Best Poker Reward Programs in 2013
One of the biggest reasons to play online poker for many people is the great value for your dollar thanks to bonuses and rewards. Just about every online poker site has a rewards program available. These can vary greatly from site to site, even on the same network. And while some of the most important aspects when choosing a poker site often include the types of games and tournaments, and banking options, a great rewards program can be the key to finding the best poker site for you to play.
Why is a Rewards Program Important?
Rewards programs are often -and accurately- also called loyalty programs. A good rewards program encourages players to stay at their current poker site. They also encourage larger deposits or simply depositing more often. A good rewards program makes players want to play more, and enjoy more games of poker. A good rewards program can encourage more players to join the site, which is a win for everyone. More players mean more competition and busier tables, which increases the popularity of the site.
More competition is always welcome, as it means more tables and more tournaments available for players. And with rewards programs offering great deposit bonuses and play incentives, a good program means you get the best value for your dollar. While no matter which poker site you choose you should never deposit and play with more than you can afford to lose.
What Reward Programs are Available?
There's a number of different types of programs available. There's Rakeback programs which simply pay a dividend depending on how much players have paid into the rake amount. This is basically a profit sharing system, and for most casual or low-stake players the earnings are minimal. Some poker sites will offer Rakeback either alongside or instead of other rewards programs.
There are also rewards programs that limit themselves to deposit bonuses, and emailed bonus codes. This type are typically not viewed as very comprehensive or generous programs. Although some can have fairly generous bonus percentages.
The most common type of rewards program is a points-earning program. This means players earn points or coins by participating on the site. Often these systems have multipliers and bonus events to help players earn points more quickly, and this type can range from very simple and straightforward to complicated and in depth.
The Best Type of Reward Programs
The most popular and widely considered the 'best' type of reward programs are the points-earning programs. Players earn points by playing cash games, depositing funds, and buying tournament entry fees. There are often a number of levels that players can climb to earn points multipliers, as well as unlocking better and more exclusive rewards. These are a favorite among online poker players, and good programs can be very lucrative.
Sometimes there are more than one type of points players earn, one to determine rewards level and another for rewards themselves. Often the rewards points can be converted either automatically or at request. Players can earn free entries to tournaments, merchandise, trips, and of course, cash bonuses.
Poker Sites with the Best Reward Programs
888 Poker – They offer one of the best rewards programs available. They offer a simple and generous program that's available to all players from sign up. Players earn points, and can climb levels to earn points faster. The higher level not only helps earn points faster, but has better and more exclusive rewards such as exclusive free rolls with even higher pots, and more cash back. Players can earn access to monthly free rolls which cap at an amazing $10,000 prize pool. There's also cash back up to 36%, as well as a rewards store where players can purchase merchandise, tournament entries, and cash instantly.
BetOnline Poker – They offer an even more simple rewards structure with no levels to attain. All players do is earn POP points by playing cash games and buying tournament entries. These exclusive tournaments vary between smaller daily tournaments and larger monthly tournaments. The daily free rolls are a way for players to earn more points, while the monthly POP2CASH event features a $500 prize pool.
Lock Poker – Offers another tiered rewards system where players earn VIP points and qualify for bigger and more exclusive rewards. Points are earned by playing cash games as well as paying tournament entry fees. Unlike some rewards programs that feature many levels, Lock Poker's reward program only has 4 levels. However, in order to qualify players must have a minimum of 1,000 points- they do not automatically include the newest or lowest playing accounts. The higher level players attain they can qualify for up to $4,000 monthly free rolls, 22% cash back, and more. Players don't need to worry about converting funds or how long they have until the next cash reward- Lock Poker's program automatically pays cash bonuses daily.