Venetian Las Vegas Cancels Final Two Poker Tourneys and $1.1M in Guarantees
The Venetian Las Vegas canceled the last deuce events inwards its PokerGo “Stairway to Millions” serial publication this weekend — inwards the midsection of the tournament — kinda than risk of infection missing published guarantees. The serial promised $2.15M inward treasure money o'er 12 events. But it only if lasted 10, leaving $1.1 zillion in guarantees on the salamander table.
According to Pokernews.com, a $25.5K buy-in tourney with $500K guaranteed inwards the tummy was scheduled for Sunday. Players who ruined inwards the money were to take in a seat at Monday’s $51K buy-in event, which had a $600K guarantee. (The serial publication used a unique format inwards which all players finishing in the money automatically set ahead to the next event.)
But both events were folded, Pokernews.com reported, even out after a few players won unloose entries into the Sunday tournament.
According to the poker website, the number one octet events all surpassed their guarantees. Last Friday, however, a $200K-guaranteed tourney with a $10.4K buy-in attracted only if 18 players, so the warranty felled seam $20.8K short. Then Saturday’s $300K-guaranteed event felled seam to a greater extent than $30K short. So, when Saul of Tarsus Zappulla foiled Sir Leslie Stephen Song heads-up for $124K that night, it was the serial finale.
Twitter Complaints Go All-in
Following Saturday’s event, PokerGO wrote on its website: “The Stairway To Millions originally had 12 events on the schedule, but due to decisions made past The Venetian Resort Poker Room, the final II events were canceled.” This launched a snow flurry of Twitter bitterness.
“Canceling a warrant to a tourney you won a satellite into already is unacceptable,” tweeted cristal Hendrix, who finished as blue runner up inward Event No. 9 for $37K.
“This is wherefore you ut things right,” tweeted Terrance Reid. “@LodgePokerClub still getting just pressure months later while @VenetianPoker (expletive) o'er their tourney players yet again.”
Neither the First Nor Last Time
Though canceling a guaranteed events inwards the midriff of a tournament series is considered speculative form, it is not uncommon. In August 2022, the Hustler Casino inward L.A. canceled a $250K-guarantee tournament with tetrad years of romp remaining. Casino full general manager Shaun Yaple explained on Twitter that a “bigger lodge stepped on us after we released our schedule,” and that it would live “better to regroup and contrive for the future (than) head away a cliff.”
In June 2022, the siege of Orleans Casino inwards Las Vegas canceled the trinity remaining multi-flight events inward its Summer Open salamander series, including i with a $250K guarantee. And inward December 2021, salamander champ Johnny Chan’s 88 Social Club in Houston canceled a planned tourney before the bludgeon ceased operations amid financial misdirection and insolvency concerns. (Prime Social stepped inward and held its Enchanted Xmas Series on the same dates.)
Casino.org received no response to its quest for a point out from the Venetian at the time of publication.