diff --git a/files/helpers/actions.py b/files/helpers/actions.py
index 58c6a7888..a92830efc 100644
--- a/files/helpers/actions.py
+++ b/files/helpers/actions.py
@@ -567,7 +567,8 @@ def process_poll_options(v:User, target:Union[Post, Comment]):
 	option_objects = []
 
 	for pattern, exclusive in patterns:
-		for i in pattern.finditer(target.body):
+		body_html = target.body_html.replace('&', '&')
+		for i in pattern.finditer(body_html):
 			option_count += 1
 
 			if option_count > POLL_MAX_OPTIONS:
@@ -583,18 +584,16 @@ def process_poll_options(v:User, target:Union[Post, Comment]):
 			else:
 				cls = CommentOption
 
-			body_html=filter_emojis_only(body, strip=False) #dont strip cuz ppl sometimes leave spaces before && or after it, which breaks the replacing logic
-
 			existing = g.db.query(cls).filter_by(
 					parent_id=target.id,
-					body_html=body_html,
+					body_html=body,
 					exclusive=exclusive,
 				).first()
 
 			if not existing:
 				option = cls(
 					parent_id=target.id,
-					body_html=body_html,
+					body_html=body,
 					exclusive=exclusive,
 				)
 				option_objects.append(option) #shitty hack to bypass autoflush
diff --git a/files/helpers/regex.py b/files/helpers/regex.py
index 83aea3dcf..f79992460 100644
--- a/files/helpers/regex.py
+++ b/files/helpers/regex.py
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ NOT_IN_CODE_OR_LINKS = '(?!([^<]*<\/(code|pre|a)>|[^`\n]*`|(.|\n)*```))'
 
 valid_username_regex = re.compile("^[\w\-]{3,25}$", flags=re.A)
 
-mention_regex = re.compile('(?<![/;$#])@([\w\-]{1,30})' + NOT_IN_CODE_OR_LINKS, flags=re.A)
-group_mention_regex = re.compile('(?<![/;$#])!([\w\-]{3,25})' + NOT_IN_CODE_OR_LINKS, flags=re.A|re.I)
+mention_regex = re.compile('(?<!/)@([\w\-]{1,30})' + NOT_IN_CODE_OR_LINKS, flags=re.A)
+group_mention_regex = re.compile('(?<!/)!([\w\-]{3,25})' + NOT_IN_CODE_OR_LINKS, flags=re.A|re.I)
 
 everyone_regex = re.compile('(^|\s|>)!(everyone)' + NOT_IN_CODE_OR_LINKS, flags=re.A)
 
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ valid_sub_regex = re.compile("^[\w\-]{3,25}$", flags=re.A)
 
 query_regex = re.compile("(\w+):(\S+)", flags=re.A)
 
-poll_regex = re.compile("(^|\n)\$\$([^\$\n]+)\$\$\s*?" + NOT_IN_CODE_OR_LINKS, flags=re.A)
-bet_regex = re.compile("(^|\n)##([^#\n]+)##\s*?" + NOT_IN_CODE_OR_LINKS, flags=re.A)
-choice_regex = re.compile("(^|\n)&&([^&\n]+)&&\s*?" + NOT_IN_CODE_OR_LINKS, flags=re.A)
+poll_regex = re.compile("(^|\n|>)\$\$([^\$\n]+)\$\$\s*?" + NOT_IN_CODE_OR_LINKS, flags=re.A)
+bet_regex = re.compile("(^|\n|>)##([^#\n]+)##\s*?" + NOT_IN_CODE_OR_LINKS, flags=re.A)
+choice_regex = re.compile("(^|\n|>)&&([^&\n]+)&&\s*?" + NOT_IN_CODE_OR_LINKS, flags=re.A)
 
 html_comment_regex = re.compile("<!--.*-->", flags=re.A)