Barry Carter shares some insights into the mental game leaks that make Spin & Go fun for recreational players and profitable for pros.

I’ve taken a bit more interest in Spin & Go recently after we partnered with SpinLegends. I’ve always like the format because I think it really suits recreational players in its simplicity, brevity and the enticing potential top prizes.

I’ve been playing a lot more of them as a result and, given my personal interest in the mental side of poker, I think they are particularly interesting from a mental game perspective. I say this not as a pro, but as a recreational player. I’ve been reading a lot lately about the psychology of what makes video games enjoyable and Spin & Go fit a lot of the characteristics.

The key to them, from a mental game perspective, seems to be being able to ignore the multipliers. Being motivated to play the standard x2 prize pool games and not letting the multiplier games cloud your judgement. I think the reason why they are profitable and popular is because the average recreational player, like myself, puts too much emphasis on the multipliers.

A game within the game

I’ve often said that we need to make poker enjoyable for players who are losing. Everyone has fun when they win but if you can walk away from a poker session with a smile on your face even when you lose, that is what will keep the poker economy healthy. I usually talk about this in the context of pro players being good company at the tables. I think the Spin & Go multiplier format is a way to make poker a little bit more fun regardless of outcome.

That moment when the wheel spins and you don’t know what prize pool you are playing for is like a mini casino game in itself. Thankfully unlike a casino game, you don’t wager any money on the spin itself, and as long as you are happy playing for the x2 prize pool, it’s a freeroll of sorts.

For some recreational players, the game is over when they find out they are playing for a standard x2 prize pool, which is great news for the serious players. It is remarkable how frequently you see a player call all in with rags the very first hand, which I attribute in some part to them being disappointed with the multiplier and wanting to spin again.

A sense of winning

Likewise, it’s quite exciting when you get that bigger multiplier game, even when it’s just a x4 game. I actually think a lot of players feel like they’ve ‘won’ just because they are playing in these games, even if they don’t win the game itself.

Just as you see crazy play in the x2 games because the players want another spin, I think you likewise see a lot of overly nitty play in the multiplier games because you are playing for a more meaningful prize pool, one that doesn’t come around all the time. This is where you see play as if there is an ICM component to the game, when it is actually a winner-takes-all format. Again, this is good news for the serious players.

To those of you who hate Spin & Go and consider it casino gambling, this article will probably do nothing to change your opinion. But as a self confessed recreational player I hope I have shined some light on why these games are potentially fun for us, and profitable for the pros, in equal measure.