blonde poker forum

OK, hands up if you are like me?

You can't resist the lure of something for nothing...so online bonus promtions are irresistible

You get near to clearing it and then the inevitable bad beats/bad play/lack of discipline happens

Often because you are playing only to clear the bonus, particularly for those with time limits


Stars has a 20% bonus on deposits up to $600 before tomorrow night (this is so widely known, forgive the advertising, I have no relationships with stars other than as a player)

Should I bother?

How do you guys clear them most profitably?

http://www.tightpoker.com/bonus/

The Stars bonuses (and also Paradise) are the easiest ones to deal with as they don't expire and are stackable so all I do is make the qualifying deposit within the deadline and then clear them as and when I feel like it.  At present I've got 5 Stars bonuses stacked and waiting to clear and about $600 of Paradise bonuses.  I don't play there with the sole intention of clearing the bonuses - they just clear as and when I meet the requirements.

The main source of time-restricted bonuses are the Party Skins, which tend to give between 7 and 30 days to meet the raked hand requirements.  Fortunately for me, the limit ring games on Party are my regular game so I just deposit for the bonus and continue to play my regular game, albeit from whichever skin I'm clearing the bonus from.  Quite often the bonus is an 'irrelevance' compared to the amount of money I win or lose as I clear it but its still free money.  If I don't clear one then I'm not too worried, there'll be another one available soon enough.

A good example of this is the current Multipoker offering - there are 5 100% bonuses ($100, $200, $300, $400, and $500) at present, each with 20 days to clear them.  Its possible to deposit for each of them so I'm planning to make the deposits for the lowest through to the highest and then see how far I get towards clearing them.  I'd need to play 30,000 raked hands in 20 days for the full $1500, which I have no chance of doing, but I'll probably get a few of them done.

As for the other bonus offerings I tend not to chase them specifically as they are either a pain to clear (e.g. UB) or the games/software aren't worth the hassle (e.g Crypto skins, Pacific, CelebPoker).  If its not one of your regular sites then you'll invariably be playing off a lowish bankroll and will probably be playing lower limits than usual.

If you've got a rakeback account somewhere you'll be far better off playing there than chasing bonuses all over the place.  If you can clear a bonus on a rakeback site then better still (although some sites will deduct the bonus from your rake figures so be careful).

Sheriff

PS:  The comment regarding limits are aimed at TightEnd specifically.  If anyone reading this is playing on a bankroll of $1000 or under then actively chasing bonuses is actually a very good way of building it up, as its likely that you won't be dropping down limits to do so.  I, like many others, actively did this when I started out and its a great way to learn the game.

thank you, extremely useful advice

Got to admit i always take Stars up on there bonus offers no matter whats in my account,i got my $120 bonus last night no hassle paid soon as i hit 600fpp.
Think chasing bonus on sites u don't play that often can become expensive but if my regular site wants to give me 20% i'll take it  ;).

I've got several hundred dollars of Stars bonuses stacked i.e. sitting waiting to be cleared at my leisure.

I always try to play the Party skin bonuses - just battering through 3 or 4 low limit tables simultaneously. When it goes well, it's easy money. But it can be a bit boring, and also intensely frustrating if you run into a school of lucky fish.

There's only so many times you can see guys cold call three bets with 84 suited and hit two pair on the river to crack your Aces, before your sanity starts to falter.

It's definitely the way to go if you are starting out and trying to build a bankroll from scratch. Just set up a Neteller account and use that to switch your money between sites.

and your bankroll needs all the help it can get!!!! :D :D :D :D :D

p.s. now you got your $120 bonus thru - how about you pay me back that 50 cents you owe me????

What a great post by Sheriff Fatman.

What a great thread.

At micro limits is it a case of calling almost every hand preflop and folding if missed in order to hit required number of raked hands asap or is it still best to play a solid game and take longer to clear the bonus?

Depends what the bonus criteria are. On Party/Stars/UB its being dealt in, on Prima/Tribeca skins its active participation. On the former I play tighter than a gnats chuff :D, the latter I try only to get involved with premium hands at low limits.

I have largely given up on Party though as their time limits are too tough for part timers like me ;)

Thanks.

How often do Stars and Party etc offer reload bonuses?

stars offer a reload bonus when ever there is a big promo about to start
or sometimes during a holiday period

the bonus is only available for normally less than a week

but once you deposit you can wait as long as you want to earn the fpp


problem with stacking bonuses for me is i like to be able to move money around the sites at a drop of a hat

and i believe you cannot make a withdrawl while a bonus is waiting to be earned

Nice one, Iron.

That's one of the great things about this forum, you get the heads-up on pitfalls etc.

Thats 100% untrue as far as Pokerstars, Paradise and Ultimatebet is concerned

i learn something new everyday

i have never tried doing a withdrawl at stars with a bonus waiting because i know some sites dont like it

I beleive you can withdraw from Pokerstars at any time, but you forfeit any pending bonus if you do so. You also forfeit the right to the current bonus scheme if you cash out during that period (to prevent people from cashing out just to reload and get the bonus).

I like the stars bonus because it is one of the easiest to collect - no time limit and tourneys (which I mostly play) count towards the bonus too.

Technically you can "make" money on the stars bonus by playing the $5+0.50 tourneys (or the $10+0.50 heads up). This is because they round up the 5FFP/$ rake from 2.5 to 3 for these games. If you play 200 such games then your rake is $100, and the 600FPPs gets a $120 bonus.

