Poker Host Nightmare!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CasinoKim]

OK< HERE IS A KICK IN MY BUTT FROM POKER HOST!!!!!!!!! I received this email from an administrator from wpc. This happened at a tourny for LIPS last night at PH. Conveniently, it is not in their lobby anymore.

Yeah!! It was a fierce game!! You ladies are the best and it's going to be a fabulous event!! BigMamma wins and Poker Host IS THE BOMB!!

There was a MISTAKE.... it was supposed to be winner takes all and they would guarantee a seat. BUT, the tournament director messed up and put the seat in, then 3 places for a total of the prize pool! SO, Poker Host is honoring the mess up!!! Not only did we get a seat, but 2nd 3rd and 4th got some $$!! Whooot whoooot!!

Thank you Poker Host for being so gracious!! We really appreciate it!!!!

The prizes they paid in addition to the seat were:

2 $307.50
3 $184.50
4 $123

this is in addition to the main prize they gave worth $750 and they only had 41 players at $15 which doesn't add up to one seat.

Good luck!

OK, Now that was the email that I received. I obviously talked to Joey at Poker Host immediately after I read this!!! When I spoke to him. He said that the situation was totally different than mine!!!! I asked how, he said that they took responsibility for a mistake that they made. I told him that it was no different for my situation. He basically told me bottom line. To Bad. Now where is the justice in that!!!!!!!!!!

[Casinomeister]

Besides the information given to me by CasinoKim, this is what I have:

On march 20th. We held the WPT Reno main event with the prize been a guaranteed seat to the WPT Reno worth a total of $6,100 ($5,100 buy-in + $1,000 travel expenses). Like I said before this was a guaranteed prize and was a winner takes all tournament. All players were reminded of this by our tournament director thru table messages and chat messages during the tournament. Further more if you read the rules and regulations posted on our website http://www.pokerhost.com/tournament-structure.htm the prize is clearly stated to be a seat to the WPT Reno. In regards to item 9 whichthe player mentioned in her email it states “In the case of a qualifier in which the total sum of buy-ins does not cover the seat prize, players will play for the prize pool cash instead of the seat prize, unless guaranteed.” Note that it says “in the case of a qualifier” and “unless guaranteed” what the player was playing was a main event not a qualifier and it was a guaranteed seat. She won her seat to the main event thru a qualifier. We didn’t have any problems with any of the other players in regards to this. What happened is that when the system didn’t cover the full amount of the seat it divided the pot and paid the first three places, but since we where guaranteeing the prize we went ahead and withdrew the money that was erroneously credited and paid only one prize of $6100 to first place. The pplayer was well aware that this was going to happen that is why she tried to withdraw the entirety of her balance only 15 sec after she finished the tournament. We even offered her a comp for the misunderstanding, but she refused.

And this as well:

As stated on our Website under link:

http://www.pokerhost.com/tournament-structure.htm (screenshot1), we are
giving out $5,000 + $100 for the tournament entrance and an additional
$1,000 more for hotel and airfare for a total promotion prize package worth
$6,100. This was a guaranteed seat from the beginning of the first qualifier
more than 2 months ago. I would have liked nothing more than to have had a
$7700.00 prize pool in which I would have been able to send EJ, our first
place winner, to Reno and pay the player a second place prize of $1,600.
However, the prize pool was approximately $5,600. Thus, it was $500 short of
the guaranteed prize. Due to an idiosyncrasy within our software which
prevents us from guaranteeing the seat unless the prize pool is met, it
appeared as though 1st place would receive 50%, 2nd place would receive 30% and 3rd place would receive 20% of the prize pool. This discrepancy was
noted several times throughout the tournament in the form of a table message
(screenshot2) and at the final table when the Tournament Director chatted
(screenshot3).
We have followed this same procedure of paying out guaranteed seat prizes
without incident from the beginning. Our first WSOP guaranteed seat
tournament only had a prize pool of $7,600, but again, as stated on our
website, the total promotion prize package is worth $12,500, $4,900 more
than the prize pool, but still guaranteed. Our first Ladies WSOP event paid
out the players the same way because the total promotion prize package was
more than the buy-ins.

