Best Poker Deposit Bonus
Best Poker Deposit Bonuses
Poker deposit bonuses are used by poker sites to entice to new players to sign up and make a large deposit. The goal here is to put up a little money up front in the hopes of attracting a loyal, long term poker player. As competition heats up in the online poker industry, we are seeing bigger and bigger deposit bonuses for new players.
The good thing about this is that you benefit from increasingly attractive bonus offers. The bad news is that some sites are getting desperate to attract players by any means possible – even by inflating their bonus offers. When looking for the best poker deposit bonus, there are several factors you should consider to get a good look at how worthwhile the bonus actually is.
All too often, I have seen poker players get suckered into joining poker sites that offer massive deposit bonuses only to find out the bonus is nearly impossible to clear. The best poker deposit bonuses are those that offer players a large maximum bonus amount, easy clearing requirements and a high percentage match rate. Only by comparing all three factors can we truly tell which sites offer the best poker deposit bonuses.
Maximum Bonus Amount
The first thing you see at most poker sites is a promise of the biggest deposit bonus in the world. This is a good factor to consider when signing up at a poker site, but it’s not the only one. In most cases, poker sites offer bonuses that range in size from $500 to about $1,000. The Ultimate Bet referral code, for example, will get you a bonus that maxes out at $1,100.
If you run across a poker site that offers significantly more than $1,000, you should proceed with caution. I can remember one time signing up for a $10,000 deposit bonus at one poker site. It ended up taking so long to clear, however, that I ended up leaving before I had cleared even a tenth of the bonus.
Clearing Requirements
Poker sites enforce clearing requirements in order to make sure people actually play poker rather than just hit-n-run the bonus. These requirements ask players to play a certain number of hands or earn frequent player points to release the bonus money. At most poker sites, the bonus is released in $5.00 or $10.00 increments until the entire bonus has been cleared.
The clearing requirements are the most overlooked aspect of poker deposit bonuses. The best poker deposit bonuses have clearing requirements that are somewhat possible to meet. Every site is going to make you play poker before you get your bonus, but some sites are much more reasonable than others.
Percentage Match Rate
The percentage match rate is equally important in telling us how good a deposit bonus is. The match rate is what determines the final size of your bonus. For example, if a poker site offers a 100% match rate and you deposit $100, they will give you an extra $100 in bonus money.
Most poker sites offer somewhere between 100% and 150%. You might see different numbers occasionally but 100% to 150% is the most common. If a poker site offers something higher than 200%, you will want to do some looking around to make sure the offer is legitimate.
Trust Your Gut
If you decide to go with a poker deposit bonus that isn’t recommended here, remember to trust your gut. Any poker bonus offer that seems way too good to be true probably is. With unfamiliar poker sites, your best bet is to analyze all three factors and come to your own conclusion. Nine times out of ten, you’ll come to the right conclusion.