I play with the username StateoftheArt on the Winning Poker Network through 5dimes. I was playing a $500 GTD ($5+0.50 buyin) tourney that started Tuesday night, and was running into early Wednesday morning. Around 4:30 am EST, the tournament had 7 players left, with myself being in 3rd place (top 36 cashed I believe) and the site shutdown due to scheduled maintenance/support.[disregarding the fact they ran a tournament that would run into this scheduled site shutdown to begin with...] Anyway, as I said, 7 players left, myself in 3rd, site shutdown. I have not yet been paid at all, let alone 3rd place. Here is the response I got from 5dimes chat support, kudos to them for not being capable of doing anything at all. I am still owed money Winning Poker Network. P.s. keep in mind I have no patience for bull****, nor should I have to have any in this situation. So let's see if they remedy this, first starting with posting the tourney results, otherwise why would I want to deposit ever again on this site, or even 5dimes since their hands are so tied.

General Info
Chat start time Dec 13, 2013 10:09:55 PM EST
Chat end time Dec 13, 2013 10:32:23 PM EST
Duration (actual chatting time) 00:22:28
Operator Ernest

Chat Transcript
info: Please wait for a site operator to respond.
info: You are now chatting with 'Gloriana'
Gloriana: Welcome to our online Customer Service! How may I assist you today?
5d1986174: Hello Gloriana, 5d1986174; IWasbornin, I talked to you earlier about a poker issue and you told me to check back in 1-2 hours
Gloriana: Yes we got an answer from them
Gloriana: they said:
Gloriana: "Please note that the tournament $500 GTD, $5+$0.50 buying you were inquiring on was played and ended just as normal; however, we noticed he is a very good customer so we gave him a refund in TB's."
5d1986174: um no.
5d1986174: The tournament had 7 players left, and the site shutdown for their 3 hour maintenance
5d1986174: in the very least I am owed $94, because I was in third place with 7 players remaining when it shutdown
Gloriana: they refunded the TBas
5d1986174: what are TBas
Gloriana: TBs
Gloriana: Tourney Bucks..
5d1986174: I paid $5 in tourney bucks, and $5 cash
Gloriana: Well that's what they determined
5d1986174: Let me talk to a manager, you are not helpful.
Gloriana: if you have any complaints you can address them to our general manager
Gloriana: Tony
5d1986174: no ****
Gloriana: Ok the customer service manager will be chatting with you
5d1986174: k
Gloriana: his name is Ernest
Gloriana: let me connect you
info: Please wait while I transfer the chat to 'Ernest'.
info: You are now chatting with 'Ernest'
Ernest: Welcome to our online Customer Service! How may I assist you today?
5d1986174: I played in a tournament, a $500 GTD, $5+$0.50 buyin tourney
5d1986174: it was the morning of the poker network site shutdown
5d1986174: there were 7 players left, I was in 3rd place, and the poker network shut down
5d1986174: and this is going on almost 3 days to even get a response, and now I'm getting this ****ing bull**** "refunded TB's because the tourney played and ended as normal?"
5d1986174: which is not good enough, even if it is a meaningless $5 tourney
Ernest: I apologize for the inconvenience, but the poker network's answer said there were no issues with the tournament
Ernest: Even so, they made the refund to your account
5d1986174: what does a refund matter when I was finishing in the top 7?
5d1986174: If 5dimes is going to let the poker network screw their players, why are they associated with this network
5d1986174: If you can't do anything about it then find someone who can
5d1986174: Call me crazy but I am pretty sure I am not imagining I played a $500 gtd tourney, was down to 7 players, and was in 3rd place, then the site shutdown
5d1986174: I mean you do realize the poker network shutdown for scheduled maintenance and upgrades during the time I mentioned in my first request on chat
Ernest: That's not what they said in their email, sir
Ernest: and there's nothing we can do
5d1986174: How do I get ahold of them then
Ernest: You can't
Ernest: If you'd like to ask them anything you have to do it through us
5d1986174: lol so what good are you?
5d1986174: You seem to be incapable of asking for the tournament results, obviously the tournaments I entered, nothing
5d1986174: and the response is "there is nothing we can do about it, the poker network is free to screw our members"
5d1986174: right?
5d1986174: I just want to make that clear when I post this chat log to 2+2
5d1986174: so it can be a 5dimes complaint as well, not just the poker network
5d1986174: since their is nothing you can do
5d1986174: there*
Ernest: All we can do is send them another email for them to double check
Ernest: as for this chat transcript You may post this anywhere you want
5d1986174: I know this.
5d1986174: I'm not sure what else I can say that I haven't said already 4x in chats
5d1986174: or why it took them 60 hours to respond
Ernest: Their response time is something we can't control
Ernest: All I can promise you is to send them an email to try to get those results
5d1986174: forget it, I'll try through 2+2

Very poor management on their part. Just awful.
If they are going to run a maintenance they need plan in advance and do what it takes to ensure that ALL tournaments have reached conclusion. There no excuse for this to happen.
Completely mismanaged on their part, they need to suck it up and take care of this issue with you and the other players that were left. I don't even think paying you all by what place you were in when the tournament shut down would do justice. I think you should be paid that plus get some sort of voucher.

