If you’re thinking about signing up to play poker online, you may want to know that not all sites are created equal… and not just in terms of software and compatibility, where the market has pretty much evened out.

When you decide to play poker online or expand your current playing field, you should take some time to shop around and make sure that you’re getting the most out of your time and money by taking advantage of one (or several!) of the bonuses that are offered by online poker sites. After all, in poker, any money that you’re not taking home with you is money that you’ve lost, even money that wasn’t yours to start with, so it’s best to find sites that are offering good bonuses.

Here are a couple of things we look for in a bonus:

  • What is the maximum height of the bonus?
  • How does the percent match look like?
  • Is there a minimum deposit amount?
  • Does it clear in one chunk or in increments?
  • Is it realistic or is it hard to clear?
  • Does it come with other free perks?

People take advantage of poker bonus codes for two main reasons: either they’re new players hoping to stretch a small starting budget, or they’re experienced players who plan to increase their bankroll by taking advantage of what is, essentially, free money. Plenty of professional players have accounts at a number of sites, and it’s not just to diversify their opponent base!

When shopping for bonuses, there are a few things that you should look for.

What is the height of the bonus?

Bonuses are almost-exclusively for first-time players on a site (although sometimes you’ll see them offered for players who return after a long absence). They’re money that the site gives you for choosing to play with them. When you make your initial deposit, you’ll get a bonus, but not all at once! Most bonuses come with certain restrictions.

You’ll want to find out what you have to do to clear the bonus. Typically, you have to win a certain number of rakes, and in what increment the bonus clears. You’ll also want to find out how long of a period of time you have to clear your bonus; on many sites, anything you don’t clear in time is forfeit. While a $1000 bonus sounds better than a $500 bonus, if you have the same amount of time to clear both, and the $500 bonus clears $10 at a time, and the $1000 is all-or-nothing, the $500 bonus might be the best way to go, especially if you’re not sure how often you’re going to be able to play, or if you’re a relatively new player.

The percent match

Most sites offer a match bonus, which means that they’ll match whatever you deposit, up to a certain amount. The percent match can vary, from 50% of what you deposit to 200% or more! Like pure bonuses, you usually have a set time to “unlock” the entirety of this bonus, so make sure you check the details!

Is there anything free?

In addition to bonuses and match bonuses (both of which are essentially free money for playing on the site), many sites will offer added incentives. These can be free tickets into weekly or monthly tournaments, freerolls, free poker money with no strings attached, or club gear like towels, shirts, bags, or mugs. Keep an eye out for the added bonuses, because there’s something for everyone!

The majority of the bonus codes that you’ll find here are unique to Poker For Free. We’ve negotiated some great deals for our readers with some of the biggest poker sites, because we know that getting a good deal is almost as important to you as finding a good game! The bonuses offered by the different sites change from time to time, but you can be sure that the codes on this page will get you the best deals and will always be up-to-date! We’re constantly trying to find better deals for you, and as soon as we’ve struck gold, you can be sure we’ll tell you about it here.