Poker Stars 180 Player SNGs Part #1 – Facts and Figures

** Updated For 2008 **  Comprehensive Guide To Poker Stars’ 180 SNGs
Including Payouts, Buy-Ins, Blinds And Time Taken

by Mark

Pokerstars 180 Player Sit N Go Tournaments – Update For Late 2008

Since the original article was written in 2007 there have been some changes to the Stars 180 Sit N Goes. The $10+$1 180s disappeared for a while, then came back – and the Turbo $12 / 180s took their place on the tournaments front page. This rewrite addresses the new state of the 180-person sit and goes… which are still a very profitable way to grow your online poker bankroll.

Full Tilt Poker have also introduced 180’s – these fill the buy-in gaps left by Stars with a $2+20c tournament and an hourly $8+80c (which runs regardless of whether the maximum 180 players register). These are covered in a separate article on Full Tilt Poker 180 Player Tournaments.

Poker Stars 180 Player SNG Tournaments – FAQ

The Poker Stars 180 Player Sit N Go Tournaments have increased in popularity greatly over recent months. These are labeled as SNGs as there is no scheduled start time – they simply start when full. In reality they play more like small Multi-table tournaments and are a great way for players to gain experience in mid to late game MTT situations.

This article looks at the facts and figures for Pokerstars 180 Player SNGs. Part #2 to follow will look at SNG strategy for these games and look at opponents tendencies during the different blind levels.

Firstly here are a few facts and figures concerning the Poker Stars 180 Player SNGs.

How Much Do They Cost?

There are a total of 6 buy-in levels available, split between Turbo and Standard blind levels:

Standard (15 Minute) blind levels: $4+40c, $10+$1 and $20+$2

Turbo (5 minute) blind levels: $2+20c, $11+$1 and $33+$3

3 of these are available on the main ‘current tournaments’ list on the main Poker Stars tournaments tab – ensuring that they fill quickly. The $2+20c, $10+$1, and $33+$3 can be found under the SNGs à Multi-Table tab and are somewhat slower to fill.

How Often Do They Run?

During peak times there are 3 to 5 starting per hour at the $20 level and 9 to 15 at the $4 and $12 levels. The other buy-ins are slower to fill as they are not so easy to find – expect 3 to 5 an hour maximum during peak times. Reduce the numbers running outside of weekends and US evenings (note: EU evenings are seeing more traffic since the original version of this article).

How Long Do They Take?

You should allow for between 3 and 4 hours per tournament for the non-turbo versions and just over 2 hours for the turbos, obviously you will need to ensure you have the time available to reach the final table before signing up.

What Are The Payout Structures?

The top 18 get paid, 10th to 18th place receive double their buy-in while the winner receives 57 times the buy in. The final table payout for the $4+40c level is as follows.

What About The Quality Of The Opposition?

This varies from very weak recreational players to low-stakes ‘pro’ players who use these tournaments as a means of building a bankroll. The generally poor quality of the opposition make the 180 person SNGs a profitable opportunity to gain MTT experience. Expect particularly weak opponents in the $10 and below 180s and only marginally better in the $20+$2 and $33+$3.

What Return On Investment Can A Good Player Expect to Make?

This, as always, depends on many factors including having a large enough sample size to draw conclusions from and how many tables are played simultaneously. The following are estimates for various skill levels of players.

Top 5% Skill Group vs Opposition: 120% ROI +

Top 20% Skill Group: 80% to 100% ROI +

Above Average Player (non specialist) 40% to 50% ROI +

There is the overview – part #2 of this series looks at many aspects of 180 SNG Strategy to help you move to the most profitable skill group.

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