They aren't giving away 40 cents per player every week, they are giving away a gift certificate for 40 cents per player every week, assuming they have a 20% food cost it is costing the place .08 per player each week, the monthly tournament has between 27-36 players (depending on if there is a regular tournament on the 4th week), that one costs the guy 14 Dollars.

Lets assume if 80 people qualify, than 80 people play regularly... so its about 20 bucks a month out of pocket for the owner.

No business in the world wouldn't pay 20.00 a month to bring 320 people in their establishment

The main event should cost the guy.... $800 dollars... and in order for it to cost him that much that means 4100 people had to spend significant time in his restaurant over the course of a year... Sounds like the most amazingly cheap advertising ever...

Taking an ad in the bargain book is like $1200 for 3 months and your lucky if it produces 50 customers.

The whole thing just seems a bit silly to me... oh and lol at error