Best online slots tournaments Oct 2024

Written by Melanie Hart

Checked by Lorella F.Ian Z. •

Last updated on July 19, 2024

This ultimate guide to online slot tournaments delves deep into the subject. Connect with the top casinos offering not only the most exciting slot tournaments but also top security, game choice, payments, and bonuses.

Then we’ll get a little bit more technical as we explain the different types of slot tournaments, and how they work and for the advanced players, we’ll also talk tournament strategy.

Ready to make the most of your online casino experience with slot tournaments? Let’s get started with the best online casino slot tournaments.

On This Page On This Page

• Best casinos for tournaments
• Expert picks
• Slot tournament types
• Free slot tournaments
• Real money slot tournaments
• Other types
• Current slot tournaments
• How slot tournaments work
• How to play
• Glossary
• Tips
• FAQs

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1 SugarHouse review	91/100 Games rating by Ian Z. 92% Playscore based on 8 critics	100% match bonus up to $250 PACASINO250	Play now	Show more Good to know Plenty of slots tournaments Exclusive slot games Hundreds of slots available 11 payment methods Show less
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The top three slot tournament casinos – our expert picks

You don’t have the time to waste trying out a bunch of different slot tournaments. That’s what our experts are here for.

They’ve gone through the different tournaments, analyzing their terms, games, security, and overall offering, to see which ones are the best for you.

🥇#1 Best overall: WOW Vegas

A top-tier sweepstakes casino that consistently ranks number one in our ranking lists, it’s no surprise to see WOW at the top here as well. With 1,000+ games and plenty of promos, WOW Vegas is a great social casino to play at.

It’s got some great tournaments as well, on it’s slots as well as its social media pages. Being a play-4-fun casino, tournaments are free to enter, so feel free to check them out.

🥈#2 Best for mobile: Gambino Slots

Another great social casino, Gambino Slots is bursting with bonuses, consistently giving out free coins to enjoy over its 135 games.

Not only are its tournaments available to enter for free, but they’re also available on Gambino Slots native app, which features all of its games on it’s glitch-free native app.

🥉#3 Best for games: BetRivers

BetRivers is an established brand, boasting not only a real money casino but a sister social casino as well. It’s real money casino has made quite the name for itself, with great rewards, multiple layers of security, and of course plenty of games.

BetRivers has a great raffle system, where you’ll get tickets for every real money wager you make on participating slots. A winner is picked at the end of every month, so there’s plenty of chances to win.

Different types of slot tournaments online

You’ll find the best online casino slot tournaments when jumping into one of the online gambling sites we recommend. But did you know there are several different types of online slot tournaments?

Understanding the difference is essential but at the most basic there are two forms of tournaments; freeroll, and buy-in. Both of these then will have similar variations.

Free slot tournaments

Also known as freeroll tournaments, these competitions cost you nothing to enter. You can participate for free without committing any of your bankroll. While not as common as buy-in slot tournaments online, freerolls are available at several major casino sites, including sweeps cash casinos. It’s not surprising that free slot tournaments are immensely popular, although prize money will be lower than a buy-in tournament.

That makes sense because the online casino supplies 100% of the prize pot. In a standard buy-in tourney, each player pays a fee to contribute to the prize pool. Even so, several major advantages come with playing a freeroll tournament:

• Play online slots without spending money.
• Potentially win prizes without committing your bankroll.
• Play without needing to make a deposit.

• Smaller prize pool than a buy-in slot tournament.

Freeroll slot tournaments — Further details

Since free slot tournaments let players participate without buying a ticket, you don’t need to deposit money or buy your way in to access online freeroll tournaments. However, some casinos will only let you enter if you’ve previously made a deposit.

Of course, the major advantage of freeroll slot tournaments is you can save your cash and still win something. While the prizes will be smaller than a buy-in tournament, these contests are a fantastic way to compete against other players. Slots are usually solo games, so tourneys add a dash of competitive spice.

Thanks to HTML5 technology, modern slots are fully functional on mobile browsers. You can enter no-deposit freeroll slot tournaments with ease. Many daily freeroll slot tournaments are available on mobile casinos which offer native applications for enhanced usability and connectivity. Whether you own an iOS, Android, or Windows Phone, you can play online freeroll tournaments from whatever smart device you’ve got at hand.

Real money/buy-in slot tournaments

A real-money online slot tournament is behind a paywall. This means you must pay to enter the competition and participate in it. More commonly known as a buy-in tournament, you’ll literally be buying your way in. A small portion of your entry fee will go to the online casino as profit, while the rest will contribute directly towards the prize fund.

Entry fees and prize pools can vary depending on the tournament’s size. Some may have a high buy-in to attract only high rollers, while others will be more flexible and open to all types of players.

• Larger prize pots that free slot tournaments.
• More widely available than freeroll competitions.
• Fewer restrictions around eligibility (for example, VIP access)

• You must pay to enter the tournament.

Other types

Buy-in and freeroll are the two primary forms of slot tournaments online. But from those two basic templates, there are various ways to structure a tournament:

• Sit ‘n’ go tournaments: Where you pay an entry to a tournament with limited participants and wait (sit) for the tourney to fill.
• Buy-in tournaments: A competition where you pay an entry fee to receive chips and participate in the tournament.
• Comped tournaments: You earn an entry by spending enough time or money at a casino and using loyalty/VIP program points.
• Reloader tournaments: If you run out of chips or don’t have a high score in a tournament, you can buy yourself in again in the next round.
• Extender tournaments: Similar to reloaders, the difference with an extender tournament is the ability to buy an add-on to give yourself more chance of winning.
• Survivor tournaments: A classic tournament structure with several rounds, but only a specific number of players pass through each round.
• One-shot tournaments: An online slot tournament where there is no chance to extend or buy back in with a reloader.
• Freeroll tournaments: Enter a slot tournament online without paying an entry fee to participate.

