Bet365 Poker Review and Bonus

Bet365 is a legitimate online gambling provider which has been in operation since 2001. With such extensive experience in the industry, you can bet the operator knows what it takes to deliver a gambling environment like no other. Being one of the biggest online betting brands in the world, bet365 offers a vast range of quality gambling products, including a virtual casino with over 500 world-class titles, various live dealer games, a sportsbook with in-play markets, a bingo room, and a user-friendly poker platform. These are available across all devices, desktop and mobile.

Bet365 runs a reliable and robust poker platform, frequented by a high number of players, who drop by on a regular basis to get into the action at the cash-game tables or join one of the numerous tourneys which run around the clock. Many of the tournaments are in the popular No-Limit Hold’em format, offer large guarantees, and attract thousands of players.

The buy-in range is flexible enough to accommodate the bankrolls of all fans of the skill game. Those who are still relatively new poker can improve their skills by joining a Sit’n’Go tourney or a freeroll. Bet365 Poker runs on Playtech’s popular iPoker Network, which is considered one of the largest poker networks in the world. Players who register at bet365 can rely on large traffic, high-quality graphics, and utmost usability.

Bet365 Poker knows how to satisfy its customers as far as bonuses and promotions are concerned. Everyone who registers an account via the poker client is greeted with a fantastic Welcome Package consisting of a 100% match bonus of up to €100, tournament tickets worth €5, and several other goodies. There is a lucrative VIP scheme, called the Loyalty Club, where players can collect points and exchange them for bet365 coins to use at the loyalty store.

The acclaimed gambling operator has set up a comprehensive list of reliable banking methods players can load money into their accounts with. All payments are carried out in compliance with the most rigorous security standards. Those who experience any difficulties with managing their accounts or processing a payment can always turn to bet365’s friendly support hosts who are available at all times via the dedicated chat facility.

Promotions and Bonus Terms

Bet365 Poker is internationally recognised for its generosity towards new and existing customers. Those who sign up with accounts can start their online poker adventure with a hefty Welcome Package comprising a deposit match bonus, free spins on some of the slots in the casino, free tournament tickets, and free participation in a Welcome Mission. Existing customers are not left empty-handed, either, as they get to book their seats in freerolls, earn freeroll tickets, and join tournaments to compete for a share of the massive guaranteed prizes.

Welcome Package

Players who open accounts at bet365 Poker can opt in for a huge Welcome Package and redeem a 100% match bonus of up to €100, 8 tournament tickets, 10 free spins on the slots within the poker platform, and an entry to a Welcome Mission to earn extra rewards. This certainly is not an offer you want to miss but if you wish to qualify, you need to load a minimum of €5 into your poker account. Once the money is transferred to your balance, you are immediately credited with the bonus and the tournament tickets.

To redeem the bonus credits, players are required to accumulate status points, with every €1 they pay in tournament fees or rake corresponding to 10 status points. The first five increments of €1 are released into your account for every 10 points you have earned. The remaining increments of €2.50 are awarded for every 150 points collected.

In addition to the bonus credits, qualifying players receive 2 tournament tickets which grant them entry to what are known as Premium Steps. Step 3 involves a buy-in of €2.50 while the buy-in for Step 1 stands at €0.50. To boot, new customers are awarded five tickets they can use for participation in the €100 Bronze Loyalty Club tourneys, plus one ticket worth €1 they can use for the Twister Sit’n’Go tournaments.

Another way to build up your poker bankroll at bet365 is to complete the Welcome Mission. To qualify, you need to register a nickname in the client. There are several other criteria you must cover to qualify for a tournament ticket to the value of €5. These include logging in twice via the client, depositing €10 or more to your account, and partaking in the Sit’n’Go tourneys within the qualifying periods.

Those who are willing to take a short break from playing poker can deposit €5 or more into their poker accounts and redeem 10 free spins. Once you log into your account, you will be notified which slot qualifies for free spins use. Customers who take advantage of the offer can withdraw their free spins winnings whenever they want as there are no wagering requirements to meet here.

