In an innovative way to recruit new hirees Caesars Entertainment screens its job candidates through a poker tournament.

Whereas most big American big businesses hold mixers and give tests in order screen candidates for employment, one casino is taking recruitment in a whole new – but not entirely unsurprising – direction. The casino: Caesar’s Entertainment. The recruitment method: a poker tournament.

They call it the MBA Poker Championship and Recruitment Weekend, and its most recent installment was held in Las Vegas at Planet Hollywood on Saturday, January 19th of this year. But while this is an innovative way to screen job candidates, it’s not altogether new for Caesar’s as this is the 9th year running for this unique tournament.

The thinking behind the recruitment tournament is that MBAs with a strong understanding of the game of poker tend to be the best ones suited to manage and operate hotels and casinos. Both endeavors require a similar set of skills that includes an analytical nature, a strategic approach to poker and a savvy style of playing. And based on the company’s experience over the last 8 years, that thinking bears out.

Typically about 500 people turn out for the big weekend centered on the three-day tournament, with only a select few winning jobs with the company. For example, last year only a dozen participants in the tournament and recruitment weekend gained invites to the two year long Caesar’s President’s Associate Program. And of these, only 4 were hired full-time by the company.