Those of you that have been initiated into online poker would by now have realized that the bonuses offered by online casinos are not really what they seem.

There are two types of bonuses available at most poker rooms online. One is the cash match bonus or sign up bonus and the other is the raked hand bonus. The terms used to describe these bonuses may vary from casino to casino.

Many poker rooms offer signup bonuses, as an incentive for signing up to play poker with them, and many are match bonuses. If a player deposits $50, he is given the amount that matches his deposit, so the player will have $100 in his casino account. There is also a restriction on the maximum amount of bonus given.

Several of these casinos pay upfront bonuses, as soon as a deposit is made. When an upfront bonus is given, players are not allowed to withdraw their bonuses as soon as they get them. Allowing this will put the casino at loss and that is the reason players have to deal a certain number of hands before the bonus is allowed to be withdrawn.

The raked hand bonus works differently. This bonus is not given up front. Casinos offering this type of bonus expect a certain number of raked hands to be played before being able to cash out the bonuses. They give the player points and once the desired number of points has been reached, the bonus money is automatically deposited into the player's casino account. This works well for players playing large stakes, as the larger the raked hand, the larger the percentage that goes to the casino and the bonus is released sooner too.

For new players that do not wish to put money in a game they know nothing about, freerolls are a great option. Freerolls are similar to bonuses. Poker rooms may not give too much money in the way of a freeroll, but then it is great for a beginner to get started without investing anything out of the pocket.

The aim of the player should be to play until the number of desired points is reached, to be able to cash in on the bonus. It is a good idea to stick to sit-n-go and the Holdem games with lower limits, to reach the bonus requirement. Nobody wants to lose their deposit even before the sign up bonus is awarded.