ONLINE POKER ROOM So you want to play online poker. An integral part of starting an online poker account is making sure that you get the best bonus at the best online poker site of your choice. Unfortunately the process can be complex and those who are new to the online poker scene will likely have a lot of questions. We're going to cover the fundamental aspects of getting a good poker bonus below. What is a Poker Bonus? A poker bonus is simply a cash reward from an online poker site to players who make a deposit and play real-money poker hands. Why Do Online Poker Sites Offer Bonuses? Poker rooms generate revenue from collecting a small percentage from each pot in cash games or by charging a small entrance fee in tournaments in addition to the buy-in. This is called rake. More players equal more rake, and getting a lifetime customer is incredibly valuable to every online poker site. To keep bringing in more players, poekr sites will front players bonus cash so they have a better chance of building a bankroll and continuing to play at the poker site. It's a win-win situation for both sides. What Kinds of Poker Bonuses Are There There are a variety of poker bonuses but most boil down to four categories: 1) Match Bonus These are by far the most common bonus offers. Essentially with a match bonus, the poker site matches the amount of your deposit up to a certain amount. For example if you deposited $100 the poker room would give you an extra $100 on top of that. Most sites will match 100% of your deposit depending on the amount. Most online poker sites will usually have a minimum and maximum amount they will match. In general the sites stick close to a minimum deposit of $10-$50 while the maximum can be in the thousands. Keep in mind that most match bonuses are not awarded instantly and you have to play a certain number of hands on the site to "release" them. 2) Reload Bonus From time to time rooms will offer a "Reload" bonus to its players. A reload bonus is simply a cash reward for a player who deposits more money into his or her account. Usually this follows the same matching format as the initial deposit, albeit it's usually for less money. Like the sign-up match bonus, you don't receive the money instantly. It's released the same way as the initial sign-up match bonus - by playing a set number of real-money poker hands.