BetMGM Online Poker MI, NJ, & PA Review

BetMGM Poker welcome bonus

Like most sites, BetMGM offers a welcome bonus to new players, plus a first-time deposit bonus that are among the best in the US. You can pick up an easy $75 welcome bonus with no deposit needed and then BetMGM will match 100% of your first deposit up to $1,000. All you need to do is enter bonus code OGSCHIP when setting up your account and you are good to go.

BetMGM new player offers

When you create your brand new BetMGM account and use bonus code OGSCHIP, they will put $75 of bonus money into your account and it is available for immediate use. The welcome bonus is paid out in two pieces: $10 worth of bonus cash is added to your account, plus you get another $15 in online tournament dollars.

The $10 cash bonus is available for immediate withdrawal once you earn a single iRewards Point by contributing to a cash game rake or tournament entry fee. Your $15 in online tournament dollars is also available for immediate play and can be used to buy into multi-table or single-table tournaments. There is a time limit on the welcome bonus and it will expire seven days after verified account creation.

The new player deposit bonus is a 100% match up to $1,000 of your first deposit on the site with a $10 minimum. That is one of the best bonuses you will find in the state but it comes with a stiff playthrough. While the 10% release increment is very nice, BetMGM requires you earn 20 times your release amount in iRewards Points.

For example, should you load $200 on your first deposit, it will be matched with another $200 in bonus cash. The money will be released to your account in $20 increments every time you earn 400 iRewards Points. That is a lot of effort to earn the full bonus and it has one more catch: the deposit bonus also has a time limit and you have seven days after the initial funds are sent before all remaining bonus money expires and is no longer available.

There’s a lot of money available for opening your brand new account but it will take some work to clear. With the money released in 10% increments, it certainly takes some of the pain away if you miss out on the full amount.

How to sign up at BetMGM Poker

Now that you know what is available when you register on BetMGM, it’s a simple process to get your account up and running with three easy steps that can be completed on its website or on the client site after installing the software.

First up is entering your email address and creating your password. Your password must be between 8-20 characters and contain a number, as well as uppercase and lowercase letters. It cannot contain special characters or your email address.

Click ‘Next’ and you will enter your personal information: legal first and last name and the last four numbers of your Social Security Number, along with your birthday.

The final step is to provide your home address followed by three checkboxes. The first is to acknowledge that your are 21 years or older, the second to verify that you are eligible to place a wager within the state, and the third to indicate you agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

That’s all it takes; click ‘Create My Account’ and you are set.

BetMGM loyalty program

BetMGM has a nice loyalty program that easily ties into the worldwide MGM live program. You can earn iRewards Points (iRPs) by playing cash and tournaments on the poker side. or games on their online casino side, but note that sportsbook wagers do not earn points.

iRewards is a tiered system with five levels available and you can advance with the amount of play throughout the year. The base level is Sapphire and this is where every new player begins with their first deposit. You will move up to Pearl with 25,000 points earned in a year, followed by Gold at 75,000 points, and Platinum at 200,000 points. Noir is the highest level and available by invitation only sent to their very top players.

Online- and land-based points are combined for your MGM M life Rewards tier level. iRPs can be redeemed at any participating MGM Resorts destination worldwide for hotel rooms, fine dining, or shows at their entertainment venues. Points can also be redeemed for bonus dollars, cash to use for online poker tournaments, or spent in the online store for electronics, accessories, etc.

You should keep in mind that iRPs come with an expiration date. Points earned at the Sapphire level will expire 180 days after they are earned and all iRPs will be removed if the account is inactive for 180 consecutive days. For Pearl, Gold, Platinum, and Noir levels, the period is 365 days before expiration and removal of points.

The points-per-year system is different than most sites, which base tier levels on monthly stats. Here the system resets on October 1 and your tier level will be established based on the iRPs earned in the past year.

