Anyone have suggestions for these (i.e., under $150)? I visit Vegas from the East Coast a couple of times a year and regularly play the Aria $140 tournament but have noticed declining player participation and noticed yesterday even a change to the blind structure of the tournament (used to start with 200 BBs now you start with 120).

It's still a nice tournament (perhaps still the best at that price range) but would like to try some new tournaments given the changes. Is the $125 at SouthPoint on Wednesday/Sunday night solid? Was probably going to play Wednesday afternoon.

Also are there any nightly tournaments < $100 with consistent attendance? Was going to play the Planet Hollywood $80 7pm this past Sunday night but there was literally only one person registered went I went up there at 7 so I left (they may have ended up having 20 or so people when I checked back an hour or so later). I used to play the nightly all the time at the Stratosphere at 7 pm which used to have solid attendance but that tournament now appears to be hit and miss as well and sometimes is even canceled. Is there a tournament < $100 at nights (after 5 pm) with decent structure and reliable attendance? Am actually looking for something quick to play tonight. Just seems in general these tournaments aren't getting the same turnouts they got a few years ago...

Thanks!

Under $100 is gonna be tough for what you're asking but I think the Orleans Friday tournament would be perfect for what you're looking for if you're willing to pony up a little extra. $130.

Even the Orleans Fri has dropped to under 150 entries. It's the time of the year. Check back in Nov.

The Venetian 12 PM dailies are $150 and will probably have more entries and and better payoffs and structures.

Flamingo has 6 tournaments per day:

10a - 65 w/20k chips $500 guar pool
1p - 65 w/ 20k chips $500 guar pool
4p - 55 w/ 20k chips 10 min level (turbo)
6p - $80 w/ 20k chips (bounty) $25 bounty on each player $700 guar pool
9p - $65 w 20k chips $500 guar pool
midnight - $65 w/20k chips $500 guar pool

Decent value Sunday night at South Point, $125 with a 9k guar. - last couple weeks right around 9k, previous two weeks ~12k ~14k - I think $102 to prize pool

20 min levels, gets shovey late

If you try the South Point Wed night, don't come late - pretty sure they only set aside 6 tables aka waitlist

I play more of these daily tournaments than I should. The <$100 tournament is mostly a ****show. You're going to be super lucky if you get two out of three: good structure, deep starting stack, reasonable rake. More than likely you're only going to get one of those.

Stratosphere is hit or miss but I think they're going to get an uptick from TI closing. Their structure for a tournament <$100 might be the best around, where you get a slower build to the ridiculous shove levels that are standard in Vegas.

South Point has some good tournaments and lower rake than you'd expect, but stick to the deeper stacks or the Stamina tournaments. The standard ~$70 tournament kinda sucks, but the players are awful.

I've actually been gravitating towards Harrah's recently. $70 for a 15k stack with first blinds at 25/50 and 20 minute levels. They could stand to add a level or two early before they get labeled as "Good", but it's really not bad for the price point. I haven't seen great turnout there, but it runs.

I've also hit the Flamingo midnight tournament quite a few times. $65 for 20k starting, opening blinds at 100/200 and 15 minute levels. Again, if it's going to be that turbo, I'd like to see another level added (even start at 100/100 like Bally's) but like Harrah's, it's not bad. Friday nights I've seen 30+ players.

MGM tournaments are garbage. 10 minute levels and awful starting stack. Structure isn't bad, but when you get one person who takes 15 seconds to decide per street, it destroys your ability to get many playable hands. You lose one decently sized pot and you're ****ed. And for some stupid reason, they have antes. Since no tourist who goes to Vegas to play poker knows what a ****ing ante is, you lose 2-3 hands per level while the dealer has to constantly say "Ante. Ante. Ante. Ante. Change. Ante. Change. Change." to every. single. player. If that doesn't make your blood boil, you're not human.

Orleans tournaments are usually good. Friday night for $130 is going to consistently be the best and with fields over 100 each night, you're going to get your money's worth. Same with Wynn ($140 at noon Monday - Thursday) and any daily at Venetian ($100+). Bellagio (2pm $130) is supposed to be good and uses the big blind ante but that's one I haven't been able to run yet. You obviously tried the Aria so I won't bother with that. Mirage has a $125 called The Stack or something on random occasions that isn't bad value but won't have a ton of entries.

Thanks! Very very much appreciate you and the one or two others who actually answered my question directly. Yeah I guess the Aria switched to what the Bellagio is doing (big blind ante instead antes from every player every hand) which reduces annoyance from newbies and actually speeds up the game a bit. Am aware of the Wynn game and played it in the past though that game never got as many players as Aria (at least in my experience). Venetian game I've played once and it had less numbers as well though only played it the one time - might have to try again. Will play the SouthPpoint $125 tonight.

Stratosphere (and the Sahara before that before the poker room moved to Stratosphere) used to be my go to for poker tourneys < $100 as the structure was great, tournament was soft (probably still is) and they offered free pizza after the first break (they still do I'm sure) but attendance has fallen off heavy over the years. They've even decreased the size of their poker room and gotten rid of some of the dealers I knew pretty well.

But thanks again - this is my last night in Vegas until maybe next year but I'll save this info for future reference. Will be at South Point playing tonight...

Yeah Strat was great for a while. They still do pizza at the first break. I cut my first date with my now-wife short to go play one of the 11pm tournaments at the Strat. This is why she can never get mad at me for playing poker - she knew what she was getting in to from the beginning.

I don't remember how long ago it was, but when the TI started offering nightly tournaments, they did so at the same price point as Strat, basically the same structure, but it was 10pm instead of 11 and they had a $1500 guarantee. On the weekends it could bring in 40-50 players. Strat got hurt bad, dropped the price point dramatically and tried to shorten the tournament. It backfired bigtime and they cut out the 11am and 11pm tournaments. Even the 7pm wouldn't run all the time.

Then the Strat was sold off to the company that owns PTs pubs around town. From what I understand, they were kinda slow to warm up to poker. But now that they have, the room is smaller of course, but growing more. They need to get Bravo and/or PokerAtlas so people can check on live games, but at the very least they need some kind of advertising. I think they still offer a decently deepstack tournaments on Saturdays at noon but I'm not 100% sure of that. The 7pms are getting two tables, there's pizza at the first break, and I think they're bringing back their decent bounty tournaments (don't quote me on that). I hope the Strat gets their **** together but until then, I'm hitting the donkaments at Harrah's and Flamingo.

The poker room manager at the Strat is the same 2p2'er that used to run the Riviera room. No idea if he still logs in, but in general, he's far more aware of poker issues than the average poker room manager.

Great Info,

We are coming in a couple weeks (Sat thru Tues) and if anyone has some input to others it'd be great. I'm looking for tourneys with larger fields.

Thanks again!