Last weekend’s first chance to qualify for the 2017 The BIG One, won by Joel Wincowski, was a big success, selling out quickly. Sunday is your second chance to advance to what we think is the highest-expectation tourney you’ll find anywhere. So you could say that that is our biggest tourney this weekend. But others might argue for Sunday’s First Chance opportunity to win an all-inclusive seat at the rich Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge. Of course, cash game specialists would laugh and say the weekend’s best game is Saturday’s $25,000 Guaranteed event.
We’ll just lay out the weekend schedule for you now, and let you decide.
On Friday, the big news is that we have done away with our $5,000 Guaranteed game. But it’s good news — because we’ve turned it into a $6,000 Guaranteed game – while keeping the entry fee at $185. First prize is $2,750 with payments down to fourth. Contest races will be the 7th through 10th at Gulfstream; the 5th, 8th and 9th at Oaklawn (where it’s opening day) and the 6th and 7th at Tampa – nine races in all. Do note that this tourney has been a pretty rapid sellout of late, so plan accordingly.
Also scheduled for Friday, using the same races, is our Treasure Island NHC Last Chance qualifier (we’ll also host one of these on Sunday). The entry fee remains $58 and one in 10 wins a $500 entry to the NHC eve (Jan. 26) contest in Las Vegas. And if you wind up qualifying for the NHC subsequent to this qualifier but before the Last Chance event, you can receive $500 site credit in place of the entry, as long as you let us know by January 21. That’s our deadline for letting Treasure Island know who’s taking part.
We’ll also have a direct, entry-only Horse Player World Series qualifier on Friday with one in 20 (at $87 each) winning a $1,500 entry to the 2017 HPWS. Again, we’ll be offering a Horse Player World Series qualifier each day this weekend. As usual, each of our Friday featured tourneys will be run as Pick & Prays.
On Saturday, our featured cash game has a special purse of $25,000 Guaranteed. It will pay full prizes down to 8th place, including $12,500 to the winner, regardless of participation. Entry is $260 and, unlike the vast majority of this weekend’s featured events, this one is a Pick & Pray. (We rotate formats from one $25,000 game to the next.)
There is also another Saturday qualifier for the 2017 Wynn Handicapping Challenge, which will take place in Las Vegas on August 4-5. Winners (one in 20) receive a $2,000 seat to the prestigious Wynn event.
Saturday will also bring us another Horse Player World Series tourney—this one offering a full package of a $1,500 entry to the HPWS plus a four-night stay at The Orleans and another $500 for your transportation expenses. Entry is $116 with one per each 25 entries winning a package.
Last Saturday was supposed to be our initial Saturday Late cash game, offering a guaranteed prize pool of $2,000. But the weatherman didn’t cooperate so we’ll try it again this Saturday. This game is capped at 32 players with the entry fee set at $69.
As for Sunday…it’s a really big day, even by our standards.
Our Sunday topper (I think) is our aforementioned qualifier for the 2017 edition of The BIG One! One all-inclusive package (entry, travel, hotel & more) is guaranteed to be awarded, and entries ($390 each) are capped at 35, with up to five $300 consolation prizes also available. As mentioned earlier, last week’s event sold out rather rapidly, so enter now or start playing feeders so that you don’t miss out on the opportunity to take your cuts. The more who enter, the greater our prize pool for The BIG One will be come September. Check out our updated The BIG One information page elsewhere on the site for the latest purse status.
Sharing the Sunday spotlight is our first direct qualifier for the 2017 Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge. It may only be January, but it’s never too early to get Derby Fever. This qualifier costs $565 to enter, and oh what a prize there is at the end of the rainbow. Winners (one per 45) receive a $20,000 entry ($15,000 bankroll + $5,000 entry), hotel, track entry and amenities for Oaks and Derby Days (May 6-7) and $500 travel on top of that. If you live for big-money, high-bankroll events, this one’s for you!
As mentioned earlier, we will host another NHC Last Chance tournament for $58 with one in 10 winning. And there will also be a direct, entry-only Horse Player World Series qualifier with one in 20 (at $87 each) winning a $1,500 entry to the 2017 HPWS.
For cash game fans, there’s our $7,500 Guaranteed game on Sunday with $3,750 to the winner and cash prizes to 5th. Entry is $190 if you haven’t qualified via feeder before then. And, of course, we’ll be hosting our Sunday staple, the $1,500 Guaranteed Exacta Box tournament for $54 ($600 to the victor).
Whether you take roundhouse swings at our big-ticket games or jab away at some of our smaller events or feeders, we wish you fun and good racing luck!