What Happened To Bovada

Bovada launched a new poker room and players are coming back to the brand they know! Be sure to check it out! Join Bovada Poker now and get up to $500 in welcome bonuses. In August 2016 Bovada Casino sold its poker room to Ignition Casino. Bovada poker players were given until September 30, 2016 to transfer their accounts to Ignition Casino.

  • Bovada refers me to a 'poker agent' who tells me he cannot provide any information about what happened! He says 'all I can tell you is that this is a very old incident, not even within the last year.
  • I know Bovada is trash/scam/untrustworthy. There are valid reasons to not like Bovada, but this is definitely not one of them. They are one of the 2 or 3 safest offshore books available to US players. I made some bets back in September and on the site they don't show any open bets past 31 days.
  • Bovada, the unregulated, and largest U.S.-facing online poker site according to PokerScout, will discontinue its poker offering as of Sept. That part of the business has been sold to a company.

Bovada Poker – My #1 recommended poker site. They have been my top dog (bodog) for over a decade. I’ve had dinner and drinks with them and I trust them personally. If my friends ask where should they play, I say Bovada.

NameBovada
WebsiteBovada.lv
Games Texas Hold'em, Omaha
Bonus100% to $500 (poker only)
Deposits
Payouts
NetworkPaiWangLuo
Online Since2011
Software Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Instant Play

My adventures with the team behind Bovada began back in 2004. Although the brand I worked with back then was known as Bodog. Regardless of which brand, the core principles of the company have remained the same and ones that I am proud to work with.

After many years of hard work we became one of Bovada’s biggest affiliates. They invited us and other top affiliates to trips in sunny destinations. I know the team behind the scenes and they are as legit as it gets.

From the poker player side, Bovada became my favorite place to play online poker after Black Friday April 15th, 2011. Prior to that I was a Full Tilt and PokerStars junkie. Those sites were bigger, I liked the software better and of course game selection. Once those sites were forced out of the US, I moved most of my play to Bovada.

They released new poker software in 2019 for the poker client and to say it is a huge improvement is an understatement. It is easy to use, sleek and in my opinion much better than the system they used before.

Bovada offers US friendly poker, boasting the largest player pool serving most of the US right now. Additionally they have a top rated sportsbook with live in-game betting, prop bets and competitive odds to all the major and minor sports you can think of. Finally they have a casino with the latest table games, interactive video slot machines and a live dealer via webcam option for some table games like blackjack and roulette.

Screenshots

Positive reputation for 15+ years
100% bonus for poker
30 days to earn bonus (more time would be nice)

Is Bovada Legit as a Company?

So the team behind the Bovada brand has been in the business nearly as long as any of the online sportsbooks, casino and poker rooms that still exist today. I am talking 18+ years now.

Simply put, you are not still in business after 18 years if you are not honest, reputable and have a history of fair (but firm) interactions with players, business associates and affiliate partners.

Bovada is at the top of their game and while you will find plenty of complaints from sports bettors and poker players, the general consensus is that they are legit. I know for certain that they have paid out huge winners, in full and consistently do so.

What Happened To Bovada

They are legit. They want your action and give you an honest shot at winning. When you win you get paid.

Are the Bovada Poker Games Rigged?

Ahh, an argument as old as time itself. Are the games rigged on Bovada to induce action or to favor the fish?

You know how it goes… you will get it in good and someone lucks outs with a two-outer against you for your stack. Happens time and time and time again you will hear. You will hear that the fish catches the miracle card on the river to beat the good players over and over and over.

The short answer is that there is no compelling financial incentive that is worth it to Bovada to rig the games or to have action inducing flops. The risk of being exposed of having a non-random number generation mechanism for delivering the cards that could be statistically proven beyond a shadow of a doubt would be to great of a risk. Just use a random number generator.

Is Bovada Legal, Regulated and Licensed?

Online poker being legal or illegal depends on where in the world you live. For most of the USA, online poker is not illegal. Bovada serves these areas as a legit online poker site.

What

As far as licensed and regulated, that used to be the case. However in 2016 the licensing from Kahnawake Gaming Commission revoked their longstanding license because they did not want to license any sites that served US players. This was additional fallout from online poker’s Black Friday.

However, just because a site is regulated and licensed does not mean that they are legit. And just because a site is not licensed or regulated does not mean they are automatically shady. The truth of the matter is that Bovada is the largest US centric online poker site and has no desire to rig their games and risk their reputation.

