Bovada Poker Review

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Information
  • Minimum Deposit: $20
  • Payout Speed: 1-2 days
  • Established: 2004
  • Network: PaiWangLuo
  • Compatible On: Windows, Mac, Android devices, iPhone, iPad
  • Deposit Options: Visa/Master Debit and Credit Cards, American Express, Bitcoin, Cheque and Wire Transfer
Other than just offering the best games, Bovada poker has strived to create a number of new titles to keep its customers satisfied and happy. In conclusion, Bovada poker earns a lot of praise for being the perfect spot to wager a little money, have some fun and indulge in a few hands along the way. We can guarantee that it will not disappoint.
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This Bovada Poker review is going to address a number of key areas of concern for poker players, with the main one of them being – is Bovada legalThe website treats customers with respect and operates as a legal entity, but Bovada does not hold a license from an official regulator, which puts it in a sort of a grey area. Meanwhile, there have been many reviews of online poker sites whose focus is proving Bovada’s legality, but at Online Poker America we build trust with our readers by being specific with the important details.

What we disliked?
  • Currently lacking high limit cash games

Having been around for over a decade, Bovada Poker has been reviewed and praised for the outstanding poker selection it offers. Most online poker sites do not offer nearly as many and as good services as it does – which is one of the things that meant helps to prove the integrity of the site. Sure, there are a few bugbears here and there that need addressing, not least of improving on their payment options.

The truth is that Bovada is easily as technologically advanced as PokerStars today with the only difference being that if you are a US player, you will find better paying games at Bovada. So, if you have any doubt whatsoever, this Bovada poker review will prove to you that it is true that Bovada is 100% trustworthy and an entity that puts your safety and comfort first, just like any legal operator would.

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Traffic: Busy Around the Clock

Bovada Poker is easily one of the most popular poker destinations for US players. The established name of the operator lands it a fair chunk of the traffic that offshore websites claim.

Bovada will operate with around 200 people in the off-hours, pushing these numbers to several hundred when everyone starts flocking back to play. Although there is no clear statistics on their website, we have rolled our sleeves up to do a head count.

We have seen some impressive activity on Bovada, with the weekly tournament enrollments reaching as many as 876 players per single event.

weekly tournament enrolments

Bovada runs a very busy tournament schedule which is the cause of much excitement. They even update their website with all the changes they introduce to their client’s tournament schedule, so you are always in the know with regards to new and upcoming games.

Looking into the traffic, we couldn’t fail to notice that the game limits are very affordable and regardless of the budget you have allocated to play at Bovada, you will always find a game that is worth your while and won’t break your budget.

Game Minimum Limit Maximum Limit
Cash games $0.02 $20
Zone Poker Hold’em NL $0.02 $2
Zone Poker Omaha PL $0.75 $1.50
Sit & Go Tournaments $1 + $0.05 $200 + $10
Jackpot Sit & Go’s $2 $60
Tournaments $1 $300

It’s this flexibility that has helped Bovada Poker attract quite the crowd. It’s true that the tournaments will be the peaking points for the website, but there is a lot more going on around. For example, there is a new contest to participate in every few minutes and as long as you are a stickler, you will get to benefit from some excellent poker options geared towards an American crowd.

Game Variants and Tournaments

different game types from the bovada poker client

Craving some honest poker options in your favorite type of game? The operator will have it all. Even though the portal specializes in Texas Hold’em and Omaha for the most part, there are multiple competitive scenarios where you can enjoy yourself.

The tournaments are also quite profitable and Bovada runs a series of big guarantees throughout the week and month:

  • 100K Guaranteed
  • $25K Nightly Events
  • $75K High Roller
  • $12K/15K Guarantee Monster Stacks
tournament interface screenshot showing poker game options

There is nothing surprising about the choice of games here as you will see. Bovada hosts two distinct high-value formats, such as Jackpot Sit & Go’s and Zone Poker which is a version of fast-fold poker.

