(Most)Freerolls are a waste of time

Ishnock · May 30, 2020

Seriously, they are a waste of time, where you even lose money if you win. Most of the FRs on poker sites have a 50 to 100.00 prize pool, where the top person gets 7 to 10.00.

All the Cons-

- They take forever, even longer than most tourneys, because they have several levels of late registration. I've seen some with close to 40 levels of late registration, because the freeroll offered re-buy ins.

- It will take a long time to get ITM, and when you do get ITM, it will be for pennies. I have never won a FR, but I have finished ITM, where I was like top 30 or something, and I won 85 cents or so. I played a 1.00 buy-in tourney with a prize pool of 1000.00. I finished top 40, I believe, and I won 3.80. I played that same tourney again, finished top 5, and won 35.00 dollars. Top 5 in a FR is around 3 or 4 dollars. I got more money for similar finishes in the buy-in tourneys.

- You also losing money ( time is money) on them, because you're putting forth tons of mental labor over long periods of time, for either pennies on the dollar, or for no money at all.

- The hand play from villains is Kamikazee style, because the game is free, and the buy-ins are micro cheap. From the start of the tourney, you will be forced to dodge shoves on 1 out of every 6 to 7 hands or so.

Maybe the exclusive club FR are worth it, but they are still insanely time consuming just to get a low payout.

People will recommend FRs for the purpose of gaining real play experience. But I disagree with that as well. You can get the same experience by playing with play money, or playing against people on a poker phone App.

roystone · May 30, 2020

...and if you had finished with similar results in a tournament that had a $1000 entry fee you would have won so much more!!!
The clue is in the name of it....free-roll.
You win some money for zero financial risk. That's why it is worth it.
Some players play for the enjoyment of playing a challenging game and any money they win is a bonus.
Some play only for financial reward, those players should probably avoid freerolls and just work an hour of overtime at work. It will be far more profitable.

Sure_whynot · May 30, 2020

Not waste of time.

My opinion freeroll aren't a waste of time.
Yes they're long and the prizes are little, however you build up confidence, as well mix your game.

Meh that's just me.

pepsilv · May 30, 2020

Freeroll is worthy if you want to start a bankroll withouth doing a deposit.

najisami · May 30, 2020

Hey Ishnok,
You mentioned some acceptable arguments defending your opinion, but those freerolls are still looked at differently from other perspectives. You sound like you've been around since you get ITM in small buy-in MTTs, but think about players looking to get some experience or who don't have any money.
And we can also think about the few that do build a little bankroll out of those freerolls you are dismissing as a waste of time.

pedrovitorcosta · May 30, 2020

I hope you don't believe that a free entry tournament will make you rich right?
The vast majority in free entry tournaments are people who play as a hobby

steveeeee · May 30, 2020

Ishnock said:
Seriously, they are a waste of time, where you even lose money if you win. Most of the FRs on poker sites have a 50 to 100.00 prize pool, where the top person gets 7 to 10.00.

All the Cons-

- They take forever, even longer than most tourneys, because they have several levels of late registration. I've seen some with close to 40 levels of late registration, because the freeroll offered re-buy ins.

- It will take a long time to get ITM, and when you do get ITM, it will be for pennies. I have never won a FR, but I have finished ITM, where I was like top 30 or something, and I won 85 cents or so. I played a 1.00 buy-in tourney with a prize pool of 1000.00. I finished top 40, I believe, and I won 3.80. I played that same tourney again, finished top 5, and won 35.00 dollars. Top 5 in a FR is around 3 or 4 dollars. I got more money for similar finishes in the buy-in tourneys.

- You also losing money ( time is money) on them, because you're putting forth tons of mental labor over long periods of time, for either pennies on the dollar, or for no money at all.

- The hand play from villains is Kamikazee style, because the game is free, and the buy-ins are micro cheap. From the start of the tourney, you will be forced to dodge shoves on 1 out of every 6 to 7 hands or so.

Maybe the exclusive club FR are worth it, but they are still insanely time consuming just to get a low payout.

People will recommend FRs for the purpose of gaining real play experience. But I disagree with that as well. You can get the same experience by playing with play money, or playing against people on a poker phone App.

as a retired person who plays ton sof freerolls, its great mind games fer me . I love the challenges of getting peoples goats (slang) sometimes makes a few pennies which doesnt even count in my country to losing and upsetting you to the end. If you get pissed of for losing then you shouldnt even start to play play fer enjoyment of the game donk3443

pawelmad9 · May 30, 2020

I will be broke if not frerrollls from this site

Garfield52 · May 30, 2020

I like playing the freerolls because it is a great way to pass the time. At my age I am not in a hurry to go anywhere especially in these times of Covid 19. If I happen to win a few pennies then all the better.

