WSOP 2024 (6/19 - 6/22) trip summary. Does Vegas/WSOP still offer good value?

I tried more of a live TR last year, didn’t hold up to the rock stars putting out the content this year (rppoker, Pardo, TJ, Langdon, Dogface to name a few). Frankly, I didn’t want to focus the time and energy so doing more of a recap of what I experienced and how I feel about poker in general.

My phone home screen, aka our dog

I went out with a friend who wanted to check out WSOP low buy in tourneys – he hasn’t been out to Vegas in years and is more of a tourney play who has dabbled in dailies in the past. I’m more of a cash game person – tried an Aria $800 NL single day seniors last year and have done WSOP $1,500 NL back in 2006 where I chopped a STT to take care of most the buy in. I lasted between 90 – 120 minutes in both. I like the idea of the big payout and challenge but tournament poker is pretty different beast…one I’d need to do some study & practice at. Not sure where I’ll find the time to study and play tournaments. I’m not a fan of online poker and much prefer live settings, which also makes tournaments challenging due to time & logistics.

Arrived Wednesday 6/19 and left Saturday evening 6/22 – a quick hit & run which was the plan. I’m a morning person at home (Midwest) so Vegas sleep schedule is a challenge for me. I made it up until 12-1AM each night, but then was up by 6AM Vegas time just about every day. Tried sleeping later and just couldn’t for the most part.

Had another friend in town and he wanted to workout one day, so 5AM it was so he didn’t disrupt family time.

Games I played: 1-3NL, 2-5NL, 5-5 double board PLO bomb pot….most comfortable in the $1,000 to $1,500 cap buy in games. Ended up due to some sun run hands and decent play to be up a decent amount for the trip, enough to pay for all expenses and then some. My friend cashed a Caesar’s nightly our first night and then missed on Daily Deepstacks at WSOP, MGM $400 monster stack and another Caesar’s.

Rooms I played and thoughts on each:
· WSOP
o 2-5NL Games I played were actually not too bad. Lots of what I could tell were tourney players playing cash.
o 5-5PLO bomb pot. This game has become popular post COVID…I’m not a PLO player but have played double board bomb pots a decent amount. I like this game a lot and played 3 nights at WSOP…first night certainly was the best with folks willing to get it in with under fulls on one board and nothing on the other board. Next 2 nights got tougher and slower action but still enjoyed.
· Wynn
o 2-5NL. Played during day on Friday, was filled with what you’d expect – mostly middle aged males (very international flavor). Game was meh and got stubborn a couple times calling light when a guy had my number.
· Caesar’s
o 2-5NL. Ran really well, also felt game in general was good…always a handful of recs like me at the table

· Bellagio
o 2-5NL. Played for about an hour while on the list for 5-5 game. Game was pretty nitty and while I’m pretty laid back, the way the room is run drives me nuts. I get that you (the floor) wants to take care of those who play the room a lot and tip well. It’s just off-putting. Examples in my one session:
§ On list for 2-5, currently 3rd. they’re opening a new table right by the cage. I’m in the room when called, check in at desk to say I’ll take the seat and walk to cage (2nd in line) to get chips and walk directly to the table. When I arrive, there’s like 3 people and all 5 other seats marked by a chip, players card or a post it sticker showing them all locked. I went to the desk and they did move me to an open seat in other 2-5 game.
§ While on that bad 2-5 game, I was first on the list for 5-5. Saw a couple open seats get filled by others, while I’m still on top of the list. I called it for my 60-90 minute Bellagio experience for the trip.
· Horseshoe
o 2-3NL. Played 3 hour session my last day there. Was on the list for 3-5NL but Caesar’s has their Diamond card to the top rule (which I really have no issue as it’s transparent). I like what I saw in the short session.

Costs
· Flight: airfare is more expensive, my r/t was about $500. Should be $100-150 lower
· Hotel: I’m a non-status, non-table game patron. MGM app I signed up for last year prior to WSOP was helpful. I paid $100/night all in for Park MGM incl resort & taxes
· Food: as everyone said, things are spensive. My samples:
o Ole Red – 2 burgers & tater tots sides, no drinks. $53 before tip
o MGM buffet - $35 per person. I don’t think that’s terrible value, had a good omelet and filled up for sure. Not a food snob here.
o Roku Sushi - $135 for 2 (no booze again) with tip for 4 or 5 rolls/sashimi entrees. Wanted to try sushi, was able to get in here on a Friday evening and did so. I’m sure better off strip, but that would require uber and more planning & time.
o Guy Fieri place in Horseshoe/Paris – think around $50 pre tip.

I still felt Vegas during WSOP worth the trip and costs. Biggest factor for me is game quality. If all games are nitty or hard to beat during entire trip then I need to re-evaluate. I also need to learn PLO as that is still growing (and maybe not mastered as well as NL is by the masses). I’d also like to add a couple days to the trip, to avoid FOMO during my 76 hours in town and lead to some better sleep/rest. I can also see myself spending an extended time there in a few years when work duties subside and family obligations (son is 16) aren’t as much. Maybe spend a couple weeks during WSOP there – would definitely try a tournament (maybe $1K seniors) again if that’s the case.

All in all, I hope to be back as the games weren’t bad. I would need a session or two at Resorts World as well. I enjoy reading other TRs and realize that we can all converge on the same place, enjoy the time and do different things (booze or not booze, AirBnb or hotel, tourneys or cash).