BetOnline poker room review - tournaments, bonuses, cryptocurrency deposits, player reviews

BetOnline is one of the largest poker rooms, founded in 2001. The club offers No-Limit Hold'em, Pot-Limit Omaha, and 7-Card Stud. BetOnline allows betting and payments in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and other cryptocurrencies for deposits and withdrawals.

❕ Interesting fact: BetOnline ranks 3rd among US poker sites and is in the TOP-15 global poker networks by traffic.  Thanks to the merger with TigerGaming and SportsBetting, the poker room boasts an impressive figure of up to 4000 simultaneous connections, making it a true paradise for poker lovers.

The poker room is operated by a private company and is targeted at visitors from the United States.  The establishment is part of the large-scale Chico Poker Network. Let's consider the chronology of its development:

• 2001: Year of BetOnline's foundation;
• 2010: the room joined the Chico Poker Network, merging with other poker sites such as SportsBetting.ag and TigerGaming;
• 2012: Transition to the BetOnline.ag domain, which became the site's primary address;
• 2014: the company introduced apps for iOS and Android, making gameplay more accessible;
• 2016: cryptocurrency support for deposits and withdrawals appeared;
• 2020 – present: continues to improve the quality of its services, providing a variety of tournaments, bonuses, and actively supports cryptocurrencies;

The official website lacks information about a Panama Gaming Control Board license. The platform claims to have certificates, so you can contact support for detailed information. The club uses software from Connective Games.  The software is tested by iTech Labs and Gaming Laboratories International.

Visually, the interface is simple, with clear sections for different game variations (e.g., cash games, tournaments, etc.). The lobby is designed in dark colors and is divided into several sections:

·       Cash games;

·       Tournaments;

·       SNG (Sit & Go);

·       Fast-Fold.

Filters and settings are provided: by game type, limits, types of competitions. Each table has detailed information about the type, limits, number of players, average pot, and even statistics. The room offers several useful additional features.

A mobile version and app for Android and iOS are offered.

Exclusive feature: BetOnline offers a unique free poker odds calculator, the "BetOnline Poker Odds Calculator," available for both Windows and Mac OS. It includes a basic HUD, odds calculation, EV, outs, notification of the nuts, and even automatically marks opponents with icons according to their playing profile (Calling Station, Fishy, Gambler, Good Player, Neutral, etc.).

The club offers several table variations.  Let's analyze the main types of poker that can be found on the platform:

·       Texas Hold'em;

·       Omaha (Hi, Hi/Lo);

·       7-Card Stud;

·       Razz;

·       5-Card Draw;

·       Triple Draw Lowball;

·       High-Low Split (Hi-Lo).

Cash game tables are available for No-Limit Hold'em (NLHE) and Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO), with limits from $0.01/$0.02 to $5/$10. 5-Card PLO and PLO8 are available.

Cash game features: Texas Hold'em accounts for about 65% of all cash game traffic. The American influence is noticeable in the table formats - 9-max games are especially popular.

It is noteworthy that straddles can be used at most tables, and "Run it Twice" and "Run it 3 Times" options are available, which is rare in other poker rooms. For fans of fast poker, the "Boost" format (similar to Zoom) is available at NL10, NL25, and PLO10 limits.

The platform organizes tournaments with a fixed buy-in or progressive buy-in, where everyone starts with an equal number of chips.  Satellites are also available, allowing you to win tickets to larger competitions.  Sit & Go, Fast-Fold, Spin & Go (Windfall), and MTT are held.

🌐 The Summer Micro Tournament Series is expected.  This is an annual series with low buy-ins.  It will run from April 27th to May 4th, offering $230,000 in guaranteed prizes.

Tournament series: BetOnline guarantees over $10,000,000 monthly in its tournament grid. The flagship series - Championship Online Poker Series (COPS) - offers a guaranteed prize pool of $3,000,000 across 193 tournaments.

Just recently, from January 21st to February 4th, 2024, the winter COPS series took place with buy-ins from $11 to $215 and a main event with a $300,000 guarantee.

Peak activity is observed in the evening and night hours EST. This is usually the period from 8:00 PM to 2:00 AM EST, when the number of players in cash games and tournaments is at its maximum. In cash games during peak hours, the following number of players play simultaneously:

• Up to 1500 participants in limits from NL2 to NL1000;
• MTTs usually gather from 300 to 1500 participants depending on the buy-in and format.

