Best Casino Tournament Sites

If you are willing to challenge your luck and skills, face off against other players, and feel the thrill of competition, then online casino tournaments are for you. It’s not mandatory to spend a large bankroll to participate in them; however, you can win a solid prize. This guide will help you to learn everything about the best casino tournament sites for US players, their types and rules; you will know how to search for them and how to participate in them.

What Is a Casino Tournament

These are tournaments that are organized by online casinos themselves or by providers. Usually, they last one or a few days, so you don’t need to spend a lot of time on gambling.

For example, slot machine tournaments specify the exact slots where you can make bets. There is no need to demonstrate your skills: results depend solely on luck. Winners are players who have the highest win multiplier, the biggest amount of prize money, or most wins. All you have to do is place bets in those slot machines that are listed in the tournament description.

The online casino determines the total prize fund; it differs from site to site.

These tournaments are held not only for slot machines; you can also play poker, blackjack, roulette, and other gambling categories.

Rules, Terms & Conditions

It is better to check out the tournament conditions properly in order to avoid misunderstandings. Don’t ignore reading the rules, even if you’re only participating in the tournament for fun.

The principles of the tournaments are identical regardless of the gambling category. Below, we’ve listed the universal rules that you should know in any case.

Set-Up

If you want to participate in a tournament, you need to create an account on one of the best casino tournament sites for US users. Having done that, enter the Tournament tab and select the event you’re interested in. They’re often held regularly: daily, weekly, or monthly. Read the rules beforehand, make a buy-in if it’s required for participation, or start betting right away if there is no entry fee.

Entry Fees & Betting Limits

Depending on the conditions of a particular competition, you have to pay tens or hundreds of dollars. However, many gambling sites make tournaments available to everyone and no entry fees are required. Some draws are only available to customers with a certain number of points in the loyalty program.

Each tournament has minimum and maximum bet limits. If you deposit more or less to spin the reels or deal cards in table games, no points are awarded.

Leaderboard & Prizes

Online casinos publish the updated leaderboard, so that you can see the current tournament situation. The table lists nicknames and earned points. Prize places are determined according to the table. You can receive extra points if you have the Booster option or a win streak prize.

The advantage of casino tournaments is that the prize fund is distributed among the first 3, 5, 10, or even 100 places. Due to this, most participants are guaranteed to receive a reward.

Some users take part in tournaments solely for the sake of excitement. However, the key incentive is the main cash prize. There are several types of it:

• Cumulative prize fund. This is a percentage of all the participants’ contributions, which is distributed among the best players in the end. The final amount is unknown, but the casino announces exactly what percentage is due for each place.
• Fixed payments. It’s known before the start of the draw and doesn’t depend on the number of participants.
• Jackpots. This is the main prize that only one winner receives.
• Other rewards. These are bonus money and free spins. They’re found mainly in free tournaments or in those with a low buy-in.

Not only money, but also valuable prizes, such as a car, expensive devices, or vacation tickets, can act as a reward.

Deposits & Withdrawals

An abundance of payment systems is available for depositing and withdrawing funds. You can use bank cards and transactions, prepaid cards, eWallets, and cryptocurrencies. The most popular payment methods are American Express, Discover, Visa, Mastercard, NETELLER, Skrill, ecoPayz, Neosurf, Bitcoin, Litecoin, and other altcoins.

There are restrictions on the choice of payment methods in some tournaments. Check their terms and conditions before you sign up and start playing.

Software Developer Tournaments

Leading online casinos cooperate with renowned providers and place their software in their lobbies. Slot machine developers run their own tournaments for several reasons:

• Advertising a new slot machine that has been recently released.
• Combining a series of games with similar themes into one in order to increase their popularity.
• Increasing player loyalty and promoting their own brand.

The following brands hold them especially often: Microgaming, Spinomenal, NetEnt, and ELK Studios. These are popular providers whose software is in great demand among millions of gamblers.

Different Types of Tournaments

There is a plenty of tournament types, so it’s a good idea to find out their differences if you want to choose the right tournament with the best conditions for you.

Mobile Tournaments

Thanks to the development of technology, a significant percentage of traffic to casino sites comes from smartphones. Some providers specially develop mobile slots adapted for portable devices. Today, all modern slot machines are created using the HTML5 technology, due to which they work correctly both on desktop PCs and on phones.

Buy-ins, prizes, and betting rules in mobile tournaments are no different from standard ones, although these competitions are extremely rare.

Seasonal Tournaments

These tournaments often include winter, summer, autumn or spring competitions. For example, it could be a New Year’s tournament or a Halloween raffle.

Seasonal competitions are held yearly, at a certain time of the year.

These are common events that you will find on almost all best casino tournament sites. They last from 7 to 30 days.

Daily & Weekly Events

These are regular tournaments in which you can participate almost any day. Their conditions change very rarely, they’re held either daily, or on specific days or weeks.

Game Launch Tournaments

When a provider releases a new slot, they want as many players as possible to know about it. A good opportunity to implement this is to organize a raffle. Leading providers like NetEnt, Microgaming, and Spinomenal usually do this. Thus, they increase interest in their new products. The prize money is set directly by the developer.

