DeepStack Extravaganza Las Vegas Poker Tournament

I created this map for the recurring tournament, but I don't think it would fit the rules, I decided to post it now, maybe it will be useful in some future tournament. Suggestions are welcome!
Name: Electric Light Orchestra Spaceship & Nen's Gamble
Description: Welcome to Nen's Gamble ™! The only place in the galaxy where you can bet your aura! We have gambling machines similar to a slot machine, the difference is that to play, you will have to use your aura instead of coins! It's easy to play, use Gyo in your hand and position it on the biometric reader, pull the lever to "spin" the three reels, and press the skill button to stop the reels. Don't you want to play? no problem, just avoid making eye contact with one of our machines for more than 5 seconds otherwise you will be induced to bet! Any questions you have please look for our indestructible robotic assistant Stobe, but be careful! He doesn't like cheaters, the aura machine will not work if one player is being induced by another, Stobe will chase you and kick you out of the ship.
Possible "prizes" if you get three equal slots:

• 💎 - M.A.P. restored: The maximum amount of aura stored inside your body is restored;
• 🍌 - Enemy's M.A.P. is restored: Explainable by itself;
• 💪 - Buff: You get a 25% buff on your Advanced Technique Strength;
• 😈 - Cursed: All your advanced techniques will decrease by 5%;
• 🍋 - Massive buff: All your advanced techniques will increase by 5%;
• 💔 - Ability exposed: Your nen abilities will be exposed to the enemy;
• 💚 - Enemy abilities exposed: Explainable by itself;
• 😱 - Zetsu for you: Explainable by itself;
• 🍉 - Zetsu for your enemy: Explainable by itself;
• 😨 - Silhouette exposed: Your silhouette can be seen through walls and objects for 5 minutes;
• 🔮 - Enemy exposed: Your enemy silhouette can be seen through walls and objects for 5 minutes;
• 👻 - Sinister presence: Your enemy becomes invisible and undetectable for 1 minute;
• 🙈🙉🙊 - You can't feel me: You become invisible and undetectable for 1 minute;
• ☘️ - Lucky: Increases the probability of obtaining a prize that benefits you in the next attempt;
• 💢 - Unlucky: Decreases the probability of obtaining a prize that benefits you in the next attempt;
• 😅 - Play again: You are forced to play again (manipulation);
• 💊 - Instant healing: Your wounds are automatically healed;
• 👍 - Be kind: Your enemy's wounds are instantly healed;
• 👁️ - An eye for an eye: Your wounds will be replicated on your enemy's body;
• 🐍 - Don't be rude: Your enemy's wounds will be replicated in your body;
• 🤖 - Please, get out: Stobe will chase you for 10 minutes and try to kick you out of the ship;
• 🔁 - Round reset: The round is reset and the opponents are teleported to the starting point without remembering anything;
• 💀 - You lose: You lose the round automatically, the probability of this happening is less than 1%;
• 🏆 - Jackpot: You win the round automatically, the probability of this happening is less than 1%;

Details

• The enemy has no knowledge of any effect imposed on him;
• Each time you bet your aura decreases slightly.

I decided on a last minute whim to play the Venetian 100k this weekend. I planned on entering flight 1C on Friday and to my surprise, I was alternate 180 at around noon. The tournament was around 200 capacity with no rooms for more because the cash games were going and was told to come back an hour later to check if I would be next. 4 o'clock rolls around and the tournament director isn't even close to calling my number. The blinds were 300/600 with 600 BB ante, and I de-registered and got my money back. I asked the cage personnel if I can register for flight 1D, and to my surprise they said no, and to come around at 8 in the morning to wait in line.
After getting my money back, I drove over to the Bellagio and played in a mix game that consisted of stud 8 and super stud 8. Cindy Violet was playing and running bad, and Chau Giang sat down for a brief moment not playing a single hand and leaving quickly. I played in the game for 14 hours and was down $485 and decided to call it a session. Bellagio poker room was not filled to the brim and my game was tucked in the corner closest to the cage.
I drove back to the Venetian at 7 am and got my $300 free play chips from the casino cage, and proceeded to run the free money up to $1000 real money on the blackjack tables. At around 8 am, I colored up and went to line up at the poker room. The line was already 50 deep and registration doesn't open til 9 am. By the time 9 am roll around the line has already stretched around the huge electronic baccarat tables and pass the Asian noodle restaurant. I registered and went back to my hotel room for shower and a 2 hour nap.
I woke up at 10:45 am, and ate a breakfast sandwich I had gotten before going to my room. I got to my seat at 11:05 and the tournament has just started. Room was very packed, you could not lift up your elbows without bumping into someone. Players at my table were filthy casuals who called preflop with 75% ranges, and I was able to double up my stack at level 2. Someone even called my pot size river bet with 95 high because they thought I was bluffing on a board KQ843, I was, but I had A9. At level 6, I lost a few flips, and a cooler spot where I had top 2 vs a turned straight. I went to my room to sleep for the rest of the day.
TLDR:
Venetian : Poker room is cramped, but the competition is very weak. I got a free bottle of white wine and $300 free play chips to stay there.
Bellegio: Poker room had a lot of space. Saw semi famous poker players.
Vegas: Mask were mandatory everywhere, a lot of people wore them incorrectly. No smoking at the blackjack tables. Strip is sketchier than normal, saw homeless lady in the Venetian fountains skimming for change.
Drove home on Sunday.

This is how I won $129,000 in my 3rd ever poker tournament. Note: don't try this, it probably won't turn out well for you.
I spent about 6 months grinding up a $5,000 bankroll playing home/casino games ranging from .5/1 to 1/3. The week that I hit that $5,000 mark, Matt, one of my best friends from college informed me that his job had placed him in Las Vegas for the next month and that I could crash with him for a few nights if I wanted to come on out west. I had frequent flyer miles for the flight and some Mlife/Fremont hotel comps for the rest of the trip. My grand total for flight and lodging for 10 days came to $200.
Now, I’m not going to bore you guys with low-level cash hand histories. The next 10 days were filled with me playing lowstakes poker for 10-12 hours a day. It’s as fun as it sounds – it’s not. I was having a good time in Vegas otherwise – but towards the end of the trip I had a realization: 1/2’s the same everywhere. I didn’t have to fly out to the desert to raise to $7 preflop.
After 10 days, my grand total from poker (and a fair amount of dumb degenerate shit on Fremont) was -$186. That wasn’t what I came out to do — I knew that I was a better player than my recent results had indicated. The morning of my return flight, I decided I was going to play tournaments until I either busted my $5,000 bankroll or hit something worthwhile.
I impulsively decided to not get on my plane at 11:30am. Checkout time from Luxor was at 11:00 – and I didn’t know where I was going yet. I had 30 minutes to pack up my stuff and figure out where I was going before they’d charge me a fee. I sorted TripAdvisor by cheapest first – I’ve stayed in crappy hostels/motels before and overall am a very low maintenance person. I figured that by staying somewhere for $20 a night, I’d be able to maximize the amount of shots I could take before flying back home. I accepted that there was a real chance I’d go back broke – but I didn’t really care. If I didn’t take my shot now, then when?
I booked the cheapest bed in Vegas - a 6-person shared hostel just past the Stratosphere. Let's just say you get what you pay for — it was not a happy place. A fair amount of the people in there were bordering on homelessness and there was barbed wire surrounding their outdoor gym. In addition to this, I had the constant stress of knowing that all that separated my bankroll from the rest of my roommates was a tiny lock. I took the Deuce to the strip, lived off food comps, and turned down invites from my friends to hang out. I was in town to play poker, nothing else.
Disclaimer: I had never played tournaments prior to heading out to Vegas. My only knowledge of hand ranges was from watching televised events. I downloaded a free Nash chart app on my phone while on the Deuce to the strip and studied it for 5 minutes – whatever, I get the jist of it. Let’s play some cards.
The first day of doing this I played the $140 daily at the Aria. Top 13 spots paid -- I finished in 15th. It was depressing to say the least — I felt as if I was at rock bottom. Before the first night of sleeping at the hostel I called the airline to see if I could get on the flight that I had deliberately missed the day prior. I couldn't.
I made it my goal to at least cash something so that I could get a decent hotel room.
I couldn’t have slept more than 2-3 hours the first night there. One of my roommates was loudly vomiting all night, the sheets itched, and I was going through an existential crisis... like dude, you’ve got a finance degree and you’re really doing this shit?
While on the bus to the strip, I opened Poker Atlas and saw that there was a $200 satellite to win a seat into the $1,600 Venetian main event. I decided that I was going to go take a shot at that.
I was at risk twice in the satellite but after studying the GTO method on how to win coinflips, I persevered and won a seat to the main.
The first day was surreal – once again, I was running on minimal sleep due to my housing arrangements, but I remember the following hands from day 1:

1. Button opens to 2.2x, I’m in the BB with Q9cc. SB folds, we go HU to a flop of 832c. He c-bets, I call. Turn 4x, x/x. River Ax. I check, he bets, I x/r to like 3x his bet, he insta folds. I take it down and show air.
2. UTG+1 opens, MP calls, I flat on the button with K10ss. 3 ways to a flop of Qs43xx. UTG+1 bets 40% pot, MP calls, I call. Turn is the Js. UTG+1 bets 60% pot, MP calls, I flat. River comes the 8s. UTG+1 snap bets 80%. MP flats, I flat. I announce king high flush, they both muck.
3. Folds to the SB, he limps, I look down at Q10o, and check. Flop comes KQ6r. He leads 35%, I call. Turn 10. He bets, I call. River comes a J. He bets, I tank for about 45 seconds then flick in a call, he shows 76o… ship it.

The average stack after day 1 was around 40k, I bagged like 65k. I walked back to the Deuce stop outside of the Venetian and headed on my 30 minute ride back home. I kept thinking to myself, someone’s gotta win this thing, why not me?
I had to get in the money for this tournament to be able to get the fuck out of there. A min cash here was over $3k – that was more than enough for me to get a suite on Fremont for a few nights and party for a bit, then get home with my head held high.
Day 2: I get up at 7am after already being completely awake for the past 4 hours. There’s no way I slept more than 3 hours last night. I hit the Denny’s by the Stratosphere then get on the Deuce.
I get to the Venetian and feel like I’m about to fall asleep. I go to the self-serve coffee/tea dispenser in the middle of the room and make myself an iced coffee. I get to my table, and the cocktail waitress comes around. I ask for another iced coffee and toss her a fiver.
Here are some highlights from the 1st half of day 2:

1. I open 97ss on the button, BB flats. Flop comes AK3s. BB checks, I bet 35%. He throws out a 5k chip – which I interpret as a x/r to my bet. I groan, make a joke about it being the first hand of the day, and start to muck. The dealer stops my cards midway before hitting the muck, and informs me that he didn’t raise, that he called my flop bet. Everyone laughs, I go silent and wait for him to make change. Turn is the 2s. He thinks for a second and bets 30%. I tank for like 30 seconds, then flat. River is a blank. He thinks for a second, then checks. I bet like 30% pot. He tells me that I’m an angle shooter and mucks. I tell him I’m not an angle shooter and show my 9 high. Everyone laughs, we get on with playing.
   
2. CO opens, I 3b 87dd in the SB to 4x, he flats. Flop comes 1032d. I check, he checks. Turn is the 6d. I bet 55% pot, he flats. River comes the Kd. I bet 60%, he tanks, tells me he thinks I backdoored diamonds, then folds. Damn, these players are pretty good.
   
3. I open KK UTG to 2.5x, UTG +1 flats. Heads up to a flop of K43r. x/x. Turn 8, I bet 40% pot, he calls. River 3, I bet 80% pot, he tanks, then calls with AK.
   