In regards to the WPT Reno Final Event on March 20th, the prize pool was short $500. This was not a mistake on our part and we never intended to pay the top three, but again, due to the fact the prize pool was not greater than or equal to the $6,100, the system paid the top three. We in no way treated 2nd and 3rd place unjustly or unethically. We did not award money and then decide to take it back. The seat prize was/and had been the intended prize pool from the beginning. I believe that just like the third place player and all our other players who have participated in our guaranteed events, the player saw the table message.

Screen shots are here:
http://www.casinomeister.com/images/...pokerhost.html

So what it boils down to - the rules were posted and the manager was notifying players during the tourney of the discrepency. The problem is that they gave her the cash prize she would have won if the event wasn't guaranteed.

So the argument is now whether the cash prize, once given, can then be taken away.

Analogy: If you are in the grocery store and the clerk gives you too much change back, but as you attempt to leave they stop you. Are you obliged to give the extra change back? Some stores have policies that if they make a mistake ringing up the groceries, the item is free. Some don't - in Germany they would ask for the money back.

The casino offered to give CasinoKim a comp for the misunderstanding (I'm unsure of the amount - can't remember if it's posted or if CasinoKim stated what it was - sorry). But the size of this comp would have weighed on the issue whether or not CasinoKim was aware of the mistake or bug to begin with. According to the screenshot of the chat session, the "bug" was announced.

To eliminate further problems like this - the poker room needs to fix the bug and have players agree to the rules before hand.

It's a shame to see that there is another similar incident taking place with players being paid for the "mistake". I'm not sure how different this is to CasinoKim's situation. I hope the poker room can elaborate further on this.

[CasinoKim]

Someone at my other forum started a petition for me! I can't believe it! Here is the link. I really would appreciate signatures. Thank You!

leumas2k4 wrote:

go to this site and then sign the petition which i will forward ot pokerhost when the signiture list is big enough

http://helpkim.bravehost.com/

[winbig]

Just thought you should know the screenshot link isn't working....it returns a file not found error...

[Casinomeister]

Just thought you should know the screenshot link isn't working....it returns a file not found error...

Eh? No it doesn't.

[Tdoggy]

Just thought you should know the screenshot link isn't working....it returns a file not found error...



Think he means when you go to the petition and click on the link that says screenshot. Because when I clicked on it came up as an error and not the screen shot.

Later Tdoggy

[CasinoKim]

http://helpkim.bravehost.com/ Try this one, he said he fixed it.

[winbig]

Yep, it works now

Hope this is resolved soon in your favor as well as the person that placed #3.

[winbig]

I keep getting promos from pokerhost for some reason (unsubbed today), but this is quite a joke. Check out this conversation between me & support.

My response to their promotion email:

Pay out the money in question to 2 people, and I might
think about actually playing here.

Don't know what I'm talking about? Here:
http://helpkim.bravehost.com/screenshot.JPG

I would never play at any place that decides AFTER the
prizes are announced, AFTER the tournament is over,
AFTER the money is PAID, to change the payouts and
then proceed to take the money BACK that has been
already been paid out. I see many others agree with
this 100%.

Good day.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Their response: (here's your laugh )

Re: The Player's Portal

Dear Mr. xxxxxxx,

Thank you for choosing Poker Host for all your poker playing pleasure.
I can assure you that we here at Poker Host, strive to give the best
service to our clients possible. I assure you that we have a very prompt
and thorough payout procedure. I hope that you will continue to be
part of our site, and see for yourself what an enjoyable experience it is.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate
to contact our Support Team via live chat, our toll free number
1-866-POKER11, or support@pokerhost.com.

Always at your service,


xxxxxx xxxxxxx
Customer Service
Available for 24 hour telephone support at 1-866-POKER11

[CasinoKim]

They are just un-freakin real! CasinoMeister, I hope you destroy them!