Online Casino Tournaments
A casino tournament adds some variety to the normal gaming that you will find on online casinos. In a typical tournament, you are pitted against other players instead of the casino itself. Of course, this is exciting with games like poker, where playing with real players instead of the casino can enhance the thrill of the game. With other games, the tournament players are still playing against the casino itself but with certain stipulations that make the game more challenging.
Different Kinds of Tournaments
Poker – Poker tournaments are very popular especially among experienced poker players, because this way they can actually test their skills against other similarly experienced players. This gives them a good opportunity to improve their game and learn new strategies. Many poker players participate in tournaments for the enjoyment of playing with evenly matched or better players and the handsome prize money it typically offers.
Blackjack – In a blackjack tournament, you and other players are pitted against the house. Every player begins with a fixed number of chips and the game lasts until only one player remains or every game level is done. The last player (with chips) or the one with the most chips wins. This game is quite fast paced, with the hands shorter than poker sessions. Many online casinos like Party Casino offer Sit and Go blackjack tournaments.
Slots – Slots tournaments typically require that you use credits to play and the player with the most credits at the end of the game wins. There is a fixed time allotted for slots tournaments and at the end of this time, the tournament is considered complete. This is a very fast paced game. Both skilled and non skilled players often sign up for slots tournaments for the sheer action that usually happens in these games.
Although casinos do run tournaments to draw more players and make their game offerings more attractive, they may actually be held for altruistic causes such as charity.
Free-rolls and Paid Tournaments
Several casinos offer free tournaments, to encourage small stakes players to play with them. The GR88 University Poker Championship is good example of a free-roll tournament that gives students a good chance of winning money that can be used for their education. Paid tournaments usually have a buy-in fee that is the price you pay for a seat in the tournament, as well as a casino fee.
Scheduled and SnG Tournaments
Tournaments held by the casino may be scheduled, or of the Sit and Go (SnG) variety. The scheduled ones are those that start at a specific time announced in advance. You can register yourself right from the day preceding the scheduled tournament and withdraw until the game starts. With SnG tournaments, there are a limited number of seats on offer and the game starts as soon as every seat is taken. SnG buy-ins usually start very low at popular casinos like PlayersOnly, where these tournaments are held quite frequently. SnG and scheduled tournaments may be held on the various games offered by the casino, so it is important for you to look for a game you are reasonably familiar with so that you have a good chance of winning.