adelphi: north tower or south tower--lv club

Knight of Dawn · 10-23-2003, 06:04 PM

I'm a bit sheepish about asking for comps. What is the best way to go about getting rooms comped? Does one need a player's club card for this? If so, wouldn't having one of these cards be a bad idea for a pro? I'm actually surprised that you stay in these rooms since I assume you live in Vegas.
Thanks!
KOD

Parker · 10-23-2003, 06:38 PM

> I'm a bit sheepish about asking for comps.
> What is the best way to go about getting
> rooms comped? Does one need a player's club
> card for this? If so, wouldn't having one of
> these cards be a bad idea for a pro? I'm
> actually surprised that you stay in these
> rooms since I assume you live in Vegas.
> Thanks!

A common misconception. I actually live in the San Diego area, although I spend nearly as much time in Las Vegas as I do in CA. And when I come to Las Vegas, I stay downtown more often than not.

The first rule in comps is, "You gotta ask!" This does take some getting used to - at first you may feel like you are begging. This is wrong - you have earned those comps with your play, just as you earn a salary at a regular job. You are entitled to them.

A players card is necessary for all but the smallest comps. This is not a big deal. At higher stakes, it can actually generate more heat to refuse to be rated. After all, what sort of person turns down free stuff?

Assuming you play at green chip levels or above, a few weeks after giving a casino some action you will start receiving offers in the mail. You simply call the casino and talk to a host in order to take advantage of these offers.

Or, while you are playing at a casino, you ask to speak to a table games host. Tell the host that you are planning a future trip and would like to stay at their hotel if it can be arranged.

Some hotel/casinos do not have table games hosts - you simply talk to a shift supervisor. Just tell the pitboss that you'd like to arrange a comp, and they wil hook you up with the proper person.

To arrange an up-front comp, simply call the hotel and talk to a table games host (or supervisor, as mentioned above). Describe your action to them. Be careful - say something like, "My average bet is around $100," rather than, "I spread 1-8 green."

They will usually offer you a room at a reduced "casino rate" and offer to review you play for full comp at the conclusion of your visit. Be sure to ask them to do this, especially if you lose big. This is also a good time to make arrangements for your next trip.

A few casinos (those in Mandalay Resort Group, for example), use a point system. You earn "comp dollars" with your play. You use these just like regular money to pay for rooms, meals, etc.

Whether to take advantage of comps or try to play anonymously is one of those topics that is discussed endlessly on boards such as these. However, for the green - mid-black player, comps represent a significant source of EV and should not be overlooked.

Knight of Dawn · 10-23-2003, 09:43 PM

I'll respond via email since I don't want to get too specific here. Good info!
KOD

> A common misconception. I actually live in
> the San Diego area, although I spend nearly
> as much time in Las Vegas as I do in CA. And
> when I come to Las Vegas, I stay downtown
> more often than not.

> The first rule in comps is, "You gotta
> ask!" This does take some getting used
> to - at first you may feel like you are
> begging. This is wrong - you have earned
> those comps with your play, just as you earn
> a salary at a regular job. You are entitled
> to them.

> A players card is necessary for all but the
> smallest comps. This is not a big deal. At
> higher stakes, it can actually generate more
> heat to refuse to be rated. After all, what
> sort of person turns down free stuff?

> Assuming you play at green chip levels or
> above, a few weeks after giving a casino
> some action you will start receiving offers
> in the mail. You simply call the casino and
> talk to a host in order to take advantage of
> these offers.

> Or, while you are playing at a casino, you
> ask to speak to a table games host. Tell the
> host that you are planning a future trip and
> would like to stay at their hotel if it can
> be arranged.

> Some hotel/casinos do not have table games
> hosts - you simply talk to a shift
> supervisor. Just tell the pitboss that you'd
> like to arrange a comp, and they wil hook
> you up with the proper person.