Ishnock · May 30, 2020

pedrovitorcosta said:
I hope you don't believe that a free entry tournament will make you rich right?
The vast majority in free entry tournaments are people who play as a hobby

It’s just a matter of math. The FRs are going to have a bigger field of villains, a low payout if I get through that field, and will also be a platform of bad poker playing.

I just think the cons heavily outweigh the pros.

I don’t know any serious poker player who has built up a bankroll off playing freerolls. Now if you want to say they are for having fun and enjoyment of the game, okay, I will accept that. But even thats questionable because of the reckless style of play.

I wasted so much time playing FR and winning
pennies, as soon as I started focusing on buy ins only, the play was ten times better as well a the payout.

I just feel you better off depositing 25.00, and entering 1 buy ins on up to truly build a bankroll, and to experience quality poker playing.

Davey_H · May 30, 2020

as well as time, don't forget the power it wastes, whatever device you're playing on

Davey_H · May 30, 2020

from my admittedly little experience, they do seem to attract loose players. Or usually tight/strategic players are encouraged to play loosing because it's a free game

"loosely", not "loosing"sorry!

Herkstwin · May 30, 2020

I have been a real money player on pokerstars for over 10 years. This is the first year I made deposit. When I started, it was play money and free rolls. I gradually built my bankroll and then gradually lost most of it.
Recently, a group of friends set up a PokerStars Home Game. The buy-in was larger than my bankroll, so I finally made a deposit.
Free rolls were not a waste of time for me. They helped me learn and develop my game.

amatola · May 30, 2020

For me not only did I start my br from freerolls I also learned alot. But sure, it is pennies and it takes hours and hours, for many the time would not be worth it. There also could be an argument that you will learn quicker (and be more careful) if you risking your own money.

Purplereign_ · May 30, 2020

Freerolls

Not sure yet, I haven't done many.

lolshovaments · May 30, 2020

Without a doubt, most of freerolls.

Roller · May 30, 2020

I think there is a huge difference between poker site Freerolls (anyone can enter) versus Forum Freerolls (members can only enter). As long as proper expectations are set so one isn't expecting to get more out of a Freeroll then it can give then they are what they are.

Ishnock · May 30, 2020

Roller said:
I think there is a huge difference between Poker Site Freerolls (anyone can enter) versus Forum Freerolls (members can only enter). As long as proper expectations are set so one isn't expecting to get more out of a Freeroll then it can give then they are what they are.

Hmm.. I have never played in a forum freeroll, because, you know, you have to put up "ELEVENTY" million posts in order to gain access to the password.

Yeah, I'm talking about you, Cardchat.

DS3 · May 30, 2020

Ishnock said:
Hmm.. I have never played in a forum freeroll, because, you know, you have to put up "ELEVENTY" million posts in order to gain access to the password.

Yeah, I'm talking about you, Cardchat.

Well that pretty much sums it up doesn't it? You end with a sarcastic comment about CardsChat because apparently 75 posts is too steep a hill to climb (is that what this is all about?).

However, like others who appear on these boards with a complete lack of self awareness, here you are on CardsChat knocking free rolls, when free rolls are in essence what drives the site (?). Staff working 7 days a week to provide members with the best selection of private free rolls available.

CardsChat 'organizes' at bare minimum a few hundred dollars, day in and out, for members to build and supplement bankrolls. Over the course of the year this amounts to tens of thousands of dollars.

I think it safe to say the majority of members deeply appreciate the effort involved. As the matter of playing free rolls is put in a negative light by a handful of members one can only conclude a tiny minority don't appreciate the effort.

Which would beg the question why even bother with membership?

CaptainXL · May 30, 2020

roystone said:
...and if you had finished with similar results in a tournament that had a $1000 entry fee you would have won so much more!!!
The clue is in the name of it....free-roll.
You win some money for zero financial risk. That's why it is worth it.
Some players play for the enjoyment of playing a challenging game and any money they win is a bonus.
Some play only for financial reward, those players should probably avoid freerolls and just work an hour of overtime at work. It will be far more profitable.

Yes, all of this. You cannot lose money. For most real money players, poker takes more time and money than they realize. If you find playing fun, you have fun for no money, which is a win all around. If you are one of the few people capable of winning more than minimum wage playing poker, you know which freerolls not to bother with, perhaps most or all of them. If not, all poker is a waste of time monetarily when you could work instead.

jorgejarapy · May 30, 2020

For me these tournaments are more like learning, since it is different from playing with play money, because if you pay dedication you may end up being rewarded with learning and a little money

Ishnock · May 30, 2020

DS3 said:
Well that pretty much sums it up doesn't it? You end with a sarcastic comment about CardsChat because apparently 75 posts is too steep a hill to climb (is that what this is all about?).