Current online slot tournaments at online casinos — what’s trending?

We’ve explained about the different tournament styles and now you want to know where you can find the hottest slot tournaments? We’ve got you covered. Remember to check back to this page and  see our up-to-date list of online casino slot tournaments:

Sit ‘n’ go tournaments

SugarHouse casino has a great selection of sit’n’go tournaments as part of their summer series slot tournaments. Registration is open way ahead of time with the tourneys starting around midday on the east coast.

SugarHouse casino review

Buy-in tournaments

At BetRivers you can either randomly win a ticket to enter the tournament or buy it from the bonus shop. Slot tournaments happen multiple times every day during the RushRace.

BetRivers casino review

Comped tournaments

There are currently no available comped tournaments at legal US casinos. However, Borgata casino (as part of the MGM brand) has one of the best VIP rewards clubs with plenty of perks to be enjoyed when playing at the online casino.

Borgata casino review

Extender tournaments

Golden Nugget has some of the best tournaments around with some mega prizes that go beyond money. We’re talking about cruises and cars here and there are prizes even the 2,000th participant.

Golden Nugget review

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Survivor tournaments

At Party Casino, you will find Party Pots which work similarly to survivor tournaments. Entering is free and as you wager you’re in the chance to win the jackpot. Once the jackpot drops the winner will get 50% of it and the rest of the players will share the rest of the 50%.

Party Casino review

Freeroll tournaments

BetMGM’s Lion’s Share works similarly to freeroll tournaments where you enter for free and as you wager you’re in for the chance to randomly win a jackpot. When the jackpot does drop, 50% is given to one lucky player and the rest is divided with all other active players.

BetMGM casino review

One-shot tournaments

Most of the slot tournaments available in the US right now are one-shot slot tournaments. Wow Vegas has many of these, just keep in mind you will be playing for virtual coins here since it’s a sweeps casino.

Wow Vegas casino review

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How do slot tournaments work

Before heading off to one of our recommended casino operators, you may ask yourself how slot do tournaments work? You may also be wondering how to win at slots or in online slot tournaments. For casual players, tourneys can be confusing unless you prepare yourself. We’ve put together the following quick guide to give you complete confidence when choosing a slot tournament online:

How to play online slot tournaments

On this page, you can pick between a bunch of world-class online casinos, giving you unrivaled access to the best online casino slot tournaments. In this section, we provide a quick guide on how to play online slot tournaments.

Step 1

Register an account

Select any of the online casinos we recommend on this page. Click “Register” or “Join” on the top right of the casino homepage. Move through the registration process by providing information such as your name, email address, date of birth, currency, location, address, nationality, and phone number. The online casino may send an email verification link to follow to complete your account registration. You can also verify your identity and address when your account is ready. Alternatively, you’ll need to complete these KYC checks before withdrawing any winnings.

Step 2

Fund your account

Navigate to the “Cashier” section. Under “deposits”, choose your preferred payment method. Follow the deposit instructions and enter the amount you wish to send. Finalize the deposit. Funds should appear in your casino account within seconds.

Step 3

Claim a casino bonus

As a new customer, you are likely eligible for an attractive welcome bonus. Check the online casino’s bonus T&Cs to see any requirements and limitations that may affect you. Most casinos will apply a bonus automatically for new customers, although some may ask customers to opt-in to participate in the promotion.

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Step 4

Select your tournament

Go to the game lobby on the online casino and browse the available slots tournaments. Choose one of the competitions you want to play in.

Step 5

Buy-in

If the tournament is a buy-in, pay the entry fee to reserve your spot. If it’s a freeroll, simply enter the tournament. Happy spinning, and good luck!

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Slot tournament glossary

To give you even more confidence when playing a slots tournament online, check out our no-nonsense list of common tournament terms and phrases.

• Buy-in – This is an entry fee players must pay if they want to take part in real money tournaments. The size of the buy-in differs from tournament to tournament. The casino keeps a small percentage of the fee while the rest goes to the prize pool.
• Comped tournament – A tournament for VIPs or loyalty program members who use their loyalty points to enter. Casinos give these points to players who spend the most money/time playing games.
• Extender – A feature in some tournaments where players can purchase an add-on that may help them remain in the competition when chips are running low.
• Freeroll – A popular type of online slots tournament, a freeroll literally allows players to participate in the tournament for free. This means no paying an entry fee. Freeroll tournaments almost always have a smaller prize pool.
• Reload – Similar to an extender, a reload will allow players to buy themselves back into a tournament if they have been knocked out.

How to win online slot tournaments — our experts’ strategy

Understanding the dynamics and specific gameplay requirements of how to win online slot tournaments can help you stay in for longer:

Keep your finger on the spin button

Tournaments are different from regular online slot gameplay, and you have a set amount of chips to use. That means you should spin, spin, and spin to keep up a steady pace.

Wager on all paylines

Bet high when you can also make sure you can bet across all paylines. This way, you are giving yourself the best chance of landing a big win if you get a good combo on the reels. Big wins mean more points to contribute to the tournament leaderboard.

Stay focused

Stay alert on all gameplay elements to ensure your bets are solid. It’s helpful if you are already familiar with the eligible slot game/s. Yet that is not always possible because the casino chooses the tournament slots, not the players.

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Bet high

As mentioned, you should always bet high. You are playing with the casino’s chips, not your own. You have the same amount of chips as all other players in the slot tournament.

Gamble responsibly

No matter what gaming you do on an online casino, always gamble responsibly. Only use the disposable income you can afford to lose, know when to walk away if you lose, and stick to the budget you set yourself.

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FAQs