Not talking about Total Rewards but other casinos that are not a part of a chain or anything. So say that I'm at a local Indian casino how can I figure out their comp system? Should I just ask the PB or player's club?
Not talking about Total Rewards but other casinos that are not a part of a chain or anything. So say that I'm at a local Indian casino how can I figure out their comp system? Should I just ask the PB or player's club?
My Ability in Blackjack is a Gift from God!!
Thanks. One reason I ask is if whether or not most casinos will "grade" you according to the quality of your play. So if they think you are a bad BJ player then they will give you a higher comp percentage. If you are a good player then they will give you a lower percentage.
My Ability in Blackjack is a Gift from God!!
Tell me about it. At my home casino it takes me nearly 16hrs., probably more, to get a $10 buffet! Granted I'm a red chipper but man that seems like a long time.
BTW when I go up to Reno, since I get free rooms and the food comps are easier, that includes my GF who does not play, and with the free drinks it's almost like I'm getting an RFB comp. Then I crush 'em at the tables!
ETA:
I'm most likely in the third group.
Last edited by BigJer; 06-16-2013 at 01:51 PM.
My Ability in Blackjack is a Gift from God!!
Comps. Ask the pit for your average bet when you leave. Then check your card comp balance and you will be able to reverse engineer the comp formula for the bucket of comps that you control. There is a separate "hidden" discretionary comp balance that only a host or supervisor can give to you and you can only find that out from one of them, and they usually won't tell you about this bucket or what is in it. Mail offers and free rooms are also considered part of your comps so, like at Harrah's, it looks like you're only getting 5% of your expected loss in comps based on their horrible point accrual, but then get back cash coupons, free rooms, tournament invites, etc in the mail and that is all figured in by the bean counters as part of the giveback to you which, on average, costs them about a third of what they expect to win from you. So for a place like Harrah's most of the comp value you get is from what arrives in the mail, and if you can drive your comp return higher by redeeming a ton of it. (not to mention concentrating your play into a few days rather than spreading it out).
Comp rates are also different depending on skill level, the rules (6/5 comps > 3/2 shoe comps > double deck comps). I know one casino (Monte Carlo) that used to require 2x the hours of play at double deck to get the same comps as shoes. Some casinos also strongly penalize your comp accrual if you don't play at least 4 hours, regardless of your average bet. They not only want a high average bet, but also want 4 hours a day of play to give full credit for your action. (Stupid). Some casinos are very open about your comp balances, some are secretive. I had one tell me "I can't tell you how many comp dollars you have, but I'll tell you that you have enough to buy buffets for 18 people".
I'm not sure I agree with this. One of my hosts specifically told me that I'm highly rated, skillz-wise, but still got showered with comps. As you already alluded to, the other considerations are average bet and time played. So if you're highly skilled, but have a large average bet and put your hours in, you'll be fine. Don't forget to rat-hole, either to lessen your perceived wins or exaggerate your perceived losses. But you can be rated as a skilled player and do just fine with comps.
To piggy back on what BigPlayer wrote (which was excellent), I encourage players to not be afraid to ask for what they need (better yet, ask for what they want). The worst a host can say is "no." So don't be afraid to be politely pushy. If you want event tickets, limo service, a room upgrade, dinner reservations, or anything else, just ask. Obviously, a red chipper may not get the royal treatment, but if you're asking for something reasonable, given whatever level of play you're at, there's a good chance they will accommodate you. But you have to get comfortable asking for things.
"There is no passion to be found playing small, in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living."
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