I bring my 3 racks of chips to the new table and immediately get some comments – whatever, I’m just on a heater, it happens. At this point, my body was giving out. I was trying my hardest not to fall asleep in between every hand.
Cutoff opens, I’m in the SB, I look down at KK. I put in the 3b, folds back to him. He puts in a healthy 4. We’re the two big stacks at the table – I’d guess he was 50bb effective while I was around 65bb. God damn, am I good enough to fold kings here? No, I’m not. I shove, he snaps, I know that I’ve just fucked up my tournament. He shows the aces. The dealer puts a king in the window, and I hold. I’m for sure the chip leader now.
I lose a few 40/60 and 60/40 flips and chip down a bit. I still have a very healthy stack, probably around 80bb.
The next 3 hands are from the second half of day 2:

1. Aggro Asian guy on the button. Folds to him, he opens to 2.2x, SB folds, I look down at 43ss and raise to 7.5x, he flats.

Flop comes 894cc. I check, he bets, I call. Turn’s another 9. I check, he bets 75% pot, I call. River’s the 10c. I check, he bets 1.2x pot. I ask the dealer for a count of the bet – meanwhile, villain looks like he’s going to shit himself. I flick in a chip, he throws down KcQx. I laugh a little, show my 43ss, and obnoxiously say ship it.

1. I open KQo UTG+1, MP 3bets me. I figure that a 4b from UTG+1 could take it down a fair amount of the time, so I decide to go for it. He thinks for a second and flats.

Flop comes AK4r. I check, he checks back. Turn is a 6, goes x/x again. River’s another brick. I put in a 30% value bet. He does a little grimace and tanks for like 20 seconds. It looks like he’s going to fold so I start verbally telling him that his queens are good. The dealer informs me that you’re not allowed to talk about your hand to another player. I inform him that I’m not talking about my hand, I’m talking about villains’ hand. Dealer laughs and lets me continue to antagonize villain. MP starts talking back, asking if I’m really bluffing. I inform him that once he folds, I’ll show the bluff. He ends up calling, I snap show, he pays me then gets up from the table to go for a walk.

1. We’re playing 6 handed. UTG opens, MP flats, I flat TT on the button. 3 ways to a flop of AT9ccc. UTG bets 50% pot, MP folds, I put in a medium sized raise. He thinks about it and flats.

The turn is the Kd. He pauses for a second then checks. I figured AxKc was his most likely combo. I didn’t think he could fold AxKc to any sizing – I decide to overbet jam 2x pot. He tanks for like 5 min and eventually lets it go. He tells me later he folded AxKc. Nice fold sir.
I finished day two 2nd in chips out of the 64 players remaining. More importantly, I was in the money. My friend Matt offered to give me a ride to the hostel to grab my stuff.
On the way to the hostel I’m telling Matt how trash the place is and he’s kind of like yeah man, whatever, it can’t be that bad. We gather my belongings and head on out. Matt remarked to me that the hostel reminded him of jail mixed with a summer camp.
I open a same night hotel app and see a room at the Four Queens available for $110. The lady at check in was nice enough – however, she informed me that the only room they had available at my price point was a smoking room overlooking the Fremont St. experience. I paid the $20 to upgrade to a non-smoking in the quiet part of the hotel. Vegas man, I swear.
It’s like 2am at this point -- I get to my room, sit on the bed and close my eyes. I open them and it’s 11:00am. Ah fuck man, I gotta get to the Venetian. I hop in the shower, brush my teeth, and freshen up. Even if I don’t have clean clothes, whatever, I’m second in the main, who cares.
Some interesting hands from the first part of Day 3:

1. I had two inexcusable punts in this tournament. This is the first one: I open 5h5c from LP, BB calls. Flop comes J62hhh. x/x. Turn is a 4x. x, I bet 50% pot, BB jams 15bb. I called – and immediately realized I fucked up, big time. He had 2 big chips in his stack that I didn’t see, making his shove effectively like 25bb. In addition, I didn’t have the 5h, I had the 5d. I really didn’t ask for a count or double check my hole cards. Villain turns over 64o and holds. In my defense, I literally didn’t know what ICM meant at the time. Whoops.
   
2. Someone who I recognize from poker TV jams 22bb UTG. I’m in the CO with JJ, I ask him how much it is, he’s talkative and seems genuinely comfortable/down for me to call. I fold – I run into him a few days later at the Aria, he tells me he had AA there. I believe him.
   
3. CO opens, button instantly jams 30bb effective. I’m in the SB with TT and 25bb – live reads, we’re flipping. I call for all in my effective stack, CO folds, button has AQ. I hold. He’s not happy I called with tens. Oh well, sorry bro, gg.
   
4. MP opens, CO 3 bets to 7bb, button jams 20bb. I look down at 2 black aces in the big blind. I reshove, MP folds, CO calls off his 20bb stack. I’m up against AQ and QQ. I hold.
   

Even with my atrocious punt earlier in the day, I’m the chip leader again.
We’re down to about 15 left in the field. UTG opens, I 3b AKo on the button, he jams 20bb, I call. He has 99, a king comes on the flop and he’s gone.
It’s day 3 of the main and we’re playing 5 handed with 12 people left. Let’s fucking go.

1. Button opens to 2.5x, I’m in the BB with A8dd, I flat. Flop comes A104r, I check, he bets, I call. Turn is a 7, x/x. River A, I bet 1.2x pot. He tanks, calls, I show, I’m good.
   
2. CO opens to 2.5x, I’m in the BB with 108dd, I flat. Flop comes Kd4x2d, it goes x/x. Turn is a Kx, I check, he bets 60% pot, I flat. River is the 4d. I check, he bets pot. I tank and let it go. He tells me later he checked back a weak king on the flop.
   
3. SB completes, I’m in the BB with J9o and I check my option. Flop comes Q108r. The SB donks out into me for 60% pot. I flat. Turn comes a brick and he leads into me for 60% again. I raise to 3.5x his turn bet, he thinks for a while then flats. River is another brick. He bets 80% pot into me. I tank for a while, then shove. He starts laughing and folds QQ face up.
   

Less than a week ago I was grinding buffet comps at Planet Hollywood. Now I have guys correctly folding top set to me.
I’ve made it to the final table. I pick up a few small pots and the two shortstacks at the table get eliminated in quick succession.
This is without a doubt the most pointless and just plain out stupid punt of my entire life: I open J2dd on the button into a ~18bb SB and a GTO robot with mid 7 figures in career earnings in the BB. Don’t do this, this is quite literally lighting money on fire. SB folds, BB flats. Flop comes Kh8h3d. I cbet, BB calls. Turn is the Kd, goes x/x.
River comes a 7h, he leads into me for half pot. Whatever, I’m going for it – I put in a raise. He thinks for all of 5 seconds then calls me with KQh. Wow, I just punted away $50,000 in ICM. Jesus Christ dude, what the fuck.
For the next orbit or two, I’m clearly pissed at myself. I get up after my button and do a lap around the poker room – I’m good. The monkey tilt is gone, and I’m ready to get back to playing normal ranges.
Anyway, nothing else really happens for a while – I look down at AKo UTG and raise it up. Folds around to the BB, he thinks for a while, then jams for about 20bb. I snap, he has AQo. I hold. I’m now second in chips. We go on a 10-minute break.
When I get back to the table, the prospect of a 5-way chop comes up. We’re all tired – and the pay jumps are very significant. If you couldn’t tell from this story, I’m a degenerate, but in this spot, I’m willing to reduce variance a bit. We run the numbers and come to an agreement – we all agree to take a very slight ICM bump to give 1st place a bit more money than his stack is worth.
I just won $129,000 -- huh? This was my second tournament cash – not too bad considering that it was my third tournament ever. Maybe I should start learning how to play MTT’s now.
I take $124,000 in a check and $5,000 in cash. I’m leaving Vegas in 4 days and don’t plan on coming home with any of the cash.
The winner of the tournament’s a pretty cool guy and he asks if I want to crash in his guest room tonight… like yeah, if that’s a real offer, I’m down. I pick up my toiletry bag from the Venetian concierge and we hit the Uber.
The next morning Matt picks me up at his house – I hit the Chase bank and deposit the $124,000. I take Matt and my other friend, Spencer out to the Sterling Brunch over at Bally’s – the entire time, Spencer just kept repeating “Davis, what the fuck”. I don’t know dude, seriously, what the fuck.
I get a suite at the D downtown that night and (very) long story short I end up hitting $100 on a number at roulette at 5am. It’s time for bed.
Here’s a link to my Hendon Mob, verifying my tournament result. Hopefully I see some of you guys at the WSOP in 2021.
https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=783521
Davis

This Week on DAT Poker Pod: Daniel is still in Rozvadov grinding for POTY and joins Adam and Terrence. The gang discusses presidential hopeful Andrew Yang endorsing online poker and winning the hearts and minds of (most) poker players. The guys then discuss the race in Rozvadov and the problem with the points system and re entries. We also debate the ethics of Leon Tsoukernik playing high stakes tournaments in his own casino and the Venetian scam tournament experiment also happened and didn’t go as well as they planned! We’ve got some of your mail and voice messages including favourite non Rounders gambling movies and Daniel breaks down some more of the high stakes eco system and one of the classic epic hands from High Stakes Poker between Phil Ivey and Tom Dwan.
Leave us a voicemail for a future show at 1.775.434.2932

This weekend, I'll be in Vegas for the first time since turning 21 with around $500 to gamble. What should be on my to-do list? Any specific tournaments or ring games to recommend?

