Bodog Poker Review

Anyone familiar with the American online poker scene will know Bodog Poker–their reputation precedes it. My job, dear readers, is to dig deep into their games to see if it’s a real money poker site worth playing on. To get a true sense of the platform, I created an account with Bodog, deposited my own money, and dove headfirst into the games. I tried everything, from cash games to tournaments to sit and gos, leaving no stone unturned in my quest to bring you the true state of Bodog’s games.

While the quality of games is important, we all know there’s more to an online poker site than that. So I also looked at other areas, such as bonuses and promotions, banking options, customer support options, and more that I’ll expand on later. I’ve been playing poker seriously for nearly ten years, with over three of those as a professional, so I know what makes a good poker site. After looking at Bodog’s features, I collated them into this review, which I’d like to share with you now.

Bodog Poker sees a lot of traffic and offers players a lot of tables to sit and play at. One reason the site is so popular is that it provides a vast, comprehensive list of poker games for players to choose from.

One of the most important things to consider when playing at an online poker room is what it’s like to use it. After all, if you’re going to be grinding long sessions on this site, you want the software to be easy on the eye and easy to use. After testing the site myself, I can say that Bodog is both of those things; but there are some areas where it could be improved.

Overall, the software is great. It looks great, it’s really easy to use, and there are plenty of customizable options that allow you to change up the table to match your preferences. Speaking of the table, the playing area is nice and large, it’s easy to read everything on the screen, and I experienced no problems with lag while using the downloadable software or the website.

Web Version vs Poker Client

Bodog Poker gives you the option of playing online poker via a website or by downloading dedicated software you can install on your PC. Both have their pros and cons; while they both look great, the desktop version has more features, whereas the website is more convenient.

Web Client

One of the great things about playing at Bodog is that the website version is a similar standard to their downloadable software, meaning you won’t experience a drop in quality when moving between the two. Playing on the website is convenient for one-time games, as you don’t have to wait for the software to download and install before you start playing. All you have to do is browse the Bodog site, log in with your account details, and hop into the games.

The Bodog poker website lobby is well laid out, making it easy to find your favorite games. I love the inclusion of a dark mode, as white backgrounds can be blinding on bright monitors! As you can see above, you have access to all forms of poker, so you’re not missing out on anything by playing on the web client.

One thing that I wasn’t a fan of is how the client handles multi-tabling. You’ll see at the top of the image that there are four table icons, so naturally, I assumed that I could click back and forth between those icons to play at each table. However, instead of that, it tries to squeeze them all onto one screen, which can make it hard to see the action if you’re using a smaller screen.

Desktop Client

The desktop client at Bodog also gets high marks from us; the dark theme makes it easy on the eye and the layout is easy to follow from top to bottom. All of the poker options are easily accessible with just a couple of clicks, making it easy to find your favorite game. One thing that I did find a little strange is that there is no “full-screen” option available on the Bodog poker lobby, which is less than ideal if you have trouble reading what’s on the screen!

Just like the web client, the table at Bodog looks great. Everything is clearly laid out, all the buttons are large and clearly labeled, and you should have no problems reading your hand. One thing that I found annoying was the minigames tab on the right-hand side. It takes up a lot of the table, and while you can close it down, there’s no way to permanently disable it.

While there are a decent number of settings available on the desktop client, there are some missing some quality-of-life features that many players will have gotten used to over the years. The biggest issue that I had with the site was that I’m not able to edit my bet buttons.

This means you’re stuck with the preselected options they have available and are forced to manually input or scroll to your desired raise/bet size every time. This may seem like a nitpick, but if you’re trying to grind across multiple tables, it takes your attention away from other important areas of the game.

It’s also missing a few other “grinder-friendly” features that the hardcore players will miss. While they have the option to remember your buy-in amount, there’s no auto-top-up option available. This means that you have to manually top-up your stack to 100bb every time you drop under it, which is another thing that takes your attention away from the game.

You’ll also find that the software won’t remember your table layout from your previous session. So, if you’ve spent a couple of minutes perfectly aligning all your tables for a big MTT session when you log on again the next day you’ll have to set it up all over again.

With all that being said, it’s worth noting that many of these issues won’t be noticed by the average player. Unless you’re a super-high volume grinder, most of the highlighted problems won’t affect you much at all. Most importantly, the site looks great and is easy to use, and I didn’t experience any lag while using either the site or the Bodog Poker software.

Features of the Site

Now that we understand a little more about Bodog Poker, what are its main features? What can it offer us as a reason to choose it over its competitors? Well, there are a number of features that make Bodog Poker a great option, so let’s take a closer look.

