BONUSES

A lot of people choose their poker sites based on the bonuses that are on offer. We fundamentally believe that this is the wrong way to do things. If you can get a bonus as part of your normal play that's great, but you must be sure that you are playing the game that suits you most, i.e. the most profitable one. You will make more money playing a good game than chasing a good bonus. For example, if you spend 10 hours playing at a site to clear the requirements of a bonus, but there are better and more profitable tables elsewhere, that's 10 hours of playing at a worse hourly rate than you would have been. If you look into it properly, most people will more often than not find that the bonus amount will not be as much as the better result that a more profitable table would have been. And of course, most bonuses will take longer than 10 hours to clear.

BONUS CHASING

Operating multiple accounts online and staying aware of all the offers that are available is a good way of maximising your profits. But are they really paying off? Beware of thinking too much of these 'bonuses' as something extra. They are in essence a discount on a service - it is not free money. As an online poker player you are charged for the privilege of using the service in the form of rake on ring games, and as the fee that is put on the top of tournament buy-ins. Particularly when looking at regular monthly bonuses, they work as a discount on the fees that you pay. Poker sites do their maths well and you can be sure that when you are awarded with bonuses that the company has not lost out. None the less, you could be financially better off by playing on one site with a bonus as opposed to playing the same game on another site on the same network which doesn't have a bonus or you have already received it from.

It is important that you make sure that you don't chase bonuses. If you are playing in games that you would be playing anyway, then that's fine. A bonus for your play is always welcome. But if you chase bonuses and end up playing in games that you wouldn't normally play otherwise, then you need to be careful. There's no point in getting a £25 bonus if you lose £50 trying to get it (or even if you win £50 less than you would have done). Only go for bonuses that are suitable for your own play.

Another element to consider is your money management. If you hold accounts with 10 different sites that each gives you a monthly bonus, you need to have enough money in each of your 10 accounts to be able to fulfil the requirements of each offer. Either that or you need to deposit and withdraw lots of times, which can introduce problems with having to wait for money to clear from one account to then be deposited into another, or with currency exchanges. Also, it's not necessarily going to draw favour with your bank if you've got loads of entries for depositing to gambling websites every month!

Make sure that you find a method that is suitable to you that allows you to play at the levels that you are most comfortable with, and with enough of a bankroll. Beware of spreading your money too thinly, as coming into a game with less money than you are used to or are happy with can affect your game for numerous different reasons.

We have just pointed out some of the negative elements of bonuses. Now make wise decisions about what to go for, and then smile to yourself that you're getting the best deal that you could. Don't allow yourself to think that you could be getting more when to do so would put you in uncomfortable and unprofitable situations. Used well bonuses can make your poker life a lot easier and more rewarding. Enjoy!