Online Texas Holdem poker sites provide a variety of ways to deposit to and cash out from your online poker accounts. Listed below are some of the most popular ways poker players fund and withdraw from their real money poker accounts.
Depositing to Play Online Texas Holdem
The very first thing that you have to do in order to play for real money in online Texas Holdem is to deposit cash into your online poker account. Depending on your country of origin, the amount of money you deposit, how often you make deposits, and the poker site you are playing at, your choice of deposit options may vary greatly. Not every deposit choice is as good as the other, and knowing the best and easiest is an important way to ensure hassle free funding of your online poker account.
Depositing to Play Texas Holdem Online Using Credit and Debit Cards
Arguably, the fastest and easiest way to get your money into your poker account is with a credit card or debit card. Every established online poker rooms accept credit cards from major credit card companies. If a poker room accepts credit cards, then you will be able to use Visa, MasterCard, and in most cases American Express. Some websites such as PokerStars also accept Diner’s Club and some less used European credit cards.
As a result of the UIGEA, many websites do not accept certain credit cards from players in the United States. However, all the sites listed in the top 10 on our homepage, gladly accept credit card deposits from US players.
Depositing at Online Texas Holdem Sites by Making a Wire Transfer
Another great choice for players is a wire transfer. Almost every online poker site accepts this form of deposit and funds are instantly creited to your account as soon as the wire is received.
Very similar to the wire transfer are instant echeck, a fast and secure means of funding your poker account. Like credit cards, this deposit option is extremely easy (all you need is your bank information), and like with credit card transactions, there are no fees for depositing.
E-Wallets and Other Deposit Options to Play Texas Holdem On Line
There are many other options that websites will allow players to use like money order or cashier’s checks. The biggest downside to these is that they take time to get to the website, and time to process so you will be waiting for the money to get there and there is usually a fee charged in order for you to get them (although the websites rarely charge fees to process the payment). Western Union is another choice popular choice although funds often take time to clear. There are also large fees associated with using Western Union often as high as 10% of your deposit amount.
Other options that some websites offer include things like ePassporte, which is similar to Paypal and pre paid credit cards, as well as prepaid cards that act like prepay cellphone topup cards that can be used to top up your poker balnace.
Overall, there are many different options that you can choose to use when it comes to depositing money in your online poker account. The methods available to you depend on where you are in the world and the website at which you are playing. Regardless, the most important things to look for when deciding on a deposit option is the speed of the transfer and any fees that are charged for using that method.
Withdrawing from Online Texas Holdem Sites
Cashing out from a poker site is as easy as depositing. However, cashouts can often be a little slower as they take more time to process. Online poker websites present players with a variety of different options for cashing out some of which are better (and easier) than others.
Depending on how much you are cashing out, you can usually withdraw directly onto your credit card. Visa Card holders, as long as they have made at least one deposit with Visa, can get money back out using their credit card. As credit card companies are constantly changing their policies it is important to check with the poker site you play on to see if they allow cashouts onto your card. If you canot use your card there are a number of other popular cashout methods available.
The most common form of withdrawal option is the old-fashioned paper check. In general, this is normally the slowest cashout method and can take anywhere from 2-4 weeks to reach your home. However, in the USA where depositing and withdrawing is not always easy, this is probably the safest and most convenient withdrawal method.
Another great option for players outside of the United States is an instant wire transfer back to their bank account. It is exactly the same as if you were to wire transfer money to the poker website except they are sending it back to you. Depending on your bank and where you are located, it may take one or two business days but it is usually instant and all you need is your bank account number and routing number (both of which are found at the bottom of a paper check).
Withdrawing money from your poker account is often the greatest sign of victory playing online poker and getting your first check (or any payment) from an online poker website feels truly special. I actually took a picture with me holding my very first poker winnings check as it was such a great feeling!
