Deposit bonuses

Before you deposit any money at all you should learn about the sign-up bonuses that most sites offer as a promotion to attract new players. You are eligible for only one sign-up bonus at each site, so be sure not to deposit until you understand your options.

Why do poker sites give away money? Just like a cell phone company or credit card company, every poker site is desperate for your business. They figure that once you start playing at their site, you'll stick around. And since they earn a few cents for every hand you play, they're willing to pay good money to encourage you to sign up. They'll pay you directly with a sign-up bonus, and they'll also pay the person who referred you to their site (called an affiliate).

What's the catch? Every bonus has some strings attached. Usually the site requires you make a minimum deposit and play a minimum number of raked hands. The better bonuses require 5 raked hands be played for each dollar of bonus earned. The skimpier bonuses require up to 10 hands per dollar.

See our online poker bonus center for lots more information, including an up-to-date list of the best deposit bonus being offered by each site.