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Sports betting and comps

Discussion in 'Comps' started by travloh, Jan 4, 2015.

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  1. travloh

    travloh Tourist

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    So in March my gang and I will make our 3rd annual trip to Vegas for March Madness. Three of us run around the strip and drink, gamble, and eat for 5 days. Between the 3 of us, we drop 4-5k on sports bets, with a little blackjack and craps mixed in.

    The first year we stayed at Ballys for 5 nights-$440. Last year we couldn't get into a Caesars property for less than $800 for the same 5 nights. We ended up finding a great place at the Jockey Club- around $600. All 3 of us stay in one room.

    This year the Caesar properties, and the strip in general, is pricing us out. The secret seems to be out on the Jockey Club as well. Not much availability.

    So this year we are slumming it. The Super 8 at Ellis Island. Paid a little over $300 for 5 nights. I know the stigma with this place but we love the casino. Checked it out on trip advisor and other sites and it really gets decent ratings. I know it's not 5 star, but we are on a budget.


    So my question is this. Would we be better off choosing ONE, off strip establishment to do all our betting? I have read that these places are better about comping rooms. Our goal would be to try and get our rooms comped for NEXT year.

    If we make 4k worth of sports bets, BJ, craps and such, could we have a shot at getting our room comped next year?

    Would it be better to get ONE players card and have one guy place all the bets?

    We have been to the Orleans, and that place seems decent, also the sportsbook at LVH is huge and we have been there, relatively easy monorail ride from the strip.

    We love the strip. Downtown is not really an option for us, it takes too long to get back and forth from the strip.

    On the other hand, if we did the same thing, concentrate all our betting with Caesars or the like, put all the sports bets on one card, could we at least get our room next year for a decent rate?

    I have total rewards, and so do the other guys, but honestly none of us go out of our way to make sure we use our cards consistently.
     
  2. broncofn

    broncofn VIP Whale

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    You will not receive any room comps for sports betting but if the table play or slot play is enough, you could see some room offers.
     
  3. symbols

    symbols Low-Roller

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    Jockey Club is a timeshare / condo property. Try to find someone who has a week they aren't going to use and reserve early. If you get lucky enough you can find an owner who just wants to break even on their maintenance fee. You can find owners through places like VRBO and even craigslist.
     
  4. BackInVegas

    BackInVegas VIP Whale

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    So, there are three of you and you each bet $1500 bucks.

    For your sports bets you won't get squat, anywhere, on that amount of money. Sportsbook COMPS are way, way less than Casino Games comp.

    Now, if you bet $1500 on craps or blackjack you might be able to garner two free nights during the week sometime. Maybe even up to four free nights during the week, NOT the weekend.

    If you want comps, your Sports Betting is not going to do it. If you win money at Sports Betting all the time, then don't sweat paying for your rooms.
     
  5. azbob

    azbob MIA

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    You should really check out the Gold Coast for this trip in March. You can probably get in there for only about $100-$150 more than Super 8 and you will have access (just walk across the street) to either Palms or Rio. They have a club card and with the level of play you are talking about you should be able to get the rooms comped for this trip plus deals for the future. (Call the host on the day before or morning you leave and make sure all of your players use the card. If you are going to play craps together, get the guy with the card to do the buy in and then distribute the money yourself.

    They only give you credit for bets on horse racing...not sports. Stations are the only properties I know of where you use your card and get credit for sports bets.

    Many more options for food plus you can easily get to the strip so that is not a worry.

    Also....charge all of your food to the room so the host can comp some of that too.
     
  6. fish48

    fish48 Tourist

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    I believe the Westgate(Las Vegas Hilton) sportsbook gives you comps for sports bets. When I was putting in season win totals 2 years ago, the ticket writer had me get a players' club card. He then added a sticker with a number on it to use when betting sports. I put in about $4000 in bets, and several hundred since then, and I have $20 in comps. They don't rate horse bets. The MGM and MB both rate horses and not sports.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 9, 2015
  7. KCSCOTT

    KCSCOTT Low-Roller

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    They don't rate horse bets?? WTH? I am President status at Stations primarily because of horse racing. Bet $10 on a horse race and get 100 status credits AND 200 comp points. Thats 10K in BETS (not losses) in 6 months and you're President level!!
     
