Why Do Poker Players in Tourneys If They Don’t Always Win?

Poker tournaments simply captivate their audiences. University students weight the decisions to abandon their studies to play the game and try their luck at the World Series of Online Poker. 

Hundreds of thousands of other players compete online and no, they don’t always win. Yet, poker tournaments are multiplying at a rapid pace. There is an increased number of events taking place round-the-clock both in-person and online.

The number of players to actually win isn’t that big, but players are still motivated – because they know that their personal skill and understanding of poker can land them a big pot of cash, and that is what motivates them to try again, and again – and again. 

Here are the top reasons why poker players keep coming back to poker tournaments even if they know that the competition is quite stiff and that the chances of success – while somewhat in their control – are often long.

Poker Tournaments Are About Skill

Poker tournaments are about the ability to assert yourself and to leverage your skill and knowledge – in poker and beyond – to get the best possible results. The fact that poker is such a skill-based game, though, has motivated many players to try harder at being a bit better at it. 

And, poker tournaments are the right place to go and practice, trying to figure out how to outsmart your opponents and even answer yourself honestly – if the game really has as much depth as you think it does. The fact that skill plays such a big role in tournaments, though, is a big motivator for many competitive players. 

They are motivated by the idea of delivering on impeccable results by simply taking a closer, harder look at the odds, and figuring out what their best next move is. The game is not about winning a series of individual hands, it’s about winning the right hands, and poker tournaments are a great way to see if you have the foresight and experience to tell the two apart.

The Money You Pay Is Small

Now, the truth of the matter is that poker tournaments aren’t too expensive to join. In other words, you will be able to compete in such events without too much trouble. Some tournaments can offer huge prize money and still be very affordable. Online poker sites usually host events that ask for small buy-ins, such as the ones you will find at BetOnline and Ignition.

In fact, BetOnline and Ignition have been recognized as the best online poker sites for 2023/2024, which means that they bring tons of awesome tournaments for you to try your hand at. Back to our original point, though, the money you invest to play even in the most expensive events is outweighed by the promise of a huge payday if you ever climb to the top.

For example, some events may ask you for a $500 buy-in but have a guaranteed prize pool of at least $1,000,00. The actual prize money will accrue from all the buy-ins and may even exceed the guaranteed value, which is a great way to enjoy poker. To put it this way, the money you will pay to play poker is usually just a fraction of what you stand to win if you make it in the final rounds of a poker tournaments, and hence the interest.

There Is Thrill to the Whole Thing

Tournaments are exciting affairs. You can play them privately online or… you can head over to the World Series of Poker, book your accommodation and be part of the roaring poker fun that is taking place over several weeks, usually in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The fact of the matter is that no matter how far you make it in poker tournaments, it’s fun to get together with other players who love the game as much as you do – and are perhaps willing to impart a few useful pieces of advice.

Of course, you won’t always take home all the money you win from a poker tournament, but the fact of the matter is that there is still plenty to be won and the atmosphere is quite worthwhile if you truly enjoy poker and want to play in some events neck-and-neck with other like-minded individuals.

Many Players Are Hopeful

This may seem like an odd reason to play, but the truth is that many players who attend poker tournaments are very much aware that their odds of winning are indeed slim. This is not because luck has much to play with it – many of the players are fairly new to the game, or not nearly as advanced.

Yet, they do have a competitive spirit and yes, they do hope to make it further into the events so that they can win back at least as much as they paid to participate. There is a feeling of hopefulness among the majority of players that perhaps through a few lucky draws, and a few smart decisions, they can indeed end up ahead in the game and make the best possible decision.

Players who are new to the experience will definitely enjoy themselves as well, as it would probably be their first taste of competitive and fierce poker. Hopefulness is a truly great motivator and one of the main reasons why you will see players try their hand at competitive poker indeed.