Casino players love to participate in tournaments for a fun, social, and lucrative way to get in on the gambling action. Popular casino tournaments include blackjack, slots, video poker, bingo, craps, and other open casino events available both at land based and online casinos. Entering a casino tournament offers an exciting way to win big cash prizes by competing against other players.

casino tournament

Blackjack tournaments are popular competitions at casinos.

Land Based Casino Tournaments

Land based casinos offer many options when it comes to gambling tournaments for games. Some sponsor small, daily contests for games like slot machines or blackjack while others hold annual competitions with hundreds of participants and high payouts. Buy-ins for land based casino tournaments can range from free comped events with no buy-in required all the way up to $50,000 to $100,000 buy-ins. Prize money also varies from free play to over $1 million cash rewards.

slots tournament

Players compete in a slot tournament while onlookers watch.

While the buy-in and scale of casino tournaments vary, generally the format of each looks the same. After players arrive, they sign in and receive a slot machine or table assignment. When the competition begins, participants either play at the same time or in shifts. Players each have a certain number of credits or games available during each round. In smaller matches, the player with the highest score takes home the largest prize. In larger casino tournaments, players with higher scores advance to the next round. Larger competitions can last for several days and give participants a number of chances to accumulate points.

Some land based casino tournaments are exclusive events that require an invitation or membership with the casino. For example, all MGM Resorts in Las Vegas including Aria, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, and The Bellagio only accept players if they sign up for the M Life card, MGM’s rewards programs. Becoming a member of the casino can give players exclusive access to upcoming competitions.

Online Casino Tournaments

Online casino tournaments combine the excitement of online gambling with the thrill of competing against other players. Slot machine tournaments represent the most popular among online competitions, but many gambling sites also host online casino tournaments in blackjack, roulette, and other games.

Both land based and online casino tournaments have the same format in which players enter, compete, and cash in for winning. Some online casino tournaments require an entry fee, but most sponsor free roll tournaments in which players can enter for free. New competitions start all the time during all hours of the day depending on the casino.

Slots Tournaments

slot tournamentOnline slots tournaments make a great option for players looking for a small buy-in with the potential to win a lot, and provide a different gaming experience from regular slot games. Usually, players pay a small entry fee that goes into a prize pool. Top players then receive money from the pool, which usually accumulates to large cash prizes.

There are two main types of online slot tournaments: “Scheduled” and “Sit and Go”. Scheduled slot tournaments require players to register first and play within a set period of time. After the registration deadline, participants have a certain time limit to play. Players that earn the most points during that duration of time take home the biggest prizes. Sit and Go slot tournaments start after a certain number of players register. The player with the most points at the end of the specified time period or number of spins wins the prize.

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Blackjack Tournaments

In both land based and online blackjack tournaments, every contestant receives a table assignment and starts off with the same bankroll. The blackjack game continues over a specified period of time or number of hands. At the end, the player at the table with the most amount of money wins. Table winners continue to compete until 6 or 7 finalists remain. At the end, finalists compete for the top prize.

Blackjack tournaments come in two versions, elimination and non-elimination. In elimination matches, players compete against each other at each table, and the top one or two players advance to the next round. In non-elimination tournaments, players compete to win the most money after several rounds. In this version, players are not eliminated after each round and continue to compete for the top position.

blackjack tournament

Behind the table of an online blackjack tournament.

Casino tournaments make a great option for players looking to compete for big prizes in an exciting, interactive environment. Land based casino tournaments range from large scale events with hundreds of participants to smaller daily gambling tournaments. Meanwhile, gamblers can get in on the competition from anywhere by entering online casino tournaments. Either way, casino tournaments tend to offer lucrative prizes for little or no money upfront.