Launched in 2002, 888 has spent decades perfecting its craft and becoming one of the top destinations for online poker in the entire world. And the great news for UK card enthusiasts is that they can now try out the software for themselves.

If you are considering getting into online poker, we recommend giving 888 Poker a try. It has fantastic and functional software, great banking options and a truly fun rewards program. Lastly, it is offering a stellar twofold welcome bonus for players who create a new account.

Have we piqued your interest? In this article, we’ll break down the various advantages and disadvantages of 888’s software. We’ll also explain how to take advantage of one of two welcome bonuses where you can get a free twenty quid for your bankroll, or a 100% match on your first deposit (up to £800)!

888 Poker promo code UK – November 2024

UK ONLINE POKER SITE888 Poker
ONLINE SINCE2002
PROMO CODEWELCOME100
NO DEPOSIT BONUS£20 in tournament tickets
SIGN-UP BONUS100% up to £1,000
GLOBAL TRAFFIC#7 worldwide

How to register an 888 Poker account in the UK

Creating a player account with 888 Poker is quick and easy. Just remember that to be eligible you need to be physically located within the United Kingdom and of legal gambling age. If you meet those requirements, follow these steps to create your account and start hitting the felt:

  • Visit the 888 Poker UK website on a desktop/laptop computer or compatible smart device.
  • Look for a blue button with the words “Sign Up & Download 888Poker” located smack in the middle of the landing page once you arrive.
    • This initiates the download of the 888 software onto your device.
  • After installing the software, run the program and click “Sign Up.”
  • Follow the prompts and fill out the information requested.
  • Choose a great username and create a strong password as the final step of registration.

888 Poker UK sign up bonuses

888 Poker is unique among online poker providers in the UK because it offers you the chance to pick between one of two bonuses to new players. You can get £20 in tournament tickets for free without depositing a cent. Or, if you do decide to deposit, you can earn a 100% match on your bonus up to £800. Read on for more info about how to maximise both of these bonuses.

£20 no deposit bonus

Simply signing up for a new player account allows you to receive £20 in tournament tickets even without depositing money. You receive the US Dollar equivalent of $25 in tickets. You get three different batches of tickets. You get the first after signing up. The second batch comes three days after claiming the first. And the third and final match comes seven days after you signed up. Note that you will need to spend each ticket within 24 hours of receipt.

  • 18+ UK new players only • £20 free bonus: Full T&C apply • Bonus will be granted in Tournament Tickets gradually over seven days after the claim date • Each Tournament Ticket will expire 24 hours after it was granted • Deposit bonus: Full T&C’s apply • First deposit only

100% matched-deposit bonus up to £800

Players who use the 888 Poker promo code UK WELCOME100 when signing up for an account will become eligible for a 100% match on their first deposit, worth up to a maximum of £800. Do not expect to receive this money all at once though. Bonus funds are released in £8 increments for every 100 rewards points earned by the player. Rewards points are earned through various activities in the app, such as playing in cash games, tournaments and the virtual casino.

For example, say you deposit £800 onto the site. You stand to earn an extra £800 simply by playing on the site. You will get it in 100 £8 increments as you earn rewards points. Note that you will need to play through your bonus funds at least once before they can be withdrawn.

All things considered, this bonus is fairly easy to grind out if you plan on spending any significant amount of time playing at 888 Poker. Amateur players who are not going to commit the time may find it difficult to earn the full reward, but committed poker players will find themselves earning this 100% bonus in no time.

  • Min. deposit £10 • The bonus will be granted in £8 chunks subject to wagering restrictions of 100 Bonus Points per chunk • The Bonus is capped at £800 • Valid for selected games only when playing Casino • Wagering req. vary by game • Bonus expires in 90 days • Be GambleAware

888 Poker UK traffic overview

Site visits are fairly steady at 888. It maintains the second-largest player base of any poker site in the world. Granted, its visitor numbers are dwarfed by the online giant PokerStars, but the 888 UI and other features make it a great destination for amateurs and veterans alike.

Cash traffic

Typically, cash games at 888 will average around 1,500 players most weeks. The most common times to log on are the peak hours of 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. GMT. Play then and you are likely to see upwards of 2,500 players at any given time. Because the 888 player base is so much smaller than at PokerStars, you can count on the competition to be slightly easier, making it fertile ground for big profits. Like most other poker sites, the vast majority of traffic takes place at the No Limit Hold’em tables.