The Irish Open Promotion

Existing customers at bet365 Poker can take advantage of various limited-time and ongoing promotions, which aim at helping them to collect additional rewards. One such promotion is the Irish Open, which boasts a guaranteed prize pool of €1,000,000. There are two ways you can gain entry to the Irish Open main event. You can either buy your way in through the qualifiers on the poker client or join one of the daily satellites. The qualifier tournaments for the main event run on a weekly basis and involve a €100 buy-in.

Those who finish in a payout position are entitled to a €2,500 package consisting of the following rewards – a buy-in for the main event, spending money to the amount of €800, a free flight, and five-night accommodations at the luxurious Citywest Hotel in Dublin. The tournament tickets satellite participants can win are of different value, €10, €20, and €100. The offer provides players of all experience levels with the unique opportunity to join a massive live poker tournament event, the biggest one on Irish soil.

Banking

If you insist on joining the action at the poker tables at bet365 and start competing for real money, you must deposit some monies into your account. Thankfully, bet365 accepts a variety of safe and efficient banking methods and most of those can be used to process deposits as well as withdrawals. The payment solutions range from credit/debit cards and digital wallets to virtual cards, online banking, and vouchers. Checks and regular bank transfers are also accepted but may require more time until the money is added to your balance.

Debit and Credit Cards

Pretty much anyone has used their credit or debit card to make purchases from online retailers or to pay for specific services such as video streaming for instance. This must be the method all players are familiar with, which is why many of them have chosen it to fund their accounts at bet365. Cards pose as a simplified and convenient alternative and enable you to conduct secure payments to and from your poker account.

Being one of the biggest gambling companies in the world, bet365 supports cards by all major brands like Visa, Visa Electron, MasterCard, and Maestro. The transfers take place in real time so that you can attack the virtual poker tables right away. Moreover, you do not have to fret over amassing huge processing fees as bet365 does not apply any charges on payments carried out with this method. There are no currency conversion fees, either, as card payments to and from the poker platform can be conducted with the majority of currencies the operator accepts.

The card you intend to use should be registered in your name and prior to using it, you will be asked to go through a short verification process. The verification aims at establishing you are indeed the actual cardholder, which prevents frauds and money laundering.

Entropay

Not willing to deposit with a card in your name at gambling websites? If so, why not choose Entropay? This is a virtual prepaid card by the brand Visa, and as such, it enables you to add money to your bet365 Poker balance without disclosing your card or banking details. You must sign up with an account at Entropay’s website and create a disposable, virtual card by linking it to your physical debit/credit card. If you prefer, you can transfer funds to your virtual card by using a standard bank transfer.

Entropay accounts can be created in three currencies – USD, GBP, and EUR but you can use any of the supported bet365 currencies when depositing with this method. The name you have registered your virtual card in should coincide with that of your bet365 account. When making a deposit, you input your Entropay card details without disclosing any sensitive personal or banking information in the process. You will be instantly credited with the money without incurring any transaction fees from bet365.

iDebit

Another way to steer clear of disclosing your sensitive information when playing poker at bet365 is by using the services of third-party payment processors that operate on the principle of online banking. One such payment services provider is iDebit which acts as a mediator between your bank and that of the gambling operator.
Using this method comes with a variety of perks. To start with, there is no need to register an account or even own a credit card. The only requirement is to hold an online banking account with one of the banks associated with this payment solution. That being said, iDebit works with banks in over 20 countries throughout the world, including Japan, New Zealand, Canada, Austria, Germany, the UK, Sweden, and the Netherlands. It allows for payments in a good range of currencies like GBP, EUR, CAD, and USD.

The method is great for those who wish to deposit instantly and free of charge at bet365 but is generally not supported for withdrawals, which takes away from its convenience. When you initiate your payment in the poker client’s cashier, you select your bank from the list and are transferred to its online banking page where you log in and confirm the money transfer.

