A Behind-The-Scenes Peak at Online Casino Slot Tournaments
So, you’ve been playing slots for a while and would like a challenge? Well, we have some good news for you – online casinos regularly host slot tournaments where players engage in a bit of friendly competition. The Gamblizard team is here to help you learn all about them: how they work, how they are hosted, and how to get invited.
Slot Tournaments, and Who They are for
A direct descendant of the classic land-based casino tournament format, the online version follows the same rules. You have a buy-in amount, but many of them are free as well. Numerous players, even hundreds in some cases, compete to see who ends up with the highest total winnings once the timer runs out.
They all play the same designated slot game, which is set to tournament mode, where the result of every spin goes up on the scoreboard.
The main draw here is the opportunity to win much larger sums than you would be able to by playing the same games on your own. The prize pools can be as high as £50,000 and £100,000. And they’re not just for first-place winners – lots of rewards are also meant for other participants. Even those who have placed fairly low can get consolation prizes, such as free spins. So the whole thing is a medium-risk proposition with a decent chance to win at least something back for your entry fee, which is usually somewhere between £25–100.
We should note that free versions have no entry fee – you play with your own deposit money. But the rewards tend to be lacklustre.
The Way Slot Tournaments Run
Once all players have paid the entry fee at an online casino, you open the specified game on your preferred device and start playing. You have a certain time limit and a bulk of free spins to use in your session.
Since there’s no need to worry about losing or adding more funds, just about how high your score gets at the end, it’s all about fast fingers and hitting the “Spin” button as many times as you can. Keeping up the pace during the few minutes on the timer, most commonly 3 or 5, can be a bit challenging, though.
In the end, the player with the highest score on the board will be declared the winner and get the biggest percentage of the prize pool. Each subsequent place earns a smaller share, and some get one of the consolation prizes, such as bonuses or free spins. However, some tournaments differ and the rules may vary a bit.
Main Types of Slot Tournaments
With the basic rules of online slot tournaments explained, you are now at least somewhat familiar with the general concept, and we can go over the intricacies of the common types of tournaments you’ll find in the UK.
Free-Roll
There’s no entry fee required, but some tournaments have you playing with your own money. These are generally shorter and feature smaller rewards. The completely free ones have a wagering requirement if you want to withdraw the winnings.
Buy-In
There is a set entry fee for buy-in tournaments. You can expect larger prizes here, together with a couple of extra minutes. Also, the higher the buy-in, the less competition there is and the better your chances of winning are, making it a good strategy for high-rollers.
Scheduled
This version can be either free or require buy-in, but the most important thing is that you have to be ready at a specific starting time.
Survival and One-Shot
Survival tournaments have several rounds with specific requirements that you must meet to go on to the next one. We’re most commonly talking about making it to the top 50% in round one, then to the top 10% in round two, and to the top 1% in the third one. One-shots only give each player a single opportunity to make it to the next round, or they are cut from the tournament.
Extender and Reload
The former allows you to increase your final score by paying for a base score boost. The latter involves several five-minute rounds and simply lets players pay to regain a spot in the following round if they’ve lost the previous one.
PHC
The former allows you to increase your final score by paying for a base score boost. The latter involves several five-minute rounds and simply lets players pay to regain a spot in the following round if they’ve lost the previous one.
Are Slot Tournaments the Right Fit for You?
Of course, as with anything in life, there are going to be some good and some bad sides, and this is what you’ll have to keep in mind if you are thinking about enrolling in slot tournaments.
- Pros
- You get a chance to win bigger prizes even on a smaller gambling budget.
- You can practice and quickly get acquainted with different slot games and all their features.
- There’s a social component that can be refreshing if you’re used to solo games.
- Cons
- Tournaments are more stressful than regular slots.
- For scheduled events, you must be ready at a specific time, which can conflict with your daily schedule.
- Tournaments require some solid hand-eye coordination, speed, and focus, but still come down to luck.
Check Out the Best Casinos for Slot Tournaments
If you find the concept of slot tournaments interesting and would like to try them out, you can find the best online casino websites that offer them right here on Gamblizard. Our team works tirelessly to separate the wheat from the chaff and bring you only the most reliable sites with a proven track record, so have a look at our compilations.
Just remember to gamble responsibly, set yourself a budget that you can afford to lose, and reach out for help or look at self-restriction tools if you feel you can’t stop when you want to.
