About 888poker
888poker is one of the most established online poker rooms. The company behind 888 started the online casino business in 1997 and began running the 888poker site in 2002.
With several thousand players 888 is one of the bigger poker providers and mainly focuses on new and recreational players.
On 888 you’ll find many free (or very cheap) promotions with decent value for low-stakes players and significantly weaker players than at most other sites. On the flip side, 888poker has a higher cash game rake than most competitors and does not offer many promotions for professional players.
888poker Traffic
Peak cash game traffic over the past years.
The chart above shows the average number (over 60 days) of real money cash game players online during peak hours for the operator. This number does not include tournament players or players in other game variants.
888poker Bonus and Bonus Codes
The current 888poker bonus is exceptionally good. New players receive €20 in tournament tickets over 7 days without any deposit. On top of that new players receive up to €400 on their first deposit. This bonus is worth 20% cashback and can be claimed over 90 days.
About the $88 free bonus on 888poker
Some notes about the $88 free without deposit bonus that 888poker used to advertise heavily over many years and that many affiliate sites still promote prominently.
This $88 free bonus is highly unrealistic.
Technically yes, new players can receive up to $88 without depositing a single penny. But the terms and conditions attached to this bonus make this a challenging endeavor. Only the first $8 of the bonus is actually free. They’re credited over seven days as 14 $0.50 tourney tickets plus $1 in cash. The remaining bonus is released in steps of $8 per $125 rake paid. This is a ridiculous requirement. Given that players trying to build up a bankroll from nothing will start playing micro stakes, they will need weeks, probably months to accumulate this amount of rake.
There’s also a catch to the initial $8 of this free bonus. Any amount won using this bonus can only be withdrawn after the player has generated at least $10 in rake.
888poker Rake and Tournament Fees
In the past, the rake at 888poker has always been slightly higher than at most other sites. 888 charges 5% percent rake for cash games (a bit more at the micro stakes) and the rake is capped at $4 across almost all stakes except heads up (where it’s only $1). For most other poker sites it used to be a common standard to cap the rake at $3 across all limits and the one-dollar higher cap at 888 was very significant for everyone playing NL25 or higher.
Tournaments are taxed at roughly 10% fee taken from the buy-in – more or less the same rate as all other poker sites.
While 10 years ago this cash game rake model would have been unusually expensive, nowadays more and more operators have decided to run with an even more expensive rake scheme (either to fend off professional grinders or simply because they can get away with overpricing their product).
Meaning: our 888 rake rating has to be “decent” compared to the competition.
888poker Cash Game Rake
» Online Poker Rake Comparison (for our full poker operator rake comparison)
The table above shows the amount of rake an average player pays per 100 hands for various limits and variants. You can switch the number of players per table and the game variant.
- Rake / 100 hands: Average amount you can expect to pay in rake every 100 hands.
- Net Rake: This is how much money you actually spend on rake compared to the pots you are playing.
- Formal Rake: Rake percentage and cap
- Rank: This column shows how the operator compares to all other operators (lower is better).
888poker VIP Program
The 888poker VIP is rather mediocre for grinders and high-volume players. Players can expect up to 10% cashback via the 888poker VIP program.
How the 888club works
- Earn points: Players earn points by generating rake (or playing casino games). The rate is 100 points per $1 rake contribution.
- Moving up in levels: After accumulating a certain amount of points players move up one 888club level.
- Earn tokens: After moving up a level, players receive a certain amount of Gold tokens. The rate is between 5 and 10 tokens per 100 points.
- Exchange tokens for bonus money: Players can redeem the tokens for different items in the 888 store. The most common items are tournament tickets and (easy to clear) bonuses. The rate is $1 bonus (or tournament) money for 100 tokens.
Players can earn some additional points by completing daily challenges, but in the greater scheme of things, those extra points don’t amount to too much.
There are 2,000 levels currently available in the 888club and you cannot drop in levels. A player will need to generate more than $300k rake to exceed the level limit, something that is unlikely to happen quickly for virtually any player at 888poker.
The following table shows how much cashback a player can expect via cash bonuses through the 888club program, depending on the amount of rake he generates:
Effective 888poker Cashback
| Rake | Level | Cashback | Eff. Rakeback |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | 10 | $0.80 | 8.0% |
| $20.00 | 14 | $1.50 | 7.5% |
| $50.00 | 24 | $3.30 | 6.6% |
| $100.00 | 38 | $6.35 | 6.4% |
| $200.00 | 57 | $12.55 | 6.3% |
| $500.00 | 86 | $31.30 | 6.3% |
| $1,000.00 | 112 | $71.95 | 7.2% |
| $2,000.00 | 145 | $174.70 | 8.7% |
| $5,000.00 | 216 | $473.60 | 9.5% |
| $10,000.00 | 304 | $973.50 | 9.7% |
| $20,000.00 | 440 | $1,976.20 | 9.9% |
| $50,000.00 | 725 | $4,971.85 | 9.9% |
For the 888club it doesn’t matter how quickly or slowly players generate rake. Players can rank up as slowly as they like.
