For games players everywhere, a must-have experience has to be a casino tournament. The competitive, exciting atmosphere of a casino tournament, whether you’re paying in-person or online, makes for a great time. As well as the chance of winning some fantastic prizes too, which you can add to your bankroll for even more fun.
In this article, we discuss the history of casino tournaments and what you can expect. We also look at some of the top tournaments in the world!
History of casino tournament
Casino tournaments started out in the 1970s, due in large part as a result of the creation of the World Series of Poker (WSOP).
The idea behind WSOP began a year before in 1969 from an event called the Texas Gamblers Reunion. This invite-only event was held at the Holiday Hotel and Casino in Reno, and sponsored by Tom Moore of Castle Hills, Texas. It was in 1970 that Benny Binion, a casino owner and poker player, came up with and hosted the first WSOP at Binion’s Horseshoe. This inaugural tournament was a series of cash games that included deuce-to-seven low ball draw, five-card stud, seven-card stud, razz and Texas Hold’em.
The winner that year, and the first champion of WSOP was Jonny Moss. The popularity of the event saw casino tournaments begin to form around the word, and the rest as they say, is history!
What you can expect
While every casino tournament is different, there’s a few things that you can expect when you sign up for one. The first choice to make will be whether to choose an online casino tournament or an in-person one.
One of the benefits of online casino tournaments is you can enjoy them from the comfort of home, with a variety of tournament types on offer: from slot tournaments where you can play games like megaways slots, to online poker tournaments and more. An online casino tournament may take place over a couple hours, a day or even a weekend. It’s worth ensuring you have a fast internet connection and comfortable set up to play from, and any food or drinks you require.
There are different benefits to land-based casino tournaments. The social and buzzing atmosphere is definitely a key part to the experience, and a draw for many players. Ensure to do your research so you can get a sense of what type of tournament is best for you, and book in advance so you have the time to prepare.
The top tournaments
Below, we’ve compiled some of the top poker tournaments around the world.
WSOP
One of the biggest and most well-known poker tournaments has to be the legendary World Series of Poker (WSOP). Taking place in Las Vegas during May and June, WSOP is considered poker’s World Cup, with players and celebrities flying in from around the world to attend this incredible event.
If you can’t make it for those dates, there are spin-off tournaments throughout the year. But it’s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime (or more, if you’re lucky) experience!
Triton Super High Roller Series
A newer tournament, the Triton Super High Roller Series has become popular with those who love high roller events, making it a firm favourite with some of the more established professionals.
This particular tournament takes place at luxury locations across the globe and has a payout range from $200,000 upward to over $20 million depending on the number of people who enter.
European Poker Tour (EPT)
The European Poker Tour from PokerStars has been around since 2004 and was founded by poker player John Duthie. EPT is played throughout the year, with the top prize being over $1million. This is a good option if you’re new (or still a bit of a novice) at poker as they offer freerolls as part of this event alongside affordable qualifiers.
WSOP Online
An online series of tournaments for WSOP, this alternative to the land-based WSOP still offers payouts over $2 million so you still have a chance to win big if you’re a good player.
WCOOP
Poker Stars also host an online tournament: The World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP). This event covers all types of variants of the game and variants, meaning there’s something for everyone.
