888 Poker Review:
Overview
Launched in 2002, 888poker is the world’s second largest online poker room with over 10 million players registered worldwide. It is part of 888 Holdings, who also operate 888Sport and 888Bingo. They are licensed in Gibraltar (operating under Cassava Enterprises) by the Gibraltar Gambling Commission. However, the UK version of the site is regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. The main selling points of 888poker are the high traffic, choice of games and tournaments, and generous bonus offers.
Safety and Trustworthiness
Deposits & Withdrawals
There are lots of deposit options at 888poker, with the minimum amount for UK players £10 with the majority of deposit methods. The maximum deposit limit varies depending on the method, but you can get in touch with customer support if you wish to make very large deposits. Methods include:
Visa, MasterCard, Skrill, PayPal, Neteller and Bank Wire.
Minimum withdrawal* is £10 and maximum withdrawal varies.
Note: not all methods that you deposit with, such as Paysafe, can be used for withdrawal.
*minimum wire transfer withdrawal is £25.
Bonuses
888poker offers both a no-deposit bonus and a matched deposit bonus for new UK players. The no-deposit bonus will award you £20 (payable as $32 on the site). This is broken down into $1 of ‘real’ money and $31 worth of Tournament tickets.
As with all poker sites, there are turnover requirements for the Welcome Bonus. At 888poker, you will need to earn bonus points to turn the bonus funds into withdrawable cash. You earn 2 bonus points for every $1 wagered at 888poker. Therefore, 1000 points ($500 wagered) is needed to turn $100. This is pretty generous compared with other sites and getting a real profit out of your bonus is certainly achievable.
In addition, you will also receive the following after making your first deposit:
- 7 Tickets to $500 First Depositors’ Free Tournaments.
- 2 Tickets to $1,000 Depositors Free Tournaments.
- 1 Ticket to the First Depositors’ Challenge Tournament.
Mobile App
888poker is available to download as an app for Android and iOS platforms. As the site itself is mobile friendly, you can access it directly from your mobile and download the software with one click. The app is not available for Windows Phone. However, it will work with both new and old versions of iOS and Android. There is an instant play version – meaning you can play on your mobile without downloading – but it is not quite as smooth as the app.
The mobile app is easy very easy to use. One neat touch, often overlooked by other poker mobile apps, is the use of big on-screen buttons, which reduces the chance of making mistakes when playing. It uses web-cam tables, a cool feature not found with many other mobile poker apps. You can also choose from lots fun and funky avatars for your profile.
One big plus for the mobile app is the fact you can play 888poker’s popular fast-fold variant – SNAP – on mobile. Available in both tournament and cash game formats, SNAP instantly deals new cards each time you fold.
The game choice on mobile is generous, allowing you to easily find cash games. Sit & Go games and plenty of tournaments. One slight drawback is the lack of multi-table options. However, the app is generally excellent. A perfect app for casual poker players who aren’t interested in playing many tables at once.
Desktop
Mobile
Tablet
Instant Play
iOS App
Android App
Downloadable
Promotions
888poker Club Free Tournaments, which run every day of the week and have a guaranteed prize pool of $100,000. In addition, 888poker offers two free tickets to Depositors Free Tournaments, such as those you get with your Welcome Bonus, each week that you make a deposit.
888poker has plenty of tie-ins with notable events, such as the World Series of Poker. As such, there are often promotions and qualifiers running to award players entry to prestigious events.
As 888poker’s new loyalty scheme focuses on completing Challenges, there is often opportunities to win special prizes such as tech gadgets, holidays and cash.
888poker is quite active on social media. It is well worth following them on Twitter or Facebook to keep abreast of one-off promotions and offers.
Support
Review Summary
Overall, 888poker is a top-drawer poker site. It ticks all the boxes for all types of player, being especially friendly towards new players. It is one of the few UK poker sites that still offers a bonus without needing to make a deposit, the $88 No Deposit Needed bonus, so it is really a no-brainer that new players will want to check it out.
The advantages of playing there can be summed up as follows:
- Good traffic. Plenty of cash games.
- Lucrative tournaments.
- Chance to play in 888 events.
- Excellent Welcome Bonus.
- No Deposit Bonus – you can play at 888poker for free.
- Premium Sunday Tournament – the Mega Deep.
- Excellent Loyalty Program. Generous to players who do not spend huge amounts of money.
- Unique software, smooth running site.
- Options for instant play without download.
- Soft players (Fish).
It is necessary to point a few minor faults with 888poker, although it should be noted that these criticisms also come frequently with other poker rooms:
- No live chat/direct customer service.
- Changes to VIP/Rakeback policy may not suit players who have a high turnover.
- Not a huge amount of Seven Card Stud Games.
Given all of this, 888poker is highly recommended and receives a score of 9/10.
888 Poker sign up offer:
UK first depositors only • Min. deposit: $10 • Bonus will be granted as tournament tickets gradually over 6 days and will expire after 24 hours • Full T&C apply
