For those that have played the other series...did they ALSO allow payment by credit card? And, if so, did the entry come across as a purchase or was it coded as a cash advance?

For me, it is far easier to just swipe the card instead of having to carry cash or make arrangements to wire it to one of the casino cages. I don't use the mega-banks, so I have no branches that I could go to once on the ground in Vegas.

I have never seen a CC option (other than cash advance) in other locales, but I think you need to ask the TDs in the specific casino to be sure.

One thing you might consider is getting an ATM card on your checking or savings account. Then you can withdraw cash and only pay the $5-7 atm fee (plus whatever your bank charges). This should still be a lot less than the usual CC cash advance fees, and even less than the convenience fee that a casino would undoubtedly charge if it allowed CC purchases.

Anyhow, you just have to check what you maximum daily withdrawal limit is. If you're lucky, you should be able to withdraw $1500, or at least $1000/day. If you're stuck with $500/day, you'll have to plan it so you can get the funds you need. You may also be able to request your daily withdrawal limit be increased on a temporary or permanent basis.

Venetian has responded and indicated no to credit card use. Hopefully they change that in the future...they had several early in June that I would have modified my travel in order to play.

With the WSOP, the entry did not count as a cash advance on the card. There was a small fee associated with the processor, but at least that amount counts towards rewards. No such reward is associated with the lost money on a cash advance.

Agreed re: cash advances. They're' a non-starter. However, IMO the ~3% convenience fee on CC purchases is something I'm not jazzed about paying either (~$45 on a 1500 event), even if you get 1% back on points. If carrying cash is a problem, I'd rather pay $7-10 in ATM withdrawal fees. Personally, I am fortunate in that I have a bank account that returns my monthly atm fees up to $125, so taking money out is actually free.

Is it really that hard to open a Bank of America checking account before June?

Considering that I am blacklisted with BofA related to problems back when they acquired the MBNA credit card operations, yes...yes, it is. And no, the problems were not of my doing...I was an identity theft victim to the tune of about $200k, of which ~$40K was on MBNA cards. Despite the police report, I was permanent blacklisted with BofA and lost two other cards when those banks were acquired by BofA. BofA SUCKS!

You've tried other banks with Vegas branches? Wells Fargo, etc?

Bottom line is that I am not wasting a hard inquiry on the credit report and jumping through all of the hoops required to open a new account to satisfy a two week trip to play poker. Gone are the days of actually being able to just open an account online without having to go into a branch and then push a deposit electronically. Post 9/11 banking simply isn't fun or convenient...not to mention that I despise the megabanks. I actually considered ditching a longtime account when they got into double-digit branches.

There are no rewards for cash. I'm a rewards whore. There is no reason for payment by credit card not to be an option, especially since it isn't as though anyone is having to subsidize somebody else's payment (since any fee is paid by the card-user).

And no, I'm not a kid trying to be difficult...instead I am 49+ and find it easier to put everything on a card (or pay by points) and then do a monthly pull by the card for the payment in full...

There are lots of good reasons why using credit cards for gambling has been difficult historically, both from a money laundering, fraud and abuse standpoint.

And as far as subsidization is concerned, if there is a fraudulent credit card charge, the credit card company, not the casino (nor you) are on the hook for it. And if you don't pay your bill, outside of ruining your credit and getting hassled, the credit card company is still on the hook for the money and will likely never get it all back.

With new technologies being implemented, I think there will come a day in the not-too-distant future when there are no (or very few) cash transactions anymore. But I believe casinos will be some of the last holdouts.

One thing I wish they would be more into is the use of Debit cards. While these would not help you and your need for a rewards fix, it would still prevent people from having to walk around with so much cash.

Which is something between the entrant and their card issuer...the casino should not be in the position of trying to advance any manner of claim along those lines as their rationale not to permit card usage to pay entry fees.

It just seems stupid that I can put a new vehicle on a card but I cannot enter a multi-hundred dollar tournament with the same card...and yes, I have done the vehicle on a card thing.

I actually looked at the one that Bravo was pushing since you could load it from Discover. Unfortunately, they wouldn't open the account using a PO Box even though that is what is on ALL of my identification AND is what is used by the IRS. It was, in fact, the same address associated with my card and is the only address that an issuer would find if they pulled my credit report.

I would also add that I did not intend this to be a thread to discuss pros and cons of card use...but rather, I was trying to find out whether the WSOP was the only series offering payment by card or whether the other series had the option.

You know that rewards are basically rakeback of the fees paid, right? On a $1500 tournament the fees will be about $45. Is it really worth getting so spun up over about $10 worth of rewards?

You should look at it as getting $45 worth of rewards in fees you don't pay, if you use cash.

Again, I did not start this thread to debate one form of payment over another. It was about which, if any, of the other series going on at the same time allowed payment by card. It makes a difference in what I choose to play this time around...

I find cards to be substantially easier than dealing with cash. That is a personal preference. I also value time not spent in line waiting to pay with cash...when I can log in on my phone, register and then just go to the kiosk instead of having to wait in line, I find the value to be well worth the fee. And, it is more than $10 in rewards at stake...cannot speak for what cards you might carry.

Okay, so now you want to register online as well? Count on that never happening with the smaller series. When the WSOP had so much trouble getting there system started, I talked to the Bravo guys that year at the WSOP. I'm a programmer so we talked a little shop. It was a huge effort to get everything set up, including getting regulatory approval from Nevada Gaming Control.

And once again, you are incapable of staying focused on the actual question at hand. I don't know WHY some posters have to sidetrack attempts to answer simple questions...

I can't speak for others posting here, but the point I am trying to make is that there are a number of good reasons why casinos have been slow to adopt creditcard options for tourney entrance fees. While this fact may be inconvenient for those who would prefer to pay by CC, it isn't indicative of some sort of incompetence on the part of the casinos. They deal with a regulatory environment that doesn't exist in typical day to day monetary transactions.

There are a number of options if you don't want to carry cash which may be available to you. None are perfect and may require some effort on your part. Whether or not that effort is worth it for two weeks of play is up to you. As I mentioned in my original post, I think your best bet is using an ATM card, assuming your daily withdrawal limits and intended buy-in levels work out.