Negative freeroll occurs in poker when a player places an all-in wager on a hand that can only either tie or lose. A negative freeroll is relatively common in low stakes amateur play, but in higher stakes play, it is considered a serious blunder to allow a negative freeroll on the final round of betting due to the amount of risk involved.

1. Freezeout Definition
2. Freeroll Tournament Definition

Negative freeroll usually occurs in no-limit or pot-limit when contemplating an all-in wager, where the player acting first checks in a situation where they would be forced to call an opponent's final bet (due to pot odds and the strength of their holding). If the opponent has a stronger hand, the opponent will most likely bet and the player will call and lose all their money regardless. However, if the opponent has a weaker hand, betting may be the only way to get the opponent's money into the pot, as checking allows the opponent the opportunity to check in turn.^[1][2]

It can also refer to a situation where one is faced with a bet and is considering raising instead of calling. If the betting player has a polarized range indicating that he is either betting with the nuts or is bluffing, raising with a made hand is a negative freeroll, since the expected value of calling and raising are identical when the betting player has a bluff, but the expected value of a raise is worse than a call when the bettor has the nuts.

Freeroll is a type of poker tournaments (multi table tournaments) with free entrance (no buy-in or buy-in in points) and guaranteed prize pool in real money, tournament tickets or material values.Freeroll is a free poker tournament. Attraction of the new players to the poker room is the main goal of holding these tournaments. Freerolls are mostly popular among players who are new to the games. The term ‘freeroll’ poker refers to two possible situations in a poker game – a freeroll poker hand and a freeroll poker tournament. The main use of the term refers to a tournament in which cash and prizes are offered to the winners but there is no entrance fee.

Hypothetical examples[edit]

In a game of no-limit Texas hold'em, in heads up play on the river with an $8000 pot, both players have $2000 remaining behind. The board is 5♠ 6♠ 9♣ 9♠ Q♣. If the player acting first holds 6♦ 9♦ they must bet to avoid negative freeroll even though they are losing to an opponent holding 7♠ 8♠, a pair of Queens, or the 9♥ with a Queen. In this case the higher holdings will almost certainly bet and the player will be compelled to call due to pot odds and hand strength, while lesser holdings such as a lesser full house, a flush, or a straight that would have called the bet may simply check to see the hand down. Furthermore, with only $2000 remaining to bet in an $8000 pot, checking to induce a bluff is unlikely to succeed against competent opponents.

A second example in no-limit Texas hold'em: The board is 5♠ 6♠ 7♣ 8♦ 2♣ and the first player bets. Assume that this player will only bet any 9 (a 9-high straight) or 9-T (a Ten-high straight) for value, and otherwise is bluffing. Raising his bet with any 9 (a nine-high straight) is a negative freeroll because the betting player has no hands that lose to a 9-high straight with which to call. The bettor either folds (in which case you win the same as if you had called), calls with a 9 (you split the pot, which is the same as if you had just called), or calls with 9-T (you lose more than if you had just called). Raising with a 9 would only have merit as a bluff if you believed this player capable of folding any hand but 9-T.

Notes[edit]

In the context of poker, a freeroll is an opportunity to play with no cost, yet there are still potential rewards. Hence, any similar situation could be thought of as a chance at freerolling. ‘Freeroll poker’ is a term not without some history. Ever since the dawn of high-paced online gaming, operators have sought to introduce a way for players to get a taste of the action. They have come up with a rather successful formula that promises the novices to cut their teeth and prove themselves without risking their own funds. Freeroll (third-person singular simple present freerolls, present participle freerolling, simple past and past participle freerolled) (poker) To be in a position where one is guaranteed a tie, but one can also win. We both had straights, but Jill had a flush draw: she was freerolling me.

1. ^'Negative Freeroll - Poker Terms Glossary'. pokerstrategy.com. Retrieved 2017-05-05.
2. ^Chantler, Gareth (2015-10-22). 'Obsessed With Your 'All-in EV'? It's a Negative Freeroll'. PokerNews. Retrieved 2017-05-05.

Further reading[edit]

• Harrington, Dan; Robertie, Bill (2006). Harrington on Hold'em: Expert Strategy for No-Limit Tournaments; Volume III: The Workbook. Two Plus Two Publishing, pp. 41–56. ISBN1-880685-36-1.

