Bovada Poker Review with No Deposit Bonus

Online poker is a popular pastime for many and there are a number of poker sites players can choose from. Most gambling sites offer bonuses and promotions to attract users and Bovada is no exception. Our Bovada Poker review examines the different features of the site from bonuses to available games, banking options and other elements players consider when choosing an online poker site.

Bovada Poker Overview

Bovada Poker was originally launched in 2004 as Bodog and rebranded as Bovada in 2011. In 2016 Bovada was purchased by Ignition but in 2017 once again opened as Bovada. They are owned by the Morris Mohawk Gaming Group and have a Curacao eGaming license.

If you are based in the U.S and want to play poker Bovada is one of the best choices available based on our own experience. The site is part of the PaiWangLuo Network which also include Bodog Poker and Ignition Poker. Bovada has the most traffic of any U.S poker site and is only available to players in the United States. At Bovada Poker U.S. players from every state are accepted except for Delaware, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey and New York. Canadian players can check out our Bodog Poker review to learn about a site on the same network that accepts players from Canada.

New players can easily get started at Bovada.

• Click the “Join” button in the top right corner
• Complete the registration form by providing the requested information.
• Submit the form by clicking the “Register” button

The entire process will only take 1 or 2 minutes. Once you are registered you can deposit funds to your account and start playing. You can use Bovada Poker codes to claim a bonus on your initial deposit.

User Experience and Design

Windows and Mac users can play at Bovada by downloading the free software. There is no app for mobile users but players can use the no-download instant play platform that offers the same functionality as the software.

The lobby has a simple layout that make it easy to navigate and find what you want. Visually it is appealing and you can customize the table for the look that you prefer.

Bonuses & Promo Codes at Bovada Poker

One of the best tools gambling sites have to attract users is bonuses. Sites offer a variety of bonuses such as welcome offers, no deposit sign-up bonuses and reload bonuses that players can benefit from. Although no deposit bonuses are among the most popular type of promotions with players, Bovada isn’t offering an NDB at this time. Should one become available our review will be updated and any Bovada Poker no deposit bonus code provided.

There is a Bovada Poker bonus in the form of a welcome bonus that new players can take advantage of.

• Welcome Bonus: Receive a 100% matching deposit bonus up to $500 when you make your first deposit to the site. Use Bovada Poker bonus code: PWB500

A minimum deposit of $20 is required in order to be eligible for the bonus. The bonus can only be claimed once and is only valid for a player’s first deposit. There aren’t any wagering requirements that need to be met. Bovada Poker bonus codes should be entered in the provided field after making your deposit.

Our research shows that the welcome bonus can’t be claimed all at once. It is released in increments of $5 based on the Reward Points earned from playing poker on the site. The following chart shows the increments in which the welcome bonus is released.

Players have 30 days to unlock the entire welcome bonus amount. As a result of our tests, we have determined that lower stakes players will find it difficult if not impossible to claim the entire bonus.

So, what are these Reward Points that are required to unlock the bonus? Reward points are awarded as part of Bovada’s Rewards program. Players earn Reward Points any time they play poker on the site for real money. Reward Points are rewarded at the following rate.

The Bovada Rewards program consists of 6 levels. Your level is determined by the number of Lifetime Points you have earned. Lifetime Points are earned in the same way and at the same rate as Reward Points. However, Reward Points can be redeemed for bonuses while Lifetime Points are only used to determine your Rewards level. The higher your level the better the redemption rate for your Rewards Points. You can see the Lifetime Points required for each level and the Rewards Points redemption rate in the following table.

Rewards points can be redeemed for online casino free chips and other casino bonuses, sports bets or poker tournament tickets. You can also earn Rewards Points playing casino games or placing sports bets.

Learn about the availability of an Ignition Poker promo code to claim a similar welcome bonus by reading our review of their site.

How to Claim the No Deposit Bonus at Bovada Poker

There isn’t a no deposit bonus being offered by Bovada at this time. If an online poker real money free bonus become available at Bovada we will update our review and provide any codes if required. In the meantime, browse our site to find the best NDB codes for online casinos and poker rooms.

Games & Software

Bovada offers three different card games on their site.

• Texas Hold’em
• Omaha
• Omaha Hi-Lo

The betting structure for games can be Fixed Limit (FL) where bet size is limited, Pot Limit (PL) which allows bets up to the size of the pot, or No Limit (NL) where players can bet up to the total amount of chips in their stack.

There are multiple types of tournaments players can join at Bovada, or they can participate in cash games, sometimes referred to as ring games. Cash games differ from tournaments in that there is no scheduled start or finish time and players can join or leave a game any time they want. In cash games chips represent real money whereas in tournaments chips have no value outside the tournament.