Zone Poker is preferred by the majority of players who don’t necessarily want to participate in any of the other formats, mostly because they want to speed things up. Let’s start with this game and work our way through the entire portfolio of Bovada Poker.

Zone Poker

Bovada's zone poker claim of fastest cards on the web

Bovada calls its Zone Poker the “fastest cards on the web” for a good reason. Remember PokerStars’ fast-fold?

Well, PokerStars is not yet wildly accessible to US players and this is why Bovada has decided to step up and provide poker aficionados with a fast-paced and thrilling gameplay. You can use the CHECK NOW or FOLD NOW buttons to quickly abandon the hands and tables that seem to bring you little in the way of profit.

The format effectively cuts down the time you need to wait to see new cards, allowing you to see more possible outcomes and bank on these winning hands.

Here are several highlights about the format:

  • The Poker Points system works the exact same way as a standard cash game
  • There are specific ways the website assigns the Blinds owing to the dynamic nature of the game
  • To start a game of Zone Poker, a full table of players is necessary
Screenshot from Bovada's official Zone Poker option.

Good hands should be played and often risked with the most. The nature of Zone Poker makes it a captivating game that keeps the majority of Bovada’s players engaged and at it.

Jackpot Sit & Go’s

Bovada's jackpot sit and go poker options

The Jackpot Sit & Go’s take an important part in Bovada and they are the source of much action. With the blinds starting at $10/$20 and 500 chips allocated per player, the game has a rather quick nature.

The games are made for 3 players and the blinds will change every 3 levels, for a total of 500/1000 after 45 minutes of play which is seldom the case.

The best part about the tournament is that the prize is decided at random, but it is usually twice your buy-in in 75% of the casesIn another 25% of the games, you compete for five times your original stake.

Bovada Welcome Bonus and Promotions

promotional welcome bonus for Bovada poker

Bovada Poker wants you to have a decent start and as such, the platform offers you up to $500 in welcome money.

Once the bonus is in effect, you will be able to unlock the bonus in increments of $5 for every 150 Reward Points you receive. To obtain RPs, you will need to participate in cash games or finish a tournament:

various types and details of bovada poker's rewards

Bovada Poker’s bonus is one of the easiest to clear and the relatively modest starter’s capital will allow you to unlock it within the deadline which is 30 days after having been credited the bonus amount.

Bovada Poker Login & Bonus Claim

log in and poker bonus screen

Claiming the bonus is a very simple process. Once you arrive at Bovada, you will need to register an account which takes only a minute.

Upon completing the form, you will be prompted into your account and asked to write a four-digit pin which will serve as a second-round of authorization.

Everyone is advised to fill out the data in the form truthfully and avoid using VPNs for registrations. On the plus side, you can play from a jurisdiction that is not whitelisted by Bovada Poker, and use a VPN, just so long as you are residing there temporarily, such as a trip or holiday.

Once you have finalized your registration, it’s time to claim your bonus. You simply need to make a deposit, install the client and wait for the money to arrive. If there are any delays, you can contact customer service in a jiffy to make sure all is well.

Bovada Poker Rake

Bovada Poker’s rake is quite up to the industry’s standards. There is a detailed breakdown for different games and the stakes that you place based on the value of that stake. For stakes higher than $1/$2, you will be subjected to rake that varies between $0.01 to $3.00 based on the number of players.

tables of information on Bovada's rake game type

Rewards Points – What Is It in You?

bovada loyalty rewards system with tiers

There are three levels you can progress through playing at Bovada. Those of you who stick a little while longer can expert great returns, such as cashback up to better conversion rate for your Rewards Points and claim back to 8.5% in cashback.

Bovada Software & Platform

Bovada’s software is quite accomplished. The company has managed to accomplish two things at the same time – boost the overall performance of their client and develop a highly-customizable game client which can be tweaked for your comfort.

bovada poker available for download on all devices

They have had time to work on the software for nearly 15 years now and the latest iteration is an accomplished product. Today, the platform runs well on both Windows and Mac, allowing players of all technological backgrounds to participate without the need to make special arrangements.

