Poker freerolls
While I was in Vegas a couple weeks ago to play the Venetian freeroll, I saw that Horseshoe is doing a 100 hour freeroll for WSOP seats. Some Main Event seats, which I found out are not transferrable. It would be a huge waste for me to get one of those because I'm nowhere near good enough to cash, and even if I went on a Jerry Yang-like sunrun, I don't want to/can't waste 5 days playing it. If I somehow managed to survive long enough to get into the running for a Main Event seat, I'd prob just lose on purpose and get a $1000 ticket to a smaller event.
It's really stupid for me to try to qualify for this freeroll because I don't even live in Vegas. A hundred hours is a helluva lot of playing. I might go crazy before I got to a hundred, even if my bankroll lasted long enough. Also, 100 is just the minimum, I talked to guys that are going for 150 hours because they get more freeroll chips. Out of the question for me. I have to drive from AZ and spend lots or comp days. Once again, I get the feeling I'll end up spending $1500 trying to win a $1000 seat...
I'm in Vegas right now, and got to experience something interesting. I played this afternoon, took a break, then played again at night. It was a Tale of Two Sessions. The first session was typical Horseshoe 1/3 - a couple competent players plus a bunch of clueless limpers. I can't be too unkind to the limpers because they often find a way to smash you anyway when their dumb luck finds a way for their King-three offsuit to crush you.
The second session was a different animal altogether. I was maybe 7th best at the table most of the time (they play 8 handed). There were a few that knew exactly what plays to make, and based on how the others played, knew what they had. I was dumbfounded. They have big egos too. After most hands it was
"I had more equity than you when the money went in"
"I had you beat on the turn, the river saved you"
And on and on. It was a big dick-swinging contest.
Lousy players don't do that sort of thing.
3 Replies
"Freeroll" is a misnomer, and considered a joke by many.
Poker rooms love to promote freeroll tournaments. The word sounds generous — like the house is giving something away, putting on a little party for the players -- and players eat it up.
But look a little closer. Every hand you play includes an extra promotional drop — often about $2 — to fund those giveaways. Over the course of an hour, the average player contributes roughly $10 to $12 extra, in addition to the rake, toward that prize pool.
Play 100 hours and you’ve effectively put in $1000 to $1200 of your own money. So, free? Not exactly. You already paid plenty for that seat — just one pot at a time.
Freerolls are the nut low imo. Have been to LV 4 trips so far this year (1 month in total.). Places with freerolls (Horseshoe, Venetian) were the worst rooms I played in. 75% of the table buying in for the minimum and constantly going to the desk to check their hours for the weekly freeroll.
After the 2nd week, made the decision to play strictly at rooms without the promotional "freeroll"
Not only do you get the effect on the game but freeroll promotions mean that much of the promotion pool is only for regular players at that casino.
