Thoughts on Freeroll Tournaments – Worth the Time or Just for Fun?

[gcmv]

Hey all, been diving into freeroll tournaments lately and wanted to share some thoughts. I’ve been playing these pretty regularly over the past few months, mostly on a couple of the bigger online platforms. They’re obviously free to enter, which is a huge draw, but I’ve been wondering if they’re worth the time investment or if they’re just a casual way to kill an evening.
On one hand, the prize pools can be decent—sometimes you’re looking at a few hundred bucks or even tickets to bigger events. I’ve managed to cash out a couple of times, nothing life-changing, but enough to make it feel rewarding. The competition’s usually a mixed bag. You get a lot of newbies who are just there to mess around, which can be an advantage if you’ve got some basic strategy down. But then you’ve also got the grinders who treat every hand like it’s the WSOP final table. Makes for an interesting dynamic.
The downside? Time. These things can drag on for hours, especially if the field’s big. Last weekend, I played one with over 2,000 entrants—took nearly four hours to get into the money. By the end, I was exhausted, and the payout was barely enough to cover a decent dinner. Plus, the variance is wild. You can play perfectly and still bust early because someone calls your all-in with junk and hits a miracle river.
I’ve been keeping a rough log of my results—hours played versus winnings. So far, it’s averaging out to maybe $2-3 an hour if I’m lucky. Not exactly a goldmine, but I do enjoy the challenge of outlasting the chaos. It’s also been a good way to sharpen up my game without risking anything. I’ve noticed my patience improving, and I’m getting better at reading those loose players who overplay every pair.
Curious what you all think. Do you grind freerolls for the potential upside, or just jump in for the fun of it? Anyone tracked their results long-term to see if it’s actually profitable? I’m torn—part of me loves the free shot at something bigger, but another part wonders if I’d be better off putting that time into low-stakes cash games instead.

 

[Manni-Maker]

Hey all, been diving into freeroll tournaments lately and wanted to share some thoughts. I’ve been playing these pretty regularly over the past few months, mostly on a couple of the bigger online platforms. They’re obviously free to enter, which is a huge draw, but I’ve been wondering if they’re worth the time investment or if they’re just a casual way to kill an evening.
On one hand, the prize pools can be decent—sometimes you’re looking at a few hundred bucks or even tickets to bigger events. I’ve managed to cash out a couple of times, nothing life-changing, but enough to make it feel rewarding. The competition’s usually a mixed bag. You get a lot of newbies who are just there to mess around, which can be an advantage if you’ve got some basic strategy down. But then you’ve also got the grinders who treat every hand like it’s the WSOP final table. Makes for an interesting dynamic.
The downside? Time. These things can drag on for hours, especially if the field’s big. Last weekend, I played one with over 2,000 entrants—took nearly four hours to get into the money. By the end, I was exhausted, and the payout was barely enough to cover a decent dinner. Plus, the variance is wild. You can play perfectly and still bust early because someone calls your all-in with junk and hits a miracle river.
I’ve been keeping a rough log of my results—hours played versus winnings. So far, it’s averaging out to maybe $2-3 an hour if I’m lucky. Not exactly a goldmine, but I do enjoy the challenge of outlasting the chaos. It’s also been a good way to sharpen up my game without risking anything. I’ve noticed my patience improving, and I’m getting better at reading those loose players who overplay every pair.
Curious what you all think. Do you grind freerolls for the potential upside, or just jump in for the fun of it? Anyone tracked their results long-term to see if it’s actually profitable? I’m torn—part of me loves the free shot at something bigger, but another part wonders if I’d be better off putting that time into low-stakes cash games instead.

Gotta say, your take on freerolls nails it—fun vibe, but the time sink’s real. I mostly hit crypto casinos for these, and the prize pools can be juicy, especially when they toss in some BTC or ETH. Problem is, the grind’s brutal, and the payouts often feel like pocket change for the hours spent. I’ve tracked mine too, and it’s closer to $1.50/hr—hardly worth it unless you’re sharpening skills or just vibing. I’d rather spend that time on low-stakes crypto tables; feels like better odds for actual returns. You sticking with freerolls or eyeing something else?

 

[Longbay]

Look, you laid it out well, but let’s cut through the noise. Freerolls? They’re a trap dressed up as opportunity. You’re sinking hours— HOURS—into a meat grinder of variance, chasing crumbs that barely cover a burger. Your $2-3 an hour? That’s generous. Most grinders I know are scraping half that, and for what? A shot at a ticket to another slog or a payout that won’t even dent your rent. Time’s your currency, and freerolls are bleeding you dry.

The edge is thin. Sure, you’re dodging the newbies who shove with garbage, but the sharks are circling too, and they’re not there for fun. They’re farming those same weak players, and if you’re not razor-sharp, you’re just another fish. You mentioned improving patience and reads—great. But you’re honing skills in a circus where one bad beat can wipe four hours of solid play. That’s not progress; it’s masochism.

Here’s the math: let’s say a 2,000-player freeroll takes four hours, and you cash 10% of the time for, what, $20? That’s $0.50 an hour expected value, and that’s before you factor in the mental toll. Compare that to low-stakes cash games—$0.01/$0.02 blinds on a decent site. Play tight-aggressive, and even a modest win rate of 5 big blinds per 100 hands nets you $2-5 an hour with way less swing. Plus, you’re not tethered to a tournament schedule; you dip when you want.

You’re tracking results, which is smart, but zoom out. If your hourly rate’s that low, freerolls are a hobby, not a hustle. The real kicker? Those hours you’re burning could be spent studying hands, running sims, or grinding stakes where your edge actually pays. Freerolls might feel like a free shot, but they’re costing you time you’ll never get back. Ditch the chaos. Move to cash games or even micro MTTs with buy-ins. You’ll thank yourself when your bankroll isn’t a rollercoaster. So, what’s it gonna be—keep chasing mirages or start playing for real?