Bovada Online Gambling Review for US Punters

Bovada Online Gambling Review for US Punters

Poker fans from the USA are well-versed in online poker and do not want to waste time and trust their money to dubious online resources. Picking a good sportsbook or casino is much easier than a poker room — too many factors need to be taken into account to hope for a great result. In this review, we will tell you about Bovada, a famous brand that accepts US punters on its platform. You will learn how to open an account, load the balance with bucks, and activate a bonus for new punters. The guide also contains info about the legality of the poker room, its availability on mobile gadgets and a detailed analysis of the lobby. Start reading our Bovada review. 

Overview of Bovada 

Bovada is an all-in-one gambling resource, on the platform of which both poker fans, bettors, and fanatics of casino games can find entertainment to their liking. Now the brand is considered number 1 in the USA if we talk about online poker. It offers top tournaments, a variety of game formats, the most secure poker client, a variety of payment gates, and prompt user support. US punters from almost all states can enjoy playing at the Bovada poker room and claim to win jackpots. More quick facts in our table: 

Launch2004 (2011 as Bovada.lv)
ServicesSportsbook, Casino, Live Casino, Poker Room
LicenceKahnawake
US puntersAccepted
Types of gameTexas Hold’em, Omaha Hi, Omaha Hi/Lo
Sit&GoYes
LimitsNo/Fixed/Pot
Play money availabilityYes
PlatformsMobile, Desktop
USDAccepted
Payment gatesVisa, MasterCard, Bank Transfer, eCheck, BTC, BCH, LTC, ETH, etc.
Customer CareLive Chat, Contact Form, Email

Hit and Misses 

For you to have the fullest possible understanding of what to expect from Bovada, our team of experts has conducted a thorough analysis of the operator’s poker lobby and is ready to present its strengths and weaknesses to you. 

Pros: 

  • US-oriented brand;
  • Licenced poker room;
  • One account for all services;
  • Several game modes;
  • High-end security;
  • Anonymous poker tables;
  • Fast monetary operations;
  • Digital coins supported;
  • Pleasant Welcome offer;
  • Experienced customer care staff;
  • Responsible Game options. 

Cons: 

  • HUD tracking software doesn’t allowed;
  • Some US states restricted;
  • Fees for deposits with credit cards. 

How to Register? 

Access to all Bovada services (regardless of whether it is a Sportsbook, Casino or Poker Room) is open only to registered users. Reserve a few mins of your time for this procedure, remembering that it needs to be performed only once: 

  • Step 1. Go to the Bovada resource and press on the red Join button (it is located in the top menu);
  • Step 2. Type your first name, last name and date of birth;
  • Step 3. Write your personal phone number;
  • Step 4. Specify the email address to link to the account;
  • Step 5. Create a password that is difficult to crack;
  • Step 6. Provide your postal code;
  • Step 7. Confirm that you have reached the age of majority;
  • Step 8. Confirm that you have read and accepted the Rules for using the resource’s services;
  • Step 9. End the registration process. 

How to Login? 

The authorization procedure in the Bovada poker room is not particularly complicated, so you can quickly start using the services of the resource. You just need to go to the website and follow a couple of simple steps: 

  • Step 1. Click on the Login button;
  • Step 2. Enter your email and password;
  • Step 3. Confirm the login.
  • Step 4 (optional). If you want, allow the system to remember your authorization data by ticking a special box. 

How to Play Poker at Bovada? 

To enjoy all the features and benefits of the Bovada poker room, you will need to download and install special software on your device. This is a reliable client, whose security is provided by the same encryption protocols that are used in most banking systems. Here’s what you need to do: 

  1. Go to the Bovada gambling resource and select the Poker tab;
  2. Press on the Download Poker section;
  3. Pick the client option (Mac or Windows);
  4. Run the downloaded file and proceed to install the software;
  5. After the installation process is complete, turn on the poker client;
  6. Enter the authorization data if you have already opened an account on the resource, otherwise, register;
  7. In the lobby that opens, press the red ‘Cashier’ button;
  8. You will be redirected to the Bovada resource, where you can pick payment gates and replenish the balance;
  9. Go back to the lobby and, after the money is credited to the account, pick a table and start playing! 

