are freerolls a possibilitity to start a poker career

[derekvsmith]

i was talking with jym and we had a good discussion about the usefullness of getting money in a freeroll, i was just wondering if any one here has ever taken there freeroll winning and turned it into a career or at least a good chink of change

[jyms]

One of the points I think that may not have gotten across when we were talking is that of all the freerollers that have tried, and they all try, how many make it. Even if one or two have done it, there are probably 100's of thousands of players that give up or finally deposit. You can see just by this site that there are few. I know of one or two with a bankroll now, but the time involved and the commitment necessary makes it an almost impossible task.

[derekvsmith]

i agree completely i mean it is a tedious way to try and make your career but theoretically it could be done but it would atake alot of patience and luck i think that a freeroll is a good way to get your self a little bit of money so that you can start learning how to play for real money

[jyms]

{moved from feedback forum}

[nightwishh]

I would have to say YES it is possible...when i first started playing online poker i started with freerolls...made a few dollars to be able to play buyin games ....and then onwards and upwards from there

What do you have to lose???

[rewfie40]

About 2 years ago I spent a long time playing freerolls as an attempt to start a bankroll. Finally, on Bodog I won $5 and have not looked back since. Today I have $2400 and have taken out nearly $1000. I also did the same on Pokerstars winning only $1 and building that to a max of $500 but as of now i have $0 on Pokerstars. So to answer your question, although i am not making a living from it, it is realistically possible if you have the time to waste and lots and lots of patience.

[Sir Pawnalot]

The question is not whether it is possible, but whether it is profitable.

Even if Phil Ivey should have played freerolls exclusively, his profit/hour would be ridiculously low.

On the other hand freerolls are great if you have fun playing them and use them to get used to tournament play. Still, I think learning potential/hour is much lower than just reading a book/article or browsing/writing in this forum.

GL any how you go about it.

[kfaess]

Think about how much time that would take.

It would be so much more efficient to just do some extra work over a weekend, make $100, and deposit that. This would take ~12 hours and you might spend 10x that amount of time building a BR from freerolls.

[jyms]

Think about how much time that would take.

It would be so much more efficient to just do some extra work over a weekend, make $100, and deposit that. This would take ~12 hours and you might spend 10x that amount of time building a BR from freerolls.

120 hours / $100 = $1.20 /hr. playing freerolls? In a 5hr freeroll that would mean you need to earn $7 per freeroll. This is not to knock down kfaess's calculations but let's be clear, it may be more like $0.20/hr playing or less playing freerolls if your decent. It could mean as little as 5000 hours to make $100. If you never use the money, donk it in cash games or play other tournaments.

Yea I may be hard on the freerollers but not because they want to try this, it's because they refuse to learn anything about the game as evidenced by the severe misunderstandings they post in every thread in this forum. That and the fact that they have delusions of just how easy it will be to become a poker player if they just win one or two.

[LuckySlevin]

If you don't have much spare cash a freeroll is a good way to get your feet wet playing some poker and slowly build a bankroll of some sort up. You do have to be selective about which freerolls you play some have about 1500 entrants, some have about 200 and some have thousands. I've had the most success on full tilt in the past they run regional freerolls which have a less populous field.

The difficulty of the challenge doesn't stop with the initial cash though as you then have to grind a bankroll out of that, because of the small sums that even a first place winner gets from the freerolls, you are going to be underolled for whatever stake you play with your freeroll winnings, this will put a bit of pressure on you, and also mean if you get a bit unlucky soon you could see your bankroll being wiped out and would have to start all over again!

It took Chris Ferguson months playing regularly to start to build a bankroll, now bearing in mind that Mr. Ferguson is a highly skilled player, this had little to do with skill, and more to do with luck. He would often win a freeroll, then lose that small BR and have to start all over again. He did eventually do it though and turned his freeroll win into over ten thousand dollars so it can be done.

If you decide on the freeroll route, then definately stick around FTR and become active so you can participate in the qualified member freerolls these are about the best freerolls you can play in due to the very limited fields (relative to the usual 1k entrants you find in any other freeroll.)

The questions to ask really are, 1) does the speed at which you progress matter much to you and 2) can you afford to deposit a more meaningful amount (i.e $50)? If the answers to both those questions are yes, then I'd say forget the freeroll route. But if the answer to either question is no, then why not have a go, you might find it a fun challenge. So in answer to your question... yes it's definately possible, but there are more effective ways of starting your poker career!

