Ten Things I Hate About Bonuses

We all know and love holdem bonuses. That’s why you probably came to this site in the first place. However, here are ten things I personally dislike about poker bonuses that may help guide you in the future.

1. They Expire – Depending on what site you placate, your hard-earned poker bonus may vanish if you’re not careful to keep track of when it expires. Your bonus may no longer be valid after 30, 60, or 90 days, so as soon as you sign up, mark your calendar as to when it expires and don’t let this date pass. Your bankroll will thank you.

2. Lump Sum Release – Similar to our first point, it’s paramount to know how your bonus is released. Can you gain access to it in $1, $5, $10, or $20 increments? In some cases, the bonus will only release in one giant lump sum. Therefore, you won’t see a dime of it until you’ve completed the entire promotion. However, at the end, your online cash balance will mushroom all at once. Be sure to deduce how your bonus clears so there are no surprises.

3. Better Bonuses – It happens frequently that players start tackling a bonus only to realize that a more attractive one is available elsewhere. However, the person is likely stuck on autopilot attempting to clear the bonus instead of pursuing a more lucrative one. The entire landscape of the poker bonus industry is constantly changing, so always keep your eyes open.

4. They Change – Sign-up and reload bonuses change constantly. You might reload with a 100% up to $200 bonus only to find out the next day that a 150% up to $250 option is available on the same site. It’s almost like buying a plane ticket. You judge when you think the market is the most advantageous to you and then purchase. Be aware that, within one site, bonuses are always in flux.

5. Sites Retroactively Changing Pending Bonus Terms – This actually happens more often than you think. Make sure that when you log in to check your account balance, you do a quick review to ensure that no terms of the bonus you are trying to clear have changed. Remember, online poker sites reserve the right to adjust promotions on a whim, so make sure you’re fully aware of how they affect you.

6. Withdrawing and Depositing Issues – This has primarily grown to become a problem experienced by U.S. players. However, it’s important to recognize that withdrawing and depositing online takes time. Deposit methods can take up to two weeks to come through to fruition and their availability ultimately depends on jurisdiction. Do your homework before hitting the virtual felts of your favorite online poker site to find out what options are available to you and their relative success rate.

7. Lack of Reloads – Not every site offers a wide breadth of reload options. In contrast, some are extremely limited. If you are a huge fan of reload bonuses, we advise doing some research before going through the process of depositing.

8. Sites that Don’t Explain Terms Sufficiently – The degree to which sign-up and reload bonus terms are explained varies widely by site. In some cases, the terms are spelled out explicitly, putting your mind at ease before you sign up. In other cases, almost no explanation of how a bonus is cleared and when it expires is given.

9. Deposit Required for Reload – On some sites, a brand new deposit is needed for a reload, causing you to incur transaction fees. For frequent players, no deposit options should be more appealing because they save on processor fees. Again, reviewing the terms and conditions ahead of time should help skirt this potential setback.

10. Difficult Bonus Checking – On some sites, checking your pending bonus is as easy as visiting the Cashier or Lobby. However, other online poker rooms force you to e-mail support to figure out what your bonus balance is. If you don’t mind sending off a few e-mails to determine your account status, then this may not be a big deal.