Editor
Loading ...
While no deposit bonus offers are rare and often hard to find, they definitely do exist. Whether you're a poker pro or a complete beginner, having risk-free funds is always a welcome treat.
That's why we've scoured the internet to find the latest and best no deposit bonuses from quality poker providers. Here, we'll also dig a little deeper into what one of these elusive bonuses entails - and the usual terms and conditions that you should definitely keep an eye out for!
You may be new to poker in general, or you might even be a poker expert looking for some risk-free funds. Either way, this guide will help you find the latest bonuses to boost your next poker game or tournament.
Obviously, you can't play on poker sites and win real money without betting your own cash forever. But you do get a window of opportunity to do so with a tasty no deposit bonus. You can use this chance to get a good feeling of how a new online casino works, before risking any of your own capital.
Our experts have taken a close look at the sites that offer poker with a no deposit bonus. While some are more generous than others, all offer you the chance to pay for free.
That means you don't have to deposit a dime of your own money to start playing Texas Hold 'Em or five card draw. Just let the online casino load up your account and you can start playing - tt's really that simple!
Playing poker sites for free is the perfect way to practice the game. It's also wonderful if you want to get a sense of how the casino operates - after all, every casino is different. From the types of tournaments to the overall look and usability of the website, there's lots to consider when signing up with a new provider.
We understand that it can take some shopping around before you find the ideal poker site, which is why we've made a list of the sites that come highly recommended and then give you the chance to try them out.
If you are used to betting at land-based casinos, then there's a good chance that you probably have no idea how a no deposit bonus works. After all brick and mortar casinos don't just hand you money when you walk in the door!
Online casinos are different, however. They know they have to entice you in if they want to get you to register, so they offer all kinds of bonuses. If you want to play online poker for free, then a no deposit bonus is the way to go and there really is no risk to you.
First of all, you have to go to one of the no deposit offers on our list and click on it. Then you have to register for the site if you want to play poker with a no deposit bonus.
When you register the site will ask you what you want your username to be, what your real name is, where you live, how old you are, your email address and your phone number. Some of this information is used to set up your account. Other information like your phone number and your email address is used for their own marketing purposes, such as promotional emails and exclusive offers.
Once they have reviewed your registration, the bonus amount will appear in your account - no deposit required. Once the funds are in, you can immediately start playing Texas Hold 'Em or any of the number of five card draw games that are available at the casino.
There is one catch. Every no deposit bonus comes with playthrough requirements. These are rules put into place to ensure people don't just go to every site, get their bonus money and then withdraw it without playing.
The number of times you need to play through varies with each site. You'll have to look up their terms and conditions to figure out what the playthrough amount will be. A fairly average number of playthroughs is 10, so we'll use that as an example.
Let’s say you are playing at an online poker site for free and you get $10 in free money. You can bet that money on anything you want. Your goal obviously is to win. So you bet that $10 and you do win. But you can't withdraw the money right away.
Instead, you'll have to bet that $10 a total of 10 times. That means you'll have to win $100 off that $10 and then you'll be able to cash it out. In America, the play through amounts tend to be much lower than they are in Europe – where they can be as much as 99 times.
We understand that when playing online poker for free having to play through the money may feel like you are jumping through a lot of hoops. But remember you are risking none of your own money. So just look at the free no deposit bonus money as if it were the casino giving you a certain amount of time to play without you having to worry about opening up your wallet or betting any money of your own.
When you want to play poker online without risking any of your own money you are probably going to have to choose between two different types of games. Yes, there are casinos that offer different types but they are few and far between. Over time casinos have learned that these two types of games are what players want to play.
That's because they are simple to access and understand. Everyone can simply log in and play them without having to look at a bunch of rules. And they have odds that are reasonable.
We're now going to explain each game, so you know what you are getting into when playing online poker for free.
Five-card draw is rarely called five-card draw on poker sites. Instead, they have fun names created by their marketing department like “Jacks or Better” or “Joker's Wild.” But at the end of the day, five-card draw is what they are.