How To Use Bitcoin On Bovada

Bovada loves bitcoin and it shows. Once logged in, visit the Cashier and you will see who has the top spots on their ‘deposit options’ chart.

While bitcoin has the top billing, most Americans are still using credit cards for deposit. What this deposit option chart does not tell you is the success rate of making a deposit.

Credit cards are successful about 50-60% of the time. That means just about one in two people who want to deposit with a credit card can not.

Bitcoin deposit success rate is virtually 100%.

If you already have bitcoin then making a deposit is as simple as copying the send to address or scanning the QR code.

Choose how much in $USD to send and send it the appropriate amount of bitcoin.

If you need to buy bitcoin for poker then we show you how step by step.

Step By Step Guide To Use Bitcoin at Bovada.lv

  • Open your Bovada Account
  • Click Deposit > Bitcoin
  • Open your personal bitcoin wallet (see my guide to bitcoin poker wallets)
  • Scan the QR code Bovada provides or copy down the send to address.
  • Paste the send to address
  • Choose your amount of bitcoin to send (you will see the approximate USD value before sending if you use my recommended wallet)
  • Confirm your send transaction.
  • Within 60 seconds your deposit will appear in your Bovada account
  • It will be converted into a $USD amount.
  • You gamble with $USD amounts (not bitcoin amounts) playing poker or any sports bets / casino games.
  • When you cash out your money is converted back into Bitcoin at the market rate and is sent to your personal wallet.
  • From your personal wallet, you can sell your bitcoin and get $USD or do whatever you choose with your bitcoin.

Do you have bitcoin already? If yes you are good to go.

If not, take a few minutes and read our guide on how to get set up properly for bitcoin and gambling.

Remember – you gamble with USD denominated ‘chips’. Your account balance at Bovada is converted into a USD balance (not kept as bitcoin). When you are ready to cash out from Bovada back to your wallet is when your Bovada account balance is converted back into Bitcoin, at the market rate at that point in time, and sent to your wallet.

The price of bitcoin is constantly going up and down so depending on the value you may end up with more or less bitcoin even if you deposit and withdraw the same amount a few days later.

Bitcoin Cash at Bovada

Bovada also accepts Bitcoin Cash. This is a separate crypto currency coin than Bitcoin. It is usually represented with a green logo instead of orange.

BCH is the ticker symbol. If you check a site like CoinMarketCap.com you can see prices of the top crypto-currencies. When publishing this content, the price per bitcoin cash is considerably less than Bitcoin.

The individual price does not really matter since both can be divided out into tiny fractions of coins but there are some advantages of using Bitcoin Cash. Namely, super inexpensive transaction fees. Bitcoin Cash focuses on usability and low fee’s.

It’s a great way to buy a cup of coffee where a mining fee of even $0.50 is significant. Bitcoin Cash usually has fee’s that are around fractions of a cent.

To use Bitcoin Cash instead of Bitcoin, you will need a different wallet than my normal recommended one for Bitcoin (GreenAddress).

I would suggest you do your own research but ultimately for these transactions you should be safe to use wallet.bitcoin.com wallet. Bitcoin.com is a bitcoin cash website and they also offer a built in p2p exchange where you can buy Bitcoin Cash.

  • Research Bitcoin Cash (reddit / wikipedia)
  • Spend Bitcoin Cash (deposit at Bovada)

Is Bovada Poker Safe For New Players?

Yes, I trust Bovada personally and believe they are legit as legit gets when it comes to US online poker sites.

For over a decade their business actions have reaffirmed their commitment to provide the best online gambling experience. They offer an honest and fair place to gamble online. When you win, you will be paid.

Things happen when gambling online and in any business venture. What matters is how the company responds to situations that arise. Time and time again Bovada has consistently responded in a fair, forthcoming and straightforward way. This isn’t to say there are not pissed off players who feel wronged, there are. Bovada doesn’t get all those flashy lights for nothing.

Only deposit what you can afford to lose. This rule goes for any and all gambling sites.

Most players, over time are likely to lose more than they are to win. If you are skilled at poker then this can be different for you but in general, players lose. Know this upfront and keep your gambling to entertainment money that you can afford to be without.

