Importance of deposit bonuses while growing a bankroll

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EarnDAStack

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I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately as I’m trying to take Poker more seriously than I had in the past, so the question that I asked my self is how important are deposit bonuses while trying to grow a bankroll.

For the vast majority of my poker career I played in poker stars (and full tilt before that faithful day) and thus I still have most of the deposit bonuses still available from most of the other sites.

I’ve recently moved a lot of my play over to 888 after playing a few Cardschat free rolls to get a starting br then increased it playing some cash games. I’d really like to take advantage of their 100% deposit bonus but I don’t think I’ll be able to clear the amount of take yet to unlock it, or at least not while playing profitable poker.

So I’m really unsure if I should keep trying to grow my roll through freerolls and slowly grinding out NL2 or if I should deposit how much I think I can clear and try to take advantage of the weak games a level higher like 5 or 10 NL

Also, should I be looking to do this with every site I start playing at? Save up until I have enough for a max deposit bonus and know I’ll be able to put in enough rake to clear the bonus??

Really interested in hearing your thoughts, thank you!
 
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AJantwan

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My general experience is that deposit bonuses clear pretty slowly nowadays. I'm not sure I've ever cleared more than 10% of a recent one. Back in the heyday, I'd clear them all. Of course, back then, I played at higher stakes (poker has gotten tougher since then), so your rate might be faster than mine. Maybe give one a try and see.
 
TravelerLloyd

TravelerLloyd

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Should I Deposit

I always wanted to deposit and I don't think I ever did, but I see how some of the smart guys are depositing and getting the free cash and almost doubling their bankroll while building it up, which is the goal anyways.

But I have another group I hear, that says depositing is for suckers and I would be the one at the table like on "Rounders." If you don't recognize the sucker at the table then its you..LOL...I love that saying.
 
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CallmeFloppy

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If you are on multiple sites, perhaps you should cash out at one site to deposit on another to take advantage of the deposit bonus. That way you can focus on clearing the bonus on that one site and are not using outside money to invest in that bonus.

For how much to play, I would not risk playing in games outside your skill level. Figure out how much you play at your current levels and make a deposit that would be attainable ( or slightly more than) what you can expect to achieve in the period of time you are able to clear the bonus.
 
SirYivx

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I always wait for a new bonus before I deposit, if I can. However, if you;ve never deposited on a site before, chances are they will have a "welcome package" available for your first deposit, which usually includes free cash, or free tournament tickets, along with a cash bonus that you have to clear through playing. And, while it may not be as easy to clear as it once was, it is still free cash and a solid way to build a bankroll.

Also, if you've never deposited with cryptocurrency(such as bitcoin), most sites will offer a separate bonus for that as well as they try and lean their customers into using such payment methods.
 
TravelerLloyd

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Wow, I never knew all of that. I may take a chance and start a bankroll, just hope they don't shut down on me and keep my cash, and hope they let me cash out with no trouble when I am ready.

I wanted to thank you for the informative post too. You inspire me.

I always wait for a new bonus before I deposit, if I can. However, if you;ve never deposited on a site before, chances are they will have a "welcome package" available for your first deposit, which usually includes free cash, or free tournament tickets, along with a cash bonus that you have to clear through playing. And, while it may not be as easy to clear as it once was, it is still free cash and a solid way to build a bankroll.

Also, if you've never deposited with cryptocurrency(such as bitcoin), most sites will offer a separate bonus for that as well as they try and lean their customers into using such payment methods.
 
MishkaZL

MishkaZL

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I recommend that you create an account on partypoker and 888. These sites have excellent conditions for new players, which allows you to quickly build a bankroll.
 
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EarnDAStack

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My general experience is that deposit bonuses clear pretty slowly nowadays. I'm not sure I've ever cleared more than 10% of a recent one. Back in the heyday, I'd clear them all. Of course, back then, I played at higher stakes (poker has gotten tougher since then), so your rate might be faster than mine. Maybe give one a try and see.



Yeah I'm in the same position, I'm trying to get a realistic number for how much rake I can clear over then next 3 months then I'm going to try and make my deposit based on that. I don't really play high enough stakes to have a huge amount of money sitting on an account waiting to clear for a deposit bonus, but I also think that it's my best chance at growing a decent bankroll over the next 3 months.

I guess I either have to get better or make a smaller deposit bonus.
 
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EarnDAStack

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I recommend that you create an account on PartyPoker and 888. These sites have excellent conditions for new players, which allows you to quickly build a bankroll.


I really like 888, I've actually ran up a bit of a bankroll through Cardschat freerolls and the Poker Club freerolls. I'm pretty happy with the new software update too! I thought the old table lay out was really bland and outdated, I'm really happy their update coincided with the period I've started putting some hours in on the platform.
 
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