While claiming and collecting poker bonuses is easy, savvy players will employ certain tips and strategies to ensure they get the most value out of each and every bonus code and offer. You don't need advanced strategy to enjoy poker bonuses, as they simply add cash to your bankroll for doing nothing more than playing poker, but there are some things to consider when deciding which bonus offer is best to tackle.

The biggest factor to consider is the clearance rate of the bonus, as far as how many hands you'll need to play in order to unlock the bonus and have it added to your account. Some bonuses might at first glance look to be good because they offer the most bonus money, but in reality they might not be the best choice if it takes longer to clear the bonus. A $50 bonus that you can clear by playing 500 hands is a much better bonus than a $500 bonus that requires 100,000 hands to unlock.

The next consideration to keep in mind is whether the bonus is released in increments as you clear it or if you get one big lump sum at the end when you play the requisite number of hands. There's no real practical difference here, but it can be a psychological issue, and it's often better to tackle the bonuses that clear in increments.

You'll usually encounter lots of ups and downs while clearing a bonus as variance strikes, and it's a nice safety net to get increments of the bonus paid to you as you clear it, as it adds immediately to your bankroll and can take the sting out of any losses, allowing you to remain focused on playing your best online poker game.

On a related note, try to avoid grinding out hands when you're playing badly just so you can make progress towards clearing a bonus. If you're tilting or playing bad, shut down the computer and take a break. If you're playing badly and giving away big chunks of money at the tables, even the best of poker bonuses can turn into losing propositions, so don't let chasing a bonus distract you from playing winning poker.