2025 Las Vegas Summer Series - non-WSOP
Thread was requested by another user. This is to track all non-WSOP summer series for 2025.
What is everyone looking forw
Played at MGM Grand last year and took 16th in a tournament. I hated every second of it. Their room is out on the casino floor and is crazy loud and distracting. Couldn't hear the dealers and the floor man was talking about what a joke their poker area is. He knew they suck and openly admitted it.
+1. I played there for the first time last Summer, made the final table and cashed in an event that ended up having a small overlay, and yet hated the entire experience. I made it to Day 2 of the Monster Stack after playing Flight B, so I had an off day. I didn't want to play something that might go too late, and I settled on the MGM Grand because I was staying at the Horseshoe and it was like 113 degrees outside. I figured I could take the Monorail and avoid the sun entirely. On that count it actually worked, but even though it's indoors the poker area ("room" is way too generous) is like a mile from the Monorail station, and when I finally got there I quickly appreciated how much it sucks. Inattentive floor staff, dealers who seem like they're there under duress, and the table I was at for most of the time was under a drop-ceiling so the AC vent was blowing directly on us making it an absolute meat locker. A hoody wasn't sufficient, I wish I'd had a parka and gloves it was so cold. A soft field and an overlay aren't enough to get me back there.
Guess we will all just gang up on the MGM and their lousy poker area. Played there the first time for the older than Money Maker Event and cashed. Horrible physical layout, nosey, and a less than attentive floor staff. Dealers were okay but it's a lousy atmosphere to be sure.
I’ll pitch in about MGM. Having traveled to many, many venues, I’m not actually bothered by the very noisy, poorly located, overheated tournament area- I’ve seen plenty of them. However, too many floor and dealers were terrible- both skill-wise and more importantly, manners and customer service. The only good staff was Tony (great TD, nice guy, no longer there) that I occasionally saw trying to help clean up the mess.
I distinctly remember one tournament I was playing when I was in a particularly good and patient mood. The whole table was getting increasingly pissed off at a few consecutive dealers. I tried to help them a bit, but they all wouldn’t even try to listen, as though we must be wrong and they must be right.
Also, reminder this happened this past winter (MGM tried to short the guarantees until social media calls them out):
I’ll pitch in about MGM. Having traveled to many, many venues, I’m not actually bothered by the very noisy, poorly located, overheated tournament area- I’ve seen plenty of them. However, too many floor and dealers were terrible- both skill-wise and more importantly, manners and customer service. The only good staff was Tony (great TD, nice guy, no longer there) that I occasi
I feel like the topic of guarantee modifications is a bit overblown. There are obviously some situations which are far more egregious and damaging to players than others. Yet they all seem to be treated the same by the public.
In any case, they all make for bad PR, to be sure. What makes this particular situation interesting is that MGM went out of its way to both reverse their decision and also rehire the TD. I can understand a venue not quite wanting to give up on poker. But still, I wouldn’t be surprised if there are casino execs in every venue who wouldn’t mind it. It’s pretty rare to see a venue make this sort of effort to build or protect their poker brand in this way.
Dates for my trip are 5.29-6.4
I just wanna see what Golden Nugget vs The Orleans will roll out for their opening weekend series event. Haven't booked yet but I know I'll probably be focusing on one of those venues and probably just settle for playing there the majority of the trip since they're both off the beaten path of Vegas Poker. At this point it'll probably be just who rolls out their schedule first if the opening weekend event has a decent structure/guarantee. But damn I just wanna book my trip and get it over with. I might just go with the Nugget, they're pretty consistent and I like how many more no limit cash games they have for table selection, whereas at the Orleans usually it's just a few tables and they could all have the same dynamic.
Anyways I don't know if that was a rant or rambling, in any case I just want some damn schedules released!
If they do the same as they did last summer, the Orleans clears out a fairly big area by the slots for tournaments. Free parking too.
If they do the same as they did last summer, the Orleans clears out a fairly big area by the slots for tournaments. Free parking too.
Oh yeah I've played in there plenty. It's sufficient enough, and I do like how they try to keep that area non smoking. And it's an added bonus when you reach the actual poker room tables during tournament play as the chairs are comfortable. With that being said as far as atmosphere, I think I prefer Golden Nugget's Grand Ballroom as all you can hear is chatter and chips shuffling
Aria said mid-April so should be out any time now.
+1. I played there for the first time last Summer, made the final table and cashed in an event that ended up having a small overlay, and yet hated the entire experience. I made it to Day 2 of the Monster Stack after playing Flight B, so I had an off day. I didn't want to play something that might go too late, and I settled on the MGM Grand because I was staying at the Horseshoe
I enjoy the room. The built a new poker cage. They bought new chairs. Cash game dealers are friendly enough. A beatable mix of local promo-hunters and walk-by tourist traffic. During the summer they bring in an outside group to run their tournament series. Last summer, I bought into a $400 with $500. I walked up to the counter spread out my $500 and was registered. I sat down, and as the TD started to make the pre-game announcements, "...welcome to Event XX, the $400.." I realized my mistake, that I paid $500 for a $400 tournament. I went up to the podium and told the TD that I paid $500, and they should count down the drawer to see that it would be over $100. He looked skeptical, but said he would look into it. Halfway through Level 1, he came to my table and handed me a $100 bill, no drama, just quick resolution. I also played a $400 Bounty tournament, in which the first three people at my table to eliminate a player didn't even know they were in a Bounty tournament and didn't know what to do with the $100 chip the dealer was trying to give them. I play here every time I'm in Vegas. (2-3x/yr)
I know you’re trying to make a case for their customer service here but to me, they should have caught their $100 mistake at the time of registration and if that many people didn’t know they were in a bounty tournament, that says more about their poor marketing and ability to provide basic information than it does about customer service.
