Bovada Review: The Short Version
Bovada charges no fee on crypto withdrawals and lists weekly limits of $90,000 in Bitcoin and $180,000 in Litecoin. We haven’t timed a withdrawal from it yet. It rates 86 out of 100 on our scorecard, ninth of the 40 casinos we review.
Bovada puts a full casino, live dealers, a poker room, a sportsbook and a racebook on one account. The casino is the biggest part: Hot Drop Jackpot slots, sports-themed exclusives, video poker with published returns and live tables around the clock. The poker room is a real one, with anonymous tables, against other players.
Two things to know before you deposit. The welcome offer is spread over three deposits, and the crypto and card versions differ. And after your first card deposit, cards cost 15.9% or more, so crypto is the cheaper way in and out. Bovada names no company and no license number on its pages, and its terms bar 19 states plus Washington, D.C.
A good fit if you want
- Casino, poker, sports and racing on one balance
- Large crypto withdrawals with no Bovada fee
- Video poker with published returns up to 99.54%
- Anonymous poker tables and fast-fold Zone Poker
Look elsewhere if you
- Want to deposit by card more than once without a fee
- Want to know which company runs the site
- Plan to clear a bonus on live dealer or Hot Drop games
- Live in one of the 19 states its terms bar, or in D.C.
We may earn a commission if you sign up through this link. Offers change, so check the terms on the casino site before you deposit.
Bovada Quick Facts
| Bovada | |
|---|---|
| Our rating | 86/100, ninth of the 40 casinos we review |
| Our payout tests | None yet; we haven’t timed a Bovada withdrawal |
| Who runs it | No company named; its footer says it is licensed by the Union of the Comoros and the Central Reserve Authority of Western Sahara |
| On one account | Casino, live dealer, poker room, sportsbook and racebook |
| Casino games | Over 1,000 slots by its casino page (the FAQ on the same page says over 470), 48 table games, 60+ specialty games, live dealer |
| Welcome offer | Card: 100% up to $1,000 on each of three deposits, up to $3,000. Crypto: 125% up to $1,250 on each of three, up to $3,750 |
| Crypto withdrawals | From $10 (Litecoin, Lightning, Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin SV) or $75 (Bitcoin); no Bovada fee |
| Card deposits | $20 to $1,500; first card deposit free, then 15.9% or more |
| States it bars | 19 states plus Washington, D.C. |
The Welcome Offer Is Three Deposits, Two Ways
Bovada’s promotions page shows two casino welcome packages. Pay by card and you get 100% up to $1,000 on each of three deposits, up to $3,000. Pay in crypto and it is 125% up to $1,250 on each of three, up to $3,750. Its card terms say you must claim the first bonus to unlock the next two.
| Package | Each deposit | Codes | Wagering |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card, first deposit | 100% up to $1,000 | CAWELCOME100 | 25× deposit plus bonus |
| Card, second and third | 100% up to $1,000 each | BV2NDCWB | 25× deposit plus bonus |
| Crypto, all three | 125% up to $1,250 each | BTC2NDCWB for the second and third | 25× on the promotions page; see below |
The card terms say plainly that the deposit plus bonus must be played through 25 times. For crypto, the promotions table shows 25× without saying what it applies to, and our earlier review recorded 50× for the second and third crypto deposits. Read the terms in the cashier before you claim one of those.
What a $100 deposit gets you
- Card, first deposit: a $100 bonus. ($100 + $100) × 25 = $5,000 of bets before you can withdraw.
- Crypto, first deposit: a $125 bonus. ($100 + $125) × 25 = $5,625 of bets.
- Crypto, a later deposit at 50×: ($100 + $125) × 50 = $11,250 of bets.
The minimum to trigger a bonus is $20 unless the offer says otherwise, and your largest bet while it is active is 20% of the deposit: $20 on a $100 deposit. Slots and specialty games count 100%. Other table games count 20%, video poker and most blackjack 10%, roulette and baccarat 5%, and double-deck blackjack 2%. Single-deck and classic blackjack, craps, live casino and Hot Drop games count nothing.
Watch for: Bonus money can’t be played on live dealer tables or Hot Drop Jackpot slots. Clearing $5,000 on a game that counts 10% takes $50,000 of bets. And check the code for your first crypto deposit in the cashier: Bovada’s crypto promotions page shows its sports code, BTCSWB750, in that spot.
Bovada says most bonuses expire in six months unless it states otherwise, and dropping a bonus removes it and any winnings from it. Our casino bonus guide compares this offer with the other 39.
Slots, Exclusives and Hot Drop Jackpots
Bovada’s casino page says it has over 1,000 slots, while the FAQ on the same page says over 470. Either way it is a large lobby, with separate rows for new games, exclusives and Hot Drop Jackpots, so you don’t have to scroll an alphabetical list.
The exclusives lean on football: Gridiron Fortune, Touchdown Clusters and Touchdown Plinko, which drops reels altogether. Bovada says every game can be tried for free, except the Hot Drop slots, which are real money only.