During prime time, there are more than 2000-3000 active players at the tables.

❕ Important to know: Since the room is mainly focused on American players, the peak activity corresponds to daytime/evening time in America, so European players will have to adapt their schedule.  This creates a unique opportunity for European players to meet American poker and sports betting enthusiasts at the tables, which often means "softer" games with less experienced opponents.

The rake in cash games depends on the limit and type of game.

The exact rake and its percentages can always be provided by customer support. In tournaments, the rake is 10-15% of the total buy-in.

In general, it is worth noting that BetOnline charges a higher rake than other poker rooms on average, however, this is compensated by a high level of game "softness" due to the influx of players from sports betting.

New players are offered a welcome gift. This promotion includes a 100% bonus on the first deposit up to 1000 USD and free tournament tickets. After creating an account and depositing 50 USD with the promo code POKER1000, you can double your deposit.

The promotion is paid out in several stages. For every 50 USD of rake, 5 USD is credited to the account until the entire bonus amount is paid out. Users will receive free tournament tickets to participate in the $100,000 Sunday Showdown.

Player support

Customer support operates 24/7, which can be contacted via live chat, phone number - 1-888-426-3661 and email - help@betonlinecs.ag . Operators respond quickly to requests and are distinguished by their loyal attitude. The website has a FAQ section where you can find solutions to common situations.

Attitude towards Professional Players: BetOnline takes measures to preserve the poker "ecology". This includes constant updates to the list of prohibited software, limiting multi-tabling to 8 tables, restrictions on table selection, and the absence of direct rakeback. However, it can be confirmed that if the rules are followed, players have no problems withdrawing their winnings.

The club guarantees secure payments and uses modern security protocols. They are carried out after authorization through the financial section of the personal account. Deposits can be made using:

●       Bitcoin;

●       Trump Meme;

●       Avalanche;

●       Binance;

●       Bitcoin Cash;

●       Cardano;

●       Dogecoin;

●       Ethereum;

●       Litecoin;

●       Polygon;

●       Ripple;

●       Shiba Inu;

●       Tether;

●       TRON;

●       USD Coin;

●       Mastercard;

●       Visa.

The minimum deposit amount depends on the transaction method and averages $20 per transaction. The maximum deposit is up to $1,000,000. Money is credited to the balance without commission, and in case of difficulties, you can always contact support. The following methods are available for withdrawal:

●       Bitcoin;

●       Avalanche;

●       Binance;

●       Bitcoin Cash;

●       Cardano;

●       Dogecoin;

●       Ethereum;

●       TRON;

●       Trump Meme;

●       USD Coin;

●       Person to Person;

●       Money Orders;

●       Bank Wire Transfer;

●       Check.

The minimum withdrawal starts from $20, and the maximum depends on the payment system - $100,000.

The resource prohibits the use of third-party trackers or HUDs. Violation of the rules and the use of third-party software will lead to account blocking.

Important: Although external programs are prohibited, the room offers its own free odds calculator with basic HUD elements. This is a compromise solution for players who are used to using additional tools in their game.

BetOnline is one of the leading poker rooms, especially popular among visitors from the USA. It is suitable for both inexperienced users and clients who are already familiar with poker. It offers a wide selection of games, including Texas Hold'em, Omaha, and 7-Card Stud. Regular tournaments with large prizes are also available — Championship Online Poker Series (COPS).

The room supports cryptocurrency, guaranteeing confidential and anonymous transfers.  Active clients are given bonuses and rakeback.  A plus is the availability of events with low buy-ins. The platform restricts the use of trackers and HUD.  Despite this, for users looking for tournaments with large prize pools, the online project will be a top solution.

✔️ The main feature of BetOnline is the influx of players from the sportsbook and casino, which creates a "soft" player pool even at medium and high limits. This makes the room attractive not only for professionals but also for amateurs looking for a comfortable game with decent competition. The innovative approach to business, demonstrated by the first bet from space and the early adoption of cryptocurrencies, suggests that BetOnline is ready to keep up with technological trends, which promises interesting prospects for the development of the poker room in the future.