Harrah's dropping Millionaire Maker BJ Tournaments

I asked the Director of Events at Horseshoe/Bossier City about any upcoming MM BJ qualifying tournaments. She informed me that 2007 was the last year for the tournaments. With no more WSOB, it would appear that the big money BJ tournaments are fast becoming a pleasure of the past....how sad :sad:

 

Yes, ANOTHER ONE bites the dust.

But I for one am not surprised.

Remember the article that Noman referred to earlier from Bloomberg where the Sands were crying because the BJ players were "winning too much"

Once the movie 21 is released the heat will be on ALL BJ players - regardless of AP or RECREATIONAL players.

The idiots at the casinos only want morons there. If you play TBJ you're too smart for them and they don't want your business!

Anyone for Ocean's 15?

 

I was under the impression that qualifiers were already played at one casino (at least) in the Harrah's Group. Also, when I was at the Horseshoe - Tunica last September they seemed certain that the Millionaire Maker Finals for 2008 would be played there. So I need some clarification:

1) Is the entire Millionaire Maker canceled for sure?
or
2) Is only the qualifier at Bossier City canceled?​

 

At the 2007 Millionaire Maker tournament back in August, they announced to the crowd in the tournament room that the 2008 version would be played at Tunica. If they have decided to cancel, the decision was reached after we left LV in August. It would sure suck if they do.

 

This statement contradicts itself. If the casinos only want morons then they are not idiots. The fact is that BJTs have evolved into nothing more than a gimmick to attract non-pro players who will play at live table games or slots. Nothing more, nothing less. I keep running across more and more players who give the casino no, or very little, side action. So it shouldn't be any surprise that BJTs are on the decline. Casinos, like any other for profit companies, are in business to make money not for the purpose of making others happy without proper compensation. Time to wake up ladies and gentlemen if you want BJTs to continue. The ball is definitely in our court.

Time to stop dreaming that BJTs will ever be a major event like poker, football, or baseball. There is simply not enough interest for this to ever happen just as chess, billiards, and table tennis will never be a major activity.

 

ACTUALLY...

All three of the above have been on ESPN at one time or another - AND table tennis is not only an olympic sport BUT they recently did a full length movie too!

Also - don't knock chess. Remember Bobby Fisher?

 

fgk42,

I'm not knocking any activity. If a person enjoys playing any game, the more power to him. I enjoy BJTs but not many outside of this forum share that feeling so we have to live with that fact and go on. All I'm saying is many "sports" or "activities" will never become major attractions and believing that BJTs can reach huge heights, well, what's that saying about PIE IN THE SKY? As for the 3 specific examples I pointed out:

TABLE TENNIS: A movie does not mean the subject is of major popularity. In this case the movie is, by your own pic, is "A HUGE COMEDY WITH TINY BALLS". Hardly an endorsement of the game - more like a slap in the face. Has anyone actually seen this movie?

CHESS: Outside of the limited number of chess enthusiasts, how many people actually ever watched a full chess tournament? Probably about as many as watched a full BJT.

BILLIARDS: Not enough interest to generate large prize pools. A major event in billiards is one where first place is $25,000 with 50 spectators.

So, BJTs fit right in there.

As for ESPN, they have to fill in the dead time somehow or show TEST PATTERNS as was done in the early days of TV.

 

Toolman - ok I have to say it. I was being sarcastic!

I haven't seen the movie - just the ads on TV - but I am a Christopher Walken fan.

I know where they can get some EBJ episodes pretty cheap! :joker:

 

Love your clever posts, fgk42. I have to admit you had me going and I should have known better. Til we meet again -

 

Tournaments

I think Toolman is correct in asserting that BJ tourneys will never be the "BIG" deal most of us here would like to think. But also as he says the BJ players won't support them.

Item: Back in the Global days, with close to 2,000 members here you'd, I'd they'd be lucky to get 60 players for gauranteed cash back after their vig. Back then the complaints were the vig was too high, or folks who were on line and registered to this on line site, didn't like, or want to play on line.

Ultimate Bet, before PlayUBT club membership had scores in the free rolls, as most agree, mostly from the Poker community. Only the UBT spokespeople and top other 10 pros/experts entered any of the above $30 games. Even less today. EV is really pretty good today with only having to play one or two rounds to get to the money round and there are still some overlays. Yet, no one(not no one) plays. Very few.

UBT live circuit event(s). Well, I'm not certain, but not what was expected at this point and future?

TBJPA. Rick posted about Trop disapointment.

