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Help Me Understand Total Rewards

Discussion in 'Comps' started by BigGTMike, Jun 22, 2015.

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  1. BigGTMike

    BigGTMike Low-Roller

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    Hi,
    I'm looking for some help understanding Total Rewards as compared with MLife. Since Sept 2013, all of my stays have been at MLife properties and 95%+ of my play has gone to MLife. I have a total rewards players card from a 2010 trip. I've used it for poker tournies, occasional sports bets at Planet Hollywood and some craps play at harrahs Cherokee in NC. For my upcoming trip in November, I am considering staying at PLanet Hollywood and giving them the bulk of my non sports bet play. I really like the Aria sports book so that's where that will be alotted... My bankroll would be about $4,000 in total over 5 nights. Probably $1,500 would go to sports bets, perhaps $800 to poker, and the remaining $2,700 ish mostly on $10 craps. For however long it would last, I'd estimate 3 hours of craps a day unless something went horribly wrong. I play generally pass line max odds and one come bet max odds. I realize this probably doesn't rate well. For comparison, it took me three trips to make MLife gold for this cut and since I'm not going back til November, I will be pearl next cycle as earned from my two trips this cycle. My questions are:

    1. I currently have 879 rewards credits in my TR account. Are these useful similar to express comps in MLife? I'm assuming this is a negligible amount. They expire on 11/24 and my trip is before then.

    2. Would my play get me anything useful? I'm assuming no. I am considering PHo be I like the vibe and the poker tournament mainly. Also it's about half the price of Aria before offers. I might end up there after I see my fall offers.

    3. My tier score is 519. Would my play get me anywhere near 5,000 for platinum? Is that even really a benefit?

    4. My TR card has my last name and middle name rather than first and last name. I guess the floor manager that took my GA ID in 2010 misread the name order. Is that going to cause me any issues when I go try to book or check in with cc etc with proper name?

    5. If I do decide to stay at CET property, how should I structure my non sports book play at MLife if I get the urge?
     
  2. Auggie

    Auggie Dovahkiin

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    1. one reward credit it worth one penny... so if you have 879 thats worth $8.79 that you can spend at some stores, restaurants and room charges. Its not really worth worrying about saving.

    2. No. They don't give you anything for sports bets. You can earn some points through poker play, but not much. For the craps play you would probably have to play a lot more and longer to get much out of the system - they are just more geared towards rewarding slots and video poker players.

    3. No and no. Per #2 don't expect much in the way of points, but if you dumped all your bankroll in to playing slots you might make platinum... however platinum isn't worth much at all: at some buffets your card will work as a line pass and at some hotels you might get a faster check in (each time I used platinum for checking in the regular gold line was moving just as fast). Platinum isn't going to mean better comps/offers either: when we were "GOLD" our offers were pretty much the same as our offers when we made "PLATINUM"

    4. No, shouldn't cause any problems.

    5. MLife gold is pretty much the same level as Total Rewards platinum - even though MLife gold is the 3rd tier in their program the amount of play to earn that tier is about the same as the amount of play it takes to earn platinum within Total Rewards. As far as your play goes you aren't really "right on the brink" of moving up within either program, meaning if you give one or the other all your play it isn't really going to make much of a difference in the end... you should just stay and play where you want and where you feel comfortable. For your level of play you should be able to get some free rooms at the lowest end of the TR properties during the middle of the week or maybe 1 night midweek at MLife properties or discounted rates.
    If you were going to be playing slots or video poker then in that case with MLife you would be best off concentrating your slot/VP play at one property and one of their lower end ones to boot (Luxor or Excalibur for sure, maybe NYNY or MGM Grand)... with Total Rewards you can pretty much play anywhere but your level of play in slots would probably only get you free rooms from Harrah's, Flamingo and Bally's.
     
  3. Travel Fanatic

    Travel Fanatic The Arbiter of Taste Caviar Kid

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    1. Yes, they are the same as express comps. But at that amount, you only have $8.79 to spend.

    2. Depends on your definition of useful. it will get you back on their radar and you should get, at least, a reduced rate on future offers. You probably already know that poker doesn't comp much. if you're trying to maximize comps, however, do your sports betting at Planet Hollywood. it won't be much, but those bets will generate some comps (as opposed to mlife which will not rate you for sports bets).

    3. No idea. Three hours a day of $10 craps ... I guess its possible.

    4. it shouldn't, but just get a new and updated card at the TR desk when you arrive

    5. Not really sure what you're asking or mean by "structure". Honestly, at your level, you will be best served (comp wise) by concentrating your play at either CET or MGM properties and not splitting your bankroll. Give CET a shot this trip and focus your play there. Then see what your offers look like in a couple months

    Good luck
     
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  4. Travel Fanatic

    Travel Fanatic The Arbiter of Taste Caviar Kid

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    That's incorrect, unless something has changed since I last made a sports bet at CET two months ago. It's not much, but they will rate you for sports bets, so always give them your TR card. MGM does not rate for sports bets, though.
     
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  5. Snidely

    Snidely VIP Whale

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    If you're going to play and you're concerned about getting player points, you might do better to keep your play at either MLife or CET and not split it between the two.
     
