Every poker room manager does it differently to attract players and to keep them playing.
I am back in Phoenix, AZ. and am truly amazed at the number of promotions being instigated by the management at Talking Stick Casino just outside Scottsdale. They are being paid for by the players, of course. That extra dollar added to the cut covers the cost of all of the 'freebies' that players receive for their time invested at the card table.
While the late Benny Binion was the best at offering his customers solid promotions that could be converted into cash, the other casinos like Talking Stick are becoming quite creative in coming up with ideas. Here are just a few that Talking Stick, Arizona's largest poker room, offers.
MONDAY: Every two hours, a pre-determined number of tables will be drawn for $100 splash pots. 'This will amount to 33 tables per day. During the Monday Night football game, the splash pots will be discontinued.
TUESDAY: Beginning at 8 a.m., players will receive a drawing ticket for qualifying hands. In Texas Hold'em, this would be a flush or higher while for Omaha and stud, it would be a full house or better. The drawing tickets will be handed out from noon to 2 a.m.and winners will be drawn eight times or every two hours. Three winners will be paid per drawing in amounts ranging from $100 to $500.
WEDNESDA;Y: High hands will be paid off from noon to midnight every 15 minutes with the winner receiving $250 in Hold'em. The Omaha/stud high hand will change each hour with the winner receiving $150.
WEDNESDAY WHEEL SPINS: This is an interesting promotion. In Hold'em if you make quad deuces or higher or in Omaha/Stud if you make four nines or better, you can spin the wheel and win anywhere from $50 to $500. If you land on the jackpot, everybody at your table is paid an additional $100.
THURSDAY: This is 'Scorching Seat' day when every two hours a pre-determined number of players will be high-carded to spin the wheel. Winners will be paid $50 to $200 and the table will receive a $100 splash pot. If the spinner hits the jackpot, he will win $250 and qualified players at the table will receive a $20 bonus while the table gets a $100 splash pot.
Football games (college and NFL) will pay off $300 for exact and $150 for reverse scores. There will also be second chance drawings after the Monday and Thursday games with the winner being paid $100 to $300.
On Saturdays and Sundays if your aces are cracked between 2 and 10 a.m. in Hold'em, you will be paid $100.
To keep the late night action going, weekdays from 2 a.m. to 10 a.m., top three high hands will be paid off every hour, with the payoffs ranging from $25 to $100.
Check out your local casino to discover what perks they offer. The poker world is getting more intriguing and I can't wait to see what the future holds.
Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.
(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).
