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PrintThree hours into the LVH’s SuperContest weekend, sportsbook director Jay Kornegay was already looking ahead to next year.
“How can we make it better?” Kornegay asked. “Any thoughts you have, good or bad, I want to hear them. Just email me. Or call. We want this to be as good as possible.”
“Well, umm.”
“Anything,” Kornegay said. “You don’t have to tell me now.”
We attended SuperContest weekend not knowing what to expect. There has never been such a thing before, and Friday featured a series of seminars focusing on college football, media coverage and the NFL. (A golf event and reception followed on Saturday.)
The panelists included Chad Millman and Steve Fezzik, among others, and the discussions ranged from “Who’s your college football sleeper team?” to “What’s the best strategy to employ when competing in the NFL SuperContest?”
The Ballroom was packed, or at least it seemed to be, and the majority of the 350-or-so people who attended stayed to the end—or close to the end, anyway. Industry folks came in from everywhere (several from California). They came to sign up for the contest, yes, but also because the networking opportunity was too good to pass up.
“I’ve met some great people here,” said one person at our table. The next morning, another tweeted, “Good seeing a whole bunch of friends together in one room.”
By all accounts, the event was a major success, one that not only showcased the SuperContest—the projected winner’s share will exceed $300,000 for a second straight year—but also informed the general public.
Several people scribbled down notes during the panel discussions, and one person close to us was circling games on the LVH’s college football Games of the Year list.
The LVH gave away five free SuperContest entries to those who participated in a raffle or the golf outing, a combined $7,500 value that will come out of pocket. Many folks stuck around to place bets or to drink or to throw all their money away at the tables.
Meanwhile, Kornegay continued to look ahead to the future.
“How can we make it better?” he asked again.
We’re still not sure. But the bar has been set high.
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THE LVH SUPERBOOK WILL continue taking sign-ups through Sept. 8. The entry fee is $1,500, and there are currently 371 people registered—up 180 from last year at this time. For a handy SuperContest FAQ, click here.
