Online casino gaming is a product of the digital age that gets more popular with every passing year. As the industry continues to grow, the operators continue to come up with new games and activities to improve the player experience. Tournament play has become increasingly common over the past year or two. It adds a welcome new competitive dimension as well as giving the best players a chance to win more – what’s not to like?
About casino tournaments
A tournament involves participants all playing the same game a set number of times, with prizes awarded to the best performers. Slot tournaments are most common, although a casino could easily run a baccarat, roulette or video poker tournament too.
Every tournament is different in terms of the set up. For some, you pay an entry fee, which goes towards the prize fund. Others, sometimes known as freerolls, are bankrolled by the casino. Prizes might be awarded to the top 15 or the top 150 depending on the scale of the tournament.
Know the rules
As suggested above, every tournament is different and has its own rules. Don’t mess up – make sure you read the rules carefully and follow the terms of the tournament. Pay attention about prizes too, to avoid disappointment later. For example, freerolls often hand out prizes in bonus cash as opposed to real money you can instantly withdraw.
Practice the game
If tournaments are mostly concerned with slot games you might think there is no point practicing first. After all, it’s just a case of hitting the button and spinning the reels, right? Wrong. Modern video slots are more nuanced. When you have scatters, sticky wilds, bonus games, multipliers and so on, it’s vital you understand how they behave in order to use them to your advantage.
Get your game face on
People take casino tournaments seriously. Even if you’re just taking part for fun, which is the best approach, there’s not much pleasure to be had in coming last. Fail to prepare and you prepare to fail, so get the basics in place like a good night’s sleep and a proper breakfast. Ensure you have a drink of water to hand, tournament play can get quite intense.
Play in familiar surroundings
Don’t be mistaken, the fact that you are trying out tournament play doesn’t alter the fact that you are gambling. Don’t take any chances when it comes to parting with money or sharing personal details. Use a familiar poker site, or if you’ve not got much personal experience, read the independent reviews and choose a trusted brand. For example, this 888poker online review says it’s an ideal place for newbies to try tournaments, so that could be a good place to start.
Don’t forget about bankroll management
Tournaments are exciting. The problem is, they can be so much fun you might be tempted to throw all your usual caution and rules out of the window. Keep basics like time and bankroll management front and center in your mind. Responsible gambling practices are more important than ever to maintain in tournament play.
