Slot machines are one of the biggest attractions for gamblers in the casino. Ease of play and the opportunity to win big make slots a favorite amongst casino players. The surge of slot machine popularity in the 1980s resulted in the proliferation of slot tournaments.
Along with slots tournaments in casinos, casinos on cruise ships quickly adapted slot tournaments for their gambling guests. Now, online casinos are getting into the fun by offering online slots tournaments.
At a land-based casino, slot tournaments are not like poker tournaments. Nobody can walk into a casino and enter a slot machine tournament. Slot tournaments are events that take place on special occasions at certain times.
Some casinos may organize slot tournaments more often than others. While one casino could have a slot tournament every month, others might only have a slot tournament once a year. There are also casinos that never offer any slot tournaments.
How To Spot Slots Tournaments
Finding where the poker tournaments are in the casino is easy business. Follow the signage to the poker room, and you will find the poker room. It is not the same for slots tournaments.
Slot machines usually assume some real estate on the casino floor. There is typically an area roped or sectioned off somewhere in the casino. They can also take place in a banquet hall away from the gaming floor.
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The easiest way to identify a slots tournament is a bank of identical slots all lined up close to one another. They are all the same slots and serve the same purpose for the slot tournament. Every slot machine featured is programmed for tournament play.
If you are a regular casino player, you have probably seen this setup in the past. Do not expect to just walk up and enter your name into the tournament like in a poker game. Slot machine tournaments in land-based casinos are typically invite-only events.
TheSportsGeek will provide you with information on how to sign-up shortly. It is much easier to pick up and play an online slots tournament at your own leisure. Let’s dive into how slots tournaments work and tips for playing in slot tournaments.
What Are Slots Tournaments?
If you have ever watched or played in a slots tournament before, you know that there is a lot of button-mashing. It can be pretty intense, with slot players hammering away on the spin button as fast as they can.
What we can tell you is that players in slot tournaments are racing against one another to win the most credits. They are smashing the buttons to pick up more credits than other players. The ultimate goal of any slot tournament is to win the most credits.
There is a buy-in fee associated with slot tournaments. In most instances, the buy-in fee is offered through a promotional freeroll from the marketing department. There are low and high-roller slots tournaments, so pick a level that is comfortable within your budget if you need to buy in.
If the marketing department in the casino knows you are a high roller, they will typically only send invites for the tournaments with big prizes. Conversely, low rollers might receive an invite for smaller slot tournaments.
Slots Tournament Formats
There are two popular slots tournament formats online. Both tournaments involve starting with a pre-determined amount of slot credits — in most cases, this is 1000 credits. The goal is any format is to finish with the most credits at the end of the tournament.
The player to accumulate the most credits on their slot machine is the champ. Consolation prizes are typically awarded to runner-ups. The size of the prizes will depend entirely on the size of the buy-in and the number of players in the tournament.
Fixed Start-End Time Scheduled Slots Tournaments
These are the most common type of online slot tournaments. The tournament has a fixed start and end time. They can last a day or even up to a month. This format is often associated with different phases.
It is an open format, with players having the opportunity to play anytime before the tournament ends. There is often a leaderboard to keep tabs on how the rest of the field is performing. These slots tournaments most commonly have the biggest prizes.
Sit & Go Slots Tournaments
The term Sit and Go should be familiar if you play online poker. Sit and Go slots tournaments will only start when a certain number of players have registered for the event.
While 100s of players can compete in the previous slots tournament format, Sit and Go slot tournaments are smaller. There can be up to only 10 or 20 players in a Sit and Go slot event. Consequently, the prizes are smaller for a Sit and Go tournament.
The prizes might be smaller, but the odds of winning one of these tournaments are better. They also do not take up as much time. There are slots tournaments that only take a few minutes to complete online.
Tips For Playing in Slots Tournaments
There are a few slots tournament tips that you should consider before entering. While players have no control over the reels on the slot machines, there are some things to keep in mind.
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Bet Max Credits
The best method to hit big with one spin is to bet max credits. It is often the only way to notch a sizable win or jackpot. If the slots in your tournament have bonus features, then betting the max credits is even more important.
There are slot bonuses that require a max bet to activate. Without max betting, you could be left behind. Note that the rest of your competition is likely hitting the max bet button.
The one instance where you might want to stop max betting is if a major jackpot is secured. A major jackpot in a slots tournament can separate you from the rest. However, major jackpots are rare, so you must stay aggressive.
Play Fast and Focus
There is no time for any distractions in a slot tournament. If you are playing in an online slot tournament, it is a good idea to isolate yourself from distractions in your home. Turn off the TV and silence your phone if you have to.
Do not worry about any sounds or people talking to you at a land-based slot tournament. Focus on the task at hand. And the task at hand is to play as fast as possible.
This does not mean to give yourself carpel tunnel or sprain your wrist. The slot machine can only process one spin at a time. However, you have to go quickly and can’t waste much time.
Do not get caught up in big wins. There will be time to celebrate after the tournament is over. Keep going and look to finish until your credits are empty or time runs up.
Have Water Handy and Use The Restroom Beforehand
No, this isn’t for spraying your competitors. Whether you are in the casino or playing an online slot tournament, staying hydrated is paramount.
We want you to be focused, but we do not want you to pass out. That is a good way to remove yourself from the tournament. Ensure you have water and take a swig every once in a while.
It is also worth mentioning that you cannot get up and go to the restroom while playing on a slot machine. If you are on a mobile device in an online tournament, then sure, but it will be difficult to keep up in a restroom.
For The Best Odds, Enter Tournaments With Small Fields
If you want to maximize your odds of winning a slots tournament, consider events with fewer players. Understand, though, that the prizes will not be as notable.
Similar to entertaining a fantasy football daily fantasy contest, the bigger the field, the bigger the prizes. However, the odds of winning these tournaments are sizable.
Grinding away in small slots tournaments should be more profitable in the long run. Sit and Go slot tournaments are available with small fields online.
Where To Play Slots Tournaments?
Now, that you have the best slots tournament tips, let’s find a slots tournament to enter! Most people know of slot tournaments through the casino marketing department or a host.
Casino hosts will send out invites to their most valuable players. These are freeroll promotional slot tournaments given to gamblers.
Do you have a host or history of gambling at casino properties? Then we advise getting in contact with the marketing department. Even if you are not eligible for a slots tournament comp, they might have an open spot for you.
Our team at TheSportsGeek has taken advantage of the convenience of online slots tournaments. Online casinos — where you can play slots for real money — are increasingly offering slots tournaments online for their customers. Check our list of the best casinos for online slot tournaments, where you can find multiple sites with cool events.