Gl at the tables

[jyms]

Everyone loves to reference the Chris Ferguson Freeroll experiment, forgetting that this man did this with millions in his pocket and as a sponsored pro. He was not learning the game and trying to grind nickels. He tried for months with all that experience and admits himself that the money is just too little to battle the variance at such low stakes. He had to get super lucky to gain a decent amount of buy ins to start the grind.

[Stacks]

Yes, it is possible. In fact, as I have stated many times on this site, that is how my current roll started. From a $7 freeroll win in December 07 which turned into a $400 roll by April 08. Which then was withdrawn and $50 of that was then deposited onto a different site (Pokerstars), and here I am now, soon to be a year later.

Obviously, theoretically it is possible. Poker is a game of risk vs. reward. When I sat in my regular games, I am risking $200 to win whatever I can. Freerolls allow you to risk nothing, in order to win what the site decides is a sufficient reward (usually very little). So yes, you can take a win from a freeroll and turn it into more. I don't see why this is even a topic for debate really.

Is it the best way? Probably not. But it depends. If you are proficient in poker already, and you have an edge in the microstakes games, then it would be absurd in my opinion to spend the countless hours needed to finally hit a score in a crapshoot of a tourney, that is a freeroll. It would be much more worthwhile to deposit a little bit of cash, and play in a game where you have an edge. While you are risking more, you stand to have a larger reward***.

If you aren't very proficient, or at the time being are just playing poker for fun, then by all means it's perfectly fine to play in and enjoy freerolls. But realize, you will not win very often. And when you do, you still have to decide if you want poker for fun or for profit. If you want to play for profits, then it will probably suit you best to learn enough poker to have an edge in either real money cash/tourneys/sngs, and forget freerolls altogether.

*** This does not mean that individuals should go to higher stakes games just because they can risk more to potentially have an even greater reward. You obviously shouldn't play at a stakes where you don't have a edge on the competition. If you do, then you going to busto in the long run.

[Outlaw]

It is possible, no doubt..and probably gives a great feeling of accomplishment when you are able to build a roll this way.

However... the thought of actually doing it makes me puke a little in my mouth.

I'd rather scour the street for loose change for 6 hours, take the $10 I find.. and stick it on Pokerstars.. begin at 2NL and we're off to the races in like 1/1000th of the time.

[kfaess]

Think about how much time that would take.

It would be so much more efficient to just do some extra work over a weekend, make $100, and deposit that. This would take ~12 hours and you might spend 10x that amount of time building a BR from freerolls.

120 hours / $100 = $1.20 /hr. playing freerolls? In a 5hr freeroll that would mean you need to earn $7 per freeroll. This is not to knock down kfaess's calculations but let's be clear, it may be more like $0.20/hr playing or less playing freerolls if your decent. It could mean as little as 5000 hours to make $100. If you never use the money, donk it in cash games or play other tournaments.

Yea I may be hard on the freerollers but not because they want to try this, it's because they refuse to learn anything about the game as evidenced by the severe misunderstandings they post in every thread in this forum. That and the fact that they have delusions of just how easy it will be to become a poker player if they just win one or two.

lol whoops good point, probly should have checked the math on that one before posting. $7 per freeroll is probably almost impossible given the size of the field. The point is it will def take up more of your time to start from freerolls then to just deposit.

[dafu]

OK I recently started playing poker again. I don't have too much of a bank roll and I needed some start up money. I am registered with a couple other sites that provide freerolls and I got a freeroll ticket from PokerStars. I have been in a couple of freerolls and I was in the money three times (not to say very much because where I was at paid only a couple dollars because of how much people entered >2500 [$200 dollar freeroll]) I have been reading forums and trying to learn everything I possibly can about poker. I think that my skill has improved a little but in the last freeroll I made a move that I don't really make at all unless its pretty low stakes and I am confident someone I am up against will fold. I went all in which was about 15,000 with A8s. The flop came A94 rainbow. Turn 8. I thought I was going to double up. River was a 9. The guy I thought was going to fold but he had an A10 off suite. He wasn't going anywhere. Because he had a better kicker he won and I was guaranteed a spot in the money. Didn't get into the money because of that Donkey move. My gut instinct told me to fold but I got saw the other people's stacks and didn't think I would last very long in the final table with that low of a stack. BTW 500/1000 and 250 ante.

