Bovada Poker Lobby
The Bovada poker room is licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. Bovada is part of the same poker network utilized by several international arms of the Bodog brand. When you’re playing at Bovada, you’re up against an international player pool that also serves as the poker home for players from Bodog.ca and Bodog88. The next step, once you’re familiar and comfortable with the poker lobby and games, is to make your first deposit at Bovada Poker. Visa, MasterCard and American Express are all accepted; you can also use Visa Gift Cards, provided they’re valid for “International and Online Purchases.”. Ignition Poker is a newer name in the online poker market, launched in 2016 when they allegedly bought the poker division from Bovada. Don't be fooled. They're likely operated by the same folks in charge of online gambling veteran Bovada, which is good news for poker players.
Intro to Online Poker
A lot has changed since the dawn of online poker. The past 25 years have been like a gold rush – millions of people around the world play poker now, hoping to catch the right cards at the right time and win some serious cash. It’s fun, it’s competitive, and thanks to the internet, there’s always a game waiting for you at Bovada Poker.
If you haven’t had the chance yet to play the Beautiful Game, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll lay out the basics for you in this very simple guide to playing online poker at Bovada. In the few short minutes it takes you to read this, you’ll learn how this classic game works on the virtual felt, and how you can get your seat at the table. You’ll also be introduced to the different games you can play at Bovada Poker – there’s something for everyone, no matter how experienced you are or what stakes you play at.
How Poker Betting Online Works at Bovada
Almost all forms of poker are based on one simple premise: Make the best 5-card hand. The standard 52-card “French” deck is used, and each player is dealt in, one card at a time going clockwise around the poker table. In front of each player is a stack of chips, which are used for betting. Players take turns either putting chips in the middle of the table (thus building up the “pot”) or folding their hands and ending their turn. At the end of the hand, the sole survivor gets to scoop up the pot – unless there’s a tie, in which case the pot is split evenly among the remaining players.
So what makes one poker hand better than the others? Having two or more cards of the same rank is good: One Pair, Two Pair, Three of a Kind, a Full House (that’s like having Three of a Kind and a Pair at the same time) or Four of a Kind. It’s also good to have five cards of consecutive ranks (a Straight), or five cards of the same suit (a Flush). If you have five cards that are both a Straight and a Flush, you have – you guessed it – a Straight Flush. Make those cards the Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten of the same suit, and you have the best hand in poker: a Royal Flush.
It’s also good to have higher-ranked cards in your hand. Aces are the highest cards in the deck, and they can also act as the low card, meaning you can make a Straight with Five-Four-Three-Deuce-Ace as well as Ace-King-Queen-Jack-Ten. Kings, Queens and Jacks are the next highest cards, and everything else is face value. If two players have, say, a Pair, the one with the higher-ranked pair wins – a Pair of Aces beats a Pair of Kings. If each player has the same Pair, the one with the highest “kicker” (one of the other cards in their hand) is the winner.
With that in mind, here are the standard hand rankings for poker, from best to worst:
Royal Flush (Ad-Kd-Qd-Jd-Td)
Straight Flush (Tc-9c-8c-7c-6c)
Four of a Kind (5s-5c-5h-5d-3c)
Full House (Th-Tc-Ts-4d-4h)
Flush (Ks-Qs-6s-3s-2s)
Straight (Jc-Ts-9s-8s-7h)
Three of a Kind (3h-3s-3c-As-8h)
Two Pair (As-Ad-8s-8h-9c)
Pair (Ah-As-Kd-Qs-4s)
High Card (As-Qs-9h-8c-3c)
The Royal Flush is the best hand in poker because it’s the hardest one to make. Everything gets easier as you go down the list – until you get to the Pair, which is easier to make than High Card. You won’t win very often with just High Card, but sometimes you will, especially if your highest card is an Ace.
When you play at Bovada Poker, everything works exactly the same as it does when you play at a live casino or in a home game. The poker table, seats, chips and dealers are all virtual; you either tap or click the buttons that correspond to your betting decisions. When it’s your turn, you can Raise (making a bigger bet than the last person), Call (matching that bet), or Fold (giving up your hand). The display will show you how many chips everyone has, and how much time you have left to make your decision when it’s your turn.