Today from the USA, if you are looking for real money online poker from a company that understands that the recreational poker players are the valuable members of the ecosystem then look no farther. If you are confused why the recreational gamblers are the valuable members then check out the philosophy behind Bovada’s decisions.

How Does Bovada Bonus Work

There are a handful of additional reviews of Bovada that reaffirm my belief that they are legit. As always I recommend you do your own due diligence.

Bovada Poker Reviews

I’m a big fan of you doing your own research on and brand and not blindly trusting anyone, even me.

Here are some of the best of the best reviews out there that I have found.

Additional Bovada Info

  • Includes a Sportsbook and Casino
  • Current largest player base online (US Only)
  • Previous brand was known as Bodog
  • Bodog was founded by son of pig farmers turned billionaire Calvin Ayre in early 2000’s. He is now “retired” and is working on crypto projects.
  • Accepts players from all US states except those that are regulated, (Washington, Nevada, New Jersey, Maryland and Pennsylvania).

Bovada Poker is the most popular poker site among US players. In addition to poker, Bovada also offers a fantastic online casino, sportsbook, racebook, and mobile versions compatible with your smartphone!

Bovada Poker Download
Download Size: 11 MB's
Currency: $
Install Languages: English
Download Compatibility: Windows 2000+
Accepts US Players
Network: Bodog Poker
1. Get the Bovada Poker Download and Execute
To start, click on the 'Download Now' button above which will immediately prompt you to save the Bovada setup file. Click on 'Save File'.
2. Run the Bovada Poker Setup Executable
You may get a security warning or a prompt asking for permission to run the program, continue with the installation, the Bovada Poker Setup file is safe and virus-free.
The Bovada Poker Setup Wizard will launch, click 'Next'.
3. Confrim the Installation Directory
You may change the installation directory here. Click 'Next'.
4. Be Patient!
The setup wizard will download and then install all the necessary files. Once the installation is complete, it will launch the Bovada client.
5. Complete the Bovada Poker Installation
The Bovada Poker Setup will complete and then open up the Bovada Welcome screen as shown.
Click on the red 'JOIN NOW' button located on the left hand side to create your new Bovada Poker account.
If you already have an account, you may login.
6. Fill in Personal Details
Enter your REAL personal information. Bovada Poker is a safe and secure site, your personal information is protected and will never be shared with 3rd parties.
Read the Terms of Service and check mark that you certify your information. Click 'Open My Account'.
7. Make a Deposit
You will be given your account number at the top of the screen, keep a record of your account number.
You will then be prompted to make your deposit. Bovada offers Visa, Rapid Transfer, or MyPaylinQ.
8. Login and Play!
Return back to the Bodog Poker program, and log in using your new Account Number and password in the top left hand corner.
You may click on the red bars that read 'Cash Games', 'Sit and Go Tournaments', 'Scheduled Tournaments' and 'Blackjack' to view the available games.

Bovada Poker provides a fantastic bonus and ongoing promotions that make this friendly poker site the best place to play online poker if you reside in the US and if you are a casual, recreational player.

First of all, Bovada Poker provides the absolute best welcome bonus in all of online poker! This is based on the true fine print of the terms and conditions of the bonus.

Secondly, all of Bovada’s poker tables are ANONYMOUS. This means that the poker sharks and full-time, professional players cannot target you or anyone else, so you expect more of an even playing field!

Read a complete review of the Bovada Poker download at https://bettingsitesusa.net/bovada-poker-download/.

Bovada Poker offers a welcome bonus to all new clients, and it consists of two components: a match bonus on the initial deposit and multiple exclusive invitations to the $100K-gauranteed tournaments hosted on Sundays. To receive these rewards:

• Download the Bovada Poker software.
• Install the software.
• Register and confirm a new Bovada account.
• Make a first real money deposit: $20 minimum.
• Play poker and earn at least one Poker Point.

What are Poker Points?

Poker points (PPs) are the currency of Bovada’s loyalty program. Each time you contribute to a raked pot or purchase a tournament ticket with real money, you earn PPs. To earn your first PP, you’ll have to contribute at least $1 total to a raked pot, or you’ll have to spend at least $1 on a tournament ticket. Once earned, you can use PPs to purchase tournament tickets or claim other prizes. PPs also count toward wagering requirements, but aren’t spent in the process.

What are Exclusive Invitations?

