As the Kountermove website began to load up on my smartphone, I knew what was coming. It was the equivalent of that image you see on cartoons sometimes — moths flying out of an empty wallet. The account balance sat at zero dollars. My initial deposit had dwindled down long ago.
It’s an easy fix, right? Hovering over my accumulated winnings of “$0,” I could see the “Add funds” text there. It was calling to me. The allure was hard to escape. You see, I have a significant other who is not overly fond of gambling, and it was a hard decision to make. Was I going to make a deposit? How could I hide that? What on earth was I thinking? I’m a man, dammit! I’ll spend my money on whatever I goddamned please.
So, I sat there. I obviously was not going to take the gamble of risking my life to make a deposit, but I thought, “Just one freeroll, that’s all I need. That’s all I need to get this ball rolling again.”
There are ways to build up a balance without making a deposit. I may have only taken my account to $20 over the course of six weeks, but that’s a start.
Now, this is no story for the heavy-hitters out there who would laugh at the thought of parting ways with a mere $20. No, this is for the average joe. This is for the fantasy MMAers out there that just want to have a go.
If you’re like me and have encountered an account balance that is a sight for sore eyes, here are some tips and tricks that could help you get back on track. Here is how you can take nothing, or almost nothing, and make it into something.
Disclaimer: I am in no way paid by Kountermove. I just enjoy the odd gamble and telling stories.
Nothing in life is free. Well, that’s usually true, but there are exceptions. In the case of fantasy MMA, that exception is the freeroll. While these games are hard to find and they fill fast, this is the best tool in helping to grow your account. There are plenty of MMA websites out there that have freeroll games. The Parting Shot Podcast has a fantastic preview for pretty much every event and their freeroll is one of the hardest to get into. Bloody Elbow and Sherdog have their own games too, which can be a little easier to get into because of the higher participant limits. It’s a matter of following the websites on Twitter or Facebook and striking while the iron is hot, as they say.
When you’re playing in the lower end of the market, it’s all about patience. For each event, I only lay out a maximum of 10 percent of my account balance. In the early stages that meant literally only being able to play one or two games at very low stakes. It might not seem like there is a lot of money on the line, but when you are coming from nothing, it’s all about the little wins. It’s all about account building. Once you start to build your account, you could raise the ceiling to 20 percent, or even 30 percent. Just don’t get yourself back into a position where you are gazing upon that magical goose egg.
For a lot of fight fans, the idea of professional face-punching has become diluted. There are events every other week, at the very least, and there are fighters that we might not necessarily have heard of or, let’s face it, care about. Big events lead to more Kountermove games and thus more of a challenge to win. On the quieter weeks, there are less opponents and a lot more opportunities to cash in. Would you go fishing at a time when the lake is packed to the brim? Or would you try your hardest to catch your fish while nobody is around?
Referrals are an underutilized tool. The good folks at Kountermove reward players when they refer a friend and that friend makes a deposit to go on to play a cash game. Share this story. Share your story. Share whatever the hell you can to inspire someone you know to sign up under your referral code. It’s free money, and you’re sharing an experience. Who knows, if they go on to win one of the bigger games, then they may even share their spoils with you!*
So, if you haven’t signed up already, head on over, make your first deposit and squander it like I did. And then, as your money begins to disappear, try these tips. You may not make enough to fill up your retirement fund, but I guarantee you’ll have some fun.
*Very unlikely. Actually, if this happens, get me in contact with your friend. I’d like to meet him/her.