Over the past two years, Bovada ran multiple satellite tournaments and sent over 100 players to the WSOP Main event with a ticket and $5k spending cash. This year, they have diluted their offerings to two satellites and only 12 tickets with a $12k prize.

As a member of Team Bovada 13', I got to experience the wonder, majesty, and glory of winning a seat to the big dance. As an American player, I became loyal to Bovada post black Friday because I felt like they cared about US. This year, I'm left scratching my head.

I have voiced my disgruntlement and dissatisfaction of this year's satellite offerings to their customer service and asked for answers. But, it would appear that my voice has fallen on deaf ears.

I am posting this thread to unite all of the Bovada players who want more satellites and entries to the main event to be posted and the $15k package to be reinstated this year; they have time!

Why did Bovada destroy a great thing? We, the players, deserve answers!

how is bovada buying tickets anyway? i thought they had to just give you the full amount in cash..

They bought them for you last year. IDK if things have changed for this year.

They actually may be protecting players if they live in the US.

It would be cool if they did but I'm not surprised sites allowing US players are not doing this.

I thought the WSOP didn't allow satellites to be ran on sites that allow US players.

I could understand this logic, but that would mean they offer NO satellite, yeah? If you can offer 12 seats, you can offer many.

Last year, they would have 1, 2, 5, 10 seats guaranteed and the overage would multiply into more seats. This year, they say that the overage will only disperse $5,000 cash prizes. I told them that was hogwash because everyone that plays this tournament wants a seat, they can play the other 10-billion tournaments for cash prizes.

This is a copy of the e-mail I sent them April 14th:

Marketing Department,

As a team Bovada, Main Event 2013 alumnus, I am scratching my head right now. Where are all of the main event satellites and packages?

You all had 55 people in the main event last year with 12 qualifying tournaments and a $15k package! Now, you all are limiting the pool to only 12 seats this year with a measly $12k package? And, the overage is blocked-off into $5,000 prizes? No one is playing in a WSOP satellite to win $5,000, you all have a bazillion other tournaments everyday that offer cash prizes.

Not only have you all made horrible decisions about this promotion, but the vast majority of your other promotions for the past year are awful. It is only April, and with an entire month to re-organize your efforts, you all can fix this promotion back to what made it and you all great! Are you intentionally trying to destroy your brand? I need answers before I take to the forums to propagate my disdain for these horrible decisions.

Their reply:

1 of 2

Thanks for writing us.

We're just taking a look at your email now, so expect a reply from us within the next 4 hours. If it's something out of the ordinary it could take longer, but we'll get back to you as soon as we can.

2 of 2

Thanks for contacting Bovada Poker Customer Service.

We are sorry that you feel this way and we appreciate you writing us with this feedback. We value each and every suggestion that our customer have.

We will be taking this feedback and make sure to consider it to further improve our service and our site. Rest assured that our Managers and Supervisors look into each message that clients send us. This will be taken into account and will be used for future reference.

Our Poker Customer Service Team is available by e-mail 24/7 to help if you need anything else.

Thanks,

Poker Customer Service

I would like to add the caveat to this post that I very much enjoy playing on Bovada and appreciate their site and their service. They pay on time and I like their tournaments. My only quarrel, if you want to call it that, is with their marketing department and the changes they are making to all of their promotions; which is not limited to the WSOP satellites. That was just the needle that broke the camel's back, per se.

I sent in the same complaint about the overage and also the overall lack of satellites this year. Got the same generic bs reply you did. The only thought I have is they don't want to get too big and draw attention from the gov. Or they didn't like seeing 1 million in cash flow out of bovada to the wsop. Can't think of any other reason.

Do you have any suggestions for what we can do?

I think it's probably this. Unless they're getting a huge amount of deposits for people wanting to play the sats, it's not like it does them that much good to collect a bunch of money from users and then have to give it to the WSOP. Sure, they might get some new users through this, but I doubt it does them that much good overall, and this is a way that they can still offer seats to the main event and yet keep money on the site.

I was kind of hoping to see satellites to some $1500's, particularly the Limit 08 on June 4th. Oh well. Maybe in my next life

There are two ways of looking at this IMO. First, what drove me to Bovada over Carbon and Lock was the WSOP satellites. Second, what may drive me away is their lack of WSOP satellites. My point is that their move may not drive growth, but it could drive attrition. What competitive advantage do they bring to the table WITHOUT those satellites? And, how many players are going to look elsewhere for other US sites now that Bovada has diluted their competitiveness?

I, for one, am already looking at revisiting Carbon and Lock, and I already started looking at other US sites. So, on the flip-side of growth is attrition and I guarantee you that--even based on the small sample of the survey here and this thread--other players will start looking to deposit elsewhere too.

Bottom line, I own and operate a software development company focused on developing digital marketing products and I design digital reward programs, which is also why I am so disappointed in Bovada. I know that they are operating this aspect of their business incorrectly.

The worst thing any poker company can do is prospect their deposits and withdrawals. That is NOT their money! And, I am not suggesting that Bovada is doing this--your comment alludes to the possibility--but since you let that cat out of the bag, my opinion is that if your assumption is true, Bovada ought to be doomed.

