Do your slot tournament players like furiously hitting a bet button for five minutes at a time or longer? Do they ever pop ibuprofen to keep their strained wrists and tired hands ready for the next round? The truth is, slot tournament content is painfully boring. But like you’ve heard us say before, it’s not your fault. You’re doing the best you can with the tools available. However, we think there is hope.
If you can free yourself from the confines of your current system limitations, we think you just might find a way to bring the sexy back to tournament content. Think about the kind of experiences you’d like to have and jot them down while you’re reading. Just remember not to worry about how it’s actually executed, because at the end of this series, we’ll help you determine what available systems might just help make it happen.
Figure 1
Content Components
At the core of the experience, content will ultimately make or break your slot tournament. There is a lot to think about. Consider these six key elements (see Figure 1):
1) Signage and physical layout
2) Game play features
3) Game content variety
4) Real-time leaderboards
5) Real-time video footage
6) In-session awards
Signage and Physical Layout
How do you let your players know their tournament standings? Are you putting signage in a prime location where all players and passersby can see it? If you’re not actively promoting the tournament, you might want to rethink this aspect. Players feel special when they’re recognized, which increases their loyalty, and their public recognition also attracts other players. With digital media and large-screen displays at your fingertips, you could create energetic signage that commands attention and encourages people to watch and participate.
The physical layout of the tournament also plays a key role in the energy your tournament creates throughout the casino. If you’re lucky enough to have games that switch between tournament mode and regular play, your tournaments are likely on the casino floor. If that’s the case, think about ways you can increase the excitement of the area. Using upbeat, high tempo music combined with lighting effects and a good announcer will definitely help keep the energy up (just make sure it fits with the audience you’re trying to attract). Use different chairs that are normally associated with high-end or specialized events. Add in a good announcer and your audience will be engaged and enthused. Just don’t forget about how you zone off the event. Try to stay away from the everyday barricades, because most people will immediately think “construction project” or “out of service machines.” Instead, use something that jives with the theme and indicates a special event.
Game Play Features
The old cabinets and math models of today’s run-of-the-mill slot tournament games are about as exciting as watching paint dry and no longer represent what players actually play. They have no extra game play features—or lousy ones at best. But does that mean they’re worthless? They might not be if you could control the reel mechanisms, credit displays and buttons remotely. Then you could customize paytables and game speeds while testing out new concepts and rapidly adapting to player feedback.
For new games, consider a video game—poker or slot—with an ultra-modern tournament command center that allows players to take chances based on their real-time status in the tournament. The player could change bet amounts, when to use bonus multipliers and when to go conservative. This would leave your players feeling like they always have a chance to win or lose. It would be high-noon, action-packed, lightening-quick drama.
Game Content Variety
Most players want an even playing field when it comes to game content during a tournament, but that doesn’t mean there can’t be variety. Why not have all the players start with one game and as they move through sessions, have the game content change as well? Seeing new symbols and having new outcomes can really generate excitement. And don’t limit your thinking to just standard slot machines. Why not change things up and offer video poker, too? You could design a video poker tournament to emphasize skill or time as a limiting factor to add drama. You might find a whole new audience out there, just waiting for something different to spark their interest and spending.
Real-Time Leaderboards
Of all the slot tournaments we’ve seen over the past few months, the best by far utilize real-time leaderboards. There’s no replacement for seeing exactly where you stand at any given time during the tournament to keep the excitement and energy up. The best tournaments don’t just have real-time leaderboards on the games themselves, but also use large display screens throughout the tournament area and entire casino to promote the event and players. But why stop there? Couldn’t you incorporate your real-time leaderboards into your website and social media presences? That way, all your devoted followers and casual visitors would know about your tournament and see what they’re missing, or they could cheer on a friend or family member as they race for glory.
Real-Time Video
Our culture is obsessed with video, and slot tournaments could certainly use its popularity to add something extra. With all the fun effects and excitement that video brings, adding real-time event video coverage could increase the tournament’s overall energy. Consider having a roaming cameraman capture each player in play and using your tournament host as a TV announcer giving play-by-play coverage of the action. During breaks, highlight your events and specials through in-house commercials. Creating a slot tournament game show lets your players partake in something special and will increase player engagement. What else could you do with real-time video? Why not post a feed to your website and short clips to your social media pages? Using your videos as marketing and promotional materials makes this content piece worth the time, energy and money. Your players will love the material and the viral effect will be significant.
In-Session Awards
In most tournaments, the awards don’t come until the very end, and that’s only if players make it to the final round. This can create a sense of apathy in players, and after they get knocked out of the tournament, there’s not a whole lot of reason to stick around and play more. So why not try in-session awards? Whether the awards are free play, discounted buffet tickets or casino merchandise, giving your players another chance at a prize will increase their desire to stay and play if you structure it right. Have your host draw names throughout the event, or take it a step further and use graphics that randomly appear on the game screen, which players would have to hit to reveal their prize. Use your imagination—there are tons of ways to reward your players in-session, and it will definitely make a difference in the level of excitement your tournament creates.
Play Differently
The content of slot tournaments doesn’t have to be monotonous. By using any—or all—of the key concepts mentioned in this article, you’ll get a great start to revamping your tournament content. Just let your imagination run wild, and we know you can put the sexy back into your tournaments.
Next month, we’ll wrap up our series with a way to help you evaluate the current products in the marketplace and which one might best fit your needs. In the meantime, keep brainstorming!
Jeff Jordan most recently served IGT as a director in several roles—product strategy and marketing research, corporate strategic planning and strategic business development. Prior to IGT, Jordan worked at Bellagio as the Executive Director of Slot Operations and Marketing. He is a Principal at Jordan Gaming Consulting Group and can be reached at jjordanlv[at]gmail.com.
Krista Reiner is the Marketing Manager for Acres 4.0, a company dedicated to improving the appeal and profitability of casino gaming. Before joining Acres 4.0, she was the Managing Editor of Casino Enterprise Management. She can be reached at (701) 388-7377 or krista.reiner[at]acres4.com.
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