Tournament traffic

Tournaments at 888 also garner a lot of digital traffic. 888’s most popular tourneys are small stakes, with an average buy-in of less than £15. These tournaments often attract up to 2,000 players. Even though there are fewer events than at some other sites, the experience is pleasant, and the tables are usually full.

Poker software and the 888 Poker UK app

If you are looking for flashy, ultra-modern poker software, 888 may not meet your needs. Truthfully, its program could use a bit of a facelift. The great thing about the software, though, is that it is very functional and easy to navigate. We encountered almost no glitches during our hands-on trial and found the interface very intuitive. You will be able to jump into your favourite cash games or tournaments within seconds of launching the program. Once on the table, you will see a convenient display of all the pertinent information you need. There may not be many frills or extras to be had, but you will not be underwhelmed by the 888 Poker software. It is a fully functional (if a bit outdated) option for your online poker needs.

888 Poker games

No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em continues to be the most popular variant in the poker world, and the tables at 888 are no exception. Any time, day or night, you can sit down and get a Hold ‘Em game within seconds. That’s the good news. The bad news is that despite featuring several other popular variants, 888 struggles to fill those tables consistently during off-peak hours.

Still, if you are a weekend player and want to get in on some Omaha or Stud action, you should find a good game. And if not, there are always tournaments and sit and go’s kicking off every hour. 888 is home to a lot of great poker. Let’s recap a few types.

888 Poker cash games 

If you play Hold ‘Em, you will love playing at 888 Poker. There are always games going at the low- to medium-stake levels, and even frequent high-stakes games if you play during the peak weekend hours. There are also other available variants if you’re lucky. Cash games are the fastest way to build your bonus points to level up in the 888 Rewards Program and also fulfil the playthrough requirement for your welcome bonus. Here are the variants currently on offer at 888 Poker:

  • Texas Hold ‘Em (Limit and No Limit)
    • Stakes range from £0.01/£0.02 up to £500/£1000, but you will find the vast majority of the action at the low and micro-stakes tables, even during peak hours.
  • Pot Limit Omaha
    • Stakes range in theory from £0.01/£0.02 up to £50/£100, but you will be hard-pressed to find much action at anything except for the smallest of stakes. It’s up to you whether that is worth your time.
  • High/Low PLO
  • Seven Card Stud
    • Stud stakes vary from £0.02/£0.04 to £30/£60 when you can get a game off, but the most likely scenario for stud players at 888 Poker is heads-up action.
  • High/Low Seven Card Stud
  • Fast Fold Snap Games
    • This variant is great for players who are short on patience. Once you fold, you are whisked to a new table with a new hand. This allows for ultra-fast action. It’s a great way to grind out that bonus offer.
  • Flopomania – Exclusive to 888, this interesting variant follows all the normal rules of No Limit Hold ‘Em, except the action starts on the flop. There is no pre-flop betting or action of any sort.

888 Poker multi-table tournaments 

888 recently revamped its tournament offerings to attract more recreational players. Playing in poker tourneys is a great way to maximise your return while minimising your risk. The downside is that you need to be patient and have lots of time on your hands. Tournaments are a popular offering at 888, so you should have no trouble identifying a tournament that interests you. They run around the clock, with a huge range of stakes to appeal to any poker player. Keep an eye out for monthly guaranteed prize pool tournaments to really try and make a big splash.

Here are a few of the tournament types you’ll find at 888:

  • Multi-Table Tournaments – MTTs are the most played and most lucrative tournaments available. With huge player pools (and thus, huge prize pools), these daily tournaments draw a lot of action. Visit on Sundays to get the most action by playing in the large Sunday Mega Series.
  • Fish ‘n’ Chips Tournaments – These low buy-in tournaments attract the largest player pools. Stakes run from £1 to £30. Look for huge, guaranteed prize pools.
  • High Roller Tournaments – Check out these bigger buy-in tourneys with fewer players and, thus, a greater chance of winning! These tournaments cap out at £109 with a £10,000 guaranteed prize pool.
  • Heads Up – Play against one other player. The victor gets the prize pool: double their buy-in.
  • Bounty Tournaments – Get a prize for knocking out opponents. Even if you don’t finish first, you can still make a killing by being a poker assassin.
  • Sit and Go’s – These single-table tournaments are available on demand. As soon as the table fills, the tournament begins. Buy-ins for sit and go’s start at just £0.25.
  • BLAST Tournaments – Four combatants play for a randomly awarded prize. This price can be worth up to 10,000x your buy-in, but the most likely scenario is 10x, which is still a nice return for a four-handed tournament.

