From Pick'em to Profit: Rethinking Free-to-Play Strategy

Most operators treat free-to-play contests as marketing expenses. Run a Pick'em, give away some prizes, hope for brand awareness. That's leaving money on the table.

The Cost Center Mentality

Here's how most operators think about F2P:

• Prize budget: $5,000/month
• Platform fees: $4,500/month
• Total cost: $9,500/month
• Expected return: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

When you can't measure ROI, F2P becomes the first budget cut when times get tight.

The Profit Center Approach

Smart operators design contests that drive measurable revenue:

1. On-Property Redemption

Instead of cash prizes, offer F&B credits, free play, or merchandise that must be redeemed on-site. A $50 prize that brings someone to your property is worth far more than $50.

2. Tiered Engagement

Free entry gets you in the game. Premium entry (loyalty points, small fee, or visit requirement) gets better prizes or advantages. Convert casual players to engaged customers.

3. Data Collection

Every contest entry is a data point. Preferences, visit patterns, engagement levels. Use it to personalize offers and predict behavior.

4. Cross-Sell Integration

Contest interfaces are prime real estate. Promote upcoming events, new games, special offers—when users are already engaged.

Real Numbers from Real Operators

One of our clients restructured their F2P strategy with these results:

• Before: 2,400 monthly participants, no trackable revenue
• After: 3,800 monthly participants, $47 average incremental spend per participant
• Monthly revenue impact: $178,600
• Contest costs: $12,000
• Net positive: $166,600/month

Free-to-play became their most profitable marketing channel.

The Strategy Framework

Building a profitable F2P program requires:

Clear objectives: What behavior are you trying to drive?

Aligned incentives: Do your prizes encourage that behavior?

Measurement infrastructure: Can you track from entry to revenue?

Iteration capability: Can you adjust quickly based on results?

SaaS platforms give you none of this flexibility. Custom builds let you optimize every element.

Stop Hoping, Start Measuring

Free-to-play should have an ROI target just like any other marketing spend. If you can't calculate yours, your contest strategy needs work.

Want to see what a profit-driven F2P strategy looks like for your operation? Let's design it together.