Joined: Jan '11
Location: United States
Age: 60 (M)
Posts: 3361
It's taken until today for me to realize that I sometimes spend 3 hours plus playing in Freerolls in an attempt to win anywhere from 13.50 to $27.50 if you win it. And, let's face it, most of the time I'm winning $0.35 to $1.00. So all I'm saying is I think I'm done with these daily Freerolls that eat up time and pay very little. I do play for fun, but I think I'll just play my $1.10 to $5.50 SnG's and some MTT's that are worth the time it takes. I know it's different if someone is starting without any cash so the Freerolls provide a stepping stone, but I'm not needing this so good luck to those who have the time.
Joined: Nov '12
Location: Canada
Age: 55 (M)
Posts: 4675
Posted by Greenmohave: It's taken until today for me to realize that I sometimes spend 3 hours plus playing in Freerolls in an attempt to win anywhere from 13.50 to $27.50 if you win it. And, let's face it, most of the time I'm winning $0.35 to $1.00. So all I'm saying is I think I'm done with these daily Freerolls that eat up time and pay very little. I do play for fun, but I think I'll just play my $1.10 to $5.50 SnG's and some MTT's that are worth the time it takes. I know it's different if someone is starting without any cash so the Freerolls provide a stepping stone, but I'm not needing this so good luck to those who have the time.
I must agree with you that in general they are not worth your time unless you have no cash and can not make a deposit. Well then you do what you gotta do eh mate Be cool and good luck too you at the tables. I am gonna get drunk and splash some play money chips around.
Joined: Apr '11
Location: Romania
Age: 35 (M)
Posts: 6669
Of course they aren't worth your time !
Frerolls are good for people can can't afford to deposit or for people that do not want to deposit. If you are not part of these two categories don't waste your time with them
Joined: Sep '12
Location: India
Age: 32 (M)
Posts: 335
The freerolls are worthy to people who cant afford to make a deposit or cant deposit !!
So ,investing a lot of time with freerolls is a sheer waste of time !! Even if you win you cant cash out much from them !! Its a donk festival with and all in fiesta !!
Joined: May '08
Location: Germany
Age: 59 (M)
Posts: 6786
If it is the only thing you play at that time; no. But it can be a nice addition to other games. One can't expect to win a lot of money with freerolls play.
Consider that poker sites make a profit, and lots of it. This is paid for by lots of losing players. There are also winning players, and bonusses, promotions, and freerolls that need to be paid.
All this is paid for by you (not "you" personally, but anyone that has put more money into poker, than has gotten out of it). Following this logic, winning players must be the exception.
So why is it so bad to play freerolls? At least you''ll be a winning player, at something you love...
My bankroll is over $500, almost exclusively from freerolls and BRM, and I never spent a single cent. I'm not at all convinced I'd do any better playing cash or buyin MTTs...
Joined: Apr '09
Location: Australia
Age: 40 (M)
Posts: 6483
Depends how you look at it:
As a way of earning money? NO - definitely not, your hourly is absolutely terrible, the worst paying job in almost any country is going to give you a better hourly wage than grinding freerolls.
As a way of learning the game? Yes, sure. It's a free way to learn the ropes, with occasional small cash prizes that allow you to play some real money games as well.
I do think once you're familiar enough with the basics though, it's really time to move on from the freerolls - make a deposit, or whatever - but don't get stuck on the freerolls, no good will come of it.
Joined: Mar '11
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 39 (M)
Posts: 1646
i think freerolls are a nice break from a downswing. your not investing any of your own money so you don't have to get stressed about making the money or when you get a bad beat. you can change the way you play and just have fun with it. if you do make the money or even win it, its a nice boost to your confidence without having made an investment.
that's what i've done lately. i was running terribly so i started playing more of the brm freerolls and my game has come back, as well as my confidence, because of it. so don't rule them out all together. they do make a nice change sometimes.
Joined: Nov '12
Location: Canada
Age: 55 (M)
Posts: 4675
Posted by bullettooth1: i think freerolls are a nice break from a downswing. your not investing any of your own money so you don't have to get stressed about making the money or when you get a bad beat. you can change the way you play and just have fun with it. if you do make the money or even win it, its a nice boost to your confidence without having made an investment.
that's what i've done lately. i was running terribly so i started playing more of the brm freerolls and my game has come back, as well as my confidence, because of it. so don't rule them out all together. they do make a nice change sometimes.