I played in the satellite three times last year and won my seat in the 3rd. If my behavior is any indication of other player behavior then the more satellites Bovada offers to a point (e.g. 10 - 15), the more players will deposit and create action leading winning a seat in the dance. And, when the players return, they will deposit again (even more aggressively than before).

Even now, I deposit and withdraw in anticipation of the satellite events, which is why what they have done bothers me so much. And, trust me, I can afford to buy-in to and participate in the main every year. But, I made an oath to myself that if I was not good enough to satellite into the main that I was not prepared to participate in it and I vowed to never buy-in straight. Now, I've been put into my own moral dilemma and as a Marine veteran, I refuse to go back on my word, even to myself.

Granted, I could make a trip to Vegas and play in their satellites, but I have work to do at home. At the end of the day, I guess my point is that if you are going to do something then do it right. Bovada IS offering seats to the main and they are doing it wrong.

In regards to the above post, it seems silly to base your entire choice of site solely on availability of satellites. But the most lolworthy part of that post it considering revisiting specifically lock poker. I assume u dont really follow the current state of online poker but please dont put your money on lock poker since they dont actually pay their players out. Carbon is also pretty slow with cashouts afaik. Sure it sucks that bovada cut down on satties but theyre still by far the best site available to US players plus they have fastest withdrawal times.

They have been recently been running satellites that guarantee 'so many seats' to another turny that have been overlays to players. Maybe last year they decided they ran to many last year and lost money on the deal.

Anyway as a past winner, you should be able to win another. Esecially since you are one of their PROS.

Thank you for your feedback and I have heard the said rumors regarding Lock, so I will take that into consideration, which is why I said I was also looking at other US sites. And, I love Bovada! But, that does not make me any less disgruntled now.

The fact is that they and any other site (e.g. WSOP.com) can offer any satellites they want to any event they want (e.g. Little one-for-one drop). So, why don't they do more? And, why are they doing less?

Any number of us can speculate answers, but I want THE answer. And, my aggressiveness on the matter may drive some of you to pass judgement on me. I am a passionate poker player and veteran and my disdain for the attempted prohibition of poker in the US runs deep.

What do you think the Marines in Afghanistan and Iraq are doing in their off-time when they are not on patrol? Playing poker. I have friends that have died, and I was willing to die, for an ideal that we call freedom. Every time I sit down at a table, I get to remember them. And, every time I sit down at a table I have to think about the country I served trying to take away my opportunity to sit-down and play anywhere in this country I damn well please to play the AMERICAN GAME of Texas Hold'em.

Maybe, I'm just taking my built-up frustration for the state of this affair with Bovada too far. Maybe, Bovada is my scapegoat. But, I am tired of seeing so much sacrifice and seeing so many others with power squeezing the life out of those who have given their all. I just want justice and peace. I just want to play poker and remember the ones who sacrificed themselves--all of my friends who are 100X better than me--for me to be free, and in my freedom should be my right to play poker.

Playing for a seat to the main event and going there to do it--that process for me--is a premier example of the pursuit of happiness. That process represents the very essence of having nothing, grinding your butt-off, going through peaks-and-valleys, and finally ending-up on the other side with an entirely new life. And, if you fail, like I did last year, you can do it all over again the next year. Only, this time, not so much. And, so here I am.

Lol at me all you want, but I see more faces at a table than the ones I am playing against.

@TexasTokem. I totally get where you're coming from and fundamentally I agree with you. I don't know what kind of numbers Bovada is working with and it could just be sheer incompetence on their part. But without knowing the picture and how it affected their bottom line last year, it's hard to say. I come from a statistical and analytical background so for me data is the king. I'm just saying that there are scenarios where I can see that it doesn't make sense for them to do a bunch of WSOP promos, even if that's a short-sighted action.

The bottom line is that poker in the US right now sucks and probably won't be getting better, at least for awhile.

Oh, don't play on Lock. Look at all the threads about them before doing that. Good luck!

Texas Tokem I completely sympathize with your frustration, particularly in regards to the current attitude politicians have towards poker.
Bovada should clearly be more open to suggestions from loyal customers but unfortunately they dont seem to be. Either way please stay away from lock poker despite your disappointment with bovada, i think lock $ is worth something like $.10/$. It is def weird that despite bovada growing a lot over the last year, theyre running less satties this year than the last, but with how apathetic they are towards players' suggestions id be surprised if something changes.

Thank you deemikey for your insight and GrimeRat420 for your compassion and both of you for your acknowledgement. I will stay away from Lock and I never completely planned to leave Bovada. However, I have decided to look at other options too. Regardless, I hope that Bovada will respond to this campaign this year, it would go a long way to their credibility that is beyond the satellites I speak of; it would demonstrate that they listen and I am not the only player who has experienced empty responses to direct questions from them.

Bovada is rapid fast with their pay outs. I, however, cannot stand that bovada has essentially no rakeback system. It's one thing to limit 4 cash game tables to reduce grinders, but at least give us some rakeback!

I don't even understand how they can get away with these satellites. How did it work for you last year OP? You mentioned . But the wsop rules clearly state that third parties can't register for you. So were they there on site with $10k for you to buy in, or how did it work exactly?

i dunno man your saying people arent going to be happy with a 5k payout? im looking forward to playing it on monday and would be more than happy to get either the 5k or the package. 5k is 3 1.5k events, not bad for a runner up prize imo.