Once you reach the bonus amount, it is a good idea to cash out $600 to neteller, so that you can reload when the next bonus period comes along. Cash out any profit too so that you don't scupper a future bonus.

Stars will generally do 6 bonus schemes a year, but they are not advertised in advance (again to prevent recycling)

The other rule with the stars bonus is that it only applies to the first deposit made during the period. So load up to your bankroll.

The UB, party and full tilt bonus schemes IMO are nowhere near as good.

BB

that was my belief too

talking of bonuses i just got an email from the crypto site i use saying i got a monthly $5 bonus

seeing as i have hardly played on the site (ukbetting) infact played 3 comps this month and less than 1 hours cash when i got this bonus does anyone know the requirements

Now I'm thoroughly confused.  ???

nice first post belly buster and welcome to blonde

To Belly Buster:

I have $360 in un released PokerStars bonuses. I have put money in and withdrawn several times during the life of these bonuses and they are all still live.

The only way you can't get a bonus on Stars is if say they announce one on 10th September running to 17th september, then on 11th September you withdraw money and redposit before 17th September. Otherwise you can move money to and fro. I should know I've been doing it for years! :D

red i cant beleive that or whats to stop you depositing $600 on the first day then a week or so later withdrawing $500 and just play the $100 untill you get the bonus

OK don't believe it, I guess theres no telling some people

You guys are too polite - unlike some fora I could mention ......

I figure redsimon is right - the rules are here http://www.pokerstars.com/depositbonus20.html . I misinterpreted the phrase "bonus period" in the "If you cash out any amount from your PokerStars account during the Bonus Period, but prior to making a qualifying deposit, you are ineligible for the deposit bonus." clause

Keep whoring.

BB

ok so if i have 1000$ in my account and $1000 in my neteller waiting to be moved to a site with a bonus
and stars opens an offer

if i deposit the $600 then withdraw it straight away i still get the bonus?

we have to be tikay's red cards are too much  to take

i'll agree with you ironside

the wrath of the old timer is too much too take  :D :D :D

only kidding mate im only saying this cause it your birthday

hope you had a nice one 

I guess so but you still have to get the 600FPPs

BB

might as well just give us 120$ for every 600 fpp we earn
mind you they wont make much profit

Compared to their total customer base the number of folks who deposit the $600 play $5 SNGs or tournies to "whore" the bonuses is microscopic so 'Stars will not lose out with these bonuses.

I'm still grumpy and will be until i hear the words "Megson leaves Forest" :o

How about Megson leaves forest in the shyt, will that do ?

I did warn you that I didn't like the cut of his jib when he got the job.

When will the forest board start listening to me Red ?

 ???

The Forest board will listen to you when you  "invest" your millions Ralph

preferably cash in brown envelopes, free from the attentions of the Vat man and the taxman.

Unless of course that was the old board only!!!

Bad weekend for Nottingham when the Magpies allow another to join them at the top of their Division, I share your pain  ;)

WHAT "old timer" RFC? Careful now.......

And does anyone know who sits atop of League One?

By the way, what a GREAT thread this is, some tremendously insightful ppsts by, amongst others, Sheriff, & BellyBuster.

Right, been away for the weekend, partly to watch Barnsley destroy Forest (who's fans were chanting 'What a load of rubbish' before half-time).

Just to re-inforce what has already been said by redsimon, you can withdraw freely from Stars after depositing without affecting your accrued bonues.  The only restriction, I believe,  is that you have to leave the cash in there for 48 hours before doing so.  I've just deposited and withdrawn for the latest bonus without playing a single hand there and there are 5 bonuses waiting to be cleared at some point in the future.

The same applies for Paradise Poker bonuses.

Another point, redsimon mentioned that Prima skins count raked hands as those where you participated in the pot (i.e. were financially involved even if it was posting a small blind and the folding).  This is no longer the case - they changed the rule a while back after much campaigning/lobbying so they, like most sites, now count hands where you have simply been dealt cards and a rake is taken from the pot.  I'm not aware of them subsequently reversing this decision.

Sheriff

When did prima change it? I tried to take some out of "Pokerchamps" a Prima skin and they claimed I hadn't met the raked hands criteria. (This was in May). they wouldn't even let me take out only my initial deposit until I met the criteria despite building the $250 deposited up to $500. AFAIK its still mouldering there. >:(

Gaming Club changed it in December last year - I assumed other Prima skins did too but perhaps it was just TGC.

Their rep announced it on 2+2 - Gaming Club Post (http://archiveserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=inet&Number=1386105&Forum=,,,,f14,,,,&Words=&Searchpage=0&Limit=99&Main=1386105&Search=true&where=bodysub&Name=5200&daterange=1&newerval=1&newertype=y&olderval=&oldertype=&bodyprev=#Post1386105)

Sheriff

http://www.pokermetro.com/promo_matchplay_tc.asp

looks like not all prima skins are equal...

Thanks for the stuff about Prima Sheriff. I tried again and after 4 emails (they thought I'd deposited by c/c and wanted birth cert photo id, urine and blood samples :D etc) they have credited my balance onto Neteller. A welcome bonus as I'd written the money off as impossible to extract (without playing an innumerable number of pots on a site I hated the design of).

Only urine and blood - you got off lightly!

Glad you got a result (unlike on Saturday  ;D).

Personally, I don't mind the Prima set-up.  It was one of the first places I played so familiarity probably has something to do with it.  I also prefer their mini-view to the UB version which I've never managed to get on with.

Sheriff