Every Sunday, Bovada hosts a tournament with a $100K-gauranteed prize pool. The prize pool can be and often is bigger than that. Normally, one must purchase a buy-in to a qualifier in order to have a chance at that money. As a new player, however, you earn six free buy-ins to use as you please. Winnings derived from these invitations are not subject to any wagering requirements.

What is the Match Bonus?

The match bonus matches your first deposit by 100 percent up to $1,000. If you make the minimum deposit of $20, then your bonus is $20. To claim the $1,000 bonus, you’ll have to deposit $1,000.

How to Claim the Match Bonus

The welcome bonus is not immediately deposited into your account. Instead, you need to clear that money by earning PPs. You’ll need 5,000 PPs altogether to clear a $1,000 bonus. There are six levels to this wagering requirement:

• $10 at 50 PPs
• $40 at 250 PPs
• $100 at 750 PPs
• $150 at 1,500 PPs
• $300 at 3,000 PPs
• $400 at 5,000 PPs

As soon as you reach the point total necessary for the next allotment, Bovada immediately deposits it into your account for you to do with as you please.

Bovada Poker Software

Perhaps the software’s best feature is its statistics component. Most poker software has this, but Bovada stands apart due to the sheer range of data available and the many options to customize it. The Bovada software is also very user-friendly for those who play multiple tables simultaneously, up to three, and the table resize options are very convenient. The Mac and Windows versions are quite similar. There is also a Flash-based version that is quite good and convenient when you need it, but it limits you to one poker table at a time. We prefer playing on the Bovada Poker download client.

Zone poker is a type of a poker where you join a pool of players rather than a single table. Some casinos refer to this style as rush poker, and Bovada’s proprietary version is called zone poker. Some players prefer Blaze poker because it eliminates an individual’s downtime between hands.

Zone poker allows you to maximize your available time. As soon as you’re involvement in a hand is over, the system moves you from the table to a table that is ready to begin a new hand. The blaze format also allows you to come and go as you please. You won’t affect other players by being unreliable, and you won’t be on the hook for blinds and antes when you’re not playing.

Most importantly, because Zone Poker allows you to earn poker points, and therefore bonuses, extremely fast because of the pace of play!

There are some cons to Zone Poker. Zone poker eliminates your ability to read a table, and it significantly reduces your ability to read individual players. At best, you’re making assumptions based on incomplete information. Zone Poker also forces your hand concerning strategy; loose and weak play are not really options. Finally, the Zone format is not really usable with most of the popular software-based assistants.

Overall, Zone Poker is an excellent new feature for Bovada and provides US players a nice alternative to Rush Poker.

As mentioned previously, Bovada’s poker tables are all anonymous, so beginners and noobs do not have to worry about being targeted – no one knows who you are! So you can relax and fun, this is a nice feature for the casual poker player.

Download Bovada Poker today and give it a shot!

Play at Bovada Poker!

Check out Bovada Poker today!

For more information, read this comprehensive Bovada Poker Review from gpsts.org.

Ignition Poker is a skin of Bovada Poker sharing the same player pool But you can sign up to Ignition Poker and receive their welcome bonus. Read more about the Ignition Poker download at https://bettingsitesusa.net/ignition-poker-download/.

In addition to a great poker room, Bovada also operates one of the most popular online casinos and sportsbooks. Read about the Bovada Casino bonus code offers at https://onlinecasinousabonus.com/bovada-casino-review-bonus-codes/.

For information on the Bovada Sportsbook and welcome bonus, read this review of the Bovada free bet bonus code at https://casinositesusa.com/bovada-sports-free-bet-bonus-code/.

Player Reviews

2
4
Dec 4, 2017
Fun!

I'm a casual, low stakes player and deposited just a little to try out Bovada Poker - really enjoy the games! I personally like the anonymous tables so no one knows who I am, so if I play poorly, I can't get targeted next time lol! Thanks.

Bovada Down

Jan 20, 2017
be sure to use bitcoin

Good poker site, plenty of players, good tournaments. Biggest problem is credit card fees when making a deposit, be sure to use bitcoin and then its free and quick.

Apr 24, 2016
Bovada Poker is OK

I like sports betting and poker, so bovada was a good place to join for me. The poker games are pretty easy, seems like there are a lot of fish. Or maybe just gamblers that gamble too much at poker. Recommended for recreational/casual players. The sharks can't target you because the tables are anonymous!