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Why You Should Enter Online Poker Tournaments

Online poker tournaments have been around for a little over 10 years now. Each weekend, beginners and pros alike enter tables hoping to add a chunk of money to their bankroll.

And sometimes, they manage it. With the right ability, some bold strategies and a bit of luck, you, too, can attain a life-changing score.

But are they a better alternative to poker cash games? I think they are. In this article, I’m going to look at the top 4 reasons why you should enter poker tournaments online, and I’m also going to give you a rundown of the best poker sites to join.

For a Small Investment, The Returns Can Be Huge 

Sports betting often means putting huge stakes on and getting small returns back. The idea is that the more often you do it, and the more often you win, sports betting pays in the long term.

Poker tournaments are the opposite. If you’re a recreational player looking to get your kicks at the weekend, you can spend a handful of cash buying into a tournament on the hope that you’ll take home a PILE of winnings.

Each week, there are tournaments that give you the chance to land yourself a seat at the final table and you don’t need to spend a fortune to get there.

Opportunity To Qualify For Big-Draw Live Events 

There are some serious showcase live events on the poker tournament scene, and normally these would be outside the recreational players bankroll.

However, thanks to the sheer amount of televised poker these days, many poker sites now offer massive outlays to boost attendance at some of their biggest live events. This means that any regular Joe could find themselves at the front table at an event that was previously out of their reach.

Even better, the live event packages themselves usually cover the travel and digs costs.

Not bad, huh?

Convenience 

Whether your betting on sports, chucking the dice on a roulette table or playing poker, convenience has made online gambling so much easier. You can enter a poker tournament from the comfort of your own home, wear whatever you want and take your bathroom breaks whenever you goddamn want.

All you need is either a laptop of a mobile device, and you’re then free to compete for some enormous prizes.

Indeed, convenience is one of the top reasons poker online is so successful. Moreover, most poker sites now accept a variety of deposits, including Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

Solid Rake Rates 

Another huge attraction are the consistently solid rake rates. They’ve barely changed over the last ten or so years, which means players from any background and of any skillset find it easy to familiarise themselves with tournament fee percentages. As such, it’s then easy to work out how much they’ll be getting back from the prize pool.

For example, players are typically charged a 10% fee for MTTs on most poker websites to enter a low stake event. They’ll then take home a smaller percentage once the buy-ins go up.

Poker cash games, on the other hand, are known for their eye-popping price hikes which have contributed to their increasingly unpopular formats.

Best Poker Sites For Tournaments 

Let’s take a look at the top 3 best poker sites that are great for both beginners and pros looking to make some cash at the weekend.

888 Poker

My personal top pick is 888 Poker – for a variety of reasons. For one thing, it’s one of the biggest names in the poker world, period. It’s super well-established, safe, secure and trustworthy. It also uses the most up-to-date, advanced software and the graphics are some of the best out there. When you take your seat at the table, you really feel a part of something special and the buzz is amazing. In terms of poker tournaments, 888 Poker is hard to beat. You’ve probably noticed its presence on televised events like Poker Night in America, while its Sunday tournaments include the $200+$15 Mega Deep tournament, the $300+$20 BABE WHALE tournament and the $500+$30 buy-in WHALE tournament.

Pros: Awesome bonuses

Pros: Slick software

Pros: Safe bank withdrawals

Cons: Not the best customer support

Cons: Not the best loyalty program


Key Features:

  • Fast-fold tournaments available to play
  • Instant Play on offer

Bonuses:

  • $88 no-deposit bonus
  • 100% bonus available for $400 max
Visit 888 Poker

Poker Stars

Poker Stars has the look and feel of a proper premium poker site. It’s super easy to get comfortable on here, get a feel for the vibe – and get winning. There are plenty of games and tournaments to choose from but one thing I’ll say is that there’s such a wide variety of tournament formats that you’ll need to put a bit of time aside acclimatising to everything. Poker Stars has more traffic than most other poker sites, and it’s also got a weekly flagship tournament known as the $200+$25 buy-in Sunday Million. With a one million dollar guarantee, and while a plethora of weekly satellites, it’s one that’s not to be missed.

Pros: Free online poker tournaments available

Pros: High traffic website

Pros: Good customer support

Cons: Not the best bonuses and promos


Key Features:

  • Seven Card Stud
  • Casino games aplenty

Bonuses:

  • 100% up to $600
Visit Poker Stars

Party Poker

One thing I personally love about Party Poker is all the bonuses you get. Upon signup, you get £40 to mess around with, and you also get the chance to hone your skills for free before playing for real cash. It’s also a super fun poker site that’s friendly, personable and easy to use. When it comes to playing poker tournaments, Party Poker is competitive. Its pro-friendly rake back rewards have enhanced its popularity, and there are plenty of marquee live events to get stuck into. The player fields aren’t quite as big as some of its rivals but there are so many events being held each week that it’s a poker site you can’t ignore.

Pros: Well-established website

Pros: Good mobile app

Pros: Great tournament schedule

Cons: Average VIP program

Cons: No anonymous tournaments


Key Features:

  • Anonymous tables (pro’s won’t be able to track you)

Bonuses:

  • £40 free play bonus upon signup
  • $22 in tournament tickets
Visit Party Poker

Summary 

Online poker tournaments are a solid alternative to poker cash games. The ROI is good, you get the chance to qualify for big live events and you can play them anytime, anywhere and on any device.

Signup to the best poker sites listed above, work on your strategy – and see where it takes you.