Blackjack tournaments are fun because it is exciting to compete against other players and not just against the house. Usually, daily or weekly tournaments take place in the casinos, with the object of attracting more players to them. The daily tournaments normally charge only a modest fee and are only offered occasionally by casinos. You may sometimes even find free tournaments.

Sometimes these are invitational tournaments held by the casinos to reward loyal players. These are not meant for the general public and entry is by invitation only, and they can last for two to three days.

Take certain factors into consideration before entering a tournament.

Find out the prizes

If you are paying a fee to enter, then find out how much is being returned to players. The best tournaments that you should consider entering return the entire entry fee in the shape of prizes to the participants.

The casinos should return most of the entry fees because the object of holding tournaments is to attract more players to their establishments and to make more profit from the larger number of players and their games.

The casinos should list out the prizes they are offering and pass on the information to the players before they enter the tournament. Have a look at the prizes and figure out how much they are returning to the players. If it is a free tournament, consider if participation is worthwhile.

Find out the rules

Different tournaments are run differently, so find out the rules before you enter, such as the number of rounds that will be played, how long they will last, and what prizes will be given out. Tournaments often have a welcome party if they go on for a few days and the rules are made known to the players at the party.

How much will it cost you?

Will the casino give you tournament chips or will you have to use your own money? The tournaments using chips give the players some amount of starting chips. In some other tournaments, the players have to play with their own money.

Registration

In some tournaments, you will be signing up in advance. In the smaller tournaments, registration takes place a few hours before the beginning of the tournament. Other casinos pre qualify players and send them email notices. You pay the entry fee and are given the time, table assignment etc at the registration. Any queries you may have regarding rules etc should be asked at this time, before the tournament begins.