Skrill

Another option for those looking to skip on sharing their financial details is Skrill, a hugely popular e-wallet, which has its headquarters based in London. Some poker players may consider it less convenient because of the registration process they need to go through. However, opening an account will not require more than a few minutes and is well-worth your time.

You can make free, instant deposits into your account by using your Skrill log-in credentials. Alternatively, you can opt in for depositing or withdrawing via Skrill Tap. As the name suggests, you can make a payment with a single tap on any portable device, smartphone or tablet. The wallet is available in a staggering number of countries and works in the majority of currencies, accepted by bet365 Poker.

Loyalty and VIP Programme

The VIP programme at bet365 resembles, for the most part, those of other poker operators utilising the iPoker Network. Every poker fan, who registers and starts playing cash games or tournaments, collects status points. The Loyalty Club programme itself consists of several levels – upon registration, you are enrolled and start at the Bronze level. Paying fees or rake enables you to climb up the ladder and gradually progress to the Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond tiers.

Once players have accumulated the necessary number of status points, they complete loyalty steps and are awarded bet365 coins. The higher the level you are on, the greater the number of coins you receive when completing a loyalty step. Different levels require you to go through a different number of loyalty steps. For instance, at the Bronze level, players need to complete only 15 steps while those at the Diamond tier must cover as many as 350 steps to receive 2,500 points and exchange them for 5,000 coins.

Alternatively, customers can personalise their experience by embarking on different Loyalty Missions and accordingly, earn more coins. Once a mission is completed, the rewards are instantly credited to their accounts. Members of the programme can also sign up for Loyalty Tournaments by using their bet365 coins for the buy-ins. Each payout position you finish in earns you a ticket you can use as a means of entry to other tournaments.

Every €1 you spend on entry fees and rake earns you 10 status points. How many coins you get for your points depends on the tier. For example, Bronze-tier players receive 1 coin for every 2 points they accrue. Those who have reached a Gold status are rewarded with 27 coins for every 40 points they have collected by completing loyalty steps 1 through 4.

The coins can be used to make purchases at the Loyalty Club Store. There are different rewards you can redeem as long as you have sufficient coins in your loyalty balance. You can boost your balance with free credits, buy tickets for the tournaments and cash games, or even exchange your coins for actual, withdrawable money provided that you have reached the Platinum and Diamond levels.

Poker Software

Like many other trusted gambling operators, bet365 also has decided to partner with Playtech’s iPoker Network for its poker offering. This was undoubtedly the smart decision to make since iPoker’s software stands out with a number of great qualities, including usability, easy-to-navigate interface, and lots of customisation options. The iPoker software is widely recognised for its high traffic as players from all skill levels join the action on a regular basis. There is always a game you can jump into. Instant play is an option at bet365, but we recommend you download and install the client on your device as this will enable you to participate in more promotional incentives.

The installation requires no more than five minutes but the downside is the client is compatible only with desktop computers utilising Windows. The client will grant you quick and easy access to a wide range of cash games and tournaments. No-Limit Hold’em players will be especially pleased since the majority of games are in this format. Multi-tabling and mini-view are also available. Players can make bets with great ease and convenience thanks to the pre-set bet amount feature. You can keep track of your game statistics and bonuses as well.

The buy-in range for the cash games is so broad that practically anyone can afford to jump into the action. You can buy your way into some of the games for as little as €1, while the buy-in ceiling is limited to €1,000. The blinds for the cash games are normally €0.01/€0.02 but there are tables to accommodate high rollers where the blinds start at €3/€6. If you are not a fan of No-Limit Hold’em, you can go for the Pot-Limit games.

Tournaments are running around the clock and many of the available events allow for late registration. If your poker skills are questionable and you play only casually, you can always join a freeroll or try one of the Sit’n’Gos, which are recommended for beginners. You can enter some of the tourneys for as little as €0.10 but there are events where the buy-ins escalate to €100 or sometimes even higher. Most tournaments are nine and six-handed. There is also the option to enter one of the Turbo and Super Turbo tourneys.

