Back in the glory days of real money online poker in the US, there were many stories of players starting from scratch and building their bankrolls to incredible heights. These players were celebrated as heroes of the game, turning the literal zero dollars into six and seven figures.
Times have certainly changed for US online poker, and only players in a select few states can access safe and regulated poker sites. But that does not mean the dream is dead, as many players in those states still have dreams of accomplishing such feats.
The question we will try to answer today is: can this still be done in 2023? Are there enough free poker money offers to give you a chance to start with no deposit and never look back? Stay with us and find out!
Best Poker Bonuses for Small Deposits
| Poker Site | Requirement | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| PokerStars US | Just one cash game hand | $150 in bonus funds |
| BetMGM / Borgata Poker US | $10 | $25 in tournament tickets |
| WSOP US | $10 | $25 in free play & freeroll tickets |
- Up to $75 worth of MTT tickets
- Great range of games across all stakes
- Players play on BetMGM network, which has shared MI and NJ player pools
Days of No Deposit Bonuses Are All But Gone
Looking at the regulated poker sites in the US, you will struggle to find one offering a pure no deposit bonus. For the longest time, Borgata and BetMGM Poker had solid no deposit bonuses for their new players, but the operators have since done away with this practice.
Currently, PartyPoker NJ is the only room still offering a true no deposit bonus worth $25. The package mixes poker and casino credits and some tournament tickets, so you can certainly use it to kick-start your bankroll. The problem is that this room is available only to real money NJ online poker players.
Other sites across the United States do not offer anything like this anymore, so the short answer to the question in the title would be 'no’ for the most part. The amount of free poker money floating around is very limited.
Luckily, this is not the end of your dream. Maybe you cannot go from zero to hero, but you can still get a nice bankroll started from a minimum investment. If this sounds like the second-best option, PokerStars is the place to be.
- Play one hand & get $150 in bonus play funds
- Top-quality mobile app
- Best online MTT schedule
How to Get $150 at PokerStars
PokerStars US offers new players two welcome bonus options in all three states in which it operates — New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. There is your standard 100% deposit match bonus up to $600, and then there is a package worth $150. You must opt-in and play a single hand at any cash game table to get the latter.
Technically, you are not required to deposit as this is not one of the bonus offer terms. However, you only have five days after opening your account to get the $150 PokerStars bonus package, and the easiest and quickest way to get some funds into your PokerStars account is by making the minimum deposit of $10.
Alternatively, you can try your luck with freerolls or other promotions that the operator occasionally runs in the client and their social media channels to get some free funds or tournament tickets. Use these to get in the smallest-stakes cash game.
The problem is you will only have five days to do it all, so it is not the easiest thing to plan.
Either way, you will unlock the $150 package as soon as you play one hand, and you will immediately receive 50 tickets for $1 Spin & Go’s and two $5 Spin & Go tickets. This alone is more than enough to start building your bankroll, especially if you take the time to study these games and learn some strategies. At the $1 level, in particular, you will come across some very soft competition.
The remaining bonus is awarded over the next five days as a mix of MTT and Spin & Go tickets, 50 free spins for slots, and $40 worth of casino credits. It is easy enough to use the casino portion of the bonus to get some cash and further boost your poker bankroll.
Click here to sign up for PokerStars and start growing your poker bankroll! »
- Up to $75 in MTT tickets on top of the bonus
- Frequent MTT series with good guarantees
- Combined player pools in Michigan and New Jersey
What About Other US Poker Sites?
As it stands now, PokerStars is the best option among all US poker sites for anyone looking to start their bankroll with a very small investment. The amount of free poker money or tickets you can use immediately in other rooms is tied directly to the deposited amount.
So, on WSOP or BetMGM Poker US, depositing $10 will not get you far. You will receive $25 worth of tournament tickets for the minimum deposit at BetMGM. WSOP will give you $25 in free credits and access to its freeroll tournaments for new players, so you can still do it on these two sites as well, but it will take some more luck.
With the PokerStars $150 free bonus, you get quite a nice bankroll to start out with. If you stay disciplined and stick to micro stakes for a while, there is a real chance of building that initial amount into four or even five figures down the line.
So, to wrap it up — it is still possible to chase that poker dream and build your bankroll from scratch in 2023. It may not be as easy as it used to be, and games have gotten much tougher, so there will be obstacles. The good side of that coin is that it will help make you a better player and prepare you for the challenges of moving up the stakes!
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