In a move that flew under the radar, the online poker room Ultimate Bet announced that its deposit bonus had grown from 111% up to $1,100 to 200% up to $1,100. It’s one of the most aggressive bonuses ever offered from the online poker site and is available right now to players. Ultimate Bet’s website claims that the increase in its deposit bonus was made in order to celebrate the site’s move to the CEREUS Network, which was formed when UB combined player bases with Absolute Poker. Although both sites have experienced player scandals in the past year, CEREUS gives each room new life.
Ultimate Bet’s bonus is released according to a member’s RAI$E status. There are five levels of RAI$E available and each one racks up UltimatePoints at a different rate. Here’s a look at each level along with the point multipliers:
Member – 1x
Player – 2x
Contender – 3x
Legend – 4x
Icon – 5x
When you’re looking to redeem your bonus dollars, you should know that all bonuses are released in $5 increments. Ultimate Bet’s website also notes, “Players that deposit and withdraw bonus dollars without significant amount of play will be required to forfeit their bonus dollars.” The 111% deposit bonus had been in place ever since the site’s main face and spokesperson, Phil Hellmuth, captured his 11th World Series of Poker bracelet in a $1.500 no limit tournament during the 2007 WSOP.
Ultimate Bet is also gearing up for its annual Aruba Poker Classic, which runs this year from September 27th until October 4th at the Radisson Aruba Resort and Casino. Satellites are running non-stop on UB and start at $1.10. A full schedule is available in the Tournament Lobby. The winner of the 2008 Aruba Poker Classic is guaranteed to take home at least $1 million and Ultimate Bet expects 750 players to attend. The tournament has become an annual convention for online poker players, many of whom are able to meet the faces behind the screen names they’ve been battling against all year.
Between now and September 16th, Ultimate Bet is using its Aruba Poker Classic as leverage to drum up new members for the site. Anyone who refers a new player to Ultimate Bet will be awarded points based on the RAI$E status of their referrals. Points are awarded on the following scale:
1 point for every friend referred who becomes a MEMBER
2 points for every friend referred who becomes a PLAYER
3 points for every friend referred who becomes a CONTENDER
6 points for every friend referred who becomes a LEGEND
10 points for every friend referred who becomes an ICON
On September 20th, two freerolls will take place. One will be held for UB members who racked up one to five points. Another will feature members who have piled up more than five points. Both freerolls will have $750 added to the prize pool. The winner of each freeroll will battle head to head with a seat to the 2008 Aruba Poker Classic on the line, which is valued at $8,500 (equivalent to the tournament’s buy-in plus travel expenses). There’s no limit to the number of friends or family that each person can refer.
A person’s RAI$E status on Ultimate Bet is determined by the number of UltimatePoints he or she accrues every month:
Fewer than UltimatePoints every month: Member
50-499 UltimatePoints every month: Player
500-2,499 UltimatePoints every month: Contender
2,500-9,999 UltimatePoints every month: Legend
10,000 or More UltimatePoints every month: Icon
