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As far as poker sites that accept Bitcoin are concerned, there are quite a few and the total number is growing all the time. At first, poker and other gambling sites were wary of the currency just like everyone else. As things moved along, and as Bitcoin became more and more of a household name, real money poker sites began opening their doors to the new form of money. The purpose of this article is to not only highlight the poker rooms that do deal with Bitcoin, but also to explain why you might want to take advantage of them.
Why Should I Play at Bitcoin Poker Sites?
In order to answer the question of why one might opt to play at a Bitcoin poker site versus a traditional online site, there are some assumptions we are going to make with regard to your knowledge of Bitcoin. The following assumes that the basic functionalities of Bitcoin are understood, however if they are not, no worries, because you can read all about Bitcoin’s value in online gambling here.
Banking
One of the biggest reasons as to why people choose to play poker at sites accepting Bitcoin has to do with the speed, or lack thereof, surrounding transactions at these sites. By this point in time, there are very few people who have to worry about a real money poker deposit taking hours and hours to process. In most scenarios at poker sites that are reputable, whether you are depositing via card, e-wallet, or most other methods, the deposited funds will show up instantaneously. While this is the case with Bitcoin as well, people are opting for poker sites that accept Bitcoin and other crypto-friendly gambling sites because of the speed at which withdrawals are processed.
Nowadays, and especially if you are based in the United States, the process of cashing out your poker winnings can be the stuff of nightmares. For one, a mailed paper check is one of the most popular methods at the current time. Even at optimal speed, the time it takes for a poker site to receive your withdrawal request, process it, mail the check, and for the check to reach your door can take up to a week, or even more.
An alternative method is to cash out by way of bank wire, however there are usually insane minimum deposit requirements, or your bank will simply not allow the wire to take place in the first place.
All of these problems (and even more) are why people have been increasingly opting to utilize Bitcoin for playing poker. Cash outs are not only processed in a matter of minutes, the bitcoins will be in your wallet in a short period of time. Though sites’ transactions speeds are subject to variation, Bitcoin is almost always going to be much faster than traditional methods of withdrawal.
Fees
Though this ties into the previous section all too well, it is something that has enough severity to be given its own. Like inordinately long processing times with regard to cash outs, the fees tied to banking methods at online poker sites are another point of frustration for many people. Whether you are depositing money into an account or cashing out, there are going to be fees, and depending on the method of cash-out the fees can sometimes reach ungodly levels.
Luckily, most online poker sites that deal with Bitcoin are offering BTC deposits and cashouts with minimal fees, and sometimes no fees at all. Once again, this is not a constant by any stretch of the imagination, but the sites out there who are accepting Bitcoin as a currency are usually urging folks to do so by presenting them with little or no fees.
Bovada, for example, has been calling folks who have requested a check withdrawal and urging them to cash-out via Bitcoin. If the customer in question is unfamiliar with Bitcoin, they will even aid you in your first-time endeavors.
Anonymity
At some of the Bitcoin-only poker sites out there, the anonymity of it all has been a major draw for some users. At these sites, creating an account is as easy as anonymously depositing Bitcoin and beginning to play. Apart from your encrypted Bitcoin wallet address, the site (and anyone else) has no idea who you are. This is something that takes the threat of hacking out of the equation entirely.
If you are someone who might pursue one of the online poker sites that does not require you to divulge a lot of information in order to play real money poker, you must understand that any dealings with fiat currencies is usually not in the equation. At the end of the day, Bitcoin, and the poker sites that support it, are making the lives of poker players much easier than they have ever been before. Not only can the word “faster” be used to describe just about every aspect of Bitcoin poker, so too can the word “easier.”
Deposits and withdrawals no longer require loads of information simply to be executed, and you no longer have to wait days on end to receive your payment, or see your deposit load. On top of all of this, fees—at least for the time being—are being kept to a minimum at most reputable poker sites. If nothing else, you should take advantage of Bitcoin poker sites because they will save you money. Realistically, there are far more pros than there are cons, and that is what should make you make the switch. Millions have, and millions more are going to in the near future
Bitcoin’s Future in Online Gambling’s Landscape
As far as whether there is a future online poker landscape that includes Bitcoin or not is something that remains to be seen, but early indications are that Bitcoin will be around for some time. Having only been in existence for less than a decade, the simple fact of the matter is that there are millions, if not billions, of people who do not know anything about Bitcoin. What’s more, there are equal numbers who may have heard of Bitcoin, but have no earthly idea how the cryptocurrency functions. Slowly but surely these people are being shown what Bitcoin can do for them, and converts are created daily.
In terms of the online gambling sphere, the use of Bitcoin in the future simply makes sense. Not only does it present unparalleled security in an age where people’s personal and financial information seems to be up for sale at any given point in time, the ease of use is beyond reproach. Admittedly, grasping a full understanding of Bitcoin is not something everyone is going to do, and is not something that can be done overnight. But so long as someone understands that they can use Bitcoin to quickly and easily load funds to their online poker player account, they can begin playing at a Bitcoin poker site.
In the same way that you and I use fiat currencies without a complete and total understanding of how that currency works in the modern world, anyone and everyone can utilize Bitcoin without understanding the intricacies of the network upon which it operates. The knowledge is there for people who want to learn more, but that is not necessary to use Bitcoin.