888 Poker’s rewards program

Until recently, the rewards program at 888 was confusing and, frankly, not very “rewarding.” That all changed when 888 rolled out its new loyalty program. It simplified things, making it faster and easier for poker players to stack rewards. This has led to increased brand loyalty and a larger player pool overall for 888.

At first glance, you might be intimidated by the various steps and levels that the new program features. Worry not: after reading this section, you’ll have all the knowledge you need to begin your journey toward earning amazing poker rewards.

The first thing you need to do is make a real money deposit. This will automatically enrol you in 888’s loyalty club. The program consists of various levels and tiers, so you will be starting at the bottom if you are creating a brand-new account. To progress through the ranks, you’ll need to play cash or tournament poker for real money. The higher you level up, the better the prize options.

Playing poker isn’t the only way to level up, but it is certainly the fastest. Furthermore, look out for occasional fun Club Challenges, which allow you to earn rewards points simply by completing specific tasks, such as knocking out a rival in a tournament.

Progressing through the ranks will earn you Gold Tokens. You’ll get a certain amount each time you level up, and these can be traded in for prizes like electronics, 888 Poker merch and even cash for your player account. You’ll also be eligible for monthly freeroll tournaments, which are exclusive to players at your rewards level.

We give high praise to 888 for scrapping its old, outdated rewards program and implementing one that feels fresh and exciting. With eye-catching graphics and a fun path to rewards, you are going to love seeing how you progress through the levels to reach the top of the rankings.

888 Poker deposit/withdrawal options

The sheer variety of banking options at 888 is reason enough to rank it near the top of the heap of online poker operators. Players can deposit and withdraw with whatever method is most convenient for them. Of course, the most popular methods are all supported, but so are some of the lesser-known eWallet methods, which some players find more secure. Here’s a list of accepted deposit and withdrawal methods as of this writing:

Deposit Methods

  • Visa/MasterCard
  • PayPal
  • Skrill
  • MuchBetter eWallet
  • NETELLER
  • ecoPayz eWallet
  • Trustly
  • INTERAC e-transfer
  • Pay4Fun e-wallet
  • Rapid Transfer
  • iDebit
  • Wire Transfer
  • Apple Pay
  • PaySafeCard
  • Oxxo

Withdrawal Methods

  • Visa/MasterCard
  • PayPal
  • Skrill
  • MuchBetter eWallet
  • NETELLER
  • ecoPayz eWallet
  • Trustly
  • INTERAC e-transfer
  • Pay4Fun e-wallet
  • Rapid Transfer
  • iDebit
  • Wire Transfer

Check 888 Poker’s website for the fine print on some of these methods. There are different minimums associated with each option. Thankfully, 888 does not charge a fee for depositing or withdrawing money from your account, but some payment processors might. Do your homework before selecting your method.

888 Poker UK customer support

As mentioned, we were underwhelmed by the customer service response at 888 Poker UK. It does have a pretty helpful FAQ section on the website, so definitely check there first before trying to contact customer service. If you do need further assistance, there are a number of ways to get it, but be prepared to wait for a resolution. Implementing a live chat option would go a long way, but that is not an option currently. Regardless, you will eventually get your issue resolved using any of the following methods:

  • FAQ and Help section on the website
  • Customer support phone number
  • Support email address
  • “Contact Us” web form

Conclusion

There are certainly lots of reasons to put your money down at 888 Poker UK. It has a great user interface, lots of poker variants, a fabulous range of stakes and a respectable player pool. On top of this, it is offering one of the best welcome bonuses in the industry: a £20 no deposit bonus or a 100% initial deposit match worth up to £800.

Some downsides to playing at 888 include slow customer support response, a slightly outdated mobile app and a dearth of players for high-stakes cash games. Regardless, these shortcomings should not scare you away from trying out 888. Overall, we were very happy with our experience playing on the site. There is something for players of all types—from newbies to seasoned vets.

Best of all, the games always felt fair and evenly balanced, which means that it was always a fun time, win or lose. All that said, give 888 Poker UK a try. Don’t forget to use 888 Poker promo code WELCOME100 to claim the 100% deposit match.

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