Bovada Poker has announced that it will cease operations on September 30th and advised players to open accounts with its sister site – Ignition Poker.
The news that something was going on at Bovada Poker was not entirely unexpected by some industry observers. The recent addition of an online poker platform identical to Bovada´s at [geolink href=”https://www.usafriendlypokersites.com/online-casinos/ignition-casino-review/”]Ignition Casino[/geolink] raised a few eyebrows – particularly when it was learned that both Bovada and Ignition use the same marketing affiliate.
Bovada Poker has promised that players will enjoy the same online experience at Ignition Poker; and, as the two sites are sharing the same platform at present, players who open accounts with Ignition Poker will see the familiar anonymous tables and features such as Zone Poker. Up until September 30th, the two sites will also share the same player pool.
How the Migration Process is Going to Work
From now until the end of September, players are being prompted to create an account with Ignition Poker when they log into their Bovada Poker accounts. The account creation process is straightforward, but Ignition accounts will have to be verified before they are operational – so it may be necessary for some players to update their details on Bovada Poker before going through this stage of the process.
Once the Ignition Poker account has been created and verified, players can transfer some or all of their Bovada Poker balance over to the new account. For a limited period Ignition Poker is offering players a free $10.00 cash bonus and entry into exclusive freeroll tournaments in order to encourage the early creation of their new accounts and to avoid an administrative headache at the end of September.
Bovada Points, Tournament Tickets and Bonuses
Players with Bovada Points are advised to exchange them for casino bonuses or tournament tickets before the 30th September as they will not be carried forward to the new Ignition Poker accounts. Bovada Poker has introduced more ways in which their points can be used so that players do not lose out. Tournament tickets will be carried forward when the migration is complete.
Players still clearing the Bovada Poker bonus will have the uncleared portion of their bonus carried forward to their new Ignition Poker account on September 30th. Consequently, if you are still in the process of clearing the bonus, it is recommended that you go through the account creation process, but wait until the 30th September before transferring any funds you have in your Bovada Poker account.
Will the New Bovada Poker be the Same as the Old Bovada Poker?
The likelihood is no. The separation of online poker players from sports bettors will likely see a small decline in the volume of action. Furthermore, players from New Jersey, Nevada, Delaware and Maryland who may have been grandfathered into Bovada Poker during the migration from Bodog Poker in December 2011 will be unable to create accounts with Ignition Poker.
Other than that, there are a few small changes to the withdrawals process that players ought to be aware of. The maximum withdrawal limit by Bitcoin has been reduced from $9,500 to $3,000 while the minimum amount that can be withdrawn by check has increased from $50 to $100. Players will also only be entitled to one free withdrawal every four months rather than monthly.
The Ignition Poker Bonus
To compensate for any changes that might be unpopular, Ignition Poker is offering players a first deposit poker bonus of up to $100 for deposits made independently of Bovada Poker transfers. The Ignition Poker bonus is cleared in the same way as the previous Bovada Poker bonus inasmuch as players earn points for contributing to the rake deducted from cash game tables or for paying a fee to enter a Sit & Go game or multitable tournament.
Ignition Poker Points for cash games are awarded on the same sliding scale as at Bovada Poker, while points are awarded at the rate of 3 points per dollar for Sit & Go and tournament entry fees. The bonus is released in increments as players reach certain points´ milestones:
- The first $5.00 is released when players have been awarded 15 Ignition Poker Points.
- The next $20.00 is released when players have accrued 85 Ignition Poker Points.
- A further $25.00 is released when players have collected 185 Ignition poker Points.
- The final $50.00 of the bonus is released when players have 400 Ignition Poker Points.
Players have thirty days from the date of their first deposit in which to clear the bonus and, while playing at the cash game tables, players can also qualify for a Royal Flush bonus of 50x the big blind (up to $200) for winning a hand with the best possible hand, or a Bad Beat Bonus of up to $1,000 if their Aces Full of Kings (or better) gets beaten by four of a kind.
Players who enjoy casino games can also take advantage of a 100% match bonus on first deposits made at the Ignition Casino.
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