Well, I'm not so sure we do that many bonuses. Here's a rundown. It may surprise you to know when you read this I'm actually opposed to bonuses. But I prefer calling it a bonus to a penalty. With our current structure, I'd prefer that ALL players start with 40,000 in chips. To encourage certain behaviors, I've offered bonuses, but made it so every player could qualify for them.
Early Bird Bonus -- available at all games
For all of our games, we started doing an Early Bird bonus. Players paid 10-15 minutes before the scheduled starting time receive a bonus. When we give 25,000 in chips, it's a 5,000 bonus (30,000). When it's 80,000 (our Main Event), it's a 15,000 bonus. I started this I think at the beginning of 2017 or maybe in 2016. When I started it, we were giving 22,000 in chips with a 3,000 bonus. I modified our starting chip count and starting blinds to make the blind increases more consistent so I went to 40,000 in chips, and worked backwards from there.
The problem we were having is so many showed up last minute, we couldn't get started on time. We had several players who showed up just after we started -- not a high percentage, but it would be 1 or 2 per game. In the last 16 tournaments, we've started on time 15 times. I tried many other ways to start on time. None were as effective as the on time or early bird bonus. The biggest advantage to the bonus to me is the help it provides in starting on time.
It's even had players who will not be there on time send their money with someone else so they get the bonus. I don't mind blinding those few stacks out as it's not more than 1 or 2 per time. They are prepaid and we know they are coming.
The on-time bonus has a greater impact on chip stacks through our registration period than blinding out stacks. Despite that, I still have some players who think those not there on time should not get the bonus and have their stacks blinded. I'm afraid if I started that, those players would then want the late comers beaten with a cat-o-nine tails too!
I know things come up that cause players to be late. If left completely to me, I'd just give them a full stack when they arrived. Having tracked this for years, I know statistically that players who show up late, even by one hand, don't cash as often. We pay 22-30% of the players, but those who are even one hand late cash less than 10% of the time. But most players think that's unfair to arrive late and get a full stack. To really set someone off, let them lose a big chunk on a bad beat. Then a late arrival comes, and their larger chip stack KO's that player with a second bad beat, and they will blame it on the unfairness of showing up late and getting a full stack instead of a statistical anomaly. The fact that late arrival doesn't cash as often is irrelevant if they KO'd someone already smarting from a bad loss earlier, or even just getting a few chips in play and not winning has the exact same reaction. So, to pacify those players, the idea of either blinding stacks or an on-time bonus was born. The on-time bonus is much easier to administer.
We don't do re-buys, but if we did, re-buys wouldn't be eligible for the bonus.
I've not done an RSVP bonus. That might be a good idea. Until I read this, I hadn't thought of it. I'm not sure I need it. Since last October, I've had only one person RSVP and not make it. Something came up last minute and the player notified me the next morning what happened. Players have an incentive to RSVP since my game has grown and the first 20 who RSVP get to play if they are there. Others have to wait until someone is KO'd and hope it happens before the registration cut-off. Our regular tournament in January was the first time I've had to implement what I refer to as the "vulture" plan. Players who couldn't get it but want to play can wait like vultures for someone to get KO'd, then pay to take their spot.
Dealer/Expense Bonus -- available at all games
Another bonus I started this year is the dealer and expense bonus. For $5 more, and it doesn't go into the prize pool, players get an additional roughly 40% in chips based on the starting stack. The $5 goes first to pay dealers. We can't afford much -- $1 per 20 minute session (our blind rounds are 20 minutes). We have 2 dedicated dealers per table and usually only 2 tables. But the results after 2 tournaments I'm pleased with. It's now easier to get people to deal, and because they are paid, the quality has gone up. What I really intended was dealers would get some reward for dealing without giving them a chip advantage that many opposed. I hoped 90% of the players would do it. The first two tournaments of the year, 44 of 45 players have paid it. The one who didn't said he would always pay again.
The rest of the money goes into a floating fund. I remove a $10 fee for cards per night, or $5 per table per night for cards if we have 3 tables. Having replaced cards last year, I know the cost of cards was over $300, and part of the cards I got an incredible sale on. My anticipated cost to replace cards in about 3-3.5 years is around $500, though maybe I'll get lucky again.
Whatever is left over from the fund will go to the Main Event prize pool in January.
BG gave me this idea, and so far it is working beyond my expectations. That my game seems to be growing right now seems to indicate no one minds paying for dealers. In a recent survey of players, the thing they liked about our game they most often cited was the dedicated dealers. For our set up, where I have rectangular tables, self-dealing is much more difficult.
To me, the key to making this work is players paying about 17% more in our case ($30 to $35), but getting 40% more in chips based on the announced starting stack. It's a great deal.
The thing about the Early Bird and Dealer/Expense bonuses are that they are equally available to all. Everything about our tournament, calculating ending times, etc., is based on 20 or 30 players all getting both bonuses.
Bonuses used sometimes -- adds variety
We currently have 14 tournaments a year. 4 of them have some special bonus.
Memorial tournament -- In honor of a player who died and did a lot to help our game, the tournament he won the most often was named after him. Instead of taking 10 at the final table like we normally do, we reserve a place for him at the final table. His chips are evenly distributed among those 9 players. It's a final table bonus that applies equally to all who make the final table. The first 3 years I did it, the bonus was small. This year, due to unanticipated events, the bonus formula resulted in way too many chips. That mistake won't be repeated.
Honor the Military and First Responders night -- Wear a US military, fire, or police shirt or cap and get some bonus chips. Available to all players and easy to obtain. Players have many months notice to obtain something. Done in May prior to Memorial Day. This is about a 12.5% bonus.
Pirate Night -- Bonuses available for those who participate by dressing up to add to the festivities for the evening. Between 1/2 and 2/3 of the players participate. It's not hard to get the full bonus -- old shirt, a head scarf, and virtually any other item (sash, hat, boots, ragged or "pirate looking" pants, big belt, or wench type clothing for ladies -- very low standards my "entry" crew (non-players) use to judge and being told to be very lenient) gets the full bonus. This is about a 10-20% bonus.
Christmas Bonus -- Start of tournament, group picks 7 Christmas songs. For this, it's helpful to know we take about a 20 minute break after 6 rounds. For each song played on the radio prior Round 7 (1:40 minutes after starting), each player not on Santa's Naughty List gets a 1,000 bonus. If 5 of the songs play, they get 10,000 bonus. All players pay attention in hopes of the bonus. Who is not on Santa's Naught List? Those still in the tournament! In only 1 year have we not gotten the 10,000 bonus. Several of us used to play in a game where every night, the host played the radio, they named 2 or 3 artists, and every song played by the artist got every player a bonus after the current hand was over. If multiple songs in a row, the bonus grew. Sometimes players were KO'd, only to get right back in for the bonus.
OK, maybe we have a lot of bonuses, but anyone can obtain all of the bonuses easily.
I almost forgot this. I think the key to a good bonus is to have it be enough that it's worth getting, but not so much as to make the game lopsided. Three of our last four pirate nights were won by players who didn't get the pirate bonuses. Our Military/First Responders tournaments have been won by players who didn't get the bonuses. Obviously the Memorial and Christmas bonuses are "still in it" bonuses and you can't win without getting it. The two that are completely voluntary I use to reward players who participate.