You knew it would happen the second the started playing online. Sure, at first the games were just for fun, but you needed more. The time has come and now you want to play for money online. Congratulations, your world has just gotten a little bigger. Now the question is, how do you get money into an online poker site?
Moving money from your bank card or credit card into an online poker site is far more difficult then it really should be. Most of the large banks have decided it is their business what you do with your money, and have stopped performing credit card transactions for online gambling of any kind, including poker. The problem is that the large banks not only control your bank card, but they are the ones issuing your credit card. So like an unpleasant goalie, they have blocked those avenues. Paypal has also stopped allowing folks to use its service to move money to an online poker site. Where there is a will there is a way though, and you do have options.
The most reputable of these new financial processors is NETeller, a publicly-traded Canadian company. NETeller provides a service very similar to Paypal's without all the presumption of trying to decide how you spend you money. You have a web-based cash account that you can use to transfer funds from your bank, credit card, to an online poker site. This is a backdoor approach to financing your online poker activities. Since NETeller is not in the business of online gambling, the credit card issuers who try to block your access to poker sites, are happy to do business with them. FirePay is another web-based cash account similar to NETeller and Paypal. FirePay is about as reputable as any agreement signed in North Korea. Customer service is nearly non-existent and they charge five dollars every time a withdrawal is made. I suggest you avoid FirePay like it was a flesh eating virus.
The world of online poker is about as competitive as the car dealership racket. Just like that cheesy used car place with the cowboy or guy with a cape in the commercial, poker sites will offer you incentives to join them. Before you put any money into an online site, look into their sign up bonuses. Why should you go with a site that doesn’t offer a financial incentive to get your business? You will only be eligible for one sign-up bonus at each site, so be clear on your options before you deposit money anywhere.
They aren’t giving away money because they love you and want to give you nice things. As we mentioned before, they are doing to get your business. They get a few pennies for every hand you play, so in the long run they will be making a fair amount of money off you. Many of them don’t stop at the sign-up bonus, but will also pay a referral fee to the person who directed you to their site.
Anyone who believes in free money probably also believes that someone in a pink taffeta dress and little wings removed teeth from under their pillow and left a quarter. Those of us in the real world know that the sign-up bonus probably has some strings attached. The “string” is the fact that you don’t get the bonus unless you deposit a minimum amount of money and play a minimum of raked hands. This will vary from site to site, but better bonuses require five raked hands to be played for each dollar of bonus earned. Other, skimpier bonuses will require ten raked hands.
Now that you know the ins and outs of moving money around an online poker site, play and have fun.
