As all slots players know, being a single player game of chance, the only competition in slots is usually against yourself and the casino.
Online slots tournaments, though, have become a highly popular form of competition hosted by online and land-based casinos, providing the unique opportunity for competition against other slots players, as well as a prize to add to your slots winnings.
These tournaments can commonly be found in the following main types:
Leaderboard Tournaments
Leaderboard tournaments are generally the most widespread and popular. Each player competes for position on a leaderboard by scoring points. The points are usually scored by successful wagers, and after the playtime of the tournament is over, the player at the top of the leaderboard with the highest score wins and receives a prize, usually in cash.
Points Tournaments
Points tournaments generally work by requiring players to complete set challenges in order to score points, often using special chips or tokens. Examples of these challenges might be having to attain a certain win percentage, or consecutive win streak. Once the tournament is over, the player with the highest score wins and takes home the cash prize.
Free Tournaments
For casual players who simply enjoy the fun of competition, most casinos also offer free online slots tournaments. These won’t have an entry fee or money involved, though also mean that there is no monetary prize. Instead, tournament winners are awarded with free spins or some other sort of non-cash prize option.
Special Rules Tournaments
Some online slots tournaments have special rules that apply:
- One-Shot Tournaments – the players are given a single “shot” to qualify for each round. If unsuccessful, they are knocked out of the tournament.
- Survivor Tournaments – the players must survive elimination rounds where the lowest scoring player is knocked out each round until only the winner remains.
- Sit-And-Go Tournaments – the players can take seats in open tournaments with no need to pre-register.
- Reloader Tournaments – the players can purchase a “reload”, allowing them to rejoin the tournament in the event that they are knocked out.
- Extender Tournaments – the players can purchase extender bonuses, which provide an increased chance of winning.
- Comped Tournaments – special complimentary tournaments made exclusive to VIP
Finding The Best Tournaments Available
There are a number of resources on the internet that can help you find the best tournaments available. A good rule-of-thumb to go by though, is looking for casinos that most regularly host tournaments and have a decent, recurring, player-base. The frequency of tournaments especially indicates their popularity. I.e., if players are continuously coming back for more, then there is probably good reason for you to join in on it too.
Otherwise, there are plenty of casino review sites available online that can help guide you, just keep in mind that many such sites tend to cater to specific casinos.
Be sure to do some thorough research though, on the tournaments, their rules, fees, and prizes, before entering anything.