Love it. The Venetian's poker room even after they cut it in half is still nicer than the Bellagio.

I think you underestimate the reach of these boards. A very high percentage of poker players, including many top ones, spend time here.

I also think a few people on this thread are underestimating the effect that acting on principle can have. Adelson obviously has "fxxx you money", and some business lost at Venetian won't hurt him, but if conversations like this prompt some criticism of him by people he know, then at least he is facing some consequence from his actions. I don't like what he has done to poker, but it is a long way from being the worst thing he has involved himself in.

Not only can this not be stated strongly enough, this thread bears it out

That you think so is kind of cute.

It would be difficult to underestimate the reach of 2+2 forums or the role of principled stands in the online gaming industry.

I pretty much assumed from the start that this entire thread was Mason's passive-aggressive way of saying "Venetian now has a WPT event but please don't play in it" without actually saying those words.

Of course, that's probably not right, as Mason is not one to mince words.

Regardless, it seems we've probably found the answer to the actual question: players who have boycotted Venetian won't play in the event. Everyone else will (and will likely be "happy with it.") I can't imagine the WPT nor this stop's $3,500 buy-in main event has such cachet that a large anti-Venetian crowd will suddenly experience major cognitive dissonance.


Good post.

For me, the bolded part is the key, which means it all largely comes down to alternatives. If, for example, I had an anti-Omni Hotels stance, and there was a Hyatt or a Crowne Plaza or similar nearby, then I'd just opt for the neighbor because why not. (Besides, for all I know, new InterContinental chief Keith Barr feeds live puppies to his sweat-shop workers during their 20-minute lunch breaks from stuffing the hotel throw pillows with California condor feathers. In which case, you know, lateral move.)

On the other hand, if I only had a choice between an Omni, an Econo Lodge and the Bed Bugs Inn – forming the world's strangest city block, I suppose – then Bobby Rowling can take his share of my $200 bucks a night and buy Karl Rove a beer.

I've never played at Venetian, and I've heard good things (including your comment and others like it in this thread). But same idea as above: alternatives. Aria and Bellagio are close enough and fine by me. However, if I were to learn that Venetian's room was leaps and bounds better than Aria's, then by all means, get me an Uber ride up Las Vegas Boulevard and give Old Man Adelson his fraction of whatever paltry rake is dropping from my $1-2 table.


Oh, I get it, you're one of THOSE people.

I'll bet when you go to the store, and someone in front of you in line buys a product that you don't care for, you DON'T confront them about it or tell them how wrong they are for buying it. Or when you have an opinion, then your friend has a different opinion, even a diametrically opposing one, you actually will respect their right to their take.

Yeah, I've seen your type before.

I am Bonomo (minus the pink hair and poker wizardry )

I think the answer is that most players who boycotted the Venetian and posted on 2+2 stopped doing at least one of those two things.

I was a strict boycotter of the Venetian for a long time, but eventually caved in a few years ago. I try to make a point to not patronize the other parts of the casino(and grind the food comps!) and I'm pretty vocal about my Sheldon criticisms at the tables, but maybe I still shouldn't be playing there, idk.


The Wynn is a lot better though

I’m here playing the CPP. Enjoying myself.

Hi Everyone:

I was in The Bellagio last night where a WPT event is currently happening. I noticed that on the rail there was a WPT Club banner which is for their Internet site. I wonder if they’ll be able to do this at The Venetian.

Best wishes,
Mason

I will only make + EV sports bets at the Venetian. I openly discuss who the owner is with as many employees as possible. The rest rooms , especially by the poker room , may just well need cleaning after I’m done. Terrible aim syndrome . Occasionally I’ll order a steak well done and get called away for an emergency right before it’s delivery .

I think that "No" would be a very serious dog in that proposition.

lol

You sound like a wonderful human being.

I'm sure Sheldon spends many of sleepless nights over your protest antics.

Why would you make the poker players stand or sit in your piss? That just makes you a slob.

Pretty sure that whole post was a level..... turn on your satire detector.

