Other sites require you to collect a certain amount of player points that are only acquired by playing real-money cash games. Only after achieving the player points will you be able to collect your bonus. and sometimes you may even require you to earn an amount that may be 10 times the bonus amount. For example, if the bonus reward is $50, you would have to earn 500 site points (50 x 10) before you see your bonus. Depending on how fast these points accumulate (which is different for every site) you may be depositing more of your own money before you get your original bonus.

If you are playing cash games, most sites reward points in accordance with raked dollars. Here, point accumulation depends on the site’s rake, which may be, for instance, 5% of every pot. If you are playing tournaments, you will want to make note of how many player points are rewarded per dollar paid in tournament dollar fees.

Beware of these conditions, so you aren’t disappointed when you find out after the fact.

Factors to beware of before jumping on a bonus offer: Number of hands that must be playedAmount of player points you must achieveRate at which player points accumulateHow points are accumulated

Where to find this information:

First, read the “Bonus Details” carefully

For player points: This information shouldn’t be hard to find; the points program is usually introduced under the “Promotions” section of a site, which accompanies a link to a further detailed page.

For rake information: Most sites have a “Rake Page” that can be found under tabs such as “FAQ” or “Poker Rules” or “Terms and Conditions” (it may take a little looking to locate this information; it is not necessarily being hidden from you, but anything considered “fine print” is going to be buried).

If you’re looking to play online poker for free, there is always “bonus busting,” which can potentially create a bankroll from little or no funds.

First, find a site that offers a “no deposit bonus.” These sites give you minimal funds to start playing with just for downloading their software and playing on their site (like $10, but for the lucky player, that could turn into more!) They will most likely require a credit card to ensure the same player doesn’t get the bonus more than once. No Deposit Poker is a good place to start looking for these bonuses.

Poker bonuses on online poker websites are usually only awarded to first-time players who play with real money. The common term for this is players who make “first-time deposits.” It is these deposits that yield the deposit bonuses (eg. “100% bonus up to $100″). There are some sites that claim to offer the best bonuses and some of these do, but too often are the conditions to which these bonuses are awarded ignored.

The poker site that you choose to make a first-time deposit with will have these requirements readily available, usually in a link titled “more details,” or something very similar. These “details” are important. They outline the specifications that the site requires you, as the player, to meet, before they will award the bonus that they promise. It’s like reading the fine print.

Some sites offer “instant bonuses” and these have no further requirement than probably just downloading the software, so that you have access to their cashier. Other sites will ask you to play a certain number of raked hands or accumulate a certain number of points. When raked hands and player points are thrown into the mix, the player must then probe further into the website to make sure he understands the specifications of rakes and the individual points system that is unique to each site.

Another important condition that is often tacked on to these bonuses is the amount of time you have to collect them. If a site requires you to play x amount of raked hands, there is probably a number of days that you must play them in. Then, your bonus will show up, long after your initial deposit is gone, or hopefully it’s doubled or tripled via your skills, without the bonus!

If you manage to meet the bonus requirements (collecting enough player points and/or playing the required number of raked hands, etc.) and you still have money in your account, this probably means you are a pretty good online poker player. If you wanted to, you could take the bonus, cash out of the site, and you’ve made money! Yes, if you can stick it out long enough to claim the bonus, it becomes real money in your pocket.

Some online poker players have this system down to a science and have collected a pretty good amount of money going from site to site, making deposits, clearing the requirements, and then cashing out. It sounds more like a hobby than a career, but for some it’s just exciting to get money for nothing (though you will have to put forth some time-if it’s fun, then it’s worth it!)

There are even some sites that offer small bonuses, no strings attached. These sites just want players to come and check them out. They want you to download their software and give them a try. It’s like getting a free trial, and of course they hope you will stay, but if you don’t like their software, or never had any intention of depositing any of your own money in the first place, simply uninstall their software and go on to the next.