Are Slot Tournaments Worth It and How to Win One

What Are Slot Tournaments?

All slot tournaments fall into two categories: social tournaments, which are free to enter, and paid tournaments.

Social tournaments are great practice for any competitive gamer, and a lot of fun in their own right. Pragmatic Play recently made casino news as they stopped hosting social tournaments, which had gained thousands of fans over the years. Social tournament aficionados felt the loss, but there are still plenty of great options out there.

Paid tournaments have been gaining popularity for a while, and you’ve likely seen a few across many online casinos. Their rules can seem a little intimidating, but there is a method behind the madness. Let’s clear up some mysteries surrounding what happens at slot tournaments – and how to win them.

Slot Casino Tournaments

These tournaments are organised by casino sites and are available to registered players. You might’ve seen them under the “Promotions” tab when logged in to your favourite online casino. Slot casino tournaments usually have a minimum deposit and rules separate from the casino’s general T&Cs. They’re usually free to enter, but can carry fees. Some platforms host tournaments daily or weekly, which lets them cater to a lot of tastes.

Slot Provider Tournaments

These are organised by slot providers. Slot provider tournaments are offered to multiple platforms that host them. Providers often use them to promote new slot games or expose fans to their other offerings. Prizes tend to be bigger than those in casino tournaments, but this tends to come with a slimmer chance of winning.

Buy-in Tournaments

As the name suggests, buy-in tournaments carry an upfront cost. All players must pay a fee to the casino, and a percentage of this is added to the prize pool. Some tournaments let contestants buy extra features to help them shoot up the leaderboard.

Freeroll Tournaments

On the other side of the coin, freeroll tournaments do not charge any fees to enter. All you need to do is opt in. The only drawback is that prizes tend to be less impressive than in other tournaments. Still, they’re great practice and can be a lot of fun.

Reloader Tournaments

Players can buy themselves a second chance at reloader tournaments. If you bust out, you can pay your way back into the game by purchasing a rebuy. They are made up of multiple short rounds and usually last around an hour. This style of tournament is generally suited best to the high-roller with a more flexible budget.

Survivor Tournaments

Knockout-style gameplay sees top players advance through the rounds of survival tournaments. These frantic competitions often consist of three rounds which last a short period of time.

Scheduled Tournaments

Perhaps evidently, scheduled tournaments take place at a specified time. These can be either buy-in or freeroll. The prizes are usually advertised in advance, which often encourages large volumes of entrants.

Extender Tournaments

Similar to reloader tournaments, competitors in extender tournaments can purchase add-ons which help you climb the leaderboard. They’re not too common due to the fact that they can get pretty pricey, but they can carry some of the biggest top prizes out there.

Sit and Go Tournaments

If you’re a poker fan, you might be familiar with the format of sit and go tournaments already. They don’t have a set start time, and begin when a target amount of players joins – which can make entering as hectic as the competition itself. The prize pool tends to be the money from the entrance fees.

How To Enter Slots Tournaments

There are lots of slot tournaments, so it can be hard to figure out which one to enter. Like always with online gaming, stick to licensed casinos with a strong reputation for safety. There are some great slot tournaments available right now that cater to all tastes, so take advantage of them.

Entering a slot tournament will look different depending on the type of competition. There may be entry requirements, such as a specific VIP status, invites or fees.

Slots Tournaments Rules

Rules between slot tournaments vary, but these are a few general conditions to be aware of:

• There are a limited number of eligible games
• Time limits are strictly adhered to
• Winnings are divided based on leaderboard positions

The more familiar you are with the specific rules of your tournament, the less likely you are to waste valuable time while playing.

How To Win a Slot Tournament

While there’s no guaranteed way to win a slot tournament, there are ways to increase your chances. Here are some tips and tricks to bear in mind, regardless of which tournament you go for:

Choosing The Right Tournament

When choosing a tournament, consider how much money you’re willing to bet for the opportunity to win big. Buy-in tournaments often use the fees to fill the prize pot, so hefty buy-in prices can indicate big prizes.

Scheduled tournaments advertise prizes in advance, which can help you choose. These are usually cash, but there can be opportunities to win holidays, vouchers and tech.

Freeroll tournaments tend to have a lower win potential and usually offer modest prizes such as free spins and bonuses.

Sometimes slot casino tournaments don’t require you to opt in. If you’re logged in and win big on a qualifying slot, you might already be on the leaderboard. Always check what tournaments are running on your preferred platforms – your next competitive opportunity might choose itself for you.

Time Management

Punctuality is crucial – there’s no bigger waste of time than not even being there. Make sure you’ve read the eligibility requirements, familiarised yourself with the rules and logged in before the timer starts.

Always keep an eye on the clock (and the calendar). Some casino slot tournaments run for weeks, and some competitions are done in under an hour.

Strategise Your Bets

If you’re playing with credits, it can be wise to use the max bet function. If you get lucky, your wins will be bigger – and if you run out of time, you can’t do anything with them anyway.

If you’re playing with real money, consider your budget and time constraints. Decide if you’d like to stretch your money further with lower stakes bets, or max out in a couple of big spins.

The more you plan your attack, the less likely you are to panic and over-bet early. Watch how things unfold, keep an eye on your competitors’ leaderboard positions and give yourself time to react.

Be Confident

Play strategically, but be confident. You don’t want to run out of time to place your bets and panic.

Double/Triple Check the Rules

Always check the tournament page before starting to make sure you’re playing eligible slots. Check you’ve made a minimum deposit if there is one, and make sure you’ve read the specific promotion’s terms – not just the general T&Cs.

Stay Organised

You’ve got a lot to stay on top of: timers, leaderboards, how much cash you’re dealing with.

Some tournaments require you to gather evidence of your gameplay. If you set up a screen recorder before you start, you won’t have to worry about this during the tournament.

Things To Remember

The main thing to remember when choosing a slot tournament is to play within your limits. Ultimately, slots are based on luck and there’s no guaranteed way to win. The only way to guarantee a great experience is to choose a tournament that you will enjoy.

Slot tournaments are a great way to unleash your competitive edge. It takes a little consideration to figure out which one suits you best. But once you have, they’re straightforward and fun.

With technology advancing at breakneck speed, it’s an exciting time to be competing in online slot tournaments. Software in the near future will be able to support even better features, such as streamed elements and live chat functions. It’s a great time to get involved in the competitive gaming community, so check out the great online slot tournaments available right now.