I am interested in learning more about casino hosts.
What they look for in a player?
What levels of action puts you on their radar?
Does anyone have a link to any resources.
In my experience, light-medium chunky green is what caught their attention. I'm not sure how it works in all places, but I had the PB stop by, chat for a few minutes, make a call and suddenly the host arrived.
You can also call the PB over and ask for a host (which I've also done), and they will ask if you have anyone specific you want to see. If you have no preference, they'll call the first available one.
I've also called my host in advance of arriving in order to reserve items -- whether it be food comps/coupons, show tickets, rooms, etc.
What do they look for in a player? Anyone that's willing to risk parting with a good chunk of $. Almost same with comps -- larger bets and time played. Being friendly and raving about their facilities can help, too.
You don't score, until you SCORE!
Though I'm a RC-er I have a host at the Trop in Vegas, baby. She arranges free rooms for me and food for me. I didn't even know I had one until the last time I went there and she came up to the table and introduced herself. lol. So to a certain extent it is dependent on which property you go to. The place I usually go to in Reno RC-ers go to the players club and everything gets handled from there; and they are not bad about it either. Sometimes you can talk to a PB and they call up whoever and twist their arm to get free nights or something. But that's the extent of it. To get an actual host one has to bet an absolute minimum of $100/hand, I believe; then they are called Executive Hosts and they arrange everything for you. So again it pretty much depends on the property.
Remember they can't say yes unless you ask.
My Ability in Blackjack is a Gift from God!!
I only had one property refuse me a host. The Borgata in AC felt my play was not up to their liking. I forgot why. I think they intended it to make me play more or at higher stakes to get a host but since I have hosts everywhere else I play I just stopped playing there. The host services rep I spoke to said I had to show them more before I could get a host. I had a big enough bet but didn't play there very often but I played at other places less often and got the royal treatment from their hosts. A pretty bad way for a casino to treat players IMHO. It sure didn't get the result they desired from me unless they wanted me not to return. I doubt player development even cares about your table results. That is somebody else's job. Adding this to a hosts concerns is counterproductive to them doing an effective job.
In my experience they want players betting enough and playing enough to have a host to keep them coming back. I have seen some casinos looking at your record in a different way. Last time I tried to arrange airfare and/or a limo or other ride from the airport I was informed I had been to successful there for them to extend such courtesies (not that my play was insufficient). Most go with theoretical loss. I had to eat the airfare and pay for a rental car. Next time I will probably just stay somewhere else and just play more there. I can get the same shot at airfare reimbursements or a ride from the airport from lots of casinos. At my play level I am always pleasantly surprised when they pick these things up and this casino had in the past. But you definitely won't get it if you don't ask.
Last edited by Three; 04-14-2015 at 08:44 AM.
This has some information. And it's also really interesting:
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radi.../466/blackjack
The Cash Cow.
Casino hosts are salespeople in the same category as an F&I guy at a used car dealership. They tell you they have the power to give you stuff but always have to get it approved by their manager. Eventually, if you're a winning player, they'll drop you like a hot potato and often renege on what they previously promised. They come and go like the wind (like most sales people) the turnover is great, the pay is relatively low, the hours suck, and they are not your friend.Originally Posted by mushin
It's best to keep your dealings with them as anonymous as possible (doing business by e-mail or burner phone). Since they move around a lot you don't want them to know you as John Smith and then move to another casino only to find you are really Michael Jones. That said, a few have been pretty good and genuine but they are truly the exception to the rule. I highly recommend the book "Whale Hunt in the Desert"
The answers to the OP's questions are going to be rather region specific. Getting a host in Vegas at any one place in Vegas might only take an hour of $100/hand blackjack. In the Midwest, it'll be easier to get one as a slot/vp player than on the tables, and on the east coast some heavy craps action might often be your best route. It all depends on the scale and depth of what region you are playing in, what casino you are playing in, and what you're looking to accomplish with a host.
I've got hosts out here in the Midwest that will give me a buffet for walking through the door and not much else. On the other hand in the same region just for mentioning the thought of coming down to their location, I'll get an "unlimited" comp at the steakhouse, a suite for the weekend, golf passes, and front row tickets to any of the available shows.
For my Vegas hosts, its a little different. One of my guys will RFB me for the duration of my stay (generally 4-5 days/nights) and that's it. Another guy might RFB me and then reimburse my airfare based on my VP/Table play regardless of losses. On the other end of the spectrum at a not-to-be-named-casino I'll get half price buffet coupons and a handshake.
Beyond being just regionally specific at times, a lot of the time you're dealing with hosts who (like salesman) aim for the numbers. If you can produce X points, or Y dollars wagered, your limits are endless for what they will throw at you to get you back. On the other hand you might be dealing with a host team that works on volume rather than quality and would rather comp out a trip to a group of Asian businessmen who bring a combined bankroll of 15k, than myself all alone with a bankroll of 20k.
Being able to figure out which property WANTS to cater to a certain prototype of a patron/high roller is pretty important. A big downfall with some of the strip casinos lately is that they've changed directions in who they want to target and comp the best. It used to be the "Big fish in a little pond" midwestern guy who brought down half his salary for a weekend would get the bells and whistles. Now its the guys from east with smaller bank rolls but larger numbers they've been comping out to the highest degree. For that reason, I stay downtown more often than not because most hosts "downtown" seem to "get it".
One thing is for certain though, you won't know the limits of what they'll offer you until you ask.
I have to wholeheartedly agree with Exoter. You don't lose anything by asking. Properties and property policies change. Often from one trip to the next. I used to use comps and hosts quite often in the "good ol' days" in Vegas and other areas in South. But as times changed and they got stingier with blackjack comps AND based upon the advise of many on this board, I have not requested hosts.........relied upon points and cards made on the player's cards because you can get some of the comps you want and still maintain a little anonymity. At least as said above, get your comps on VP and slots/craps and then you don't have to worry about BJ disclosure as much.
Used to be that I could get reasonable RFB for playing 4 hours a day $50/hand minimum at a midlevel place. Most wanted more play if you wanted better rooms, shows, etc. Airfare reimbursement NEVER occurred less than $100/hand minimum 4 hours play. That was some time ago. And really it DID help to be traveling in a small group or with friends because play by others could be "grouped" or lumped together sometimes by the host to extend generosity to all.
But my real suggestion is to ask a host ahead of your trip.........see if what they want will be what level of play you can swing. They ALWAYS seem to at least extend Casino Rate on rooms to anyone who calls and says they will play. They they will review your hours and level of play for more comps. But please don't bet more than you can afford JUST to get comps AND don't fall for the comp game if you truly don't camouflage your BJ play. And if you use the services of a host, they will take a casino credit app or require the similar information that is off a casino credit app, whether or not you "front the money" or use casino credit. Those applications are pretty detailed; much like any bank loan application. I'm not sure that you want all of that information disclosed to the casino. At least getting a players card, all you really have to show is ID.
Last edited by MJGolf; 04-14-2015 at 07:26 PM. Reason: added a little more info
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