Generally speaking, there are three different games you can play at Bovada Poker: Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Omaha Hi/Lo. Hold’em is the most popular game in the world right now – it’s the one they play in the Main Event at the World Series of Poker. Omaha is a similar game, but you’re dealt four cards at the beginning instead of two. And Omaha Hi/Lo is a “split-pot” version of Omaha where the best and the worst hand get to share the winnings. You can learn more about the specific rules for each game by consulting our FAQ and Help guides, as well as the other useful articles in our Bovada Poker archive.
Download and Play Poker at Home or On the Go
- To grab your seat at the table, you need to sign up for your free Bovada Poker account (all players must be within our jurisdiction and at least 18 years of age). You also need an internet-ready device of some kind – a computer, mobile phone or tablet. If you’re using a desktop or laptop, download our free poker client; otherwise, simply log in directly to access the Bovada Poker lobby, where you’ll see all the games we have on offer.
- Once you have your Bovada Poker account set up and all your equipment ready, try some Play Money games for free. This will help you get familiar with your surroundings – and with the different games you can play. Once you’re ready for Real Money poker, make your first deposit at Bovada – and don’t forget to claim your Welcome Bonus, as well as all of the other bonuses we give our players. Those bonuses get even larger when you use Bitcoin (including Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin SV) to make your deposits.
Online Poker Features
There’s a reason why Bovada’s online poker room is considered one of the best in the business – several reasons, in fact. There are so many different ways to play, from cash games to tournaments, both high stakes and low. You’ll also have access to all our special features, including automatic seating, anonymous tables, hand histories, and multi-tabling.
Let’s take a closer look at three of the most popular ways to play at Bovada Poker:
Tournaments
Tournament poker is the No. 1 attraction for new players, thanks in large part to the World Series of Poker. Instead of cash games, where you “buy in” for anywhere between the minimum and maximum, everyone in a tournament pays the same buy-in and entry fee. Then all of the buy-ins are pooled together, and at the scheduled start time, everyone sits down at the virtual tables with the same number of chips, and the poker begins. You play until you either run out of chips or collect them all; the prize pool is divided among the top remaining survivors (usually somewhere around 15-20% of the field), with the largest prize going to the last person standing.
Zone Poker
Tournaments are a great invention, but cash poker is still a lot of fun – and it’s even more fun when you play Zone Poker, our fast-fold variant. Instead of sitting around waiting after you fold your hand, you’ll be instantly transported to another table with new players and a fresh set of cards. This allows you to play roughly three times as many hands per hour as you would at a regular cash game. You can even play two tables of Zone Poker at the same time.
Jackpot Sit & Go’s
A Sit & Go is a special kind of tournament that starts as soon as the designated number of required players have signed up. They’re faster than regular tournaments, and the fastest of them all is the Jackpot Sit & Go, a three-player tournament where the winner gets a random prize of up to $60,000. The Jackpot Sit & Go is a great way to get in a quick and fun game of poker while you’re on your mobile device.
There are so many other things we could tell you about Bovada Poker, but for now, you’ve got all the basics you need to get started. Set up your free account if you haven’t already, try some Play Money games, and find out why Bovada is the No. 1 poker site for players in the United States and across the globe. Then, make that first deposit and start playing poker for real money. The more you practice – and the more you study, including our easy-to-understand strategy articles – the better you’ll become and the more money you’ll be able to win playing poker right here at Bovada. See you on the felt!
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- Best customer support and prompt payouts
- Also offers an online casino and well respected USA sportsbook
- Easy to clear 100% to $500 deposit bonus
“Bovada has been a favorite among US players for 10 years. Good software, lots of tournaments, great support & fast cashouts.”
~ Legaluspokersites.com Staff
Bovada Poker Lobby Is Tiny
Bovada Poker receives a good amount of attention from Americans. With fast banking, super-soft games and quality software, Bovada is a competitive choice for anyone from the United States who wants to play real-money poker online.
How Tough is the Competition at Bovada?
Other reviews of Bovada will focus on the games available and mundane details regarding Bovada’s software. We know that US poker players only really care about one thing when they’re thinking about playing at a room – namely, whether or not they can make some money playing poker at that room.
When it comes to Bovada, the answer to that question is a clear yes. The games at Bovada are softer than the average poker room that takes US players, and there are a few unique aspects of Bovada that help to generate this weaker-than-average competition:
- Attached sportsbook and casino: It’s always a bonus for United States online poker players when a room has a casino or sportsbook attached, and Bovada has both. We’re not saying that everyone who bets sports is bad at poker, or that all those who play slots are losing hold’em players. What we are saying is that having more gamblers in a poker room is generally going to work out well for the skilled players in that room.