• Anonymous Tables – One of the best features available at Bodog is its anonymous tables. Gone are the days when weaker players would be hunted across tables by predatory regs – now no one knows who you are, and once you leave, they won’t be able to find you. This feature makes it a great option for recreational players, which is why the games at Bodog are so soft.

• Soft Player Pool – The reason the games are so soft at Bodog is because of the rec-friendly features, such as anonymous tables. These features help attract recreational players to the games, as they know they won’t be exploited in the same way as they will on other sites. This creates a better overall poker ecosystem, and I found that these games were significantly softer than games without these rec-friendly features.

• Rabbit Hunting – Another one of the rec-friendly features available at Bodog is rabbit hunting. This feature allows players to see what the next card would have been after they folded. While this setting can be turned off, it’s nice to know that you can find out if you would have made your straight without having to pay off a big turn bet.

• Note-Taking Options – The tables may be anonymous at Bodog, but they do offer one tool that allows you to keep track of your tablemates. You’re free to make notes on anyone at your table, allowing you to jot down who the strong players are and who the weak players are. These notes will not be saved from session to session, but they’re definitely helpful to have!

What It’s Missing

While there’s a lot to like about Bodog, there are some areas where it can be improved. I found it was missing some key features that would elevate it even further in our list of recommended sites. Let’s take a look at those features.

• The Ability To See Hands At Showdown – The biggest shock that I found during my time at Bodog was that I couldn’t see my opponent’s hands at showdown if I won the pot. Usually, you can go into the hand replayer and see what your opponent had, but at Bodog, it’s left a complete mystery! The absence of this feature makes it harder to understand how your opponents play and how you should adjust your strategy to exploit them. If you ask the Bodog team, they could say it’s a feature rather than a bug, as it helps protect the recreational players, but it’s something I’d like to see implemented!

• Quality Of Life Features – As Bodog is marketed as a recreational-friendly site, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it’s lacking some features that would encourage high-volume play. However, I believe there are some features missing that even recreational players would want to see. Things like auto-top-ups for cash games, a sit-out and close table option, and better multi-tabling options would all be greatly appreciated.

• The Ability To Edit Bet Buttons – Another shock that I had while playing at Bodog is when I discovered you can’t edit the bet buttons. As someone who likes to use a mix of very small and very big sizings, being limited to ½ pot and ¾ pot as a default is a pain, as it means I have to manually enter my bet sizes each time. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’d like to see this feature implemented, as it makes raising and betting so much easier.

Bodog keeps things simple but effective with its selection of bonuses, although nothing here immediately jumps out. Still, a solid welcome bonus and loyalty program is always a good thing.

Sign-Up Bonus

The sign-up bonus gives you a 100% deposit bonus worth up to $1,000, but I found that it’s not given to you in one go. Instead, you will need to collect loyalty points in your first 30 days to unlock the bonus in increments. 30,000 points will get you the full bonus, which I found challenging but doable.

Rewards Program

Bodog Poker offers an excellent rewards program; it was definitely one of my favorite parts of the site. You’re given different bonus points depending on which type of game you play, so you can earn more by playing your favorite game. These points will contribute to your player ranking on a tiered rewards program. Each tier gives you bigger and better benefits.

Refer a Friend

You can also refer a friend to play at Bodog Poker and receive several perks. Not only will your friend be given a $1,800 deposit bonus as opposed to the standard $1,000, but your account’s funds will also receive a 200% bonus up to $100. There is also an extra 25% for anyone who refers a friend that uses Bitcoin.

Bodog Poker wants to encourage players to use different deposit methods, focusing on cryptocurrencies. At the time of writing, players can deposit using Bitcoin and Litecoin. Still, they will likely expand on this in the future.

Of course, suppose you are not used to cryptocurrencies or want to stick with the good, old-fashioned methods. In that case, there are plenty of options available. Players can use a Visa or Mastercard to deposit funds, as well as using Interac e-transfer or a direct bank transfer. Those who want to keep things even more old-school can even withdraw from the site using cheques.

Mobile Gaming

If you want to try your luck on the felt while you’re out and about, you’re in luck–Bodog Poker can be accessed on mobile devices. It’s worth noting that there is no mobile application; all of the action takes place within a browser. I never found it an issue, but browser play tends to be slower. You are also limited to playing at just one table on mobile devices.

Customer Service Options

Getting through to the Bodog support team is a painless process. The operator provides several ways to contact them. The most encouraged, and the fastest of these, is through the live chat option. This was the method I used the most often, as you’re connected to a helpful staff member within minutes. There is also the option of reaching out through e-mail, but this will require a longer wait time.

Players can also support one another through the Bodog Forum, a charming community. Finally, if you have encountered a common problem, using the FAQ page can be very useful and time-effective.