Sky Poker Review:

Launched in 2007, Sky Poker is a brand that’s built up a solid reputation among casual and low stakes players. As well as a place among the Sky betting empire, this poker site links to the brand’s TV portal, which means your moves could be broadcast to the nation. Despite offering one of the best low stakes live tours in the UK, we found that Sky Poker’s cash games offered the best value. To find out a little more about why we came to this conclusion, check out our Sky Poker review now.

Sky Poker deposits are fee-free and instant thanks to the site’s partnerships with Visa and MasterCard. Withdrawals start from £10 and funds will typically be in your account within two to five days.

The Sky Poker welcome bonus is simple but effective. Instead of putting together a package that’s filled with endless tokens you probably don’t want, the bonus team has stuck to the basics. When you create your account, you’ll receive a £10 tournament. Then, when you make your first deposit (£10+) you’ll get a 200% bonus worth up to £500.

In our opinion, the no deposit bonus is great for two reasons. Firstly, £10 isn’t a non-meaningful amount in today’s iGaming economy. Look across the industry at other top-rated poker sites such as Paddy Power and the average tournament freebie is worth £5 or less. The second reason we love this bonus is because you don’t typically receive no deposit deals in the poker world. For new players, the fact you can play, and potentially win, a Sky Poker tournament without making a deposit is fantastic.

As for the financial incentive, £500 is a solid maximum payout. In fact, this offer stacks up well against the likes of Betfair Poker which only offers up to £200 in welcome cash. Whatever bonus amount you collect, payments will be dripped into your account in £10 increments each time you earn 250 Poker Points.

In real terms, you’ll earn 6 points for £1 in rake you contribute, so you’ll have to wager £41.66 to release £10. This is effectively a rakeback rate of 25%, which is pretty good in comparative terms. However, it’s important to note that Sky Poker works on a weighted system, which means only the amount you contribute to a raked pot will earn you points. For example, if £2 is raked and you’ve contributed 50% to the pot, this means you’ll earn points for a £1 contribution.

Also, any bonus funds must be wagered once before they can be withdrawn. This isn’t something you typically see in the poker world and it does leave a slight stain on the deal. However, even with this unexpected wagering condition, Sky Poker’s welcome package is still strong.

To bet and bluff on the go via your iOS or Android device, Sky Poker has native apps you can install. Unlike the instant play desktop software, we didn’t encounter any issues with the apps. In fact, everything felt pretty slick as we were able to swipe from game to game without any glitches. In terms of what you can play on your phone or tablet, Sky Poker’s tech team has ensured you get access to a full roster of games. This means you can enjoy cash games, tournaments, single table tourneys and even play on TV using your iPhone, iPad or Android handset.

In terms of retention offers, Sky Poker has £5,000 in freerolls every week which can only be unlocked if you earn Poker Points. However, perhaps the best reason to continue playing at this site is because of the Sky Poker Tour. Known as one of the UK’s best low stakes tournaments festivals, the events are always well attended and offer an affordable way for novices to experience live poker. As a Sky Poker player, it’s possible to satellite into these events and, moreover, become part of community which is something you don’t get with other poker sites.