Cheap Vegas tourneys

#1 12-12-2005, 11:51 AM

Im going from a Thursday through a Sunday, and I want to play some cheap NL tourneys. (Im normally a limit poker player.) Who runs a good, low key cheapo tourney?

PoorLawyer · #2 12-12-2005, 12:57 PM

I played in the sahara one over the summer. it was a good time but I'm sure they rip you off on the vig.

#3 12-12-2005, 07:16 PM

Remember that rebuy tourneys give you a lower effective vig than freezouts. Most casinos don't take a vig on rebuys, so the percentage of the prize pool taken out is lower.

#4 12-12-2005, 09:59 PM

why and how do the casino's take a vig? I always thought the +25 of the $200+25 was the house's take. Don't get me wrong...that's still 12.5% of the prize pool, but they don't take anything above the "entry fee" do they?

Please inform the uninformed...

flecks · #5 12-12-2005, 10:33 PM

[ QUOTE ]
why and how do the casino's take a vig? I always thought the +25 of the $200+25 was the house's take. Don't get me wrong...that's still 12.5% of the prize pool, but they don't take anything above the "entry fee" do they?

Please inform the uninformed...

[/ QUOTE ]

Great question. I always thought the same thing.
Anyone?

#6 12-12-2005, 11:19 PM

The +X is what they mean when they refer to vig.

#7 12-13-2005, 08:09 AM

[ QUOTE ]
why and how do the casino's take a vig? I always thought the +25 of the $200+25 was the house's take. Don't get me wrong...that's still 12.5% of the prize pool, but they don't take anything above the "entry fee" do they?

Please inform the uninformed...

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, many low limit tournaments have an entry fee and take out a percentage of the prize pool. Every casino I know of rakes the hell out of their cheap regular tourneys; although, I haven’t checked out Paris/Bally’s, which sound like a good deal.

The reason they do this is because, well, they can. I work in a room on the strip and get asked on pretty much on a daily basis what the buy-in is for the daily tournament. I have NEVER been asked what the vig is, EVER! All 99.9% of the people who play these want to know is how much it’s going to cost and how much 1st place gets. In fact many places don’t even list an entry fee (such as where I work). The tournament just costs $X to enter and then they take out like ¼ of it.

But, hey, they’re fun. It’s a cheap way to get some live experience and the typical play in these things is about as weak as it gets (many 1st time players) so a decent player can make up a good chunk of the vig by just not sucking.

#8 12-13-2005, 12:35 PM

Is it not a gaming regulation that you say how much you take out for the house? Where I used to work they insisted they had to list everything per gaming commission and that nothing could be changed from what was posted.

#9 12-13-2005, 08:23 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Remember that rebuy tourneys give you a lower effective vig than freezouts. Most casinos don't take a vig on rebuys, so the percentage of the prize pool taken out is lower.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is completely false. This includes the Sahara tourney.

#10 12-12-2005, 06:12 PM

Every low stake tourney in Vegas will rip you off on the vig, but it isn't really the point. None of the low stake tourneys can be beat in the long run however. But he is looking for short run fun/experience. Sahara is the best bet for low stakes. Going up a little you have Harrah's, and if you run well and want to spend the money, I really reccommend Wynn $300+30. This is a tourney that can be beaten with very fair vig and has an insanely good blind structure.