Written By: ReviewPokerBonus.com

As a new online poker player, getting a signup bonus when you join a poker room is one of the most crucial incentives that you can use to boost your starting bankroll. While there are a vast number of bonuses available, knowing how to properly maximize bonuses and make the most of a deposit, is something that new players often overlook. In this article, we are going to look at some of the most popular forms of poker bonuses. I’ll also tell you how each type of bonus should be used to effectively increase your bankroll, thus improving your chances of success at the tables.

Match Bonuses
Poker match bonuses are the most common form of bonus offered by poker sites. Simply put, the poker room will match your initial deposit on a percentage basis up to a maximum dollar amount. For example, a 100% up to $600 match bonus would mean that on your first deposit you would receive a maximum of $600 additional dollars in bonus money. This is a very appealing option for new players.

However, all sites have bonus requirements that must be satisfied in order to release your bonus into your real money account. This is done by participating in ring games and tournaments that earn you points towards unlocking your bonus. It’s important for you to always research each site’s bonus requirements in advance. This way, you ensure that the bonus can be cleared in a reasonable amount of time.

The rate at which you clear a bonus depends on the limits and number of tables you play. Playing higher limits and multiple tables will help you clear poker bonuses much faster. In general, no bonus should take you over 3 months to clear if you’re playing a couple of hours a day.

By finding a fair match bonus with fair requirements, you give yourself a chance to add some additional chips to your stack for free. Overall match bonuses, when maximized properly, represent a great incentive and advantage for poker players looking to join a new site.

Free No Deposit Bonuses
Free poker bonuses are much less publicized options that are offered by some poker rooms to attract new players to their sites. While these bonuses are very appealing at first glance, in reality they usually have so many stipulations that they are not worth the hassle. However, this is not the case with every site.

As previously mentioned, reading the terms and conditions in advance will save you a lot of trouble in the end. Usually free bonuses require you to get a certain number of points (or raked hands) and make a real money deposit, before cashing out. For this reason, I suggest that you only use no deposit poker bonuses to try a site, rather than aiming to profit from them.

VIP Program Bonuses
The last major type of incentive (and probably the best) that online poker sites offer are VIP program bonuses. Whereby you are rewarded with VIP points for playing at a poker site. This is probably the most flexible and beneficial type of bonus that you’ll find. VIP programs allow you to earn a number of rewards over time as you build your point base at the site.

Large poker rooms such as PokerStars, offer some of the most comprehensive rewards programs available. A few benefits of the PokerStars VIP program include, free tournament entries, poker books, poker apparel, Ipods, and even tournaments with pro poker players. Overall, finding a poker room with a good VIP program is the best way to ensure that you are consistently rewarded for your loyal and frequent play.

Conclusion
Hopefully you now have a better understanding of how poker bonus offers are issued, and how you can leverage them to increase your bankroll. As mentioned throughout this article, it is essential that you check bonus requirements before you deposit to ensure that you can clear the bonus in a reasonable amount of time. With a little bit of research and decision making, any poker player can find a great bonus for themselves that offers fair terms and a great reward for joining a site.

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Poker Players – Be An Entrepreneur And Grow Your Bankroll As A Poker Affiliate

Written By: Jeremy Enke

If you’re a poker player and looking to supplement your bankroll, poker affiliate programs are a great way to do it.  Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Jeremy Enke and I am a poker affiliate.  I started out like pretty much everyone else involved in online poker, as a player.  I would play online poker for countless hours.  There were times when I would win, and then times when I would lose.  Overall I was a break even player, maybe even a bit of a losing player.

Shortly after getting into playing online poker however, I discovered poker affiliate programs.  This was the point in my life when I transitioned from the playing side of poker to the business side.  Since then, it has been the most rewarding choice I have ever made.

Let me back up for a second and explain what a poker affiliate program is.  Every online poker site has a marketing arm called an affiliate program.  A poker  affiliate program allows anyone in the world to earn a commission by simply sending them new players.  For example, when I began promoting online poker through affiliate programs, I referred all of my friends to the various online sites I liked to play at.

A typical poker affiliate program will pay you a flat fee; usually between $75 - $150 for every player you refer.  Or they will pay you a share of the rake that each player you refer contributes.  Typically this percentage is between 20% - 35%.

If you want to see how many poker affiliates make money and send players, simply go to google and search for any common poker term.  Click on any of the results and view the portal.  Any time you see one of those pretty banners or text links that hyperlink to an online poker site, these are affiliate links.  If you clicked on one of these and signed up as a real money player on the poker site, the owner of that portal you clicked from would earn a commission for referring you.

Many poker players get intimidated by affiliate programs.  They feel as if they are not web designers or search engine optimizers, they will not be successful.  This is far from the truth, as a poker player you can make good money and supplement your income without even owning a website.  Most poker affiliate programs offer what is called a bonus code.  You can simply tell your poker playing friends to use this bonus code when signing up at the site you are promoting, and when they do you will earn a commission.

Here is an example of how a poker player can earn a commission without owning a website:

Jeremy:  Hey Andy you play online poker right?

Friend:  Yea, I play at PokerStars

Jeremy:  I signed up at Fulltiltpoker and have been crushing the 1-2NL games there

Friend: Really?

Jeremy:  yea dude, you should try it out.  The players are really weak and you can rail all the pro’s to since they all play there. Let me know if you sign up and what you think.

Friend: Alright cool, I’ll give it a try

Jeremy:  Actually I have a special bonus code where you’ll get a 100% bonus on your first deposit.  When you download and signup it will ask you for a bonus code, just enter “JeremyPoker” and you’ll get the bonus.

Once your friend signs up and uses your bonus code, you earn a fat commission.  Yes, it’s really that simple.  Most affiliate programs will pay right into your players account as well.

Although I promote online poker both offline and through multiple websites, I am proof that you can make a great full time income promoting poker affiliate programs.  It is also a great way to become an entrepreneur yourself and make great money promoting a hobby you already love.  If you would like to learn more about poker affiliate programs feel free to email me directly at Jeremy AT jeremyenke.com

Happy Promoting! 

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