When you're walking down the Strip, going from hotel to hotel, it's hard to miss all the extraordinary bars and clubs that have made Las Vegas famous. From Caesars' PURE and MGM Grand's Studio 54, to Venetian's Tao and Jet at the Mirage, simply strolling by each enhances the Las Vegas tourist's experience.
The same concept has been applied at the 2006 World Series of Poker (WSOP) by online poker rooms. Several
marketing lounges outside Rio's Amazon Room line the hallways, luring WSOP participants and spectators into the virtual poker world. One of those is the ultrachic Full Tilt Poker lounge, representing FullTiltPoker.net. The lounge has the feel of a VIP club, but not so over the top as to deter a casual poker fanatic.
Upon entering the Full Tilt Poker Lounge, one immediately notices the sleek cubicles with flat-screen televisions. Each cubicle serves a different purpose. Inside the first of those cubicles is a 42" plasma television displaying Full Tilt's new ad campaign (The Virtual Full Tilt House), while inside another cubicle you can listen to songs from one of Team Full Tilt's favorite iPod playlists.
Two other cubicles reflect the main purpose of this lounge, focusing primarily on educating today's poker player. Along one wall are several Mac G-4s. Visitors are encouraged to register with FullTiltPoker.net and take full advantage of all that the site has to offer.
Educating today's poker player is a top priority for the Full Tilt staff. There is a "Learn From the Pros" series offered, where strategic play is discussed – among other things – to help improve and develop one's game. Team Full Tilt, a group of the most successful and well-known poker players in the industry, host this series. Mike Matusow, Phil Ivey, Howard Lederer, Erick Lindgren, Jennifer Harman, Erik Seidel, and Clonie Gowen are just some of the great players on the Full Tilt team.
A Full Tilt lounge favorite is the cubicle featuring legendary card tricks performed by Chris "Jesus" Ferguson over a large plasma screen. We've all seen him throw cards that cut through objects, but in a viewer's segment, he actually teaches one how to throw a card through a banana and other edibles. All of these virtual encounters with the pros provide excellent entertainment; however, the Full Tilt lounge also offers face-to-face encounters with real celebrity players, who will graciously sign autographs and pose for photographs.
"It's one of the few rooms you can go into and actually bond with the pros," says Michelle Clayborne, Full Tilt's public relation spokeswoman. Clayborne emphasized the lounge's uniqueness, as it allows the average player access to the most prestigious poker players in the world. "The pros come in, sit, and relax. You can be with the pros and they're not above the fans. Here you can get instruction and get to know the pros on a personal level."
And if your favorite player is busy playing a tournament, you can visit the Team Full Tilt Poker portrait studio. Fans can have their image taken, and then have it superimposed on an 8-by-10 inch portrait. Within minutes a fan can possess a portrait of himself or herself, standing alongside the most prestigious team of poker professionals in the world.
The Full Tilt poker lounge is a great place for players and spectators to relax. With complimentary
drinks and comfortable white leather sofas in a club-like atmosphere, it's no surprise that players and fans flock to visit the Full Tilt lounge at this year's WSOP. Complimentary T-shirts, hats, and other poker memorabilia are available upon request.
You've seen it all on television. You've heard Mike "The Mouth" Matusow rant and rave. You've listened to Howard "The Professor" Lederer discuss different approaches to the game of poker. And of course you've viewed the never-distracted demeanor of Phil Ivey. For all of this and more, you should plan on visiting the Full Tilt Poker lounge at the WSOP this summer and see for yourself what all of the buzz is about.
