This BetOnline Poker review is an honest assessment of an industry veteran. Launched in 2001 and still going strong, this operator has moved with the times by embracing the latest trends in poker.
BetOnline Poker Overview
- License: Panama Gaming Commission
- Platforms: Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS
- Payment: Cryptocurrencies (BTC, ETH, and more), credit/debit card, P2P, Money Order, wire transfer, check
- Rakeback: Up to 25% Rakeback (Loyalty Program)
- Poker Network: Chico Network
- Owned: BetOnline
- Established: 2001
- Accepted: US (excluding NJ), Canada, and many countries in Europe, Asia, and the Americas
- Website: www.betonline.ag
Are crypto payment options, straddles, rakeback, and novel poker variants enough to keep BetOnline at the top of the online pyramid? Let’s take an unfiltered look at everything it offers, including the BetOnline Poker promo code.
Competitive BetOnline Poker Rake
Is BetOnline Poker rake competitive? It wasn’t, but it is now.
The BetOnline Poker rake policy was updated in June 2024. Cash game rake went down from 5.56% to 5%.
That’s still higher than Bovada’s 3% rake, but it matches CoinPoker’s percentage with a lower rake cap. When it comes to BetOnline Poker tournaments, there’s a standard 10% fee.
BetOnline Poker Bonus 5/5
Does BetOnline have plenty of online poker bonuses? Here are the latest BetOnline Poker bonus offers and how they compare to other promos.
BetOnline Poker Sign Up Bonus
- Bonus Name: First deposit match
- Bonus Amount: $1,000
- Min. Deposit: $50
- Max Withdrawal: $1,000
- BetOnline Poker Bonus Code: POKER1000
The BetOnline Poker promo code POKER1000 gets you a first deposit match worth $1,000. That means you’ll receive bonus cash equal to the value of your initial deposit ($50 or over).
For context, that’s twice as much as you can get at Bovada but 50% less than CoinPoker’s welcome bonus. Even though it sits in between those two extremes, $1,000 is a lot of bonus cash to shoot for.
What’s most impressive about this BetOnline Poker bonus code offer is the fact that $5 is released each time you rake $50. That equates to an additional 10% rakeback on top of the rakeback you’ll already earn. We’ll discuss rakeback even further in the next section of this BetOnline Poker review.
Other than generous top-end value and favorable wagering requirements, the BetOnline Poker deposit bonus stands out because you receive free tournament tickets. Very few offshore poker sites give newbies free tournament tickets, so that’s already a positive.
The offer is even more attractive because you get 8 days worth of tickets, all of which give you the chance to win a seat in BetOnline’s $100,000 guaranteed Sunday major.
- Fast seating with Boost for zero waiting time
- Huge tournaments like Sunday Million and PKO's
- Solid traffic on Chico Poker Network
BetOnline Poker Races and Leaderboards
The spirit of competition is alive and well in every BetOnline Poker game you play, thanks to cash races. These daily competitions give you a second way to win when you play real-money cash games.
There’s $15,000 to play for every day, which is something other top-rated offshore poker sites can’t match.
Those of you who prefer BetOnline Poker tournaments can also get into the spirit of competition thanks to daily Boost and SNG leaderboards.
Finish among the day’s top players, and you’ll win a share of up to $1,500 in cash and tournament tickets.
BetOnline Poker Refer a Friend Bonus
Get friends and family members to deposit $50 or more using your referral link, and you’ll get up to $100.
There’s no limit on the number of people you can refer, which is rare.
The other upside to this BetOnline Poker bonus is that fact rewards are paid in cash rather than bonus credits. This means the money is yours to keep.
BetOnline Poker Rakeback
Second only to the BetOnline Poker sign-up bonus in terms of potential is the brand-new RISE Loyalty Program.
The name RISE is important because the rewards improve as your status improves. Specifically, the higher you climb, the more rakeback you receive.
Here’s how the BetOnline Poker rakeback system works:
| Level | Rake Required (Weekly) | Rakeback |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 (Bronze) | $500 to $999 | 10% |
| Level 2 (Silver) | $1,000 to $2,499 | 15% |
| Level 3 (Gold) | $2,500 to $4,999 | 20% |
| Level 4 (Platinum) | $5,000+ | 25% |
Having a graduated system of rewards is nice because it means everyone has a shot at earning rakeback. What we will say, however, is that the minimum rake requirements are slightly higher than we’d like.
It would be better if everyone got the same percentage. That being said, BetOnline Poker rakeback is paid in cash every Monday.
How to Claim BetOnline Poker Rakeback
Here’s how to get BetOnline Poker rakeback:
1. Use our registration link to create an account.
*Use the BetOnline Poker bonus code POKER1000.