Bovada Poker Lobby 

Bovada Poker Lobby 

The lobby of the Bovada poker room is designed in such a way that navigation is convenient for both beginners and experienced US punters. The dominant colors in the design are red and black. In the left column, you will see account options, your cash balance, the presence/absence of tournament tickets, the amount of game money, the button to go to the Cashier, as well as a clickable window with a referral promotion. 

The lobby itself occupies the central and right parts of the screen. It is not oversaturated with events, you can comfortably pick events and tables depending on the formats. The following categories are presented at the top: 

  • Zone poker (selected by default);
  • Cash games;
  • Sit & Go tournaments.
  • Jackpot Sit & Go;
  • Scheduled tournaments. 

There you can also see the Casino games and Sports tabs. 

To the right of the categories block, there are three sections for quick sorting of games and formats. In the first of them, you can pick a card game (Texas Hold’em, Omaha Hi, Omaha Hi/Lo). In the second — the size of the buy-in (Micro, Low, Medium, High), and in the third — the limit (No, Pot). 

Under the categories and sections is a list of available tables. You can quickly sort them by pressing on the columns with the following names: 

  • Table name;
  • Game;
  • Stakes;
  • Limit;
  • Max;
  • Players;
  • Average pot;
  • Players/Flop. 

Cash games 

By clicking on the Cash games category, you can quickly pick a specific table for yourself: 

  1. Pick the type of game (Texas Hold’em, Omaha Hi, Omaha Hi/Lo);
  2. Select the limit (No or Fixed);
  3. Choose the number of seats at the table (6 or 9);
  4. Press on the ‘Next’ button;
  5. Pick the betting range and press the ‘Take my seat’ button. 

Note that you also have the option to enable Practice mode. 

Other Categories 

You also need to know what you can find in other lobby categories. For example, the Sit&Go tournaments and Scheduled tournaments sections provide info about these tournaments and their satellites. Use the sorting functions to quickly find the tournament you are interested in by such indicators as the type of game, the size of the buy-in, the type of tournament, etc. 

The Jackpot Sit&Go category offers the opportunity to play a game with a max of 3 players at one table. The prize pool is unknown before the start of the game, but in any case, you will be able to claim a big jackpot for a small buy-in. You need to do the following: 

  1. Pick the number of games you would like to play;
  2. Press on the ‘Register’ button;
  3. Wait for the table to be filled with punters and believe in your luck! 

Lobby Features 

You can customize the lobby for yourself using specific options. Enable or disable sound alerts, allow the chat to be shown or block it, enable the display of tables with game money or disable it. You can also change the type of background, card front and card back. 

Also in the options section, there are several game features, enabling or disabling which will help you to unify your own gaming experience. 

Promos and Incentives 

As we said earlier, Bovada is an all-in-one gambling resource. For this reason, all the incentives available to the brand’s clients have been distributed across services: bettors, gamblers and poker players will find unique bonuses in the category that they are most interested in. US punters will be able to learn about jackpots, tournaments and other Promos on the poker page. Getting to know the news about the upcoming Bovada events is a great start to the morning! 

Sign-Up Offer 

If you have opened an account and want to finance your poker game on the Bovada resource, you should know that you can not just upload money to the balance, but activate a Welcome bonus for new clients. The operator offers a 100% add-on to the amount of the debut replenishment of the account (max $500). To activate the incentive, you will need to use the promo code PWB500. After that, you will have 30 days to fulfill the wagering T&Cs. Earn Rewards Points (RP) for playing on cash and successfully completing tournaments. Every 150 RP is equal to 5 dollars.

Payment Gates 

If you want to get the highest quality poker experience with the best punters from the US and other countries, then you will need to replenish your balance. Moreover, this condition is also necessary for you to have access to withdraw funds. Bovada, as a licensed company that takes its mission responsibly, provides customers with only reliable and verified payment gates: 

  • BTC;
  • ETH;
  • USDT;
  • LTC;
  • BCH;
  • Vouchers (phone number verification is required to use this option);
  • Credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express). 

The minimum deposit amount depends on the payment gate you pick. For comparison, when depositing money using cryptos, the transaction size should be at least 0.0002 BTC (or equivalent in other digital coins), and for credit cards — $20. 

