Online poker sites frequently offer "reload bonuses." The typical bonus at Party Poker would be something like the following:
Make a deposit using the bonus code "LOADMONTH" between September 29th and 23:59 hrs ET October 3rd, 2004, and receive a 10% bonus, up to a maximum of $100.
The % match and the maximum will, of course, vary. The bonus is typically deposited into a bonus account, to be released as real cash only when certain requirements are ment.
At Party, the typical requirement is that you play a number of raked hands equal to seven times the bonus amount within seven days. Using the bonus example above, if you deposited $1000 with the code, you would get $100 into your bonus account. After playing 7 x $100 = 700 raked hands, the $100 would be released into your regular account as cash.
Monthly bonuses such as this are usually valid for a limited time, and the bonus code will only apply to an account once -- and only to the first deposit during the period. If you deposit $200 and get $20 bonus, you can no later go back and deposit another $300 and expect more bonus. So keep the cash handy for when the bonuses come!
The idea here, from the poker sites' perspective, is to get new money deposited in players accounts. Players who have tapped out or quit playing for a few weeks will often come back to take advantage of a bonus. Regulars who never left are also eligible to take advantage -- this will sometimes lead to experimentation with new limits or new games. Either way, Party is happy if it extends business.
Caveats
A new rule twist imposed by Empire Poker specifically: if you withdraw money during the applicable period for the bonus, you will not be able to deposit using the bonus code.
The idea is that if you have $1500 in your account, and you hear about the 10%/$100 bonus, you can't withdraw $1000, wait five days for it to clear, and deposit it back, putting you right back where you started with $100 bonus funds to boot. To get a deposit bonus, you need to deposit NEW funds.
But if you have $1500, you hear about the bonus, and you deposit $1000 to make it $2500, the $100 bonus funds will appear in you bonus account. If you withdraw while it is still listed as "bonus pending," you may lose the bonus. If you clear the hands and it is listed as "bonus given," you are in the clear and can withdraw.
Other sites also do this. Some will warn you if you are about to make a withdrawal that will "lose" a bonus. Others will not. Tip: check out the terms before you make a withdrawal if you still have a pending bonus.