Table Of Contents

Looking for the best poker freerolls to play online but don't know what sites have the best ones in 2020? You are not alone.

Free poker tournaments (poker freerolls) are events where you connect with other players to play poker and win prizes with no buy-in fee.

While these tournaments can feature a wide range of prizes real money prizes, they all have one thing in common: they are all free.

In this guide to poker freerolls, you'll learn:

• and lots more

This isn't a collection of all the freeroll poker tournaments out there.

Our list of freerolls brings you only the best free poker tournaments running at the top online poker sites in 2020. In other words, if you are looking for value and you want to play freeroll tournaments to win real money, you'll love this guide.

Top Freeroll Poker Sites

What is a Poker Freeroll?

A poker freeroll is a tournament that costs nothing to enter. You register, you play, and (if you end amongst the top players) you win something.

Freezeout Definition

Freerolls play exactly as the most expensive poker tournaments. They run around a structure made of levels, they feature increasing blinds and ante bets, and they reward a number of players at the end.

Beginners consider freerolls to be the ideal way to learn how to play poker (you play free poker games, get a chance to win, risk nothing). Pros, see them as value-packed events — especially when freerolls give you a shot at tickets to enter more expensive events for free.

While the real money prizes you can win playing freeroll poker tournaments online aren't massive or life-changing, these tournaments are popular among those who want to learn how to play poker without spending anything.

Once on a poker site, you'll find several different types of freeroll events.

The majority of them are open to all players, some require a password to play, and others are open only to VIP players who have collected a specific amount of points.

In this guide, you'll find everything about the different types of freeroll poker tournaments available online and you'll learn how to identify the best ones to play.

Pros and Cons of Freeroll Poker Tournaments

Before we dwell into the specifics of all the different types of freerolls to play online, let's have a quick run at the pros and cons of these poker games.

Freerolls are one of the most popular tournament formats in poker, played by hundreds of thousands of poker players every week.

Some people enjoy them because it gives them the chance to play poker for free, while others take advantage of the fact there is no tournament buy-in so they can try new strategies without any risk to their bankrolls.

It isn't only amateur players who you'll find competing in a poker freeroll because they are often used by more experienced players who are trying out the features and software of a poker room that they haven't used before.

Pros

• Freerolls cost nothing to play
• Most event tend to attract beginners and low-skilled players
• Freerolls are great to learn how to play different poker variants
• They are low-pressure poker events where you can explore different poker strategies.

Cons

• The prize pool is usually small
• Beginners make the play unpredictable
• The best freerolls are either password-protected events or open only to VIP players
• Only the biggest poker sites have freerolls to play lesser known poker variants

How Poker Freerolls Work

If you are about to sit at your first-ever freeroll, here are a few bits that we want you to go through before you begin.

These few points will help you understand more about the tournament you are about to play and spare you from any last-minute surprises.

The Prize. The poker site hosting a free poker event sets a prize pool that will be distributed to a number of players at the end of the competition. Prizes can include real money, tickets to other events, special poker bonuses, and swag.

The prize pool can either be split among a number of participants or go all to the winner's account (winner-take-all freerolls).

The Stack. Once the event begins, you receive a free stack of chips to play. This is referred to as the 'starting stack.' All players begin with the same starting stack.

The Gameplay. Everything in a freeroll plays as in a regular poker tournament — that's why beginners love these events so much. The goal of the game is to end the competition with all the chips in the game in your stack.

The Structure. The tournament's betting antes and blinds may increase as the event goes along. The straddle bet is not very common in free poker tournaments.

Additional Info. Each freeroll can feature a particular set of rules in regards to the time of play, the split of the prizes, or bounties awarded to the players when they complete a predefined action (e.g. bust a brand ambassador).

To see the complete list of these rules and a complete breakdown of the prizes, open your favorite poker client and double click on the freeroll of your choice.

This will open a dedicated window where you find all the most important details about the event.

Can You Really Win Money?

If you are looking for one shot to change your life forever, you better drop the idea of playing freeroll tournaments online.

Freeroll Tournament Definition

(In all fairness, that's not the mindset you should have to play poker as that's the wrong approach even if you want to become a professional poker player)

But if you want to finance your bankroll at no cost, freeroll tournaments should be on the top of your list.

