Is PayPal OK for my Online Poker Deposit?
Online poker deposit alternatives, including Neteller, Firepay and more...
--What is the quickest and easiest way to make a real money deposit into my online poker account? Can I play online poker the same day?
--Since I can't use Paypal, what online deposit alternatives do I have?
--What online poker rooms accept Neteller , Firepay and ePassporte?
All these answers to come and more...
FullTiltPoker.com IS STILL OPEN TO US PLAYERS!!
It's alot easier to deposit real money into your online poker account then you may think. I will get around to explaining exactly how to do all this shortly. In fact, I'll give you the blueprint on how to make a first time real money online deposit, within 15 minutes of opening your online poker account, if that's what you want to do...but first a little background on the subject matter.
The first time I went to a online poker site, like most of you, I was very eager to get started immediately. The first thing I tried to do was use my Mastercard and Visa to fund the account... this didn't work. I didn't take it personally, for the most part neither of these cards allows deposits to online gaming sites... nearly everyone in North America is declined.
(But today there is a way, via ePassporte, to use your Visa or Mastercard to deposit funds into your online poker accounts at FullTiltPoker.com and PokerStars.com. Full explanation to follow at the bottom of the page)
The quickest and most popular ways to fund your account are through Neteller and Firepay. (there are other ways to deposit money but I will only address, the above methods here). For the sake of keeping this page from becoming obnoxiously long, I will talk specifically to Neteller, Firepay and ePassporte.
All of these companies... have grown rapidly in the last couple years and are becoming household names for transacting over the net. (Neteller is the equivalent of the international version of PayPal and trades on the London Stock Exchange. Much like PayPal, Neteller and Firepay allow you to transfer money from your bank account to them.
From there... you can move the money from your Neteller or Firepay account to the cashier at your favorite poker site, 
including FullTiltPoker.com and PokerStars.com
Let's break it down step by step for you, looking at all three options:
First, you can go to Neteller and open up an account with them. You punch in all of your information, much like buying anything else on the internet, and you will need a valid email address. In the future, they will send correspondence to that email address whenever you initiate a transaction.
After opening the account at Neteller and providing your bank information, within a day, they will send you a deposit for a small amount to that account(i.e. 62?) and ask you to verify this odd lot amount.
Once you click on the verification link in the email or go to Neteller's site and verify the deposit amount, your account is CERTIFIED and ready to accept real money deposits from your bank.
From there... you can move money back and forth from your bank to Neteller, at no charge. It takes about 4 business days for the $$$ to hit your Neteller account (there is no fee). The 4 days is a bit of a buzzkill... if you want it there faster than that... keep reading below.
Take me back to an offer I can't refuse!
Once the $$$ hit your Neteller account you're good to go. The money will sit there until you move it to your poker site account. ( ****Important Tip: Neteller also provides its members' a debit card where you can take cash out from most ATM's worldwide****)
In order to move the funds to your poker site account, go to the cashier tab at your poker site and click on "buy chips" or "make a deposit". They will ask you for your Neteller account information.
Once you have inputed this and everything matches up, they will transfer the requested amount from your Neteller account to the poker site cashier section...it's done instantaneously. From there you can take it to your favorite poker table and you're in business.
OK... your second option is Firepay. The process is exactly the same as it is at Neteller, right up to the point where you want to move real money from your bank account to Firepay. Here's where there is a big difference; where it takes Neteller 4 days to clear the $$$, with Firepay its done immediately.
You fill out a simple form on the site and instantaneously deposit cash from your bank account to your Firepay account. It's kind of like using a virtual ATM, in that, your taking cash out of your bank account and Firepay charges you a nominal fee ($3.99) regardless of the amount.
Once you have successfully deposited funds to your Firepay account you will see the deposited amount under available funds. From that point you can move it over to your online poker account the same way you do at NeteIler (as described above
).
Neteller and Firepay are similar in alot of ways. The only difference, its alot quicker to get money from your bank to Firepay. Firepay is an excellent alternative to fund your real online poker account. The only big drawback is you can't get a debit card with Firepay.
FullTiltPoker.com IS STILL OPEN TO US PLAYERS!!
Now here's what many of you have been waiting for...
The third way (and by far the quickest) to fund your online account is thru ePassporte. This is a super popular new alternative that is gaining quite a bit of momentum. ePassporte is the easiest way to use a Visa or Mastercard to deposit funds to your poker account. If you currently own a credit card (that's all it takes!) then there is no credit approval necessary, you can go to ePassporte and sign up for a VirtualVisa card right now. Here's how it works...
You fill in your personal information at the site, along with your credit card information (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) Much like Firepay and Neteller, ePassporte sends a temporary charge to your card (an arbitrary amount under $2) and ask you to call the number on your credit card to validate the amount. (You can call your credit card immediately) They do this to make sure that you are who you claim to be. They want to validate you.
The representative at your credit card company will tell you what this arbitrary amount is (for example $1.12). You go back to the ePassporte site punch in the amount and your account is immediately validated. Then you simply type in how much you want moved over from your real credit card to your new VirtualVisa with ePassporte. (The only small drawback is they charged me $10 to move $120 off my credit card; the small price to pay for instant access to real money)
From there you move it over to FullTiltPoker.com or PokerStars.com much the same way you do with Neteller and Firepay. I wanted to see for myself how quick it was...so I did it myself and it took me under 15 minutes to move real money from my Mastercard to my FullTiltPoker.com account.
It's true...a new account can be created within minutes. Once the VirtualVisa is issued you can use your regular Visa or Mastercard to load $$$ onto your VirtualVisa immediately.
When you get to the homepage of ePassporte just click on the VirtualVisa to get started. Both FullTiltPoker.com and PokerStars.comaccept ePassporte.
In summary, here's how I'd play it if I were you...
If you're jonesing to get started and can't wait another minute (like I was) then getting the VirtualVisa through ePassporte is the way to go. Paying the fees for the first time, at least, may be worth it but I'd definitely open up a Neteller or Firepay account too.
Hopefully you won't have to put anymore money in through ePassporte during the first week, while your waiting for the money to hit your Firepay/Neteller account. After the initial time delay has passed... it makes alot more sense to fund your online poker account from one of those channels going forward, as there are little to no costs to do so.
Once you're fully verified with Neteller or Firepay the process is quick and easy and you shouldn't ever have any problems with either service going forward. Both have different unique benefits, check out both sites and see which one you like. I currently use Neteller for alot more than putting money in my poker account (I haven't had to put new money in there for along time:) Much like PayPal, you can use them for most online purchases, etc.
There you go, pretty simple really. Good luck!
(Keep in mind, most poker sites will limit how much you can deposit to the site during any 24 hour period or monthly period, just so you don't get carried away. And if you can't wait the couple days for your bank to get the deposit from Neteller or Firepay, and you know somebody that has an established account, they can transfer money into your account as soon as it's open at the poker site of your choice...)
Good luck and we'll see you at the tables!
FullTiltPoker.com IS STILL OPEN TO US PLAYERS!!
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****Important Update: (for 2008)************
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