TLDR; 20 something couple who has been to Vegas before stayed at Hooters Hotel and Casino 4 nights, 5 days with airfare and resort fee for $887 and it was worth every penny.
Hooters Hotel and Casino: With the flight, hotel and resort fee we paid $444 a person which we thought was too good to pass up. The hotel wasn't as bad as I expected it to be but it was pretty old. It is located a short walk to the strip which accessible by going into Tropicana located next door and using a bridge. When we booked this trip we only expected to be at this hotel to sleep at night and we ended up staying there for a lot more since it beat our expectations.
Some parts of the hotel are "nice" and newish and some aren't. The new parts will NEVER be comparable to many of the casino's listed in the faq(even the budget ones) but that doesn't make it bad. If you are a regular person that doesn't need fancy shit or all you plan on doing is sleeping here(bachelobachelorette party or 21st birthday) it's great. The casino was small and never crowded, it was great for gambling a bit at the end of the night since it's almost impossible to get lost or lose whoever you are with. There was a cafe area with a coffee place, Krispy Kreme donuts and a Pizza Hut. There was also a pool bar, Hooters, and Steak n' Shake. They boasted about free parking, $15 buckets of bud light, and $1 margaritas inside the casino bar. The room service seemed incredibly cheap but we did not use it.
Our room was average and as far as we know it was not one that was recently remodeled. The bathroom wasn't very nice and the safe was busted. It looked as if the Bathroom had been done about 10 years ago and the glaze was coming off of the bathtub corners. The room was clean and it had two awkward chairs that belonged in the 70's around a small table. We both thought that a reclinechair was missing from the room due to empty space. The bed was very comfortable and we slept amazing. The AC was ice cold and we had a tiny balcony overlooking the pool. It was $25 a night for a mini-fridge which we decided against and I kept filling up bags of ice and moving it from the sink when needed. If you are not flying in, bring a cooler and save yourself the money or go buy a cheap cooler at Walgreens on the strip for $8. The pool was very clean and quiet, it felt like we were the only people there most of the time and I got a ton of reading done. You couldn't bring your own alcohol or food and the security was tight. The menu seemed decently priced for a pool in vegas.
If you stay at Hooters I highly recommend purchasing the Hooya One Pass, it comes with two different show tickets, a coupon for a free margarita, buy 10 wings get 10 wings, and a 1 hour open bar with wings NIGHTLY between 5-6 pm. At the same bar the drinks cost $5 during happy hour and we watched numerous hotel guests spend more than $20 on drinks in just that hour. I must've eaten about 100 wings and had over 30 drinks the entire trip because of this pass. The bartenders were really great to us during the open bar and we always had a drink in our hand. It saved us a ton of money on dinnelunch but I would've liked to have done one more nice dinner. It also would have been nice if we didn't have to go back to the hotel for 5pm every day but, my GF and I really enjoyed the happy hour, a nap, and a shower before going out for the night(not always in that order).
It seemed like a lot of teenage kids were staying in the hotel for a basketball tournament or something and I never saw any parents. I observed a bunch of people staying in some rooms and the kids would sit outside of the room to charge their phones in the hallway. We had one issue with the kids, we were trying to go down and two girls got off our floor, when we got in the elevator all of the buttons were pressed to go up. It wasn't a big deal to us but it could be to people looking to make a show or relax and not have to deal with that crap. The elevator was also kind of shady and it seemed like it skipped our floor or something a few times when trying to go down. I don't know it it happens a lot but both of these things probably don't happen at places on the strip.
Monday: We left my house at 3:30 am and flew Spirit Airlines from Newark to LAS which landed at 8:40 am. I'll never fly spirit again if I can help it. It was a $14 taxi to the Hotel where they wanted to charge a $25 early check in fee, we debated and decided to drop off our luggage and explore the area so that we could stay up a little longer before crashing since we got roughly 3 hours of sleep. While walking the strip we decided to get a quick bite to eat at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company since there is one in NYC and we've always wanted to go. We each got a flavored margarita which we normally don't get and they were pretty good, she got a shrimp po' boy, and I got calamari and a gigantic bucket of french fries. We mostly went to some shops for gifts and got supplies like shampoo, sunscreen and water for the week at Walgreens and the Liquor store. We checked in at 2:30, unpacked and took a nap. Between 5-6 we had an open bar(well and domestic drafts) at the pool bar with complementary wings and vegetables because we purchased the Hooyah One Pass for $20. At 7pm we took a Lyft to Freemont for a tour at Bangor Brewing. We had a flight and 2 or 3 beers. The guy giving us the tour waited patiently for us since our driver didn't follow directions and we were late. We were the only people on the tour but the place was pretty packed for a while. We explored Freemont Street for the remaining of the night which was very fun and interesting. If I had a kid under the age of 9 I wouldn't bring them but it honestly wasn't that bad besides some girls in thongs, pasties, and dominatrix looking girls(if your kid has an Instagram they have seen worse). Security walked a beat like they were riot cops and one came up to us and told us we couldn't drink in cans on Freemont and that we could drink out of plastic cups instead. He was really cool and I swore he was a cop until we saw real cops. Heads up to anyone. I really liked the vibe of Freemont but the light show was honestly terrible, I may have been spoiled by light shows at concerts and sporting events from a previous job, my girlfriend thinks that the show just needed different music...
Tuesday: We woke up around 8:30 am and went to breakfast at the Steak n' Shake in Hooters. The food was average but service was slow(we never went back). We went to the pool for an hour or two before we went to a timeshare sales pitch for fun and free stuff(buffet and freeplay). I did the math and the $9,999 timeshare came out to be $33,000 over seven years. Once I gave the numbers and said no the guy became a HUGE dick. Sadly, one person bought one. Once the timeshare pitch was finished we went to the liquor store again. We got lunch at Taco's and Tequila where we split nachos and each had a few margaritas. I think they were some of the best margaritas I've ever had. Later we napped and went to the open bar before going to use my freeplay. After we finished loosing $100 in freeplay and getting tons of free drinks, I decided I had to go and see what a dispensary was like. I don't know the rules about posting about this so I will answer questions in a PM. I will also elaborate with a mod's approval since I think it could be really helpful. After getting back to the hotel we went to Hooters for some more wings and went to bed.
Wednesday: We hung out at the pool for a few hours and we went exploring again. We walked around 15 miles this day and I wish we'd had gotten a light rail pass or Ubered to the end of the strip and walked back. We both like exploring things though so none of us mentioned it until it was too late. We didn't have anything planned for this day until we got back to the hotel and looked at all of the comedy clubs. We decided on the late show to see Jimmy Shubert at the Laugh Factory in Tropicana because it was close by and I actually knew of the opening act, Jason Lawhead, because of Bill Burr's Monday Morning Podcast. It was a pretty good show for the price we paid, and we got to see the worst heckler ever get thrown out. The night got hazy for me and I think we went to Hooters for some wings, fries, and onion rings before going to our room and passing out(probably with my shoes on).
Thursday: We actually had plans! We woke up with purpose and got breakfast at Coco's Bakery, a short walk from where we were staying. It was cheap and some of the better breakfast food I've had in a while including some of the diners here in NJ, I wish we could've gone again. After breakfast, we went to the pool before heading to the Mirage for a late lunch buffet thanks to Tahiti Village. Next, we used MyVegas rewards at New York New York for buy one get one crepes at 48th and Crepe which were amazing and we cashed in a ticket for buy one get one 40 oz beers at Tom's Urban. It was happy hour so the beers were under the voucher limit and we basically got them for free + tip which was great considering their somewhat decent selection of draft beer. We went back to the open bar for 5pm, napped and got ready for dinner at Black Tap in the Venetian which was everything I thought it would be and more. I wish I had room for a Crazy Shake but I could barely finish my burger and I only ate 3 onion rings, luckily there is one in NYC. At 10pm we saw John Caparulo at Harrah's. The show was average and I think he could've really used an opening act to get the crowd going instead of awkwardly walking on stage. It was pretty empty, we got GA cheap seats and got moved up to the 5th row. We gambled pretty late and made fun of all the people waiting in line at the club at MGM Grand at 2:30 in the morning, these people looked miserable and hadn't even been in the club yet. I don't miss those days.
Friday: We laid in bed for most of the morning since there was not an option for a late checkout and we weren't leaving for the Airport until 8 PM. We double and triple checked for everything and I swear I packed a few things that I can no longer find(it's not a vacation until I've lost something). We checked out around 11am and stored our luggage with the valet. We went to the M&M Store and did the free 3d movie which was pretty entertaining since I don't think I have ever seen a 3d movie before. We decided on going to the Bodies exhibit at Luxor which was pretty cool but probably not worth $30 with an MLife card. We also took the tram to Mandalay Bay which was pretty nice but very empty and kind of eerie. It also smelled like a funeral home or church or something. We cashed in another couple of MyVegas rewards and went to Tom's Urban again for 40oz beers(on happy hour). We also ordered the two way fries which consisted of shoe string and sweet potato fries. They were out of this world! Finally we went to Coyote Ugly for buy one get one drinks(MyVegas). My GF has always wanted to go here but none of her friends ever would go with her. We both fell in love with the bartender and we talked for about an hour about life in Vegas before heading back to the open bar and did some last minute gift shopping.
In all we did a lot of gambling, walking around, and exploring. We also talked with a ton of locals and tried to get a feel for the place. I'm not a fan of most shows and she had seen most of them in her previous travels. I really wanted to change the hotel after booking it and she kept insisting that it'd be fine. Besides using MyVegas a trick we learned was to use your Mlife card for anything you purchase inside an MGM casino, it doesn't matter if you are buying show tickets or a frozen drink, you'll get points from your purchase. I expect to get a ton of comps to use at the Borgata and I think we are coming back for the Golden Knights/Devils game in January.
My total expenses for the trip came out to be $1190.75 based on all of my credit card statements and cash that I had left over in my wallet. This includes my half of the hotel, resort, plane and all of the booze, rides, and gambling I did.

Hey poker,
Same intro as last week's post... I'm a longtime lurker, sometimes contributor on this sub. Aside from the hand analyses, BBVs, and memes, I see the occasional "heading to Vegas" post asking for tournament options. Over the past two weeks I've been keeping an eye on the Bravo Poker App for tournament information and logging them in hopes that this will help make visitors' decisions easier on when/where to play.
Disclaimer: Only daily/weekly tournaments are logged. i.e. Venetian is currently running one of their Deepstack Extravaganzas and none of their events were logged. I also only log tournaments that poker rooms update through Bravo. Tournaments for Station Casinos (Red Rock, GVR, etc.) and a number of other poker rooms were not logged since they do not list their live tournament clocks on the Bravo Poker App. I could also only log live tournament clocks when I was not working nor asleep, so some tournament information may be missing.
Raw Data: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eG3PqxVXfMuuvVWfKSoHoCkiWqDfpaBgEXMhwOW6r1E/edit?usp=sharing
Tournament w/ Largest Prize Pool: Wynn's Weekly | $25k GTD | Saturdays @ 12pm | $225 Entry: $29,952
Tournament w/ Largest Player Pool: Orleans' Weekly | Fridays @ 7:05pm | $125 Entry: 139 Entries
Daily/Weekly Tournaments Summary: Only tournaments that have a sample size of four (4) or more are included. As mentioned above, I'm not always able to log every tournament of every day.

Poker Room	Time	Type	GTD	Buy-In + Fee	Fee	Su	Mo	Tu	W	Th	Fr	Sat	Avg. Entrants	Avg. Prize Pool	Sample Size
Aria	11:00am	NLHE	None	$240	$45	x					x	x	75.25	$14,673.75	4
Aria	1:00pm	NLHE	None	$125	$28		x	x	x	x			79	$7,663.00	6
Aria	7:00pm	NLHE	None	$125	$28	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	56.75	$5,504.75	8
Bally's	3:00pm	NLHE	$750	$70	$22	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	15.4	$821.40	10
Bally's	8:00pm	NLHE	$2,000	$100	$25	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	25.8	$2,085.00	5
Caesar's Palace	2:00pm	NLHE	$3,000	$125	$40	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	34.84	$3,831.67	12
Flamingo	12:00am	NLHE	$750	$70	$20	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	22	$1,100.00	4
Flamingo	4:00pm	NLHE Turbo	$600	$60	$17	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	19.29	$856.29	7
Golden Nugget	3:00pm	NLHE	None	$50	$17	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	17.55	$579.00	11
Golden Nugget	7:00pm	NLHE	None	$70	$19	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	28.17	$1,436.50	6
Golden Nugget	10:00pm	NLHE	None	$50	$17	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	17.17	$566.60	6
Harrah's	3:00pm	NLHE	$500	$65	$21	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	16.5	$732.50	12
Harrah's	10:00pm	NLHE	$500	$65	$20	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	11.8	$561.00	5
Mirage	2:00pm	NLHE	None	$65	$18	x	x	x			x	x	23.33	$1,096.67	6
Mirage	7:00pm	NLHE Bounty	None	$100	$25				x		x	x	25.5	$1,402.50	4
Planet Hollywood	1:00pm	NLHE	$1,500	$80	$22	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	24	$1,502.00	4
Planet Hollywood	4:00pm	NLHE	$1,500	$80	$22	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	25.25	$1,581.25	8
Planet Hollywood	10:00pm	NLHE	$1,500	$80	$22	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	30	$1,810.33	6
South Point	2:00pm	NLHE Bounty	None	$75	$25	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	13	$650.00	6
The Orleans	7:05pm	NLHE Bounty	None	$130	$32		x		x			x	49	$3,832.00	5
Treasure Island	10:00pm	NLHE	$1,000	$77	$22	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	26.88	$1,510.00	7
Wynn	12:00pm	NLHE	$10,000	$200	$20	x					x		63.5	$13,612.75	4
Wynn	12:00pm	NLHE	None	$140	$20		x	x	x	x			48.86	$5,720.00	7

Disclaimer: Only daily/weekly tournaments are logged. i.e. Special events such as Venetian's Deepstack Extravaganzas and Wynn's European Championship events were not logged. I also only log tournaments that poker rooms update through Bravo. Tournaments for Station Casinos (Red Rock, GVR, etc.) and a number of other poker rooms were not logged since they do not list their live tournament clocks on the Bravo Poker App. I could also only log live tournament clocks when I was not working nor asleep, so some tournament information may be missing.
Raw Data: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eG3PqxVXfMuuvVWfKSoHoCkiWqDfpaBgEXMhwOW6r1E/edit?usp=sharing
Tournament w/ Largest Prize Pool: Wynn's Weekly | $25k GTD | Saturdays @ 12pm | $225 Entry: $32,448
Tournament w/ Largest Player Pool: Orleans' Weekly | Fridays @ 7:05pm | $125 Entry: 160 Entries
Daily/Weekly Tournaments Summary: Only daily tournaments that have a sample size of four (4) or more are included. Weekly tournaments that have a sample size of three (3) or more are included. As mentioned above, I'm not always able to log every tournament of every day.

