BetOnline Poker is currently the flagship skin on the Chico Poker Network – a growing network primarily consisting of sports book web sites. Because of the nature of players the network attracts, BetOnline Poker is an attractive proposition for any online poker player with an average level of skill, particularly now that the site is offering a huge welcome bonus of 200% up to $2,500.

The Choice of Games at BetOnline Poker

BetOnline Poker limits the choice of cash games to FL and NL Texas Hold´em, PL and NL Omaha and FL and PL Omaha Hi/Lo. The range of stakes goes all the way up to $5.00/$10.00, and could go even higher in the near future due to the volume of players filling the tables at the highest stake levels. Sit & Go players are well catered for, but only at NL Texas Hold´em.

BetOnline Poker pays out more than $250,000 in guaranteed prize pools every month, although in modest amounts – the regular Sunday feature is guaranteed for just $15,000, although once a month this increases to $50,000. Like most paid-for BetOnline poker tournaments, the regular Sunday feature event has unlimited re-buys during the first hour and an add-on option at the end of the re-buy period.

The Level of Traffic at BetOnline Poker

The level of traffic at BetOnline Poker is pretty good. If you take Bodog/Bovada out of the equation (because it attracts a lot of players from the Far East), BetOnline Poker is challenging to be the leading US-facing online poker site. Admittedly, BetOnline also attracts a lot of players from the rest of the world, and this means that there is always some action at the tables around the clock.

One of the reasons for BetOnline Poker´s success is that it accepts players from any jurisdiction. This also has its advantages for players in regulated US states or in ring-fenced European countries, where there is only a short window of opportunity each day to play in cash games with decent money on the table or to compete in poker tournaments with a worthwhile prize pool.

The Quality of Play at BetOnline Poker

We mentioned above how BetOnline Poker resides on a network primarily consisting of sports betting web sites but that it also attracts a lot of players that may not have any suitable options to play online poker where they live. Consequently the quality of play at BetOnline Poker can be a bit of a mixed bag. Generally, you will find that the level of skill increases with the stake levels at the cash game tables.

However, the tournaments are a different matter completely. Whether it is because of the low buy-ins or the re-buy and add-on structure, players tend to play particularly loosely during BetOnline poker tournaments. With a little patience and some sensible play, there is no reason why players of an average standard should fail to show a profit from playing poker tournaments at BetOnline.

The BetOnline Poker Bonus

The BetOnline Poker bonus is a massive 200% match on poker deposits up to $1,250. This means that you can deposit $1,250 into your poker account and be eligible for a bonus of $2,500. Unlike most poker bonuses that are released incrementally, the BetOnline Poker bonus is weighted to favor recreational players and released in five pre-determined stages.

The bonus is cleared by earning Player Option Points (POPs) for paying into cash game pots or when you enter a Sit & Go or multitable tournament with a buy-in of $10.00 or more. POP Points are awarded at the rate of 10 POPs/$, so it is not difficult to quickly clear the first few stages of the bonus. It gets tougher to reach the fourth and fifth stages of the bonus, but players have 120 days to rise to the challenge.

A quick word about the BetOnline Poker bonus. The poker bonus offer of 200% up to $2,500 is a higher offer than is advertised on the BetOnline website and available to readers of PokerRealMoney.com for a limited time only. To be eligible for the maximum bonus, you must create your account using the BetOnline Poker bonus code “VIP2500” and – when you receive your account number via email after registering – email poker@betonline.ag to have the bonus code applied to your account.

The BetOnline Poker Download

The BetOnline Poker download and software installation just takes a couple of minutes and is remarkably easy to complete. Simply follow our links to the BetOnline Poker download page and click on the green “Free Download” button. BetOnline will determine what operating system you are using and start downloading the appropriate installation file for Windows or Mac OS.

When the installation file has downloaded, click on it to start the installation process. A dialogue box will open up to guide you through the software set-up – where you are given the options of enabling/disabling shortcuts and choosing your preferred location of the BetOnline software folder (one is created by default if you don´t have a preference).

