Poker is a casino game that is played by many people. As a result of its popularity, it has seen many variations over the years and has also advanced to tournaments.
If you have heard of or seen bounty poker tournaments somewhere but are unsure exactly what they are, this Wizard Slots blog post can help shed some light.
We will discuss what a bounty is in poker, the types of bounty poker games and the rules.
Continue reading to find out!
What Is a Bounty In Poker?
Bounties in poker are prizes or features that offer cash rewards to players for eliminating other players.
While at a regular poker table, the players who receive rewards are typically the ones who win the game. However, in bounty poker tournaments, there are additional rewards like removing a player from the game, commonly known as knockouts. The tournaments as a whole can also be referred to as Knockout (KO for short) tournaments.
Therefore, bounties in poker allow players the chance to win some rewards even if they do not make it to the end.
Bounty Poker Types
Bounty poker tournaments come in various types. Typically, the bounty tournaments have set prizes on each player's or group's "head." For example, all players may have the same or different prizes on their heads, depending on various factors. The prize or bounties can be as little as £10 or more.
Let's have a look at some of the available and popular KO poker tournaments, namely Standard, Progressive, and Mystery Bounty KO tournaments:
Standard Knockout Poker
Standard Bounty tournaments, also known as classic poker tournaments, are KO poker games where every player involved typically has the same bounty on their head. If you knock out a player in this tournament, you only receive their bounty, not their collection of bounties.
For example, if the bounty is £10 for each person and you knock out 6 people, you will have £60. However, if another player knocks you out, they will only have £10, and you keep your £60.
Progressive Knockout
Progressive Knockout tournaments can also be referred to as PKOs. In this type of KO poker, your prize or bounty increases the more people you knock out. So, if your bounty is £10 and you knock out 5 people worth £10 each, your bounty may increase by a number equal to the total amount accumulated from your knockout.
This means if another player takes you out of the game, they will collect a bounty of £60.
Depending on the rules of the specific PKO you are playing, half of the bounty or buy-in stakes may go to the prize pool, so instead of receiving £60, the player could potentially receive £30.
But, the rules and the payout methods may differ, depending on the specific game.
Mystery Bounty
The Mystery Bounty KO tournament makes things even more interesting by making the bounty value of each player unknown. The tournament may have a number of small bounties and a combination of high bounty heads. You will never know until you knock the person out.
The element of surprise and anticipation can add to the entertainment of the game.
Knockout Poker Rules
Although the knockout poker or bounty poker gameplay works similarly to regular poker to some extent, the rules may be different. In addition, the rules may also change depending on the type of KO poker you are playing or the establishment or casino you are playing at.
However, there are basic rules the games can follow. Some of these rules are as follows:
- Each game may have a standard stake size as the buy-in to add to the prize pool in addition to bounty prizes.
- If a player is knocked out, the payout comes from their pockets, not the prize pool.
- The bounty may be equal to or half the buy-in amount unless it's a Mystery Bounty poker, in which case, no one would know how much it is.
- All bounty prizes in the standard or classic KO bounty poker must be the same unless stated otherwise.
- The last player remaining may receive the bounty of the player or players they knocked out, keep their bounty and receive the prize the tournament offered.
- Knocked-out players may need to wait until the round is over before they can buy in again.
Keep in mind that these are only general rules and can be modified or removed entirely depending on the type of game and the casino or establishment hosting it. So, before you start placing your stakes, it may be best to check in with the patrons first and get a better understanding of the rules.
*All values (Bet Levels, Maximum Wins, etc.) mentioned in relation to this game are subject to change at any time.