Poker Room	Time	Type	GTD	Buy-In + Fee	Fee	Su	Mo	Tu	W	Th	Fr	Sat	Avg. Entrants	Avg. Prize Pool	Sample Size
Aria	11:00am	NLHE	None	$240	$45	x					x	x	61.13	$11,929.38	8
Aria	1:00pm	NLHE	None	$125	$28		x	x	x	x			84.09	$8,156.82	11
Aria	7:00pm	NLHE	None	$125	$28	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	58.13	$5,638.13	16
Bally's	3:00pm	NLHE	$750	$70	$22	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	16.53	$864.95	19
Bally's	5:00pm	NLHE	$750	$70	$22	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	13.67	$791.33	6
Bally's	8:00pm	NLHE	$7,500	$130	$30							x	66.33	$7,500	3
Bally's	8:00pm	NLHE	$2,000	$100	$25	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	25.8	$2,085.00	5
Caesar's Palace	2:00pm	NLHE	$3,000	$150	$40	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	32.42	$3,645.42	24
Caesar's Palace	9:00pm	NLHE	$3,000	$150	$40	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	31.95	$3,629.47	19
Flamingo	12:00am	NLHE	$750	$70	$20	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	24.63	$1,231.50	8
Flamingo	4:00pm	NLHE Turbo	$600	$60	$17	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	17.75	$782.83	12
Flamingo	9:00pm	NLHE Turbo	$750	$60	$17	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	20.75	$1,037.50	4
Golden Nugget	3:00pm	NLHE	None	$50	$17	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	21	$693.00	19
Golden Nugget	7:00pm	NLHE	None	$70	$19	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	30.92	$1,576.75	12
Golden Nugget	10:00pm	NLHE	None	$50	$17	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	16.08	$530.54	13
Harrah's	3:00pm	NLHE	$500	$65	$21	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	16.33	$736.48	21
Harrah's	10:00pm	NLHE	$500	$65	$20	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	10.33	$528.75	12
Mirage	2:00pm	NLHE	None	$65	$18	x	x	x			x	x	24.37	$1,140.82	11
Mirage	7:00pm	NLHE Bounty	None	$100	$25				x		x	x	25.5	$1,402.50	4
Mirage	7:00pm	NLHE	None	$65	$18	x	x	x			x		14.29	$671.43	7
Orleans	12:05pm	NLHE	None	$80	$22	x		x		x			27.5	$1,595.00	4
Orleans	12:05pm	FL O8	None	$80	$22		x						46	$2,668.00	4
Orleans	12:05pm	FL O8/S8	None	$80	$22				x				39.25	$2,276.50	4
Orleans	12:05pm	NLHE DS	None	$80	$22						x		41.67	$2,416.67	3
Orleans	7:05pm	HORSE	None	$105	$27	x							53.5	$4,173.00	4
Orleans	7:05pm	NLHE Bounty	None	$130	$32		x		x			x	44.67	$3,455.11	9
Orleans	7:05pm	PLO	None	$80	$22			x					34.5	$2,001.00	4
Orleans	7:05pm	FL O8	None	$80	$22					x			38.75	$2,247.50	4
Orleans	7:05pm	NLHE	None	$130	$32						x		145.25	$14,234.50	4
Planet Hollywood	1:00pm	NLHE	$1,500	$80	$22	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	24	$1,502.00	4
Planet Hollywood	4:00pm	NLHE	$1,500	$80	$22	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	26.06	$1,623.00	18
Planet Hollywood	10:00pm	NLHE	$1,500	$80	$22	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	29	$1,769.22	18
Rio	4:00pm	NLHE	$500	$65	$20		x	x	x	x			13.4	$613	5
Rio	4:00pm	NLHE Bounty	$1,000	$100	$25	x					x	x	11.8	$1,055.00	5
Rio	9:00pm	NLHE	$500	$65	$20		x	x	x	x			12.83	$602.00	6
South Point	2:00pm	NLHE Bounty	None	$75	$25	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	13.5	$675.00	8
Treasure Island	10:00pm	NLHE	$1,000	$77	$22	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	23.33	$1,316.33	18
Venetian	12:05pm	NLHE	$9,000	$150	$32		x	x	x	x			83.33	$9,962.00	3
Wynn	12:00pm	NLHE	$25,000	$200	$20							x	106.5	$33,984.00	4
Wynn	12:00pm	NLHE	$10,000	$200	$20	x					x		62.67	$13,260.83	6
Wynn	12:00pm	NLHE	None	$140	$20		x	x	x	x			49.46	$6,334.77	13

Type Legend
NLHE - No Limit Hold'Em
NLHE Bounty - No Limit Hold'Em Bounty
NLHE DS - No Limit Hold'Em Deepstack
NLHE Turbo - No Limit Hold'Em (10/15 Minute Blinds)
FL O8 - Fixed Limit Omaha 8/b
FL O8/S8 - Fixed Limit Omaha 8/b & Stud 8/b
PLO - Pot Limit Omaha
HORSE - Limit HORSE (Hold Em, Omaha 8/b, Razz, Stud, Stud 8/b)

WARNING: This is going to be a wall of text. If you’re not from the US this isn’t going to be applicable to you. But if you are a tournament player, especially one that plays at the WSOP or plans on it, this might be worth the read to save yourself some potential headaches in the future. I’m gonna try to figure out how to add this to the wiki (hopefully the mods are cool with that) because I think it is valuable info for any tournament player.
BACKGROUND
So, a long time ago SirHumphryDavy PM’ed me asking me if I knew anything about how to handle taxes for chopping a tournament if you do it in a casino that doesn’t facilitate deals. I researched it for a while and it was pretty frustrating because there is really no specific answer and it really is a grey area. I then started studying for my CPA exams and honestly just completely forgot about it. Until a little while ago zbryne PM’ed me asking me the same question pretty much so I decided to look into it again. I got the chance to talk to a CPA who specializes in poker clients and he gave me what I think is the most definitive answer that I think you can get. I also got a good amount of help from Touch_of_Red who I’ll be referring to later. So thanks to him also. Also, please keep in mind for this post that I have never in my life been in this situation. Every tournament I have ever played the casino allowed chops and would facilitate if tax stuff was required. Everything that I am talking about in this thread is based on research, talking with other players who’ve been in this scenario, etc. So please please please if you notice something I wrote that you believe is wrong/incorrect/could be bettewhatever let me know and I’ll change it.
INFO
For those of you that don’t know, there are casinos in existence that don’t facilitate chops. What this means is that they will not help players chop the prize pool of a tournament. The WSOP (Caesars) is one tournament series that does this. So any deal making that goes on between the players must be done amongst themselves and on their word, etc. This is an incredibly stupid practice and really hurts players, but more on that later. It’s how it is now so you need to know what to do if you find yourself in that situation.
For purposes of this post, let’s use this as a hypothetical scenario. You’ve final tabled one of the tournaments at the WSOP. There’s only three of you left, stacks are short, you’re tired, and everyone just wants to chop. So let’s say the listed payouts are: 1st - $30,000 2nd- $18,000 3rd- $12,000. This gives you a total prize pool of $60,000 and you three decide to chop it evenly for $20,000 each. At a normal casino you would tell the TD this and it would be over. He/She would figure everything out and inform the cage/applicable place to handle the W-2Gs. Every person would get their $20,000 prize and a W-2G stating they won that. (Side note: You won’t always get a W-2G for tournament scores. Usually only if it’s over $5k in profit.) This is not how it works at the WSOP/Caesars/Places that don’t facilitate chops. They are going to make you play it out (or at least have someone sign for first, someone sign for second, someone sign for third). Then they will W-2G you for the listed payout. This is where the problem occurs.
So now let’s say you played it out after the chop was agreed to (because the casino made you - -say there was a bracelet/trophy on the line or something) and you end up getting first. Come tax time you are going to get a W-2G for $30,000 when in reality you only got $20,000 from the chop. That W-2G is also going to be sent to the IRS so you’re really in a shitty spot now. So what do you do? The best way to handle it is right then and there at the table whoever gets first or signs for first/second/etc will have the other players in the chop throw him some extra for the taxes. Touch_of_Red said he has had some friends who have run into this scenario and he sums it up pretty well:

“I haven't personally, no but I have had friends who have had that situation at the dailies during the WSOP. Typically what happens is everyone decides who will sign for what place (you don't actually play it out) and everyone chops the money in a way that lessens the tax burden for the people who sign for the top spots.
So let's say there's 50k to play for and three people left, and ICM is 20k/15k/15k and the official payouts are 25k/15k/10k. The third place guy (who will get 5k more than he'll be on paper for) will give 1.5k extra to the first place guy (who will get 5k less than he'll be on paper for). 1.5k being 30% of the 5k, it's pretty standard to assume a 30% tax rate.
Also if there are foreign players who aren't going to get taxed for their winnings it's pretty standard to have them sign for the top places and then have the other players tip them a couple % for saving them some tax."

This is more than likely going to be your best way to handle it. You then will not have to worry about the IRS mismatching the W-2G they receive and what you report and you also won’t get fucked into paying a ton of tax on money you didn’t actually win. But what if you don’t do this? What if you’re all three amateurs elated at the prospect of winning $20k and don’t even think about this at the time. What are your options then? This was where I had the most trouble figuring out what to do. I talked with a CPA that specialized in poker and taxes and this is what he said:

There are essentially two ways to deal with the scenario in which you get a W-2G for more than you actually received in the chop:
Option 1: Since you only received $20,000 from the deal, this would be the only amount that you would need to show on your return as gambling winnings. However, the IRS has a W2-G with your name on it for $30,000, so you will most likely receive a letter stating you under reported your income by $10,000. You would then have to respond to the letter stating what actually happened and why the W2-G is incorrect….and hope that the IRS believes you. They may or may not.
Option 2: You can report gambling winnings of $30,000 on your return and take a deduction for $10,000 as a payment to another party associated with the win (almost like you are paying out a backer). This would be an itemized deduction. In this scenario, you are reporting the correct gross winnings according to IRS documentation, so you will not receive a letter for under reporting your income. However, if you are audited in the future, you would have to substantiate the $10,000 deduction, which could be tricky.
This is what he had to say if you were one of the lucky people that got a W-2G for less than you actually got in the chop:
In this case, you would still be on the hook for the full amount received ($20,000), even though the W2-G is only for $12,000. Will some people only report the $12,000 on their return? Of course. Will these people always get caught? No. But that does not mean that is the correct way to look at it. You should always report the actual winnings from gambling on your return.

As you can see this is a really complicated scenario. There are definitely other ways of dealing with this scenario (issuing 1099s) but in my opinion choosing one of the two ways I just listed is the simplest. Russ Fox, an accountant known for dealing with poker issues, talks about this situation in detail in his blog here:
http://www.taxabletalk.com/2007/05/17/what-if-a-casino-decides-to-ignore-the-rules/
He mentions more info on how you might try to handle if using 1099s if you knew the other party you chopped with. Also, keep in mind in this hypothetical scenario I talked about the players are not backed. They all three have 100% of themselves. When they don’t the scenario becomes much more complicated and I’m not going to get into that here.
I know this has been confusing and I hope you stayed with me. If anything, the main thing you should take away from this is that the best way to handle it is to keep extra money in the chop to handle taxes later on if you’re going to be signing for a spot that will issue you a W-2G for more than you actually got. Another thing you should take away from this is how bad the WSOP and other casinos that don’t facilitate deals are fucking their players by doing this. It’s a completely unneeded practice. I know from reading that the Venetian, EPTs, and most other casinos/tournament series will happily assist players in deal making. I have no idea why the WSOP continues to do this. It’s technically against regs/laws (I think) and it’s incredibly dumb. It’s fucking over the players for no reason at all. The casino would lose no money in assisting players in chops. (Other than possibly higher wage expense for employees assisting with tax documents, but that would be marginal at best) So if you ever find yourself talking to a person that is involved with the WSOP/Caesars whatever and they ask you how they could make the series better, mention this. It really needs to be changed.
Anyway, I hope you’ve found this useful. If anything just to keep this in the back of your mind in case you ever find yourself in this scenario. Let me know if you have any questions/need clarifications on this and I’ll do my best to answer. Also, please comment if you have any info to add! I’d really appreciate hearing from someone that might have dealt with this in the past and how they handled it.
Disclaimer: I am in no way trying to say that this is the 100% best way to handle things. It’s a grey are (at best) in poker tax and something that is pretty complicated. I’m just trying to give the best general advice I can. I am not completed unqualified (I have a MAcc and will be done with all my CPA exams in a couple weeks) but this is not meant to make you feel that you are 100% covered. It’s always best to consult a CPA or tax professional in situations like these. Tl;dr don’t blame me if you get audited and the IRS disagrees with how you handled it.
Also, I’m gonna post another thread in a bit just about general taxes for poker players with some links on how to handle it so check that out.