Please keep this updated. I enjoy playing there and see some promise of improvement but this is way out of line and it isn't even the first complaint Ive seen. Ill leave if this isnt made right.

lol wtf

that's pathetic

Let me get this straight. You got a refund of just the tourney buyin? But if you had got knocked out in 8th you would have got more money?

Actually, I didn't even get that [a $5 refund in TB's], not that that would of really made a difference on the issue. Basically yes on the 8th place. (Actually 7th since 8th already got knocked out) I want to see the tourney results, because later that day after I went to sleep/woke up and checked the tourney when it was 'finished' it had places 1-7 listed as 'finished' without any prize money listed next to the names, whereas 8th-36th place got paid.

Given my join date and number of posts, I pretty much lurk, and haven't even done that for a while. Who are the Winning Poker Network rep(s) I should be waiting on for this, if any? Yeah I only deposited $100 this time and yes it was only a $5 entry fee but I can't willingly let myself deposit more money there if something like this happens on such a small level. (Edit: which sucks because I want to play. Also, for anyone that noticed/cared in the first post I did change my password.)

General Info
Chat start time Dec 15, 2013 11:10:02 AM EST
Chat end time Dec 15, 2013 12:15:07 PM EST
Duration (actual chatting time) 01:05:04
Operator Ernest

Chat Transcript
info: Please wait for a site operator to respond.
info: You are now chatting with 'Amy'
Amy: Welcome to our online Customer Service! How may I assist you today?
5d1986174: Hello Amy, is Ernest available?
Amy: Let me check, just a moment please.
Amy: Can you please confirm your account number and password?
5d1986174: 5d1986174
5d1986174: *****
Amy: Thank you.
Amy: Just a moment, please.
Amy: I'll transfer you.
5d1986174: thanks
info: Please wait while I transfer the chat to 'Ernest'.
info: You are now chatting with 'Ernest'
Ernest: Welcome to our online Customer Service! How may I assist you today?
5d1986174: Hello Ernest, do you remember my issue yesterday based on my username?
Ernest: We didn't talk yesterday, so I'm afraid I don't remember the issue
5d1986174: I think it was possibly 2 days ago then, the issue was a poker network issue on an email claiming the tourney finished as normal
Ernest: Oh, that one I remember
5d1986174: a $5 buyin tourney, I threw a fit because I said it was down to the top 7, I was in third, and then site shutdown
5d1986174: Well, you did say their reply in their email said they gave me a refund in tourney dollars
Ernest: Correct
5d1986174: Well, they didn't do that, so it makes me wonder if they are even talking about the right player
Ernest: Your poker username is the same as your account number, so I doubt there could be a confusion
Ernest: If they did not refund you I'll try to talk to them now
5d1986174: lol well if not confusion how do you explain first the main issue, then second
5d1986174: Well, I don't want a refund, I just want to know wtf is going on if they say one thing and don't do it
5d1986174: it adds to credibility that they messed this up entirely
5d1986174: so I'd appreciate it if you asked them, although I don't want a refund since that's not good enough
Ernest: Ok, do you want me to ask them about then refund and then tell them not to credit it?
Ernest: *the refund
5d1986174: Yes, and throw in the player is still claiming he is owned money for finishing in the top 7 without being paid.
5d1986174: I checked the tourney results page later on that morning and it had places 1-7 listed as "finished" without a prize attached to the names
Ernest: Ok...
Ernest: Just a moment, please.
5d1986174: and players 8-36 placed and got paid (with money amounts next to their names)
5d1986174: And you can say "ok..." Ernest but look at my deposit history, and realize in the grand scheme of things the $94 I am owed really is irrelevant given that aspect.
5d1986174: It's the principle of it (I'd hate if this happened on a large tournament) but I can't deposit anymore if this happens, even if it's $94.
Ernest: Just a moment, please.
5d1986174: Alright. Thanks.
Ernest: Still working on this
Ernest: Please hold
5d1986174: alright, np
Ernest: do you still have the tourney number, sir?
Ernest: about the refund, they said it was done at 12/13/2013 5:28:44 PM
5d1986174: Well I can look at my account and see the TB I can redeem was at $2 and it still at $2
Ernest: On the poker side, obviously
5d1986174: No I don't have the tourney ID, but since that I have only played one other $5 tourney