[derekvsmith]

thank you all for your responses i understand that it is extremely hard to start off with freerolls and i am not self diluted enough to believe that all anyone needs to win at poker is a bankroll ive read alot of the post in here and i can see that i still have alot to learn before i can attemp to even become a profitable player at poker, well at least on line.

[Sir Pawnalot]

thank you all for your responses i understand that it is extremely hard to start off with freerolls and i am not self diluted enough to believe that all anyone needs to win at poker is a bankroll ive read alot of the post in here and i can see that i still have alot to learn before i can attemp to even become a profitable player at poker, well at least on line.

This is not true at all! People posting here at FTR are not the people you will play against at the tables. Besides, many people who posts here make great posts with deep level at thought, but still make lots of mistakes and are prone to tilt at the table.

Have faith in yourself, but also acknowledge that you will need to improve a lot before you can take on Phil Ivey and Tom Durr.

[coozhound]

well this is my spot to open my BIG mouth that is what i had planned didn't know that everybody else was going to try it, lol i'm still not giveing up on the freerolls for the simple fact that I have to get much better than I am now to play with my money, but i have a great time with the freerolls not only to learn but also to meet people that I may end up playing for real money one day and as long as i can sticker them wether friend or foe I like that, for the simple fact it gives me an idea on how to play against them,but my goal was to go freeroll to wsop bracelet still have a chance and a dream plus a lot of free time in the winter helps, soon may make the crossover and look out! my play will change just like it had to on everybody else ....so I say to you all call call call

[Cougar]

Hello everyone, first post in a while here!! Looking to get actively involved here at FTR and will share more about my poker interests/agenda shortly in a separate post.

Regarding the freeroll topic, just wanted to personally attest that building a bankroll off of a free-roll is possible. This is NOT a brag but hopefully inspiration for others.

I started playing on-line poker for the first time in late Sep-08, signed up with PokerStars but couldn't figure out to get $$ onto the site being from USA.

As part of being a new member, got invited to a couple free-rolls (Juno Invitationals they called them) for new members and managed to win $1.40 in 2 MTT.

So, I thought what better way to learn good fundamentals than starting at the lowest stakes and building a roll without depositing (if you can't beat that, you can't beat higher stakes).

Began to learn (THANK YOU FTR), study (lots of books) and grind microstakes MTT/SNG using good BR Management, first @ .10 SNG / .25 MTT and then $1 SNG and then $2 SNG. Also In Jan-09, began playing $2NL (still there).

Anyway, between a +57% SNG/MTT ROI (708 games) and +11ptbb/100 (13k hands @ 2NL), have grown a nice little roll (~$350).

With good Bankroll Management, dedication to learning (READ EVERYTHING ON FTR), patience, diligence and solid play, it is definitely possible.

Hope this helps, be happy to help with any specific questions, Good luck with your Freeroll Campaign!!

-------------------------
Pokerstars SN: Sonic FX

[coozhound]

Hello everyone, first post in a while here!! Looking to get actively involved here at FTR and will share more about my poker interests/agenda shortly in a separate post.

Regarding the freeroll topic, just wanted to personally attest that building a bankroll off of a free-roll is possible. This is NOT a brag but hopefully inspiration for others.

I started playing on-line poker for the first time in late Sep-08, signed up with PokerStars but couldn't figure out to get $$ onto the site being from USA. :?

As part of being a new member, got invited to a couple free-rolls (Juno Invitationals they called them) for new members and managed to win $1.40 in 2 MTT.

So, I thought what better way to learn good fundamentals than starting at the lowest stakes and building a roll without depositing (if you can't beat that, you can't beat higher stakes).

Began to learn (THANK YOU FTR), study (lots of books) and grind microstakes MTT/SNG using good BR Management, first @ .10 SNG / .25 MTT and then $1 SNG and then $2 SNG. Also In Jan-09, began playing $2NL (still there).

Anyway, between a +57% SNG/MTT ROI (708 games) and +11ptbb/100 (13k hands @ 2NL), have grown a nice little roll (~$350).

With good Bankroll Management, dedication to learning (READ EVERYTHING ON FTR), patience, diligence and solid play, it is definitely possible.

