Caesars Palace LV $50K Bogus Drawing: 100 Names Called, 0.0 Showed Up To Claim

From a post on the [vpFREE] discussion group regarding a promotion that took place on 2/29/2020:

"Unfortunately this weekend I and at least 100 other people had a bad experience at the $50,000 Jackpot drawing at Caesars.

People who received W2G taxable jackpots from all Caesars properties in Las Vegas from Jan. 1 to Feb. 28 were invited to this drawing. When I called to book (800 number) I specifically asked if I needed to book a room to qualify and whether only people who booked this offer would be included or if EVERYONE who got W2s during this period would be in the group of names drawn. I was told I MUST book a 2 night stay to enter, and only those with a room could be in the drawing.

The reason I was concerned was that if everyone was entered who had received W2Gs during two months, there would be hundreds of thousands of entries for people, most of whom would not be attending this drawing. A host at Rio also confirmed this.

Unfortunately this drawing turned into sham, when those of us who booked rooms arrived for the event and as soon as they drew the first 20 names at 8pm, it was obvious that something was wrong. There were no winners. For the next two hours, total of 5 drawings, there were no winners. The man announcing the event was as surprised as we were, and it was now obvious that winners were drawn from all the W2Gs at all Caesars properties over 2 months, not just from those of us who “entered” by booking rooms.

If anyone has the email address of someone high up at Caesars to complain to, please send it to me. I have already sent an email to my host and one higher up.

Meanwhile, I and a bunch of other folks were quite upset, to put it mildly, as we wasted our time and gambling money for nothing."

what did caesars do regarding the drawing?

I wonder how this will turn out.

Where did the vpfree discussion group move to after yahoo shutdown their group feature?

I am not clearly understanding this Mr Nerakil. Did the winners have to be present to claim their prize? If so, did they continue drawing names until a winner was present? Or did they stop drawing names and prizes were not awarded?

This is the type of issue that the NGC investigates. Go to their website and get the phone number for "enforcement" and you can reach them 24 hours a day. Actually you could have phoned them at the time of the drawing and an agent would have been at Caesars within half an hour if there wasn't one already on the property.

If indeed winners had to be present and eventually a hotel guests' name was called and all the prizes were awarded then booking a room might have been correct procedure.

Everyone who stayed at CET properties for this event will get $500 free play. The issue was that every W2 earned this year was entered into the contest, instead of just those who were invited for the event and stayed at CET.

You had to be present for the drawing. With 100,000+ W2’s issued since Jan. 1, on wondered no one got named of the 100+ there. An e Mail went out last night for those who were invited and stayed.

jp, can you tell me how this worked?

Did everyone who got a w2g have the ability to book this offer with $500 freeplay?!

I did not get the offer, but from what I understand those that got a w2 since the start of the year received an email offer to stay three days and enter a $50,000 drawing. Must be present for the drawing. The drawing should have been based on the 100+ players who booked based on this offer. The “tickets” should have been based on those who booked on the offer, instead every player with a w2 earned this year was entered. No winners present, so CET offered $500 free play for those who booked the drawing offer in lieu of the failed drawing. Unsure if everyone got the w2 offer.

The $500 free play came after CET screwed up, as remedy for those who booked and got nada.

A few more complaints from [vpFREE]:

"We did not receive written rules before event. There were no redraws. The only invite was on a postcard with just how many winners and number of drawings and times no full details. Only when I phoned to book was I told I MUST book a room to enter. One copy of the written rules was at the drawing itself, and the language was ambiguous as to whether the pool of names was everyone who had received a W2G during the qualifying period or just those who had both had a W2G and also booked a room and the event. You had to be present to win, and no redraws...that part was clear."

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The original poster from [vpFREE] then posted this resolution from Regional Marketing VP Jeremy Weinstein after complaining to Caesars Palace LV Marketing:

"Caesars Entertainment prides ourselves on delivering to our guests a world class gaming experience with events that are exciting and rewarding. Unfortunately, this weekend’s $50,000 Jackpot Drawing disappointed our guests who attended the event.

We recognize the importance of our most loyal guests and want to use this opportunity to make it right. Caesars has taken the $50,000 Prize structure and ensured that everyone booked to the offer is now a winner.

Each guests that booked for the event will be awarded a $500 Casino Play prize! Please feel free to redeem this prize at any Las Vegas Caesars Rewards® Resort now through the end of 2020.

Once again we apologize for any inconvenience and hope this resolution proves satisfactory."

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It appears everyone attending has been offered Casino Play (valid in Las Vegas properties only) for their time wasted. Of course, if the guests flew in, it may not be worth their time and money to fly to LV again collect the $500 Casino Play before December. What a fail.

As Dan Druff mentioned on his 3/6/2020 PFA radio show, it sounds like incompetence as usual by CET Marketing, rather than a negative check-off scam.

Nerakil, my only thought on the people flying in. I would think anyone who flew in just for this event is a regular CZR player and will be back, so the $500 isn’t a bad outcome. If 100 people showed up, the expected value of a 50k drawing was $500 so they did ok. This is assuming a person could only win once. They obviously were in Vegas at least once between January and February, came back for this, so they also should have other offers and this is just a bonus.

Overall it’s obvious it’s another CZR screwup, not the first and won’t be the last. Those who continue to play with them know it and are used to it. Along with continued reduced benefits and a general lack of appreciation.

