If you won a package to a poker event what would you do?

[Tero]

Let's say you win a package to a live poker event thousands of miles from home. The venue is nice enough, you'll get a paid hotel room for you +1 for a week with breakfast, and you'll get a buy-in to their main event which pays xx,xxx dollars for the first place.

The catch is that you'll need to pay your own flights, your all other meals, and other transportation that you may need in the location. This extra cost could take 1-2k out of your pocket.

If you won such a package, would you use it? Cause I'm not sure I would. It feels like this kind of event is designed to benefit all the other parties in the process and players get the scraps.

 

[ninocabral]

I would go without a doubt, the expense I would have on the flights would be like a trip for me and my wife so it would be worth it

 

[RhinoRyan89]

I would try my best to attend the event still in the situation you mentioned above.

 

[Chebchoub]

I will definitely go, and even if I don't have a vacation at this time I will plan to take it.
Most importantly, I will consider myself and my wife on a paid vacation, knowing that I will not tell her about other costs such as plane tickets, meals, etc😅. This way, I will be able to create nice times with my wife, and at the same time I will focus on the tournament and playing properly.

 

[Suns of Beaches]

Depending on the buy-in value yes i would probably do it. Not everything is always a freeroll 😉

 

[hardongear]

To make it worth the 1-2k expenses it would need to be a 10k+ buy-in event. Yes I would use it.
I would do the same as Chebchoub and treat it as a vacation for me and the wife. Extended it a couple days to have more time with the wife if needed. That way it isn't all about poker.

Cheers!!!

 

[Margo17]

This happened to me, I won a package to compete in the main event and accommodation in a 5-star hotel in the Czech Republic, but the flight cost would cost me more than 5 thousand reais

 

[Colbefc]

It comes down to how much you want to go and if you can afford the 1.2K you need.
In my own situation there is no way I could afford it so i would try to sell the package
at a discount price and if I can't give it away to a friend on CC.

 

[Tero]

Wow, I'm surprised that many of you are so willing.
Even though I haven't won a package this wasn't a made up scenario. Such an event is taking place in Europe but I'm not linking it here.
My estimation is that the winner takes maybe 60k ???

It's just... to me this feels like a half a** package. If the promotor can't/won't make it all expenses paid then it's not really a prize if all winners do not have equal opportunity to participate. And yet, the promotion starts as one with very low satellite buy-ins.

 

[Gritz18]

If you won such a package, would you use it?

Probably NOT, I'm a very down-to-earth person, I know that this type of event is not for me, I wouldn't go to any lengths to satisfy a whim, as I know I wouldn't be able to pass it on to someone else, I would probably lose the package.

 

[pentazepam]

It depends on the prize pool.

But if I could sell or redeem the package for like 80-90 % of the value that would be my first option.

 

[bullkk]

I would immediately start packing my things in a suitcase.

 

[GNuTTz]

I truly believe that this would be a trip of a lifetime! Firstly, it’s a win-win win already. The rest would just be the best gravy ever.🥳 That would be one of my ultimate vacations for sure.

 

[TeUnit]

I have done it 3 ways - played, got cash in lieu, and just didnt play once because I couldnt get out of work and it was non transferable.

 

[Flyer35]

I think so but it depends on the location. My wife wouldn't want to go to Vegas for example, especially not in the summer.

 

[Marshmalo1994]

Let's say you win a package to a live poker event thousands of miles from home. The venue is nice enough, you'll get a paid hotel room for you +1 for a week with breakfast, and you'll get a buy-in to their main event which pays xx,xxx dollars for the first place.

The catch is that you'll need to pay your own flights, your all other meals, and other transportation that you may need in the location. This extra cost could take 1-2k out of your pocket.

If you won such a package, would you use it? Cause I'm not sure I would. It feels like this kind of event is designed to benefit all the other parties in the process and players get the scraps.

In my case I'd need to get the flights covered. I think that I sadly pass on the opportunity.
Edit: unless I sell 50% and that would cover (or at least pay the most of) the tickets.

 

[Dimidrol2]

I had everything without a word if. I actually went to a live tournament in Madrid from 888 it was in 2020, paid for the flight, opened a visa, ordered accommodation. Now it's probably not real anymore, and like in another life, so many events have already happened. So I have to go so that I don't regret it all my life, I don't regret it a bit.

 

[Chebchoub]

I WOULD ANALYZE A LOT BEFORE GOING... IF THERE WERE A MINIMUM CHANCE I BELIEVE IT WOULD

In this case, you have had the opportunity, and this opportunity will give you the will and determination to go and try to achieve a winning result.
Achieving victory is always linked to the same factors we experience every day, including luck or mood, but such an opportunity does not come every day.
I will go and try again and again whenever I get the chance.

 

[Risto234]

Assuming there would be option to change that package to actual $$$ (from like 70% of it's package being worth) then i pretty much would choose option nr 2 almost definitely ...

 

[MK_]

I'd probably try to make it happen..... win or lose it'd be a great experience,
depends where it is really, I like road trips... if I had to sell it I would but I wanna gooooo👍

 

[shanest]

simple answer. play it and enjoy the experience regardless of the results in the tournament

 

[Andyreas]

Interesting question. The deal is indeed not that great given that not all cost are covered.

Given that the expected extra cost are quite a
high and given that I'll probably not cash in the tournament, it'll leave me with a decent loss.

So, I'd make a serious consideration if I like the location/place a lot and if I could transition this into a vacation + poker thingy. Then I'd probably consider it and try to sell some of the action to cover for some of the cost.

Otherwise, I'd indeed not consider playing for this package prize. 🤓

 

[IRINA70]

Two months ago I won a gold pass worth $10.3k in a daily free spin power pass worth $0.50.
I had a choice - to go to Barcelona for the EPT event or exchange the gold pass I won for a package of online tournaments worth the same $10.3k.
There was a thread about this...

https://www.cardschat.com/forum/poker-goals-challenges-and-wins-46/suddenly-540382/

I really assess my chances and I think I made the right choice.
I have another 10 months to play all the available tournament tickets (there were 71 of them) and try to make a profit from them.
I also opened a thread about this at the request of my colleagues.

https://www.cardschat.com/forum/poker-goals-challenges-and-wins-46/gold-pass-online-tickets-bundle-540531/#post-6972076

Good luck at the table!

 

[mr.fers_one]

100% would fly)) I would have given my wife and son a visa and everyone would have flown))) and I would have played poker at a cool tournament and seen the world)) and I would also visit activiti))

 

[Matt_Burns88]

I would evaluate my expected ROI in the tournament I qualified to and try to calculate whether it is reasonable to expect to make a profit from the trip. That is essentially what every pro (should) be doing whenever they travel to play. Not saying I'm a pro by the way.

There are other options as well:
Sell the package at face value at let someone else enjoy the experience.
Sell the package, but keep a piece of the action. If the buyer wins, you get 10%, or whatever you agree.
You play but sell enough to cover some or all of your expenses. You can either make it all expenses paid and only have a small piece of your self, our get a bit more skin in the game and potentially win a significant amount of money.

I would add that if you're playing satellites to live tournaments, make sure you understand exactly what to expect if you're lucky enough to bag a seat.