This morning, Shane Schleger took to Twitter to tell players at the 2021 WSOP that the Rio's cashiers were no longer accepting satellite lammers -- unless the player can show proof they won the lammer. This move runs counter to the series' policy throughout 2021 and most previous years.
"FYI the @WSOP cage is saying they’re not accepting satellite lammers for buyins unless you can verify that you won them yourself," Schleger wrote.
Several other players confirmed they had a similar problem in Schleger's Twitter thread.
The change in policy appears to have started today.
Ronnie Bardah theorized that "it’s just one cashier taking their job way too seriously."
"I bought in with somebody else's lammers two days ago," @AlexFungali wrote. "Is this new? How do they even verify?"
However, Schleger explained: "they decided to start enforcing it today."
Every year there is a secondary economy in lammers (called "buy-in chips" in the series bumf). This economy is driven by satellite grinders who win multiple lammers and sell the excess chips to players waiting to buy into events.
Kevin Mathers, who runs the WSOP Twitter account, was able to clarify that this year the lammers are issued with some sort of receipt when they are won. This receipt needs to be shown in order to cash lammers in.
"There’s some sort of paperwork when you win a seat as they ask for your Caesars Rewards card," Mathers wrote.
One-time courtesy
The sudden change in policy almost certainly leaves a huge number of buy-in chips out there in the ether. The WSOP has taken the cash for these chips, and made it difficult or impossible for players to cash them.
Why the sudden change? Caesars doesn't seem to have a financial motivation to skim that cash. The loss of trust just isn't worth the rope.
The move is increasingly baffling when one considers the enormous success of the Main Event so far. Days 1A-D have averaged 1,130 players (the vast majority of those on Day 1D). Days 1E and 1F are expected to be at least as big. European players will be pouring in as the borders open, and last-minute players will be boarding their flights today.
Many of those players will have bought lammers from friends or contacts at the series. Barring a sudden change in policy, these players will be left holding the bag (of currently uncashable chips).
There is hope for those players though.
Operations Manager Tyler Pipal has confirmed that he or player services will approve lammers without proof as a one-time courtesy.
"They ARE noting who have won Tournament Buy-In Chips this year," Kevin Mathers wrote. "In a conversation I just had with Operations Manager Tyler Pipal. He told me he or an associate in Player Sevices would approve someone as a 1-time courtesy with TBIC’s [Tournament Buy-In Chips] that were not noted to that player."
For a $10,000 Main Event buy-in, it's probably worth the hassle of getting in touch with Player Services. If you have lammers to cash, you may want to get on that soon. Player Services is likely to be busy for the next few days.
Featured image source: PokerGO