Bovada gives every new player 1,000 Play Money chips automatically when they join the site. This allows beginners to play for free until they are familiar with the games and rules. Once comfortable they can start to play for real money.

Bovada Poker uses software that is proprietary to the PaiWangLuo Network. A software download is available for Windows and Mac computers. Our research shows that the software has numerous special features including:

• Quick Seat: Get seated in a cash game in 2 simple steps
• Chat: The chat feature allows players to communicate with each other. It can be turned off or you can just tune out specific players
• Zone Poker: Rather than waiting for a new hand to begin once you fold, Zone Poker immediately redirects you to a new table with new players as soon as you fold. This cuts down on the time between hands. According to our experience playing Zone poker provides a better chance of claiming the entire welcome bonus
• Embedded Casino Games: There is a wide range of casino games including slots, Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat, video poker and more embedded right in the poker software. In-between hands you can play casino games without ever leaving the poker client. If you are interested in a site with a huge selection of casino games you can learn about a King Billy Casino bonus code by reading our review of their site.
• Multiple Tournaments: Play up to 4 Sit and Go tournaments or 15 multi-table tournaments at the same time
• Customize Table and Card Design: Choose from a variety of table themes and card designs to get the look that is most appealing to you.

The above are just a few of the features of the Bovada Poker software

Poker Tournaments

There are a variety of Bovada Poker tournaments players can participate in.

• Multi-Table Tournaments: Multi-table tournaments have scheduled starting times and the prize pool usually has a minimum guarantee. There is a large field of players, and as the name suggests, multiple tables. Bovada has regularly scheduled muti-table tournaments with prize pools that range from $500 up to their $200,000 tournament that is held every Sunday. The buy-in for tournaments varies and can be as low as $0.50 up to over $150. Some major multi-table poker series you can participate in during the year at Bovada include:
• Super Millions Poker Open: More than $8 million in guaranteed prizes
• Black diamond Poker open: Over $10 million in guaranteed prizes with 150 events and qualifiers
• Sit and Go Tournaments: Sit and Go games are smaller tournaments that don’t have a regular start time. They begin as soon as the required number of people have signed up. The number of players can range from 2 to 10. At Bovada, Jackpot Sit and Go tournaments are popular. These use a three-player format with players having the opportunity to win up to 1000 times the amount of their buy-in. Players can find Sit and Go tournaments pretty much any time. Buy-ins range from $0.50 up to $100
• Knockout Tournaments: Every player has a bounty on their head in Knockout tournaments. You can claim the bounty on a player’s head by eliminating them from the game. There are Multi-table Knockout tournaments as well as Sit and Go Knockout tournaments players can participate in.

Deposit Methods

Players can deposit to their Bovada account using a variety of methods

Accepted currencies at Bovada are US dollars BTC, BCH, BSV, LTC, USDT and ETH.

Payment and Withdrawals

Bovada provides players with a good number of withdrawal options.

In addition to the transaction time there is an approval waiting period of up to 24 hours.

Customer Support

Players can contact Bovada Poker 24/7 via their live chat. They can also be reached through email at service@bovada.lv or by phone at 1-888-263-0000. In addition, Bovada provides an extensive FAQ that covers many of the common questions players have.

Bovada Poker Mobile & App

There isn’t a Bovada Poker app for mobile devices. However, smartphone and tablet users can play on the Bovada mobile poker instant-play platform right in their device’s web browser. Players can do pretty much everything on the mobile platform as they can do playing from a PC without having to download anything.

Is Bovada Poker Casino Legit?

Is Bovada Poker legit? Bovada has been in the online poker business for almost 20 years and have the most traffic of any U.S poker site. The operate with a Curacao eGaming license and use SSL encryption technology to protect user’s data.

Is Bovada Poker rigged? Bovada’s Random Number generator has been tested by an independent third-party to ensure random and fair outcomes. Poker is a player versus player game and online poker rooms get paid regardless of who wins, so have no reason to rig games.

Bovada Poker is a completely legitimate site with fair poker games.

Final Thoughts

Bovada has a large player pool and there are poker tournaments and cash games players can join at Bovada around the clock. There are multiple banking options as well as a decent welcome bonus. We recommend Bovada as one of the best options for U.S. based poker players.

Author: Candy Adams Professional author, editor and content writer. Expert in online gambling. Last updated: 01 Jun 23 Meet Candy Adams, a seasoned writer at NoDeposit.org with over a decade of experience. An expert in online casinos, gambling, no deposit bonus codes, and casino reviews, Candy's insightful articles have engaged readers across numerous leading gambling platforms.