Well, the title of the thread is a bit sensational, but it is not far from the truth. For those who are not aware of what I'm talking about, on site 888 there is a series of tournaments called big fish, with prizes of up to 12,000 guaranteed. Tickets for these tournaments vary, there are 5.5, 16.5 and 33.3. To get these tickets there are satellites of 0.5, 1.65, and 3.3 respectively. Well, for these satellites there are free sub-satellites. These sub-satellites have a blind level that increases every 3 minutes and an initial stack of 1000 chips, so there is not much time to maneuver. Well, the fact is that these sub-satellites have several rebuys, for example in which you earn the entry of 3.3 you can buy 25000 chips at the start for 0.50. But also, once the rebuy time has passed, you can make an add-on ... of up to 300,000 chips per 0.75. I have seen that many people just buy the chips and wait, and yes, you can enter the prize just doing this, so you get an entry to a satellite of 3.3 by 1.25 without the need to play a single hand. In the 3.3 satellite it is different, there is no add-on and it is played with more seriousness. But the sub-satellite seems like a lie to me. I made the inverse test: I played the sub-satellite without putting a penny, and kept the first place until the time of the add-on. Then I went to place 120 in a tournament where they win the first 50. I managed to enter the prize, but I still think that it is not a very fair structure. That's why I think that these free sub-satellites are really a hoax, no matter how you play, but pay the add-ons, in which case it's a good deal.
Unfortunately this happens almost all over online poker. It is not exactly the lie, but
an illusion that one can get something for free ( or cheap ) but in reality you need to add a rebuy and addon to get somewhere.
I just treat these tournaments as the tournaments of a buy-in price
consisting of 3x rebuy+ addon, but generally do not join them to play, as I have also been outed by the players , who bought addons , not on 888 but other place though.
an illusion that one can get something for free ( or cheap ) but in reality you need to add a rebuy and addon to get somewhere.
I just treat these tournaments as the tournaments of a buy-in price
consisting of 3x rebuy+ addon, but generally do not join them to play, as I have also been outed by the players , who bought addons , not on 888 but other place though.
I also do not like much playing the satellite for the satellite for the satellite..... and so on. But I think, therefore it is always worth to check in the game lobby for what is this satellite at all. Also if you can play target tourney at all by place and time.
I love these sub-satellites, the only thing they take a lot of time for a little reward. But if you have cents and don't want to deposit again, they are great and easy way to qualify for a good tournament. Those are the cheapest and easiest satellites for target tournaments of these buyings among all the rooms. Amazing how people can complain just about anything.
And you can always check the lobby of the tournament before registering in it. I see no lie, neither small, nor big 🙂
And you can always check the lobby of the tournament before registering in it. I see no lie, neither small, nor big 🙂
There are a number of the sub satellites thought the day, so maybe you played at different hours than I had played, but you will definitely have to play to get this ticket even with all the add-ons. Sometimes it's easier done, sometimes not that easy, but I would not say that getting 3 add-ons secures you a seat.jadaminato said:
If you're playing them without rebuys or add ons then yes it is unlikely you will win a ticket. From my experience though they can be profitable if using rebuys and add ons. I've won quite a few tickets on 888 for the $5.50, $16.50 and $33 torunaments with these satellites. Whether it's worth the time or not I'm not sure. I suppose that's up to you to decide. For me, I've not had a huge starting bankroll so I feel like they are worth it.
You don't really have to rebuy to get the ticket, but you have to have a huge stack early if you want to get anything free out of it.
I don't think anything with rebuys and addons should even be called freerolls.
Just call them sub satellites to such and such trny..
If you're down to a few cents and looking get an easy ticket on 888, I find the step 1 pretty easy to get a 10 cent ticket from. It goes super fast too, so you don't spend ages to get 10 cents.
I don't think anything with rebuys and addons should even be called freerolls.
Just call them sub satellites to such and such trny..
If you're down to a few cents and looking get an easy ticket on 888, I find the step 1 pretty easy to get a 10 cent ticket from. It goes super fast too, so you don't spend ages to get 10 cents.