2. Register to create your BetOnline Poker login.
3. Deposit $50 or more to claim the BetOnline Poker sign-up bonus.
4. Start playing real-money BetOnline Poker games.
Expert Tip – The best way to earn BetOnline Poker rakeback is to play Boost cash games on multiple tables. The fast-fold dynamic means you can play up to 4x more hands per hour than a standard cash game. So, you’ll generate more rake in less time.
BetOnline Poker Lobby 4/5
Unfortunately, there are a couple of obvious omissions from the list of games, namely Stud and Draw. However, thanks to a couple of novel options, we do think the BetOnline Poker room is better than most.
Texas Hold’em
Hold’em dominates the BetOnline Poker games lobby.
As you’d expect, you can play Limit, Pot Limit, and No Limit Hold’em cash games as well as tournaments.
We’ll talk about stakes and traffic later in this BetOnline Poker review. All you need to know for now is that the most action takes place at the Hold’em tables.
6+ Hold’em
One of the reasons we almost gave the BetOnline Poker room 5/5 is because it offers 6+ Hold’em, also known as Short Deck poker.
This variant removes all the cards lower than a 6, which increases the variance and shakes up the hand rankings. The end result is a Hold’em variant favored by action players.
Omaha
Pot Limit Omaha (PLO) is well represented at BetOnline. There are plenty of cash games and tournaments, including SNGs.
We also like the fact that Omaha players can win a bad beat jackpot.
Most online poker sites have one bad beat jackpot for Hold’em players, but BetOnline has a separate promotion for PLO players.
At PokerScout, BetOnline is one of our favorite sites for 5-Card Omaha, but best of all, it goes a step further by offering 6-Card games too.
Omaha Hi/Lo
Omaha Hi/Lo games start at $0.10/$0.25 and scale up to $5/$10.
The tables weren’t busy during our BetOnline Poker review, so you might struggle to find a game. For more action and options (games from $0.02/$0.05 to $10/$20), we recommend Bovada Poker.
Pineapple
Pineapple is another Hold’em spinoff that’s popular in land-based poker rooms around the world but not often seen online.
You start with 3 hole cards but discard one before the flop, which creates more possible hand combinations and, therefore, action.
Pineapple, along with 6+, is the reason we recommend BetOnline for experienced poker players wanting to expand their horizons and enjoy more action.
Cash Games
All of the variants we’ve just outlined are available inside the cash game lobby.
The majority of BetOnline Poker games start at $0.05/$0.10 and go up to $5/$10. We’re not saying $5/$10 games are affordable for the average poker player, but it’s not considered high stakes.
For example, you can play $10/$20 cash games at Bovada and, if you’re incredibly well-bankrolled, $1,000/$2,000 games at CoinPoker. So, in this regard, BetOnline is lagging behind.
Even though we saw a few active tables at $5/$10, things were quieter between $1/$2 and $2/$5. Therefore, if you’re a high-stakes player, BetOnline might not be the best option.
If, however, you’re a novice, there’s plenty of micro and low-stakes action across all variants, including 6+ Hold’em and Pineapple.
What’s more, there are 2 bad beat jackpots, as we’ve said, and novel table features that we’ll discuss towards the end of this BetOnline Poker review.
BetOnline Poker Tournaments
There are plenty of BetOnline Poker tournaments to choose from, regardless of how big your bankroll is.
Indeed, the BetOnline Poker sign-up bonus sets the tone in this regard. From free tickets for newbies, you can enter Poker Appreciation Freerolls every Monday at 6:00 pm ET.
Weekly BetOnline Customer Appreciation Freerolls
| Guarantee | Rake Required | Places Paid | Fixed Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | $10-$99 | 50 | $20 |
| $2,000 | $100-$199 | 50 | $40 |
| $4,000 | $200-$499 | 50 | $80 |
The tiered nature of the freerolls is great because it gives everyone a fair shot at claiming a ticket. What’s also really impressive is the fact prizes are paid in fixed amounts.
We’re not denying that tournaments are appealing because of their top-heavy payout structures.
However, freerolls are essentially bankroll builders. Therefore, fixed payouts work because they reduce the variance and give you a better chance of boosting your bankroll without any risk.
In addition to freerolls, the BetOnline Poker tournaments schedule contains a healthy selection of mystery bounty MTTs, as well as daily guaranteed events and rebuy tournaments.
Then, on Sundays, it’s all about the $109 buy-in $250,000 Sunday Main Event.
You can re-enter up to 3 times, which is nice. We also like the fact you get a 250 BB starting stack. 10 minute levels aren’t so great, but it does reduce the time it takes for this tournament to finish.
Finally, with $25 satellites throughout the week, it’s a great way to play for big prizes at BetOnline.
