Saturday, July 26, 2008

WENDY'S KICK FOR A MILLION RETURNS

WENDY'S KICK FOR A MILLION RETURNS

TORONTO - Fifty-yard field goals don't get any sweeter than this, as TSN announced details for the return of its fourth annual, international award-winning million-dollar giveaway, Wendy's Kick for a Million.

The big event will air live nationally on TSN and TSN HD on October 3 during the CFL on TSN: Wendy's Friday Night Football halftime show featuring B.C. @ Toronto, as one lucky fan will get the chance to kick a 50-yard field goal for $1 million.

The highly-anticipated promotion returns with a brand-new format, as four randomly selected participants - two from Eastern Canada and two from Western Canada - will now compete in regional quarter-final events in Toronto and Vancouver, with the winning participants moving on to the semifinal in Toronto. The winner of the semifinal event will appear live on TSN on October 3 with the chance to turn a 50-yard field goal into a $1 million payday. Similar to last year, the participants are allowed to practice prior to the event.

"Wendy's Kick for a Million has evolved into a huge, must-see event. It gives every day sports fans a chance to be part of the action and win big," said Phil King, President, TSN. "The success of Wendy's Kick for a Million has led to other innovative and lucrative contests on the network and has become the industry benchmark for all sports fan contests in Canada."

The contest begins July 25 and runs through September 7. Fans are invited to enter online at TSN.ca/Wendys, with bonus entries being awarded for playing the Wendy's Field Goal Challenge game and referring friends. Fans can also watch TSN for Wendy's Kick for a Million commercials containing keywords that can be entered online for additional entries. In addition, fans can play the Instant Win online game for a chance to win a $5 gift card from Wendy's.

Lucrative prizes for this year's Wendy's Kick for a Million final event are bigger and better leading up to the $1 million reward. The prizes are as follows:

20 yards - $25,000 Future Shop gift card
30 yards - Gridiron Edition Nissan Titan
40 yards - $100,000 cash
50 yards - $1,000,000 in a one-time payment

Saturday, July 12, 2008

How Do I Get My Money?

"How Do I Get My Money?"

The first feeling that many of these players feel upon being eliminated from the Main Event is one of deep disappointment. Maybe they got their chips in good, maybe not, but the stark fact is that the dream of a deep run is over.

At the podium, the recently departed gives in his or her TotalRewards card and photo ID. As one supervisor enters the information, including place of finish, into the computer, another announces the name and hometown of the busted player over the PA system in the Amazon Room. After this process is completed, the player receives a small slip of paper with his or her name and place of finish on it. The slip is initialled by one of the floor supervisors.

The runner then takes the player out of the Amazon Room, across the hall, and down a side hallway to the payouts room. The payouts room feels like the waiting area inside of an unemployment center, with a front desk, several waiting chairs behind it (in case of a high volume of bustouts) and several computer terminals and printers behind that. The player gives in his "finish slip" and TotalRewards card again at the front desk, is asked for a taxpayer ID number, and then is directed to one of the computer terminals.

Another Harrah's representative is waiting at each terminal. They provide various tax forms that have to be filled out and also create a tournament payout receipt showing the player's name, address, certain personal identifying information and the amount of money the player has won.

Once all of those forms are completed, there's one more stop -- the payout cage, located inside the same room. There, at one of five barred windows, players can elect to receive their winnings in any combination of cash, chips, check, wire transfer and/or front money deposit at the Rio.

It's a long process, but there is a certain comaraderie in the room. Everyone who is in there has arrived in the same condition -- busted out of the largest, richest poker tournament in the world. Once the initial feelings of disappointment evaporate, many swap stories with each other, congratulate each other, and begin the celebration of a five- or six-figure payday.