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Slots Slot Tournaments... what the?

Discussion in 'Slots' started by Uranium 235, Mar 25, 2016.

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  1. Uranium 235

    Uranium 235 Low-Roller

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    Hello all

    I've heard a lot about slot tournaments but never participated in one.

    How does it work? My expectation is one of pure luck (I.e. whether someone is sitting on the right machine at the right time) as opposed to BJ or poker tournaments where the player has some influence on the outcome.

    Thanks
     
  2. Mooda

    Mooda Low-Roller

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    You get assigned to a machine (totally random) and you just stand there and push the button for 5 minutes. Pure luck!
     
  3. Uranium 235

    Uranium 235 Low-Roller

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    Sounds exciting.
     
  4. x3x

    x3x Tourist

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    Actually. Not pure luck. It depends on how fast you can push the button. P
     
  5. Uranium 235

    Uranium 235 Low-Roller

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    So do you win based in the number of credits remaining at the end; or credits won in total? If the former, you could actually be better off just sitting there with a drink and watch the others lose.
     
  6. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    Every slot tournament I have ever participated in had a time limit and a coin/credit limit. Once you used up your credits, you were done. If you did it faster than everybody else, fine, but everybody got the same amount. When it is gone, you are done.
     
  7. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    I have probably done 20 of them. They were all timed. You will notice that everyone ends within a few seconds of each other, based on how fast they hit the button the FIRST time. Often somebody still gets a few more spins when everyone else is done - because they did not start right away. No big deal.

    As to the hitting it the fastest. Sorry - old wives tale, fiction, rumor,etc.

    Most people beat the living crap out of the button, and do not stop. BUT - and a big but. Hitting the button while the wheels are spinning does nothing. Until it is done spinning, it ignores the constant banging of the button. It has to cycle through each time. But, people just keep banging away. And hitting it really hard. sort of funny to watch them.
     
  8. gambler

    gambler VIP Whale

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    I've never done a tournament with a set amount of credits. The ones I've done (Encore, El Cortez and 4 Queen's) just have a set time limit. You smack the button as many times as you can within the space of 3 to 5 minutes (whatever the casino sets as the time limit) and whoever has the most wins, wins that session. At the end of the tournament, the scores are added together to determine the winner. The tournament is played on special slot machines set up for tournament play.

    The tournaments I've done include 2 or 3 free nights accommodation. Registration is the first night and then usually they have one 3-5 minute session each day for the next 2 days.

    They're mindless fun for the random chance to win some free play (the El Cortez awards cash). Hitting the button fast is the only "skill" involved.

    Edit - nostress is correct that hitting the button while the reels spin has no effect. The alternative though is to wait for the reels to stop spinning and hit the button then. I've seen both methods used but you lose precious split seconds if you wait for the reel to stop spinning. Everyone has their own method.
     
  9. h0llywood

    h0llywood VIP Whale

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    I did one at Mandalay Bay last year and quite frankly, while I smashed the button harder and faster than the two guys next to me, I had less points than them. Smashing the button faster doesn't equate to getting the bonus on the reel.
     
  10. buffalo

    buffalo Low-Roller

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    Many of them have cropped up in the last few years with the Multimedia bank of slots designed to convert to slot tourneys.

    While everyone else is waging holy hell on their spin button, just place your right index finger on the spin button and calmly tap it about twice a second being careful not to spill your Margarita in your left hand. When your index finger tires, switch to your middle finger, then revert back to your index finger. Repeat until the 3 minutes is over. You'l do great with this techinique
     
  11. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    I do not wait until they totally finish and start hitting when it is close to make sure I do not waste a second. But, that few seconds after they start is rest time. Or drink time!
     
  12. ardee

    ardee It's only money.

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    I've participated in maybe 2 dozen slot tournaments over the last few years. The above posters have the basics: set time, pound the button, hope you get lucky. They've been a good deal for us. We get a couple of free nights at a nice hotel and I usually win at least a little free play for my efforts. Palazzo runs tournaments all the time during the summer months.
     
  13. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    I've never played in a slot tournament like that. Time limit only in my experience. Some VP tournaments have a hand limit and a time limit.
     
  14. Mrs. K.

    Mrs. K. Low-Roller

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    Mindless but sounds like fun. I regret not taking my free slot tournament entry when I signed up for CET a few years ago.
     
  15. Geogran

    Geogran VIP Whale

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    I've played in many a slot tournament but I also have never seen one where there is a coin/credit limit.
    The ones I've played have a time limit such as 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes per session.
    Everyone starts at '0' points, play starts, everyone starts hitting or tapping the play button until the session is over.
    High score or combined high scores win - either cash or free play or whatever. Number of winners is determined in advance - not everyone wins something.

    Some slot tournaments require that you play slots to earn X number of points, and then you go to players club to determine when you play - at end of day x number of people win cash or free play.
    Some casinos have special days for tournaments based on age - like seniors, etc - you just show up, sign up, and play - prizes are based on highest scores - and you win prizes, cash, or free play
    Some casinos have slot tournaments that are invitation only - these include comp'd rooms, free food and drink, and usually have 3 sessions over a two day period, at the end someone wins a lot of cash or free play, others get free play. Some of these tournaments have a 'buyin' where you have to pay up front to play, like $500 or more; you usually recoup most if not all of this at end of tournament with free play given.
    I'm sure there are other variations of slot tournaments, but these are generally what I have seen.

    Actually, the invitation tournaments are a lot of fun, there is always a crazy MC with a microphone spurring everyone on with lots of laugh and humor, good food, open bar, and everyone joining in to root on players, just a really fun atmosphere; plus a chance to win some big money - the one I played in last time 1st prize was $25,000 and everyone got at least $200 in freeplay.
     
  16. Uranium 235

    Uranium 235 Low-Roller

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    Ok thanks folks, kinda what I expected.
     
  17. luck.ofthe.draw

    luck.ofthe.draw VIP Whale

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    ^ This. Cracks me up seeing people button-smash, only to not get any points (I saw a lady jump from 5th place to 12th, to 22nd - she had no idea what she was doing!).... it's all about timing on pressing the button (after all the reels land!) and just concentrating to watch for any pop-ups you might have to hit on screen.

    That said I think a small part depends on what machine.... pop-ups = points and sometimes, you just don't get those pop-ups.
     
  18. DeMoN2318

    DeMoN2318 The DERS

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    I disagree, with this "technique" you risk missing a spin or two. you really need to maximize the number of spins you get in the time period.

    Bingo!!


    I have played in a few slot tournaments where the difference between the person on the bubble and the next pay level was so minimal, that an extra spin could have yielded additional winnings. The tables shown below are actually data from two tournaments I played in.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
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