When you play five-card draw at a no deposit bonus site you'll be playing against the dealer. You'll never see the dealer's hand because they don't have one.
Instead, you have the only hand. You'll be dealt five cards face up. You then take a close look at your cards and evaluate them. Next, you have to decide which cards to keep and which to discard.
You can discard up to four cards. Some online poker places will let you ask to replace all five cards. The cards you discard will be taken away and replaced by new cards. Once you get these new cards you then look at your and figure out if you've won.
The amount you will win will depend on the scarcity of your hand. And the minimum hand you need to make a win will vary from game to game. For example, if you are playing “Jacks Or Better” you need at least a pair of jacks. Most games that feature a wild card will require you to get at least two pairs in order to claim a win.
When playing poker sites for free this is by far the easiest game to play. It has an element of skill because you choose which cards you keep and which ones you discard. But it also has a strong element of luck.
Most players look at five-card draw machines as the bridge between playing slot machines and really getting into poker. And they are certainly fun and will give you the sense of the odds of a particular hand coming up.
For people who are new to playing poker online, they are a great way to use your first bonus offer.
Texas Hold 'Em is much more advanced than five-card draw. It involved much more skill when you are playing. But if you are playing online poker for free you can use the house money to see how good you are at it. And if you are an experienced poker player this is where you'll naturally come.
The game starts out with everyone being dealt two cards face down. Then the first round of betting starts. If you are the first to bet, you can either make a wager or “check” and pass the betting around to the next person. If you are not the first to bet when it comes to your turn you can call – match the bet that has already been made – fold – exit the game immediately – or raise – making the round of betting higher.
You'll make your decision based on how well you think your cards will become as part of a hand.
Then the dealer will turn over a card. This is the first card of the “flood” or the “river” depending on where you are playing. You can combine this card with the card in your hand to make a hand. Once again there will be a round of betting. If you don't fold you will still be in the game.
This will continue until there are a total of five cards in the flood or river. Betting can be either light or heavy. Once the fifth card has been turned over people will make their last bets. This is often when huge raises come into the picture.
When that's done everyone will turn over their cards. Whoever has the best hands will then claim the pot.
While this is obviously more complex than playing five-card draw it does bring in many elements of strategy - that's what makes playing this kind of poker with a no deposit bonus so much fun. You can try out your own way of playing and see how it goes without ever risking any of your own money.
Playing Texas Hold 'Em will challenge you but that's where the fun is, and over time you will develop skills that will make your game better. Once that happens you can start entering tournaments and laying claim to the big bonus returns that come from them.
Firstly, when it comes to protecting your account, always change your passwords regularly and use the safest withdrawal and deposit options available. In terms of personal data security, always use an SLL encrypted site. And lastly, when it comes to using a reputable poker operator, check for licenses and official regulatory bodies that support the site. Our operator reviews dive straight in to all the important licensing details - take a look at our "Is Pala casino legit?", "Is PokerStars casino safe?", and "Is Sugar House casino scam?" for great examples.
If you are new to playing poker, we advise you to start off with Five Card Draw. It will ease you into playing and allow you to understand what all the hands are, how likely you are to get them and get you into the rhythm of the game. Then once you've mastered that you can make the change to Texas Hold 'Em. If you are already an experienced poker player than we suggest starting with Texas Hold 'Em.
Yes and no. It's free in the sense that you can play online poker with it. It's not free in that you can't just immediately withdraw it. Instead, you will have to play it through multiple times. That said it costs you nothing so there is no risk on your part. It's a good idea to look at it as a free time to play poker rather than as actual free money.
At captaingambling, we recommend one to two hours a day. That way it's like choosing to play poker or watch a movie. It's enough time to have fun but not enough time to foster a gambling addiction. That's the perfect amount of time to play and you shouldn't end up losing more money than you can afford. Plus, this leaves you with plenty of time to spend with your friends and family members.
In every state in America, you must be at least 18 years of age to play online poker. If you are not that old and the casino catches you, they will freeze all of your winnings. They might even report you to the police. If you aren't 18 just practice your poker skills at home and then online come online once your birthday happens.
21+ and present in VA. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.