Yes, you can win real money when you play freeroll tournaments that award cash prizes to the winners.

While the numbers tend to navigate around the two or three-figure range, the cash you win on freerolls is real and appears on your poker account as soon as the competition ends.

Understandably, most of the best freerolls (i.e. those with a four-figure prize pool) tend to be connected with special requirements. These include having raked enough player's points or having played a certain number of hands in a set amount of time.

Are Freeroll Tournaments Really Free?

Freerolls are always free, by definition. To be included in the list of freeroll events, a tournament needs to have no entry fee and yet distribute prizes of some sorts.

You're probably sat there, reading this article and thinking that there must be a catch and that freerolls can't really be completely free.

Well, you need not to worry about there being any hidden fees or nasty surprises in store because freerolls are free poker tournaments that cost nothing to enter, otherwise, they couldn't be called a poker freeroll!

The only downside to these free poker tournaments is that the prizes on offer are not usually very large.

Often, the total prize pool is only $50 to $100 dollars, although there are regular PokerStars freerolls that have $3,000 prize pools to play for and some of the PokerNews-exclusive freerolls have massive prize pools of $10,000 and even $20,000 for you to compete in.

Real money freerolls are very popular amongst beginners. Qualifier satellite events where you play to win tickets to enter other tournaments are popular among the more experienced players.

Types of Freerolls

Every poker site on this list features a wide range of freeroll poker tournaments. As we mentioned, some come with real money prizes while others focus on giving away tickets to other events.

Poker sites offer freerolls because they want to introduce the game to as many players as possible.

Some of the biggest names in poker started out as freeroll players.

While players like Daniel Negreanu and Phil Ivey didn't start out grinding freerolls since online poker sites didn't exist when they started their poker journeys, many online players did have their first poker experience in freeroll tournaments.

Often, they've never looked back after their first win, and never had to deposit in their lives.

Of course, there isn't a success story for everyone. You got to get lucky and run good in these events. But, then again, there's no downside to trying as freerolls are truely free poker tournaments, there's no catch!

While all freerolls are free, some can come with specific entry requirements, limiting the number and types of players that can participate.

Online poker sites offer several different freeroll tournaments, all of which allow you to play free poker.

One of the most common poker freerolls is the new player freeroll, which is only open to players new to a site and is designed to give you the chance to feel your way around the site's software and to say thank you for signing up to them.

Another common freeroll is one that rewards you for making your first deposit on a site.

These usually have a larger than typical prize pool and are only available to players who've made their first deposit during the qualifying period.

Freerolls are often used as the first step in the satellite process, making it possible to qualify for major online and live tournament for free, while offers are exclusive to players who have created their poker account via PokerNews links.

PokerStars, GGpoker, and partypoker are an example of the sites sites that have these freeroll steps on offer.

The lowest step is free to enter. Win that one, and you'll find yourself with a ticket for Step 2. Continue on and you could make your way to a hefty payday, all for free.

Exclusive Freerolls

An exclusive freeroll is an event available only to a small set of players that meet requirements defined by the poker site that runs the tournament.

Most exclusive freerolls are 'password-protected' events, so only the players who have the right password can register and play.

Here on PokerNews we have our own set of exclusive freerolls running at all the largest poker sites in the world.

The events are open only to the players who are part of the PokerNews community.

Weekly Freerolls

The most common type of freeroll events. These free poker tournaments are part of a site's tournament schedule and take place every week at the same time.

Prizes can include real money, tournament tickets, and more.

New Players Freerolls

The most popular freerolls amongst beginners. These freeroll competitions are available only to new players right after they register to play on poker website.

Satellite Freerolls

A satellite freeroll is a feeder event where you play to win tickets to enter a bigger real money tournament.

Satellite winners win 'tickets,' entries they can use to participate in other games for free.

Poker Freeroll Passwords and Schedule

Keeping up with all the latest freeroll passwords and schedules can be a real nightmare. With so many poker sites out there, it's almost impossible to keep track of what happens every day in the online poker world.

And since passwords are usually released one or two hours before an event begins, the only way to make sure you don't miss anything is to live glued to the screen.

But you can't do that, can you?

The solution to your problems? Register here.

Every week, we send you all the latest freeroll passwords (and more!) in an easy-to-digest recap that brings you nothing but the best events to play.

