June 6, 2007

US & Canada | US | Las Vegas

Big Deal

By Nicole Cotroneo

How much would you fork over for a shot at $12.5 million?

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Ten-thousand dollars is all it takes to turn up to the main event of the World Series of Poker. The planet’s sickest-money card tournament is now dealing at Harrah’s Rio All-Suite, Las Vegas, though if you think the entry fee’s steep, consider the stakes: last year’s main event drew 9,000 gamblers, each vying to win a record $12.5 million — the highest purse in sports. This year, two of the Strip’s ritzier resorts are trying to staunch the poker pilgrims from sacrificing their money at the Rio alone. The Venetian has just kicked off its own month-long tournament, Deep Stack Extravaganza II, and on Monday the Bellagio will call that bet with the Bellagio Cup III, a World Poker Tour series that winds up two days before the WSOP does, on July 15.

While the rival casinos’ reps insist they’re not splashing the pot — the Venetian is billing its tourney as “complimentary” to the World Series — they’re bound to lure a few Phil Ivys and Jamie Golds away from the Rio. Deep Stack’s buy-ins cost about half of those at WSOP, plus players get to luxuriate in the Venetian’s re-tuned cherry wood-and-leather poker room — the largest in Vegas. And winners who make it to the Bellagio’s main event will count their stacks on live television. Of course, neither tournament offers the bragging rights that come with winning the World Series’ 18K gold-and-diamond bracelet.