Getting in on a beta isn't usually this lucrative. A new competitive online gaming service, Tournament.com  wants more beta testers, and they want them bad. So bad, in fact, that they're offering $1.00 for each match played to ensure a secure and hack-free environment when it launches with real money on the virtual table later this spring.

Getting a dollar for each match of Counter Strike: Source and Half-Life 2: Death Match you play sounds great. But there’s a downside. While you will get a dollar in credit for each match played during the beta, you won't be able to cash out right away. The free credits you've earned won't be available until you've risked the equivalent amount once the service goes live. So if you earn 50 dollars of credit from playing 50 matches, you won't be able to redeem them until you've bet a total of $50 dollars.

Unlike other gambling gaming services, which feature a mash-up of mediocre games made specifically for the site, Tournament.com plans to host games from other publishers. While there's no guarantee that these games will be of Counter Strike/Half-Life 2 caliber, the fact that they're on the beta is a promising sign. For more information on the beta so you can get some free dollars, head to Tournament.com, and start memorizing those Counter Strike: Source and Half-Life 2: Death Match maps.

March 30, 2007