A commonly offered poker bonus is a rakeback or loyalty program. These programs reward players for playing on the poker site with a percentage of their rake returned to them. A great example of a rakeback program is Partypoker’s Cashback program. Players can earn up to 55% of their rakeback each week, depending on how much they play. The more they play and rake at partypoker, the higher their rakeback percentage will be.
For example, a player who rakes $100 playing fastforward cash games will earn $24 cashback, giving them a rakeback percentage of 24%. However, a player who rakes $400 playing fastforward cash games will earn $128 cashback, giving them a rakeback percentage of 32%.
Rake Race
Rake races are a great way for sites to encourage players to increase the amount they play on the site. These promotions challenge players to rake as much money as possible during a set time period, such as a week or a month. As part of the promotion, the site creates a leaderboard which tracks how much rake each player has paid and offers prizes for players who rake the most within that time period.
A great example of a rake race can be found at ChampionPoker. Their Rake Chase rewards players based on how many loyalty points they’re able to claim during each calendar month. Players earn 10 LP for each €1 they rake in real money poker games.
Prizes start from as low as €5 for earning 500LP but go as high as €10,000 for players who are able to earn 600,000LP in a month! This provides players of all bankroll levels extra incentive to increase their playing volume at ChampionPoker.
Bad Beat Jackpot
Bad beat jackpots are a great way to turn an unlucky situation into a potentially huge payday. This bonus pays out when a player loses a particularly unlucky hand, such as quads against a straight flush.
During the course of play, a small fraction of each raked pot is taken by the poker site and added to the bad beat jackpot. Each jackpot has a qualifying hand that must be met in order for it to be triggered, such as a royal flush over a straight flush. Some sites will decrease the strength of the qualifying hand as the value of the jackpot increases
Once a hand meets these requirements, the bad beat jackpot is paid out. It’s important to note that almost all poker sites require both players to use both hole cards for the hand to qualify for the bad beat jackpot. A common way the money is distributed is as follows; 50% is paid to the player who lost the hand, 30% is paid to the player who won the hand, and the rest is split between the rest of the players at the table.
Referral Bonus
As a way of attracting new players, some online poker rooms offer a referral bonus that rewards existing players for signing up new players to the site. These bonuses often reward both the referrer and referee, creating a mutually beneficial situation; the player who has been referred gets an extra bonus, the player who makes the referral gets a bonus, and the poker site gets a new player.
These bonuses often require the referred player to deposit and play a certain amount before the bonus is triggered. As a reward for successfully referring a new player, players can earn bonus funds, tournament tickets, and even cash bonuses!
High Hand Bonus
Another bonus found at some online poker rooms is a high hand bonus. These bonuses reward players with a small prize, such as a cash bonus or MTT ticket, for making a strong hand using both hole cards, such as a straight flush or a royal flush.
Which Poker Bonus Should I Claim?
Depending on your poker room, you may be able to claim more than one of these bonuses! Some poker sites offer a variety of different bonuses to keep their players engaged; you’ll commonly find online poker rooms offering a welcome bonus for new players alongside rakeback programs, reload bonuses and referral bonuses.
When choosing the bonuses you want to claim, it’s important that you determine which bonus provides you the most value based on your playing habits. A site with up to 70% rakeback may sound appealing, but if you don’t play enough to reach it, you may be better off playing on a site with a larger welcome bonus.
Summary
Poker bonuses are a great way to get some extra value from your online poker sites. These bonuses can help your deposits last longer and can even reward you for playing your favourite games! Take a look at our recommended poker sites if you want to find some of the best bonuses on the market.
