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Gianluca - Blackjack player
An Introduction To Online Casino Tournaments
Casino online tournaments are special competitions that give gamblers the chance to win cash and prizes.
Tournaments vary from casino to casino, but are generally played on blackjack and video slots. The aim is simple: make the most "money" you can in a strict timeframe and hit the prize leaderboard. Other tournaments award prizes if you manage consecutive wins or outlast your fellow gamblers at the table.
The further up the leaderboard you move, the better your prizes. Some sites even give away holidays and gadgets among their prizes.
How Do Casino Tournaments Work?
In regular casino online games, players spin a roulette wheel or play a slot and bank their winnings. Tournaments work slightly differently: players are given 'play chips' and have a time limit on how fast they can gamble them. The biggest winners will reach the leaderboard, top the leaderboard and the big prizes are yours.
Tournament prizes vary from competition to competition. Some give away cash, others have gadgets and free tokens, while bigger sites can give away holidays and cars.
Availability & Popularity
Blackjack tournaments are available at most casinos with a good blackjack selection. Look for sites that boast NetEnt, Microgaming, or Playtech software (or a mixture of all three), as these are leading blackjack developers. Some of the more modern mobile casinos also run tournaments to draw in new customers.
The Thrill of Blackjack Tournaments
Online blackjack tournaments are available at most casinos. Typically, they work as "multi-player" competitions in that you compete against other online gamblers.
Points Tournaments: In regular casino online tournaments, players have a time limit to make as much "winnings" as they can. The biggest winners hit the leaderboard and share out the prize cash. Some have a 'final table' featuring the top six chipstacks at the end of the first few rounds.
Elimination Tournaments: Knockout blackjack tournaments work a little like poker freezeouts. At the end of a few blackjack rounds, the player with the worst chipstack is eliminated. Players continue until the remaining players are left to battle for a prize position.
Slots Tournaments & Reel Races
If you're into online slots, you'll love slots tournaments. They're scheduled events that give players a set number of spins to play on a particular slot.
Biggest Wins: Make the most "winnings" in your 25 or 30 spins and you will join a leaderboard. When every entrant has played their slots, the biggest "winners" will share the prize money or prizes.
Consecutive Winning Spins: Other slots tournaments require players to make 20 consecutive winning spins before they can join the leaderboard. Once you've made 20 winners in a row you'll join the list of winners. Again, you will have to beat your fellow leaderboard players in the amount of cash "won".
Reel Races: Reel Races are like "turbo" tournaments that typically run every half-hour. They generally encompass elements from other types of slots casino online tournament. The aim is to make as many wins, big wins, and consecutive wins as you can. Points are awarded for every 'milestone' you make (e.g. 5 points for a winning spin, 25 points for a big win, 50 points for three consecutive winning spins, etc). Prizes are dished out depending on how you perform in each category.
Seriously Boost Your Bankroll
Tournaments are a great way to give your bankroll that vital push, but it's important to pick the right games first.
If you're a keen slots player, make sure the slot game involved has a good chance of consecutive wins and big bonuses. If it's a high-variance game that doesn't offer a lot of regular wins, you may struggle in a tournament setting.
Also make sure that any 'turbo' tournaments give you enough time to get gameplay in. Yes, you and your fellow gamblers are on a level playing field, but you need breathing room to make enough points during the tournament.