> To arrange an up-front comp, simply call the
> hotel and talk to a table games host (or
> supervisor, as mentioned above). Describe
> your action to them. Be careful - say
> something like, "My average bet is
> around $100," rather than, "I
> spread 1-8 green."

> They will usually offer you a room at a
> reduced "casino rate" and offer to
> review you play for full comp at the
> conclusion of your visit. Be sure to ask
> them to do this, especially if you lose big.
> This is also a good time to make
> arrangements for your next trip.

> A few casinos (those in Mandalay Resort
> Group, for example), use a point system. You
> earn "comp dollars" with your
> play. You use these just like regular money
> to pay for rooms, meals, etc.

> Whether to take advantage of comps or try to
> play anonymously is one of those topics that
> is discussed endlessly on boards such as
> these. However, for the green - mid-black
> player, comps represent a significant source
> of EV and should not be overlooked.

BJ player · 10-25-2003, 03:31 AM

> A common misconception. I actually live in
> the San Diego area, although I spend nearly
> as much time in Las Vegas as I do in CA. And
> when I come to Las Vegas, I stay downtown
> more often than not.

> The first rule in comps is, "You gotta
> ask!" This does take some getting used
> to - at first you may feel like you are
> begging. This is wrong - you have earned
> those comps with your play, just as you earn
> a salary at a regular job. You are entitled
> to them.

> A players card is necessary for all but the
> smallest comps. This is not a big deal. At
> higher stakes, it can actually generate more
> heat to refuse to be rated. After all, what
> sort of person turns down free stuff?

> Assuming you play at green chip levels or
> above, a few weeks after giving a casino
> some action you will start receiving offers
> in the mail. You simply call the casino and
> talk to a host in order to take advantage of
> these offers.

> Or, while you are playing at a casino, you
> ask to speak to a table games host. Tell the
> host that you are planning a future trip and
> would like to stay at their hotel if it can
> be arranged.

> Some hotel/casinos do not have table games
> hosts - you simply talk to a shift
> supervisor. Just tell the pitboss that you'd
> like to arrange a comp, and they wil hook
> you up with the proper person.

> To arrange an up-front comp, simply call the
> hotel and talk to a table games host (or
> supervisor, as mentioned above). Describe
> your action to them. Be careful - say
> something like, "My average bet is
> around $100," rather than, "I
> spread 1-8 green."

> They will usually offer you a room at a
> reduced "casino rate" and offer to
> review you play for full comp at the
> conclusion of your visit. Be sure to ask
> them to do this, especially if you lose big.
> This is also a good time to make
> arrangements for your next trip.

> A few casinos (those in Mandalay Resort
> Group, for example), use a point system. You
> earn "comp dollars" with your
> play. You use these just like regular money
> to pay for rooms, meals, etc.

> Whether to take advantage of comps or try to
> play anonymously is one of those topics that
> is discussed endlessly on boards such as
> these. However, for the green - mid-black
> player, comps represent a significant source
> of EV and should not be overlooked.

What will be the worst case, if I play as a mid-black-player under my real name in a strip casino?
Is this the biggest mistake I can do? What about the problem, that my name will be in the Griffin database?

Parker · 10-25-2003, 11:44 AM

> What will be the worst case, if I play as a
> mid-black-player under my real name in a
> strip casino?

Worst case is that you are backed off, flyered, and listed in databases such as Griffin and Biometrica.

I suppose a really worst case scenario would involve being backroomed, possibly roughed up, and thrown out of a comped hotel room in the middle of the night.

However that rarely happens, and most likely only if you're already in the databases and have previously been thrown out of that casino.

> Is this the biggest mistake I can do? What
> about the problem, that my name will be in
> the Griffin database?

This is not the major problem that the operators of Griffin, etc., would like the casinos to think that it is. You simply play anonymously, or using a different name. There are many ways to do this, none of which is appropriate for discussion on an open message board.

The best solution is not to let it happen in the first place by keeping your sessions short, not using an overly agressive spread, having a good "act," and using a little cover.