Poker rooms can be daunting places for players regardless of how good you are. Even at the higher echelons, an overlay tournament can generate plenty of excitement and tensions in equal measure.
But what is overlay poker? And how does it work in a tournament situation? Our guide will cover this.
WHAT IS AN OVERLAY IN POKER?
So, at this point, you may ask what is overlay poker? Overlays are where organisers add extra money to the prize pool, so that the room can meet its guarantee for a poker game.
Overlay tournaments are a great vehicle to attract poker players as there will be a guaranteed prize pool, which in many cases, can be quite lucrative.
POKER TOURNAMENT OVERLAY EXAMPLE
If for example, a poker room was advertising a $5,000 guarantee tournament, then they will be making a promise to those entrants participating in advance that there will be at least $5,000 in the prize pot.
Participants will therefore be required to pay an entry fee if they want to get involved.
Another way of looking at this, is that if only 400 players pay $100 to enter the tournament in the poker room, then the total buy-ins will equate to a cash value of $4,000, and there would subsequently be an overlay of $1,000 which the poker room will then need to add to the prize pool.
WHY DOES OVERLAY MATTER IN POKER?
Nowadays, there are so many of these kinds of poker tournaments, and there is usually a prescribed amount that players will need to stump up to join.
Overlay poker tournaments can be a worthwhile investment, although the prizes can vary depending on which tournaments or events you sign up for.
The main benefit associated with overlay poker tournaments is that they can suit high rollers, who have more cash to spend. However, those who are more risk averse or cautious should check the number of players that are signing up to an event and assess the potential pot before deciding whether or not to join.
CALCULATING OVERLAY IN ONLINE POKER
As suggested, an overlay tournament will be decided by several factors, which will include how many players are taking part. If there aren’t enough entrants, then the prize fund will be altered to reflect this.
However, for those playing, it can be advantageous to have fewer players as they will have a greater chance of winning the pot.
To calculate whether tournaments have an overlay, you just need to divide the prize fund by the number of people playing. If the result is that it is higher than the value of the entrance fee, that means the poker tournament will have an overlay attached to it.
ARE OVERLAY TOURNAMENTS POPULAR?
In short, yes, overlay tournaments can be very popular for poker sites. In particular, Energy Casino can benefit from hosting overlay tournaments, as it can create a bit of a buzz, especially when there is a big prize pool at stake.
Ultimately, overlays are a great way to extend playing sessions for more experienced players who know what it takes to win and grow their bankroll.
There have been historical trends to suggest that in the world of poker, an overlay is easy to spot, and it can help some sites to stand out from more unpopular websites.
POKER OVERLAY STRATEGY AND TIPS
There is certainly plenty of value to be gained from joining overlay tournaments. So, if you are a budding poker player, here are a few tips you should bear in mind when looking to join a poker tournament with big prizes:
BE AWARE OF RE-BUYS
You should always be careful of any poker tournament that has any re-buys or add-ons. Sometimes, we might feel like choosing a poker tournament that has an overlay, but in this case, it might not be so.
You can’t be sure that a tournament is totally overlay until the period of restrictions is over.
KEEP YOUR EYE OUT FOR LATE REGISTRATION
Some poker sites will allow you to register after the deadline has passed. As it happens, the number of players that register after the deadline is quite high.
This means that the overlay can sometimes disappear, because poker tournaments can be affected by the change in the number of players at the very last moment.
OVERLAY TOURNAMENTS – SUMMARY
Overlay tournaments, as we have seen, can be very beneficial, and it is a great way for experienced players to gain more money in the long term.
If you adhere to the tips and strategies we have outlined in this guide, then you will be able to master the art of an overlay in no time at all. Keep a calendar of poker tournaments, so you can strike when the iron is hot.