In this guide, we are going to take a look at online poker in Nevada, as well as looking at the best online poker bonuses in the state.
Best Online Poker Bonuses In Nevada
Is Online Poker Legal in Nevada?
Yes. Online poker is legal in the state of Nevada. Nevada is the home of Las Vegas and is seen by many as the home of gambling in the United States. As such, it wouldn’t feel right if residents of the state didn’t have access to the world’s most popular card game online.
In order to play poker online in the state, players will need to be 21 years old and a resident of the state.
Online real money online poker sites that are approved by the Nevada Gaming Regulators are able to provide their services in the state. At the time of writing, only one website, the World Series of Poker (WSOP), holds a license to provide poker in Nevada.
Purpose of an online poker bonus
Poker is one of the most popular card games in the world, so it stands to reason that casinos want to encourage people to play. Many top online casinos will have a range of poker bonuses available for their players to take advantage of.
Some players can be quite skeptical of online poker bonuses, and that’s understandable. After all, operators must be getting something out of them, right?
The truth is, online poker bonuses can hugely benefit both the business and the individual player. For players, they can be a great chance to settle into a new casino, and it can be a great way of boosting your bankroll.
For operators, it can help establish a solid relationship with the player and help to foster brand loyalty.
Online poker bonuses Nevada
There may only be one real money online poker casino in Nevada, but the site has enough bonuses to cover several. WSOP is one of the biggest online poker operators around. It demonstrates this by offering a plethora of different bonuses for players.
Welcome Offer
The welcome offer at WSOP is a great way to help customers feel at home in their new surroundings. The bonus consists of two different parts:
- $50 Free Play
- 100% Matched deposit up to $1,000
Welcome Week Free Rolls
Of course, with these bonuses, there are some terms & conditions players should be aware of. The minimum deposit required to access the bonuses is $10. Players will receive their bonuses incrementally into their bonus funds bankroll.
The rate that the bonuses are released will be based on how many action power points (APP) a player has. These are points players earn for playing/depositing on the site.
For the matched bonus, $5 will be released every 50 APP players earn. For the $50 free play, players will get $1 for every 2 APP earned. The bonus funds will be available for 90 days. The site doesn’t use conventional wagering requirements either.
Instead, players will need to fulfill a certain number of APP in order to withdraw any winnings from the promotion.
The welcome week freerolls will allow players free entry into specific games. These start at 4 pm on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday and at 7 pm on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday.
Players will only be able to claim these in their first week on the site.
Monthly & Event Promotions
One thing that helps WSOP stand out is that it doesn’t sleep on its promotions. The site is regularly updating its promotion selection to feature weekly and monthly offers as well as ones tied in with specific events.
For example, the operator may run a leaderboard that lasts for the duration of a month, with players having to play a game to earn points and win part of a prize pool. It may also run tournaments and promotions to tie in with certain events and holidays like the Super Bowl or New Year.
The terms & conditions for these bonuses will be specific to the promotion, so be sure to check in regularly to see what is on offer. Here at The Game Day Casino, we will run bonus and promotion offers for WSOP, so come back regularly to find out what you can take advantage of.
Types of online poker bonuses
Online casinos are constantly looking for new and interesting ways to both entice new customers and reward existing ones. There are several types of online poker bonuses that you are going to see appearing at different operators.
The most common types of bonuses include:
- No deposit bonuses
- Signup bonus
- Matched deposit bonus
- Loyalty Programs
- Tournament tickets
- Rakeback
As well as these bonuses, it is not uncommon to find bonuses related to specific poker tournaments or events. Many popular operators will hold specific events to promote the launch of new games or tournaments.
No Deposit Signup Bonus
In many ways, a poker no-deposit bonus is the holy grail of poker bonuses. These do exactly as they say on the tin - they provide new players with a bonus that they do not need to make a deposit for.
All players need to do is simply signup, enter their details, and their account will be credited with a bonus. In many cases, these bonuses are often very generous.
Of course, the wagering requirements or limits that are put on these bonuses are often more restricting, but given that they are free - it’s difficult to complain too much.