Events Devoted to Significant Dates

These are festive tournaments, for example, in honor of the casino’s birthday. They can also be timed to coincide with the opening of a new section on the website, reaching a new mark in the number of new customers, etc.

Knockout Battles

This format is typical for poker competitions and consists of rounds. Users play against each other, and the losers are excluded, while the winners advance to the next stage. Often, prizes are awarded to only one participant; however, there can also be rewards for 2nd and 3rd places.

Buy-in Tournaments

Participation in these tournaments requires an entry fee, which size is determined by the online casino. The prize fund is formed from the participants’ contributions. Once it’s done, the total amount is distributed among several winners, depending on what position they took. These competitions have time frames.

Limit Events

Players can only bet within limits. There are also strict time limits; you need to have enough time to score the maximum possible number of points.

Free Tournaments

Everyone is welcome here. You don’t need to get any buy-ins or tickets to access the event.

Ultimate Spin-Off Events

These are tournaments where you should make as many spins as possible and earn more money. The prize is distributed among dozens of players. Basically, these are weekly events for which you need to qualify.

Tournaments for High Rollers

If you prefer making big bets, these competitions are for you as they have high buy-ins and no limits on maximum spending. Cash rewards can reach hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.

Tournaments for high rollers are mainly available by invitation only; customers with VIP status in the loyalty program can receive them.

How Online Tournaments Work

Tournament rules may differ in payouts, limits, access conditions, and other features. However, the operation principle for all of them is the same. They focus on specific games and consist of the following steps:

1. You sign up at the best casino tournament site and select the event you’re interested in on the Tournaments tab.
2. Buy in if necessary, unless it’s a free event.
3. You receive a participant number and betting credits if you have paid an entry fee; if there is no entry fee, you need to bet with your own money.
4. Compete with others by placing bets in specific games and earning as many points as you can for meeting conditions within a certain period of time. Depending on the tournament conditions, you receive points for the biggest win or bet, the highest multiplier coefficient, the longest winning streak, or completing tasks for the least number of bets.

At the end of the event, the winners are determined based on their positions in the tournament table. The winnings go either to one player, or are distributed among several lucky gamblers; there can be dozens or even hundreds of them.

How to Participate in a Tournament

Entry options depend on the tournament type. In some, for example, access is free; to take part in others, you first need to pay an entry fee. However, the main stages are the same regardless of the tournament rules:

1. Find a suitable online casino where tournaments are held regularly.
2. Create an account, activate the welcome bonus if you wish.
3. Go to the Tournaments section, read the list of competitions, select the one you’re interested in, and press the Participate button.
4. Read the terms and follow the instructions.
5. Place bets on certain games and earn points.

Pay attention to the dates of the draw. Sometimes, the information on the casino website is updated late and you may see a tournament that has already ended.

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Best Casino Tournaments on Gambling Sites

There are temporary and permanent events that have been organized steadily for several years. Here are some of the competitions you can take part in.

Each tournament has different rules and they may change from time to time even for regular events. Therefore, we recommend that you carefully study them at the best casino tournament sites.

How to Choose & Check Casino Tournaments

Before you start betting in tournament games, you need to learn the basic features of the tournament. They’re:

• Time. Tournaments last up to 24 hours, several days, or even weeks. Look at the start and end dates of the draw. Joining near the end is unprofitable; there is too little time to take the lead. Also evaluate the duration of the tournament. Being late for 1-2 days isn’t critical in long draws, but it’s better not to join short competitions in the process.
• Prize fund. It can be fixed and progressive. The second one is accumulated from the bets of the participants. The rewards can be money, free spins, comp points for the loyalty program, and valuable gifts.
• Ways to determine winners. This can be the maximum amount of winnings, the largest odds, a series of wins, etc. Based on this, you can adjust your betting strategy.
• A number of prizes. There are competitions where not only the top 3 participants, but also 50, 100, or even 200 places receive rewards. The amount of prize money is distributed not equally, but according to the position taken.
• Who is allowed to the tournament. There are free open access events for all registered customers. However, only VIP customers can participate in tournaments where large prizes are at stake. There are also tournaments where only winners of previous competitions are allowed to take part.
• A number of participants. Many competitions don’t set these restrictions. However, there are also tournaments in which only up to 50 people can participate.
• Minimum betting limits. Often, you can bet from $0.5-1. If you make a smaller bet, it won’t count.
• Wagering requirements. If you have won free spins, you need to have time to use them within 1-3 days after receiving them. For cash prizes, a wager is often not set; if there is one, then the coefficient is small; on average, it’s x3.

If you didn’t find any of the items in the description, write to the casino support. Its managers will prompt all the details of the tournament.

Popular Online Tournament Gambling Games

The most popular categories of casino games have their tournaments. Let’s take a closer look at their features.

Slots

Usually, about 10 slot machines participate in tournaments. The main goal is to spin the reels in slots and win more than the opponents. The method of scoring may differ depending on the tournament type. You can receive them for:

• The most wins.
• The biggest bets.
• Performing certain tasks within a short period of time (for example, starting a round with free spins).