Disclaimer: Only daily/weekly tournaments are logged. i.e. Venetian is currently running one of their Deepstack Extravaganzas and none of their events were logged. I also only log tournaments that poker rooms update through Bravo. Tournaments for Station Casinos (Red Rock, GVR, etc.) and a number of other poker rooms were not logged since they do not list their live tournament clocks on the Bravo Poker App. I could also only log live tournament clocks when I was not working nor asleep, so some tournament information may be missing.
Raw Data: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eG3PqxVXfMuuvVWfKSoHoCkiWqDfpaBgEXMhwOW6r1E/edit?usp=sharing
Tournament w/ Largest Prize Pool: Wynn's Weekly | $25k GTD | Saturdays @ 12pm | $225 Entry: $34,752
Tournament w/ Largest Player Pool: Orleans' Weekly | Fridays @ 7:05pm | $125 Entry: 123 Entries
Daily/Weekly Tournaments Summary: Only daily tournaments that have a sample size of four (4) or more are included. Weekly tournaments that have a sample size of three (3) or more are included. As mentioned above, I'm not always able to log every tournament of every day.

Poker Room	Time	Type	GTD	Buy-In + Fee	Fee	Su	Mo	Tu	W	Th	Fr	Sat	Avg. Entrants	Avg. Prize Pool	Sample Size
Aria	11:00am	NLHE	None	$240	$45	x					x	x	70.4	$13,728.00	5
Aria	1:00pm	NLHE	None	$125	$28		x	x	x	x			80.71	$7,829.29	7
Aria	7:00pm	NLHE	None	$125	$28	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	56.2	$5,451.40	10
Bally's	3:00pm	NLHE	$750	$70	$22	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	15.56	$863.25	16
Bally's	5:00pm	NLHE	$750	$70	$22	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	13.2	$796.00	5
Bally's	8:00pm	NLHE	$2,000	$100	$25	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	25.8	$2,085.00	5
Caesar's Palace	2:00pm	NLHE	$3,000	$150	$40	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	34.17	$3,790.56	18
Caesar's Palace	9:00pm	NLHE	$3,000	$150	$40	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	34.15	$3,814.62	13
Flamingo	12:00am	NLHE	$750	$70	$20	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	25.33	$1,266.67	6
Flamingo	4:00pm	NLHE Turbo	$600	$60	$17	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	18.63	$824.50	8
Golden Nugget	3:00pm	NLHE	None	$50	$17	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	19.27	$635.80	15
Golden Nugget	7:00pm	NLHE	None	$70	$19	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	30.2	$1,540.20	10
Golden Nugget	10:00pm	NLHE	None	$50	$17	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	17.56	$579.33	9
Harrah's	3:00pm	NLHE	$500	$65	$21	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	16.06	$719.13	16
Harrah's	10:00pm	NLHE	$500	$65	$20	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	11.71	$549.29	7
Mirage	2:00pm	NLHE	None	$65	$18	x	x	x			x	x	24	$1,128.00	10
Mirage	7:00pm	NLHE Bounty	None	$100	$25				x		x	x	25.5	$1,402.50	4
Mirage	7:00pm	NLHE	None	$65	$18	x	x	x			x		16.75	$787.25	4
Orleans	12:05pm	NLHE	None	$80	$22	x		x		x			29.33	$1,701.33	3
Orleans	12:05pm	FL O8	None	$80	$22		x						48.67	$2,822.67	3
Orleans	12:05pm	FL O8/S8	None	$80	$22				x				41.33	$2,397.33	3
Orleans	12:05pm	NLHE DS	None	$80	$22						x		41.67	$2,416.67	3
Orleans	7:05pm	HORSE	None	$105	$27	x							57	$4,446.00	3
Orleans	7:05pm	NLHE Bounty	None	$130	$32		x		x			x	43.13	$3,358.13	8
Orleans	7:05pm	PLO	None	$80	$22			x					32	$1,856.00	3
Orleans	7:05pm	FL 08	None	$80	$22					x			40.33	$2,339.33	3
Orleans	7:05pm	NLHE	None	$130	$32						x		140.33	$13,752.67	3
Planet Hollywood	1:00pm	NLHE	$1,500	$80	$22	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	24	$1,502.00	4
Planet Hollywood	4:00pm	NLHE	$1,500	$80	$22	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	24.77	$1,550.31	13
Planet Hollywood	10:00pm	NLHE	$1,500	$80	$22	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	30	$1,805.64	11
Rio	4:00pm	NLHE	$500	$65	$20		x	x	x	x			11	$500	4
Rio	9:00pm	NLHE	$500	$65	$20		x	x	x	x			10.75	$520	4
South Point	2:00pm	NLHE Bounty	None	$75	$25	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	13.29	$664.29	6
Treasure Island	10:00pm	NLHE	$1,000	$77	$22	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	24.75	$1,390.42	12
Wynn	12:00pm	NLHE	$25,000	$200	$20							x	112	$34,496.00	3
Wynn	12:00pm	NLHE	$10,000	$200	$20	x					x		64.4	$13,701.20	5
Wynn	12:00pm	NLHE	None	$140	$20		x	x	x	x			51.82	$6,690.18	11

Hey poker,
I'm a longtime lurker, sometimes contributor on this sub. Aside from the hand analyses, BBVs, and memes, I see the occasional "heading to Vegas" post asking for tournament options. Over the past week I've been keeping an eye on the Bravo Poker App for tournament information and logging them in hopes that this will help make visitors' decisions easier on when/where to play. Maybe this can become a weekly thing if enough interest is expressed.
Disclaimer: Only daily/weekly tournaments are logged. i.e. Venetian is currently running one of their Deepstack Extravaganzas and none of their events were logged. I also only log tournaments that poker rooms update through Bravo. Tournaments for Station Casinos (Red Rock, GVR, etc.) and a number of other poker rooms were not logged since they do not list their live tournament clocks on the Bravo Poker App. I could also only log live tournament clocks when I was not working nor asleep, so some tournament information may be missing.
Raw Data: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eG3PqxVXfMuuvVWfKSoHoCkiWqDfpaBgEXMhwOW6r1E/edit?usp=sharing
Tournament w/ Largest Prize Pool: Wynn's Weekly | $25k GTD | Saturdays @ 12pm | $225 Entry: $38,784
Tournament w/ Largest Player Pool: Orleans' Weekly | Fridays @ 7:05pm | $125 Entry: 159 Entries
Guarantees Most Likely to Overlay: Bally's Daily Tournaments
Property | Average Player Pool | Average Prize Pool (Dailies Only)
Aria | 70.2 Players | $8,407
Bally's | 14.71 Players | $961
Caesar's Palace | 36.33 Players | $4,037
Flamingo | 22.71 Players | $1,071
Golden Nugget | 21.17 Players | $843
Harrah's | 15.44 Players | $703
Mirage | 25.86 Players | $1,293
Planet Hollywood | 29.5 Players | $1,769
Rio | 11.33 Players | $560
South Point | 14 Players | $700
Treasure Island | 30.5 Players | $1,677.50
Wynn | 51.8 Players | $8439.40

Should be something for everyone here at the WSOP Rio, Venetian and Wynn. Buy-ins range from $250 to $3,150. Links below.
http://www.wsop.com/tournaments/schedule/?groupID=1409
https://www.venetian.com/content/dam/venetian/casino/pokedeepstack/2018/DSE_I_2018-Schedule.pdf
http://wynnpoker.com/wynn_classic.cfm
Things to note.
Mostly NLHE. A few PLO events + O8 + Horse. Several senior events.
All 3 venues have $1M guarantee NLHE events.
For value, Wynn satellite into $1M event is $300 and 30 minute levels as opposed to 20 minute levels at Venetian satellites. Wynn is guaranteeing 90 total satellite seats into their $1M guarantee event.
Lowest buy-in events ($400 and $340) with 40 minute levels are at the Venetian. These are 2 day events.
Rio events come with a WSOPC ring if that floats your boat.

Hey guys, I'm scheduled to make my first trip to Vegas next Friday and there were a few questions I haven't been able to find an answer to.
What's the best way to get cash to Vegas for the trip (planning on taking $10-15K)?

• I've traveled to play before, but this is the first poker trip I've taken that requires me to fly to my destination and I've never really considered how much cash I could have before the TSA would start hassling me. According to all the information I've been able to find on google the amount of cash I have doesn't matter as long as it's a domestic flight, but I've also come across horror stories where large amounts of cash were confiscated (the Viffer story for example ). I was planning on wiring the money to my hotel, but a couple weeks ago I wired my preregistration for a few events to the Rio and it's disappeared. The bank says it got there and the Rio says they haven't seen it so I would really like to avoid wiring more if there's an alternative. Also whats the best way to get the money back home after I ship the Colossus?

What can I do with the cash once I get there?

• I'm splitting a room with one of my poker buddies and I'm confident he would never go through my stuff or steal from me, but it seems pretty stupid to hide that much cash somewhere in the room or to always have all of it on me when traveling between casinos.

Daily deep stacks at the Rio vs Venetian Deepstacks

• Everyone I've talked to has said these are both ridiculously good value, but I haven't really gotten any opinions from people who played both. I know the dailies have a ton of dead money and the Venetian tournaments have great structures, but for those who have played both which do you prefer and why?

Suggestions for food while I'm there?
Anything else I should keep in mind while I'm there/ what am I going to need that I probably won't think about?

