As you already may know, a poker bonus has a max amount and a match percent. The max amount tells you how much money you can earn and the percentage how much you have to deposit to reach that amount. For a $200 max bonus, with 200% match, you have to deposit $100 to clear the full bonus.

But which one of these figures is most important, the max or the match? Well, it depends on who you are.

I would say that you should let the size of your bankroll decide what bonus to go for. Let me describe what I mean with two poker-player stereotypes.

Player One - The Novice Poker Player on a Tight Budget

Player two has just started playing online poker and is making his first or second deposit at a poker site. He has a small bankroll, and when he has cleared a bonus at one site, he's off to the next one to take advantage of another deal.

This player should probably look for a high percentage match. He might not be able to squeeze out the max amount from a 100% bonus up to $1,000. Remember, to maximize the value of such a deal you must make a $1,000 deposit.

On the other hand, a 300% match bonus up to $600 deal, is a lot more suitable. For only a $200 deposit he can get a $600 bonus, and when that bonus is cleared, there are other deals waiting in the bonus toplist.

Player Two - The Experienced Poker Player with Cash

Player one has been playing poker online for quite some time and when he moves his bankroll to a new site, or parts of it, he knows that he will stay there for a while. Even if he runs in to a cold streak, he has money to back it up with.

I would recommend player one to go for a bonus deal with a high max bonus. Since he will stay on the site for some time, it doesn't really matter how long it takes to clear the bonus.  Also, since he can make a somewhat large deposit, he will be able to reach the full bonus even if the match percentage is just 100% or even less.

Conclusion

When you're comparing poker bonuses, try to evaluate which bonus deal is best for your budget and game plan. That's how you maximize the value.