However, like others who appear on these boards with a complete lack of self awareness, here you are on CardsChat knocking free rolls, when free rolls are in essence what drives the site (?). Staff working 7 days a week to provide members with the best selection of private free rolls available.

CardsChat 'organizes' at bare minimum a few hundred dollars, day in and out, for members to build and supplement bankrolls. Over the course of the year this amounts to tens of thousands of dollars.

I think it safe to say the majority of members deeply appreciate the effort involved. As the matter of playing free rolls is put in a negative light by a handful of members one can only conclude a tiny minority don't appreciate the effort.

Which would beg the question why even bother with membership?

You just exaggerated the entire post. The comment about Cardschat was tongue and cheek.

Also, that is my opinion on freerolls, which was a mature, clear presentation, and everyone else gave a mature clear response.

So, lets keep that going if you don't mind. There will always be several different opinions.

hugh blair · May 30, 2020

Ishnock said:
Seriously, they are a waste of time, where you even lose money if you win. Most of the FRs on poker sites have a 50 to 100.00 prize pool, where the top person gets 7 to 10.00.

All the Cons-

- They take forever, even longer than most tourneys, because they have several levels of late registration. I've seen some with close to 40 levels of late registration, because the freeroll offered re-buy ins.

- It will take a long time to get ITM, and when you do get ITM, it will be for pennies. I have never won a FR, but I have finished ITM, where I was like top 30 or something, and I won 85 cents or so. I played a 1.00 buy-in tourney with a prize pool of 1000.00. I finished top 40, I believe, and I won 3.80. I played that same tourney again, finished top 5, and won 35.00 dollars. Top 5 in a FR is around 3 or 4 dollars. I got more money for similar finishes in the buy-in tourneys.

- You also losing money ( time is money) on them, because you're putting forth tons of mental labor over long periods of time, for either pennies on the dollar, or for no money at all.

- The hand play from villains is Kamikazee style, because the game is free, and the buy-ins are micro cheap. From the start of the tourney, you will be forced to dodge shoves on 1 out of every 6 to 7 hands or so.

Maybe the exclusive club FR are worth it, but they are still insanely time consuming just to get a low payout.

People will recommend FRs for the purpose of gaining real play experience. But I disagree with that as well. You can get the same experience by playing with play money, or playing against people on a poker phone App.

One game 4 or 5000 players $100 prizepool agree with you maybe not worth it I do not get too concerned about time spent on one ten or 50 freerolls even to be honest though just another screen open when it is easy to open a half dozen.
Volume is the key and what I focus on aiming to play 4000 freerolls a year up to 100k prizepools for some freerolls winning $2000 to $10000+ with buy ins played also with freeroll winnings that is the backbone to my annual schedule, regardless of the fact I can afford to make a risky $5000 deposit and grind $50 to $100 buy ins regularly.
Risk versus reward over a long period such as a year is important to me.
Without patience time is money can quickly turn into losing a lot of money over time.

nellorossi83 · May 30, 2020

I just play freerolls... I agree... waste of time... is this why I play poker. To waste time and get fun for some hours.

DS3 · May 30, 2020

Ishnock said:
You just exaggerated the entire post. The comment about Cardschat was tongue and cheek.

Also, that is my opinion on freerolls, which was a mature, clear presentation, and everyone else gave a mature clear response.

So, lets keep that going if you don't mind. There will always be several different opinions.

I did not exaggerate and I was civil. You are on CardsChat knocking free rolls- was the irony lost on you?

A few additions on the calculator will reveal daily, weekly and monthly free rolls through CardsChat pay out well over $100,000 per annum to members. I can't think of a similar endeavor which is as generous to it's membership. It's therefore churlish to start a thread in CardsChat itself when so many (staff and mods) put their time and energy into bringing such opportunities to the members....for free.

I have no issue whatsoever with anyone being disinterested in playing free rolls or deeming them a waste of their time. Understandable. However if someone opts to undermine what is at the core, the raison d'etre of CardsChat, on CardsChat itself, I will always counter with my opinion.

(Most)Freerolls are a waste of time

Ishnock

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roystone

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Sure_whynot

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pepsilv

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najisami

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pedrovitorcosta

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Garfield52

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Ishnock

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Davey_H

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Davey_H

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Herkstwin

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amatola

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Ishnock

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