Online Poker Welcome Bonus Offers in the U.S.

September 4, 2024

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The availability of U.S. poker players to play online poker is a complicated issue. Currently, players in most states can access offshore online poker sites without worry. As far as where online poker has been legalized, that would be confined to these six (6) states: Delaware, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

In those six (6) states residents are permitted to use any online poker software platforms licensed in the state in question. For instance, online poker players have access to all three (3) online poker sites licensed by the state's regulatory agency.

Online Poker Sites Licensed in the U.S.

In each of the aforementioned six (6), one to three online poker room software platforms are currently carrying valid licenses. That would include BetMGM Poker, Borgata Poker, and WSOP Poker. It's noteworthy that BeyMGM and Borgata are both connected to the vast PartyPoker platform. It's because of that the bonus promos, cash games, and tournaments will be similar if not the same.

Anyone who is living in the aforementioned six (6) and might want to legally play online poke must first determine which sites are licensed in their respective states. If more than one online poker room operator is available, they must then choose a platform.

Make no mistake about it, each operator is competing for business. The best weapon they have in the battle for new customers is their respective welcome bonuses. That's the thing new players should be looking at when trying to decide where to make their poker-playing homes.

To aid online poker players in their quest to find the best online poker site, we are listing the current welcome bonus packages that are available from the three (3) listed operators.

BetMGM Poker

The current BetMGM poker Welcome Bonus started on January 1, 2024, with its expiration date set at the end of the year on December 31, 2024, at midnight. The offer is available in Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

The core of the bonus is a 100% first deposit matching component of up to $1,000. A minimum deposit of $10 is required. Once new customers receive their matching bonus, they will have to earn the right to claim it in increments. The increments will be set at 10% of the original deposit amount. To earn each 10% increment, new customers will have to play poker and earn BetMGM bonus rewards points. The rate at which they will have to earn said points will be calculated at 12x the bonus amount. If the deposit was $100, the rewards earning rate would be 10% for every 120 (12 x $100) bonus rewards earned.

As a second component of the BetMGM Poker Welcome Bonus, new customers will also get an allotment of tournament tickets they can use to enter BetMGM poker events. The $$ value of the tickets a new customer will get is based on the amount of their first deposit as follows:

• Deposit between $10 – $499 earns $25 in Tournament Tickets (one (1) $20 Tournament Ticket and one (1) $5 Tournament Ticket)


• Deposit between $500 – $999 earns $50 in Tournament Tickets (one (1) $20 Tournament Ticket, two (2) $10 Tournament Tickets, and two (2) $5 Tournament Tickets)


• Deposit of $1,000 or more earns $75 in Tournament Tickets (two (2) $20 Tournament Ticket, three (3) $10 Tournament Tickets, and one (1) $5 Tournament Ticket)
  

Once new customers have earned their bonus $$, they will no longer have to complete any other wagering requirement before they can withdraw the cash. As for tournament tickets, they will expire if not used within 14 days of receipt.

Other Terms and Conditions

All new customers at BetMGM Poker must meet the following requirements:

• Must meet the minimum online poker age requirement (21 years old or above) as set forth by the state's online gambling legislation


• Must reside in one of the aforementioned three (3) states where online poker has been legalized


• Must be in one of the aforementioned three (3) states when logging into their accounts to play online poker


• Cannot be employed by BetMGM or any of the operator's affiliates and advertisers (exclusion extends to family members)
  

Note: Geo-tracking software is being deployed to validate the location of customers when they log into the poker site.

Borgata Poker

The Welcome Bonus offer from Borgata Poker is the same as the offer being made by BetMGM Poker. Such is the case since both poker room operators are operating under the banner of the PartyPoker Network.

WSOP Poker

The current version of the WSOP Poker Welcome Bonus started on May 22, 2024, with its expiration date set for December 22, 2024, at midnight. The offer is available in Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

The WSOP Poker Welcome bonus comes in three (3) components.

The first component is the traditional first deposit matching bonus. The amount of the available bonus will be calculated at 100% of the first deposit up to a maximum bonus reward of $1,000. A minimum deposit of $10 is required.

To earn access to the deposit matching bonus allotment, new customers will have to play poker. While playing poker, they will earn the right to receive $5 of their bonus for every 50 wagering points they accumulate. Wagering points will be earned at a rate of 2 points for every $1 in rake, and 2 points for every $1 paid in tournament fees.

Once bonus money has been earned, it can be withdrawn without the need to fulfill any further wagering requirements.

The second bonus component is free play $$. The amount of free play money that a new customer gets will be based on the amount of their first qualifying deposit. That amount shall be calculated as follows:

• A deposit of between $10 and $250 gets $25 in free play


• A deposit of between $251 and $500 gets $50 in free play


• A deposit of between $501 and $999 gets $75 in free play


• A deposit of $1,000 or more gets $100 in free play

Free play $$ will have to be wagered 1x before any cash winnings from the free play can be withdrawn. Players will need to use their free play over the five (5) days after receiving it.

The third component is rather interesting. Each new customer will get the chance to win "Blast" tickets, tournament tickets, or a seat at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event. To win one of these coveted prizes, each new customer will get seven (7) chances to spin the "winner spinning wheel." New customers will get all of the prizes they hit.

Note: The third component is only being made available to new customers in Pennsylvania.

Other Terms and Conditions

All new customers at WSOP Poker must meet the following requirements:

• Must meet the minimum online poker age requirement (21 years old or above) as set forth by the state's online gambling legislation


• Must reside in one of those above three (3) states where online poker has been legalized


• Must be in one of the aforementioned three (3) states when logging into their accounts to play online poker


• Cannot be employed by BetMGM or any of the operator's affiliates and advertisers (exclusion extends to family members)
  

Note: Geo-tracking software is being deployed to validate the location of customers when they log into the poker site.

Summary: As you can see, each of these offers is unique. As a poker player in one of the aforementioned three (3) states, you will have to decide which of these Welcome Bonus offers best suits your needs.