(for example, he supposed makes only his "+EV sports bets" there .... if he can distinguish which prospective bets are +EV or -EV, he probably only makes the former anywhere and the latter are made nowhere. What he is feigning is an ability to "selectively punish" the V by making only +EV bets there...

Also, consider the detailing of his order and dash to specify "well-done" steaks.)

You've been had.

I figured the steaks being well-done was so the chefs couldn’t re-fire them and since most people don’t order steak well-done, they wouldn’t be able to serve them to someone else. It ensures they go to waste. Or maybe I’ve been had.

Yea the guy cleaning the bathroom doesn't care about his billionaire boss he's just trying to put food on the table. Life is hard buddy

Edit: well obviously he's full of **** guys

Yeah that's kinda what I was thinking. Very surprising how many people on here don't seem to care about that and are actively endorsing this new stop. Adelson is a POS. Screw playing there, if I would ever go to Vegas anymore. Wife doesn't like it there.

Adelson is a POS for a lot more reasons then his stand on online poker, but to me that's besides the point. My wife and I like to visit Vegas for the entertainment, dining and various other attractions that are there. I prefer not to play table games and slots where I know I'm a big dog. At least at poker I have a chance to make money and I don't feel like I'm getting robbed.

We were visiting there a week or so ago and I saw that the Venetian had a Seniors event. My wife went to spend the day with her friends, going shopping etc. and I went to the Venetian. It was a well run tournament and they had a good field (182 players I believe) with decent prize money for a relatively small entry fee of $400.

I did okay and got down to about 60 players when I ran A,K into the A,J of Greg Mueller and we got it all in before the flop, and a Jack hit the board on the turn. The funny thing is that just before the flop Greg looked at me and said, "I hate these coin flips." Made me smile until the Jack came down. No matter, I had a good time playing and didn't think for a moment about who owned the casino.

I have friends that work in that casino and they are just trying to make a living. I forget all about politics when I go in there.

The same factories that produced weapons that killed many U.S. soldiers in WWII are now making Mercedes, Porsches, Audis and VW's. Should we boycott them too? There are many more examples like this that are applicable to the argument that we should not patronize Adelson's casino, but I tend to think that our non attendance there is not the best way to protest.

Is this supposed to strengthen the argument for not boycotting the V?

Sure, there all sorts of businesses and industries we could, and maybe should, boycott, for a whole host of reasons. That doesn't change the fact that you're patronizing the establishment of, in your words, a man who "is a POS for a lot more reasons then his stand on online poker". Throwing up your hands with a "well, we can't boycott everyone who's acted poorly, so I'm not going to worry about anybody" sort of attitude is nothing more than attempting to justify your actions. If you have decided that you really want to play at the V in spite of how you feel about Adelson, that's fine - but own it.

I think the vast majority of us live in glass houses when it comes to who we do business with, and shouldn't be casting stones. While I rarely shop at Walmart because I don't care for their business practices, I still do once in a while when it's convenient. I'm sure I could make a list a mile long of unethical companies that I buy from. I make choices and pick my spots, as many of us do. To bring it back to poker, I wonder if anyone who criticizes others for playing at the V continued to play on the Cereus network after the super user scandal and all the other shady stuff they pulled?

Cliffs: I think it makes sense for online players to boycott the V, and if you choose to play there, own the fact that you're doing so in spite of the reasons not to. But on the other side of the coin, I suspect many of those who would choose to lecture others for playing the V do so on...shaky ground.

People don't care because they realize Adelson didn't "kill" online poker, Obama-Holder-Bharara did.

Boycott casinos that charge for parking in Vegas.

Hi Vincent:

This is why 2+2 has never called for a boycott. If somehow a boycott was successful, who would get hurt? On the other hand, I also question those, as well as this deal itself, who are cheering the idea of a WPT tourney at The Venetian and wonder why the WPT would even make this deal.

Best wishes,
Mason

Because WPT is in Business to make money ???

Venetian paid WPT money as all venues/operators do who host an event.

Could a better question be why wouldn't they?