Quote:
Originally Posted by michelle227
I based my comments on the early season O/8 at the Venetian last year...slightly smaller entry ($400 versus the $470 at Aria) and we had 180+ in that one. And with other O/8 events that were in the same window for WSOP, I just expected to see a better turnout, especially given the lists that constantly exist at the Orleans...
We had 53 for the Triple Draw Mix last year at the Nugget...and if downtown can draw 53, it was not unreasonable to expect at least the same (if not more) at the Aria. The price point is not what I view as the problem...it just isn't that much money.
Venue WILL be a concern for me as I look at everything I had on the calendar that was a non-NLHE event though. I wonder how many others began looking at it in the same light...no pun intended.
I played at the Aria as well. 144 is actually a decent number considering there was no guarantee. Last year they only had 113 but they had it in a bad spot of the month and not near the WSOP $1500 O8. I think if the did a little better job at advertising the series, maybe slap a guarantee on it and find a better location in their casino to hold the event, it could rival the Venetian O8. I know a few O8 players that had no idea there was an O8 at Aria that Saturday when I ran into them at the WSOP $1500 O8 on Thursday.
The numbers were down at the Venetian this year compared to last for their $600 O8. However, this year they only had a $100K guarantee (274 players) versus last year which was $150K guarantee (360 players). Another factor in some of the down numbers (I believe) would be the Vegas Golden Knights being in the Stanley Cup Finals. I think that affected the numbers for the Planet Hollywood $250 O8 on Wednesday and also Day 1A of the $600 O8 at the Venetian on Monday.
The numbers for the WSOP $1500 O8 were pretty much right in line with previous years:
2018: 911
2017: 905
2016: 934
2015: 918
2014: 1036
I think that's a good sign. O8 will always attract more players than any other mixed game at the series and as long as the number stays at 900+, the health of the game will always be strong. I think the TD's did a great job at clustering the O8 events this year. I hope it continues next year.