  8. Champster1

    Champster1 VIP Whale

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    (my) Rule #1 (especially CET, Boyd and Stations). use/show your card when you spend anything at a casino. That casino wants to know how much $$ you bring into their place on a daily basis. Sportsbook, give them your card before you place your bets. They might not track it like Blackjack but it is noted in your account (plus you get some free drink coups for you and your 2 friends). Plus what do you have to lose by letting a casino know that you just bet $300.00 on UCONN to win it all???

    #2 Concentrate your play at places that A - are linked ( ie Boyd, MGM, CET, Stations etc) and B that you like. At present I have 8 rooms comped (2 days each) for MM at MSS, Suncoast, Orleans and Gold coast...in that order from 3/18-26. I am sure that I will get my "Hoops on the strip" offer from CET sometime in Feb which will take care of food, drink and 3 /4 nights at Ballys for $0 (plus resort fee:thumbsdown:). Then I can either toss my MSS and Suncoast offer aside or give it to a buddy of mine who always waits till the last min to decide if he is coming from Dallas for MM. If CET doesnt look out for me (and I'm platinum so I could still get 5 nights comped at Harrahs, 3/18-23, just no food/bev hook up) then it would be the first time in 4 years. I'm not a big gambler, but I love college hoops, craps, paigow and poker. MM weekend is the best time of year to be in Vegas (IMHO). I've learned that spending 5k at 1 place is better than spending $500.00 at 10 different places ( in the long run).

    #3 Take a look at http://www.vegas.com/mytrip/app/Products/hotel?7. There are decent rooms for less than $80 a night (3/18-3/22) near the strip. Palace Station has them for about $72.00 a night. No car? Palace Station has a free shuttle that takes you to the Fashion Show mall hourly and picks you up from the fashion mall hourly also. (Fashion mall is near Encore, Mirage etc.) . Plus the P.S. has a newly remodeled sportsbook and a poker room with a dozen screens in it and a $4.00 breakfast buffet that is slamming (or at least it was last March)!!. The "D" (downtown) was packed with MM fans last year and its average price is $78.00 per night for the same 4 nights. Last year they even had a free MM room set up for with betting stations and "other' goodies.

    #4 If you are renting a car (which I do every Vegas visit, last year Dollar Rent a Car for &188 total for a week-$27 a day) then you can stay anywhere (downtown has some great prices and other good hotels). You basically want a clean room, that is safe, toilet/shower that work and gets clean sheets/towels daily. There ain't nothing that I do I my room that doesnt start with "S".... Shower, Sleep, Shave and (and a couple of other "S" 's). BTW Ellis Island has a great steak dinner deal with all the trimmings and a 20 oz brew for $7.99! And you can walk to Ballys Sportsbook in less than 5 mins. Last year they some some huge groups spread out all over their sportsbook with beer/munchie specials.
     
  9. undathesea

    undathesea Grandissimo

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    At 4.5% vig, you'd have to bet about $5k to see a few hundred dollars in theo. So, they aren't noting anything in your account until you start throwing 10k bets around (on the strip). $1k in bets is simply not worth their time.
     
  10. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    With the comp level so low, pick a place you LIKE to bet at. The comps are so little, it really should not even be a factor.
     
  11. Malibugolfer

    Malibugolfer High-Roller

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    The house theo on sports bets, as was mentioned previously, is so small that you need to throw multi dimes out per bet for lots of wagers to get any attention. You need to remember that all house comps come out of what they mathematically expect to hold and with sports that's a small %.
    Ponies are 18% vig, if memory serves with paramutels, (I don't bet them- never win) so much better comps with a few K in bets.
     
  12. Waltz69

    Waltz69 Tourist

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    If you each have Total Rewards cards try calling Vip services at Ballys and ask a host consider all your play together for a room. As someone who also makes the yearly trek for March Madness I am facing the same problem with rising hotel costs and shrinking comps.

    A couple suggestions:

    1. Book early, I have booked a room for the next year while checked in the previous year. If you see its free or cheap book it, you can always cancel.
    2. Cyber Monday, every hotel seems to offer something and sometimes you can get big savings on busy weeks.
    3. When all else fails call the Casino and ask to speak to a host, I have always been offered casino rate just by politely asking, it takes a little effort to get one on the phone but if you can its worth it.

    You have a history with Ballys so I would start there, next I would try the Orleans. Bob Sccuchi is the sportsbook manager for them and all of Boyd gaming and he is a great guy. You and your friends would not be unhappy there.
    Have you considered downtown? The Plaza, Golden Nugget($$$) or the Grand aren't bad.
     
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