What is Slot Tournament?

Slot tournaments may sound complicated, but they're surprisingly simple. Players sign up to a casino's slot tournament in advance and are then allocated a slot machine number, and a specified amount of credits and time window to play. They then compete against one another to have the most winnings by the end of the time limit. The player with the most coins or winnings by the end is crowned the winner.

Players can enjoy these tournaments on online slots or in land-based casinos. While everyone will play the same game in one tournament, casinos will vary the game every time. So, with a bit of research players can find slot tournaments featuring classic slots, video slots, or even progressive jackpot slot games.

Bettors will usually have to pay an entry fee ranging between $25-$100 to join a slot tournament. Most casinos will use this entry fee to help pay for the cash prizes in the tournament, and the amounts can be big. For instance, if a slot tournament charges 1,000 players $100 each to enter, that's a potential $100,000 prize up for grabs. Even if players don't hit the top of the leaderboard, prizes can be handed out as far down as 2,000th place.

Even if you don't win a prize, you will usually be given more in credits during a slot tournament than the cost the entry fee would otherwise provide. With players getting more gameplay out of their bankroll in slot tournaments, it's easy to see why they're so popular.

In slot tournaments, players have a certain amount of time and allocated credits to earn coins. The player who wins the most amount of coins during the tournament is crowned the winner. While luck plays a part in winning a slot tournament, players can use the following tips to ensure they're at the top of their game:

Get plenty of rest – slot tournaments require concentration and speed.

Avoid drinks – caffeine can cause energy crashes, and multiple bathroom breaks mean less time spent spinning the reels.

Ignore the scoreboard – it's tempting to check where you rank repeatedly, but the scoreboard changes every second. Only the final result matters.

Practice bankroll management – be choosy about the slot tournaments you join. Find ones that offer great rewards for your money, good games, and a decent ratio of prizes to total number of players.

Exhaust your credits – casinos won't let you keep any credits after the slot tournament finishes, so use them up!

There are few rules in slot tournaments, but most restrictions focus on the time limits and credits. We recommend players practice the following rules to avoid accidently disqualifying themselves out of a slot tournament:

Casinos will post or explain any restrictions when a player signs up. Failure to follow these will usually result in players losing prize money or getting kicked out of the tournament.

Players are given a set time to play with their credits in a tournament. Any time spent outside of the limits will be discounted by the tournament judges.

Every player is given a certain amount of credits in a slot tournament. If players are found topping up their credits to improve their chances of winning, they will be disqualified, or the extra funds will be discounted.

Any credit left over the end of the slot tournament is instantly lost and will not be added onto the player's result. Players cannot use the credit on real money slots at the end of the tournament, either.

At the end of the tournament, judges will individually record each player's result. Leave too early, and you risk the judges accidently skipping you.

These are the most common type of slot tournaments. They are available in all online gambling sites out there offering tournament schedules. They start and finish at a certain date and time. To take part in them, players must visit the tournament section of their favorite online casino when registration opens. Sign up and wait until the set starting time. These tournaments can last as little as a few hours or even a month.

More popular at UK online gambling sites, these tournaments are a quick version of scheduled or buy-in tournaments. They are usually offered 24/7 with no scheduled starting time. They offer a limited number of seats because the starting time is determined by those seats filling up. To take part, you need only to get to the casino and sign up. When the casino fills all the places, a popup window will let you know it is time to start spinning the reels. These tournaments do not last as long as scheduled tournaments. In fact, they can last as little as 10 minutes or at most, a day.

Like scheduled tournaments, these are extremely popular for online slots. Buy-in tournaments require players to pay a small entry fee to participate. These fees are always under $20 and often contribute to the prize pool on the tournament. To take part, sign up at the casino site. You will be prompted to pay the registration fee and be allocated credits to spin the reels. Online casinos will offer a range of entry fees, meaning all players can join a slot tournament.

Publisher's Clearing House (PCH) is a direct marketing company that hosts daily buy-in and freeroll slot tournaments. Prizes range between $100-$10,000 and are paid for through the company's marketing of magazine and subscription services. These tournaments are popular with slot players because they offer the chance to win huge cash prizes for free.

Players must earn their entry to these slot tournaments by playing a certain amount of money or time with an online casino. Comped slot tournaments are usually reserved for players on VIP or loyalty schemes.

In reloader tournaments, players can buy themselves into another round and start over if they spent through their credits too early or had low winnings. These tournaments usually feature slot games from the developer Microgaming.

Extender tournaments are similar to reloader tournaments, only they can help 'boost' a player's final result. Players have the option of buying an add-on in extender tournaments which will maximize their chances of winning, but doesn't guarantee them a place on the leaderboard.

Slot players that like the competitive element of tournaments will love survivor slots. This slot tournament is conducted in rounds, with the lowest-ranking players eliminated at the end of each session. Rebuying or add-ons are not allowed in survivor slots tournaments.

One-shot tournaments put extra pressure on slot players to hit the big wins. These single-elimination tournaments are like survivor slots, but players have only one shot to qualify for the next round. Players cannot rebuy spots or purchase add-ons to improve their chances in this slot tournament!

Freeroll slot tournaments are harder to find, but one of the most lucrative opportunities for slot players. They're free to enter but can bring in a massive amount of money. All players must do is find an online casino offering a freeroll tournament and sign up! Then show up on the starting date and spin the reels for a chance at the prize.