I also don’t understand the “wasted time and gambling money for nothing comment”? I think you came to the drawing expecting a potential advantage on the drawing, but why did you waste gambling money? Did you feel an obligation to play while there? If so, they got exactly what they expected from the promotion.


Thanks for reporting this in detail.

I know it might be unfair, however, if they gave out the entire 50,000 in somewhat of a reasonable manner, I highly doubt Nevada Gaming Control will require them to change or do anything beyond that.

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Originally Posted by AxelWolf

I know it might be unfair, however, if they gave out the entire 50,000 in somewhat of a reasonable manner, I highly doubt Nevada Gaming Control will require them to change or do anything beyond that.

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I agree with Mr AxelWolf. This appears to be a fair resolution.

Actually a surprisingly fair resolution given it's Caesars.

It does suck for anyone from far off who won't be coming back to Las Vegas in 2020, though. I think it would be even fairer if people from out of the area were given the choice to take $500 in RCs instead, without coming back to Vegas.

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Originally Posted by AndrewG

I am not clearly understanding this Mr Nerakil. Did the winners have to be present to claim their prize? If so, did they continue drawing names until a winner was present? Or did they stop drawing names and prizes were not awarded?

This is the type of issue that the NGC investigates. Go to their website and get the phone number for "enforcement" and you can reach them 24 hours a day. Actually you could have phoned them at the time of the drawing and an agent would have been at Caesars within half an hour if there wasn't one already on the property.

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That's not necessarily true. I've talked to gaming (twice) before, once with a drawing where they basically said, "Casino is free to do whatever they want, they're a private company." The gaming commission, at least in Nevada, is inept.

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Originally Posted by RS__

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Originally Posted by AndrewG

I am not clearly understanding this Mr Nerakil. Did the winners have to be present to claim their prize? If so, did they continue drawing names until a winner was present? Or did they stop drawing names and prizes were not awarded?

This is the type of issue that the NGC investigates. Go to their website and get the phone number for "enforcement" and you can reach them 24 hours a day. Actually you could have phoned them at the time of the drawing and an agent would have been at Caesars within half an hour if there wasn't one already on the property.

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That's not necessarily true. I've talked to gaming (twice) before, once with a drawing where they basically said, "Casino is free to do whatever they want, they're a private company." The gaming commission, at least in Nevada, is inept.

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Yeah, in this case that's correct.

Casinos are not allowed the rig drawings, but beyond that, they can do what they want, including BS like this.

As I mentioned before, this was incompetence and not malice, but gaming would be powerless to resolve this.

I was curious so I called the enforcement division office of the NGC in Vegas. I explained the issue. They said they would have investigated, meaning they would have asked Caesars how they intended to resolve the issue.

The rep also told me that the response explained here probably would have resolved the issue.

Casino drawings are a regulated activity. If anyone called them, the NGC would have investigated.

Here is the phone number for investigations in the Vegas office:

+1 702-486-2020

Instead of guessing anyone can call. And you should. There is an agent on duty 24/7 to handle inquiries over the phone and there are field agents who can be dispatched to meet with customers and start the investigation process.

And again, drawings are a regulated activity.

By the way, if someone is still not satisfied with the free play resolution the enforcement division would still be obligated to investigate. But the agent said to me that the free play distribution, though not exactly what was supposed to have happened, would probably have been deemed sufficient.

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Originally Posted by AndrewG

I was curious so I called the enforcement division office of the NGC in Vegas. I explained the issue. They said they would have investigated, meaning they would have asked Caesars how they intended to resolve the issue.

The rep also told me that the response explained here probably would have resolved the issue.

Casino drawings are a regulated activity. If anyone called them, the NGC would have investigated.

Here is the phone number for investigations in the Vegas office:

+1 702-486-2020

Instead of guessing anyone can call. And you should. There is an agent on duty 24/7 to handle inquiries over the phone and there are field agents who can be dispatched to meet with customers and start the investigation process.

And again, drawings are a regulated activity.

By the way, if someone is still not satisfied with the free play resolution the enforcement division would still be obligated to investigate. But the agent said to me that the free play distribution, though not exactly what was supposed to have happened, would probably have been deemed sufficient.

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We used to have another member who called NGC almost weekly for every little thing.

Maybe you know him? Hopefully not too close with him, was a degenerate gambler who was bad at life in general.

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Originally Posted by The Boz

We used to have another member who called NGC almost weekly for every little thing.

Maybe you know him? Hopefully not too close with him, was a degenerate gambler who was bad at life in general.

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You self righteous asshole.
Most people are very bad at life.
The whole point is to learn, find redemption and change.

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Originally Posted by monet

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Originally Posted by The Boz

We used to have another member who called NGC almost weekly for every little thing.

Maybe you know him? Hopefully not too close with him, was a degenerate gambler who was bad at life in general.

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You self righteous asshole.
Most people are very bad at life.
The whole point is to learn, find redemption and change.

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Yeah Monet. Most people do find themselves overwhelmed far too often, fall short, and have to learn to make choices that that gives them a better life in a rather indifferent world. If this is what you believe, then what's up with the racism, bigotry, and homophobia that you spend your time peddling. No one who relies on their race, religion, or sexual orientations for a sense of superiority is in in any position to accuse someone of being self righteous. There isn't any redemption in any of that. There is a lot that respect about you, but there is also lot that seems almost intentionally pointless. If redemption and change is important to you then grab it, if not then drop it.