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Need helping maximizing comps

Discussion in 'Comps' started by sciencekilla, Feb 13, 2016.

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  1. sciencekilla

    sciencekilla Tourist

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    I'm headed to Vegas in a few months, and could really use some advice on maximizing comps. I'm not a person that plays for comps, but at the same token I've been to Vegas five times and feel like I haven't gotten a decent comp package. To provide some more detail, I am a 33 year old male going to Vegas in April and plan on bringing around $6-8K. I'm mostly a slots player (yea, I know :)) at the $5/spin range, but also play occasional craps and roulette as well as HL slots in the $20/spin range. I'm going with a group of 4, and received an offer for two free days in a standard room at Mirage, with $100 FP and $100 resort credit. I'm sure they want me to come back and try to take back some of a $5K jackpot I hit the last time I was there in May 2015. I'm not into super fine dining, but would like to take the group out once or twice for a nice dinner, and get a limo to and from the airport. Some questions I have:

    1.) Does this level of play warrant a host? If so, how do I actually start the process of getting a host? I've never been contacted by a host, and do not know if I can ask for one. I should also mention that when I was there May last year, I was terrible at using my Mlife card. Must've lost about 10 cards before I got sick of asking for new ones and said F*&* it.

    2.) At this level of play would you recommend that I charge dinners at Mirage to my room, in hopes I can get them comped at the back end?

    3.) Would this level of play warrant a limo ride there and back? If not, I've gone through Presidential limo in the past and am fine with paying $150 round trip.

    4.) What's the best way/place to get reduced/free show tickets? I've paid full price for tickets every time and I'm about fed up with it.

    5.) I am staying downtown the first night, and have never stayed downtown. Any thoughts on the best places for a 33 year old to stay? There will be four of us (two couples), so need a double bed room. What I'm looking for is a busy casino (but not noisy or party-like casino), modern room, good drink service. I don't care about clubs, pools, or fancy restaurants, but having two separate "rooms" in a suite would be nice.

    Thanks in advance VMB. Been a follower now for quite some time but don't do a lot of posts. I am going to do a live trip report in April, with lots of drunken debauchery, huge slot wins (hopefully), and anything that's not the norm. You will NOT see any pictures of steaks, hotel rooms, or the fountains.
     
  2. Imperial_Palace_King

    Imperial_Palace_King High-Roller

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    1. I've never asked for a host. Always been assigned one. Does your play warrant one? Maybe, maybe not. All depends on how valuable the casino thinks you are to them. You can always contact one and ask them what they can do for you. Just be up front with how much you plan to play etc. Always Always use your card!

    2. Yes. Doesn't hurt to ask for comps on back end. All they can say is no.

    3. The casino will charge you for the limo and then comp it on the back end if they see fit. Caesars charges $60 each way. Not sure about Mirage.

    4. The tix 4 tonight booths, travelzoo deals, groupon and living social sometimes have tix on there I believe

    5. Have never stayed downtown. Would check out the D or Golden Nugget though
     
  3. Chuck2009x

    Chuck2009x VIP Whale

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    Everything IPKing said. But what's missing from your original post is how many nights you are actually staying at Mirage, what portion of your bankroll are you allocating for Mirage, and are you willing to actually lose all of it? If you're willing to lose $3,000 a night at Mirage, a host will be all over you. Use your card for Christ's sake. :beer:
     
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2016
  4. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    I would say your play is such that you should get some comps, but not alot.

    Show tickets within MGM can be had for a discount. Depends on your "tier" level.

    With that play, I assume you have some express comps built up?

    As to dinner... be careful. You could spend a pretty good amount buying dinner for your friends.

    You might be able to talk them into covering a 3rd night... if you want it.

    Do you have any play at CET?
     
  5. spicole

    spicole No shirt, no shoes... NO DICE!

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    ALWAYS use your players card. That is the only way the casino can track your play on the slots. Any time you spin without your card in the machine you are giving up comps and Express Comp dollars. You need to remember to grab your card out of the machine the same time you grab your TITO. :) (Or, keep it attached to you on a lanyard!)

    You'll get better replies on the comp sides of things, but you should absolutely always charge everything to your room, for two reasons. First, this is the only way to ever get anything comped off at the end. Second, this will ensure you get full Mlife point credit for all of the dollars you spend at the restaurants and anything else on Mlife properties (such as show tickets).

    If you have Mlife status you are entitled to discounts on show tickets at Mlife properties, including Cirque shows. You will get a higher discount for a higher tier level. At the minimum book at the box office and they will apply the discount.
     