Creating a BetOnline Poker Account

Once the download an installation is complete, the BetOnline Poker client will open up on your desktop and you will be invited to “Open an Account for Free”. The registration process consists of a two page form that simply asks you to select a username and a password and enter a few personal details. It is important that you complete the account creation process using the same name and address format as any documents you will rely on later to verify your account.

On the second of the registration pages you will be asked to enter the BetOnline Poker Bonus Code “VIP1000” to take advantage of the exclusive bonus offer. When you have completed the account creation process, you will be sent an email with your BetOnline account number. Remember to also include this in your email to poker@betonline.ag to have the bonus code applied to your account.

Funding a BetOnline Poker Account

The options for funding a BetOnline Poker account depend on your country of residence and also whether or not you are aiming for the maximum BetOnline Poker bonus (maximum limits of $1,000 apply to certain deposit options). Players in the US can use Visa and MasterCard backed credit cards, Western Union, MoneyGram, Bank Wire and Bitcoin to fund their accounts, while players from the rest of the world can also take advantage of Neteller.

Withdrawals can be made via Western Union, MoneyGram, Bank Wire and Bitcoin for US players, or back to a Neteller E-wallet for players outside the US. It is worth noting that there are very low withdrawal limits on Western Union and MoneyGram withdrawals ($600), and BetOnline charges fees for cashouts. Consequently you will need to consider which is the best deposit and withdrawal method to keep as much of your winnings as possible.

BetOnline Poker VIP Program

The BetOnline Poker VIP program is very basic. Once the 120 days you are allowed to clear the BetOnline Poker bonus have expired, any subsequent POP Points you collect for contributing to the rake or paying a tournament entry fee accumulate in your VIP account. These can then be used to enter POP-2-Cash poker tournaments or exchanged for cash.

The cash exchange rate is particularly low (equivalent to 5% rakeback) and it is often more viable to use the POPs for tournament entries. There are dedicated Sit & Go games with POP buy-ins which are quite popular and which can be quite lucrative for accomplished online poker players.

BetOnline Poker is Most Suitable for:-

• Players who love massive bonuses with reasonable clearing requirements
• Low to mid stake cash game players – particularly if you play Omaha
• Tournament players with a degree of patience
• Players in US States where online poker is otherwise unavailable

Avoid BetOnline Poker if:-

• You want to play games other than Texas Hold´em and Omaha
• You want snazzy software with hundreds of bells and whistles
• If you like late registering to a poker tournament
• If you motive for playing online poker is the rewards program

BetOnline Poker Q&A

Is it legal for US players to play online poker for real money at BetOnline Poker?

Provided that it is not a criminal offence to play online poker in the jurisdiction where you live, you should have no problem playing online poker at BetOnline.

Does BetOnline ever host tournaments worth more than $15,000?

From time to time BetOnline will raise its Sunday guarantee or add tournament entry tickets to the cash prizes. Keep an eye on our news pages for more info about enhanced tournament guarantees.

How busy is BetOnline outside of the US evening?

Obviously the site gets quieter after midnight ET, but due to the number of players registered with BetOnline from the rest of the world, it is not the graveyard you experience on some sites.

Is it possible to multitable to clear the BetOnline Poker bonus quicker?

Yes, but only up to four cash game tables simultaneously. To earn POP Points quicker, it might be an idea to check out the FL Texas Hold´em tables or Omaha Hi/Lo tables.

Do I have to fund my BetOnline account straight away?

Although BetOnline Poker provides a play money option, it is not very busy, and you might find it hard to find a game. If you would rather become familiar with the software before making a deposit, play a few of the many freeroll tournaments that BetOnline offers.

What are the system requirements for the BetOnline Poker software?

BetOnlinePoker Download	for Windows		for Mac
System Requirements	Minimum	Recommended	Minimum	Recommended
Operating System	Windows XP	Windows 10	Mac OS X 10.4	Mac OS X 10.6+
Processor	800MHz Pentium	1GHz Pentium	800 MHz G4	Intel x86
Memory	500MB RAM	1GB RAM	500MB RAM	1GB RAM
Disc Space	100MB	100MB	100MB	100MB
Screen Resolution	800×600	1024×768	800×600	1024×768