Are you travelling to WSOP 25?

Fossilman ripped me a new one about my hatred of PLO, he made good points, but I still think it's a stupid bingo game as played at the lowest stakes. Which he said may be an accurate description, the only olive branch he extended to me. Gotta say, I take it as a badge of pride that a former Main Event Champ responded to my message here.

If Vegas wanted to get a ton of good press for almost no cost, Caesar's could say they are cutting their resort fees from $50 to $25 and then boost room prices by $25 on average and no one would really notice since room prices vary so widely based on day of the week and month of the year.

Who is really going to notice their room prices going from $80 to $105 for a Thursday night? It'll just seem like normal annual variance or "there must be a big concert/event" that week. People buying at better hotels sure wont notice a change from $175 to $200. But everyone will be happy thinking they saved a lot on the resort fees that make everyone irritated.

And food prices are absolutely mind-boggling. I bring a boatload of instant oatmeal on my 2 week summer trips to save one meal each day and that saves me at least $300 right there. Nursing a buzz all day at the cash games gets me thru the day and I end up paying for basically one meal a day at night.

Flight there was also cheapest in years.

I was doing some research into this.

You dont need to register if you have any of the following (taken from

https://www.uscis.gov/alienregistration

USCIS

Alien Registration Requirement | USCIS

"Who is already registered?

Anyone who has been issued one of the documents designated as evidence of registration under 8 CFR 264.1(b) has already registered. Also, anyone who submitted one of the forms designated at 8 CFR 264.1(a) and provided fingerprints (unless waived) and was not issued one of the pieces of evidence designated at 8 CFR 264.1(b), has complied with the registration requirement of INA 262. Aliens who have already registered include:

Lawful permanent residents;
Aliens paroled into the United States under INA 212(d)(5), even if the period of parole has expired;
Aliens admitted to the United States as nonimmigrants who were issued Form I-94 or I-94W (paper or electronic), even if the period of admission has expired;
All aliens present in the United States who were issued immigrant or nonimmigrant visas before their last date of arrival;
Aliens whom DHS has placed into removal proceedings;
Aliens issued an employment authorization document;
Aliens who have applied for lawful permanent residence using Forms I-485, I-687, I-691, I-698, I-700, and provided fingerprints (unless waived), even if the applications were denied; and
Aliens issued Border Crossing Cards.

Who is not registered?

Anyone who has not applied to the Department of State for a visa, been issued one of the documents designated as evidence of registration under 8 CFR 264.1(b), or has not submitted one of the forms designated at 8 CFR 264.1(a) and provided fingerprints (unless waived) is not registered. Aliens who have not registered include:

Aliens present in the United States without inspection and admission or inspection and parole who have not otherwise registered (that is, aliens who crossed the border illegally);
Canadian visitors who entered the United States at land ports of entry and were not issued evidence of registration; and
Aliens who submitted one or more benefit requests to USCIS not listed in 8 CFR 264.1(a), including applications for deferred action or Temporary Protected Status who were not issued evidence of registration listed in 8 CFR 264.1(b)."

I have bolded the bit that I think will affect most people. As far as I can tell from my research, anyone who enters on an ESTA by air falls under this category as we have fingerprints and photos taken by TSA on entry. People can check if they have been issued an I-94W by going to https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov and clicking "Get Most Recent I-94". This website also shows all my entries and exits into the USA within the last 10 years and I have only ever used ESTA or filled in the little paper form on the plane.

Therefore for the vast majority of Brits and others who enter using an ESTA, this would suggest that they are already registered and therefore just need to get a copy of their most recent I-94 when they arrive, which I hope can be saved on their phone or printed at the hotel using the resort fee.

Look, an actual use for the resort fee!! 😃

WSOP was great and fun even during Covid - it will be fun just now. Everybody understands that none of the foreigners are fun recreational players. Most of "fun", loosing and just enjoying poker players are from the USA. I and my friends will enjoy this WSOP. This will be mine 14th WSOP.
If you don't want to come, please don't.

WSOP and Las Vegas dont want to attract low rollers. If you gamble you are getting free rooms anyway. Have not paid for rooms in 10 years. Also, all Diamond members don't pay resort fees.

by KarmaDope m

I was doing some research into this.You dont need to register if you have any of the following (taken from

https://www.uscis.gov/alienregistration

USCIS

Alien Registration Requirement | USCIS

)"Who is already registered?Anyone who has been issued one of the documents designated as evidence of registration under 8 CFR 264.1(b) has already registered. Also, anyone who submitted one of the forms designated at 8 CFR 264.1(a) a... See full post

Yes, I tried to tell David Lappin this on Twitter/X when he posted his fearmongering article about why Europeans should avoid traveling to WSOP this year. Obviously he responded with total radio silence...

