The thrill of the spinning reels is enough to keep anyone’s eyes glued to the screen eagerly while waiting for the outcome. But spicing it up with good old-fashioned competition, you get a scrumptious dinner instead of a solitary snack. Let’s be honest; the main goal of a slot tournament is to win the prize. The highlight of the competition is the exhilarating moment when a loud slot machine announces the long-awaited sound of a win.
Something compels people to participate in the contest and influences their emotional and psychological state. Throughout history, humans have been participating in all kinds of competitions. Scientists, inventors, sports players, and even politicians have competed for ages. Adding a little competitive spirit to the game creates another level of fun in casino games.
Both online and land-based tournaments are organized in pretty much the same way. The main difference is in the rules an online casino might have due to the software they use. Another one is the apparent fact that players do not drive miles to get to the nearest casino. Either way, luck is the final judge in both land-based and online slot tournaments.
The only strategy you can apply when it comes to slot tournaments is:
- Click the Spin button as fast as you can,
- Stay concentrated,
- Enjoy the fun.
Land-Based Tournaments
Land-based casino slot machine tournaments are strangely appealing. Traditional casinos are designed with the sole purpose of providing epic entertainment. Perhaps it’s the ambient, the glittery lights, or even the electric atmosphere. But once you cross that threshold, you will enter a completely different mode.
Signing up for a tournament is the first step to joining the group of contestants. In some cases, players are required to pay a fixed entry fee or buy-in, ranging anywhere from $3 to $120, while others are free to play.
After granting players permission to participate in the contest, the casino assigns a slot machine to each player as well as determines the time for each session. Usually, there are several stages of the competition with different slot machines.
Sitting at the same slot during each round is a rare situation. Once all the players have taken their spot, a casino official announces the start of the tournament. After each round, the same person records the players’ scores. There are two different types of slot tournaments in land-based casinos, and they come down to public and invitational tournaments.
Open to Public
The tournaments which are open to the public have a reasonably priced entry fees. Since the entry is affordable and tournament advertised, the list of prime prizes never fails to attract players to the casino door. There is usually a list of consolation prizes as well. Therefore, players are more likely to risk a few dollars if they can win a free dinner.
Invitational Tournament
The name says it all; these tournaments are reserved for a casino’s loyal patrons or high-rollers. Invitations for the event are sent via email message, and the entry is usually free.
Frequent weekly slot tournaments in Las Vegas land-based casinos:
| Casino Name | Type | Time | Prize | Specifics |
| Silverton Casino | Weekly | 9am–12pm | $1,000 | Top 50 participants win |
| Plaza Hotel | Weekly | 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm | $350 | Wednesday, Thursday, Friday |
Online Tournaments Click-a-Thon Madness
In some cases, there is a minimum bet amount set for the tournament. Your chances of winning depend on luck and the speed at which you click the spin button. There is no definite strategy to winning these tournaments; all you need is to get set, ready, to focus, and start clicking. The spinning madness can begin, and you need to figure out how to click the button as fast as you can once the reels come to a halt.
As mentioned before, online tournaments are similar to the brick-and-mortar variants. While logged-in to your account, you can participate in an online slot tournament by registering for the event. Among tournament information, you can find the entry fee, list with the grand prize, and other consolation rewards for the first 50 to 100 runners-up. In case the tournament has already begun, there will be a leader board. Many casinos offer tournament promotions on the home page.
As you might have noticed, casino banners often promote daily, weekly, or even monthly tournaments. Casinos, however, generally categorize tournaments by their characteristics. These differences make a significant change in experience, and it is advised to check them before entering the competition.
Freeroll Slot
Freeroll means just that — it’s free to enter, and there is no fee. The casino gives a player a specific amount of credits and sets the time limit to play. Since these are free, players can expect low-value prizes.
Scheduled
Scheduled tournaments are among the most advertised ones. They are usually set for a specific time of the day. They are occasional, and you need to pay a buy-in fee upon registration.
Comped
The special edition of tournaments is the one reserved for VIP players. The prizes are expressed in comp points instead of real money.
Reloader
Some tournaments just do not last long enough for some players. A reloader tournament is also called an extender since you can continue your play with a new buy-in and prolong the time to boost the final score.
Survivor
Survivor is the typical competition of the Wild West; whoever still stands is the winner. The tournament introduces the elimination process, and there is no rebuying allowed.
Sit and Go
The selection of participants is instantly known; whoever takes the open spot will compete. The tournament starts only when all predefined spots are occupied.
One-Shot
The tournament type which is much more similar to merciless job hunting than fun. There is a set entry fee, time limit, and fierce player-removing stages. This particular type of tournament is not for everyone because the first one to run out on a number of credits is dismissed.
Rebuy
Similar to the reloader but with one difference, the rebuy tournament allows players to start over if they lose all their credits. To re-enter the competition, a player has to pay an additional fee. The contestant can clear the initial entry in case the final score did not make it to the leaderboard.
Slot madness ends when time runs out or the casino announces its end. Many players celebrated too early when the slot screen announced a jackpot. The player might improve the final score by hitting the progressive jackpot, but they do not earn the prize pool. A common mistake competitors make blaming the casino for the outcome because they did not read the rules of the tournament.
The truth is, while playing in a tournament, standard rules of regular slots do not apply. The participant is competing for the tournament prize clearly explained in the terms and conditions of the website. The highest prizes are often found in VIP tournaments held in land-based casinos.
A list of slots frequently found in tournaments:
| Slot Name | Provider | RTP | Date Released | Volatility |
| Starburst | NetEnt | 96.09% | 2013 | Low |
| Avalon | Microgaming | 96.01% | 2006 | Low to Medium |
| Cleopatras Gold | RTG | 95% | 2005 | Medium |
| Good Girl Bad Girl | Betsoft | 97.8% | 2019 | Vary |
| Enchanted Garden | RTG | 95% | 2011 | High |
| Tomb Raider | Microgaming | 96.5% | 2018 | Low |
| Zimba and Friends | Arrow’s Edge | 92.25% | 2017 | Low |
| Cleopatra’s Pyramid II | WGS Technology | 95.13% | 2008 | Low to Medium |
| Cash Cow | WGS Technology | 94% | 2017 | Low |
| The Conan | NetEnt | 96.01% | 2019 | Medium to High |
Conclusion
Slots are mostly solitary games, especially at online casinos. Tournaments give them a spark of life while compelling players to win hefty prizes against all odds. Slots have the worst odds of winning among all casino games. For some players, a guaranteed prize at the end of the tournament is definitely a fine prospect. For others, it is the thrill of the spinning reels and competing against others at the event. You may want to try tournaments if you believe the uncontrollable game is more fun when enjoyed in the company of other players.
