How to Clear Poker Bonuses Online

Many new online poker players choose the rooms with the biggest sign-on bonuses. While bonuses are definitely one of the big draws of online poker, new players should do a little homework prior to making their first deposits. It’s a common misconception that you will always get your deposit bonus immediately and that it is used like real cash. While some poker rooms DO make the match immediately, your bonus money is never available for immediate withdrawal, and still other poker rooms will award your bonus incrementally as you play. This is calling “clearing a bonus.” It is important to find and read the terms and conditions of each room’s bonuses prior to making your own investment.

To clear a bonus for withdrawal, you will usually be required to play a set amount of cash games. Most sites track your progress toward clearing your bonuses via a point system. Some rooms place restrictions on the types of tables where you get your play in. For example, you may not be able to play at the lowest or highest limit tables. Likewise, some online poker rooms also don’t count sit-n-go tournaments as time/money toward clearing your bonus. It is important to know what it takes to get your bonus in advance, as some sites’ bonus programs are clearly better than others. Many sites use a big bonus to lure you in, but the fine print often requires you to play much more money than you’ll be making. If you’re a pro and expect to win while at the tables anyway this is fine, but if you’re new to the game, you could easily get in over your head trying to clear a bonus.

If you’re a new player, you can kill two birds with one stone by sitting at the HORSE tables. These tables let you sample all of the more popular games, but only three of the five require antes, and those antes are traditionally very small. Other tables boast a low buy-in, which allows you to get your experience for significantly less. The players at these tables also tend to be less skilled, giving you fair game and even a chance to win some money as you improve.

Once you’ve discovered the best tables for you to clear your poker bonuses at, you can start considering other rooms and other bonuses. This is commonly referred to as “bonus whoring.” We don’t recommend making a habit of it—the rooms don’t like it, and may even ban you for it—but it can be a nice way to build your bankroll at the start of your gameplay.

For a complete list of poker bonuses please visit the poker bonus code blog