- No datamining: Serious online poker players like to have a lot of information on their opponents. Bovada makes it much harder than other rooms for players to acquire and apply data concerning their opponents, so a good percentage of serious players avoid the room altogether.
- Fast transactions: Casual players don’t want to jump through hoop after hoop to make a deposit, and they like to get their cash quick when they make a withdrawal. Bovada has over a decade of experience of processing transactions under tough conditions, and it shows in their industry-leading turnaround times for US players.
Bovada Texas Holdem Poker
Deposits and Cashouts at Bovada
A poker room can be the softest in the world but still be of no use to you if you’re not able to get money on and off of the site. Thankfully, Bovada receives higher-than-average ratings from players and industry observers when it comes to banking transactions.
Methods
Bovada accepts multiple methods for deposits, including credit card, bank transfer and money transfer services such as MoneyGram. Cashouts can be processed by check and money transfer services. Turnaround time for deposits is generally under one hour, and cash outs are processed in under two weeks on average.
Fees
Bovada has some of the lowest fees for US poker players of any site you’ll find online. Deposit fees for almost every method are covered by the room, and players incur only minor withdrawal fees depending on the method they choose to cash out funds.
Security
Bovada operates on the same cashier as the world-renowned Bodog brand, and brings Bodog’s decade-plus reputation and experience to the table as a result. When you’re dealing with a system that has handled billions in transactions without one significant issue, you can feel comfortable trusting your personal information and funds to that system, a level of comfort that Bovada is unique in being able to claim.
How to deposit on BovadaPoker with Bitcoin
Bovada Poker is one of the best Bitcoin gambling sites out there. The site has fast deposits, fast withdrawals and there are never any fees. In nearly every case, you’ll have your cryptocurrency in the site and ready to play in less than 60 seconds.
To deposit, all you have to do is have your Bitcoin wallet, select Bitcoin as your deposit method and you’re good to go. You can even use a QR code to do it. You even get bigger bonuses when you deposit with Bitcoin. Visit their Bitcoin FAQ page for more.
How Valuable are the Promotions and Bonuses at Bovada?
The bonuses and promotions at Bovada Poker are worth less than the value you’d find at the average US-facing poker site. Bovada lacks a robust VIP program, and the standing promotions offered by the room return single-digit rakeback percentages to players.
Don’t let this picture dissuade you from playing at Bovada, however. While the room may offer below-average promotional value, it more than makes up for that lack of value in other areas. Here are a few reasons why Bovada may still be a very profitable room for United States players despite weak promotions and bonuses:
- Soft competition: As we mentioned earlier, Bovada has perhaps the weakest competition of any US-friendly online poker room. Getting to dine on soft competition at the tables can make up a lot of value lost on the promotional front.
- Low-cost banking: Many rooms give US players great value upfront with bonuses, but then charge them substantial fees when it comes time to cash out their winnings. Bovada has some of the cheapest banking fees of any room serving United States online poker players.
- Tournament overlays: The one promotional area where Bovada really shines: Generous tournament overlays on both minor and major tournament events. With thousands of dollars added to tournament prize pools every week, Bovada provides tournament players from America with a nice way to boost their ROI without lifting a finger.
Other Products at Bovada
In addition to the Bovada online poker room, players can also access a sportsbook, racebook and a full-featured casino that houses dozens and dozens of games. All of these products are linked from a single Bovada wallet.
Breaking Down the Bovada Software
In addition to multiple table views that give players maximum flexibility when playing poker at Bovada, the room also offers a completely unique feature that you won’t find at any other US online poker site: Anonymous tables. When you play at Bovada, you don’t have to worry about anyone building a profile on you, as all play takes place anonymously. This feature is in place for both cash games and tournaments at Bovada.
Mobile Options for Bovada Players
There is no dedicated mobile poker client for Bovada poker. There are mobile options for the Bovada casino and sportsbook, however. The Bovada casino works on Android and iPads.
Operating System Compatibility
In addition to the native Windows client, Bovada Poker is also available to players from the United States in a dedicated Mac poker client. Linux players will be able to run the Bovada software using Wine or a similar program for running Windows executables within Linux.