Best Traditional Sites That Accept Bitcoin
As you could have probably guessed, now that Bitcoin has gained some traction and notoriety around the world, there are a few online poker sites that accept it as a payment method. After all, why would be wasting all our time writing about Bitcoin poker sites if there were none that existed? Below, we will outline a few of the more popular Bitcoin poker sites and explain what they are all about.
Ignition
Ignition is unlike BetOnline in that it was only founded in 2016, but like BetOnline has attained a large following from around the world. The site is a bit more modern-looking, but still manages to maintain the ease of use every site needs. Despite it having been founded much more recently than some other poker skins, Ignition has an upbeat reputation in just about all aspects. The one sole drawback with regard to Ignition is their smaller player allotment. As a new site, Ignition quite simply does not have as large of a following as some of the sites that have been around longer. Their traffic is fine at peak hours, but at off hours you might find some trouble finding more obscure cash games.
If you are attempting to make a deposit via Bitcoin, the deposit minimum will be $20. As far as the most you are able to deposit at one point in time, that amount is $5,000. Once again, withdrawals feature that same $20 minimum, however cashouts can be as large as $9,500.
For players who are thinking about signing up and playing at Ignition, you will be happy to know that there is a 200% matching deposit bonus aimed directly at players who have just signed up. The maximum deposit for this bonus is $2,000, meaning that you can receive up to $4,000 in free, bonus monies.
BetOnline
BetOnline is one of those names that has been around for quite some time. The site was founded in 2004 and has loads of experience and a positive reputation to go with it. The site itself is quite simplistic in design and lends itself to usability. All things considered, BetOnline is one of the premier online poker skins. As a result of this, their traffic is something other sites strive for. No matter what type of day the chances you will be able to find both active cash games and tournaments is pretty high.
If you would like to make a Bitcoin deposit at the site, you will be required to make a minimum BTC equivalent deposit of $20. When it comes the maximum allowed deposit, the sky’s the limit as there is a $25,000 ceiling.
If you are requesting a payout via BetOnline, you will see the same $20 minimum, but will see a reduced maximum of $10,000.
In terms of the promotions offered to new players, you have a choice of entry into a $5,00 freeroll tournament, or a 100% matching deposit bonus. The only kicker to the deposit bonus is that it is released in increments of $5 at a time.
EveryGame
Of all the online poker sites and casinos out there, few have been around longer than EveryGame. In fact, having been founded in the 1980s, EveryGame was around even before online gaming was a thought in someone’s mind. With that type of longevity, there is no way you can be a site that is not trustworthy. As such, you can scour the internet and you will find an absence of negative reviews. The site has handled business well for more than 3 decades, and we don’t expect that to change anytime soon. Adding to the allure of Intertops is the fact that their online poker traffic is great at all times of day. Whether late at night or early in the morning, all types of cash games and tournaments are at the ready.
If you are thinking about making a deposit at EveryGame, you will be happy to know that you can deposit as little as $10 in BTC with ease. Though the deposit maximum is $1,000 per transaction, the fact that there are no fees tied to any deposit is icing on the cake. With regard to cashouts, the minimum required amount for a successful payout is $100, while the maximum is $2,500. Unlike deposits, these cashout figures are weekly, not per transaction.
EveryGame keeps their sign-up and first deposit structure simple and to the point by offering solely a 200% matching deposit bonus on deposits up to $1,000. This means that just for making a first-time deposit you will be able to receive $2,000 in free money.
Best Bitcoin-Only Poker Sites for Me
Believe it or not, Bitcoin has reached a level of popularity so high that there are even online poker sites that specifically cater to users of the cryptocurrency. In other words, there are online poker rooms that specifically cater to Bitcoin users, and only accept Bitcoin (and other cryptocurrencies) when you are making a deposit.
While there is not a wide range of Bitcoin-only poker sites, there is one that stands out above the rest, and that is Nitrogen. Nitrogen was in the online poker game before Bitcoin came around, but they have really made a name for themselves in this relatively new space. The site features a familiar black/red theme, but is very easy to use and navigate.
In addition to all of this, creating an account is about as easy as can be. New users have the option of creating a traditional account or simply creating an anonymous account that will disappear once your session has ended. The anonymous account option is great because everyone nowadays has a very real need to protect their personal information. At Nitrogen, you can begin playing real money poker without handing out any personal information whatsoever.
The thing that will catch most people as it relates to Nitrogen is that the site does not allow you to simply cash out and deposit with Bitcoin. While other sites facilitate the deposit of Bitcoin, but list your balance in terms of USD or EUR, Nitrogen maintains your player balance in terms of Bitcoin. What this means for you is that the value of your player bankroll will fluctuate with the price of Bitcoin. As it goes with these types of things, sometimes that can work out in your favor and sometimes it will not.
As far as we could tell, there are no maximums for withdrawals. Deposits are required to be at least .001BTC, but we found no mention of maximum withdrawal and deposit amounts. Because Nitrogen acts more like a Bitcoin wallet than most other traditional Bitcoin poker sites, the rules governing deposits and withdrawals are a bit more lax.
Nitrogen does not offer any promotions or bonuses for new players, but they do offer poker players a rewarding loyalty program that pays you for playing poker. The lack of bonuses may seem odd, but it is fairly common for Bitcoin sportsbooks, online casinos, and poker rooms simply because of the lack of overhead. Running bare bones operations, even successful ones like Nitrogen, does not afford much room to simply hand money away. Despite this, we are quite certain that you will love just about everything Nitrogen has to offer.
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