This was my 2nd time to Macau (poker-related) and I have good news and bad news for anyone considering a trip.
The good news: The games are pretty fishy and if you are a decent player you have a good chance of walking away with a profit. Both this trip and last trip I tripled my original buyin over 3 days. This time, won enough to cover my flight and hotels and still have a profit. Didn't get especially lucky either; there were upswings and downswings but I just played disciplined and aggressive poker. Note that I'm talking about the lowest limits (25 - 50 Hong Kong dollars no limit, which is about $3 - 6 USD) so games may be tougher in 50 - 100 or above.
Most players there are weak-tight. 80% of the time there is no pre-flop raise. Post-flop there is more aggression, but you can profit if you learn which type of fish each player is. Some fold too easily, and some call to easily. Once you determine which is which, easy game. A few are good local regs, mostly TAG's. Just avoid getting in big pots with them if possible.
The bad news: Poker is not profitable for the casinos, so more and more hotels are closing their rooms, limiting the number of tables, and upping the limits. Hotel Lisboa used to have a big room with 50 tables or so, tournaments, and lower limits (10-25 I think). Just recently they closed it all down. Hard Rock Hotel also closed their poker room. The reason is that there is a cap for each hotel on the total number of table games they can have, and baccarat is much more profitable than poker. So hotel owners look at the numbers and are ditching or really cutting back on the poker, replacing them with baccarat tables.
As a result, there are only three hotels left that spread poker: The Venetian, the Wynn, and StarWorld (and this may change so check this thread on 2+2 before you go; click last to go the most recent dated post) http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/200/regional-communities/macau-488/ So that's not much of a problem in itself. My biggest gripe is that they only have 5 to 10 tables each, so the waiting list is always super long. First night at the Venetian, I was 18th on the list and ended up waiting 6 hours. That was the worst; but other times it was always 2+ hours wait. So basically, the best strategy is to put your name on a list (early afternoon, like 2 or 3, is best), go eat, come back, sit down, and stay there all day and all night.
Details and impressions about each place:
Venetian: Terrible service. Rude and super slow; plus estimates for wait time were never accurate. Little to no drink service (all costs money). Play is supposed to be softer here but I didn't notice a difference. Limits: 25-50, 50-100, 100-200; NLHE only (others if there is interest) Rake: 5%, 250 HKD cap
Wynn: Excellent service. They send you a text when your name is on top of the list, so you don't have to sit there waiting. Decent drink service, free unless alcoholic. Play was pretty soft at 25-50. Limits: 25-50 up to 1,000-2,000; apparently they spread the highest in the world here. They also regularly have PLO but I think 100-200 was the lowest. Rake: 5%, 200 HKD cap
StarWorld (Poker King Club): I had high hopes but didn't get to play here. You can call ahead and put your name on the list, but if you're not there within 30 minutes of being called, it's back to the end of the line (which is long). They are the only place with a players card. Limits: 25-50 was the lowest; don't remember how high they went. No Omaha. But they have Sit-N-Go's on Fridays and Saturdays. This is the only "tournament" left in Macau. Rake: Don't know
Another thing - not sure if it was coincidence, but most of my profits on all 3 days came between midnight and 6:00 AM. During the day time there were more nit-regs, and night time is when more tourists came out.

MYSTÈRE BY CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
Location: Mystère Theatre, Treasure Island - TI Phone: 1-866-983-4279 Mystère by Cirque du Soleil provides a complete spectrum of awe-inducing entertainment with colorful sets, imaginative costumes and highly-skilled performers. Show Type: Cirque du Soleil, Production SELECT A DATE AND TIME DATE DAY AVAILABLE TIMES
November 18 Saturday 7:00PM
9:30PM
$67
November 19 Sunday 7:00PM
9:30PM
$67
MAS INFO
MICHAEL JACKSON ONE BY CIRQUE DU SOLEIL Location: Mandalay Bay Theatre, Mandalay Bay Phone: 1-866-983-4279 Combining dance, music and awe-inspiring visuals, Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil brings alive Jackson's creative genius in a new adventure. Show Type: Cirque du Soleil, Musicals, Production SELECT A DATE AND TIME DATE DAY AVAILABLE TIMES
November 18 Saturday 7:00PM
9:30PM
$90
November 19 Sunday 7:00PM
9:30PM
$90
MAS INFO
CÉLINE DION (1004 customer reviews) Location: The Colosseum, Caesars Palace Phone: 1-866-983-4279 Catch Céline Dion perform her repertoire of hits mixed with timeless classics that pay tribute to some of the most celebrated songs of all time in her residency show at Caesars Palace. Show Type: Concerts SELECT A DATE AND TIME DATE DAY AVAILABLE TIMES
November 18 Saturday 7:30PM
$102 MAS INFO
DONNY & MARIE from 73 Best Price Guarantee Booked in the last 4 minutes (1144 customer reviews) Location: Donny & Marie Showroom, Flamingo Phone: 1-866-983-4279 Donny and Marie is a family-friendly show that follows the winning formula of their 1970s TV program, incorporating dancing, humor and plenty of their hit songs and current chart-toppers. Show Type: Concerts SELECT A DATE AND TIME DATE DAY AVAILABLE TIMES
November 18 Saturday 7:30PM $73
MAS INFO
TOURNAMENT OF KINGS from 73 (329 customer reviews) Location: King Arthur's Arena, Excalibur Phone: 1-866-983-4279 The medieval-themed Tournament of Kings combines arena-style entertainment like jousting and sword fighting with a bacchanalian feast befitting a king. Show Type: Production SELECT A DATE AND TIME DATE DAY AVAILABLE TIMES
November 18 Saturday 6:00PM
8:30PM
$73
November 19 Sunday 6:00PM
$73 MAS INFO
HUMAN NATURE JUKEBOX from 67 Best Price Guarantee Booked in the last 2 hours (777 customer reviews) Location: Sands Showroom, Venetian Phone: 1-866-983-4279 Human Nature effortlessly mixes Pop classics with Doo-Wop, Motown, Soul standards and more in Jukebox – The Ultimate Playlist LIVE! Show Type: Concerts SELECT A DATE AND TIME DATE DAY AVAILABLE TIMES
November 18 Saturday 7:00PM
$67
MAS INFO
Thunder From Down Under from 46 Best Price Guarantee Booked in the last 56 minutes (260 customer reviews) Location: Thunder From Down Under Showroom, Excalibur Phone: 1-866-983-4279 The Australian all-male dance revue Thunder from Down Under is a feast of flesh and fantasy for women, providing a night of raucous fun for everyone. Show Type: Adult, Production SELECT A DATE AND TIME DATE DAY AVAILABLE TIMES
November 18 Saturday 9:00PM
11:00PM
$63
November 19 Sunday 9:00PM $46
MAS INFO
THE RAT PACK IS BACK! from 60 Best Price Guarantee Booked in the last 51 minutes (449 customer reviews) Location: Copa Room, Tuscany Suites & Casino Phone: 1-866-983-4279 Relive the glory days of Vegas with the iconic Rat Pack as they are celebrated in this this international hit show. Show Type: Impersonators, Tribute SELECT A DATE AND TIME DATE DAY AVAILABLE TIMES
November 18 Saturday 7:30PM
$60
MAS INFO
The Strip
The Strip Share: The 2.5-mile-long central section of Las Vegas Boulevard, which runs through the city from northeast to southwest, known as The Strip, is lined with huge entertainment palaces, many built with a defining theme and home to performance venues, luxury hotel rooms, and fine dining. The Strip is particularly impressive at night, when the city is illuminated by an endless succession of glittering neon signs. Most visitors enjoy walking along the Strip and taking in the sights. Generally speaking, the Las Vegas Strip runs from the Mandalay Bay Hotel to the Treasure Island Hotel. Many of the hotel complexes have free street side entertainment, from dancing fountains to erupting volcanoes. To truly experience Las Vegas, stay on The Strip, preferably at one of the major resorts. For a look at some of the best accommodation options in a variety of price ranges, see our recommended hotels.
Fremont Street Experience
Fremont Street Experience Allie_Caulfield Share: Off The Strip, in the old downtown Las Vegas, is Fremont Street, a pedestrian only area with all kinds of unique sites. A four block section of Fremont Street has been covered over with a canopy of LED lights which light up the sky in a ray of different colors as you walk below. Known as the Fremont Street Experience, each night a fantastic music and visual show takes place overhead. Street performers and special entertainment acts often perform outdoors in this area. The Fremont Street Experience is in downtown Las Vegas, a few kilometers from the new hotel groupings such as Treasure Island and Caesar's Palace. It is best to take a taxi to reach this area. Official site: www.vegasexperience.com
Venetian Hotel and Gondola Rides
Venetian Hotel and Gondola Rides Share: The Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas is located on "The Strip" across from Treasure Island. It is one of the city's finest resorts and has many interesting tourist attractions. Visitors can walk through the themed shopping arcade built to resemble the city of Venice, complete with blue skies, canals, and gondoliers. The hotel also features recreations of the main attractions found in Venice such as the Rialto Bridge and the Bridge of Sighs, along with many others. The Venetian Gondola Rides are a fun way to see the complex. Situated out in front of the Venetian Hotel, near the sidewalk, boats await passengers who are then taken on a ride by their personable gondolier through the shopping arcade inside the hotel. Address: 3655 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas Official site: https://www.venetian.com/
Paris Hotel and the Eiffel Tower
Paris Hotel and the Eiffel Tower Share: The Paris Hotel on the Strip is one of the most easily recognized resorts in Las Vegas. Out front is a scale model of the Eiffel Tower, and down the way is a recreation of the Paris Opera House. Also on the property is a mock hot air balloon festooned with neon and flashing lights. Located in the "Eiffel Tower" is an upper end restaurant with fine views out over The Strip and across to the dancing fountains of Bellagio. Address: 3655 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas Official site: https://www.caesars.com/paris-las-vegas
Mirage Hotel: Erupting Volcano and Secret Garden
Mirage Hotel: Erupting Volcano and Secret GardenLana Law Share: The Mirage Hotel is easy to identify while walking along the Strip. In front of the resort is a volcano, which erupts at regular intervals. At night, the glowing red fire shooting out is one of the most unique sites visible from the sidewalk. Inside the Mirage is the Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat. Here, visitors can see a wide variety of exotic animals in their natural environment including white lions. The Dolphin Habitat contains a large number of trained dolphins in its 2.5-million-gallon pools. Address: 3400 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas Official site: https://www.mirage.com/en.html
Bellagio Resort and Fountain Show
Bellagio Resort and Fountain Show Robert Pernett Share: The Bellagio Resort in Las Vegas is considered the city's finest resort and one of the few AAA 5-star-rated hotels. This massive hotel complex has a wide variety of attractions including an Art Gallery, Botanical Gardens, Spa and Salon, coupled with some of the finest restaurants in Las Vegas. Beyond the lobby is a showroom area with changing themes that range from spring botanical displays to fascinating shows of art. The most impressive and famous feature is the fountain show. In front of the Bellagio, along the strip, the dancing fountains perform a beautiful display of water set to music. From the sidewalk, visitors have a ringside view. This is often described as the best free attraction in Las Vegas. Address: 3600 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas Official site: https://www.bellagio.com/en.html
Caesar's Palace and The Colosseum
Shops at Ceasar's Palace Lana Law Share: Perhaps one of the best known of all the Las Vegas hotel resorts, Caesar's Palace continues to evolve. Currently Caesar's Palace is a massive complex in the middle of the Strip, complete with every imaginable entertainment option. The hotel is closely associated with shows held in its huge concert venue known as "The Colosseum." Top performers (which have included Celine Dione and Elton John) perform here for extended periods and shows are often booked out well in advance. Visitors planning a trip and hoping to see a performance here will want to check out dates and ticket availability as early as possible. Address: 3570 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas Official site: https://www.caesars.com/caesars-palace
MGM Grand Hotel and CSI: The Experience
MGM Grand Hotel and CSI: The Experience Share: The MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas is across the street from the New York-New York Hotel and kitty corner to the Excalibur Resort Hotel. The MGM Grand Hotel has all the amenities visitors would expect to find at a luxury hotel including above average accommodations, an exceptional pool area, a multitude of restaurants, and plenty of entertainment options. One of the hotels popular activities is CSI: The Experience, based on the popular CSI TV series, where participants can test out their detective skills. Address: 3799 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas Official site: https://www.mgmgrand.com/en.html

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Date: 2014-02-27
Link to submission (Has self-text)

