Is it Really Worth Playing Online Poker Freerolls ?
The short answer IMHO is a definate No ... But it would be a very short article without further explaination of my thoughts on why its not worth playing freerolls and why playing them is for the most part a waste of time if your a half decent player.
Playing freerolls is probably the first experience most players have of online poker. Maybe with a brief spell at the play money tables ... donkey festival where you will gain nothing but alot of bad habits.
Whilst I have nothing against people who only play at play money tables or only in freerolls - After all that's over 60% of players online ... They are the worst place to learn to play winning poker.
The longer a player spends at play tables the worse they will become as a player and this also applies to freerolls to a lesser extent but none the less it's not the place to get tips.
I make no apology for my views on play tables and freerolls - Because if your reading this article it is a clear indication that you want to become a better player and not pick up the bad habits that will tempt you into play that will create a consistent loser.
Freerolls and play money only offer one thing - The short term chance to try out new sites for free to get familar with the software, layout and decide if it is a site you want to play at more regularly ... So sure download several sites, try them, get used to them - But then deposit and get into the real games where you can make real money.
Freerolls on the surface offer the chance of free money
without ever depositing - But is it really worth it ?
My simple answer is no - Winning freerolls involves a disproportionate amount of time spent playing relative to money you win.
"But it's free money" you say ... Is it really ?
There are alot of really useful lessons we can all learn about bankroll management from the pro poker player Chris Ferguson in his recent experiment to turn zero bankroll into $10K - see The Chris Ferguson Challenge.
But it's also worth noting that in his quest from zero to 10K it took him 7 months to get his bankroll up to $6.50
and thats a fulltilt poker pro. It then took him a further 9 months to turn $6.50 into 10K ...
Now if you had 9 months to play poker would you rather invest $6.50 and turn it into 10K or start with nothing and end up with a little over $6.50 ?
Exactly - put like that suddenly freerolls just don't make sense ... If your good enough to win money in freerolls you could definately be making more money quicker for the sake of a relatively small investment.
If you earn the minimum wage or anything above your quite simply better off putting in a few hours overtime to make the money to deposit at a poker site rather than play endless hours of freerolls.
The most important thing with playing for real money is to look after it - dont put more than 5% into any one game which means with a $50 deposit you'll be playing in the smallest, low stakes games you can, making the max buy-in of $2.50 or similar $2.20 SnG's
That $50 deposit would take you a year to earn playing freerolls - If your hourly wage at work is $5 thats only 10 hours work and a far better use of your time.
With careful play you shouldnt go bust in a hurry and you'll find if you had the patience to finish in the money on freerolls you'll be amply rewarded in the real money games.
I appreciate that for many players freerolls are
an enjoyable way to kill time but if your playing online poker to make money, however small your expectations they're rarely worth the time involved.
In short try new sites, play a couple of freerolls but for heaven sake if you want to make money dont waste your life away in them - get your overtime in and get your wallet out.
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