How Rankings Affect a Tournament Bonus
When it comes to the notorious tournament bonus that many venues award, it sometimes helps to understand the formula with which the figures are calculated. The following information is an example that is used by just one website, so it may not apply to all venues. However, it will provide knowledge about the ways in which rankings affect the size of the prizes.
The two things that are typically used to calculate the tournament bonus in casinos are the points earned in the current set of games as well as the average rating. Now, different venues will use these things differently; one venue may take 50% from the current set of games and 50% from the average to calculate a ranking but this varies. In fact, most sway toward using a larger percentage of the points earned in the current tournament which is designed to help players who may not have started off their careers strongly.
Most of the time, when a tournament bonus is provided, it is based upon the ranking for the current game. Two things are also considered here: points are awarded based upon the player's overall placement and additional points are awarded for the game record. This is done so that players who might finish in the same place can be differentiated. Thus, if two players finish in 14th place, the winnings are awarded to each player based upon his or her overall record. Multipliers may then be added based upon the number of players that were in the game when it first started, too, and this can boost the tournament bonus in casinos significantly for those who choose to participate in large groups.
Next, it is important to note that not all venues calculate these things in the same why. While the information above relates to the standard formula, or the things that casinos consider when it comes time to award prizes, there are some that will give out additional prizes to people who maintain a first place ranking for a certain period of time, who climb to the top of the game after having been ranked as an underdog, and even to people who are knocked out of the game with an opponent's exceptionally rare hand. Of course, this doesn't usually go into figuring the basic bonus and these prizes are awarded above and beyond the typical prizes.
The ways in which different venues rank their players vary, but one thing is for certain: players who take the time to play smart and who win consistently will earn consistently large prizes. Placing high is important here, but even if an individual never wins a single game, a second or third place pot isn't always a bad thing. Even finishing in fifth or sixth place consistently can help boost an individual's ranking and help him or her to win bigger prizes in the future. It is encouraged to check the ways in which prizes are awarded in specific venues before participating.