Slots Tournament Guide for Newbies

Woman shrugging in front of slot machines - slot tournament guide
Poker tournaments, such as the World Series of Poker, have been around since the 1970s. They are wildly popular and offer players a chance to go head-to-head with the best players in the sport. They are also great ways to win a ton of money playing poker.

In recent years, a new type of casino tournament has taken the gambling world by storm. Slot tournaments combine all the excitement of tournament play with the most popular casino game, slot machines.

These tournaments are still relatively new, and many players are unfamiliar with how a slot tournament works. But fear not, our gaming experts are here to help. We asked out slots experts for help creating a slot tournament guide for beginners.

Keep reading for a full guide to slots tournaments and how they work.

What Are Slot Tournaments?

Slot tournaments are exactly what their name implies, plates compete to see who can win the most from slot games. In many cases, slot games are the most popular option at the casino. These tournaments add an extra layer of excitement by offering even more prizes.

How Do Slot Tournaments Work?

For the most part, slot tournaments operate the way you would expect. Players must register for the tournament at the casino or on the casino’s website. This often includes paying an entrance fee or buy-in amount.

As with other casino tournaments, the buy-in amount is important to generating the prize pool for the tournament. Also, it may help the casino cover the cost of running the event. In some cases, players can win free tournament entry tickets through casino bonus promotions.

Once you are registered, players will be assigned a slot machine if they are at an in-person casino. Online players will simply need to play one of the qualifying games for the tournament. Once the tournament begins, you will compete against other players to see who can win the most amount of money in the time limit.

To ensure a fair playing field, players will usually be given a limit on the size of their bankroll. Similarly, all players will be playing the same slot game. This prevents players from benefiting from a game with a higher RTP than their opponents.

Types of Slot Tournaments

There are a ton of different variations of slot tournaments. However, we are only going to focus on the basic ones for this beginner’s guide to slots tournament events. The three most common slot tournaments you will see are scheduled tournaments, Sit n’ Go, and VIP events.

  • Scheduled Tournaments: These slot tournaments are open to all players who can meet the buy-in requirements. Scheduled tournaments, as the name implies, have strict day and time requirements. For instance, they may only be available on specific days of the week.
  • Sit n’ Go: Unlike scheduled tournaments, Sit n’ Go events begin once all the player spots are filled. These events are often shorter and can begin at any time. Sit n’ Go tournaments are a big hit with online players, especially in the UK.
  • VIP Events: Many casinos offer VIP membership to select players. One of the perks of being a VIP is the option to enter exclusive VIP slot tournaments. These events often have better rewards than normal tournaments, and you may even be able to enter for free.

Tips for Winning Slot Tournaments

No slot tournament guide would be complete without a few handy tips for new players. Tournament play is different than what you may be used to, even if you are an experienced slot player. Here are some tips for winning in slot tournaments.

Play as Fast as You Can

A key part of any tournament is the time component involved. Some slot tournaments last a month, while others may only last a few minutes. Taking full advantage of the time you are given is key to winning any competition.

In this case, using time efficiently often means playing as fast as you can. Many experienced players recommended always keeping your finger or mouse on the spin button. This allows you to spin the reel faster.

This is a great time to use a slot game’s auto-spin feature if it has one. Also, some players suggest that you do not wait for the wins of each spend to calculate. Depending on the game, you could lose valuable time waiting for all the animation to finish.

Be Prepared for the Long Haul

A good rule of thumb for any casino tournament is to not enter unless you can go the distance. This includes being physically ready as well as having enough time to finish the tournament. There are several steps players should take to prepare.

Players may not need to prepare as much for shorter tournaments. For instance, if the slots tournament only lasts an hour, then you will not need to clear your whole schedule. However, it is still a good idea to allow for extra time before and after the event.

Longer tournaments on the other hand require more preparation. This can include getting a good night’s sleep the day before and being properly hydrated. Superstitious betters should also bring any and all good luck charms with them.

Keep Your Eye on the Prize

Another important tip for winning slot tournaments is to stay focused on the task at hand. It can be easy to get distracted by looking at other players’ scores. Also, the noise of casinos can be distracting for new players.

Focusing on the game at hand is key to maximizing the number of spins at your disposal. At the end of the day, the more you spin, the better the chances you will win. Any distraction can severely affect your chances of success.

This also includes not celebrating too early. Taking time to gloat can distract you from actually playing the game and allow your competitors to catch up. There will be plenty of time to celebrate after you win.

What to Avoid in Slot Tournaments

There are plenty of steps players can take to increase their chances of success. Players can also take steps to avoid potential pitfalls that could cost them in the end. Here are three things to avoid in slot tournaments.

  • Do Not Look at Other Players’ Scores: We touched on this earlier, but it bears repeating. Looking at other players’ scores instead of playing is a bad idea. It can affect your confidence and it wastes time that can be spent spinning the reels instead.
  • Avoid Wasting Time: Ultimately, winning slot tournaments is about making the most of the time you are given. This means reducing distractions and not wasting time. The more time you waste, the less time you will have to play.
  • Do Not Play if it Is Not Fun: Slot tournaments are a great way to make money and have fun while you do it. However, if you are not having fun, then you should not play anymore.

Where to Find the Best Slot Tournaments

There are plenty of great slot tournaments at land-based casinos. However, in-person events cannot compete with the variety of slot tournaments found online. That is why we asked our experts for their recommended online event for this slot tournament guide.

Our slot experts consider every aspect of casinos before they make a recommendation. This includes exploring a casino’s security history and banking options. Casino bonuses and promotional events are also taken into account by our gaming experts.

Wild Casino is at the top of our experts’ list of best casinos for slot tournaments. Players can access a ton of great slot tournaments at Wild Casino. There are monthly and daily slot tournaments available.

One of the best parts of Wild Casino’s slot tournaments is that many of them are free. Also, players can reenter events with rebuys as low as $5. Wild Casino has guaranteed price pools for slot tournaments starting at $5,000.

Another great option for playing online slot tournaments is Las Atlantis. Members at Las Atlantis have access to hundreds of great slot games. Slot tournaments allow players to make the most of the awesome game selection available.

Red Dog Casino also impressed our casino gaming experts. It offers hundreds of great slot games and even has great bonus offers for players. Red Dog Casino is compatible with mobile devices, so you can play in tournaments wherever you are.

Conclusion

Tournaments are a great way to play your favorite casino games while going head-to-head with other players. This added layer of competition also comes with improved prizes and can often be more fun than playing alone. Our slot tournament guide above is full of great information for new players.

To learn more about slots, check out these other slot-related blogs below.

Posted in: Online CasinosSlots

Most Recent

See all recent
Play Space XY Game at Online Casinos & Win Real Money
BY Nick Pappas | October 5, 2023

Space XY isn’t your run-of-the-mill game that you can play at any online casino. It’s pretty unique in terms of the mechanics and how the gameplay works. Space XY also...

read more
DuckyLuck Online Casino Slots List on the Left and Wrath of Medusa Slots Game on the Right
DuckyLuck Wrath of Medusa No Deposit Bonus & Other Offers
BY Nick Pappas | October 3, 2023

The popular DuckyLuck no deposit bonus for Wrath of Medusa was only available when the site launched in 2020. The good news, however, is that you can claim similar bonuses...

read more
Online Slot Game son the Left and Person Playing Poker on a Laptop on the Right and the LuckyLand Logo in the Center
The Best Slots Like LuckyLand — Top iGaming Sister Sites
BY Nick Pappas | September 22, 2023

There are many online slots like LuckyLand that you can play. In fact, the best real money online casinos carry an extensive collection of slot titles that are equally fun...

read more