Normally when you play a slot game, it’s you against the computer – or, more specifically, you against the laws of randomness and unpredictability.
So what about slot tournaments, where you are pitted against your fellow players in a bid to win prizes and rewards? On the surface, they sound like a fun way to extend your gaming and perhaps pick up some extra wins along the way.
But there’s a question that some players ask: are slot tournaments rigged? So let’s take an impartial deep dive and provide the answer.
Slot Tournaments Explained
A slot tournament is pretty straightforward: you and your fellow players compete to see who can win the most game points or prize money, climbing up the standings as you go.
Typically, the players with the most points or prize money within a specific timeframe will collect an additional reward put up by the casino… it could be cash, free spins or some other kind of bonus. The winner will usually get the best of the prizes, with those finishing within x number of places also clinching a payout of some description.
At the most basic level, slot tournaments are an entertaining way to see how your play stacks up against the opposition. But be warned: some individuals will stake more than they are comfortable with in a bid to climb the leaderboard – anti to sensible, responsible gambling.
It makes sense to read the full rules before you enter these contests. And if you remain in any doubt, our what are slot tournaments guide should prove very helpful.
Level Playing Field
As you may be aware, there’s no way in which the outcome of real money slots spins can be rigged or manipulated – they are wholly random and unique.
So there’s no way for a slot tournament to be rigged in that sense. And because players all start with the same balance in a tournament, everyone has an equal chance of winning.
For example, a buy-in slot tournament is exactly as the name suggests: you pay a fee, let’s say £1, to enter the contest. You are then handed credits for use on slot games, which are then transformed into points as you land winning spins.
Of course, there’s no skill involved in slot tournaments because these games are determined solely by chance. So the playing field is level and equal, with no individual player able to gain an unfair advantage.
Unless…
The Numbers Game
Let’s imagine that a slot tournament has a £1 buy in, and that you – and everyone else that enters – gets an allocation of credits or free spins to use in a bid to climb the leaderboard.
So far, fair is fair. But what if there isn’t a maximum limit on the number of buy-ins that any one player can have?
You could be playing against individuals with ten or more buy-ins, who therefore have 10x the number of credits to use that you have. Naturally, that gives them more opportunities to score big multiplier wins and shoot up the standings.
There are many reasons to play slot tournaments. You generally get more ‘bang for your buck’, with the possibility of playing dozens of spins from a relatively small buy-in stake; that helps to maximise the entertainment factor.
And, who knows, you might just go and take down a prize or two if you finish within the requisite number of places.
But it’s important to read the rules before entering a slot tournament. If there’s no limit on the number of buy-ins an individual can have, then those with deeper bankrolls can enter more times – increasing their chances.
So slot tournaments aren’t rigged. But they can favour those willing to invest more money into their entries, which increases the individual’s chances of winning.
However, some slot tournaments will only allow players to have one buy-in, which ensures that everybody has the exact same chance of landing a prize.
Enjoy Safe, Fair Gaming with Prime Slots
One of the easiest ways to ensure you are playing in fair, legitimate slot tournaments is to only use casinos that are licensed and approved to operate in the UK.
That way, you know that the operator has to adhere to the highest standards of player safety and fairness – both in terms of their individual games and the tournaments that they host.
At Prime Slots, we are fully licensed to operate on UK soil. All of our games have been independently tested and verified by iTechLabs too, so you can play with complete peace of mind.