Only 117 poker players played in the main event this year. Folks, this is dramatic, and of course there are many reasons why, including competition, but when things go bad, this is proof that they get awful. I have been playing poker for about 15 years, when I first started to play Tunica was a great destination, the room was run great (at Binion’s) and the staff was friendly, the rooms were also $25. I went often and always enjoyed my time there.

When the World Poker Open started it was a showcase for Jack Binion and his new Casino, all of his friends from Las Vegas would show up and everyone enjoyed their time. Some of the biggest cash games in the world were played in one of the smallest towns.

Fast forward to now and the contrast is shocking.

If this event is going to stay afloat they will have to change the time and really I am not sure that will help. Tunica is no longer the quaint little casino town of 15 years ago. 15 years of money being pulled out of a community has that effect. I do not know of anyone that looks forward to this event and the numbers bear out. When you compare the Tunica numbers to the Poker Stars or Australian event you will see that the World Poker Tour is fighting a losing battle. In fact, the Australian event is likely the biggest culprit and it is half a world away, Full Tilt Poker aggressively promotes this event and makes it very attractive for their stable of poker players to play. No one is going to play both, even if it were possible.

You can blame it on things like dilution (did we really need a WPT event in Biloxi?) or competition but when it comes right down to it Tunica is not a great place to play poker. Which is a bit of a shame, for better or worse Jack Binion’s namesake event likely deserved a little better fate.