Bwin Poker Review
Bwin is one of the major players on the European gaming market. The company solidified its position a few years ago when it acquired the OnGame poker platform – the most secure and trusted poker network in the industry with a flawless track record.
In an otherwise turbulent industry, signing up at bwin Poker guarantees safe transactions and fair games. On top of that, bwin offers an excellent sign-up bonus as well as multiple ongoing and recurring promotions.
Software and Features
If you have played online poker for a while, you are likely already familiar with bwin’s poker client– it’s been around since 1999 when it was originally launched by PokerRoom.com. In that time it has of course evolved into the state-of-the-art poker room you see today.
The software is highly customizable, intuitive and easy to use. One of the most appreciated features is that it comes with action shortcut buttons; by using the function keys to check, call, fold or raise your game becomes a great deal more efficient compared to competing poker clients.
Speaking of which, bwin supports play on up to 12 tables simultaneously. You can also resize the tables to make them fit on your screen regardless of its size and resolution.
There are multiple options for collecting statistics and analyzing your game. The poker client itself collects statistics of your games that are available for viewing at any time. In addition, you also have the option to export your hand histories for further analysis in statistics apps like Poker Tracker and Poker Office.
Another great aspect is that, in addition to the Windows version, bwin offers a native poker client for Mac. Even Linux poker players are accommodated thanks to an option to play in a no-download version straight in your browser.
If you prefer to play while on the move, bwin has one of the best poker apps for mobile phones and other handheld devices with an internet connection. It works just like the PC/Mac version but scales and adapts automatically to suit your phone’s hardware.
Game Variety
The OnGame network and bwin has an above-average game selection. There are of course plenty of Holdem, Omaha and Seven-Card Stud games in the usual formats, but bwin has gone the extra mile and offer gems like Crazy Pineapple and the old classic Five-Card Draw.
As usual, most of the players from bwin’s huge player base can be found in the low to medium-stakes Texas Holdem games. However, Omaha volume is also decent. The less common games are relatively small in terms of player volume, but during peak hours you can still find a respectable amount of active tables.
Bwin Poker’s tournament variety includes everything you’d expect from a modern poker room. In addition to a large amount of tournaments with guaranteed prize pools, there are plenty of qualifiers to major live events such as the World Poker Tour.
Some clever proprietary tournament formats are also on the menu, like King of the Hill: multi-step Sit & Go tournaments where you can buy in for as little as $1 + $0.20 and work your way up to the final table and a chance at the $2,500 first prize. Among other highlights are the Cannonball tournaments, which start in “Turbo” mode but slow down to regular speed at the higher levels.
Bonuses and Promotions
In addition to the generous $100 sign-up bonus with 100% deposit match, bwin offers lots of unique promotions and rewards to keep you interested.
The loyalty program is called b’inside: You collect Market Points by participating in real-money ring games and tournaments. These points can later be exchanged for merchandise, tournament tickets, bonuses and more at the b’inside marketplace.
As previously mentioned, there are also frequent qualifiers to big live events as well as plenty of opportunities to boost your bankroll for free by signing up for the poker room’s freerolls.
Summary
In all, bwin is an exceptionally trustworthy name in online gaming and its poker room is no exception. The company has been around for more than a decade and has put a lot of effort into social responsibility, security and fraud prevention.
This, in combination with good promotions and a massive player base, makes bwin an excellent choice for poker players from all walks of life.