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Background to Slots Tournaments
Slot tournaments are very popular and often carry a prize structure of $25,000 for first, $10,000 for second and $5,000 for place finishers. Casinos generally inform their slot club card holders of impending tournaments. The casino usually offers a package which includes tournament participation, a couple of nights’ accommodation and meals for a fee all inclusive fee from $199 to $399. For "VIP" card holders, not necessarily high rollers, but players who are loyal customers, casinos often hold special Invitational Tournaments, where the player does not pay an entry fee. The whole three-day event is sponsored by the casino.
Why does the Casino run Slots Tournaments?
What the casino gets out of this is the following: The average tournament attracts about 300 participants. Most of them bring at least their spouse. That means, for the duration of the event, there are at least 450 extra players in the casino. If each of them loses $100 a day, it adds up to $135,000. Plus there is the entry fee. So the casino will take in at least approximately $200,000 while their cost, including $50,000 in prize money, may be a cool $100,000.
For slot tournament play, an area is set aside with an appropriate number of similar machines, depending on how many participants there are, about 30 or more machines. Slots are numbered from 1 to however many are needed. For each session, numbers are drawn to match up players and machines. Everyone hopes that their machine will ‘outplay’ the others. The machines are usually fitted with special programs that generate more jackpot combinations than usual. This adds to the excitement of the tournament.
How does the Tournament Work?
Tournaments are divided into sessions, each lasting 15 or 20 minutes. Machines either start with a preset number of play credits, or will automatically stop after a certain amount of time. The object of tournament play is to use up all the credits and/or rack up as many points as possible in the allotted time frame.
When everyone is ready the machines are activated and play begins. Players spin the reels for the entire length of the session or until the preset amount of credit play has been used up. The top prize goes to the participant who comes in with the highest point total for the entire event.
Why Enter a Slots Tournament?
Slot tournaments are not like normal slot play. Instead of trying to win money from the machines, you play for points. You want to accumulate more points than the other participants. The slots are adjusted for play without money; therefore your risk is limited only to the cost of the entry fee, if any.
If the cost is low and includes accommodation, a welcome cocktail party, breakfast every day plus dinner on awards night, slot tournaments can be good value, even if you don't win.
How to Prepare for a Slots Tournament
The tournament sessions are spaced some hours apart so you have plenty of time to practice and lose real money. Be clever and hone up on your slots strategies before you go to the casino. Slot tournaments often have a prize structure of $25,000, $15,000 and $5,000 for the top three winners. Even if you finish up at number 150, you might still collect $100. If there are 300 entrants, you have a one in 300 chance at one of the top three prizes. Your odds are not that good in regular slot play!
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