How Hot Drop Jackpots work
Bovada’s slots page lists nine Hot Drop slots, including Golden Buffalo, A Night with Cleo, 777 Deluxe and Golden Savanna. Each carries pots on top of its normal paytable:
- Hourly: must drop every hour.
- Daily: must drop every day.
- Epic: grows until someone wins it.
A timer tells you when a pot must pay, not that your spin will win it. Compare slot sites in our real money slots guide and must-drop pots in our progressive jackpots guide.
Video Poker and Table Games
Bovada publishes a return for each of its main video poker games, based on optimal strategy:
| Game | Return Bovada lists |
|---|---|
| Jacks or Better | 99.54% |
| Double Bonus Poker | 99.36% |
| Bonus Poker | 99.16% |
| Loose Deuces | 99.07% |
| Double Double Bonus Poker | 98.98% |
| Deuces Wild | 98.91% |
| Bonus Poker Deluxe | 98.49% |
Several come in 1, 3 and 10-hand versions. A multi-hand game multiplies your stake, so check the total bet before you deal.
Its casino page counts 48 table games, including 17 blackjack games and 10 roulette games. Bovada lists American roulette at 94.74% and European at 97.30%, so pick European when both are open. Its digital baccarat uses six decks, takes $1 to $500 a hand, and pays 9 to 1 on a tie, which Bovada says carries a 4.85% house edge against 1.06% on the Banker.
Before you play, see our video poker guide and online roulette guide.
Live Dealer Tables
Bovada says its live tables are open day and night. Its live lobby has rows for blackjack and VIP blackjack, roulette, baccarat, card games, live lottery and game shows. Its roulette page names two live providers, Gold Tier Games and Dynamic Interactive, and lists Flash Roulette with multipliers from 50x to 10,000x.
Live blackjack side bets are set out in its help center: Pairs pays 11 to 1, Rummy 9 to 1, and a $1 Super 777 bet plays for a progressive jackpot. If you lose your connection at a Gold Tier Games blackjack table, Bovada’s help page says the system hits on 11 or under and stands on 12 or more for you.
Watch for: Live games count 0% toward a casino bonus, bonus money can’t be played on them, and live play earns no Rewards Points. Compare lobbies in our live dealer guide.
The Poker Room
This is poker against other players, not the house: Texas Hold’em, Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo at no-limit, pot-limit and fixed-limit tables. Cash games start at 2¢/5¢.
| Format | How it works |
|---|---|
| Cash games | Sit at a running table and leave when you like; up to four tables at once |
| Zone Poker | Fold and you move to a new table with a new hand; 15 seconds to act |
| Sit & Gos | Heads-up up to 180 players; Jackpot Sit & Gos put three players in for a prize of up to 1,000 times the buy-in |
| Tournaments | Scheduled events from $1, with re-entries, knockouts and freerolls; Bovada advertises $2 million in weekly guarantees |
Tables are anonymous, so no screen name follows you from one session to the next. Bovada’s rake page says it takes 5% of the pot up to a maximum of $4. Poker has desktop clients for Windows and Mac and a browser version on phones.
The poker welcome bonus is separate from the casino one: code BPWB500, 100% up to $500, released at $5 for every 150 Rewards Points you earn in poker within 30 days of your first deposit. At 15 points per $1 of rake, a $100 bonus needs 3,000 points, which is $200 in rake. Released money has no rollover. Our online poker guide compares the rooms open to US players, and Ignition is the closest pick if you want casino and poker without the sportsbook.
Sportsbook and Racebook
The sportsbook covers the major US leagues plus soccer, tennis and fight sports, with a live-betting board that splits spread, moneyline and total prices into columns. Same Game Parlays and Cash Out sit alongside. Bovada’s promotions page offers sports bettors 50% up to $250, or 75% up to $750 in crypto with code BTCSWB750, both at 5× rollover.
The racebook has its own space: Next 5 Races for the next starts, a tab for each track, and race cards with horses and jockeys above the betting controls. Virtual Racing is a separate tab and isn’t a live meeting.
Deposits and Withdrawals
Crypto is the way to bank at Bovada. It charges no fee on crypto deposits or withdrawals, though your wallet or the network may. Cards are deposit-only: Visa or Mastercard from $20 to $1,500. Bovada says the first card deposit is free and later ones cost 15.9% or more, so a second $100 card deposit carries a fee of at least $15.90.
| Method | Minimum | Maximum a payment | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Litecoin | $10 | $9,500 | $180,000 a week |
| Bitcoin | $75 | $9,500 | $90,000 a week |
| Bitcoin Lightning | $10 | $10,000 | $25,000 a day |
| Bitcoin SV | $10 | $9,500 | $9,500 a week |
| Bitcoin Cash | $10 | $2,500 | $2,500 a week |
| Ethereum | $50 | $2,500 | $2,500 a week |
| Tether (USDT) | $50 | $2,500 | $2,500 a week |
| MatchPay | $10 | $2,000 | Two a day |
| Bank wire | $1,500 | $9,500 | One every 30 days |
| Check by courier | $250 | $3,000 | One every 7 days; $100 fee |
Bovada says approval takes about 24 hours (its request page says 24 to 48). After approval it quotes up to 24 hours for Bitcoin and up to an hour for Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin SV, Ethereum and Tether. You can request one crypto withdrawal every 15 minutes. Bank wires and checks take 10 to 15 business days.
