Many poker rooms reward cash-game players for loyalty and longevity, but few do it as lucratively as Casino Del Sol in Tucson.
Casino Del Sol held its quarterly freeroll tournament March 11-15, with 148 entrants vying for a $25K prize pool that came from the casino’s promotional fund. The tournament was open to any cash player who logged at least 50 hours of live play during a two-month period, with every five hours more earning them more chips.
The tourney started with three opening flights and survivors advanced to the March 15 final round. The top 20 finishers earned money, with 11-20 collecting $300.
That left $22K for the final table, including $6,250 for first. However, all 10 final-table players quickly put the tourney to an end after agreeing to a chop based on chip count. The big winner was Adam Woods, who pocketed $4,659 as chipleader, while John McKethen was second and earned $3,432.
Everyone at the final table won at least $568, not bad for a free roll.
Casino Del Sol holds a variation of this freeroll roughly every three months, and normally the prize pool is cash. However, the next event will be awarding $20K in seats to the World Series of Poker, including an entry into the $10K main event.
Qualifying for the next freeroll runs through May 12, with the event scheduled for May 13-17. Players earn double hours on weekdays between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m.
WILD HORSE PASS: The biweekly loyalty freerolls at Phoenix’s southernmost casino keep drawing large fields, with the first 120 players who log at least 20 hours during a period get a shot at a $5K prize pool.
The tournaments are every other Saturday at 2 p.m., with May’s events scheduled for May 10 and 24.
AK-CHIN: Harrah’s Ak-Chin in Maricopa has resumed its WSOP qualifiers, giving players two chances each week to satellite into bracelet events at this summer’s festival in Las Vegas.
On Wednesday nights, a $65 tourney will give away seats to a $1,500 event, while on Sundays players can qualify for a $1K bracelet event for a $50 buy-in. Both tournaments include rebuys and dealer appreciation add-ons. In addition to WSOP seats, winners will receive cash.
Ak-Chin also is scheduled to hold a tournament May 17-18 that will award at least one seat into the main event.
— Email Brian at anteupsouthernaz@gmail.com.