5d1986174: They tournament started 12/10 sometime late at night
5d1986174: that tourney starts at 11:00 PM EST according to the tourney listings
5d1986174: so 12/10 at 11:00 EST is the tourney
5d1986174: Sorry I'm not more helpful with the tourney id, I didn't think I'd have to deal with something like this and I did get on chat the next morning after the site shutdown/update
Ernest: Let me see what I can do with the information
Ernest: Just a moment, please.
5d1986174: thanks
Ernest: Solved!
Ernest: Please check your poke account
5d1986174: Can I get an explanation please?
5d1986174: Since it was basically made out to look like I was either delusional as **** or full of ****?
Ernest: Not really, I offered you to check again with them two days ago and you said "forget it, I'll try through 2+2"
5d1986174: lmao
5d1986174: Do you blame me?
5d1986174: "uh i haven't been paid for a top 7 I was in" "no sir you didn't finish in the top 7" "um what?"
Ernest: No, my point is that nobody made it our to look like you were delusional
Ernest: *out
Ernest: Anyway
5d1986174: Thank you.
Ernest: They said the tourney indeed had a problem
5d1986174: well, I know this is going to be a stretch lol
Ernest: All 7 players were paid, except for you
Ernest: due to a "human mistake"
5d1986174: "lol"
5d1986174: they paid me too much though
Ernest: They apologized to me for the inconvenience
Ernest: and I give you my sincere apologies
Ernest: they did?
5d1986174: I have an extra $158 in my account for that tourney, and depending on their formula for that situation, I should of only been paid either $94 or $113
5d1986174: Yes
5d1986174: 3rd place was $94, which I was in
Ernest: They said it's $158.08
5d1986174: and if they did it by chip share based on the prize pool left, I should of won #113
Ernest: is that not correct?
5d1986174: $113*
5d1986174: it's not
Ernest: Let me check with them
5d1986174: Yeah it'd be nice to take the free money but I didn't just throw fits to then not follow what's right in a sense
Ernest: I really appreciate your honesty
5d1986174: either way, no need to apologize to me Ernest, but thank you very much (and sorry for the emotional response yesterday)
Ernest: Let me inform them to see what they say
5d1986174: or two days ago*
5d1986174: ok
Ernest: They assure me that's the correct prize
5d1986174: lol just like they assured you to begin with I was wrong.
5d1986174: but fine, whatever
5d1986174: between you and I, I know for sure what my prize would of been (either option) so oh well
5d1986174: I thank you again though
Ernest: Not a problem
Ernest: You're welcome
5d1986174: Hopefully it doesn't happen again, but given this experience who really knows
5d1986174: Take care
Ernest: You do the same
Ernest: Thanks for choosing us. Have a great day!

To summarize the above chat transcript:

- I was absolutely correct, I was the only player who didn't get paid on this site shutdown due to a "human error"

- They didn't refund me the TB's when they said they did (before this got resolved)

- Somehow I was paid $158 when I know I was only owed $94, brought it to their attention, and they still said that was what I was owed [whatever, I tried]

- While not being very helpful at the beginning, big thanks to Ernest (5dimes customer service manager) for actually resolving it. One reason I absolutely love 5dimes is because their chat is very good [minus the customer service guy by the name of 'bruce']

- Un**** your customer service department Winning Poker Network, **** like this is ****ing bull****

Glad that was resolved.

think you got paid more because the payouts are based on how many chips you have at time of tournament shutdown - not what place you are in

I thought about that, and if paid by place it'd of been $94, if paid by chip share based on my # of chips and the remaining prize pool, it'd of been $113, neither coming close to the $158. Although if they use the latter formula for payouts in these scenarios, say the guy in 7th place has barely any chips, it would be possible for 7th place to get paid less than the 8th place guy who already finished. That doesn't make sense to me, but idk what formula they use.

Made me LOL.

Everyone gets paid 7th place money then it's a chip chop from there

Thanks for the clarification!

This I was in the 1k and it was going to be suspended due to the maintnance. At the end of the 1am break, it started again and ran for about 5-10 minutes then they paid according to chip stacks. We had 5 left at FT wish they would of let it play out but the 3rd place+ payout wasnt too shabby