It is always a good idea for players to review poker room or casino's policy for gaining free entries to these tournaments. Sometimes by playing 50 to 100 hands, you can meet requirements or standards for being given a freeroll. Or by being one of top ranked real money players for month, you can receive an invitation. On occasion one can be given an entry simply for being a member who plays with real money. The rewards for entering such tournaments can be huge such as receiving a seat to World Series of Poker, World Poker Tour or other major tournaments where entry fees range from $10,000 to $25,000. Others reward top finishers with real money cash and/or satellite entry to other cash prize tournaments.

Tournaments at land based casinos are becoming so popular that people are being turned away, with waits at some lasting two hours to get a table on weekends. Smaller land based casinos are promoting poker tournaments in order to capitalize on growing trend of game. Even though cut for house is pretty slim, they report increasing revenues by number of patrons who play other games, buy drinks and food. It is also allowing them to attract new players which are mostly twentysomethings and women which expands their customer base.