But yes, as long as the immigration officer approves you when you arrive and stamp your passport (or give you a piece of paper?) - that means you have an I-94 and won't need to register after 30 days.

The 2 German girls were locked up because they mentioned volunteer work. They were instructed to do so and thought they followed the rules.

If I was a poker professional and not a US citizen, I can't imagine what to say to border agents to avoid detention. Maybe: "I'm a tourist who will likely lose money while sight seeing at the WSOP."?

Apparently any mention of work now might get you detained. I'd likely just skip unless I planned to lie to them. Lying to border agents seems like a crazy line to take.

You people do know that it's not a secret that there is gambling in Vegas, right? The casinos operate openly, it's not like there are a bunch of pizza parlor "fronts" with a secret room in the back with table games and slots.

If you're traveling to Vegas to gamble, then say that you're traveling to Vegas to gamble FFS.

Reminded me of an old 2+2 thread about a well known Canadian poker pro being denied entry to the USA for "reasons". When you cross the US border, my experience has always been that they want your crossing to fit in a nice and easy to understand box - I'm coming to visit family. I'm going to Disneyland. I'm here for work meetings. As soon as you step outside the box, the risk of a problem goes up.

https://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/29/ne...

Imagine this now. German young pro shows up at border.

Q: What is the purpose of your visit?
A: I'm here to play in the world series of poker

Q: What do you do for a living?
A: I play poker professionally

Q: So you're coming here to work?
A: No, I'm playing poker tournaments which is gambling but which I also do for a career

Q: (skeptically) How much money did you bring?
A: $50,000 in crypto to trade for cash

...good luck

good luck

If you're a player who makes a living from poker, there might be issues telling border agents that. If you're a pro and you lie to border agents, there also could be an issue. Seems like a potential problem either way.

Can’t just tell them it’s a hobby if they ask? Don’t think the border agents will be doing a Hendon Mob check

I'm here to drink and gamble. It's Las Vegas not Utah.

This is actually a problem with a lot of poker pros especially the euros- no common sense or self awareness. It's not rocket science.

When you can't answer the easiest question in the world and start stammering and talking in riddles is when you're likely to have a problem at the border.

Agreed, if the sum of IQ/EQ is north of 80 getting across that border is a walk in park. Don’t be afraid of monsters under bed.

Like was said earlier, if the MUBS over border entry keeps just a fraction of the tanking miserable euroreg crowd from coming, it’s a huge win for everyone else!

I’m almost getting tired of all the winning,…almost

Let's say for example you're a good successful pro. In fact, you're #1,000 on the all time Hendon Mob gross cashes list. Your name is Felipe Darsa Boianovsky.

I'm a border guard and I'm a little suspicious for whatever reason - I don't like people from Brazil, or you've got a lot of cash on you, or maybe I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I send you to secondary, then google you and the first 4 results are:

- Hendon mob, showing you have $2.6M in cashes
- GPI rankings indicating you're some sort of professionally ranked player
- Hendon mob again
- Your facebook where you list yourself as an Instructor at Sensei Poker and call yourself a Professional poker player

Prepare to be not only denied entry, but barred for lying to a CBP agent.

Not Pizza Parlors...Laundromats, Georgie!!

Excellent.

Then don't tell them that. Just tell them you are a tourist visiting Las Vegas to gamble. Or if calling yourself a tourist concerns you, just say visiting Vegas to gamble. There is no lie there. I do agree lying to border agents or other officials is generally a bad idea.

This could be the GTO approach from an American perspective.

Let the European recs through, but detain the pro Svens and send them to a prison in El Salvador.

Make American poker great again!

So don't call it a hobby. In fact, don't mention poker or WSOP at all. 'I am just here to visit Las Vegas and gamble."

If this is such a challenge, I agree that your not coming is a plus to everyone else. And I am not even planning to be in Vegas during WSOP much less playing in it and I still feel happier.

Did I miss some memo somewhere where "I'm coming to Vegas to play in the World Series of Poker" is suddenly not allowed? TAF is happening on this forum anyway.

Once Canada becomes the 51st state they can come gamble anytime without being so scared.