How to Deposit Online Poker Money

Making your first deposit at a poker site is a fairly simple process. Once you have an account at a poker site, you can log in to that account, visit the cashier, and then choose a deposit option. Poker sites automatically list the deposit options that are available for your country, so feel free to choose any deposit option.

After you click on the deposit option you wish to use, you’ll be given instructions for completing your deposit. They will also ask a couple questions, like how much you wish to deposit and so on. If you choose an eWallet deposit, you may also have to create an account at that eWallet (more on that later).

Don’t be surprised if your maximum deposit amount is limited to a small amount the first time around. Poker sites usually want you to start out with a small to medium-sized deposit before they let you deposit a thousand or more dollars at one time. If you need to deposit more, you can e-mail their support team and they will verify your identity and then let you deposit as much as you want.

Easiest Deposit Method: eChecks

This is my favorite deposit method, but only certain poker sites accept eCheck deposits. This deposit method is basically the same as using an instant bank transfer to pay for something online. With an eCheck deposit, you simply fill out your bank account info, choose a deposit amount and then make your deposit (with no fees).

Withdrawing via eCheck is also quite easy. When you’re ready to cash out your winnings, you can request an eCheck withdrawal and the money will be sent straight to your bank account. It’s safe, simple and very fast. I’ve made eCheck cashouts from Bet Online Poker recently and found the money in my account the next day.

Visa and MasterCard Deposits

Visa and MasterCard deposits are also easy to use. All you have to do is fill out your card information, choose an amount to deposit, and hit the “submit” button. Your deposit will be processed quickly and there are no fees.

The only problem with credit card deposits is that they don’t always work. Some banking institutions have a policy that restricts all transactions to poker sites. If your deposit doesn’t go through the first time, you may instead want to try an eWallet or other deposit method. Sometimes all you have to do is try a different credit card.

Note – If you play at Bodog or BetOnline.com, you can get your credit card to work every time. Any time your credit card deposit fails online, you can call their customer support number and deposit with your card over the phone. PlayersOnly and Sportsbook.com are masters at getting credit card deposits to work - for more info, check out our full list of the best poker sites that accept credit cards.

eWallets

eWallets are great deposit methods for people who play poker on a regular basis. eWallets such as and UseMyWallet are basically the same as PayPal except they let you make deposits to poker sites. Once you set up an eWallet account, you can use that account to deposit and withdraw from most poker sites.

eWallets are strongly recommended for poker players who play at multiple poker sites or who like to go bonus hunting. You can use your eWallet to transfer to and from different poker sites without having to wait for your money to go all the way back to your bank account.

The only drawback to using eWallets is they impose a small fee on deposits. After your first deposit, you will have to pay something like $10 to transfer money from your checking account to your eWallet account. When you withdraw your money back to your bank account, you will have to pay another $10. The good news is that you don’t have to pay any fees when transferring money to and from each poker site. For more information on eWallets, check out our poker deposit methods page.