You can also receive tickets for bets. Then, the winners are randomly determined.

It’s better for you to join tournaments where points are awarded for winning combinations. Participating in competitions where the winners are determined by the sizes of the bets is unprofitable; those who have more money will surely win in them.

In slots, the results completely depend on chance. You can’t influence the results of the spins.

Poker

This card game has the largest number of tournaments. Poker is one of the largest industries recognized in some countries as a separate sport. The feature of the game is that win depends on skill.

To win, you need to collect the strongest combination of five cards. The most popular poker version is Texas Hold’em. There are several types of tournaments:

• MTT. They take place at several tables at the same time, with a certain number of chips. Blinds gradually increase, and antes may be added after a while.
• Sit and go. This is the competition without reference to the time that takes place at the same table. From 2 to 10 people can participate.
• Shootout. The game continues until one person remains at the table. Then they go to other tables.
• Satellites. By winning one tournament, you get access to participate in a major draw.
• Freerolls. They’re available to everyone; you don’t have to make a buy-in for entry.
• Turbo. They pass with a quick increase in the blind; often, it happens every 5 minutes.
• Rebuy. These are tournaments with the possibility of additional purchase of chips.

Blackjack

This is one of the favorite card games for the customers of the best casino tournament site due to the low dealer edge and dynamic betting process. Blackjack becomes even more exciting and dramatic during tournaments. To participate, you need to make a fixed buy-in. The winner is the one who beats the dealer more than the others and collects the most chips.

The advantage of blackjack lies not only in the low house edge, but also in the ability to effectively use strategies, for example, the basic one. It tells you how to act based on what cards you have in your hand.

Roulette

Roulette tournaments are organized in a round format. The winners move on, and the losers are excluded. Winners, as in blackjack, are determined by the number of chips they have.

Live Games

These tournaments take place in real time. Their atmosphere is as close as possible to land-based gambling venues due to video broadcasting from specially equipped studios and the ability to interact with a professional dealer. The following tournaments are available in the Live section:

• Powerball. These are buy-in lotteries where multi-million jackpots are at stake. Usually, a small number of players participate in them.
• Card and table games. There are poker, blackjack, and roulette tournaments.

There are many tournament formats in the live dealer games section. These are Sit and Go, regular, time-limited, etc.

Mixed Casino Games

They combine several gambling categories. For example, you can place bets in slots, blackjack, and poker within the same event; you need to accumulate points to advance in the table.

Sportsbook

These are tournaments held by sportsbooks; you need to place bets on the outcomes of sporting events. The one who has correctly predicted more results wins.

Why It Is Worth Playing Slot Machine Tournaments

Making bets in slot machines gets boring over time. Best casino tournament sites add a competitive spirit and, accordingly, more excitement. Also, participation in tournaments provides several additional advantages:

• Big cash rewards. It’s difficult to hit the jackpot in slot machines; however, you can receive a prize in the competition even if you receive a small amount of prize money. And at the end of the tournament you have the opportunity to earn a solid cash reward.
• Possibility of re-participation. Many tournaments take place daily, and you can participate in them again and again; there are no restrictions. This gives you a chance to regularly compete and win good prizes.
• Passion and interest. You will experience pleasant excitement, watching the tournament tables and how someone is dropped off the position or someone is catching up with you on points.

Playing slots in a tournament can be much more exciting than just placing bets and waiting for a combination with a large multiplier in the standard mode.

Play Slot Tournaments With Bonuses

Before placing real bets in tournament slot machines, it’s better to test their mechanics for free. This can be done in demo mode; however, then you won’t receive any real money winnings that you can withdraw. It’s better to use bonuses (a percentage of a deposit or free spins).

Before activating them, read the wagering requirements. Pay special attention to the wagering coefficient; the optimal indicators are x20-30.

In some competitions, bonuses can act as rewards. You can receive free spins, a fixed amount of funds, or cashback.

Tournament Strategies to WIn Real Money

The choice of betting strategy depends on the format of the tournament. Find out its duration, betting limits, how points are awarded, how many winners there will be, and, most importantly, what game you have to play in the tournament. However, there are general tips that we recommend following for effective betting:

• Find out the amount of the reward and the number of participants.
• Study the list of slot machines that you have to play during the tournament. Participate in events that offer slots from well-known providers, with high RTP, large multipliers, and bonus options. Practice them before the tournament starts.
• Split your bankroll so that it’s enough for a large number of spins and bets; this way, it’s easier to get into the lead.
• Use the Booster option, if available. To do this, you have to risk larger amounts, but the winning chances increase.
• Bet regularly in order to have access to the Booster and not allow the opponent below to get ahead of you in the table.
• Don’t try to catch up with players who are far ahead of you. Make deposits commensurate with the potential winnings.
• Follow the table: information is updated in real time. This will allow you to adjust your betting strategy.

To make it interesting for you to play, choose tournaments with games that you grasp. The main thing is to enjoy the process; you will be in a good mood, even if you don’t receive a prize.

Pros & Cons of the Best Casino Tournament Sites