Slot Machine Tournaments

Between the recent explosion of televised celebrity poker tournaments and the rising obsession with all things slot machine related, gamblers and amateurs alike are most likely familiar with the idea of gambling as a serious sport. But what can the average player do to get in on the action, besides trying desperately to win a seat at one of the major poker tournaments? There are plenty of "regular joe" slot machine tournaments held at casinos all over the country, and with huge payouts at just about every level of play, they can be lucrative for both grandma and the pro gambler.

Where to Play Slot Machine Tournaments

Some casinos hold slot machine tournaments as often as a daily basis. These are usually for the general public and they require a minimal entry fee -- think twenty to fifty bucks. A casino near me literally holds a slots tournament every day, and with about an hour round-trip drive, the minimal entry fee makes the tournaments difficult to resist. For the competition, a set of slot machines is roped off from the main floor and any gamers who pay the fee can jump in and join the fun. Other casinos market their slot machine tournaments as high-stakes, invitation-only affairs for their loyal customers. Entry fees for these tournaments may be several hundred to several thousand dollars -- and while payouts at these tournaments may be worth the high price of entry, most players don't consider their luck at slots good enough for this kind of "baptism by fire". My advice -- enter a few low dollar slot tournaments before you go whole hog on the high stakes tourneys.

Slot Machine Tournament Advice

My advice -- play fast, keep it simple, and have fun. You will need to concentrate when you are playing in the slot machine tournament, believe it or not. Before you start you want to look at the pay table of the machine, as usual when playing any slot machine. When the machine is adding winning credits to your score it will not spin until all the credits have been tallied -- don't freak out if there's a slight gap between scoring and tallying time. If you hit a big win it will take a few seconds to credit your win. You can take a quick breath but you must be prepared to start tapping as soon as this is done. Quick tapping is all important, so don't blow your win by being distracted or spending time celebrating if you have a big hit. I was playing in a tournament and an older lady sitting next to me kept jumping up and celebrating each time she had a big win. After the time was up she had only played about half her credits. Had she concentrated on tapping that spin button, maybe she could used those big wins to win the slot tournament, rather than take her meager offerings and head home.

Some players get bored or tired while they are playing in a tournament -- you are doing something rather repetitive after all -- and this causes players to slow down. This has been my downfall and that of many players who suddenly find that time has run out and they still have unused credits on their machines. Many new players remark that the twenty minutes seemed like an hour when they were playing. Make sure you are alert and well rested before entering a tournament -- if you are not at your best your score could suffer.

Slot Machine Tournaments Guide

Slot Machine Tournaments Guide Here's the way it works at most low level slot machine tournaments: a player starts with a set number of credits and a set number of minutes to play. Your goal is to use up all the credits and accumulate as many points as you can during the allotted time. The credits you use are deducted as you go, so speed counts when you hit the spin button. Your machine will keep track of your credits spent and earned on a separate meter until time runs out. When your time is up, the machine stops and your credits are totaled. Generally, tournament players will compete in several fifteen- or twenty-minute sessions. Points from each session are added and compared to declare a winner. There is no one single winner, really -- yes, one player will walk away with more money than another, but allotments of money are handed out for placing within the top ten or twenty percent, so your odds of making money back on your investment are higher than with usual slot play.

Some casinos run tournaments that offer plenty of comps to their slot machine tournament players, and you can think of this as a kind of refund or return of your entry fee in the form of prizes. In other words, if you spend $100 on the entry fee and get a discounted room, the tournament is a good deal. Avoid those tournaments that offer few incentives and take a large cut of the entry fee. Usually, you can find a better deal, and probably within a short drive. Remember, these slot tournaments are everywhere.

Top winnings from a slot machine tournament vary, but some offer prizes up to $25,000. If you're a VIP club cardholder, a casino may invite you to a tournament and offer you a room and meals at a good rate, so if you can afford the entry fee, a tournament offer makes for a nice weekend. I want to repeat -- you don't have to go to Vegas or another gambling Mecca to enjoy these kinds of tournaments -- search your local casinos websites and advertisements and you'll find plenty of casino tournaments available near you.

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