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Poker Sites with the Best VIP Programs
Loyalty Schemes Vary Widely Between Online Poker Sites
Welcome bonuses are designed to get new players in the door – though keeping you at a site often depends on the reward programs on offer. The basic idea behind many of these schemes is the same. You earn ‘points’ playing real money games, which are then exchanged for rewards. Some sites have tiered schemes where you move up levels. Other sites have a range of rewards, with the loyalty point scheme only part of the deal.
This page gives you an overview of the different reward programs on offer, helping you to choose a site with the best reward program. First below, you will see an example loyalty scheme from the US and one from an international site. After that, there are more details on the kind of things to look for when comparing the reward schemes of different sites.
- Location: Canada
- Established: 2015
- Ref. Code: n/a
- Traffic: 5,236 Players
- Mac Friendly: No
Ignition Poker keep their reward scheme simple for poker players. You accumulate poker points while playing real money games based on the rake taken or tournament fees. You then get to swap these points for cash bonuses. The exchange rate is 200 points for each $1 in bonus cash. What I like about this system is that it is essentially unlimited. You can swap 50 million points each year. Keep in mind that points do expire on June 1st. Casino players have a more complex loyalty scheme setup, involving tiers with increasing bonuses.
There are plenty more promotions and specials to keep the bankrolls of loyal players topped up at Ignition Poker. Highlights include ‘Mad Monday’ boosted tournament guarantees, freeroll tournaments a bad beat jackpot and a special bonus for getting a royal flush. The 100% matched welcome bonus is fast to clear too.
- Location: UK
- Established: 1999
- Bonus Code: n/a - use links
- Traffic: 32,864 Players
- Mac Friendly: Yes
888 are now the second biggest poker room, and their player rewards program has been a big factor in their recent increasing popularity. Their rewards are aimed at regular players more than the high-volume ‘grinders’. There are a lot of levels in the 888 rewards program. You move up by collecting gold coins (points) in the real money games. One unique factor is that you never go back down levels, any rise is permanent.
You can exchange your coins for bonuses or cash rewards via the 888 cashier. You can also spend them in a special store which has everything from 888 clothing to chip sets or even gadgets.
In addition to the point based reward system, each day you will get to spin a wheel to win extra prizes. These range from tournament tokens (the most common prize), though to ‘Blast!’ Sit N Go entries or $5 free play in the 888 casino.
888 are also big on one-off promotions for their players. You will also be able to qualify for the World Series of Poker each year, as this site is one of the main sponsors. Topping it all off, you get rewarded at 888 even before you deposit. New players get up to $88 in free play, simply for registering.
More About Online Poker Rewards Programs
Thanks to poker rewards programs, you’ll always have something to show for all the time you put in at the tables. Whether you have a winning month or a losing month, you will receive frequent player points and special perks that live poker rooms cannot compete with. The best poker rewards programs make a big difference in your long term win rate and overall winnings from poker.
In programs that offer you a choice between cash prizes and items from the rewards store, the items give you the most bang for your buck. On the other hand, cash has its own special value due to its flexibility. With a cash prize, you aren’t just limited to the items listed in the rewards store. The option to choose between cash prizes and items from the store is one of the main reasons why we consider Sportsbook Poker to be the poker site with the best rewards program.
More About Poker Rewards
Rewards offered to regular players by online poker sites have changed significantly over the last few years. At one point these were heavily weighted towards rewarding the highest volume players. The types who spent 8 hours a day playing 8+ tables could accumulate a lot of points, and often got rewarded via a percentage of the rake they paid to the site back to their accounts.
More recently, most sites have pivoted towards rewarding regular / hobby type players instead. You will still find some sites offering ‘VIP’ or ‘rakeback’ deals, which reward long hours of breakeven play. Most sites have moved away from this model.
Missions are a popular way of making poker more engaging, while offering rewards to players. These are simple challenges - for example cash in 3 tournaments or win a pot with pocket kings in a cash game. When these are completed, players get instant rewards, for example tournament entries or cash bonuses.
Point collection schemes still run, and many of these are tiered. This means that as players move up levels (by collecting a specified number of points), they unlock new bonuses, tournament entries and often collect points faster from then on. Poker sites have understood that not every player can reach their points target every month. Instead of requiring constant point collection, new loyalty levels are can be maintained for longer periods of time.
Promotions as Poker Rewards
As well as the ongoing reward schemes, almost all poker sites now offer special promotions. There is a lot of variation in what is on offer. These can be based on tournaments (both live and online events), or around new games or formats. Reload bonuses are common – which reward players for making additional deposits. You might also find cross-over promotions with other types of gambling offered by a brand. Look out for opportunities to earn points faster. Sometimes these take the form of happy hours, or are used as encouragement to try new games. This type of promotion has the extra benefit of buying you more rewards through the regular loyalty scheme.
