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Comps -- should I bother?

Discussion in 'Comps' started by blissfulignoramus, Jul 10, 2014.

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  1. blissfulignoramus

    blissfulignoramus 3:2, nothing else will do

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    I've never done a players club or tried to get comps in Vegas. I assume I don't go often enough, don't bet enough, etc. But I guess I don't really understand comps so I suppose I should ask.

    I'm a once a year Vegas visitor, usually for three days. During that time, I will typically sit down for an average of 4-6 sessions of blackjack or craps per day. I almost always buy in at $200 and $20/hand is my base bet for blackjack. For craps, I will typically also buy in at $200, and then play $5 as my base bet, but always max out odds at 3/4/5 odds tables. My standard spiel is either to lose the $200 and walk away, or walk away after I lose and I'm up over $100, so I tend neither to win a lot or lose a lot. I don't do slots or video poker. I do play the sports book (probably $300/day) but my understanding is that this gets you nothing in terms of comps. If I lose $400 in a day I'm done gambling.

    This time around I will likely be downtown the entire three days, and I really had a good time gambling at El Cortez last visit. This time I'm staying at the D. Is my impression right that a players club would not get me much?
     
  2. paperposter

    paperposter MIA

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    staying downtown or at a off strip like a boyd u shoyuld get a players card, u will get discounted rooms

    for cet also u will get some type of small discount, mlife basicaly nothbut but becuase they free always get them and use then where ever u play
     
  3. easy_money

    easy_money High-Roller

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    With that play, like you stated, you won't get much on the strip. Maybe a COMP'd room for a day at a lower end property, on weekdays. At most, discounted rooms. You might get more bang for your buck downtown. Just get the players card, and ALWAYS use it. Cause you never know, you may get some teaser offers. Getting a players card and using it is the first step. If you don't get it and use it, you get nothing anyways. Give it a shot, you got nothing to lose!!
     
  4. nickle

    nickle Low-Roller

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    A players club may not get you much in direct comps, however you might be surprised at the email and snail mail offers you might get. Your level of gambling is comparable to mine (lost about $800 in five days and $1000 in seven days my last two trips). The upcoming trip, room cost is $462 (including resort fees and taxes) after comps and discounts at Flamingo. I have also had continuing offers from Boyd, Tropicana and MGM properties because I have players cards. I gamble very little at any of these resorts, maybe $20 at video poker when we visit. Even if you never take a casino up on one of these offers, you can brag to your friends about being treated like a High Roller!:beer:
     
  5. ams722

    ams722 Side Bet Shunner

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    You should ABSOLUTELY be using players cards.

    Your base bet is higher than mine, and I get comped rooms at all the mid-range CET & MLife properties.
     
  6. ex507

    ex507 Low-Roller

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    I do have a playerscard and used it the last time in vegas. Now i get the discounted mlife rates but i actually dont now what else its for. I game very little (1000$/4days) but even if i gambled more, what am i supposed to do? Just hand over the card at checkout? Or go to the mlife desk and ask like "can i get something for free?"?? Does it really work this way?
     
  7. Travel Fanatic

    Travel Fanatic The Arbiter of Taste Caviar Kid

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    That's not accurate. As others have said, you should definitely get a players club card. At mlife, at the very least, you can get the casino rate on rooms. And that level may get you a free room at Excalibur
     
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  8. ams722

    ams722 Side Bet Shunner

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    I think he'd get more than that from MLife.

    My theo has to be less than his and I get offers from NYNY & MGM all the time.
     
  9. bjpcyclone

    bjpcyclone High-Roller

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    You should absolutely play with a card everywhere you go. You never know what the casino may offer your on a future visit. It costs you nothing other than remembering to put your card in the machine.

    Even if you don't gamble enough to get free rooms, you'll get discounts on rooms/tickets/etc.
     
  10. Travel Fanatic

    Travel Fanatic The Arbiter of Taste Caviar Kid

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    Very true. The OP doesn't indicate the length of each of his 4 to 6 sessions per day. If each session is an hour and more of those hours are $20 BJ as opposed to $5 craps, then you are absolutely right. Either way, he should absolutely get an mlife card
     
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  11. mjamesp

    mjamesp High-Roller

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    Based on my experience with the play described, Boyd (MSS, Cal and Fremont downtown) would add you to the "mailer" list. My guess is that you'd receive a monthly mailer good for 3 free nights and perhaps $25 in free play for the machines or food vouchers.
     
  12. feeltheheat

    feeltheheat Low-Roller

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    this. :beer:

    mlife rules will change 10/1/2014.
    i think you have to get 25.000 points to get pearl status. with that you skip buffet lines and i think you get 20% off regular rates. ----that's standard (minimum).
    some properties will send you additional offers (comped rooms mgm).
    every $1 you spend at mgm properties is 25 points. restaurants, shows, rooms, event tickets (boxing,..)
    you might also want to check Treasure Island out.
    because you only stay once per year for 3 days in vegas and depending where you coming from i wouldnt stay one minute in downtown.
     
  13. DonnyC

    DonnyC VIP Whale

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    Why would you not bother?

    It takes very little effort to sign up, even less effort to hand the dealer your players card.


    At worst if you get nothing...you've lost 5 minutes.

    At best you get free stuff.
     
  14. fugsworth

    fugsworth VIP Whale

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    I'm with the others-- even if you don't get much, it costs literally nothing other than a little bit of effort. Besides, a lot of players clubs offer free slot play (or other perks) to new members.
     
    EDC
  15. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    It costs nothing.
    It is painless.
    It probably will get you something.

    Meanwhile, how many express comp points/dollars are on your account? These are comps you can do yourself. Go to mlife.com to see your balance.
     
  16. Texas Gramma

    Texas Gramma Low-Roller

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    By all means get cards at each casino where you spend any money at all. Give them both your email and home address. You will get some offers that are better than others. The D gives the best comps downtown... free rooms, free play, free food. But get a card at each casino... most of them have immediate special offers for first time card holders... like free play, etc.
    ---
    I am a very low roller but I have cards from Golden Nugget, Golden Gate, Binion's, 4 Queens, El Cortez and the Boyd properties. Each has sent me offers for free rooms and free play. Although I spend most of my time and money at The D... I try on my 6 days trip downtown each year to spend a good part of a day at each casino... this keeps my free offers coming.
    ---
    For many years I thought I was too "low roller" to generate comps, but Jean Scott's book The Frugal Gambler opened my eyes to all the comps just waiting for me. The comps downtown are much easier to generate than the strip casinos. Although the old Stardust was very generous with comps... none of the strip casinos today make the really good offers for low-rollers like the downtown casinos.
    ---
    Wishing you many happy comps!!!
     
  17. blissfulignoramus

    blissfulignoramus 3:2, nothing else will do

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    First, thanks for all of the responses. I guess I will go ahead and get cards. I will probably be mostly downtown mostly this next trip, but will likely return to the strip after that, so I should get an MLife card (CET blackjack is kind of crappy, even if you can find a real blackjack table). Who knows, I might spend a whole day on the Strip this time.

    My time at the table varies. As a rule, I walk away after I lose a hand and am up $100 or more, or after I lose the whole $200. So sometimes a session takes 15 minutes (I walk away with a quick $110, something like that) or it might be literally hundreds of hands of blackjack that take hours. So if they monitor individuals carefully, I may not be someone they want to encourage.

    For a given trip, I give myself an absolute maximum total loss of about $1000. I suppose I should get the players cards, so if that actually happens (it hasn't in years), I have a consolation prize.
     
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