Page 6 - August 2010 • Southern California Gaming Guide

Bill Burton: About Gambling
lot Tournaments Combine Fun and Value
t is no secret that over the last few years the economy has forced many players to cut back on casino visits. During this time it seemed as if some casinos were cutting back on promotions instead of increasing them. I think that this has changed, because lately I
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have been receiving more promotional o ers from casinos. Many o ers include an entry into
tournaments where the price of the bene ts and freebies actually exceeded the price of the tournament entry fee.
On the other hand, some tournaments are not a good value. A bad tournament is one that a casino may run just to make a pro t. ey take a big portion of the entry fee, but o er little or no incentives in return for the player. If the casino takes any percentage of the entry fee, but does not give you anything in return, you should pass on the tournament and look for one that o ers a fair return on your investment.
How Much Time is involved?
One thing to consider before entering a free or paid tournament is how much time is involved. Most tournaments have several qualifying rounds with the nal event held for all the players who advance from the earlier rounds. You should look at the session times for the entire tournament before entering to determine if it ts into your schedule.
In a tournament, the time between qualifying rounds and the nal round can be several hours. is means that if you qualify, you are committed to staying at the casino while you wait for the nal round. Some free tournaments have qualifying rounds early in the morning with the nal round in the evening. If you are not planning on spending the whole day at the casino, it may not be worthwhile to enter this type of tournament.
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Slot tournaments can be a lot of fun especially if you like the thrill of competition. ey can also be a good value that can help you stretch your casino dollars. If you have never played in a slot tournament before, it is best to try a free tournament rst. Take advantage of any free o ers you get. What can be better than playing slots for free with a chance of winning real money?
Until next time, remember: “Luck comes and goes.. Knowledge Stays Forever.”
Bill Burton is the author of 1000 Best Casino Gambling Secrets and Get the Edge at Low Limit Texas Hold’em available online at www.billburton.com. Burton is also an instructor for Golden Touch Craps: www.thecrapsclub.com.
a free slot tournament.
I am competitive by nature, and I enjoy playing in casino tournaments regardless of the game. Free tournaments o er a chance to play slots at no cost or risk. Whenever you can spend time in a casino playing slots for free with the chance of taking home a prize, it has to be a positive experience. If you don’t win, you have had the opportunity to enjoy yourself for a few hours without risking your own money.
Some of the tournaments with an entry fee are also a good value. Many players enjoy playing in tournaments because they know their potential losses ahead of time. Since tournaments have a set
e best paid tournaments to enter are the ones that give back all the entry fees in the form of prizes. Casinos post the tournament rules and list the prize structure. You can take a look at the prize structure of a tournament and determine how much is being returned to players.
If the entry fee is $100 per player and the prizes are based on a total of 200 players, you can expect the prizes to total $10,000 if all the money is returned. If all the money is not returned, you will want to evaluate what additional bene ts you are getting in return for
entry fee, participants know how much it will cost them to play. ey can only lose the amount of the entry fee.
In a tournament, you are competing against other players. is means that depending on the number of entrants, your odds may be better for winning a large amount of money than if you were playing against the house. If you enter a tournament with a grand prize of $5,000 and there are 300 participants, your chances are 1-in-300.
ese are great odds compared with the normal return on slot machines.
Analyzing a Tournament
Not all slot tournaments are the same, and before you enter a tournament that requires an entry fee, you will need to look at the prize structure and read the rules closely to determine if it is a good deal.
room is normally $50 a night and the dinner may be a $20 value. You are getting $70 worth of bene ts for the $10 they are taking from your entry fee. is is a good value for a player. So be sure to consider all the extras when you analyze the tournament. I have entered
“Whenever you can spend time in a casino playing slots for free with the chance of taking home aprize,ithastobea positive experience. If you don’t win, you have had the opportunity to enjoy yourself for a few hours without risking your own money.”
your money.
Some casinos o er a
tournament package that may include additional incentives, freebies and discounts. ese could include discounted or free hotel rooms, a welcome party, awards banquet, door prizes and ra es. You can gure the price of these additional bene ts into your evaluation of the tournament.
For example: You enter a two-day tournament with an entry fee of $100. e rules state the casino will return 90 percent in prizes. is means they are taking $10 per person from the prize pool. With your entry you receive a free room and awards dinner. e hotel
Page 6
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAMING GUIDE
August 2010
About Gambling with Bill Burton