BetOnline Poker Annual Tournament Festivals
We always praise poker operators that focus on novices as much as high rollers, which is why it’s worth highlighting 2 annual tournament festivals at BetOnline Poker:
- BetOnline Poker Micro Series: Buy-ins from $1.10 and guarantees topping $250,000
- BetOnline Championship Online Poker Series: Buy-ins from $11, satellites from $1, a $300,000 main event, and a total guarantee of $3 million.
BetOnline Poker SNGs
SNGs could be where BetOnline’s tournament lobby shines brightest. All the usual formats are available from $0.25 up to $30.
In our opinion, $30 is a bit low in terms of a top-end buy-in, but that doesn’t concern us because you can also play SNG satellites, All-in or Fold SNGs, and Mystery Bounty SNGs from $0.25.
If that’s not enough, BetOnline offers 3-handed All-in or Fold Jackpot Windfalls SNGs, which have random payouts worth up to $75,000.
Playing At BetOnline Poker: Tips and Tricks
We want this BetOnline Poker review to help you get maximum value from your time online.
With this in mind, here are some tips that can help you thrive at BetOnline’s tables:
Deposits & Withdrawals 4/5
BetOnline has more banking options than virtually every other online poker site available in North America.
The minimum deposit for Bitcoin could be slightly lower, and the limits for certain fiat payment methods should definitely be improved.
However, if you’re looking for fast transactions and plenty of options, few operators can compete with BetOnline Poker.
| Deposit Method | Min. Deposit | Deposit Fees | Min. Withdrawal | Withdrawal Fees | Withdrawal Processing Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin (BTC) | $20 in BTC equivalent | No | $100 in BTC equivalent | Variable | 24 hours |
| Ethereum (ETH) | $20 in ETH equivalent | No | $200 in ETH equivalent | Variable | 24 hours |
| Avalanche (AVAX) | $20 in AVAX equivalent | No | $20 in AVAX equivalent | No | 24 hours |
| Binance Coin (BNB) | $20 in BNB equivalent | No | $20 in BNB equivalent | No | 24 hours |
| Bitcoin Cash (BCH) | $20 in BCH equivalent | No | $20 in BCH equivalent | No | 24 hours |
| Cardano (ADA) | $20 in ADA equivalent | No | $20 in ADA equivalent | No | 24 hours |
| Dogecoin (DOGE) | $20 in DOGE equivalent | No | $20 in DOGE equivalent | No | 24 hours |
| Litecoin (LTC) | $20 in LTC equivalent | No | $20 in LTC equivalent | No | 24 hours |
| Polygon (MATIC) | $20 in MATIC equivalent | No | $20 in MATIC equivalent | No | 24 hours |
| Ripple (XRP) | $20 in XRP equivalent | No | $20 in XRP equivalent | No | 24 hours |
| Shiba Inu (SHIB) | $20 in SHIB equivalent | No | $20 in SHIB equivalent | No | 24 hours |
| Solana (SOL) | $20 in SOL equivalent | No | $20 in SOL equivalent | No | 24 hours |
| Stellar (XLM) | $20 in XLM equivalent | No | $20 in XLM equivalent | No | 24 hours |
| Tether (USDT) | $20 in USDT equivalent | No | $200 in USDT equivalent | Variable | 24 hours |
| Tron (TRX) | $20 in TRX equivalent | No | $20 in TRX equivalent | No | 24 hours |
| USD Coin (USDC) | $20 in USDC equivalent | No | $200 in USDC equivalent | Variable | 24 hours |
| Visa/MasterCard/Discover/AMEX | $25 | Variable | No | N/A | N/A |
| Person to Person | $100 | No | $50 | Between $26 and $51 | 5 business days |
| Money Order | $300 | No | $1,000 | $80 | 7 business days |
| Wire Transfer | $500 | No | $500 | Between $45 and 3% of the withdrawal amount | 15 business days |
| Cashier’s Check | $1,500 | No | $500 | Between $50 and 3% of the withdrawal amount | 7 business days |
The only other thing we’d say about BetOnline’s banking options is that fees aren’t ideal. As you can see from the table above, there are BetOnline Poker withdrawal fees for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and all fiat payment methods.
The crypto fees are beyond BetOnline’s control, but it would be nice to see the charges for fiat payments reduced.
If you read our Bovada Poker review, you’ll see that customers get one fee-free wire transfer every day.
Interface & User Experience 5/5
You can use our BetOnline Poker download link to install the desktop app or access a full section of games, promotions, and features via the instant-play website. We tried both and, surprisingly, there isn’t much between them.
The BetOnline Poker app is slicker in terms of its presentation because it’s contained inside a purpose-built platform.
However, the BetOnline Poker site is just as user-friendly, particularly when you compare it to other popular websites like Bovada Poker.
Some players might feel slightly overwhelmed with the number of page elements on the website, but the layout is such that navigation isn’t an issue.
In fact, BetOnline has some really useful features that make it incredibly easy to ante up at multiple tables.