To withdraw funds, you will need to go through the data verification procedure. The min amount that will be approved for the transaction is $10. If you want to get money faster (within a day), then use digital coins, and check by courier operations, on the contrary, requires from 10 to 15 days. 

In general, Bovada meets industry standards or even surpasses them in some things regarding the conduct of payment transactions. 

Privacy & Security 

Bovada guarantees tremendous safety for its poker client. Its protection is provided by encryption technologies that are successfully used in premium banking systems. If you take responsibility for the safety of your personal and payment data and do not provide them to third parties, then no one will be able to access your account and funds. 

Every US punter who opens an account on the Bovada online resource undertakes to provide only fair details about himself/herself. The operator carries out the data verification procedure and can block the account if the client deliberately tried to mislead the administration. Please note that you must have reached the age of majority to legally use the poker room services. 

Responsible Gaming 

Bovada Responsible Gaming 

Bovada is a socially-oriented brand that encourages its clients to follow the principles of Responsible gaming. On its website, you can find an information section dedicated to helping problem punters. It consists of data on specific resources that provide professional support to people with gambling addiction. There you can also take a quick survey that will allow you to understand if you have such problems. It consists of 20 questions, and if you answer positively to at least seven of them, then you need help. 

In addition, Bovada provides useful tips that will help you avoid gambling addiction and the severe consequences caused by it (family troubles, money problems, etc.). You can also contact the support agents of the company so that they temporarily block your account. 

How to Communicate With Customer Care Staff? 

We hope that you will not have any troubles when using the services of Bovada, but otherwise, you can be sure of prompt assistance from the support agents of the company. They will be available for communication through several channels, so feel free to pick the option that will be comfortable for you specifically: 

  • Live chat. This method is suitable for those users who want a quick response or reaction to their appeal;
  • Feedback form. Pick the Poker category to leave a question, complaint or suggestion. Add your email address to which you will receive a response;
  • Phone number (1-833-619-2738 — Toll-free). If you prefer voice communication rather than text, then this option is your best choice. However, you may have to wait for your turn. 

We also recommend that you take a look at the Bovada Help Center. It contains a large array of useful info. You may find answers to your Qs without having to contact support agents. 

Our Final Touch 

In this expert manual, we told you about the hit and misses of the legal poker room Bovada, which accepts US punters on its platform and provides the opportunity to pay for the game in USD. You have learned how to open an account, how to replenish the balance, and how to activate a Welcome Offer if you are a fresh client. We are sure that you will be able to have a great time on the Bovada resource, because this brand cares about its reputation, strives to build excellent relationships with customers and provide them with top-class services. Study the estimates prepared by our experts: 

  • UI/UX — 10;
  • Game modes — 10;
  • Safety and security — 10;
  • Promos — 9;
  • Payment Gates — 10;
  • Mobile adaptability — 10;
  • Customer Care — 9;
  • Responsible Game — 10. 

The overall rating is 9.75. Top, just top poker room. 

Read about Black Chip Poker.

Most Common Questions

How to Register at Bovada? 

The registration process will only take a couple of minutes. You only need to press on the Join button, then follow the instructions for filling in personal and contact details. Provide only honest information so that your account is not blocked. 

Can I Enjoy Bovada Poker on My Phone?

Yes, the Bovada platform is adapted for mobile users, so you can enjoy your favorite games and compete with other players on your smartphone. 

Bovada Poker Room – is it Rigged? 

You have nothing to fear — Bovada is a reliable bookmaker, gambling operator and poker room that legally provides its services to punters and gamblers from around the world. The company has a Kahnawake Gaming Commission confirming the legality of its actions. By clicking on the license’ image, you can go to a separate page and leave a complaint about Bovada, if you have any complaints, and the regulator will definitely consider them. 

I am Under 18 years old, Can I Play Poker at Bovada? 

No, you must reach the age of majority (it may vary depending on the location of your residence) before opening an account on the site. If the administration finds out that you have hidden your real age and violated the rules of the resource by going through the registration procedure, your account may be blocked. 

Can I Pay With BTC at Bovada.com? 

Yes, among the large array of payment gates available to US punters on the Bovada poker resource, there are also digital coins. You will be able to use BTC both to replenish your balance and to withdraw funds.