How do slot tournaments work
Traditional casinos also offer what are called sit&go slots tournaments. In this variant you register and pay your buy-in, then sit at your assigned slot.
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Slot tournaments – how does it work and how to win
Long seen by many as the funniest, fastest, most exciting way to play slots, slots tournaments are a strong draw for many players for a whole host of reasons. The question is, what is a slots tournament and how does a slots tournament work?
Traditionally, as we all know, slots are a single player game. While slots in brick and mortar casinos are usually placed in long rows where players sit side by side, at the end of the day, no matter how many people are seated next to you in the crowded casino, the game comes down to you and the machine and, win or lose, you’re on your own.
That’s where slots tournaments differ.
What is a slots tournament?
As an exciting way to turn slots play into a social game, slots tournaments are great fun for competitive players who like not only the thrill of winning on their own, but that of beating out a host of competitors for great cash prizes. In fact, for some people winning the slots tournament title and seeing their name on the leaderboard in lights is almost as important as the great cash prizes involved. Competing in a tournament adds a whole new dimension of thrills to slots play for many slots enthusiasts and slots tournaments come in many shapes and sizes. Here we’ll take a look at some of the most common slots tournaments, including free slots tournaments for real money, traditional brick and mortar casino slots tournaments, like the kinds you’d find in las vegas, atlantic city or macau and online slots tournaments, like the kind you’ll find right here at slotu.
So, to jump right in, how does a slots tournament work?
The basic format of all slots tournaments is essentially the same. Obviously different tournaments will have slight variations of these basics to add a degree of uniqueness to the gameplay, but in general, it’s safe to say the fundamentals are fundamentals.
Whether you are entering a slots tournament in a traditional brick and mortar casino or an online casino like right here at slotu, the first thing you need to do is register. All slots tournaments, in traditional or online casinos will start at a particular date and time, so it’s important to register in advance to join in the gameplay. Registering after the start date and time and joining the tournament late is a fool's errand, as slots tournaments are essentially races. To do so would be like joining the 100-meter dash after everybody else has already run the first 50 meters. Doesn’t really make any sense, does it? Registration, however, is fantastically easy.
The old-fashioned way
At brick and mortar casinos you simply select the slots tournament you want to play, sign up and pay your buy-in. Almost all slots tournaments will require a buy-in. We have to say “almost all” because there are free slots tournaments for real money, often offered by brick and mortar casinos or sometimes even online casinos to regular players as a bonus gift, as it allows players to have tons of fun with no risk and great possible rewards.
At a traditional casino, in las vegas, atlantic city or macau, for example, once you sign up and pay your buy-in you’ll be assigned a seat in a particular slot. It’s important to keep in mind that different types of tournaments use different machines. So, when you’re selecting which slots tournament you want to play, look for one that involves a machine you love and know well. 5-reel machines with multiple paylines, prize multipliers and bonus rounds can be a blast but make sure you’ve played the machine before. Remember, a slots tournament is a type of race, so you want to know in advance the best betting strategies and how to play the slot bonus rounds, so you don’t have to lose time figuring out your options.
After registration and paying your buy-in you’ll be allocated a number of credits on the slot hosting the tournament. It’s also important to keep in mind that these are used it or lose it credits, so you want to make sure to play literally as fast as you can to maximize your chances of winning the greatest amount of points and taking home the title. You’ll be competing against all the other players in the tournament for first, second and third prizes (more on that below) that are awarded based on the number of points (coins you win) you score throughout the allocated time for slots play.
Sit&go slot tournaments
Traditional casinos also offer what are called sit&go slots tournaments. In this variant you register and pay your buy-in, then sit at your assigned slot. Once the required number of players have registered for the tournament, it’s time to go and start playing. These tournaments present a great opportunity to socialize with your fellow players before the game starts and size up the competition. Many people take a particular joy in knowing personally who they beat to win the title in a slots tournament, which adds yet another dimension to the fun.
Online slot tournaments
Online slots tournaments work very similar to traditional casino slots tournaments, in-so-far as you register first, and get a username alias but without the surrounding distractions you have in a classic brick and mortar casino. In online slots tournaments, your real username is not used, as it could compromise your privacy and/or the security of your account, so nine times out of ten, depending on the quality of the online casino, you’ll be asked to provide an alias to identify you for the tournament.
Then comes the buy-in. The buy-in is the standard fee players pay to join the tournament and will reflect both the number of credits you receive to play for the time of the tournament and the total amount of the prize pool.