I think, PokerStars have something similar, where you enter for 1c, but then there are rebuys and add on for 25c or so. And yeah it is for sure a way of luring people into playing for more money, than they were perhaps anticipating, when they started and saw, it was "free" or 1c.
However I will say, that after signing up here at Cardschat it has been somewhat surpricing for me to learn, how many people seriously only play freerolls. Now look I dont want to offend anybody, but it should be very obvious, that without income from rake, there would be no poker sites for any of us to play on. So I am actually ok with poker sites trying to get some of these "freeriders" to contribute with just a few cents to the rake pool 😉
However I will say, that after signing up here at Cardschat it has been somewhat surpricing for me to learn, how many people seriously only play freerolls. Now look I dont want to offend anybody, but it should be very obvious, that without income from rake, there would be no poker sites for any of us to play on. So I am actually ok with poker sites trying to get some of these "freeriders" to contribute with just a few cents to the rake pool 😉
When I started playing again on 888 (with no bankroll) I played these but after I was chip leader going into the break and came out in like 100th position because of the $300k add-on I stopped playing these. I agree with DizzyDeb I don't think anything with rebuys and addons should even be called a freeroll.
But from 888s perspective they got to love it as they get additional profit from a freeroll.
But from 888s perspective they got to love it as they get additional profit from a freeroll.
iwont20 said:
Exactly...its called a freeBUY not freeROLL... your title is misleading or inaccurate. I would play for "free" (enter/register) and buy some chips(addon,rebuys when necessary). And yes it's possible to "manic" your way for free all the way to the target tournament. I freebought into the monsoon twice so far(max addons and few rb's) and once to the S.mega deep. Yes I "maniced" into the bigfishes, mostly the 5.50 version.
I also play them, but only from time to time. It takes a lot of time starting from the freebuy even if you last minute late register and add minimum add-ons to get next ticket. I've won the $5.50 ticket a few times, but not sure it was worth the time. So I do not play them often as they mostly start during daytime hours which I am usually occupied.
I would rather they are just satellites and even sub-satellites or freerolls. Really not keen on the freebuy concept mixing the two.
On the freebuy because you end up with such a huge field you realistically need to buy the 5x rebuy and 3x addons or however many it is. But because it also being used by people as a freeroll it mixes real trash play with shoving constantly not taking it seriously with people that are paying trying to win.
On the freebuy because you end up with such a huge field you realistically need to buy the 5x rebuy and 3x addons or however many it is. But because it also being used by people as a freeroll it mixes real trash play with shoving constantly not taking it seriously with people that are paying trying to win.
Missed my chance to rebuy in the $1.50 sat into the $16.50 Big Fish. Think some of these need to be more clearly labelled.
Tournament states 2nd chance as in reentry, cannot see it is a rebuy until going into the tournament info. It only allows 3 rebuys, but you you can rebuy with a full stack so it is a rebuy. Could be a lot clearer.
Tournament states 2nd chance as in reentry, cannot see it is a rebuy until going into the tournament info. It only allows 3 rebuys, but you you can rebuy with a full stack so it is a rebuy. Could be a lot clearer.
Attachments
In the end went into another of these "freebuys" thinking fine will try and win a seat into the $5.50. Realise an hour through it's a bloody sub-sat. If titled $5.50 Big Fish - Freebuy I think its a satellite into the $5.50 but it is only below it in the lobby window you see it is for a $0.50 cent ticket.
My mistake but this really should be titled as a sub satellite. Not the first time I have done this but suppose I am slow. Anyone else make this mistake?
My mistake but this really should be titled as a sub satellite. Not the first time I have done this but suppose I am slow. Anyone else make this mistake?
Last edited:
jadaminato said:
I have won one time without rebuying or adding on, out of about 150 tries. These are basically just a discount satellite, it does encourage rebuys and adding on. IF you do this it makes it really simple to win a cheap satellite ticket. They are a waste of time if you never rebuy or add on, just to hard to make it work, although it is possible I have done it once.