Questions	Answers
What's the best way to go about getting a table/bottle service without completely breaking the bank? It's Vegas so of course it's not gonna be cheap by any stretch but do you have any tips to get the most bang for your buck?	Stay away from clubs that have a Major Dj/ Act on that night. Fridays and Saturdays are the worst. They'll price you according to how many people you have. For example at Encore beach club, if you have 6 in your group they'll price you at $1k-1500 to start with. Night clubs usually start at 4/bottle. If you have women with you get them inside through a guest list. They'll get in free. Example, its 4 guys and 4 girls they'll want to get you on a two bottle minimum. Instead have the guys walk in for the one bottle minimum and let the girls know what table number youre at. TA-DA! Youll also get just enough seating for 4-6 but fuck it, youre in a club so get up and have fun!
	Its all about real estate. If you just want to have a table to enjoy your own space and not have to worry about waiting at the bar then get a table situated off the side. Also give hosts a hard time, don't just say YES to the first offer. Maybe see if they can throw in a bottle of champ or something. Or a buy two get one free.
Whats the craziest thing you've seen in vegas?	Craziest? uhm sex inside clubs. Sex in cabs. Sex out in the open. A girl once was sooo fucked up that she was walking around The Aria with only a bikini bottom and a fishnet top. That's it. Fishnets used to catch Whales so a whole tit, and she had very nice sized tits, pretty much was hanging out. You could see a wave of jaws drop and conversations stop as she walked by with her drunk friend and their two guy friends. Ahh memories. But all in all, drugs, sex, and money being spent on the craziest things. Hobos fighting with themselves. Brides-to-be doing the walk of shame. Craziness.
Walk of shame? How do you mean?	Still in the clothes that they wore the last night. Usually because they spent the prior night with someone that they shouldn't have. But its Vegas, spend your night with whoever you can!!! Yaaay!
Hobos fighting themselves? Like, Tyler Durden style?	I saw a hobo talking to himself. He then got mad at himself and started punching himself in the gut. I didn't know who to put my money on.
Helix or dome fossil?	Helix.
What is the biggest scam on the strip?	Id say paying for club passes that are to be had for free. Biggest scam is paying for these wrist bands that promise you no line, no cover, and open bar all night. And its on a night when Tiesto or Zedd is playing. Yeah right, youre showing up to the club and they'll laugh at you. And after you tell them that you gave $30 to someone that seemed honest and even gave you his/her number. I once met a group of 26 girls from a sorority from AZ that each paid $25. After I told them that it was fake two out of the seven girls started tearing. I got them on guest lists to access the clubs for free with one offering an open bar. Was happy to alleviate some of the pain.
	Oh shit, I forgot! The guys that bring out their tables on the strip and do the whole follow the ball thing. The people winning work with them. Watch them, they'll win and make sure they let out a WHOOO really loud and make sure people are looking. They lure in others and make it look really easy to win. I once saw a guy lose $1700 and a thick heavy as fuck gold chain in less than 3 minutes. he got on his knees and asked for some of it back . The guy gave him $200 because the idiot said it was the last of his money and was with his wife and three kids. Greed I tell ya.
It's always hard for me to believe that in 2014, people actually still fall for that shit... I mean, it's completely unmodified, it's literally a movie cliche scam.	Exactly. I'm like really. Really people? I once saw a guy paying out $300 to 3 ladies and 2 dudes for helping. Imagine what he kept.
"A fool and his money are soon parted". Sounds like vegas exemplifies this adage?	I pondered how to answer this question for too long. Short and simple... yes. Perfectly.
What's the best way for a middle-aged couple to do clubs? We love the music but feel ridiculous (which kills the fun) queuing up with beautiful twenty-somethings.	First off, you wouldn't be the only middle aged couple. I see them all the time. Some just kick back and drink and then some are dancing all night and don't give a shit what anyone else thinks. Let me know what days you are here and I'll put you on some guest lists so you don't pay cover.
Where can I find those hot dogs?	At the Casino Royal, next to the Venetian. All the way in the back. Michelobs for $1 at the bar at the entrance.
What about the shots?	Bally's Casino. Taco joint in the back.
Sunglasses inside a nightclub. Fucking douche-bags or clever way to hide pupil dilation?	Fucking get the fuck out of here. I cannot say "fuck" enough when I see those idiots in the club. I hope they slip on spilled beer, fall on sticky residue and get up right when the confetti is shot out.
Did someone stab you with sunglasses or something?	No, they stabbed me with audacity... audacity to wear them inside a club. I guess its because I'm a form follows function type of guy. Sunglasses inside would only be ok when you're covering up a black eye from a beat down or your bloodshot red eyes would give away that you've been on a drug binge.
This is a long shot, but my friends and I are going to be in vegas for EDC, we plan to stay a week, is there anyway you could hook us up when EDC is over?	Sure. Text me before you're here and ill let you know what I can do. Worst case ill be able to do a reduced cover. 7736200454.
You are now in my phone as Vegas promoter. I do Vegas about 6 times a year. So expect a text soon and if your down I'll buy you a few beers.	You had me at "Beers".
Hey DisasterBUSE, got a question for you. I'm not really a club guy but I do like to go to bars. What are some of the better bars in the casinos that are good for someone who just likes to have a few drinks in between gambling. Also are there any good rock clubs in Vegas? If so, what are the called and where are they?	The Wynn and Encore are very lively at night. If you want to gamble and drink with a great view, that's the place. Venetian, Palazzo, Bellagio, Aria, and last but not least The Cosmopolitan ate great places with great energy. The clubs SurrendeEncore Beach Club and XS have gambling tables in case you'd like to soak a little of the scene in while playing a few hands.
How's papa Giorgio?	Not sure but I think he might look something like this nowadays.
Going to vegas for a cousins bachelor party from May 14 to 18. I am a student got any tips for me to be money wise? as the people I am going with are all older professionals with money. Any hook ups? thanks!	Do most of your drinking at slots, tables. Ill put in $10 in a slot, and sometimes not even gamble at all. Cocktail servers come around and ask if I want drinks..."two vodka/tonics please" and tip her $4. If youre doing any pool parties and not doing bottle service you might want to get tickets before hand since theyre cheaper than paying at the door. Flasks flasks flasks! Let me know if I missed anything that concerned you.
In all seriousness, I'll be in Vegas for the opening weekend of the NCAA tournament. Know of any awesome places (besides the casino sports books) to catch the games?	Bars off the strip are always great. No pressure and decent pricing on booze. unless youre willing to pony up and do Lagasses place at Venetian or something.
What's the most common misconception about clubbing and how do you correct people about it?	That theyre impossible to get in, theyre not fun, expensive to get in, girls are hard to meet/ leave the club with. The club I work for 75% of the times im able to get couples in free provided that they show up early. On slower nights Im able to get uneven ratios in (more guys than girls) or give tickets that grant free entrance. And the ladies. To me they all look the same BUT its hard to get over it. Ive seen guys pick up ladies super quick and they only had a beer in their hand, you don't need a massive table with free drinks galore. Theres a lot of girls in the clubs that have awesome personalities but have their guards of because theyre just not comfortable with being groped. Approach them in a non creepy way and youre golden. I see this every week. What surprises me is how many people come to vacation here and are just total Debbie downers. The most amazing thing about this place is that people come here to have fun and dance theyre asses off, even when they have no clue what theyre doing. Walk in to a club through a guest list and get in free, have a drink and enjoy an amazing sound system. Even if its for 30 min, I feel its large part of the Vegas experience.
Good answer man! I'd love to have your job	Theres a lot of bad that come with the jobs. A significant other will not be happy with your phone blowing up until the early morning. A lof of girls are absolute bitches and think the whole world owes them something for having their tits out. Its a hustle and with every "NO!", "EWW", and "I HAVE A BOYFRIEND CREEP" you have to keep on and hope the next says yes. And please note, I always approach with something non creepy like "Hey ladies sorry to interrupt, have you been invited to see Macklemore & Ryan Lewis tonight on a guest list"?
I've always wondered you guys must get paid pretty good money right? (There was one particular promoter I always stuck with until he recently moved) but this guy had an assistant and took nice trips I kinda just always wondered how that system works. And do Diplo and Dillion Francis put on good shows? I wanna see either one sometime soon	Great question. First off Diplo is at my workplace tomorrow night so best believe Ill be instagramming tons of Videos. All of Maddecent are awesome. Dillon Francis and Diplo are both awesome. Tons of ass shaking tomorrow for sure!
	So everyone pays differently. I only work at SurrendeEncore Beach and have a day job so my time is limited. So Ill breakdown promotions as much as I can. First off there are different types of Promoters. You have the ones that work at a club like yours truly. Since I only work at SurrendeEncore Beach club, which is run by Las vegas Nightlife Group. I only get paid for people that come to my club. XS and Tryst are owned by the same people and we are all located at the Wynn/Encore. You then have Tao Group, Angel Management Group (AMG), and Light Group. Tao clearly has Tao, Tao beach, Marquee and Marquee Dayclub. AMG has (or had, Hakkasan just bought the group out). Hakkasan, Wet Republic, Pure, LAX, Chateau, Venus, Coyote Ugly, Saville Row. LG runs Light, Daylight, Haze, 1Oak, The Bank and a few lounges/restaurants. Tao group promoters can have guest lists at all their venues so if they leave a group with a great impression and they check in on their guest list at all joints then the person just made $ times the number of venues they checked in. Light Group usually confines their employees to one club, unless they need help filling out another (which they usually do) and allow them to be paid (I waited 8 months to get paid by them, I don't like the way they manage their places). AMG varies as well, I heard some are only focusing on Wet and Hak but heard that before they had to have a certain amount check in at other properties. With all this said, if youre a good promoter, hardoworking, and have a good network, 1k a week is a cakewalk. Even 2k can be done for the greater part of the summer. I know of a guy that can make 4-8k/wk and its all through his phone. Money can be real good IF you work hard and hit high numbers. Ill elaborate a little more later on tonight if anyone wants me to. I need to head home.
If you feel like elaborating, what's the difference between the 1k a week promoter and the promoter making 4-8k?	Well if you don't bring any people and ate not being paid hourly then you might not get a check at all. Those that are successful in this biz network hard, are usually seasoned, and are good enough to the point that clients want to go back to them and refer them to others. Ive heard of hosts being flown to exotic places, gifts being custom made as gifts, and so on. Its really like any other sales job, many do it, some are good, few are great. There are also many ways to make money. You can book hotel rooms, sell packages, etc. where you receive a kick back. When done right its a win/win/win.
What's are your experiences like with the Vegas drain dwellers? Any good stories?	Theyre all over the place. Usually just getting drunk and laying out on the sidewalk. I pay no attention to them. Some have demanded money and when I tell them I have no cash or simply say "sorry, cant help ya" at times can get very aggressive. Then they fall on their ass or something. Comical most of the times. Look at them too long though it becomes depressing. The sad thing is I see a lot that are soo young. There was this young girl with a sign that read "pregnant with 2nd child and cannot afford anything. please help". I sat down next to her and asked her why she was out there. I asked if she sought help. I was baffled that such a young person could be so out of luck. She proceeded with a story about her losing her Social Security Income when she moved to Arizona or something. When she moved back they denied her or something along those lines. In the end it seemed like she lost hope and possible gave up too quickly. She said she didn't have family to turn to. Those are the moments when I realize that I am lucky to have a great family that would take me in if I ever went near that route.
Whats a good tip to you afer helpi. Some people out?	I don't ever expect to get tipped. I get paid by the club. There are always people who value what I do and slip me a $20,$40. The most I've ever been tipped was $160. It was for setting up someone with table service at a few clubs. Tips humble me, just buy me a shot and we're good!
Show up at club with a big line. What amount should you slip the bouncer to let you in and a date? What would you say? I'm always afraid i'll hand over a hundred bucks and he'll make me wait in line anyway.	Depends on the club. If its just you and a date Id say start at $40. Order of difficulty to skip the line from hardest to easiest: All guys> More guys than girls>even ratio mixed group>all girls. That being said if its just a guy and a girl then Id start out at $40, they might come back with $60-$80. If you feel like pulling their bluff thank them for the help but youll just wait in line. Sometimes they'll see $40 better than nothing. Imagine if he does that 10 times a night? Not bad...