Certain slots tournaments are capped in terms of total prizes, to make they more “exclusive” by limiting the number of competing players. Others are open, with the more people playing in the tournament the higher the overall prize pool. It’s important to shop around when selecting an online slots tournament to find the one that’s just right for you in terms of length or play, number or minimum and/or maximum competitors and prize pool structure.
Once you register and pay your buy-in you’ll see the tournament time, duration and details on your screen. As slots tournaments are a race, it’s vitally important to keep track of the start time. You don’t want to be distracted or looking the other way when the starting gun goes off!
How slot tournaments work
Before you enter any slot machine tournament it is important to understand how they work. While there are a lot of variations the basic principals remain the same for most tournaments both offline and online. In this article we discus the basics such as how to enter tournaments, how the prize pools work and the order of play.
The tournament starts with buy-ins. This means that you pay an entry fee to join the tournament and have a shot at winning. Some tournaments are free and others are comped in which case the casino is essentially paying the buy-in for you. The amou8nt of players and the cost of entry will determine the prize pool.
Let's say you have 100 players who all pay $50 to enter. This gives a total prize pool of $5,000. The amount of winners and prize pool distribution varies from tournament to tournament. In this example you might have a 1st prize of $3,000, a 2nd prize of $1000, a 3rd prize of $500 and 10 prizes of $50.
In the example above all of the prize pool is distributed to the winners. In a lot of tournaments the casino will keep part of the prize pool which is how they make money from running the tournaments. It is always worth checking on the prize pool distribution before you enter a tournament.
Once all players have paid their buy-in the tournament can start. In general each player receives a set amount of credits to play with. All of the players then sit at a slot machine and get a certain amount of time to play. This tends to be quite a sight as all of the players are franticly hitting the spin button as fast as possible to get the maximum amount of spins in the set time frame.
When the play time is over the winner is the player with the highest amount of credits on their machine. The places are also determined by the amount of credits on the machines. It is worth noting that you do not win the amount of credits that you have on the machine you win the prizes according to the tournament payout schedule.
Some of the bigger tournaments take place over a longer period of time with many smaller tournaments leading to a final round where the big money is won. In these tournaments you generally need to place high in the rankings in the smaller tournaments to move on to the next stage. The advantage of this style of tournament is that you tend to get much bigger prize pools.
The prizes are not always for the biggest scores. In some cases you will find that the tournaments also award prizes for the worst score. There are many different prize formats which is one of the reasons that slot tournaments are so popular.
Slot tournaments – how do they work?
By: will connington october 2, 2018
What are slot tournaments? Slots are among the least competitive games you could think of – just how does a tournament work? Well, there is actually nothing complicated at all. You compete against the other players by simply spinning your slot. At the end of the tournament, the player who has accumulated the most winnings receives the grand prize. That’s the gist of it – the rules rarely get more complex than that, and there is no specific preparation required other than getting familiar with the slot you will be playing in advance. We’ll cover everything that you need to know in the next few paragraphs. We’ll also talk about online slot tournaments which can be a tad more complicated.
Basic format of a slot tournament
When on a night out at your favourite casino, you may have noticed a portion of the venue blocked by ropes, and a number of people spinning the slots at a furious speed. That’s how a slot tournament looks from the side.
In a slot tournament, you usually receive a number of credits from the casino, and have a set amount of time to play through them. Your wins are tracked, and the player who has accumulated the most coins – or points – wins the tournament.
Such tournaments create a great sense of camaraderie as they gather slot fans from all over the region – but there is little time for interaction during the tournament itself, as you have to focus on your own slot. This means that there is no direct conflict, and you shouldn’t expect a battle royale of some sort. Of course, an obnoxious loud-mouth might ruin your fun from time to time. Sadly, you will encounter such individuals in all alleys of life, including casinos where you’re supposed to relax.
Are slot tournaments free?
Wait, if the casino is giving you credits, is the tournament free? Well, you know what they say about free lunch.
Sometimes, casinos do organize free slot tournaments. Those are great, of course – you get to play without any investment, and might just nab the prize! The casinos usually view such tournaments as a means of attracting more regular customers, and you should expect much lower prizes than in paid competitions.
Additionally, many casinos organise private tournaments for their more loyal customers. You can enter those only upon receiving a special invite. The quality can vary across most venues, but casinos with strong brand usually tend to make those impromptu competitions memorable and fun for their regulars.
