888poker - A Review
888poker — a review
With the rise in online poker websites, it can be difficult to know the best place to go to play your favourite game. Launched in 2002 (and owned by 888 Holdings plc), 888 poker is one of the more established online poker brands, and has developed such a great reputation over the years that it has become a World Series of Poker sponsor. But how good is the website, really, for its players? And why is it worth giving it a try?
We’ve reviewed the pros and cons of 888poker and answered some of the most popular questions about the website.
How to register for an account
888poker has made it extremely easy for new players to register for an account. After launching the client application, users are then asked the fill out a registration form which includes details like your email address. For safety precautions, there is the possibility of confirming your identity with a government-issued ID, although this does depend on your country of residence. This is to ensure that you aren’t playing poker from a country where playing online poker for real money is illegal; 888poker have provided users with a list of eligible countries on their website, so be sure to check and see if yours has made the cut.
The Bonuses
One of the pros of opening an 888 account is the variety of bonuses they offer their users — many of which are great (and free!) opportunities to earn a bit more cash while playing your favourite game. While many poker websites offer bonuses, 888poker’s are a little bit different from the rest. We’ll go through them so you can see what kind of offers you can take advantage of when registering to the website. Some are, of course, better than others.
First, there’s the $88 no-deposit bonus. Here’s how it works.
Once you’ve verified your email, you’ll receive $1 in cash as well as $7 in $0.50 tournament tickets. These will be released throughout the course of a week at the rate of two tickets per day; with the remaining $80 remitted to your account in $8 chunks ($1 in cash and $7 in tournament tickets). These chunks are released the moment you collect 250 bonus points, with players earning points at a rate of two points for $1 paid in rake or in tournament fees. Once you’ve accumulated 2.5 points for every $1 you’ve received you can then withdraw the promotional money.
Another bonus offer is the 100 percent matched bonus up to $800. This bonus is released in $10 instalments as you clear it, beginning when you earn 100 points. This deal is equivalent to a 20 percent rakeback offer.
In addition to these offers, there’s also the benefit of free tournament tickets. Every first-time depositor on 888poker receives a free tournaments tickets package, which includes seven tickets to $500 First Depositors’ freerolls, two tickets to $1,000 Depositors’ freerolls and one ticket to the First Depositors’ Challenge Tournament.
The Games
888poker has a wide range of poker games that almost anyone can enjoy. While the size of its player pool limits the availability of some of these games, if you’re a No Limit Hold’em player you’re guaranteed to find some great action on the table. The stakes range from $0.01/$0.02 to $500/$1,000, with most of the action confined to low- and micro-stakes games.
Then there’s Omaha. While there’s many variants (including Pot-Limit Omaha, NL Omaha, FL Omaha, FL Omaha Hi/Lo and PL Omaha Hi/Lo), micro and low stakes PLO and PL Omaha Hi/Lo tables are the ones that get the action.
There’s also Seven-Card Stud and Stud Hi/Lo available, with stakes ranging from $0.02/$0.04 to $30/£60.
Tournaments on 888poker include the Sunday Mega Series, daily HighRollers, a low buy-in Fish’n’Chips MTTs and more.
The Rewards Program
Otherwise known as the 888poker club, the 888poker rewards program is based on earning points to get rewards, including freeroll tickets, Gold tokens (redeemable for awards like tournament tickets and cash) and prize scratch cards. Based on challenges, the rewards programme works through a level system, with higher levels requiring more points than lower ones. While there’s been some criticism about the random nature of the level system, it’s remains a great offer for recreational players.
Banking
Making deposits and withdrawals at 888poker is relatively easy, with customers able to make payments using a credit card, prepaid card, wire transfer and e-wallet. PayPal deposits are available for specific countries in Europe.
Withdrawal can take slightly longer on 888poker when compared with other sites.
Support
It’s important that poker websites offer high quality customer support. 888poker has a well-organised FAQ section on the website, covering everything from bonuses and promotions to banking, logging in and solutions to technical issues. Live support is currently only available through email, which are responded to within a few hours to a day.
One to try
As the second most popular West-facing poker site in the world, 888poker is definitely a brand that’s had success over the years — and worth giving a go no matter what skill level you have.