Comps and Loyalty Rewards

Just as new player bonuses are a good way for online poker rooms to attract new players, loyalty programs are a good way to keep them playing on a particular brand.  These ongoing incentives are also referred to as ‘comp points’, ‘player rewards’, ‘rake back’ or ‘loyalty bonuses’, and as the name implies, reward players for their continued play.

Loyalty programs at online poker rooms are normally based of the number of raked hands played, as well as at what limits.  This isn’t unlike what casino patrons may have experienced at the gaming tables – being ‘rated’ by a pit boss for free comps, though instead of show tickets or free rooms and meals – an online room can’t easily offer much to their customers other than cash back or free chips.

Because the software based rooms have easy access to player data, keeping count of raked hands is an automated process, and the amount earned can usually be seen through the poker client updated in real time, along with any release requirements should they exist.

If you’re the kind of player that likes to play the majority of your games at the same location, you should definitely be patronizing a room that offers some kind of loyalty rewards (provided all other things measure equally). 

While not typically advertised as prominently as sign-up bonuses, you can usually find information on what’s available through a poker rooms Web site.  When in doubt, don’t hesitate to ask the customer service department, who should be all too pleased to discuss the matter with a potential long-term player.