Bovada account control user interface

Bovada lets you have a complete control over your game-impacting and cosmetic details. It’s this ability to adjust every last detail that puts the client up on our list.

If pressed though, we must admit that the functionality is what has kept us playing. That and the 1000-odd players joining for the big events.

Meanwhile, every poker player will definitely love the outstanding selection of video poker which features some exclusive titles that cannot be found in any of the other online poker sites.

The Bovada poker rooms feature a vast collection of lucrative cash games, sit-and-go tournaments as well as the fan-favorite multi-table tournaments in multiple poker variations including; Omaha, Omaha High/Low, Texas Holdem and 7-Card Stud.

This proves that Bovada is indeed legit especially considering the guaranteed $4 million monthly prize money for multi-table action.

Bovada App and Mobile Poker

Bovada’s poker mobile options will allow you to take the experience with you on the go. You can play and access any game available via the download client right from you phone or other handheld device. All you need is to decide whether you enjoy playing from your mobile iOS or Android gizmo.

At the Cashier – Available Deposits

poker interface to make a deposit

Depositing at Bovada has always been a straightforward, intuitive process. Even though there are only two ways to fund your accountBitcoin and bank cards use.

Bitcoin isn’t overcomplicated to use, but you will have to be familiar with the concept. Thankfully, Bovada has a very extensive and useful guide on the subject.

You will need to talk to a customer care rep. to make your Bitcoin deposits at first, but later on you can go it alone.

Choosing to pay with card is the somewhat easier method. The sums you can deposit are between $25 and $1,000 and you won’t incur any fees on your first deposit.

Withdrawing with Bovada

Bovada has long been criticized about the scarcity of withdraw methods and the fact that you have to wait rather long. It is true that cashing out by courier can take up to 15 business days. You can claim up to $3,000 every 7 days, which is not at all bad.

Bovada winnings cash out interface

The times are usually much shorter, but the operator has learned from past occasions and has decided to extend the period it cites in order to avoid displeasing customers. It’s important to account for these contingencies where a check may be delayed.

Bitcoin is naturally the quicker solution, but it also requires understanding of cryptocurrencies work. Bitcoin payouts are also far more generous. You can cash out up to $9,500 and it will take you 15 minutes to receive payment.

There are some security measures related to the use of Bitcoin at Bovda that you need to talk out with the customer support who are always all too happy to discuss.

Customer Support

Online poker sites have improved their customer support services immensely over the years but when all of them are ranked, Bovada’s emerges the winner all the time.

Players can reach certified, professional and very friendly customer support staff via their 24/7 live online chat platform that is strategically placed at every window to ensure that it is easily accessible by the players. All player queries are sorted out promptly after being raised. The poker site also has a toll-free telephone number of players can use to the reach them.

Also, this Bovada poker review would not be complete unless we mentioned the email option players can use to contact the support staff.

Payment Options: Certified
Payout Speed: 1-2 Days
Security Check: Passed
Is Bovada poker legal?

Undoubtedly, this is one of the most common questions asked about any online poker site. Thankfully, the company behind Bovada has been in the online gambling industry since 1990’s, and has never once had any legal problems. With just that fact alone, it’s safe to say that Bovada is 100% legal.

Is it safe to play at Bovada?

Absolutely! They have been in the business for 20+ years and have had countless very satisfied customers. That alone is indicative of how safe Bovada is as an online poker site. In addition, they have some of the industry’s best safety features implemented to protect all your personal details and transactions.

How can I make a deposit at Bovada?

There are many ways you can make a deposit at Bovada, and they are all both very safe and fast. This methods includes VISA and MasterCards, as well as Cash transfers and the most popular cryptocurrency, Bitcoin.