Rules, tips and strategy
This might seem like a silly suggestion, but keep in mind that you have a set time limit, and there is a certain physical overtime required to insert your coins and pull the lever. A lot of inexperienced players lose speed as they grow tired, or simply stick to their casual tempo – this is a mistake, because any credit you fail to wager contributes nothing to your final result!
Another mistake players do is to lose time celebrating their wins. Of course, joy sometimes overwhelms you, and it isn’t bad to voice it, but the clock does not stop ticking only because you scored a good win, and the other players are also racking up their results.
The same basic principle applies to online tournaments, of course – things might be a little more innovative there, but you should maintain a constant speed and use up as much of your allotted budget as possible within the timeframe. This means that spending a little time before the tournament to get familiar with the slot you will be playing on and trying out the controls for yourself will prove invaluable in the long run.
Online slot tournaments
Online operators have also been playing attention to the success of the slot tournaments and trying to adapt them to the pc platform. Some casinos like 32red hold regular tournaments on specific online slot games, while others like royal panda organise thematic promotional campaigns at different times of the year.
Online slot tournaments can break from the basic mould described in the above paragraphs. Sometimes they don’t even have a set time limit – after all, this can be a hassle for many of the participants. Once more, there might be an admission fee required, but there are also alternative variants.
Certain tournaments take place over longer periods of time, and don’t award you with free credits in advance. Instead, you accumulate score with your normal playthroughs. At the end of the tournament – which can be a 20-minute session or a 1-month slog – the best player is awarded with a cash prize.
Notice the use of the word ‘best’. If an online tournament breaks from the set mould of playing through a number of credits, the win conditions might change too. Sometimes the players accumulate points by scoring a streak of wins – this is a good format, because it means that it doesn’t matter how large your bet is!
Avalon, tomb raider and starburst are among the more common titles you can expect to find listed for tournaments.
Other types of online slot tournaments – the terminology explained
If you like to change your online gambling venues, you might encounter more innovative tournament variants. Here are some of the main types:
- Signup freeroll: this light competition is a good way to get to know your way around your new online casino. Some operators organise such events as a little extra to the welcome bonus that you receive. However, you shouldn’t expect a large prize pool. Usually it is only the new players that get to take part for a £50-£100 first place reward. More importantly, such events might secure you a free invite to other tournaments with more lucrative prizes. Take advantage of such events and use them to see what a tournament feels like and whether you enjoy the casino’s format.
- Scheduled tournaments: your basic slot tournament. It is advertised in advance, and you need to register before the beginning and play a buy-in fee.
- Sit and go tournament: those are open-seat tournaments. There is a limited number of places, and you need to sign in to take one. As soon as all the seats are taken, the tournament kicks off – but keep in mind that sometimes there can be a significant wait before enough players are gathered.
- Sit and go tournament: those are open-seat tournaments. There is a limited number of places, and you need to sign in to take one. As soon as all the seats are taken, the tournament kicks off – but keep in mind that sometimes there can be a significant wait before enough players are gathered.
- Comped tournaments: the term might be familiar to some of you. Comp points are loyalty rewards that some online casinos give you for playing on their games with real money. As you can imagine, these slot tournaments are the equivalent to the VIP events we mentioned above, where only loyal customers are invited.
- Reloader tournaments: those are the equivalent of ‘re-buys’ in poker tourneys. In such tournaments, the buy-in allots you specific time for play, but you can rebuy for an additional fee and start over if you bust out. Such tournaments are usually featured with microgaming slots.
- Extender tournaments: similar to the above, but you get the chance to buy add-ons here. The add-ons boost your final score. Most players choose to take up this option if they want to maximise their odds of winning, but it is perfectly fine to ignore it if you trust in your luck.
- Survivor slots tournaments: this tournament uses one of the most competitive formats and introduces an elimination phase. There are different rounds, and only the winner from each stage can move on the face the rest of the winners. Rebuying or adding on is not allowed.
- One-shot tournaments: these are single-elimination tournaments. You get a single shot at qualifying for the next stage – there are no rebuys, no add-ons, and no mercy. The battle here is fiercer than the competition for jobs in the UK!
Frequently asked questions about slot tournaments
We hope you found this review of slot tournaments useful. To ensure that we covered everything that you need to know, we researched what questions players ask about the topic. To end this blog post, we have compiled the most frequently asked questions and provided the answers for you.