  6. newmans

    newmans VIP Whale

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    I doubt if your craps play will get you to Platinum. There isn't much benefit to Platinum except to cut a few lines. As a Platinum player, you'll still be required to pay resort fees. At the very least, you should be able to see a host prior to checking out to have the resort fees comped on the back end.
    Probably the biggest perk of your PH play is that it will put you on their radar and you could expect to see free room offers after your stay.
     
  7. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    I think it's $200 per tier credit...not positive though.
     
  8. Travel Fanatic

    Travel Fanatic The Arbiter of Taste Caviar Kid

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    Yeah, I used to know exactly what the rate was, but not anymore. This figure makes sense, though.
     
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  9. Jjd234

    Jjd234 Low-Roller

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    I don't understand total rewards at all. Have been going to Vegas once a year for about the las t ten years. All trips at MGM properties except one at TI. Planning a Halloween trip now. I have probably spent a hundred dollars on Ceasar property slots. most fo MGM offers are 3 nights at Mandalay and down, 2 nights Aria and Bellagio. I went on total rewards site and logged in with my number. They are offering up to 5 nights at PH,Ballys LInq, Flamingo and Harrahs. Don't understand this, but thinking about taking them up on it.
     
  10. newmans

    newmans VIP Whale

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    It's just a teaser offer. If you book the offer and don't give them any play, I doubt you'd see that kind of comp again. Having said that, it really doesn't take much play to keep getting free night offers. CET has always been very generous with comp nights.
     
  11. dankyone

    dankyone VIP Whale

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    The craps play described by the OP will generate very little in theo but probably comped room offers from the mid and low end CET props for future stays.
     
  12. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    $8.79 is not going to get much.

    519 is a long way from Platinum, and even that would not get you much.
     
  13. Aces and Eights

    Aces and Eights VIP Whale

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    If you earn 1,000 tier credits between 6AM and 6AM the following day, they give you an additional 1,000 tier credits. 500 earned tier credits within that time gets you an additional 125 tier credits. 2,500 earned tier credits within that time gets you an additional 5,000 tier credits, but unless you get on a lucky streak, it would be hard to earn 2,500 points with the amount you would play.

    To give you an idea, you earn 1 tier credit for every $10 of coin-in for video poker. I think 1 tier credit for every $5 coin-in for slots.

    I get around 1,000 tier credits for playing 4 hours of three-card-poker at $60 per hand.

    If you can play long enough to get 1,000 tier credits per day (each night you stay there or even bet there will be considered a day), you will get offers for free rooms, and maybe even some free-play. I typically play enough to earn 1,000 tier credits per day, and I get free rooms for three to five nights with $150 to $250 in free-play for my next stay. I used to get $300 in free-play prior to this year, but they have cut back. My average loss for four-nights of stay is around $2.5k, but it can vary between winning trips and losing $4k on a trip.
     
  14. TIMSPEED

    TIMSPEED Money’s on the way, with CashNetUSA

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    That's not TERRIBLE actually..if you gave them $20k coin in (1000 TC per day over 2 days) and got $200 in FSP, and you were playing 98.01% 7/5 BP, that be a 1% FSP total, and if they comped off all (or most) of your room charges (aka: food) then it'd actually be a decent deal..
     
  15. newmans

    newmans VIP Whale

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    The OP is talking about playing $10 craps with a $2700 bank roll for 5 nights. His strategy is a $10 pass line bet with max odds and then 1 additional come bet with max odds. This type of play will not generate much in the way of theo or tier credits. At 3 hours per day, I don't think you can get to the bonus level of 1000 tier credits.

    Just play as you choose and don't stress about making Platinum.
     
  16. CaliWes

    CaliWes Tourist

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    I'll tell you about my most recent craps play.

    Went to Tahoe this last Saturday. Played only craps from 4pm to 1am. I played between $60 to $100 on the outside always working. I only played the pass line when it was my roll and that was $25 with max odds. I asked the pit boss what she had me at and she said $120. She told me something I havnt heard before or seen on here. She said that all of the pitbosses are told to rate the person on the 3rd roll. So She was not rating on the come out. I was drinking so didnt think much of it but I should have also asked if they then adjust after a certain amout of rolls after the 3rd roll.

    But that was very interesting in the fact that they are rating you at the 3rd roll since I've never seen someone post that on here before.

    BTW. With the play I described above I made 3500 tier credits plus the 5000 bonus tier credits. So a total of 8500 tier credits for that nights play. Just to give you an idea of how craps worked for me as far as tier credits earned.
     
  17. dankyone

    dankyone VIP Whale

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    Unfortunately, that is not the way it works, it matters very much which game the TCs are generated on. VP generates a lot of TCs but not much theo.
     
  18. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    Yeah, but that's 9 HOURS!!!!!! I'm a slot player. I know that the house take (for slots) is between 6 and 10%, but I'm usually done for a 2500 point day in 90 minutes.
     
  19. CaliWes

    CaliWes Tourist

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    Yeah i was just letting him know based on my play of craps what he might be able to expect. Also I dont have a clue if he bet half or double what I was averaging that it would half or double his tier credits earned.

    Also something to think about is how they rate you at Tahoe compared to Vegas. I gamble the same amount in both places but seem to get alot less in regards to tier credits in Vegas then i do Tahoe. Thats most likely not the case for slots and they give you the same tier credits for the same cash in both place.
     
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