At the casino I frequently play at, they offer 4 different buyins for single table tournaments: $140, $250, $500, & $1050. I don't have the bankroll to play the $500 or $1050 yet (working with around $5,000), so should I be playing the $140 or $250 (cheaper buyin or more tournament chips)? I put a poll here but insight is appreciated.


$140 structure:
10 players, start with T1,500. Blinds start at T50/100, increase every 15 minutes: T100/200, 200/400, 300/600, 400/800, 500/1000, 1000/2000, etc. Top 3 positions paid (buyin included): 1st = $580, 2nd = $350, 3rd = $225.

$250 structure:
10 players, start with T2,000. Blinds start at T50/100, increase every 15 minutes: T100/200, 200/400, 300/600, 400/800, 500/1000, 1000/2000, etc. Top 3 positions paid (buyin included): 1st = $1075, 2nd = $645, 3rd = $340.

$500 structure:
10 players, start with T2,500. Blinds start at T50/100, increase every 15 minutes: T100/200, 200/400, 300/600, 400/800, 500/1000, 1000/2000, etc. Top 3 positions paid (buyin included): 1st = $2,325, 2nd = $1,395, 3rd = $930.

$1,050 structure:
10 players, start with T5,000. Blinds start at T50/100, increase every 15 minutes: T100/200, 200/400, 300/600, 400/800, 500/1000, 1000/2000, etc. Top 3 positions paid (buyin included): 1st = $5,000, 2nd = $3,000, 3rd = $2,000.