Deposit match
One of the most common types of poker bonuses you are likely to run into in Nevada is the deposit match bonus. This is when the operator will offer a bonus that matches a deposit up to a certain amount. In some cases, the bonus may be an increased amount from the deposit.
For example, you might receive a matched deposit bonus of 100% up to $50. Some of these will be over 100%, which is when you start to get some big boosts to your account.
You will often find that these bonuses are used as part of a welcome bonus or package by operators.
Tournament tickets
One of the most popular types of promotions for poker operators is tournament tickets. These are virtual tickets that players can use to enter tournaments or games. Think of these as gift vouchers, with many of the tickets coming with a pre-loaded cash amount on them.
There are a number of different ways that players can get their hands on these tickets. They are often handed out as part of promotions or prize pools. In some cases, casinos may want to reward their most loyal customers and will provide tournament tickets to more prestigious events.
They may also give one out to players who have not played in a while in order to entice them back in.
Loyalty or rewards programs
Many online poker operators will aim to reward their most loyal customers. They do this by offering loyalty or rewards programs. These will often involve players collecting points or earning a ranking for playing poker on a particular site.
The higher up the loyalty program a player gets, the more access they will get to exclusive bonuses and promotions. They may also gain access to exclusive tournaments and receive other perks like a VIP account manager or special status.
Rakeback
While not as common as it used to be, rakeback is still a promotion you will find some operators have available. Whenever you enter a poker game, part of your entry fee is taken as the ‘rake.’ This is typically around 10% of the entry fee, so if you have to pay $100 for a game, the rake will be around $10.
A rakeback promotion offer would suggest a percentage of this returned to players. In some cases, this may be rakeback for an individual game, while for others, it may be rakeback over a period of time.
Rakeback offers can be a great way of providing a little bit of insurance for players and help to maintain a bankroll.
Building an online poker bankroll
Of course, there is no obligation for you to claim a poker bonus, but there are plenty of benefits to doing so. The most obvious benefit is that it helps you build your bankroll. Having a strong bankroll is crucial to success in poker.
Going broke is the last thing anybody wants to do, so you will need to make sure you play carefully and take advantage of your bonus funds.
At WSOP in Nevada, players’ bonus funds are not sent directly to their real money account. Instead, the money is dripped incrementally into the bonus funds account. Only once you have met certain requirements will the funds then be available in your main account.
This can be hugely advantageous as it allows you to use your bonus funds to enter games and stake without risk of damaging your bankroll.
In general, players are best off setting a limit for themselves in terms of bankroll and the entry of games they will play. For example, enter games that are around 5% of your bankroll. If you have $100 in your account, only enter games that require a buy-in of around $5.
This will allow you to maintain your bankroll and hopefully, over time, build it up and buy your way into bigger games.
Online poker bonus strategy
Whenever you receive a bonus into your account, the temptation is always there to spend big. This is not the best way to take advantage of offers, though. Instead, players should look to maximize the bonus funds and play as much as they can.
Of course, using bonus funds or tournament tickets can be a great way to try and build your bankroll in slightly bigger tournaments, but it is important not to jump in at the deep end.
Playing at Sit-and-Go tables can be a useful way of using the funds and getting a feel for an operator while building your bankroll. These allow you to dip into games and leave when you are up or down. Playing in smaller games such as 6 Maxx can also help you build your bankroll effectively.
Importantly, players should remember to play for fun and to stop when they are down. Bonus funds can be a great way to allow you to enjoy the game without the pressure of losing your own money.
Cashing out a poker bonus
As we’ve already mentioned, in order to claim any winnings from WSOP, you will need to jump through certain hoops first. The site uses an APP system, which are points generated by players for doing certain things on the site.
Each bonus at WSOP will have a certain number of APP that a player will need to earn in order to withdraw funds. Many of the bonuses on the site are also released incrementally using this system, with players needing to reach a certain number of points before the money is released into their bonus account.
When it comes to getting funds in and out of the site, there are plenty of good options available. These include:
- Credit/Debit Card
- E-check ACH
- PayPal
- Cash at Cage
- PayNearMe
Most online methods will allow players to deposit as little as $10 into their account. The speed of withdrawal is going to depend on the method that the players choose to use.