��♂️ what is a slot tournament?
A slot tournament is a competition against other players. You play a specified slot game within a certain timeframe and with a certain number of casino credits. At the end of the tournament, the player with the most accumulated winnings gets a prize.
�� how does a slot tournament work?
A slot tournament works as a competition between slots players. For a set period, any winnings you amass from playing a certain slot will be tracked. Once the tournament ends, the player with the most coins or points wins the tournament. You can find more details about the basic rules of slot tournaments in our dedicated section.
��♂️ how to play in a slot tournament?
You play in a slot machine tournament in a land-based casino, you should spin as many times as possible within the set time limit and credits. To play in an online slot tournament, the basic rules are the same. You should check the operator's promotions regularly to find out when slot tournaments will take place and opt in to play.
�� how to win a slot tournament?
Slot tournaments rely on luck. Yet there are some winning tips that can help you improve your chances. These include betting as much of the allotted budget as possible. Another tip is to maintain a constant speed, so you do not waste any opportunities to accumulate winnings.
�� what is a free slot tournament?
A free slot tournament can be entered without spending any of your own cash. Free tournaments can be included as part of a casino's promotional offers. Some operators also provide free slot machine tournaments as a loyalty reward for existing players.
Online slot tournaments: how do they work?
Slot tournaments are usually events held at brick-and-mortar casino venues but the popularity of online gaming has now led these events to do online. Today, you’ll find plenty of casino websites offering online slot tournaments but for anyone new to them, they can be a little confusing. If that applies to you, keep reading to discover how online slot tournaments work and how you can start enjoying them.
What are slot tournaments?
Slot tournaments are basically competitions in which multiple players compete against each other in a select slot game to make the most points or reach the top of the leaderboard. Depending on the casino venue and online casino website, the winning player will usually receive the top prize and some venues and websites may also award other prizes for run-up players.
As already mentioned, slot tournaments are usually played at brick-and-mortar casino venues but they can also be found at online casinos too. However, some online casinos refer to tournaments with other names, normally spinoffs.
How do you play online slot tournaments?
Generally speaking, there are two ways of playing slot tournaments and it depends on the online casino. If the online casino you’re registered with offers regular slot tournaments, the process usually involves you simply purchasing a ticket to the spinoff or tournament.
However, some online casinos may require you to have deposited in the last seven days to purchase a ticket and enter the competition. After you’ve purchased a ticket, you’ll be credited a limited number of spins on a select slot and will have to use the spins.
Casinos that do not offer regular slot tournaments may occasionally offer tournaments as special limited-time promotions. These tournaments usually follow the same rules as those explained above but these promotions may sometimes allow you to earn tickets by making a deposit and playing certain slots. You may also find that these promotional tournaments run for a longer period of time than the tournaments offered by a casino on a regular basis.
Note: slot tournaments follow the traditional slot rules, meaning you’ll always be required to spin the reels to make wins. Although you won’t be able to adjust your wager, you’ll still have access to any of the slot’s special features to help you make more wins.
How are winners calculated?
All online slot tournaments or spinoffs have leaderboards which are used to determine who is winning. The winnings you make using your limited number of slot spins are converted into points and added to the player leaderboard, and you will be given a position on the leaderboard.
Most online slot tournaments will allow you to rebuy tickets or earn new tickets for the slot tournament. Additional winnings made on the slot tournament will not add to your original point score but if your end score is better than your initial score, the updated score will be added to the leaderboard.
This means that you are free to re-enter slot tournaments as much as you’d like to try and gain a higher position on the player leaderboard, but this greatly depends on the casino and how long the tournament or spinoff is available. What’s more, we’ll highlight again that points and winnings made in these competitions are not cumulative and reentering a tournament only provides you with a chance of a higher leaderboard position if you manage to land a higher score.
What can you win?
The prizes offered through online slot tournaments depend on the online casino. Most casino websites will provide you with a selection of free spins as a reward but others may offer cash prizes or bonus funds as prizes for ranking in the top places.
Other online casinos, normally those that run tournaments as special promotions, tend to offer bigger and greater prizes. For example, BGO regularly runs promotional online slot tournaments and offers the latest technology as prizes including iphones, macbooks, ipads, and so much more.
Note: you can always check what prizes are available in a slot tournament before joining it, allowing you to assess whether or not the competition is worth it for you.
Brick-and-mortar slot tournaments & online tournaments: what’s the difference?