	Another thing you might want to think about is say you just left at a restaurant that's in the casino. Id probably use the whole "My buddy So-and-so, manager at ___, told me to come check it out. I forgot the name of who Im supposed to ask though (maybe guess a name). Can we go in and check it out"? Worst case scenario is they say no, next is they let you pass and you pay cover, best thing is you walk in no line and no cover. Ive met people who have succeeded.
I read your comment about tipping and whatnot and how its not really necessary. i went last august with a group of 12 for my buddy's bachelor party and we got tables at light on a friday and lavo on a sunday. we tipped on both occassions, as i was under the impression that it was proper etiquette. for light we gave the guy a little over 200, and he was able to move us from a table on the 2nd floor in the corner to one that was pretty close to the main floor for the same bottle minimum (we had planned on giving him that much anyway before he moved us). at lavo we hooked the guy up with 100. were we too generous? or is that pretty standard?	A 20% gratuity is always on the bill plus 8.1% tax. Now, with the $200+ you gave the host you then bettered your real estate setting in the club. While you don't really have to tip your host its customary to throw them a bone. You can get your table and have everyone leave you be except your busseserver. Start tipping security and they will make sure the crowd stays clear of your area. Tip your host and they seat you at a better table. Tip a "girl-guy" and they will bring you hot ladies. Now with that last one be very careful, ladies that table hop are very thirsty and the only way for them to stay alive is to have a constant source of alcohol. Party too hard and your 2k table has turned into 8k. Or your 7k has turned into 22k. Ive seen this happen at many clubs. If you just hit it big at the tables or hit a progressive at the slots then fuck it, LIVE IT UP! (Im kidding, save a small town from hunger).
Do promoters make a huge difference in cutting the line, hooks, and discounts, and saving money? Rather than just walking into the club blind?	A good promoter wants your experience to be soo awesome that they contact you on their next visit or mention their name when a friend has Vegas plans. That said, our guest lists offer no cover or reduced entry. Express entry is only done when their at the ropes and have an incentive to get you inside faster. If youre a dude youll probably have to tip someone off to skip the line. When I come across a couple I always offer to set them up somewhere else the following night. Its simply good business and I believe in paying it forward. Before I moved to Vegas I made a trip with my SO and I know how hard the city can be without a hookup. I put myself in their shoes and do what I can for them. I always provide pics of my club and explain the whole line/open bar situation. I don't lie to them just for them to get in, it comes back to bite you in your ass.
So what's the best way for an international tourist to get some good coke? I've heard it's best to hire a limo and ask the driver. What do you think?	Be very careful. Vice (undercover cops) are all over and look the role they are playing. I once was walking in front of the Bellagio fountains and within a matter of seconds a couple of men, tattoos on their necks and all, went from talking to a guy one second to quickly pulling out their badges and handcuffing the man. All I heard was "under arrest for possession and intent to..".
I'm a you get guy and I like older women, what are the best spots to meet them? Just to let you know im23 so older form me is 30+	Check out the pools, casinos. There a ton of HOT older ladies. A difference between them and younger chicks: Mature woman have no problem having a drink, laying out, or just walking by themselves. You'll find these that are here for a convention and have nothing planned for the night. Whenever I get them on my guest list theres a 90% chance they'll show up. Two weeks ago I had a large group of 9 woman show up. Every. Single. One. Was. Hot!
What is the incentive for someone under 21 to visit Vegas?	To make it to 21 and join the fun! Now you have a goal. youre welcome.
	I kid, kind of. I approach many under 21 and they all look like theyre having fun. I don't even think theres a curfew so you can at least people watch while sipping on whatever. The city never sleeps. Jump on the roller coaster at NYNY or head to Strasphere and have some fun. Lots of walking and selfie opportunities.
Are there ways to get a table at a club for free?	If you have a group of great looking girls or have a local ID then yes, its possible. Youll only have to pay tip. $70-some odd bucks per bottle instead of $600 and change? not bad.
Does a promoter like yourself just walk up to us and say "hey, want a free table?"	It depends. For a group of all ladies and if theyre cute I can get them a table with champagne bottles for free. The clubs want pretty ladies in so some places offer then a free dinner and a free table. Every club is different. But if theyre hot my first questions is "so how many girls/guys with you" and when its all girls then its a go. Some clubs require a picture of all girls, it then has to be sent to a manager to approve the group.
Is that the real Caesars Palace? Did Caesar live there?	It was faxed it over bit by bit starting in the 60's. Yes Caesar lived there. Ordered tons of room service.
How often do people offer you drugs/money/sex in order to get into clubs?	Those younger than 21 are willing to give me their first born just to get in. I get offered tons of things, Im not surprised anymore.
Has anybody ever told you that you look like Ami James? Like if you tattooed your neck and stuff I swear you could pass as a double.	No but I see a resemblance. I always get Vin Diesel or Willie Nelson. Ok maybe not Willie.
What suggestions do you give for a small college restaurant/bar in terms of bringing people inside? Also what do you NOT suggest doing?	Suggestions like what works to get them inside your place?
Any place really! I've seen just about everything in my city but most bars here are dead(50-100k population being students alone!)	Its really location specific. Im from Chicago and Vegas is a whole different ball game. We deal with people that are here for a short amount of time. In the end though all places want bodies inside their place. Motion created commotion so if youre in a place that's packed and fun people want to stay and consume more. Most important, get bodies inside the club/bar early. Before 11 is key. That way any propect walking by sees that its busy and wants to be part of the fun. Does this make sense?
What would you recommend as far as afterhours edm parties go?	You might like Artisan. The times that Ive been there its been nothing but deep house and some edm. Really weird décor too, worth seeing. Body English and Drais usually mix it up.
What's the craft beer scene like? I've always been a fan of travel, and love checking out the local craft breweries/brewpubs in an area.	Sin City brewery at a few casinos, Big Dog Brewery, Banger Brewery in Downtown, Chicago Brewery to name a few. Yard House carries a few local brew I believe.
Chicago Brewing, at Rampart and Ft Apache was my stomping ground for the two years that I lived in Summerlin. I loved that place. Decent food and beer, and the upstairs bar area was perfect for baseball viewing. Good memories, thanks for reminding me of it.	I remember watching my first Bears game there. I got Goosebumps seeing all the people with their jerseys on. Refreshing in this transient city.
Hey, thanks for the AMA. What's the deal with dress codes at various clubs? Does it depend on night/weekend? Heading out to Vegas with a bachelor party in June, curious to get your thoughts on this and strategy for a group of 15 drunk idiot single guys.	You know, even I don't know. I mean if you're put together in a presentable manner than you shouldn't have a problem. If you stick to collared shirts and nice shoes then you're good. No athletic wear, no hats. Sometimes chucks slide but id rather you be safe than sorry. Clearly the day clubs are lenient on dress code, still no athletic wear. If you have a club in mind text me and ill make sure to find out what it is they are/are not tolerating.
You got me with the the VIP pass?	Hit me up and if I have tickets I don't see why not.
Whats the best nightclub on the strip?	Define Best and Ill tell you which one.
Surprise me.	My favorite is XS. Hakkasan is the latest and greatest. It cost $100m and was named Nightclub&Bars best top club for 2014. Light inside the Mandalay Bay is awesome. I like Surrender because its an outdoor club with a dancefloor inside (I don't like being shoved every two seconds). Tryst is also cool with a 90ft waterfall. Marquee has always done well and is a must visit (it also gets too crowded for me though). It really depends if you like dancing in the middle of the dancefloor, what kind of music you like, outdoor vs indoor. Then you have your older clubs that still have a following like Pure, Tao. Maybe its because they've been around FOREVER.
I fly around a decent amount, if I wanted to make Vegas a frequent destination how could I get in contact with you?	Buy calling/texting! 7736200454. Christopher Landeroz. Texting is way better, I can reply whenever.
Too bad doubles are 25$ there lol.	Yes, a simple sprite sets you back $7. $10 at Hakkasan! That's why I tell people to load up at a slot so you only need 1-2 more when you're inside the club. But the place is awesome. Awesome can be expensive =/
Do those mexican guys on the Strip throwing phamplets at anyone actually manage to get people to call those escort lines?	I talk to a few on a regular basis. Super nice people sweating their asses off and getting paid very little. According to one of them theyre just there to pass them out for a company. They almost never see a bonus for it. If the people they work for still have them up and down the strip passing them out then people must be calling. I don't know too much about the escorts you get from calling those numbers. I do know escorts that work for themselves though. Some of those chicks make tons of dough.
Do you know my cousin Tiffany?	Does she own jewelry stores all over the place? Make pretty lamps with stained glass? Kidding.
	Should I know her? Does she work there?
She used to work at surrender now she works at light.	Server? Promoter?
I'll be in Vegas for edc weekend. Any chance you might be able to hook it up with guest list? :)	Sure. I'm pretty sure we'll have some major talent that week. Message me sooner than later.
What are y'all gonna do when the water runs out?	I should be back home in Chicago by then. Maybe swap out water for Vodka or something.
Promoter.	Tae?
Yea, tay.	Didn't talk to her much but yes, I remember her.
Leaving for Vegas tomorrow for Spring Break/My Bachelor Party! Any way to to get a sweet deal on your club for Saturday night?	Madeon will be there Saturday night! Text me 7736200454.
My fiancee is bringing me to LV for my birthday in April. Any tips on birthday hook ups or perks I can get out there? We're staying at The Wynn.	Your hook up is right here! Text me or message me.
I'll be there next week, any chance you could hook me up? :) EDIT: It'll also be my 21st Birthday!	Of course! message me.
Wanna hook me up VIP style for my 21st in July?	Why not! Message me!
I'll be there with my best friend in two weeks for her birthday. Any way you can help us out?	Yup! Message me!
I highly recommend the show Absinthe in Las Vegas. I was there about two weeks ago and the show was AMAZING. Although, the humor in the show can be a bit vulgar so if you're offended very easily then I wouldn't recommend it.	This. Ive heard nothing but good things about Absinthe.
I am going EBC when it opens March 29th for my birthday. Can I contact you for bottles !!	Yes. Text me! Number is on my instagram profile or message me!
I'll have to check it out from Australia sometime :)	Aussie Aussie Aussie!!! Aussies have to be some of the best people that come out. Super friendly, party hard, and uhh party hard!
Headed to Vegas the weekend of April 11th for my cousins bachelor party. Staying at Hard Rock. Need some direction on clubs!	Message me, and Ill let you know whats hot. It usually boils down to hip hop or house (and don't get me started on todays "hiphop, Im oldschool but whatev), outdoor or indoor, daytime or night? Ill point you the way. you cant go wrong with the clubs at the Wynn/Encore though. Don't pay for anything online, sometimes they can be had cheaper here. Example: strip club packages for a bachelorette/bachelor party online charge $30-50 when I can get you the same thing for $7-45. A group of girls from back home (Chicago) were referred to me. For some odd reason one of them decided to buy a package for 9 girls. Turns out they overpaid by $135. Its the internet, they know that people like to preplan so they get you like that. Knowing what I know now Id book a room in advance (but would probably willing to try the last minute hotel sites, Ive heard great things about them) and tickets for clubs if it was all males.
So i'm going to vegas for the first time starting the 12th of march for my 21st birthday/ mountain west tournament trip what do you think the best clubs and pool parties are to go to to get the whole first time vegas trip experience	Are you the one who text me already? If not then here it goes: (shameless plug) Surrender its an indoooutdoor club. We book talent ranging from hip hop, trap to EDC, Dubstep. While there check out XS and Tryst. Hakkasan at MGM is new and pretty big. Light at Mandalay Bay is new as well. Great lighting and "powered by Cirque du Soleil", meaning performers hang from the ceiling and behind their LED screen. Marquee at the cosmo has always held their weight. Both indoooutdoor. You then have Hyde, Pure, Tao, Moon, Ghost bar and many others. During the day I'm pretty Sure Ghost bar dayclub (GBDC) and Lavo Brunch will be going on during the day on Saturday. Basically they're clubs open during the day. Encore Beach Club might be open and a few others. Those dates are right on the cusp of pools opening so its TBD as of now. Message me and ill see what I can do for you.
You mean you're a mexican immigrant who flips cards at people? Or you're a strip bar "concierge" who wanders the strip getting bachelor parties to go to Treasures? And those cheap beers and tequila shots are available at the Taco place in Ballys... duh!	Yes, glad I made myself clear. And not everyone knows their way around Vegas, just trying to help. Thanks for your contribution to the cause.

Last updated: 2014-03-04 02:08 UTC | Next update: 2014-03-04 08:08 UTC
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