How to Play Spin & Go Tournaments
The Spin & Go is an exciting new version of a Sit N Go tournament involving only 3 players at a table. Each player starts with 500 chips in their stacks at a 10/20 blind level, and blinds go up every 3 minutes. So as you can imagine, these tournament go FAST.
Generally, the winner of the tournament wins the entire prize pool. Players buy in for a given amount and just before playing, the prize pool is determined. This can run from 2x to 10,000x, meaning that if it is your lucky day, you can turn your $100 buy-in to $1 Million. PokerStars estimates that about six players per year do just that on its platform. It is estimated that PokerStars runs an estimated 130 Million Spin & Go games each year.
Most of these games come with a mere 2x multiplier. Given a 3 way game and the winner-take-all format, the numbers are generally against you. However, the speed of the format and the possibility of a rare high multiplier keep players coming in at an incredibly high rate.
In some Spin & Gos, level length is dependent upon the "prize pool multiplier." For instance, if the prize pool is 2x the buy-in, levels may only last 2-3 minutes. At higher prize multipliers, the level length will be 5 minutes or longer.
Spin & Go tournaments can be found on most online poker websites, under various names. America's Cardroom calls it "Jackpot Poker", GG Poker calls it "Spin & Gold", and Ignition Poker calls it a "Jackpot Sit & Go".
In recent years, sites have added an even faster game if 3-minute levels are too long for you. Winamax's Espresso Turbo and Poker Stars' Spin & Go Flash offer games with a mere 1-minute blind level.
In general, Spin & Go payouts and probabilities change with the stakes. Not only do the higher buy-ins yield bigger prizes, but the probabilities also vary. Don't forget about the rake! At higher buy-ins, the Spin & Go rake is usually less than at the lower buy-ins. On Poker Stars, the rake is 8% at the lowest buy-ins and 5% at the highest. You can check out the Spin-N-Go payouts and probabilities we use here on our site.
There is a definite strategy to mastering Spin & Go tournaments. And knowing this strategy can give you a big edge over a pool that is made up of a lot of novices and loose aggressive players. Check out the next article in our series, to learn how we can help you master the Spin & Go form. Maybe YOU will be the next Spin & Go millionaire!
[Note: Our site is for training purposes and does not offer real money play. Check your local laws for the legality of any of the real money sites mentioned in this article.]