Bonus offers don’t play a huge role in poker when choosing a provider, but we will explain the different types of bonuses.
Deposit Bonus
With a deposit bonus, you receive a certain percentage of your deposit as free credit. In poker, however, the bonus is usually a target amount that is paid out in stages.
Then, you have to play for the bonus piece by piece.
Loyalty points
Quite common are reward points, which you can then use for small rewards. This could be a cash bonus or you can use the points to buy-in to a tournament.
Freerolls
There are freerolls that you can participate in with VIP reward points. A freeroll is a free poker tournament with a cash prize.
There are also freerolls where you can play completely for free. This way you can win money without risking a single euro.
Rakeback
Rakeback is the purchase cost (for tournaments) or commission (for cash games) for the poker site. With rakeback, you as a player get back a portion of your paid rake.
This can be done either through a VIP program (from X amount of rake per month you get Y percent back) or through a fixed rakeback deal.
Legal situation with poker
The 2021 Gambling Act regulates not only online casinos, but also online poker. Although online poker is now subject to regulation (and therefore official licensing) at the national level for the first time, no licenses have yet been issued. Instead, providers that comply with the licensing requirements are becoming more or less officially tolerated.
Gambling regulation and taxes
Part of online poker regulation is a 5.3% rate that poker sites must pay to the cashier. Unfortunately, this special tax is not levied on the providers’ winnings, but on the tournament buy-in or the money you take to the table in cash games.
As a result, some providers have eliminated parts of the offer, others have increased the rake and buy-in fees.
Do I have to pay taxes on poker winnings?
You don’t have to pay taxes on gambling winnings. Although poker is generally considered gambling by law, the situation is a little more complicated.
If you usually make a living playing poker (online, in the casino and/or in tournaments), then the net winnings are subject to income tax.
However, if you are a hobby player, then you don’t need to consider even a one-off high win as income – and therefore you don’t need to pay tax.
Online Poker vs. Live Poker
Now it’s time for the big comparison: Where is poker better? Online or live on the site? Where is it easier to win and what suits which type of player best?
The stars
To make it more human, let’s first look at some faces from both worlds. Some of the most well-known personalities in the live poker scene include:
Phil Hellmuth: His nickname is The Poker Brat. He can hit other players at the table really hard and is a diva, but he is also said to be very good. He won the World Series of Poker (WSOP Main Event) once, in 1989.
Phil Ivey: He has never won the Main Event, but he is world-famous. This is due to his high-stakes games, his risk-taking, his many crazy side bets and a spectacular dispute with the Borgata Casino. He won several million dollars playing baccarat with a cunning trick, but had to pay the money back.
On the Internet, the following players have achieved international fame:
● Isildur1: The Swede caused a sensation when he suddenly started playing cash games on the Full-Tilt platform for extremely high stakes, which were actually intended for established poker professionals. In a short time, he won and lost several million euros. His real name, unknown at the time, is Viktor Blom.
● CrownUpGuy: Fedor Holz is behind this nickname. He burst onto the scene by winning an online poker tournament worth millions.
● Online poker/gambling house/tournament comparison
● When playing poker online, it is the most convenient and almost stress-free alternative. You can concentrate 100% on your game and not be distracted unnecessarily.
In the casino you often sit at the table with other regulars. In live cash games, you may be able to read other players, but you could also say a few things to yourself.
The biggest tournaments promise adrenaline and the chance to win big. But realistically, they end quickly for most players.
Is bluffing easier online than in live games?
When it comes to bluffing, some say it, some say it. If you are a good actor, you may be able to fool other players in the live game with certain facial expressions, gestures and announcements. Even trash talking to throw other players off their game is only possible in live poker.
On the other hand, online you don’t have to mimic your weak hand when bluffing .