Well i think I like the way you are looking at things there mate. I admit that when I play a freeroll that I do not feel any stress. I do not even care if I win or lose, it is just something to do for a while to waste a few hours playing poker. I sometimes play freerolls just to be a donk myself It is the old idea od ya cant beat then join em lol
Joined: Apr '11
Location: Romania
Age: 58 (M)
Posts: 2432
If you have money to invest in poker is not worth to play freerolls,special low prizes ones,like BRM freeroll on Pokerstars.Tons of bingo situations,no learning from this type of game,and the income is worthless. But are some freerolls with bigger prizes,password protected,rare but worth playing. Do what you like and get paid for it
Joined: Aug '12
Location: Slovakia
Age: 36 (M)
Posts: 688
Freerols are good for beginners. Not to learn from them, cause very often its complete donkfest, but to try things which you read in some book or saw in some tutorial. And ofcourse its for people like me, who dont want to spend any money on poker, they want just to play it for fun Or for people who cant afford deposit.
Joined: Aug '10
Location: Germany
Age: 52 (M)
Posts: 2219
Freerolls are a good way to rebuild a little bankroll or for a little challenge, from x to y par example. And the next step was to start in the micro levels and try some new games like sng´s or mtt´s.
Joined: Nov '11
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 67 (M)
Posts: 3361
i still play the freerolls although not as much as i used to as i have now deposited in various rooms,they are ok if you are playing other tourneys or something as well but i wouldn't play them just on their own as they take so long and unless you make the ft the payouts are not very good, even then it's still not great.
Joined: May '08
Location: Lithuania
Age: 39 (M)
Posts: 10090
free has a price too u know...you either pay with your time/take somesh1tty offer/lose lots of quality etc. anyways getting back to the question: i would say yes & no- yes if you're just starting out, want to have a feel for the game, learning new game type or are completely broke/or want to start your roll from $0 (u know those $0- $10.000 goals ). no in all other cases.
Joined: Jan '11
Location: United States
Age: 60 (M)
Posts: 3361
Posted by bullettooth1: i think freerolls are a nice break from a downswing. your not investing any of your own money so you don't have to get stressed about making the money or when you get a bad beat. you can change the way you play and just have fun with it. if you do make the money or even win it, its a nice boost to your confidence without having made an investment.
that's what i've done lately. i was running terribly so i started playing more of the brm freerolls and my game has come back, as well as my confidence, because of it. so don't rule them out all together. they do make a nice change sometimes.
That is a great way to look at it. I guess I got a bit frustrated when I posted the thread due to making it down to the top 50 three times this past week and only making top 30 once to profit $0.35. I have about 9 hours in that. I was just thinking I'm wasting time, but it is good practice or as you say, a confidence builder. I just have a BR and seemed to think it wwas a waste of time. Good Luck to All and Merry Christmas / Happy New Year.
Joined: Mar '11
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 39 (M)
Posts: 1646
Even when I had over a grand in my bankroll I still used to play the odd freeroll. Because some days I wanted to play poker but couldn't be bothered to play my A game. Do you know what I mean? Don't let yourself get stressed about it. Just play those to have some fun (you don't need the money) It's just like playing with play chips: pointless but fun! Good luck on and off the felts and a very merry Christmas
Joined: Jan '12
Location: Slovenia
Age: 32 (M)
Posts: 1400
I think they are worth to play to build your bankroll if you don't have money to deposit. When you have the money just play with real money and freerolls for fun or maybe some with bigger prize pools like 5,10k. I got the about 500$ from freerolls, the bigest prize was 1. place in 888poker for 320$ 2-3 months ago.
Joined: Mar '09
Location: Greece
Age: 47 (F)
Posts: 14136
Unless its a freerol where you can win some good money it doesnt worth the hours spent. Not too many freerolls out there now that worth investing time. But if you dont want to deposit then its a way to start building, but no playing them forever.