Hope this helps, be happy to help with any specific questions, Good luck with your Freeroll Campaign!! :D

-------------------------
Pokerstars SN: Sonic FX

Thank you Cougar I knew it could be done, keep up the good work !
just a whole bunch of free money for me to take! and will make sure read everything I can, not sure I will take same road as you but will get to where I'm headed ......WSOP..................RUFF ROAD

[tanglelegs]

i agree completely i mean it is a tedious way to try and make your career but theoretically it could be done but it would atake alot of patience and luck i think that a freeroll is a good way to get your self a little bit of money so that you can start learning how to play for real money

Try cake poker they are all longshots but it has happened. You can win your way into a 250k tournament but getting by all the nuts is a problem in freerolls

[jjbish]

I think with the monster fields now a days, that this would be tough. I'm sure it's doable, but you would have to be very resilient and it would definately be a volume thing.

In the past it was very doable. I started my BR by doing well in a few UB points freerolls and then using the points to enter a $5 mtt. Won $17 and have never looked back, but the fileds were soooooooo much smaller and the play was much worse obv too.

Same on Party. I remeber moving my paultry BR there and playing sng's, they made a software change and that nite they had 5 freerolls between 3k and 10k and none of them filled up. I cashed in a few of them and it just built upon itself. You seldom have those types of opportunities any more.

And cake when they opened had BR builder freerolls that would have 20-40 peeps in the qualifiers and 100ish peeps in the weekly final.

You used to be able to actually make a lil $ with freerolls. Now you have to go through a bazillion peolple for a dollar or two.

Doable? Yes. Tough? Yes. So gl to you.

[moemtg]

It Is Possible,

I remember awhile back winning $2 on a FT freeroll and turning it into over $500 so yeah... its possible... if you win DO NOT GO BLOW IT AND FOR GODS SAKE WAIT A DAY OR TWO TO PLAY WITH IT. Then you will see it for its worth... play the micro games, play smart, never get cocky and NEVER LET YOUR EMOTIONS GET TO YOU! You will ultimately lose if you let emotion or wear and tear get to you in the end... just think of yourself as a robot and feel nothing.

But is it possible... yes it is... theoretically anything is possible... it is just up to the user.

Peace out,
Justin.

[jyms]

I notice that all the people here other than stacks of course are freerollers. The dream is alive and one success is enough to keep thousands of dreams alive.

[derekvsmith]

im not actually a freeroller i put money on all the time i just kinda like to here all the miracle stories you know to give the little guys a lil hope

[Stacks]

I'm a freeroller. I'm just a damn expert at disguising myself. I have successfully infiltrated the forums and won password approval. Also Jyms is a freetroller. He's just not very good because my luckbox >>>>>> his luckbox.

[flomo]

bakroll managemaent

[Dustin]

thx for the confidence lol....

[jjbish]

I notice that all the people here other than stacks of course are freerollers. The dream is alive and one success is enough to keep thousands of dreams alive.

Started as a freeroller obv. No free roller now. But will freeroll again in future I'm sure. Wait I just did I usually play my rake race freeroll.

[erotiaris36]

Hate to say it, but freerolling is not it anymore. you win a little and then dump it to a donkey luckbox a min later......sng are a good way to build a bankroll after a win from a freeroll or a multi player buy in ...
10 years ago i started making money by playing the freerolls wich was short fields and better paying poker and then sitting at the tables and making good money ,odds where good then....now its hard.......never deposit for 6 years after i started threw most poker sites out there my netteller was seing an average of $1500 p/week and a maximum single payout of $33000 from a bad beat jackpot, from all the sites i was playing.....
then moneymaker won and everyone is a poker player,lol,no personal affence pls......
btw that was the downhill for poker as io see it...
but you have to be extremely lucky these days to even make a living from freerolls these days.......
thats how i see things

[jimbeam77]

I have won about 10 freerolls, :but they have slots, and i lost most of my money

[boos1122]

I think the answer on your question is yes. There are much freerolls and by some freerolls are the prizes high. I have been in a freeroll with first prize 500. If you win that you can start a good carreer.

The only thing you got to do if you win a freeroll is just play tight and dont want to much. if you make each day 10 dollar profit then you are rich after a month.

I have been in lower freerolls like first prize: 10 dollar and i have now 150 dollar. So a freeroll is nice to win cause when you lose you havent lose. cause it wasnt your money.

[flomo]

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[mgn465]

yes! obviously, freerolls is a possibility to start a poker career