How to download the BetMGM Poker app

Installing the BetMGM software for your laptop or PC is a simple process. Download the client directly from their website and run the install program once the download is complete. The first installation step will welcome you to the site where you can select your language preference. After clicking ‘Next’, you will be prompted for the install location (which can be set to the default) followed by the ‘Terms and Conditions’. When you click the ‘I Agree’ button, the application software will be loaded onto your system.

After installation, there will be a prompt to create your BetMGM account or you can use the login information you created through the registration process above. From there you will be taken to the poker lobby where you can pick a game or hit the cashier to fund your account.

BetMGM software

As part of the partypokerNJ Network, BetMGM uses the same software as Borgata Online Poker and partypokerNJ. The poker client has all the standard features you would expect to find with an online poker site.

The initial lobby will provide you with all the available poker options including cash games, Sit & Go tables, and multi-table tournaments. There is also a tab for ‘My Tourneys’ that will show your favorite tournament and give you quick access to them when needed.

Each option allows you to filter the available games by buy-in amount, stakes, limits, number of players at the table, and game variant.

The software also offers easy access to the Cashier; one click is all it takes to fund your account or withdraw your winnings.

BetMGM’s software is compatible with any system running at least Microsoft XP or Vista along with Windows 7, 8, and 10. The minimum memory requirement is 512 MB of RAM and a monitor with screen resolution at 800x600p or better.

BetMGM and the partypoker NJ network

Online gaming was already legal in New Jersey for a few years before BetMGM launched. They launched as part of the partypoker Network, sharing liquidity and traffic with Borgata Online Poker and partypoker NJ.

They lag behind 888/WSOP and PokerStars in terms of cash game action but easily offer the best options for big multi-table tournaments in New Jersey.

Poker games at BetMGM

The slate of games available is the standard fare with a few exotic variants to be found. Cash tables, fastforward Poker, Sit & Gos (SNGs), and Multi-table Tournaments (MTTs) run with buy-ins from micro-stakes to some pretty big games.

Cash games

BetMGM cash games offer you an opportunity to play No Limit Hold’em, Fixed Limit Hold’em, Pot Limit Omaha (both hi and hi-low versions), or Seven Card Stud (also hi and hi-low).

No Limit and Pot Limit Omaha start the low-end stakes at $0.01/$0.02 with a minimum buy-in of $0.60 and maximum of $2, while the top end of the range is $25/$50 with a $1,500 minimum and $5,000 maximum buy-in. Both high-stakes games play with a six-handed format, but heads-up and full-ring tables are available at the stakes in between.

Fixed Limit Hold’em runs the smallest game with $0.02/$0.04 limits, a minimum buy-in of $0.20 and no maximum. The biggest limit tables on the site run at $30/$60 limits with a $300 minimum buy-in.

Seven Card Stud tables are seldom in action but they are available if anyone wants to play the game. Available limits for both hi and hi-low variants start at $0.10/$0.20 and go up to $5/$10.

An interesting feature on the site allows players to ‘Run It Twice’ in cash games. Two sets of remaining board cards are dealt to consenting all-in players and the pot is split into two and contested separately on each board. If any player chooses to not participate, the board is completed as normal. You can set your preference in settings under ‘Table Options’/’Run It Twice’.

At peak times, cash tables average approximately 180 players, with No Limit Hold’em the clear favorite choice, followed by Pot Limit Omaha, and Seven Card Stud in a very distant third.

Fastforward poker

Fast-fold poker has become very popular over the last decade and fastforward is BetMGM’s version.

This variant puts everyone into a pool of players that are in constant action. When dealt a hand, you decide whether to fold or play it. If you fold the hand, you are immediately sent to a new table with a position and players. Another hand is dealt and action continues like this for as long as you want.

fastforward Poker only plays six-handed No Limit Hold’em with $0.05/$0.10 and $0.25/$0.50 blinds. Also, the ‘Run It Twice’ option is available to all-in players and acts the same as standard cash game tables.

It is an action-friendly version of the game and the pace is quick.

Sit & Go (SNG) tournaments

SNGs are another popular game, giving players the action of a tournament with much shorter play time than a multi-table tournament. BetMGM does not have a huge selection but all your normal SNG lineups are available.