  6. FuzzyDiceCraps

    FuzzyDiceCraps VIP Whale

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    Pretty much whats been said, always use your card, always charge to room, whether or not the charges get comped, you want the casino (and a potential host) aware of how much time you spend on property.

    Not to be snarky, but "coming with 6-8k" is completely irrelevant. I have a friend that brings 10k to Vegas, but really he brings 2k, because he is loaded, but risk-averse, and if he loses ANYTHING he gets upset and spends time in the room. Another friend brings 1,000, because he's convinced he's going to win off the bat. When he doesn't he hits up the ATM (sometimes many times) and will lose 10k+ over a span of 4-5 days. So the question isn't how much you bring, but how much you risk, for what period of time you risked it, and at what betting denominations.

    Oh, and the fact you won a 5k jackpot has zilch to do with your offer. Mirage could care less about a 5k jackpot. At your level (and most people that go to vegas), the questions is daily theoretical (how much the Casino statistically thinks you're worth on an average day). They don't care about actual win/loss until you're playing in the Stratosphere . Probably the biggest myth I hear (mainly from people back home) who don't understand vegas is that the Casino "wants you back" if you won. The Casino wants you back if you PLAY, because they know if you keep playing, ultimately they are going to win.
     
  7. IM ALL IN

    IM ALL IN High-Roller

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    The Casino wants you back if you PLAY, because they know if you keep playing, ultimately they are going to win.[/QUOTE]
    Totally agree. Just play.
     
  8. sciencekilla

    sciencekilla Tourist

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    Thanks everyone for the responses. They are all extremely helpful. To answer a few questions. I will be at the Mirage for 3 nights and DT for one night. I typically lose $5K or so gambling on my trips, although like every degenerate I think I am going to win every time I go. I usually play for around 4-6 hours per day minimum at the $5/spin range, or if playing craps/roulette, around $50-100 out there at a given roll/spin. Yes, I definitely need to be better at using my rewards card when playing. I've never charged a penny to my room, and am kicking myself in the rear for it after all these years.

    A few follow-up questions.

    1.) I don't like to gamble/eat at one place the entire time, rather I will go to all of the M-life properties, but more at Mirage of course since I'm staying there. Can I charge a dinner from, say Bellagio, to my room at the Mirage, and expect with enough play that Mirage would comp my dinner from Bellagio? On the other side, if I have a theo loss of $5K, and let's say that is split evenly between 5 Mlife casinos, would that make any difference as to how much I would get comped at the back end from Mirage? Just not sure how this works in general.

    2.) The limo pick up from the casino seems like a better deal than Presidential Limo. Do you need to book these ahead of time, or are there just limo's waiting at the airport?
     
  9. akhoya362

    akhoya362 Low-Roller

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    Comps are property-specific; your Mirage host (or VIP Services) can't comp off your play at Aria/Bellagio/MGM etc. You can get cross-property meals and such comped off though, but it'll be on your Mirage play.

    You usually have these arranged in advance. Again, your host (I have no idea about VIP services) can get this set up.
     
  10. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    Many people use the money they actually bring and are going to put at risk in discussions. So, for most people it is relevant. When I say I bring $5k to Vegas, I might only have $1k on my pocket, the rest is i the ATM waiting for me to suck it dry.

    I will agree that the "linguistics" that folks use here are often deceiving. And of course, there are folks that talk in terms of how much they gamble which is tied to their cash only. As we all know, two people with exactly $1,000 to play can end up with totally different ADT due to recycle of wins, or immediate losses with no chance to keep playing.

    COIN IN or COIN PLAYED (same thing) is the biggest factor. The it varies depending game and even rules of each game.
     
  11. FuzzyDiceCraps

    FuzzyDiceCraps VIP Whale

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    Semantics aside, the point remains how much money you bring/have access is irrelevant unless its being used, and then its only relevant in relation to the statistical analysis used by the casino. :)
     
  12. CindyS

    CindyS Low-Roller

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    If you want to get a Limo set up beforehand and do not have an assigned host, call VIP services and ask fir the Host on Duty. Tell them what you want and see if they can make the arrangement. If they don't comp it upfront, go to the host on Duty right before check out and have them comp whatever they can off the backend as a result of your play. Charge everything to your room.
     
  13. Peachiekeehn

    Peachiekeehn High-Roller

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    With the play that you described, you would probably get much better comps with CET rather than at MLife and CET counts your play at all of their properties. They love us slot players!
     
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