MGM Grand poker is basically what you would expect if Circus Circus had a poker room. It’s a clown show.
if that many people didn't know they were in a bounty tournament, that says more about their poor marketing and ability to provide basic information than it does about customer service.
I have no opinion on MGM because I've never played a tournament there, but don't give the poker player population too much credit. I can remember multiple opponents at the Venetian who didn't realize they had registered for a multi-day event until hours into the tournament. There are people who do zero research even when all the information is readily available. I can't imagine that even a venue as janky as MGM wouldn't clearly say "bounty" in the tournament name.
Sometimes confusion is just operator error.
From the ORLEANS X account
Here's 2 of our biggest events for the upcoming summer series. We'll have a $100,000 GTD T.O.R.S.E. and our Main Event will be a $500,000 GTD prize pool. Stay tuned, the rest of the schedule will be released by the end of next week
Not sure if this has been posted but FWIW Aria says they will release their Summer Poker classic Schedule by "MID APRIL"
I feel like the topic of guarantee modifications is a bit overblown. There are obviously some situations which are far more egregious and damaging to players than others. Yet they all seem to be treated the same by the public. In any case, they all make for bad PR, to be sure. What makes this particular situation interesting is that MGM went out of its way to both reverse their
I wouldn’t give them much credit. It blew up so much on social media that they were pretty much obligated to reverse it at that point. Plus iirc, it got so bad that it escalated all the way up to Sean McCormack himself who was the one that released the statement about reversing everything.
They undoubtedly have/had good execs (we’re talking the global MGM brand, not this specific MGM Vegas venue), but they needed to hire and/or train better floors and dealers. Hopefully they will be better this year.
I enjoy the room. The built a new poker cage. They bought new chairs. Cash game dealers are friendly enough. A beatable mix of local promo-hunters and walk-by tourist traffic. During the summer they bring in an outside group to run their tournament series. Last summer, I bought into a $400 with $500. I walked up to the counter spread out my $500 and was registered. I s
I’m sorry but them not catching the $100 error in the first place is just a huge red flag from the getgo, even if it was resolved okay. Happens one in a million at any other respectable venue.
Orleans had issues with guarantee's/schedule as well.
Circus Circus used to have a poker room. I played 3/6 LHE there, back in the day. It wasn't that bad.
ROFLMAO and a lot of 7 card stud also. But it was still Circus Circus 😆😆😆 I preferred the Stardust LOL 😃
I guess I am more Sr. to you guys. ( Age wise)
In my early days (80’s ) my Las Vegas memories.
Use to visit this place with my meager Bank Roll:
Plaza
Frontiers
Sundance ( Now Fitzgerald's > “D” )
Bingo Palace (Now Palace station)
I’m sorry but them not catching the $100 error in the first place is just a huge red flag from the getgo, even if it was resolved okay. Happens one in a million at any other respectable venue.
A couple years ago I played a WSOP event with a woman and in the course of conversation she claimed she entered the ME twice that year. When it was suggested to her she must be thinking of a different tourney because the ME is a freezeout, she still insisted. She even called the floor over and they took her player’s card to check.
Sure enough. She entered the ME twice. Busted out of the money both times. She was pretty furious. The screw up cost her $10K. Bad enough on its own, but imagine if she had cashed on the second bullet, or gone super deep, and then it came out after the fact?
Anyhow, I asked somebody at the WSOP and they sheepishly admitted this sort of thing happens from time to time.
The moral of the story is, even an organization which has a long history and generally knows what it’s doing has hiccups. So the $100 error at MGM is not a huge red flag. It’s just a sign that human beings can make mistakes sometimes. It sounds like the situation was handled appropriately.
This is not to say that MGM runs a great event. I don’t really have any basis to comment as I have not played there, but it sounds like they have plenty of things which could be improved on, from other players’ comments.
A couple years ago I played a WSOP event with a woman and in the course of conversation she claimed she entered the ME twice that year. When it was suggested to her she must be thinking of a different tourney because the ME is a freezeout, she still insisted. She even called the floor over and they took her player’s card to check. Sure enough. She entered the ME twice. Busted o
Okay that is wild. Happen to recall what year she played and that happened ?
TY
I'm not sure what is harder to accept - CET software systems are so poor that it doesn't catch and block it or that someone would be so clueless that they will pluck down $10K in a extremely well publicized freeze out format Event twice.
I know I would have lost a Benjamin to her on a side bet that she had two entries.
A couple years ago I played a WSOP event with a woman and in the course of conversation she claimed she entered the ME twice that year. When it was suggested to her she must be thinking of a different tourney because the ME is a freezeout, she still insisted. She even called the floor over and they took her player’s card to check. Sure enough. She entered the ME twice. Bu
Just 2 years ago that this happened?? Feels headline-worthy…
Also, why was she furious? Rebuy or not, she voluntarily entered the tournament for two $10k bullets. She shouldn’t have done that anyways if she didn’t want to lose a second $10k (obv).
Going back to MGM- I, and others here, can name many other examples of poor staffing. The $100 one cost someone money directly. Yes these things happen time to time anywhere- but compound it with everything else they did wrong in just a single tournament series.
It’s also really, really simple to count out $400 pretty much no matter what bill size they used. The 1 in a 1000 miscount error I may have seen at a cage is for some weird, much higher number.
you def should. It is extremely well run. They put you in a ball room isolated from the circus noises of the casino. Great price point for low rollers. Only drawback is catching a car to Fremont Street, although if you bust it's nice to grab a drink cheaper than the strip.
I second this. One of the best tournament venues of the summer. A very comfortable room, and good cocktail service.
