bwin Poker Bonus: Review and Screenshots

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The Quick Summary

A longtime presence in the online poker world, bwin is one of the more popular sites for European players. Part of the Ongame network of sites, bwin boasts an online casino and sportsbook in addition to the poker room. Their software is some of the best in the business and they are one of the few sites out there whose poker room software is Mac friendly.

Popularity: 7 of 10 - Good

As one of the largest sites in the Ongame network, bwin has a sizeable and loyal base of European players. The site averages around 3,000 real money cash game players at a time with closer to 8,000 players during peak hours. bwin offers a range of non-Hold'em games including Omaha, Stud, and 5 Card Draw. Their tournament schedule also draws a relatively large crowd, as it offers numerous daily tournaments with modest guarantees.

Security: 8 of 10 - Good

bwin is one of the few sites independently certified "fair and safe" by the non-profit organization eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA). They assure all data transmitted on the site is encrypted and keep a close eye on IP addresses in order to avoid unauthorized access to account information. A government-issued form of identification is also required in order to cash out.

Player Competition: 7 of 10 - Good

There are still soft spots to be found at the lower stakes, but the games get tougher as the stakes increase. Even though the room gets some traffic from bwin's online casino, there are so many European grinders on the site that the higher stakes don't play as loosely as one might expect.

Site Software: 9 of 10 - Excellent

bwin Poker is one of the few online poker rooms that are Mac friendly. The site offers software than can be downloaded to your computer or it can be opened directly as a Java client, which is what makes it Mac compatible. A version of the software is also available that allows customers to play for real money via their cell phone.

Another perk of the software is the amazing graphics: bwin has a reputation for some of the most impressive and realistic graphics in the business and deservedly so. The entire site is laid out quite well with easy to navigate lobbies and easy to read statistics. Additional features include the ability for players to easily set up private cash game tables and real time statistics on all-in hands.

Customer Support: 6 of 10 - Good

The company offers e-mail, fax and phone support, but not on a 24/7 basis. E-mail is answered daily from 8AM to midnight and the phone lines are open from 10Am to 10PM (GMT + 1).

Company Ethics: 8 of 10 - Good

Time is on bwin's side as it has been around the online gambling world since 1997. From the beginning, bwin has consistently proven to be a reliable and safe place to play poker. The Ongame network is home to several other known and respected sites in addition to bwin like Winamax, Hollywood Poker, Poker Idol and Poker Room. Ongame is one of the largest and most popular networks on the European market. In addition to size and notoriety, Ongame is known for their tireless efforts to improve their software.

Site Promotions: 7 of 10 - Good

On the plus side, bwin offers a number of cheap satellites into numerous live events in Europe. Their multi-table tournaments offer good guarantees and the site has a loyalty program in place where players can earn points they can use to buy merchandise or bonuses on the site. On the down side, bwin employs an unusual rake formula that results in a higher than average number of hands per rake for the more active cash game players.

Overall Review: 7.42 of 10 - Good

With its top notch software and growing customer base, bwin is becoming a nice place for non-US tournament Hold'em players. It can be tough to find good cash games and beat their rake, however it is a safe place to play with a good tournament and satellite schedule. They offer some promotions for their customers, but they are not particularly elaborate or generous.