With all the conferences and conventions going away (CES, AVN, and basically everything), what kind of impact does this have for live poker in Vegas? I would assume some % of the many hundreds of thousands of convention goers stop by for a little poker maybe even a few at mid to high stakes. From my visits in the past I would occasionally see people with their badges sitting for a bit here and there but not sure what % do these guys account for.

Conventions should start to rebound here by 2021 by at least 50% then maybe 70% in 2022, just my estimate. Midweek occupancy is pretty low according to reports. It is nowhere near as deserted as it was the weeks leading up to the Strip shutdown. There still seems to be plenty of action in the bigger poker rooms. We probably have poker players visiting from jurisdictions where poker operations haven't restarted.

CES visitors would come to town for a week with a white shirt and a $100 bill, and leave town without changing either one.

NFR was the only convention-driven action for poke,r in those weeks in December.

AVN attendees would come to town and, curiously leave with more 100s in hand than when their convention started, yet never gambled ...go figure.

Even during G2E, at the Sands, the poker traffic I'd see at the V or Wynn was not noticeably up, and badges were scant.

I hardly ever saw convention badges at the table, ever. Not even during the boom circa 2007.

This is the only surprising one to me. I would have guessed some percentage of CES attendees would play poker, or at least gambol in the pits a bit. Never been in Vegas for CES.


I remember going to Vegas one year in December and there were cowboy hats everywhere at the poker tables. I had no idea what was going on until somebody told me about NFR.

This is not really surprising to me. Most porn girls are 20 something and are probably there to party at the clubs, smoke weed, and "go on dates" with fans.

I remember one time I was in Vegas with a Domino's Pizza convention going on at the Sands convention center. That was really the only time I saw a significant number of convention badges at the poker table outside of NFR.

NFR has cancelled in Las Vegas for this December, so that will be a bit of a test period for live poker in town.

FWIW, because I generally attended G2E and got a badge, I used to make it a point to wear my badge while playing poker .... no particular reason, just did it because the show was at the Sands and the poker room at the V was an easy place between meeet-ups with show attendees down the hall.

Pre Covid you would see cowboy hats all over The SouthPoint Casino. Walk into the poker room and maybe see 2-4 cowboys playing poker.

There were often lots of 30 somethings that looked like they were there to "be discovered" and get into the porn biz.

Sadly way too many 30 somethings on my directv porn channels

Late night, there seemed to be more, but my memory might be suspect.
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Truthfully, the NFR was a great event for early December. The LVCAVA might have been a bunch of crooked Southwest Airlines card swiping felons, but they did their job.

Add to that loss the Professional Bull Riders event earlier in the year which is held at SouthPoint.

About the only time that I have seen badges at the table was at the V during CES one year. Outside of that I don't recall seeing any badges, but I have played with people in town for conventions on almost every trip I have ever been on. I am generally just playing 1/2 or 1/3, but there is almost always someone there for a convention.

When the pool shark convention is in town, the games boom a bit, buts thats about it.

There's usually a bunch at Westgate since a lot of people stay there during conferences (non CES). It's never a good game though. Mostly older people who are folding non premium hands and small pots. They're just killing time.

most people dont like wearing badges hanging from their necks.

I always wore badges hanging from my neck if i was in town for a convention.

Oh. I'm not sure I ever played at Westgate.

hmmmm, ...... therefore you are either not "most people" or you do things you don't like if you are in town for a convention ?

Did I guess the answer correctly ?

If it is any help, I am sure I never saw you playing there.

NFR moving to Texas this year.

It's going to happen, just not in Vegas. Big loss for Vegas.

Hopefully it returns next year.

The one negative with NRF too is they come when Vegas is dead. December has nothing going on outside of the Rodeo.

Post Thanksgiving - New years is gonna hurt the economy

Because people wear their convention badges everywhere when not actually at the convention.....

This 100%. Of course the lack of conventions is going to have an impact on poker. And lol at the poster who said conventions will be back to 50% in 2021. REally? In 4 months Vegas is going to be back to 50% normal with conventions. LOL. That doesnt even take into account the inevitable resurgence of Covid and continued "no plan to fight covid" after Novemeber 3rd, depending on who gets elected.

Both the first two weeks of December and the hole in January, post New Years, will be deader than Julius Caesar.

If things go smoothly in Texas, I don't think the NFR will necessarily return in 2021, the last contract go-around was tough. The Rodeo likely can find an out, if it decides to not return in 2021.

"The PRCA’s contract with Las Vegas Events to host the NFR runs through 2024. A Las Vegas NFR board member said it is likely that agreement would extend by one year because of the event lost to Arlington."
-LVRJ, 9/8/20

Let's not forget about Cowboy Christmas . . . 440,000 sq. feet of pure shopping joy. Cancelled.

Cowboy Christmas is actually pretty cool. Not surprised it is cancelled though.

As for an extension, due to the 2020 cancellation in Nevada due to covid, that seems like whistling past the graveyard if the 2020 event goes smoothly in Texas.

(Disclaimer, I have not seen any agreement or have any insight into the actual terms of the agreement through 2024, nor claim any, just speculating on an internet forum.)