Gamblers can spend so much time focusing on scouring the web for bonus codes and other deals that they can miss what is right under their nose. Freerolls are a fantastic type of bonus in online poker, and yet they are often underappreciated.
What is a freeroll?
Whilst the majority of online poker games require players to pay an entry fee in order to participate, a freeroll has not entry fee. That means that you can just sign up and start playing, without paying anything to do so. With most freerolls, you do not need to put down a stake to wager with when you begin to play the game. Another feature of freerolls is that they typically offer cash prizes. These are usually of a value of a few hundred pounds. Some poker freerolls, however, will reward players with cash equivalent prizes instead. Freerolls are not new: they have been around almost as long as online poker itself.
What are the benefits of freerolls?
There are numerous benefits to jumping at the chance of playing a freeroll whenever you are able to. Firstly, freerolls offer no risk play thanks to the fact that they do not require you to pay to sign up for the game. Secondly, the prospect of a cash bonus can be attractive for many gamblers (though other more professional gamblers can consider freerolls to be ‘small fry’ compared to higher stakes games that offer larger winnings).
Why might a gambler choose to take advantage of a freeroll bonus?
Two main factors might influence a poker enthusiast’s judgement here. Firstly, as they are relatively low stakes and low risk, freerolls are a great way to improve your poker game. Some professional players like to sharpen up their skills on freerolls before turning to higher stakes poker tournaments when they want to win big. Secondly, if you are short on cash but still want to play some poker, opting to play a freeroll game will enable you to do so. Finally, a freeroll lets a player build their bankroll from scratch. You can start at £0, enter a freeroll tournament and if you win a couple of hundred pounds on that you can then use this money to move on to playing games for higher stakes that require you to pay to play.
Why do online casinos offer freeroll bonuses?
Freerolls are generally offered for much the same reasons that other types of bonus are offered by online casinos: because they help to attract new players. A freeroll bonus, for many of those in the know, is something that should be snapped up as quickly as possible. It is very rare for an online casino to be devoted entirely to freerolls. Usually, freerolls are used to lure players in, in the hope that eventually they will start playing other games on that online casino site – but this time for real money.
What is the difference between a freeroll and a no deposit bonus?
The main difference is usually that with most no deposit bonuses, players cannot win real monetary prizes. Instead they might win points or other virtual currency to use at a given online casino. Sometimes, such bonuses are effectively useless as they ‘trap’ you in to playing again and again at the same online casino, rewarding you with nothing more than virtual points that you can only use at that casino. As we have seen, on the other hand, one of the key characteristics of a freeroll is that it enables players to win cold, hard cash that they can withdraw and then use in any way that they please. Just make sure to check out what the minimum withdrawal amount is at the casino you are thinking of playing at, so you will know if you can withdraw your deposit right away.
Snap up those freerolls today
Tempted to have a go at freeroll poker tournaments? If you see this type of online poker bonus available, it definitely makes sense to give it a whirl. After all, you have nothing to lose and potentially a few hundred pounds (or some poker merchandise – another common prize with freeroll poker) to gain. Some freeroll poker deals are time limited, however, so if you want to take advantage of them, it is a good idea to pick them up as soon as you can.