Freerolls Are Not Just for Beginners

Houbi37 · Mar 21, 2026

Many players underestimate freerolls.
But with big fields and real prizes, they can be a great way to build experience and even a bankroll.
Do you still play freerolls regularly?

Goggelheimer · Mar 21, 2026

Freerolls get a bad rap, but honestly, every hand you play is another chance to sharpen your instincts.
Big fields force you to stay disciplined, adjust to different player types, and manage variance—skills that matter in any format.
I still jump into them now and then because free practice with real stakes is never wasted time.
If you treat every game as training, freerolls can quietly become one of the best tools for leveling up your game.

oroochimaru · Mar 21, 2026

Houbi37 said:
Many players underestimate freerolls.
But with big fields and real prizes, they can be a great way to build experience and even a bankroll.
Do you still play freerolls regularly?

I have been grinding freerolls for years now and honestly, its one of the most low stress ways to enjoy the game. There is something really nice about jumping into a tournament knowing you dont have to risk a single cent of your own money. Worst case scenario, I lose a couple of hours, no big deal. Best case, I walk away with a few dollars, which actually adds up more than people think.

On average, I end up making around $20–$50 a month just from these games. Its not life changing money, but for something thats essentially free to play, I will take it. Its like a small side bonus for time I would probably spend gaming anyway.

Another huge advantage is the freedom to experiment. I can test new strategies, play styles or even just mess around without worrying about bankroll management. Its a great learning environment. If you are patient and consistent, freerolls can actually be pretty rewarding.

tuitui · Mar 21, 2026

I agree with oroochimaru, exploring strategies without a risk is a great aspect of freerolls. Satellite freerolls also provide a way to win expensive seats. Unfortunately I spend too much time on random playing with a little focus, that's kind of stupid waste of time.

austral · Mar 22, 2026

They are a risk-free way to learn tournament dynamics.
You can build a bankroll from scratch (although slowly).

kaynbergo · Mar 24, 2026

I've been playing freerolls for four years now and I think this is a great gift from the organizers to poker fans. When I first started playing poker, I couldn't even deposit $5. Four years later, thanks to freeroll promotions, I've already withdrawn more than $1,000 from poker rooms.

puzzlefish · Mar 24, 2026

They're literally free chances to win free money! If nothing else players could participate in them while playing other games. I remember the good days when you could late register in certain freerolls and WIN money and/or tickets to other tournaments while sitting out. That was great 👍

G0930 · Mar 24, 2026

I see it as training.
Freerolls are played very similar to microstakes.

For higher stakes its a different story though

Houbi37 said:
Many players underestimate freerolls.
But with big fields and real prizes, they can be a great way to build experience and even a bankroll.
Do you still play freerolls regularly?

akmost · Mar 24, 2026

Yes sure , I play real money and freerolls all the time.

Spielkind · Mar 24, 2026

Play them--as i started in 2010, i played a lot in different rooms. I won in first year 3 coachings-live, 4 books and 4 live event entries regional and in year 7 in a 888 poker freeroll a 13k package into the WSOPE Main Event

bowserdon · Mar 24, 2026

I luv the freerolls (sometimes too much)Thers alot of really good players on cards chat freerolls,a lot better than the average run

Jyco · Mar 24, 2026

Let’s be honest, freerolls are mainly for people who are new to the game and want to try poker to see if they actually like it. Most of the time, it works, and many players keep playing and even deposit later to compete for bigger prizes against tougher opponents.

But freerolls are not easy. You’ll find both very inexperienced players and some solid ones, so the real challenge is observing your table and adapting to each player to get the most value.

I still play freerolls myself. They’re not too long and can have good prizes at the top, especially the ones from CardsChat.

comini · Mar 24, 2026

I play yes, the problem with the freeroll is that it becomes bingo at the start of the game

bazza155 · Mar 24, 2026

Freerolls are great to use to help build raise your bankroll.

The downside is that they are free and people play more loosely and can give (beginner mainly) you a false sense of how good you are. You then start playing at to higher level for your ability and start losing and do not drop down a level.

KeyPatience · Mar 24, 2026

Houbi37 said:
Many players underestimate freerolls.
But with big fields and real prizes, they can be a great way to build experience and even a bankroll.
Do you still play freerolls regularly?

Freerolls are one of the biggest learning curve in any player’s poker journey and they also give a strong reality check about how good or bad you are over a period of time!

Noodeloo · Mar 24, 2026

Its still the same game of poker - 52 cards and a certain number of opponents. Freerolls are a great way to learn the game and to apply strategies and try different styles of play.

SOLO22 · Mar 25, 2026

Without a doubt, it is the best simulator we can have at a low cost compared to a tournament with many registered players.

stil370 · Apr 14, 2026

the other thing about most freerolls is they take HALF the time. Honestly, playing 8 hours in one tournament is ALOT OF TIME

BaldHead · Apr 18, 2026

Freerolls are indeed often underestimated, especially by players who already play higher stakes and think mainly in terms of “time = money.”
But they have two real benefits:
First, it’s a way to get free volume in a large-field environment, where you can improve discipline, push-fold play, bubble situations, and ICM without any financial risk. This is especially useful for beginners or for players testing new lines.
Second, yes — in some poker rooms and series, it’s actually possible to build a starting bankroll if you approach them not as a lottery, but as real tournaments played with maximum focus.
However, there’s a downside: the field is often very weak and chaotic, which can create bad habits — overplaying hands, making unnecessary calls “because it’s free,” and not respecting raises properly.
So the question isn’t “to play or not to play,” but “for what purpose.” If the goal is development and volume, freerolls are useful. If the goal is stable EV growth, they should be seen as a supporting tool rather than the core of your strategy.

MAFNL16061986 · Apr 18, 2026

i play as much as freerolls there are for learning and doing some experience for the bigger tables and tournements

Lodestone · Apr 19, 2026

If all or even most of your MTT experience is in freerolls, get ready to be crushed in any non-microstakes tourney. The level of play is hardly a step up from play money with how unserious most of the field is.

That said, it's free equity. If you don't have better activities or tables to be at, there is no harm. The opportunity cost is low.

ztibor72 · Apr 19, 2026

I've always played freerolls, but there's always a cash tournament or SNG going on, so I don't feel like it's a waste of time.

NSX_Amfe2nat · Apr 19, 2026

Playing poker for 9 years, i am a guy who play in +, and i always play free sats to good tournaments, so yes

TheniT · Apr 20, 2026

I play freerolls every day, especially the ones from Cardschat which are the best. Freerolls are a great way to practice poker and build a risk-free bankroll.

doom · Apr 22, 2026

i play every week on gg 100k fr and on wpt 10k freeroll if you get lucky you can win a lot of money

Freerolls Are Not Just for Beginners

Houbi37

Rock Star

Goggelheimer

Legend

oroochimaru

Visionary

tuitui

Rock Star

austral

Rock Star

kaynbergo

Visionary

puzzlefish

👆 the guy who's opinion you would trust on this!

G0930

Captain Fathermucker, Satty Aficionado

akmost

Rising Star

Spielkind

Visionary

bowserdon

Legend

Jyco

Rock Star

comini

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bazza155

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KeyPatience

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Noodeloo

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SOLO22

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stil370

Visionary

BaldHead

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MAFNL16061986

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Lodestone

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ztibor72

Legend

NSX_Amfe2nat

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TheniT

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doom

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