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Is this the worst promotion ever?

Discussion in 'Comps' started by mike_m235, Aug 28, 2012.

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  1. mike_m235

    mike_m235 Tourist

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    http://www.newyorknewyork.com/offers/2012/08_10k_pay_off/landing.html

    I think this is open to anybody -- it didn't seem to be player specific. But seriously, first you have to put in the play, but then you have to actually be there to win? So just cancel your plans for Saturday night and hang out trying to hit a long shot at NYNY.

    They do have good bartop VP, though.
     
  2. VegasGroove

    VegasGroove VIP Whale

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    Oh please. If not the worst, close to it!
     
  3. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    Yes, it is pretty lame. Not worth even paying attention to in my mind.

    If you happen to be staying or playing at NYNY, then fine.

    Hopefully, you have to actually ACTIVATE your drawing late on Saturday, otherwise, they will have a ton of no-shows.

    We go to Tunica alot. They have drawings for this amount, and often less... I see no value to go and have a 1 out of 1000 chance for $200 in freeplay. Just a big joke.
     
  4. shifter

    shifter Degenerate Gambler

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    they do this at the Beau every month. yes, you have to be there to win. it's just a way to keep you gambling in the casino all night. it's not really worth anything unless you're already going to be there, but if you already are going to be there, it's great. at the Beau the last Friday of each month is the grand prize drawing at 10pm, which it actually makes sense to be there for. they have some pretty nice prizes and Noir players get 150 tickets every month in addition to what you earn on the slots. i'm actually going to be there this Friday.
     
  5. Auggie

    Auggie Dovahkiin

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    I don't see why you would consider this to be "the worst" or even a bad promotion.

    A couple quick thoughts come to mind:

    - this promotion could be geared towards locals or very frequent Las Vegas visitors, who would have no problem being there on a Saturday night.

    - If you are in Las Vegas is it really so boo hoo bad that you would have to be at NYNY to be present for a drawing on a particular day? It says the earn period starts on Monday, not that you have to start playing on Monday. If you are spending a weekend at NYNY you can earn points Friday and Saturday through play and then be there for the draw.

    - This is not a transferable promotion open to anybody, so the only people who are eligible for the draw on Saturday night are those who received the promotion and are there to earn draw entries.

    - You have to be present to win. Now, just because you are there... it doesn't mean everybody who has entries for the draw is going to be there. We've done these at my local casino where they've had to draw more than 10 names before they finally got a name of somebody present.

    - And finally: its free and its free play. If you are going to be playing at NYNY anyways (which is generally who is going to get this promotion, people that play there) its going to probably take up 30 minutes of your Saturday night to attend the draw and you have a chance at some decent amounts of free play.
     
  6. mike_m235

    mike_m235 Tourist

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    I didn't understand that it wasn't for everybody. Meaning if you count all the people who could be there, your odds would be pretty darn thin. Even still, I think your odds are very, very low of hitting any prize at all.

    Plus, what if I was staying at NYNY, was a huge VP player, but leaving Saturday morning after a 5 day trip? I've earned all those points and have no way to cash them. Or what if you're like me, and this Saturday night you're at a concert? Am I supposed to leave my $200 seat at a concert at MGM, walk across the street and hope to hit something that probably has an expected value of about $5?

    30 minutes...not sure that it wouldn't take longer than 30 minutes to try to win. First you've got to go there to play. Then you have to go back to try to win. How long would it take you to get there? For me, not long, since I'm at MC, but on average? You going to pay a cab? The cab ride would cost more than the average win (for example, if you assume 2000 entrants, you should expect on average $5...obviously a couple people will leave very happy.)

    I guess I just feel like my time is worth more than that. Sorry if I offended anyone.
     
  7. Mitkraft

    Mitkraft VIP Whale

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    They had something goofy like this at Beau Rivage once. I remember what a pain in the butt it was. At least at Beau we aren't as likely to wander far but still you had to wait in line at either the Kiosk or Players club desk to get your drawing tickets, then you had to put them in the tumbler, and then I had to go down to the casino floor every (whatever the interval was) to see if our name was drawn. Of course it worked for them because although my wife was up in the room doing work and we were both tired, every time I went down for the drawing I lost money in the machines while waiting.
     
  8. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    Santa Fe Station did this all the time. Same thing-earn drawing tickets and the drawing at 10 PM on Saturday. Place was mobbed and they had to have additional parking attendants because of all the cars.

    We did it a couple of times, never had our numbers drawn.
     
  9. mike_m235

    mike_m235 Tourist

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    See if I had heard this was happening at a station casino, it would make more sense because they're trying to draw in the locals. And of course then I wouldn't be getting the offer.
     
  10. jgates8

    jgates8 VIP Whale

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    If I received this offer I would give it a shot. However, I didn't get it & we don't arrive until 4 pm on the 8th. So not really enough time to get checked in, eat supper, and head down there and still earn 200 points!! Plus again, no invite if that might be required.

    What is point earning per dollar again at mLife on non-specialty?
     
    Easter again..:
  11. Reed

    Reed High-Roller

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    I believe it is $3 on non-specialty slots.
     
  12. Auggie

    Auggie Dovahkiin

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    It all depends on how many people show up and how many entries you have in the draw...

    Then you don't take part in the promotion.

    Its like if they send you an invite to a slot tournament that happens to take place the day after you leave doesn't make it the stupidest slot tournament ever...

    You didn't offend anybody... but it just seems like you didn't bother to read the link you posted and that you aren't really sure how marketing and promoting works.

    First, there are only 10 prizes to win. They aren't giving away $10,000 divided by the number of people that show up. The first place prize is $5,000 in free play.

    Next you seem to be taking it like you are supposed to only go and earn 200 points and then thats it, come back for the draw. The whole point of the promotion is that you would go there and play and earn more and more points and then show up for the draw.

    As a VP player you should actually have a pretty decent advantage to this because you can really churn money through video poker at higher denominations without as much of a risk as one might see in slots. Even more so if you are playing the multi line versions of the game (3 play, 5 play, 10 play, 50 play, 100 play, spin poker) where you can really reduce your variance quite a bit.

    And when you are thinking 2000 people will be showing up for this... not very likely, the actual numbers will probably be more like 50-150 people.

    To that you might be thinking "One hundred and fifty people. Ten prizes being given away. I have a one in fifteen chance..." but then as the advert says: you get one ticket to the draw for every 200 points earned. So that goes back to video poker and its ability to churn money through pretty good where you can probably build up quite a few entries in the draw.


    So overall its actually a pretty good promotion... but in the end it doesn't matter since you aren't going to be there anyhow because you are attending a concert.
     
  13. mike_m235

    mike_m235 Tourist

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    Okay, I disagree with you on one point. The simple math is this -- the total prize divided by the number of tickets involved is the expected value. I think you get that, based on your post. So yes, I could have more tickets if I played more than average, which I probably would.

    Second, I agree after thinking it through that this could be a decent promotion for someone not on any other comps or on comps to NYNY. But compared to the other offers I have, and I'm staying at a different property where i need to put in play...so I guess it's perspective.
     
  14. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    Sorry, it is a crap promotion.

    By the way, at Beau Rivage and Gold Strike for their weekly drawings, they finally got smart. No more little tickets to print or fill out. It is all computer driven now. You still have to go to Kiosk and wait, wait, wait, wait for a connection to the Apple 2 back in Vegas, but at least you do not have to wait for it to print tickets.
     
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