The lobby lists No Limit Hold’em, Pot Limit Omaha (hi only), and Seven Card Stud (hi only) games, though  Stud tables are currently not available. NLH and PLO have buy-in amounts as low as $1 with biggest NLH buy-in at $500 and PLO at $200. All but one SNG runs six-handed or heads-up, the ten-handed exception being a $55 buy-in Winner Take All SNG with a $500 payout.

Multi-table tournaments

MTTs are the big draw for BetMGM and they have the numbers to prove it. While the entire partypokerNJ Network lags behind 888/WSOP and PokerStars for cash games, everyone is chasing them for the tournament dollars.

BetMGM has the biggest lineup of multi-table tournaments in the state, with dozens of events running daily, many with guaranteed prize pools. The schedule lists tournaments with buy-ins from $1 to $109, the top buy-in placed on their Daily $10K that features a $10,000 guarantee every day at 7 p.m. except Sunday.

That day is their major tournament day. The Sunday schedule includes 35 tournaments with something for everyone, from a $2 Hyper Turbo to the $215 buy-in Sunday $35K guarantee NLH tournament. The headliner is the top online tournament in New Jersey each week and easily puts the prize pool over $50,000 on a regular basis.

In addition to the money-packed Sunday schedule, BetMGM has two other major tournaments running during the week. Tuesday you’ll find a $535 buy-in Six-Max NLH tournament with a $12,000 guaranteed prize pool and Mega Thursday has a $320 buy-in with a $7,500 guaranteed prize pool.

The full schedule of daily games, weekly major events, and satellites are enough to keep players coming back to BetMGM for all their tournament needs and no one seems likely to catch them any time soon.

Banking At BetMGM poker

How to deposit

With online gaming legal and regulated in New Jersey, you have a lot of options to add money to your account.

A BetMGM PrePaid Play+ account is the preferred method for instant deposits. You can enroll online, fund through various methods, and then it’s a simple transfer into your BegMGM account.

In addition to Play+, all major credit cards are accepted, but you might run into hiccups going this route because some Visa/Mastercard providers will not process online gaming transactions. Personal American Express and Discover cards currently work without issues, but AMEX may add additional fees depending on your cardholder agreements.

Other deposit options include virtual e-checks via VIP Preferred, direct deposit from your PayPal account, use of the PayNearMe service at a New Jersey-based 7-Eleven, or signing up for an account on Skrill to send money to your BetMGM account. Since BetMGM is associated with the Borgata Hotel & Casino, you can also go straight to the casino cage on-site to fund your account with cash or chips.

How to withdraw

Withdrawing money from BetMGM is a fast, easy process after a successful bankroll boost. Unlike the deposit method, you cannot use your major credit cards for a withdrawal, but most of the other options are the same, plus one addition.

You have several ways to choose from on the cashier page including Play+, PayPal, an e-check to VIP Preferred, a transfer to your Skrill account, or just showing your identification at the Borgata cage for a quick payout. You can also have BetMGM cut you a check, have it mailed to your residence, and deposit it into your account.

BetMGM states that all withdrawals are subject to a security review and should be approved with 48 hours of the withdrawal request.

BetMGM customer service

If something goes wrong and you need to reach out to customer service for assistance, here are the ways to get that done:

Live chat — You can click the ‘Live Chat’ link inside the lobby or on the BetMGM app for anything that needs immediate attention.

Email — If not an emergency, you can also reach customer service by sending an email to [email protected].

History of BetMGM

In early 2013, online gaming was legalized in New Jersey with most major Atlantic City casinos launching their online presence by the end of that year. Online poker was suddenly available for anyone within the state lines and 21 years or older, residents and non-residents alike. BetMGM did not enter the market until the summer of 2017 after MGM Resorts International bought out Boyd Gaming to take full ownership of Borgata Hotel & Casino late in 2016.

It wasted no time launching as playMGM on the partypoker NJ Network, switching its brand to BetMGM in September 2019 with the addition of sports betting to go along with its poker site and online casino games.