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PokerStars Bonus: The Playthrough Condition That Decides Your Withdrawal
Last session you may have entered a PokerStars code and then dipped into the bonus balance before clearing the playthrough. That single move can lock the bonus until you meet the full condition, so your own deposit and any winnings stay tied up instead of being withdrawable. The condition is not a fee and it does not shrink your balance; it sets how much play stands between you and a cashout.
How to Claim the Offer
Claiming is a short process, but each step depends on the one before it. You need an account that has not already used the same welcome offer to qualify.
- Open the PokerStars site in your phone browser and log in. The offer appears on your account once you are signed in.
- Enter the PokerStars code in the box shown for new players. A code that is not valid for your account will not attach the bonus.
- Make a deposit that meets the minimum shown for the offer. The bonus attaches after the deposit is approved.
- Use the PokerStars casino login to reach the casino area, where the bonus balance is visible. Your deposit and bonus are shown separately.
- Play a game that counts toward the playthrough condition. Games that are excluded will not move the progress bar at all.
- Track the progress on your account page before you request a cashout. A bonus still in play is not available for withdrawal.
Bonus Terms Explained
The table below sets out the conditions players most often meet on the PokerStars bonus and what each one does to their money.
| Term | What it means | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Playthrough requirement | How much play must be completed before bonus winnings can be withdrawn | Which games count and at what share |
| Eligible games | The games that move your playthrough progress forward | Whether your favourite game is excluded or counts only partly |
| Bonus expiry | The point at which unused bonus is removed from the account | The date on your bonus balance |
| Maximum cashout | The most you can withdraw from bonus winnings | Whether the cap applies to the bonus or to all winnings |
| Code eligibility | Whether a PokerStars code activates the offer for your account | That the code is entered on the deposit screen, not after |
The term players misread most is playthrough. It is not a fee taken from your balance, and it is not a count of deposits you have made. It is a total of qualifying bets that must be placed before the bonus turns into withdrawable money. Bets on excluded games do not count, even if you place many of them. Reading the progress bar as a percentage of the condition is fine, but a withdrawal request before the bar fills is usually cancelled. The same misreading often follows a PokerStars casino app session on a phone, where the progress bar sits below the game view.
Example Calculation
The figures in this section are a worked example, not the actual terms of the PokerStars bonus. Use them to see how a playthrough condition behaves, then map the real figures from your account onto the same steps.
The formula is simple: the eligible deposit multiplied by the playthrough multiplier gives the total you must wager. With a deposit of 30 and a multiplier of x25, the target is 750 in qualifying bets. That 750 is not a second deposit and it is not taken from your balance in one go. It accumulates as you place bets on games that count toward the condition.
Suppose half of your bets land on a game that counts fully and the rest on a game that is excluded. Only the counting half moves you toward the target, so 750 in bets becomes 1,500 in total play to clear the same condition. This is why game choice can double the work without changing the bonus. If a game counts at a reduced share, the delay grows again, and the expiry date on the bonus may arrive first.
Cashing Out Bonus Winnings
A cashout request is only accepted once the playthrough condition is complete. Before that point, the bonus balance remains separate from your cash balance and cannot leave the account. Progress is saved, so leaving the page and returning later does not reset the count. The bonus can still expire while you are away, and an expired bonus is removed with its progress.
Once the condition is met, you can request a withdrawal from the account you used for the bonus. here shows the bonus balance and the progress bar on the same page, which makes it easy to confirm the condition is finished before you ask for a payout. A maximum cashout rule may still limit how much of the bonus winnings you keep. Any portion above that cap stays in the account or is removed, depending on the offer.
Withdrawal requests made before the condition is met are typically cancelled rather than rejected outright. That means the bonus is not lost, but the request does not proceed, and repeated attempts can delay your plans. A completed condition is the only signal that the bonus has turned into cash-eligible money. The expiry date and the cashout cap are the two limits that survive even after the playthrough is finished.
Common Mistakes
Most problems with the PokerStars bonus come from small actions taken before the condition is understood. These are the ones players report most often.
- Entering a PokerStars code after the deposit: the code must be entered on the deposit screen for the offer to attach. Enter it before confirming the payment.
- Playing excluded games and expecting progress: only games that count will move the bar. Pick a counting game from the start instead of switching later.
- Requesting a cashout mid-playthrough: the request is cancelled and the bonus stays locked until the condition is complete. Wait until the bar is full.
- Ignoring the expiry date: a bonus can disappear with progress still unfinished. Note the date when the bonus appears and plan sessions around it.
- Assuming the cashout cap is the whole balance: the cap usually applies only to bonus winnings. Separate your own deposit from the bonus before you request a payout.
- Leaving the PokerStars casino login page and losing track: progress is saved, but you need to sign back in to see the bar. Check progress before each session ends.