Other side: Regions of the country do have small regular tournies.
"Locals" casinos in Vegas continue to hold their regular tournies and as a city resident knows better, there is one or two almost everyday somewhere with thrice on Saturdays.

Other side BACK TO SQUARE ONE: Major Casinos are still holding BIG BUCK
INVITE tournies. Not only in BJ, but slots, three card, baccarratt, nickle toss and spin the wheel.

To prove a Tool Point: Rio is having "gauranteed $40,000, with $20,000 First(based on entries and rebuys.) But most of the entries are invitee comped.
How do you get invited. Why loose a bunch earlier. The Rio Tourney starts Jan. 2. the slowest week of the year in Vegas. I'm sure others are holding similar events.

Then the rub. Win one or two of the invitee tournies and not only will you not be invited back for another one, you may not even get back into that hotel.

So the casinos are holding any tourney as a marketing tool. If you're too good you don't get to go and then most players here either look for, or use the excuse of the best EV, or won't play. And nothing wrong with that, cause all that learning shouldn't go to waste to ruin the long range expectation.

But unless something changes, including players sacrificing Vig or expectation, the only "BIG" tournies will be the invitee ones. And then you'll have to find out who holds them and schedule a couple of trips to them before hand to as Tool says..."give em play."

So it is back to square one, but now your advantage is short, cause the casinos won't invite you back if you win.

 

Harrah's in Maricopa Arizona

The Harrah's in Maricopa Arizona now has qualifying tournaments for a tournament of champions. It seems that for now there is no more sending a player to a big out of state casino for a millionaire maker. The qualifying tournaments have an entry fee of $20 with 30 players and the top 3 get entry to a tournament of champions. Also in these qualifying tournaments 1st pays $270, 2nd $112, 3rd $68. There are 16 qualifying tournaments so that the tournament of champions will have 48 players with a prize fund of $10,000. Pretty good EV.

Also some players enter these qualifiers (for the money) more than once and if they end up again in the top 3 then the 4th place player gets an entry to the tournament of champions.

.....................BlueLight

 

Harrah's Cancelling Millionaire Maker Tournaments

Toolman suggested I clarify the elimination of the Millionaire Maker Tournaments.

According to the Director of Events at Horseshoe/Bossier, 2007 was the last MM BJT held.

While waiting for the quarter-finals at Caesar's in August, we were talking with the staff/hosts from Horseshoe/Tunica and Michelle (Director of Events and host for the Horseshoe/Bossier finalists) about the decision that the 2008 Final MM Tournament would be at Horseshoe/Tunica. They were disturbed that the decision had been made from "corporate headquarters" to host the event ......and felt there was not room at their casino to adequately house the tournament and players.

I have a feeling that Caesar's Palace personnel felt it was time to pass around the pleasure of hosting the MM Tournament and no one jumped at the chance.

I would rather believe it is strictly due to logistics than any other reason. But, maybe I'm a bit naive.

Taking the place of MM qualifying tournaments at Horseshoe/Bossier have been the "Tournament of Champions" which have been held in August, Sept., and October. The top 36 players have been invited back to play in the Finale December 7/8th.

Sure miss going for the million, tho

 

Support Tournament Hosts at What Cost?

toolman1's assertion that we need to support host casinos is right on UNLESS you can't find ANY game at that venue that offers anything close to a positive EV.
Having said that, I'm curious to know what he played at The Hilton last week. Did he find something that I couldn't?
I refuse to play negative EV games to qualify for "free" entry to future tournaments because it ISN'T a free entry!

Billy C

 

Nothing in life is free. Yes it may be free for a short time but no profit making corporation continues a free giveaway if they are not compensated in some form.

In the case of casinos, finding a positive EV is pretty much impossible. In the case of the Hilton in particular, they did make a positive move by doing away with most of their CFMs. Their 6 and 8 deck BJ games are as good as you'll find in most places with surrender allowed but the dealer does hit soft 17. Those games can be played for as little at $10. Only a few of them are hand shuffled so a little searching is needed. Double Deck BJ games do not offer surrender and no DD after a split. As for VP, there are plenty of JoB machines paying 9/6, which is what you say you play at St. Ignace. Those 9/6 machines can be played for 5 cents, 25 cents, 50 cents, 1 dollar, 2 dollars, or 5 dollars.

Bottom line is that BJ with about a 0.5% house advantage and JoB machines with a 99.5% payback are about as good as you'll find at most any casino. But you have to look for them. They are not going to jump out at you and say "here I am".

 

OK, haven't been on for a while... no more WSOB? Am I missing something?