When it comes to poker, BetOnline makes your experience effortless, efficient, and enjoyable by offering the following features:
- Apply the BetOnline Poker promo code for the first deposit bonus.
- Play up to eight tables simultaneously.
- Pre-select how many tables you want to join at once.
- View tables before joining.
- Straddle in cash games.
- All-in insurance.
- Run it up to 3 times.
- Game Guides and a poker calculator.
- Access your hand history.
- Tap to switch from BetOnline Poker play money games to real-money games.
- Customizable table settings, including card and table colors.
- Take player notes at the table.
- Throw virtual objects at other players.
Can I use trackers and HUDs on BetOnline Poker?
Yes, you can use a BetOnline Poker tracker to record the hands you play.
Unfortunately, Holdem Manager and PokerTracker aren’t compatible with BetOnline.
However, you can use DriveHUD or the BetOnline Card Catcher to capture hand data. As well as reviewing your own hands, these trackers allow you to run a BetOnline Poker HUD and see opponents’ stats in real-time.
BetOnline Poker Mobile App 4/5
Like many other great poker apps, the BetOnline mobile poker app mirrors its desktop counterpart.
Multi-tabling isn’t as easy, and the smaller table size means you need to focus more than you otherwise would.
However, in terms of gaming options, features, and BetOnline Poker no deposit bonus offers, there’s no difference between the desktop and mobile app.
Why BetOnline Poker is a Reliable and Safe App
Are the BetOnline Poker mobile app, desktop app, and website safe? Yes.
This operator has been active for more than 25 years, which is longer than almost any other poker site online.
Surviving in a competitive industry for that long is a testament to the quality of BetOnline’s software and, moreover, the company’s commitment to customer service and safety.
In terms of specifics, here’s why the website and BetOnline Poker app are safe:
- BetOnline Poker is licensed and regulated by the Panama Gaming Control Board.
- BetOnline’s RNG (Random Number Generator) is certified as fair by Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), which means hands are random and fair.
- BetOnline has a Secure SSL Encryption certificate, which means your personal and financial data each time you use the website or app. This encryption is further enhanced by password-protected accounts and, if you wish, 2-factor Authentication (2FA).
- You can add an extra layer of security to your account by enabling 2-factor Authentication (2FA).
- You’ll need to complete a captcha each time you use your BetOnline Poker login on a new device to prove you’re not a bot.
- As a popular crypto poker site, its payments allow you to make secure, decentralized deposits and withdrawals from anywhere in the world.
- One-tap tech reports allow you to flag technical issues without having to contact the customer support team manually.
BetOnline Poker Customer Service
The FAQ might be a little tricky to find, but it’s full of useful information. A lot of BetOnline Poker reviews praise the customer support team.
For example, “brickstodeybutt” on Reddit said that it’s nice to see a support team made up of “real humans” rather than the “AI chatbots” you get at other poker sites.
We spoke to the live chat team for this BetOnline Poker review and got answers within 2 minutes. You can speak to a representative for queries about the BetOnline Poker promo code, tournaments, banking limits, and more.
BetOnline Poker Customer Support
- 24/7 live chat
- BetOnline Poker phone line (24/7): 1-888-426-3661
- BetOnline Poker email: [email protected]
Where is BetOnline Poker Legal?
BetOnline Poker is available in the US (excluding New Jersey), Canada, parts of Asia, South and Central America, and Europe.
Some notable exceptions include the UK, France, Malta, and Australia.
However, it’s possible to access the BetOnline Poker site from any country where online poker isn’t explicitly outlawed using a VPN.
Is BetOnline Poker legit?
Yes, BetOnline Poker is legit.
It’s offered online poker, casino gaming, and sports betting for more than 25 years.
In fact, the company’s roots stretch back to 1991, so it’s one of the oldest online gambling companies in the world.
What We Like
- Up to 25% rakeback
- $3 million tournament series
- Straddles and run it multiple times
- Bad beat jackpots
- Novel variants, including Pineapple
What We Don’t Like
- Doesn’t offer Stud and Draw
- Rakeback could be higher
- Needs more high-stakes games
BetOnline Poker Review – Overall Verdict
It’s no coincidence that BetOnline has been around for more than a quarter of a century. It’s not the perfect platform, but very few online poker sites are faultless. If we had our way, there’d be a few more high-stakes games, and the rake could be lowered further.
However, when it comes to offering juicy cash games across a unique range of variants, added value, and innovative software, BetOnline Poker is hard to beat.
If you’re a newbie or a mid-stakes grinder, there are plenty of reasons to try this well-established poker site.
- Generous promotions and rakeback.
- Great selection of games, including 6+ Hold’em.
- Pro-level cash game features, including straddles.
- Fast seating with Boost for zero waiting time
- Huge tournaments like Sunday Million and PKO's
- Solid traffic on Chico Poker Network