Now that you know more about online slot tournaments, it’s worth taking a look at how these competitions differ at brick-and-mortar casino venues. Although they generally follow the same rules, there are some slight differences. For example, there are many more types of brick-and-mortar slot tournaments including:
- Freeroll: free of charge and usually offered by casino venues
- Feeder: you must pay an entry fee to a regular slot tournament that offers free entry to a bigger tournament as a prize
- Sit and go: A quick game in which a small group of people all play against each other at the same time
- Survival: A tournament with multiple rounds where only the highest-scoring players can stay on
These are the main slot tournaments that you’ll find at brick-and-mortar casinos. As mentioned, some casinos may invite customers to freeroll tournaments but most require you to purchase a ticket or pay an entry fee.
Playing real-life slot tournaments & the prizes
In terms of playing these competitions, brick-and-mortar slot tournaments generally follow the same rules as online tournaments but there are again some slight differences. First of all, you’ll need to actually visit the casino venue and use a real slot machine to take part in these tournaments, rather than playing online from home.
Depending on the casino, some venues will give you a set amount of time to make wins rather than a set amount of spins which means that you’ll have to work harder than your opponents to make wins and land more frequent spins.
For longer tournaments, particularly those that are survival-based and include various rounds, you may be required to return to the casino more than once in the same day or maybe the next day.
Finally, brick-and-mortar slot tournaments will generally only offer you cash prizes. The money offered will depend on the individual casino venue as well as the tournament. For example, free tournaments and competitions with fewer people will generally offer a smaller prize while bigger tournaments and survival competitions offer more money. However, there may be some casino venues which mix-up their prizes and do something different.
What’s better to play: real-life or online?
There are advantages and disadvantages to playing both online slot tournaments and real-life tournaments. Many people enjoy playing slot tournaments at brick-and-mortar casinos because you’re at a real casino and can enjoy the atmosphere and meet fellow players.
However, many people prefer playing online tournaments because they can be played anywhere including from the comfort of your own home and they generally offer much better prizes. There’s no travel involved and these competitions are much more widely accessible since they can be found at numerous online casinos.
Have a think about the different drawbacks and advantages to the different ways of playing and see what appeals to you most. The biggest factor is whether or not you can regularly travel to a casino venue to enjoy these competitions. If not, playing online may be a better option for you.
Where can I play online slot tournaments
As already mentioned, online slot tournaments are widely available at online casinos. However, there are some casino websites which run these competitions more frequently or regularly than others. Take a look here for some suggestions of online casinos that offer slot tournaments.
Playojo
Playojo is a popular online casino that is known for its vast game selection and number of promotions. Included are regular online slot tournaments which are available multiple times a day and offer great prizes like free spins which can then be used on slots available at playojo. You can read more about playojo and why so many people in the UK enjoy playing there by reading our playojo review.
Slotsmillion
Slotsmillion is a slot-centric online casino which overs thousands of unique and fun video slots. Considering the name, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that slotsmillion also offers regular tournaments for you to enjoy. Like with playojo, you will need to pay a buy-in entry fee and can win real money prizes distributed to the top three players. Discover more about slotsmillion with our review here.
BGO casino
BGO casino is another popular online casino in the united kingdom. The site, which has been around since 2012, is well-known for offering a great selection of casino games, bingo titles, and virtual betting too. BGO is also praised for offering regular bonuses and promotions and for frequently running limited-time slot tournaments where you can win some of the latest technology as prizes. Check out our BGO casino review for more information on the site.
Videoslots
Videoslots is another slot-centric online casino which offers a range of casino games to enjoy. It also runs its famous battle of slots tournaments which take inspiration from brick-and-mortar competitions and updates them for the web. You can enjoy freerolls, sit and gos, and so much more here! If you’re interested in learning more, just take a look at our videoslots review here!
Those aren’t the only websites offering slot tournaments but in our opinion, they’re the best. All of these casino sites we’ve mentioned here are licensed by the UK gambling commission and offer some of the best games and promotions around. However, we do understand that some may not appeal to you, which is why we’ve made a list of the best UK casino sites right here. Take a look and find a site you enjoy, register, and start playing!
So, let's see, what we have: slot tournaments are a quite unique event in online and traditional casinos. How does slot tournament work, tips and tricks to win big and how to play? All the crucial answers in our articles! Don´t forget to check our list of free and real money slot tournaments right now! At how do slot tournaments work
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