Being a new online casino member, one can’t help but notice a thing called “ Slot races” and “Slot tournaments”, organized by an online casino and opened to pretty much all competitively inclined account holders who enjoy a healthy challenge now and then, topped with a generous prize. Apart from being a nice way to break the routine, these types of events are also a great way to earn some extra gambling cash on the side, especially since the casino will also reward the players who came closest to winning the tournament. 

Other participants are often surprised by additional bonuses which turns the entire experience (from the rush of the competition itself to the incentives received when the race or the tournament is over) into a ball of fun, and, before you know it, you find yourself counting the days to the next event, when you will once again be able to show off your skills and compete for the first prize. If, however, you feel utterly confused looking at the lengthy list of term and conditions, allow us to explain the basic guidelines of slot races and online casino tournaments. 

What is a Slot Race?

In a nutshell, it is a race without the grueling physical preparations and with a shower of free spins at the finish line. Any player with the active casino account is welcome to join the race and start competing for one of the ten (more or less) prizes, awarded to the highest ranked players. 

There is usually more than just one slot included in the slot race promotion and the players will get to choose their favourite and then meet the wagering requirements to qualify for the race. The start of each race is scheduled for a particular time (for example, every half an hour a new race will start) and the minimum bet will not be the same as the integrated start-up wager of the selected slot. In other words, the slot can have a betting range of $0.01 to $50, but the player will have to wager at least $0.20 (or some other amount determined by the casino) in order to compete.

How is the Slot Race scored?

Once you opt in and adjust your wagers according to the casino requirements, you start accumulating points. A certain number of points will be awarded for every single win, with bonus points if you manage to hit several continuous wins. Even losses will add points to your total and every time a player enters a losing streak, additional points are being collected. The highest number of points are collected for the big wins, or more precisely, the ones where your bet is multiplied by at least x10. These types of hits are carrying a potential score of a couple of hundreds (or more) points. 

Slot Race general rules, guidelines and prizes

As with an actual race, timing is everything and you will have to keep a close watch to what time the race will start so that you could join at the very beginning, otherwise you will not be able to compete. The race is limited to a certain number of spins and when they expire, no more points will be awarded. For a spin to be counted as valid, it will have to be fully completed before the race time is up. 

Considering the number of players that joined the race, it is not uncommon for two or more players to score the same number of points. Should that happens, the actual winner is determined by the exact time when the winning result was scored – whoever managed to collect a certain total first is the winner.

When all the winners are determined, the casino will upload the prize to their accounts and shortly after the race is completed, Free Spins, bonus cash or a monetary amount which can immediately be withdrawn, is transferred over to the player’s casino balance and can be accessed under Cashier tab.  

What is an online Casino Tournament?

Unlike Slot Races, tournaments can either be opened to all the players or be available to VIP casino members only. Slots are not the only games that have their tournaments and a lot of online casinos will organize table game tournaments as well, inviting the players to join for free or pay for the privilege to compete. With the slot tournaments that require buy-ins, the total prize will depend on the number of players that paid the entry and can start from several hundred to hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

Traditionally, tournaments last much longer than races, which are usually completed on a daily level. Tournaments, on the other hand, can have several eliminating stages and may last for days. The gist is, however, the same as with the slot race –  you compete with other players for the highest number of points, which will in return qualify you for the main prize.

Once you buy your place in a tournament (or join for free), the casino sets a time frame, during which all the participants must accumulate as many points or wins as possible to qualify for the next level or get the monetary prizes as the tournament winners. The final jackpot can also be progressive and increase throughout the tournament duration. There are many tournaments variation and the casinos that organize them can distribute the awards for the highest or the lowest ranked player, automatically start a tournament as soon as a certain number of players register (without official buy-ins or opt-ins), extend the duration of a tournament or even organize a short, 24 hours competition once a week. 

Advantages and disadvantages of Slot Races and Tournaments

The main advantage of these events is the excitement and more than decent prizes for the lucky winners, especially when Slot races are concerned; each of the top ten players can win a certain number of Free Spins, which is a great way to save your own money and increase your overall winning odds. 

With tournaments, the total payout exceeds the symbolic entry – if there is any – and you can end up with a nice stack of cash or even improve your overall status in the casino. 

On the other hand, players will have to be able to cope with the pressure, play faster than average and make compromises when the game selection is concerned, since your favorite slot may not be a part of the promotional slot race and tournament offer.  Another downside is that your wins are not yours to keep and you will only be playing for the top prize.