PokerStars to WSOP Qualifiers: Here\’s Your Money and Good Luck

Subway Jon in Garland writes in with some long-awaited info from a major, non-UIGEA-compliant online poker site on how they (and Harrah\’s) plan to handle buy-ins at the forthcoming WSOP:

Dan –

Thought you might find this interesting…below is a message I received today from PokerStars. I won a couple of WSOP Main Event seats this year, and they originally said that they would let me know as soon as the registration procedures have been finalized. Now they have apparently given up and are just putting the cash in all of the winners\’ accounts. Last time I checked, there were over 700 seats already won on PokerStars. Assuming that they gave everyone the cash like they did me today, I think this will dramatically reduce the number of players in the Main Event this year, as many will opt to take the cash rather than use the $10k to go buy themselves in.

Dear itsoverjonny,

First and foremost, congratulations on winning a seat to the 2007 World Series of Poker* on PokerStars! Winning your buy-in is a tremendous accomplishment. This e-mail contains very important information regarding World Series buy-in procedures. Please read this e-mail carefully.

PokerStars staff members have worked tirelessly for several months in an attempt to directly buy-in PokerStars\’ World Series qualifiers to the Main Event. Unfortunately, Harrah\’s policy refuses third-party registrations. With that in mind, by tomorrow morning we will deposit your $10,000 buy-in into your PokerStars account.

When you wish to cash out the $10,000 please email wsoppayments@pokerstars.com. We have set up this email specifically to expedite the cash out requests for all World Series qualifiers.

While it was our intention to arrange hotel accommodations as we have in the past, we are now unable to handle these arrangements. However, we will still pay you the $1,000 in lieu of accommodation if you wear PokerStars clothing exclusively (note that all FPP qualifiers are obliged to wear PokerStars clothing). We will send you an email nearer the time with instructions on how to pick up your player bag, where after the $1,000 towards accommodation will be deposited into your PokerStars account. If you\’re still playing in the main event on July 11th, we\’ll deposit another $1,000 towards your additional expenses.

It is now your responsibility to buy-in to the Main Event, and to arrange for your own travel and accommodations. All of us at PokerStars sincerely regret any inconvenience that this may cause.

Please see the following options on how to officially buy in:

1. Pre-register for the WSOP* Main Event

– Go to http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/registration/2007/
– Click on Pre-register now for the 2007 World Series of Poker!
– Fill in your player information and tick Event 55
– Tick which day you prefer to start
– Tick the method of payment you want to use for the deposit of the buy-in amount
– After completing the pre-registration form, you will be contacted directly by Harrah\’s.

2. Register directly at the Rio

– Go to the Rio Conference Center where the World Series Events are taking place
– Go to the Cashier with proof of ID and $10,000 cash for the buy-in

Harrah\’s is offering special room rates to all players who pre-register for the World Series events. You\’ll get special pre-entrant rates starting at $85 per night. When you officially register and pay your entry fee for the Main Event, the hotel will automatically convert your rate to the exclusive entrant rate. These pre-entrant rates are available at Bally\’s Las Vegas, Caesars Palace, Flamingo Las Vegas, Harrah\’s Las Vegas, Paris Las Vegas, and Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.
For more details please go to
http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/reservations/

In addition we have also added a page on our website with Las Vegas hotel details, at http://www.pokerstars.com/wsop/hotels/ to help you make accommodation arrangements.

Thank you for your understanding and your continued loyalty to PokerStars.

If you have any questions or problems, please do not hesitate to contact us at wsop@pokerstars.com

Sincerely,
The PokerStars WSOP* Team

* World Series of Poker and WSOP are trademarks of Harrah\’s License Company, LLC (\”Harrah\’s\”). Harrah\’s does not sponsor or endorse, and is not associated or affiliated with, PokerStars or its products, services, promotions or tournaments.

Indeed, very interesting … (thanks, Jon, for sending!) and I\’ll certainly be curious to see what percentage does and does not actually buy-in. Also who wears their Stars clothes. That they don\’t seem too worried about people taking their buy-in money and double-dipping on logos suggest their won\’t be too many online sites paying folks just to wear their gear like there was last year.

Also interesting that PokerStars still has a WSOP* Team. So they\’ll still be there in some capacity it seems. Otis?