Bovada Poker Network & License Information
The Bovada poker room is licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. Bovada is part of the same poker network utilized by several international arms of the Bodog brand. When you’re playing at Bovada, you’re up against an international player pool that also serves as the poker home for players from Bodog.ca and Bodog88. The Bodog Poker Network has offered online poker to players from around the globe since the early 2000s.
Bovada Poker Compatibility Review
Bovada is a top pick for American players. Why?
- They receive the most (US) traffic. More traffic means more games running – less downtime.
- Bovada is rec-player friendly. You won’t find many grinders here, trying to hunt you down and take your money. They don’t allow 3rd party tools either.
- Bovada runs many promotions, including their $1,000 deposit bonus, more than $170,000 in guaranteed tournaments every Sunday and satellites to live tournaments.
Sounds good, right?! Are you ready to get started?
The first step is to download their software to your computer. That’s what I’ll help you with now, followed by an explanation of what to expect in terms of their software once you sign up.
How to Download Bovada to Your Computer
The download process will only take a couple of minutes. But first, here are the system requirements:
- Operating System – Min. Windows XP Rec. Windows 7
- Processor – Min. 1Ghz Pentium Rec. Same
- Memory – Min. 500Mb RAM Rec. 512Mb RAM
- Disc Space – Min. 30Mb Rec. 60 Mb
- Screen Resolution – Min. 1024×768 Rec. 1366×768
Here are the steps you need to take to download the software:
- Visit Bovada.
- Click download.
- On the first screen you’ll be asked if you want to run or save the file. Choose run.
- The next screen is the setup wizard. Click next, and choose where you want to download the files to. Then click install.
From here you’ll be asked to create an account. You’ll need to enter your name, address, phone number, email, user name and password. Once completed you’ll be asked to verify your email address. From this point forward you should be able to log-in.
Bovada Poker Lobby
How to Play Poker on Your Mac
Bovada also has a download for Macs. The process is the same as outlined above. Here are the system requirements.
- Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard or later
- 800 MHz G4 processor or faster
- 1 GB memory (RAM) or greater
- 70 MB of available disk space
Bovada Poker on the Go
Does Bovada Poker have a mobile app? Absolutely! Although relatively new, the mobile poker app is smooth, clear and provides the necessary functions without any lags or delays.
Sportsbook – There is nothing that you need to download for their sportsbook. Their website is compatible with iPhone / iPad & Android. All you need to do is visit Bovada on your phone, log-in and you’ll be set.
Casino – With their casino you can add the app to your home screen. That’s just to avoid having to use your browser each time you want to play. From your phone you can play games like blackjack, roulette and more than 5 different slot games.
Bovada Poker Download / Software / Features
Bovada has a couple of software features worth pointing out.
Zone Poker – Zone Poker is Bovada’s response to the fast-fold craze that Full Tilt started with Rush Poker and PokerStars with their Zoom Poker. The idea is that you can fold your hand before the action gets to you. Once you do you’re taken to another table where everyone is dealt a new hand. This enables players to get 3-4x the number of hands in per hour. The game is a huge draw to fish players that enjoy constant action.
Anonymous Tables – Anonymous tables are just how they sound – no one knows who you are when you sit down. Each player is labeled a number (1-9). Your notes only last for one session too. The idea is to make it so that grinders don’t have an edge through 3rd party programs, datamining, lobby stats and so on.
Rabbit Cam – This shows you what cards would’ve been dealt had you continued with the hand.
Best Online Poker Sites
In-Client Blackjack – You will have access to play blackjack from the lobby / table of the poker download.
Bovada’s software also includes standard stuff like 4-color decks, table layout options, note taking and chatting.
Are 3rd Party Programs Supported?
No. The following programs are not supported:
- Hand trackers / HUDs
- Data mining
- Auto-Hotkey programs
Bovada doesn’t allow you to use this software because it would give grinders an edge, for one thing. Two, it’s not possible to use these programs anyway because they don’t label the players other than with a (temporary) number. You have no idea who your opponents are once you (or they) leave the table. You’re not even able to save notes longer than your current session.
You are able to download your own hand histories though, so that you can review your own play. But you’re not able to track or label other players. This is inline with Bovada’s attempt to create a safe atmosphere for recreational players, and to improve the poker economy as a whole.
Play now at Bovada Poker- Website:www.bovada.lv
- Bonus:$500
- Licenced:Antigua
- Banned States:NY, MD, and WA
- Payment Options:Bitcoin, Visa, Bank Wire
- Support:Click Here
- Legal Info:Click Here