Bodog Review

August 16, 2008 · Print This Article

List all poker sites .com recommends Bodog. Bodog Entertainment is one of the most established gaming groups in the online realm. The company got its start in 1997 with an eye on the emerging online gaming industry. In just over a decade the company has become not only one of the largest gaming outfits, but a major player in the entertainment industry as well.

In addition to their large presence in the online poker industry, Bodog offers sites dedicated to casino games, sports betting and horse racing. The company also owns a record label, Bodog Music, a television production group, Bodog T.V, and a publishing house. Through these ventures, Bodog has become a well known mainstream commodity with a style all their own, and this style carries over into their poker outfit. Their poker division gained further publicity when former Bodog player Jamie Gold won the 2006 World Series of Poker and the $12 million champion’s prize. Current Bodog poker pros include Evelyn Ng, David Williams, and Jean-Robert Bellande.

Before we go into greater detail about their software and games, let’s look at what you can expect when you first join up with the site. As you probably know, most (if not all) poker sites offer a deposit bonus with your first deposit. Some sites also offer additional bonuses on subsequent deposits, though these are generally less than the initial bonus.
When it comes to bonuses, Bodog is one of the best around. Their initial deposit bonus can equal as much as a 110% bonus, up to $500. You’re automatically given a 10% cash bonus with your first deposit. The remaining 100% must be earned through collecting poker points, with every 10 poker points collected earning you an additional $1 towards your 100% match bonus. Points awarded per game are determined based on the rake amount, with a rake of more than $1 earning a full point. $1 rakes in tournament play earn you a full 3 points, and you’re given an additional point for every hour of play.
While some sites make it notoriously difficult to collect your full match bonus, Bodog offers a very fair system that should allow even casual players the ability to reach their 100% match bonus without feeling forced to over play.

In addition to the initial bonus, they’re also offering a 100% match bonus for deposits for returning players, which is really above and beyond what many sites offer on subsequent deposits. The method for collecting points and the amount needed per $1 bonus is identical to the initial deposit setup.

Turning to their software, if you’re an experienced or even middling online poker player, one of the first things you’ll notice about the software is the graphical layout. Eschewing the traditional layout as seen with most sites, one which gives the sensation of playing at an actual poker table, Bodog instead utilizes a simple graphical background. The apparent reasoning behind this was to improve functionality and ease of use. Another unique element of the design is that your position always remains the same, no matter the game.

So how do these features pan out? Personally I like the unchanging positions. This feature is especially useful for players who play multiple games, and must constantly readjust to their differing positions at each table. For players who routinely stay at one table only, this feature may not prove to be a big deal. Even here though, a disclaimer must be made, as the biggest selling point of this feature in my eyes is the ability to easily play multiple games at once, yet Bodog only allows for players to play three games at a time. In contrast, many other sites allow for a dozen or more. I’m not one to play that many rooms at once, but I have gone beyond three in my time, and this is a somewhat limiting aspect of the design.

As for the simple graphical background, I must admit I’m not a huge fan. I like the appearance and feel of being at a table, and this software simply doesn’t give you that sense. I give Bodog props for going in a different direction, and doing so for the right reasons, which is the pursuit of increased playability, but I’ve never had an issue with the layouts of more graphically intensive games, so this design simply didn’t appeal to me. Ideally, I would like to see Bodog implement a choice of background graphics in their software in the future, allowing players to choose the style that works best for them.

Moving to the heart of the action, the games, Bodog has the expected array of game formats, and a nice selection of high level tournaments, including a weekly $100,000 guaranteed tourney with $1 satellite buy-in. The site has a nice level of traffic, and it shouldn’t be difficult to find a variety of games going in your chosen game. Game room options come in the full standard of no limit, fixed, and pot limit. Games can be played as heads up duels, short-handed tables or full-on mayhem.

Texas Hold’em is of course the star of the show as far as game traffic, but the site also offers Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo, Five Card Stud, Seven Card Stud and Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo. Overall site traffic is strong, placing it in the top 10 of poker sites, with 5,000+ users online during peak hours. This makes it quite easy to find action in any of the games.
With its unique aesthetic approach and outstanding deposit bonus options, Bodog is absolutely worth a look for poker players searching for a new haunt with a style all its own.

—————————————————-

This article/review is from listallpokersites.com. Our website reviews all us poker sites. Please do not copy or scrape this content and see the copyright agreement.