Poker bonuses are among the great classic features of online poker. A poker bonus is free money added to your account, which can help defray losses, build out your bankroll so that you can take on higher stakes games, or simply temporarily inflate your win rate.
When you’re going after poker bonuses, here are a few dos and don’ts to keep in mind.
Do: Find the Best Sign Up Bonus
When signing up with a new site, don’t submit that first deposit until you’ve found the best sign up bonus you can. Most sign up bonuses are at least 100 percent match bonuses that will double the size of your deposit.
Unless you are planning to sign up through a rakeback affiliate, be sure not to register until you’ve found a juicy sign up bonus.
Don’t: Make That Deposit Without the Bonus Code
A catastrophic mistake can be to forget to put your bonus code in the appropriate field before clicking to submit your deposit. You can only sign up for a site once, so if you fail to input that bonus code, you get no bonus at all.
Double check that the bonus code is in the right place before clicking “submit.”
Do: Always Keep an Eye Out for New Bonuses
Just because you got your Carbon poker bonus or such, it doesn’t mean your bonus hunting days are over. Your sites may not heavily publicize loyalty bonuses that pop up from time to time.
Keep your eye out for them and scan bonus websites for other offers that you may not even be aware of.
Don’t: Change Your Style or Rate of Play to Clear a Bonus
If you are approaching the expiration date of your bonus, you may have to play more cash games or add a little time to your session to make sure the bonus is cleared. However, you usually have plenty of time, a matter of months, to clear that bonus.
If you jump up to higher stakes games or play longer than the optimal amount in order to clear a bonus, you may find that you’ve gambled the bonus away before it’s even arrived in your account.