What is a Poker Freeroll?
The term “freeroll” has two meanings in poker. The first is a hand where the player is only able to win or split the pot. The second is a poker tournament that you can enter for free. When most people talk about freerolls, they’re talking about free tournaments.
Generally, online poker sites with freerolls give players a free stack of chips to play with in the tournament but often still have a real cash prize you can win. Normally, this prize comes from the entry fees, but since there aren’t any, the organizer of the tournament foots the bill.
To qualify as a freeroll, entry to the competition must be free with no extra or hidden fees, and the winner must receive some sort of prize.
Freerolls Guide for Beginners
Freerolls are a great way for beginners to develop their skills and practice their poker playing without spending their own money.
The Pros and Cons of Poker Freerolls
| Pros Of Poker Freerolls |
Cons of Poker Freerolls |
| Freerolls are completely free to play |
Freerolls can be unpredictable because of the high proportion of novice players |
| They are a great way for new players to learn how to play poker |
Prizes are usually small compared to other tournaments |
| Freerolls provide you with an opportunity to test different poker strategies without risking your own cash |
The best freeroll tournaments are typically invite-only or password protected |
| You can win real money prizes |
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How to Get Started With Freerolls
Now you understand the pros and cons, you can decide if freerolls are right for you. If you think they are, here’s a guide on how to get the most from them.
1. Find the Right Online Poker Site
Most online poker sites offer freerolls to their users, though there are different types, entry requirements, and schedules for each. Therefore, you first need to find a site that offers the best poker freerolls for you. Thankfully, we’ve made this easy. Just use our comparison table to find the site with the freerolls that best meet your needs.
2. Create Your Account and Download the Software
Once you’ve found the poker site you want to join, you’ll need to create your account. You’ll usually need to provide your name, email address, phone number, address, and other information to verify your ID. Once your account is set up, you’ll need to download the poker site’s software. Some no longer require this, allowing you to play from your browser instead. You can also play mobile online poker by downloading the app to your smartphone or tablet. Once you’ve verified your account, there may be a new player freeroll tournament that you can take part in. It will be filled with newbies like you and is usually designed to help you find your way around the site’s software.
3. Make Your First Deposit
After you’ve taken part in the new player freeroll, there may be another open to players who have made their first deposit.
Each online poker site will handle deposits slightly differently and have a different selection of accepted payment methods, but the typical process is:
- Navigate to the Wallet/Bankroll/My Account section of the site Select the payment method you wish to use
- Enter the amount you’d like to deposit
- Follow the instructions to complete your deposit
Once this is done, you can take part in real-money games. For new users, it’s recommended you start off on the low-stakes tables to get a better feel for how it’s played. Any deposit-based freerolls will also now be available to you. Sometimes, these are held once a week and anyone who deposits in the days leading up to the event qualifies for entry.
4. Find Other Freerolls
You’re not limited to just new-player and first-deposit freerolls. The online poker site will typically list the other freerolls it has coming up. If it offers a weekly or monthly tournament, this will usually be displayed prominently. It may also email you or advertise on its site about any upcoming special events such as satellite tournaments or seasonal freerolls.
Types of freerolls
There are several types of freeroll offered by online poker sites, so it’s important to know which one is which.
- New-Player Freeroll Tournaments: As the name suggests, new-player freerolls are tournaments that are only open to new players. They’re designed to help new players practice their game without worrying about more experienced players muscling in. They can also help you familiarize yourself with their software.
- Exclusive or Invitational Freerolls: Just because a freeroll doesn’t cost you money to enter, doesn’t mean anyone can join. Online poker sites will often run exclusive freerolls for players that meet certain criteria. This is usually based on experience and your level of activity on the site. They’re usually much smaller and contain more talented poker players.
- Freeroll Tournaments: Instead of offering a cash prize to the winner, satellite freeroll tournaments provide the winner with the opportunity to take part in a high-caliber poker tournament. Experienced poker players will often enter these freerolls as it can save them a lot on tournaments with high buy-ins if they’re successful.
- Weekly or Monthly Freerolls: These freerolls are regular tournaments run by poker sites, taking place each week or month.
- Sit and Go Freeroll Tournaments: Instead of a long tournament, sit and go freerolls are usually much quicker and only usually last around 30 minutes. This makes them great for players who don’t have a lot of time to spare.We’ve scoured the internet looking for best freerolls from all the trusted and leading poker sites so you don’t have to. Just check out the list on this page to find the one that’s right for you.
FAQ
What poker sites have the most freerolls?
The sites offering the most poker freerolls change regularly. Some may offer the most regular freerolls, while others may organize more special and seasonal freerolls. Some online poker sites will also offer more satellite freerolls than others, so it’s important to find the one that offers the most freerolls that are suitable for you. Our list of online poker sites with freerolls will help you discover which one has the most suitable tournaments for you to take part in.
Why do poker sites offer freerolls?
Like other types of free bets, online poker sites offer freerolls for several reasons, with each type of freeroll serving a different purpose. New player freerolls are designed to help beginners get to grips with the game without being pitted against more experienced and talented players. Exclusive and invitational freerolls are a way for poker sites to reward loyal players, while regular freeroll tournaments are a good way to engage with players on a weekly or monthly basis. Satellite freeroll tournaments are organized because the site sponsors or hosts a real-money tournament and is using the freeroll as part of the marketing.
What sites have the best poker freeroll tournaments?
Each online poker site will offer freeroll tournaments that will appeal to different players. If you just want to play for fun and want a regular competition to take part in, a site offering weekly freerolls is likely best suited to you. Whereas players hoping to take part in a major real-money competition may find a satellite freeroll more appealing as they have an opportunity to earn free entry to it if they win. OddsChecker makes it easy for you to find the online poker site that has the best freerolls for you by comparing the offering from each. Just check out the table on this page to get started.
Are freerolls really free?
Yes. A poker freeroll tournament is a completely free tournament open to players of online poker sites. The only catch is that the size of the prize is typically much smaller than a tournament with a cash buy-in. Poker sites typically hold freerolls as part of their marketing and customer engagement activities, which is why they offer free prizes to the winner.
What prizes can you win in a freeroll tournament?
To be classed as a freeroll tournament, the winner must receive some sort of prize. It’s usually either cash or entry into a larger tournament. Be sure to check what’s on offer before you enter. Cash prizes are usually much smaller than in other tournaments because they’re free to enter, so don’t expect anything huge.
How do you win a freeroll tournament?
You win a freeroll in the same way you’d win any other poker tournament, by winning all of the chips in the game.