Bet365 is home to one bespoke variation of No-Limit Hold’em which follows roughly the same rules, but all cards from the deuces to the fives are removed from the deck. Thus, the hand rankings are also different, with the Flush beating the Full House and the Three-of-a-Kind prevailing over the Straight.

At bet365, players can win jackpots of huge proportions by joining one of the games from the Twister Poker series. These are three-handed Turbo Sit’n’Gos that are played at a very dynamic pace and the winner is decided in a couple of hands. Speed Poker is also available to those looking for more thrills and action. In fact, this is one very interesting variation of No-Limit Hold’em where your opponents change with every hand played and you are allowed to quick-fold in order to switch tables any time you choose.

Customers who enjoy playing poker as they go will be delighted to learn bet365 Poker responds smoothly to most portable devices that operate on iOS, Windows OS, and Android OS. However, if you have sufficient storage space on your smartphone, you can install bet365’s iOS or Android app. It offers quick loading time, easy navigation, and unlimited access to exclusive tables.

The iOS app is available at the App Store. Android users will have to download theirs directly from bet365’s website due to Google Play’s restrictive policies on real-money gambling apps. The software supports all of the following languages – English, Italian, Chinese, Swedish, German, Portuguese, Romanian, Hungarian, Slovenian, Spanish, Danish, Norwegian, Greek, Bulgarian, Polish, and Czech.

Licensing Information

Gambling at a legitimate and safe website should be a priority for any poker player, including you. The great thing about bet365 is that it is recognised worldwide for its dependability, great reputation, and professional ethics. The operator is owned and managed by a company called Hillside Limited. Since the company is registered and has its headquarters based in Gibraltar, it makes sense one of the regulators bet365 Poker is licensed by is the local Gibraltar Gambling Commission. Another license has been obtained by the UK Gambling Commission, enabling bet365 to legally provide its products to residents of the United Kingdom.

The job of these highly acclaimed regulatory authorities is to oversee their licensees, bet365 included, and ensure they operate in accordance with their guidelines. These guidelines cover a wide spectrum of criteria including fair payouts, secure payments, and responsible gambling. All tournaments and cash games at bet365 run on sophisticated software, called Random Number Generator (RNG). The latter creates unbiased outcomes of the games and ensures the cards for each hand are dealt randomly. The RNG undergoes independent audits by Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), a third-party testing agency that is recognised on a global scale.

All payments are encoded with the best SSL encryptions and players’ funds are kept in a separate account from that of Bet365. Responsible gambling is a major priority of the operator, which is why players are given the chance to determine what deposit limits they are comfortable with as well as to self-exclude should their gambling become problematic.

Customer Support

It is easy to recognise a reputable gambling operator in the crowd by the quality of the customer support it provides to its patrons. Bet365 does not flat in this aspect, either. There is nothing more to be desired in the customer-service department since poker players at bet365 are provided with commendable support at all times of day and night. Bank holidays and weekends are not an exception.

There are numerous convenient ways to contact the support team whenever you find yourself in trouble. For starters, you can use the free telephone line to speak directly with a support representative. The two numbers starting with the code 080 are toll-free and can be used by customers from the United Kingdom. The other phone line is reserved for players calling from other countries.

Sending an email is always an option if you do not mind waiting for a few hours to receive the response. It would be considerably less time efficient if you decide to mail a physical letter to bet365, the old-fashioned way, yet this also is possible.

It is beyond any doubt that the quickest way to get in touch with a member of the support would be to use the dedicated live-chat facility, either at the website or in the poker client. However, the latter is only an option for those who have already registered and are connected to the client. The support agents are extremely friendly and even pleasant to talk to. Their average response times are rather quick – players are connected to a team representative within seconds. You can receive assistance in several languages, including English, German, Greek, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Chinese, Czech, Danish, and Norwegian, among several others.