Watch for: Bovada’s withdrawal-request page says every deposit must be wagered in full before you can withdraw, and that Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash requests over $9,500 are sent in parts every three days. You also need a verification form for each card you used. At our last check, Bovada’s crypto help page listed a $2,500 Litecoin maximum a payment against $9,500 on its limits page, so check the cashier before a large request. Our Bitcoin casino guide and Litecoin guide cover the coins.
Playing on a Phone
There is no app to download. Bovada says all its games run in the browser on desktop and on Android and iPhone. The mobile casino opens on the Hot Drop pots, with shortcuts along the bottom for exclusives, new games, slots and your recent games.
Poker runs in the phone browser too. If your connection drops mid-game, Bovada says the outcome of the game is saved. Our mobile casinos guide compares how other casinos handle phones.
Bovada Rewards
Cash bets earn Rewards Points, which you can swap for bonus money, and Lifetime Points, which move you up 14 levels you keep for life. Bovada lists 3 points per $1 on slots and 1.5 on video poker. Sports singles earn 2 and parlays 15, counted on the lesser of the risk or the win.
Bets made with bonus money or locked cash earn nothing, and neither does live casino play. Rewards Points expire 12 months after you earn them, and the cash value of a point depends on your level, which Bovada doesn’t publish. Treat it as a small extra, not a reason to bet more.
Who Runs Bovada, and Is It Safe?
Bovada’s footer says “Bovada.lv is licensed and regulated by the Union of the Comoros and the Central Reserve Authority of Western Sahara.” Its pages name no company, give no license number and link to no register where you could check it. That is an offshore claim we couldn’t verify, not a US state license.
Its terms bar players in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont and West Virginia, plus Washington, D.C. You must be 18. The terms also prohibit a VPN or proxy that hides your real location.
Verification and complaints
Bovada can check your identity at sign-up and later. Before any withdrawal, you need a Credit Card Verification Form for each card you deposited with. If something goes wrong, its dispute page sets the route: customer service, then a supervisor in writing, then its Dispute Resolution Office. Complaints must be filed between seven days and six months after the problem. Bovada says it will use “3rd party resolution” when required, but names no outside service.
Support answers chat within minutes and email within 48 hours, by its own account. Our offshore casino guide explains what an offshore license does and doesn’t protect.
Our Verdict
Bovada rates 86/100 on our scorecard. It puts a large casino with published video poker returns, a real poker room, a sportsbook and a racebook on one account, and its crypto withdrawals carry no Bovada fee. It loses points for naming no company or license number, and we haven’t timed a payout yet. Use crypto, not a second card deposit, and pick the welcome package whose terms you have read.
We may earn a commission if you sign up through this link. Offers change, so check the terms on the casino site before you deposit.
Bovada Questions
Is Bovada legit?
Bovada says it is licensed by the Union of the Comoros and the Central Reserve Authority of Western Sahara, but its pages name no company and no license number. It is an offshore site, not licensed by any US state. We haven’t timed a withdrawal from it yet.
How fast does Bovada pay out?
We haven’t timed one. Bovada says approval takes about 24 hours, then up to 24 hours for Bitcoin and up to an hour for Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin SV, Ethereum and Tether. Checks and bank wires take 10 to 15 business days.
What is the minimum withdrawal at Bovada?
$10 by Litecoin, Lightning, Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin SV or MatchPay, $50 by Ethereum or Tether, and $75 by Bitcoin. A check starts at $250 and a bank wire at $1,500.
Is the $3,750 welcome bonus one deposit?
No. It is 125% up to $1,250 on each of your first three crypto deposits. By card it is 100% up to $1,000 on each of three, up to $3,000, at 25 times the deposit plus bonus.
Does Bovada charge for card deposits?
Your first card deposit is free. After that Bovada charges 15.9% or more, depending on the card. It charges no fee on crypto deposits or withdrawals.
Can I use the casino bonus on live dealer or Hot Drop games?
No. Bonus money can’t be played on live dealer games or Hot Drop Jackpot slots, and both count 0% toward the rollover.
Does Bovada have a poker room?
Yes. It runs cash games, Zone Poker, Sit & Gos and tournaments against other players, on anonymous tables. The poker welcome bonus is 100% up to $500 with code BPWB500, released as you earn points at the tables.
Which states can’t play at Bovada?
Its terms bar Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.
Play Within a Limit
Set a budget and a time limit before you play, and never deposit again to win back a loss. Bovada support can also restrict or close your account if you ask. Support: call or text 1-800-MY-RESET for free, confidential help through the National Problem Gambling Helpline, or visit NCPGambling.org.
