A reports from the World Domino Open Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada:

More than 100 of the best Domino players from across the Americas are in Las Vegas this weekend to battle it out at the Las Vegas Hilton.

Between 120 and 150 participants are expected to compete for $50,000 in prizes.

Domino players of all ages have traveled from across the Americas – including Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Panama – to vie for the title.

“We have around six or seven world champions of Dominos here in Vegas,” tournament organizer, Ricardo Arias, said.

The group of accomplished players includes the 2008 world championship winner, Julio Tronconi, and the 2007 World Domino Open victor, Thomas Ortiz.

Tronconi, who won his designation in May at the World Domino Championship in Orlando, came from Caracas, Venezuela, hoping to claim a second championship title. Meantime, Ortiz traveled from his home in Tijuana, Mexico to defend his title.

First place in both the Open’s individual and team divisions fetches $10,000. The prize purses shrink the further down from the finish you go, but a ninth place result is still given a cool $1000.

Not too bad for two days of playing Dominoes.

Read more from the Las Vegas Sun.

Arias believes Dominoes is the most popular game in the world – even more so than baseball, soccer or even football – because it is a game anyone can enjoy, regardless of age or physical ability. “It’s a table game that permits people to socialize and anyone in the world could play it,” he said.