Comps Question: Winning on Slots

This may be a really naive question, as I haven't gambled much in Vegas, I always went for the sights, and food. But if a person were to win big gambling, say on slots for example, could you earn comps that way?
Or is it dependent on what you spend vs what you win? I've heard of older stories where someone would win big, then be approached by a host or whomever and comped nights at the casino, etc.

 

You don't have to win big, you just have to gamble. The powers-that-be look at the hours you play and the bets you make during that time. For instance, my first tip to Vegas was 5 or 6 years ago at the Flamingo with a $500 bankroll and I played penny and nickel slots. So not a High Roller, but I haven't paid for a room since. However, it was only this year after a profitable trip where I gambled mostly on dollar machines that I have been offered freeplay and was contacted this year by a Casino Executive (not a full blown host) for assistance with booking rooms, etc. Moral of the story... gamble what you can afford, play the slots you like but don't chase comps.

 

Yea, the movies make it a big deal and show people getting offered rooms for winning. Maybe they do for BIG wins. I have gotten many handpays for a few thousand and never heard from a host.

As said, (almost) everything is based on what you put at risk. Said another way, by how much you bet. Keep in mind, if you are lucky, you could go to Vegas with $100, but eventually bet thousands with that starting bankroll. If you win a little here and a little there, but keep playing it, they only count what you bet, NOT the $100.

 

Short answer: only if they think they can get that money back. Otherwise, it probably hurts your comps at some casinos because comps are a percentage of losses. I've only heard of it when the jackpot verification took a long time and the casino offered a room or a meal at that time to keep the winner comfy while waiting for a payout.

 

That's me!!! I bring $100 per day to play slots and usually play for 2 - 4 hours per day. On winning days (yes, I do have some!) I may include some of my winnings in the next day's play, but mostly I stick to $100 per day. I play only penny slots, but @ 30 cents to $3 per pull. I always get comp rooms; I'm staying 5 nights comp next month and another five nights comp in July. I'm perfectly happy with that - I don't spend a lot (on machines or rooms - my money goes for shows) and I have fun.

 

After winning way too much one afternoon at Sunset Station several years ago - in excess of $30K playing 3 card poker - a host showed up, initials BDF, and introduced himself. Brought me to a restaurant - the Italian one, told the waiter I was on a full food and beverage comp. I gave the waiter a tip in advance, ordered a salad and the most expensive bottle of wine they had (the numbers were small and fuzzy as I was already hammered). Wobbling out of there I stopped to rest at a Ruby Magic penny machine, dropped $20 in and started hitting max bet. In a few minutes it hit free games and I hit $10,350! BDF came by again, comped my stay and my buddy's stay (we were there for a magic convention - the World Magic Seminar at the Orleans but staying at Sunset).

I've had dozens and dozens of big hits, some bigger than that and only once did a host spontaneously come by. I've been called and contacted by email but my suspicions are that unless you hit something really big, six figures plus, a big casino won't contact you. A smaller place might if they want to cool you off as they did at Sunset.

"only if they think they can get that money back" from the previous message says it all. Player Development is such a pleasant term isn't it? If they didn't do what they do with your permission they'd go to jail for first degree Robbery! But we all willingly go with the chance that we could win.

Best of luck!

 

Look at it this way:

With most people, the only way they can get it back is if you stay longer.

So if you're staying in a regular room for 3 nights (comped or not) and you hit a jackpot on the first night, is the fact that they bump you up to the penthouse and comp it, by itself, going to entice you to gamble more? It probably has an effect on some people, a temporary wealth effect, you're living large for a few days, and you have the bank all of a sudden, so you say what the hell and blow a lot of it back. Or they say, stay 3 additional nights in the penthouse on us and see if they can get you to bleed it back.

I hit a $12k on the first day of a stay, and ended up with the usual loss amount for the stay, and they gave me the usual go fuck yourself when I checked on back end comps.

 

This is wrong...

Comps are a percentage of theo...not losses

 

True... but most of the time losses and theo seem to go hand in hand... LOL!

 

Holy what a great day! Thanks for sharing.

I never once had a pit boss "fix me up" for winning at $5 BJ. (Sorry for the swingers reference!)

 

sure if you hit something good-sized, they'll give you a free room to keep you around.

but you're not going to get a villa or something because you hit a jackpot.

 

wrong.

yes, you get comps based on theo. but also on actual loss if it's enough.

but long term, your value to the casino is determined by your actual losses.

as my host has told me before, you can't eat theo.

 

Had a stay at the Bellagio which I paid for and a host told me their back-end comp is 10% of the total loss..

 

That would imply that if you win, you dont get any back-end comps...

 

I have had Bellagio deny me any backend comps on a winning trip before. I do not have a host there, so could have just been the HoD making a personal decision.

 

Lots of hosts play that game screwing you on winning trips.

Especially if you just walk into the host office and have no relationship.

But theo really is just theo.

Long term if you don't lose enough regardless of your level of play

they will let you know you're not profitable and can take your business elsewhere.

Just ask Nate.

 

For the most part comps are based on theo and not wins or losses, if you’re a slot player that plays the penny video theme type machines no matter how much you win you will never be told that you’re not a profitable player and can take your business elsewhere. The casino knows that in the long run they will get their money from those players. In my experiences the only players that are told to take their business elsewhere are the advantage players like the ones who play perfect strategy on video poker or the card counters and most of them are just told that they cannot play that game anymore but are still welcome in the casino to play other games.