Overall the 888poker VIP program doesn’t offer very much. 10% cashback is very little compared to most other operators and combined with the comparatively high rake, 888poker simply isn’t a perfect poker provider for players that rely on high volume.
History of 888poker
888poker.com was established in 2002 by 888 Holdings, back then already one of the world’s leading online gaming and entertainment companies. Over the years, 888poker.com has grown to become one of the most recognized and respected brands in the online poker industry.
Roots Tracing Back to the 90s Internet Gaming
The origins of 888poker.com can be traced back to the early 1990s when two brothers, Avi and Aaron Shaked, founded Virtual Holdings Limited, an online casino software company. In 1997, Virtual Holdings Limited launched its first online casino, Casino-on-Net, which quickly became one of the most popular online casinos in the world.
In 2002, Virtual Holdings Limited decided to expand its online gaming offerings by launching an online poker site called Pacific Poker. At the time, the online poker industry was still in its infancy, but Pacific Poker quickly became a popular destination for poker players around the world.
From Pacific Poker to 888
In 2005, Virtual Holdings Limited changed its name to 888 Holdings and decided to rebrand Pacific Poker as 888poker.com. The rebranding was part of a broader strategy to establish 888 Holdings as a leading global brand in the online gaming and entertainment industry.
888poker.com quickly gained a reputation for offering a safe, secure, and fair online poker experience. The site’s software was user-friendly and featured a wide range of games and tournaments to suit all types of players, from beginners to professionals.
In 2010, 888poker.com launched a major marketing campaign to promote its brand and attract new players. The campaign included the sponsorship of several high-profile poker tournaments, such as the World Series of Poker, and the signing of several high-profile poker players, including Shane Warne and Jeffery Lisandro.
Mobile Expansion and New Game Formats
In 2012, 888poker.com launched its mobile poker app, which allowed players to access the site’s games and tournaments from their smartphones and tablets. The mobile app was a huge success and helped to increase the site’s popularity and player base.
Over the years, 888poker.com has continued to innovate and improve its online poker offering. The site has introduced new games, such as Blast Poker and Flopomania, and has launched several new promotions and tournaments to keep players engaged and entertained.
In 2019, 888poker.com was named the Best Poker Operator at the EGR Awards, a prestigious industry event that recognizes excellence in the online gaming industry. The award was a testament to the site’s commitment to providing a safe, fair, and enjoyable online poker experience for its players.
Today, 888poker.com is one of the most popular online poker sites in the world, with a player base that spans across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
888poker FAQ
Does 888poker accept US players?
Currently, the only US states that 888poker operates in are New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware. Players living in or visiting these states can play at a special 888poker client for real money. The players from all three states share the same player pool.
Can you play 888poker with a VPN?
It is not allowed to use a VPN to play at 888poker and the operator strictly enforces that rule. Any player who uses any sort of VPN (Virtual Private Network) to circumvent regulatory restrictions risks having all his funds forfeited and their account closed permanently.
Is 888poker legal?
888poker is operated by a company listed on the London Stock exchange and is regulated in multiple jurisdictions all over the world, including the European Union and several US states. Players at 888poker are in a safe legal environment and can trust the operator with their money.
Who owns 888poker?
888poker is run by the Gibraltar-based company 888 Holdings plc. The company was founded in 1997, is listed on the London stock exchange and has more than 1,500 employees.
How to contact 888poker?
The easiest way to contact 888poker is via email. The address is support@888poker.com. 888poker also offers live chat on their homepage.
How long does an 888poker withdrawal take?
The withdrawal time on 888poker depends on the withdrawal method used. Skrill and Neteller are the fastest options with processing taking only one day. Other withdrawal methods usually take up to 5 business days to complete.
Is 888poker rigged?
No, 888poker is not rigged. It is operating since 2002 and not a single case of rigged games, super users or suspicious activity has been made public since then. The 888 Holdings company registered half a billion US Dollars in revenue in 2022. The company (or any other big poker provider) doesn’t jeopardize this immense income by “rigging the games”.
How to cheat at 888poker?
You cannot cheat at 888poker or any other reputable poker provider. The servers are secure and it’s impossible to gather any game information that isn’t publicly available.
How to get the no-deposit bonus on 888poker?
Once you sign up for 888poker you are eligible for the $88 free no-deposit bonus. After registering your account you will have to send an email to support@888poker.com and claim your “free play” bonus. Once the support processes your request, you will receive $1 in free cash and several tournament tickets over multiple days, totaling $8. The remainder of the bonus is only released after you have generated a significant amount of rake. Please refer to our upper section: “About the $88 free bonus on 888poker”.