Leave your e-mail on this page to receive:

• The best freeroll poker sites in USA.
• A list of the the Omaha and Texas Hold'em freeroll tournaments.
• All the latest passwords to enter massive online, freerolls
• Access to all the PokerNews-exclusive events

Where Are the Best Freerolls?

Each online poker room offers a different take on their freerolls so it is difficult to give one the label of best, plus what is not to like about getting to play for real prizes for free? Surely that means that all freerolls are best?

If we had to put our necks on the line and choose a best freeroll, then we would have to go with the World Series of Poker freerolls.

GGPoker and WSOP Poker NJ run special promotions in the run up to the World Series of Poker (WSOP) that award seats to the WSOP bracelet events and even the Main Event!

How awesome would it be to win your way to the WSOP for free?

PokerStars Freerolls: Top 5

888poker Freerolls: Top 5

GGPoker Freerolls: Top 5

PartyPoker Freerolls: Top 5

Freerolls vs. Play Money: Main Differences

You may think that there isn't much difference between play money and freeroll tournaments because they are both playing poker for free — but that is where the similarities end.

Play money games are free to enter, but you can't win any real money. You play against other players who risk their own play money bankrolls, and you can only win play money.

Especially in the lower stakes play money games, play can be wild. Players often go all in every hand, just to try and build a stack. Being patient in these games is important.

On some sites, most notably PokerStars, playmoney chips can be converted to real money, but you need millions of playmoney chips to really get a starting bankroll.

Playing freerolls is often a better starting point than to try and run up a bankroll in playmoney games.

In the early stages of a freeroll tournament, there are often players who go all-in frequently like there are in play money games.

However, once the prize money – which is real, actual money – is in sight or if the freeroll awards large prizes, free poker tournaments start to play very much like those tournaments that command an entry fee.

This fact alone makes freerolls the perfect platform to hone your poker tournament skills.

FAQs

You could play these tournaments on freeroll poker sites for free. Sometimes you might have to qualify by depositing enough funds. But you can get in an event without paying anything if you meet the proper requirements.

You can check what freeroll poker sites require before you start playing.

You can win actual money through many poker freeroll competitions. Sometimes you might win a ticket to a future event, but that is for a satellite program. But could still win real money.

You should review the terms and rules for your tournament before you enter the poker freeroll competition. The effort is to help you get more out of the game you play.

Many of the best freeroll poker sites in USA and in the rest of the world offer Android and iPhone apps that you can use for playing while on the go. You can log on the app and then start searching around for freeroll events.

Sometimes you might also need to play a game on a mobile browser. This point is for cases where the website doesn't have a dedicated mobile app.

The device you use should be up to date and capable of playing whatever it is you are interested in the most before you start.

Poker freerolls are only as hard for you to win as you make them. Your skills in playing poker will be essential to seeing whether you can win anything while playing.

You will be competing against many others who have experience in playing poker and are looking to win money just like you.

Poker websites often have limits on who can enter freerolls. They do this to encourage people to deposit money or reach the VIP club on a website. Sometimes a freeroll limits these tournaments to people who are learning how to play these games.

The most common point is that a site will want to keep a freeroll from being too crowded. A freeroll will be limited to having a specific number of people competing in the event.

You can check the rules on a freeroll to see what works when entering.

You have many choices to consider when looking at what poker site has the best freerolls. Some of the top choices include places like PokerStars, 888poker, GGPoker, and PartyPoker.
You can look around online to see what games are open and what you might be interested in playing the most.

Most poker freeroll competitions are open about an hour or so before they start. The tournaments open this late to ensure people are committed to playing and that they will be available for these competitions.

Most freerolls entail one of two poker games. You can play Texas Hold'em freeroll tournaments in most places.

You may also find Omaha poker games, or even seven-card stud competitions. These are among the more common versions of poker available at these venues.

Check what game will be played at an event before you start, so you can be prepared for whatever will come about in the game.

It is possible to learn how to play poker when competing in an online, freeroll Texas Hold'em or Omaha poker tournament.

The program is a great place to learn, as you're not going to spend any money on the competition.

It does help to learn fast if you want to be more successful in these events without leaving too soon. You can get more out of your game if you know where you are going regarding the rules of poker.