LAS VEGAS – Well, he didn’t win the $50,000 grand prize, but great food, a luxury hotel room, the House of Blues band, an ESPN interview, a Maxim after-party, and all the Bud Lite you can drink isn’t a bad consolation prize.

That’s Joe Masselli’s attitude anyway, after he got knocked out of the USA Rock Paper Scissors League tournament at the Mandalay Bay resort and casino.

“Yeah, I got axed,” the Lewiston man said with a laugh Saturday night. “Somebody’s better than me. I threw a rock and his paper covered me.”

Masselli, who won a series of local competitions that earned him the right to represent Maine in the Budweiser-sponsored tournament, lost in the fifth round. Of the 298 players who started the competition Saturday morning, only 16 will go to today’s finals.

“It’s been a wonderful experience,” said Masselli, who arrived in Las Vegas on Friday with his wife Annette. The couple will stay through Monday as guests of the tournament, enjoying the food and entertainment that Sin City is famous for.

“The hype is unbelievable,” Masselli said. “ESPN is here. They interviewed me when I signed up. It’s supposed to air July 7 at 7 p.m.”

Now that the pressure’s off, the Massellis plan to enjoy the hotel’s dozen pools, gourmet food and do a little sightseeing. But Masselli is already thinking about next year.

If he earns the right to return, he’ll have a costume like many of the other competitors who were there seeking a psychological edge. And he’ll consider altering his game strategy, which had been to have no strategy. He might even go so far as to read the guidebook Annette got him on playing Rock Paper Scissors.

“Yeah, maybe I’ll read it,” he said, sighing. “I did get bumped out.

“And this has been a pretty good time.”