About Online Poker Site Bonuses

You've seen them in every online poker site ad - "100% sign up bonus", "Loyalty bonuses", "Frequent Player Points". What are they and how do you cash in on these amazing offers?

First Deposit Bonuses (New Player Bonuses, Sign-Up Bonuses)

These are bonuses you receive when you first sign up for a new poker site and deposit money into your account. Typically, it a fixed amount or a percentage of your deposit which is matched by the poker site.

You are probably thinking this sounds like quite a deal and wondering: "Does this mean they deposit money into my account and I can withdraw it whenever I want?" Sorry, but no. Generally, the bonus is credited to you ("cleared") as you play in "raked" real-money poker games (ring games, sometimes tournaments too). Most poker sites give you a limited amount of time to use your bonus.

It's still a good deal though - 100% bonus means your money goes twice as far! With a good-sized deposit, you'll get to play a lot of games for half-price!

Loyalty Bonuses

Loyalty bonuses are offered by the casino to reward people who continue to play poker on their site. A common type of loyalty bonus is the re-deposit bonus - a bonus given to you when you deposit more money into your account . Re-deposit bonuses are usually similar to sign-up bonuses in that you use ("clear") them by playing in raked poker games.

Frequent Players Points, Players Rewards Programs

Another way online casinos reward people for playing on their site is through rewards programs or frequent player points programs. Points are earned by playing in poker games - these points can be saved and eventually redeemed for merchandise (or in some cases, tournament buy-in fees). Merchandise ranges from money clips, hats and t-shirts to iPods and other electronics. VIP players in some programs can trade their points for a Plasma TV!

"Refer a Friend" Promotions

Want to play poker online with your friends? Many of the top poker rooms offer "refer a friend" bonuses, most ranging from $25 to $100 per referral!

Other Promotions

Poker is a competitive industry so all of the online poker sites offer frequent promotions to attract and keep players. These may take the form of "Win a car" tournaments, big-money free rolls, satellites for major Poker tournaments (where the prize is a seat at a high-profile poker event) and prize drawings, just to name a few!