www.888.com Poker Review

888 is another online gambling powerhouse that, unfortunately, only caters to international players. I say unfortunately because US players won't be able to participate in the variety of products that 888 offers, which includes bingo, sports betting, general and casino games, all in addition to their poker site. It's difficult to find a company that can do all of these things well.

But 888 pulls it off. If you haven't already, I highly recommend checking their site out, and becoming a member if you enjoy playing poker on a regular basis. The following will give you all you need to know to decide whether or not 888 Poker is a good choice for you (and it likely will be).

888 Poker Bonus

888 Poker offers all new first time depositors a welcome bonus. Their offer is a 100% match on your deposit, up to $400. For example, if you deposit $225, 888 will match you $225 for a grand total of $450.

In order to actually receive and keep the money, you’ll first need to ‘clear’ it. You do this by playing real money games and earning points. You’ll be given $10 of your bonus for every 100 status points that you earn. You’ll earn status points at the rate of 2 per $1 spent in cash game rake or tournament fees. Ultimately, what that means is that you’ll earn $10 of your bonus every time you spend $50, for 20% in rakeback.

This bonus is in addition to an entry into the $100k First Depositors Challenge, 7 (free) entries into their $500 freeroll and 1 entry into a $1,000 freeroll. 888 gives you multiple opportunities to build your bankroll at no extra cost to you.

888 VIP Program

888 Poker’s VIP program consist of 10 tiers. Each tier will require so many points on a monthly basis to obtain. In doing so you’ll gain access to perks like faster earning of reward points, exclusive tournaments, cashback and more. The following are the VIP tiers in order from bottom to top, along with the increase in reward points you get per status point earned along the way.

  • Blue | 1:1
  • Iron | 1:1
  • Chrome | 1:1
  • Copper | 1:1
  • Bronze | 1:1
  • Silver | 2:1
  • Gold | 4.5:1
  • Platinum | 9:1
  • VIP | 13.5:1
  • VIP Diamond | 18:1

Your point can be used in the rewards store to buy all kinds of things like fancy watches, gaming systems, BBQs, cars, motorcycles and more. Alternatively, you can convert them to real money at any time from within the lobby.

Games

888 Poker spreads your standard set of poker games. This includes holdem, omaha, omaha hi/lo, stud and stud hi/lo. These games are played in the cash game, tournament and sit and go formats. Buy-ins range from .01/.02 to 500/1000 for both cash games and tournaments. Variations include heads up, deep stacks, guarantees, teams, knock-outs, rebuys, turbos and short handed.

Software

888 uses their own software. This gives them the ability to add or remove features as they see fit, without the constraints of some 3rd party program or network. Players using Windows operating systems will be able to download the software. All other players, including Mac and Linux users, will be able to play on 888’s instant play software. They’re one of the few poker sites that offer a no download program.

888 does a good job with their software. They have features that’s not at every site, including webcam poker tables, a quick seat option and beginners tables. The quick seat option takes a couple of parameters that you set, and quickly finds you a table to sit down to. This beats having to take the time to comb through the lobby yourself. And the beginners table is for players brand new to 888 Poker. Players beyond the threshold (usually a couple of weeks/months) aren’t able to sit down at these tables and prey on the newer players. So you can learn the game, get your feet wet with the software and maybe even build your bankroll before moving on to the community tables.

888 Compatibility

888 Poker is compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems. Windows users will have the option to download the software. Mac, Linux and Windows users will have the option to use 888’s no download software. They’re one of the few sites that do this, as most sites offer Mac users a download instead.

888 is also compatible with Android and iOS mobile phones and tablets. Poker players will be able to download an app that will then allow them to play holdem cash games and sit and go’s. At the moment heads up, MTT and other non-holdem games aren’t available.

Payment methods

888 has too many payment methods to list here. Given that they accept players from all over the world, you’ll find both internationally and country specific deposit and withdrawal options. Here are some of the widely accepted options available to players:

  • Visa & MasterCard debit/credit cards
  • Bank Transfer
  • Neteller
  • PayPal
  • Moneybookers (Skrill)
  • WebMoney
  • Wire Transfer
  • Paysafecard
  • Ukash
  • UseMyFunds

Minimum deposit limits will vary from $10-$100. The higher end of that spectrum will be for bank transfers and wires.

Customer support

Before you can contact support 888 guides you to their FAQ section. Here you’ll need to choose the best category for your question. Once you're inside that category you’ll either be able to find the answer to your question –or— you can use the contact link located on the right hand side. This will take you to an email form that you’ll need to fill out and submit. From my experience 888 Poker has always been quick in responding to my emails and answering my questions.