UB only place running qualifying tourneys for 2006 WSOP ME?
 

I saw that UB has started running qualifying tournaments for the 2006 WSOP. It looks as if this is their first week doing it as well and they could be sending up to five people in the first week. Don't know why they are starting this early. Maybe because they want to get the most "sponsored players" there this year.

But does anyone else know of any sites that are already running qualifying tournaments for the 2006 main event? Would think that most of the sites would be running qualifying tournaments for the WPT right now.

Re: UB only place running qualifying tourneys for 2006 WSOP ME?
 

Absolute has been running them for several weeks although this past week they only had 109 entrants (110 needed for seat to be given)

Re: UB only place running qualifying tourneys for 2006 WSOP ME?
 

are these places giving packages that include hotel for the full two weeks the ME is running this year?

EDIT: Looked it up, couldn't find anything on the UB site that clears up the question, but I did see that if you win a seat there you get entered in a pretty sweet freeroll with other winners that includes a shot at 25K worth of entries in other WSOP events, and a slew of other stuff including Hellmuth Oakleys (!!). [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

linky

Re: UB only place running qualifying tourneys for 2006 WSOP ME?
 

[ QUOTE ]
are these places giving packages that include hotel for the full two weeks the ME is running this year?

EDIT: Looked it up, couldn't find anything on the UB site that clears up the question, but I did see that if you win a seat there you get entered in a pretty sweet freeroll with other winners that includes a shot at 25K worth of entries in other WSOP events, and a slew of other stuff including Hellmuth Oakleys (!!). [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

linky

[/ QUOTE ]

The Ultimate Bet package is the $10k WSOP ME seat plus $2k for travel expenses, making it a $12k package; I'm guessing you'd use up close to, if not all of the $2k on a hotel if you stayed in Vegas for the entire two weeks the Main Event is scheduled (unless you book at the El Cortez or something) - and that doesn't include a round-trip flight, a cost that could vary wildly depending on numerous factors.

And if I remember correctly - to answer the OP's question as to why sats. are running so early: a Stars representative told me (at the 2005 WSOP ME) that the internet sites are limited by Harrah's as to how many WSOP ME seats they can award per diem (if I remember correctly, the Stars rep. said the limit was something like 50 per day -- meaning the limits weren't constituting a de facto limit on registrants). The limit exists, if memory serves me, because the Harrah's doesn't want internet sites calling at the last minute with 1000 names of internet qualifiers they'd like to register (along with $10,000,000 they'd like to wire Harrah's) . I think there was also tax/liability issues with internet sites transferring large sums of registration money to Harrah's all at once -- meaning Harrah's wanted to spread out internet site qualifier registration if possible -- this may have motivated UB to start their sats. earlier.

Or perhaps, more simply (and in my mind much more likely), they're just running a promotion to run in conjunction with the end of the WSOP airing on ESPN (hoping to create a "Hey, just saw the WSOP, and I want to play next year -- let me deposit on UB and take my shot!" type phenomenon).

Someone shout if they have better/more accurate information than me on the Harrah's limits/internet sites.

Re: UB only place running qualifying tourneys for 2006 WSOP ME?
 

Hey. That sounds as good a reason to me and makes sense. I was just curious why so early. I don't object and am going to take advantage of it. Maybe we can create a list of the sites that are offering qualifying tourneys to the ME in 2006 and give some details on it?

Would anyone be interested in that?