As most of you know, LA Mike was sent to the Bellagio to cover the WPT's Bellagio Cup III. I decided it might be interesting to take a look at the similarities and differences between the Bellagio Cup and this World Championship Main Event thingy that is STILL going on at the Rio. (In case you haven't figured it out yet by Jeremiah's posts, today is finally the last day.) The only way to objectively take a look at this...LA Mike's Tale of the Tape!
LA Mike's Tale of the Tape
Location: Rio vs Bellagio
* Hotel room, Quality of Food (restaurants and RS), Eye candy (errr hot chicks), night life, location and view. (Although I must admit the view I have out my window of the Gold Coast casino is quite stunning.) Fontana Lounge vs Amazon Room. Seems pretty simple...Advantage Bellagio Cup III.
Tournament Staff
* Everyone is aware of the bitching about the way the WSOP events have been run. The long playing hours and constant fuckups make it quite easy to complain. At the Bellagio, it's Jack McClelland and his staff. It's a Noon to 8pm playing schedule. Rarely complaints from players. Once again very simple...Advantage Bellagio Cup III.
Prestige of the Title/Notoriety
* Nothing compares to the WSOP Main Event Championship. Not only are we talking $8.25 million but also the endless marketing opportunities. You truly become a poker celebrity overnight. Bellagio Cup is just another WPT event...Advantage WSOP Main Event.
Prize Pool/Payout
* WSOP main event, 6358 players at 10k a piece vs 535 players at 10k a pop. If I'm going to be a gigantic luckbox and run like a God for one event, surely the WSOP main is that event. $8.25m compared to only $1.34m...Advantage WSOP Main Event.
Television Coverage
* This is pretty simple, the winner of the Main Event is going to be plastered all over ESPN. This will be shown on ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Classic. It will be shown over and over, possibly more reruns than even Seinfeld. The Bellagio Cup is only a 2-hour episode on GSN. Honestly, the only program I know of on GSN is High Stakes Poker. Clearly...Advantage WSOP Main Event.
Tournament Area
* Number of miles to final table area from casino: Bellagio...50 miles, Rio...35 miles.
* Final Table environment: Bellagio...simple, laid back, good set design, Rio...BEER and not just any beer Milwaukee's Best Light! It's like a stadium atmosphere, complete with jumbotrons and the raucous crowd. Bellagio's crowd is like a musical compared to the Rio which is more like watching AMERICA's Team with the national title! Love America's Team for the record...Advantage WSOP Main Event.
Final Table Participants
* Best recognized player: Mike Matusow vs Lee Watkinson... Advantage Bellagio Cup.
* Bel0waB0ve and Shaniac vs Rain Khan for best internet legend...Advantage Bellagio Cup.
Internet Reporting
* LA Mike vs Jeremiah, wow a battle for the ages. LA Mike with his flashy style vs Jeremiah's hard core news reporting. Jeremiah's no spin zone vs LA Mike's total spin zone. Slight access advantage for LA Mike so...Advantage Push.
There you have it folks, when you break it down, it seems pretty simple. It's all about the money for LA Mike...Advantage WSOP Main Event.
Until next time...
