Your Sponsored Players
While backing a fellow player is time honored, I am not referring to throwing another tournament token Waffle's way. I am talking about the big money you have invested in players who are plunking down “their” 10K today to win fame and fortune at the WSOP.
Yes, you've paid the entry for Daniel, Chris, Phil and all those great pros that represent you so well using your money. Unfortunately, there are no rebuys this year so they can spray 10-20 large at buying a bracelet. But buyins being free, they do register in multiple tournaments and see one blinded off.
It is also the party season at the WSOP. You can go to the house blogs or hear the VIP guests was poetic about the Dom they are swilling and the great finger foods being delivered by scantly clad show girls. You may play on the site but your likelihood of an invite is slightly below Typhoid Mary's chance.
Of course a few of you out there might have hit the lottery this year and have 'won' a seat. But most of those seats cost the house nothing. Some may have been freerolls but that's more graft between the site and Harrah's than something designed for your pleasure. Do you think that party/suite/VIP card cost them what someone who didn't fill the seats would pay?
Well, the house is entitled to rake. They collect pretty much the same amount as they did before the UIGEA hit.
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April 7, 2009 PartyGaming CEO Jim Ryan announced in a conference call that his company has entered into an agreement with U.S. authorities. Under the terms of the agreement, the U.S. Attorney’s Officer for the Southern District of New York has agreed not to prosecute "PartyGaming or any of its subsidiaries for providing Internet gambling services to customers in the U.S." prior to the introduction of the UIGEA. PartyGaming has agreed to pay $105 million dollars, which is to be payable in semiannual installments ending September 30th, 2012. |
There is plenty of money to settle with the government or promote their pros at tournament after tournament. And, you can visit Poker Scout and see that the sites are growing their player base after the 'losses' relating to the UIGEA. But that's a small part of the story.
Before the UIGEA, sites competed for your play. After, the result wasn't that you could not play. The result was that a few sites now had a lock on U.S. players. No longer did they have the enormous competition that was there in the hay days.
If you've got a player's card for one of the Vegas giants, you are being courted. You can play in appreciation tournaments of various kinds while eating free and sleeping in a comped room. Grubby has perfected it. Others get their little 'gifts' on a regular basis – often without even a requirement to play more than the free offer. The Bricks and Mortar guys are scrambling for play.
Most of us aren't considered much by the sites we play on. If you doubt that, email them a simple request. Now add up the rake you've paid this year. I played pretty hard on FT this year with a starting bankroll of $18.45. In the 5 months they got over $75 in rake. That was near micro limit play and they made far more off of it than I did. If you're a 3-6 grinder or playing .50-1 NL, you've paid a lot more.
Now, describe the benefits. For some they seem decent. But, if you go back to before the UIGEA, they are a pale comparison. Today, once they have you, you are a forgotten man. The perks have been crippled or just eliminated. We are a captive audience and they know it. They've money for advertising to get another warm body. Retention of your and my play they consider a given.
Even the guy getting the 'free' Boxer is one of the few. And that 'free; Boxer is the most expensive true list price you'll ever see on a car. They are getting the very best deal at the site and the amount was huge. And, they are playing at level that most won't consider with commensurate rake. The bulk of players though play far more modestly but are the true bread and butter. And, for the most part, get ignored.
If you say now, “It isn't a big deal for me.”, you are right. But it is a far worse deal than it was and that is a shame. We're serving them now like indentured servants. And that means we are the fish.
ADDENDUM:
The special cable arrived for the TV/monitor and is working well. My only complaint is I am getting a stiff neck looking up at that big expanse. I need to redesign my desktop dramatically. It is at the under advisement stage. I'll need to do something. The screen is great. It is crisp and large. Nice problem.
Yeah, I am grumpier than usual. I'll probably post about that shortly. It does relate to today's post – at least to a degree.
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Here’s wishing you a great Fourth of July! I’m going to a baseball game, eat some hot dogs and watch fireworks after the game. Hope you’re doing something fun as well.