Deposits, cashouts & the rake nobody prints.
Crypto-first payments with fast cashouts is BetOnline's strongest suit. The rake is its weakest. Here's both, with the numbers.
Deposits & withdrawals
| Method | Speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin / Crypto | Fastest | Usually the smoothest deposit & cashout; many coins supported. |
| Bank card | Varies | Availability depends heavily on your country. |
| Western Union / MoneyGram | Slower | Has historically been a withdrawal route. |
| Mailed cheque | Slowest | Available in some regions; long waits. |
Min/max limits and method availability change by country, so the cashier inside your account is the real source of truth. There are anecdotal player reports of funds being held briefly (often described as ~36 hours) for a poker-activity review.
⚠ The one habit that protects you
Test a small withdrawal early — before building a bankroll on any offshore room. Deposit, play a little, cash out $50, and confirm the pipe works both ways. It costs you nothing and tells you everything. Keep balances modest as a rule; the site is a place to play, not a bank.
The rake
Chico is generally described as having higher-than-ideal rake, offset by softer games.
The published structure: no pre-flop rake in Hold'em/Omaha, no rake from uncalled pots, and rake taken only from matched money, on a fixed schedule by limit and seat count. As a benchmark, one review cites around 5.55% capped at $3 per pot at 100NL and above.
Practical read: at low/mid stakes rake matters a lot — soft games can make up for it, but if the tables aren't soft, the rake will grind you down. Two things pull the effective number back down: RISE rakeback returns 10–25% of it weekly, and the welcome bonus effectively rebates your early rake at 10 cents on the dollar.
No pre-flop rake
Hands that end before the flop are rake-free in Hold'em and Omaha.
Matched money only
No rake from uncalled bets — only contested pot money is raked.
~5.55%, $3 cap
The cited benchmark at 100NL+. Lower stakes rake proportionally harder against small pots.
First crypto deposit, step by step
Get a wallet & some coin
Any mainstream exchange or wallet works. Bitcoin is the most universally supported at the cashier.
Copy the cashier address
In the BetOnline cashier, pick your coin and copy the deposit address it generates. Send a small test amount first if it's your first time.
Send & confirm
Funds typically credit after network confirmation. Enter the bonus code POKER1000 with a $50+ first deposit to activate the match.
The cashier has the final word
Methods, minimums and limits for your exact country are shown the moment you open it.
18+ only. T&Cs apply. We may earn a commission if you sign up through our links — at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we write. Check that online poker is legal where you live before depositing.