The online poker industry is probably one of the most fiercely competitive industries around. There are literally hundreds of poker rooms online, with more joining the scene daily. Poker rooms offer a number of incentives to players, in hopes of attracting players to their poker room. Taking advantage of these offers is a great way for players to add extra padding to their bankroll.

So what kind of poker bonuses are there?

Many poker rooms offer their own spin on bonuses, and there are a number of different kind of incentives they offer players. Bonuses will vary from room to room, and it pays to check each one out, to find out which room and bonus will be the best match for you. At Lagdonkey we do our best to take the guess work out of choosing the right room, by providing detailed information on each room and the offers they have. 

First Deposit Bonuses: Most poker rooms will offer a large incentive for your first deposit, often matching whatever you deposit 100% up to a certain amount. This bonus is cleared in increments, usually 10% blocks. The bonus is cleared by playing in raked games, where you recieve x points for every dollar worth of rake you pay. 

Reload Bonuses: Reload bonuses are another incentive many poker rooms offer. Offered periodically, these bonuses are often offered after you’ve been playing at the poker room for awhile. Just like deposit bonuses, the poker room will match a certain percentage of whatever you deposit, up to a certain amount. Often they won’t be a 100% match, but they are still worth taking advantage of. 

Refer a friend bonuses: Poker rooms thrive on traffic, and another way they work to draw in players, is to offer their existing player base additional incentives if they refer new players to the site. Often these bonuses will reward both you and your friend with additional cash or other goodies such as tournament tickets and free roll entries. 

Rake-back: Rake-back is just one more incentive that some poker rooms offer. It’s becoming more and more rare these days, but some rooms still offer generous rake-back deals. Typically rake-back is paid out either daily, weekly or monthly, and will pay you back a portion of the rake that you paid in that time frame. Rack-back deals typically range anywhere from 10% – 50% and sometimes even larger depending on the volume played. While some poker rooms do not directly offer rake-back, they offer the equivalent in the way of loyalty programs. Poker Stars VIP club, and Party Pokers loyalty program are just a few examples.

How do I Clear the poker bonuses?

Clearing poker bonuses is pretty straight forward. Every time you enter a cash tournament, or sit at a cash table, you pay rake. Rake will be a portion of each pot you play, or a portion of each tournament buy-in. This rake often rewards you points, which in turn are put towards your bonus. Once you accumulate enough points, you’ll unlock a portion of your bonus. Each room will have different requirements, as well as methods in which rake is credited.