Bodog Poker review

Summary

Bodog Poker was founded by Calvin Ayre as an upmarket poker room in September 2004. Its popularity with the elite can be gauged by the fact that it is extensively advertised on high profile magazines such as Stuff, Esquire and Men's Health. Bodog Poker is associated with an online casino and a Sportsbook but not with any other poker network. U.S. players are accepted at Bodog Poker.

Software and Extra Features

Bodog Poker has a pleasing lobby. The software is quickly downloaded and the playing environment can be customized. The graphics despite being slick are very fast, which is a double advantage. Bodog Poker allows players to upload their own avatar. The best part of the software is that there are the several new features that include the ability to take notes on the opposition during the play and to view flop percentages, average pot and other important table statistics.

The player's own statistics can of course be viewed. The software allows a player to play on three tables simultaneously. The latest version of their software provides some new features such as an updated table design with improved visibility of active state and remaining time, improved side panel treatment; additional keyboard commands and chip stack count on roll over. The software also allows full player name display, resizing of dealer button, player avatar and font size in the player dashboard.

Player Traffic and Competition

Bodog Poker boasts about 1600 ring game players and 2200 tournament players during peak hours. This excludes those who are not playing for real money. For a relatively new poker room this traffic can be considered healthy. The traffic is centered on the popular games with low stakes no-limit Texas Hold'em games being the major draw. The traffic is regularly increasing. The low limit tables attract loose players and a good player will find it easy to win at these tables. However the $5-$10 limit tables produce quality play. The flop percentage is in the mid sixties.

Sign up Bonus

The sign up bonus at Bodog Poker is 10% upfront of the first deposit and 100% subject to a maximum of $500 depending on the amount of play at Bodog in the first month. The 10% upfront bonus money is instantly transferred to the players' account and available for wagering within 30 minutes. Bodog Poker's referral deposit is very handsome. It offers 20% of the friend's initial deposit subject to a maximum of $100. Availability of this bonus is subject to playing rules.

However the rules are far less stringent than on other poker rooms. New registrants are automatically given 50 points and earn additional points for every raked hand played in ring games, for fees paid for entering the tournaments and for the time spent playing at the table. 1 point is earned for every $1 paid in tournament fees. Players must earn 3 points to cash $1 of the bonus. Bodog Poker does not require a bonus code.

Game Variety and Promotions

Bodog offers Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo, 7 Card Stud, 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo and 5 Card Stud in fixed, pot and no limit formats. The promotions at Bodog Poker are above par for the industry. A small buy-in of $1 is all that is required to participate in the weekly $100K guaranteed tournament. The buy-in for the qualifying rounds of the World poker tour or World Series of poker tournament is only $1.50.

There are many other tournaments to choose from including freerolls for players who have accumulated the required Bodog poker points. The total monthly prize money is over $3.5 million. Another good feature about the tournaments is the leader board. At the top are professionals like Josh Arieh and David Williams. So players who are near the top get to play with the professionals.

Deposit/Withdrawal Methods

The Casino and Sportsbook that Bodog Poker has been associated with have been around for over 10 years. As a result the financial security is excellent and the games are fair and reliable. The payouts are fast and hassle free and funds are deposited into players' checking accounts very quickly. One free payout is allowed per calendar month for each player. This applies to all methods.

If the player asks for additional payouts during the same calendar month a $20 processing fee will be levied regardless of the method or amount requested. Most of the usual deposit methods are accepted at Bodog Poker, which include Instant Checks, eChecks, Credit Cards, Checks, NETeller, FirePay, myCitadel, Moneybookers, CentralCoin, Click2pay, eWalletXpress, Western Union and Nucharge. The minimum deposit for online payment is $20 and the minimum deposit for phone payment is $50.

Customer Service

Customer support is available through e-mail, live chat and a 24/7 phone line. All methods provide competent, quick and courteous service. The contact details are prominently displayed, which is a blessing if you urgently need to contact the management.