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Comps! Who needs them!!

Discussion in 'Comps' started by Franken Dean, Dec 30, 2015.

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  1. Franken Dean

    Franken Dean Newbie

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    This is my thoughts for low and medium rollers.

    Don't do it! Don't get hooked into the comp system!


    I am the average tourist, and play all day long with the average bettors. 2k bankroll- 2 times a year. At my local casino, I will bring $300-$500 for a 1/2 day(or busted in a hour) of gambling.

    In the past, I would get frustrated that I could not get a free buffet after going on tilt and losing 1k in few hours of craps play. At the end of my 4 day stay I would have earned a measly $8 in comps. WTF, I lost $1400 this weekend playing craps. The $8 was playing drunken slots for a hour before bed.


    Sir!, you you have not earned in any points by going point -seven-out at craps for 3 straight hours. What! I was the biggest tipper and lost my little boys lunch money!


    My mom would sit and plays some old nickel slot, 1 line at a time for 3 hours and she is snockered and earning free cruises. It appeared, Me, and my table game money does not count. Glad it did'nt now that I reflect.


    I came to the conclusion about 20 years, that they do not like table game players, because of the risk of loss. They prefer to consistently bilk $40 a day out of all the retired elderly persons in the world, than to treat me to a free meal, and then see me sober up and win (or lose) grand playing UTH or craps.


    My last comped room and meal was when my mother served me dinner and I passed out on her coach in my late 20's. No lie!

    I usually take 2 grand for my 4 day Vegas trips. 1 grand is not enough, and 3k is too much to lose. I go once or twice a year. My simple goal is too double it, so i can pay for my next trip. Usually go every March and then late summer or early fall. I hit my Local casino 2 times a month or more. Been to a gamble at multitude of US casinos at least 365 days of my life.

    My next trip to Vegas is in March. After reading about VP on this site I decided to go to my local CET property. then give super boner a whirl (Horseshoe , Ia). I broke down and went to get a TR card.

    They said I had a account, but no activity since a Harrahs stay in 2006. Must've given a free shirt away. That made me smile. I kind of wish I had not been to a CET prop since 2006. I got the card, and played some VP and slots for a almost a hour. That old frustration of looking at how slow the credits build up when losing was too much to handle and I chucked the card.

    You should as well.

    I actually love that I have no allegiance. I book wherever I feel, or that has a good price, or wherever a friend wants. We gamble 18 hours day for 4 days, but it could be anywhere playing almost any game. (except 6:5 BJ or VP bartops that are a 7/5 or worse).

    Yes we will get some free drinks, but that is it in 20 years. Do I miss them, Nope! I am FREE!!!! It is awesome to sneak in win a few hundy and move onto the next joint.

    If we win, we eat good, if we lose we keep on drinking.

    I have seen most every little dive bar, and nice casino in town. I believe, I have accomplished more winning and fun, due to not being stuck to my "home" casino earning those effing comps.

    Try it! Book a deal on Expedia. Get a car, and just enjoy the entire town. Be spontaneous. Yes, hit you favorite spots for a few sessions and then enjoy a lot of new spots.


    You think you love Vegas now.

    Trust me, if you get out of the Comp loop, you'll love it all the more.


    Schools out, GO Play!!!!!!!!!!!



    PS-High rollers and Whales, Please disregard this rant.
     
  2. Tahoejoe2

    Tahoejoe2 VIP Whale

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    Here is another system that works great.
    I have a friend who is upper tier Diamond. When we spend 3 days in LV, I ask him to use my card one of those days. I get all kind of free rooms and invites for the rest of the year. I go to those invites and spend little on gambling. It doesn't hurt him because he plays so much. If his host should ask what happen that one day, he says he went golfing and to a show at night.
    Of course, you need a friend who is a High Roller. :)
     
  3. parallax

    parallax High-Roller

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    There is a difference between being hooked on/ playing for comps and taking advantages of comps that you receive. It is true that most properties are more friendly to slot players. A little slot action at most CET properties can get you a couple nights free. If you are playing $10-$15 hands at BJ, you will likely receive nothing. However, if there is a casino that I like and the offer me comps, why not take advantage? In my mind, it is shortsighted to not present your players card when you gamble. You might not be receiving anything but sometimes you will. If Harrah's offered you 3 nights free, wouldn't you take advantage?
     
  4. TIMSPEED

    TIMSPEED Money’s on the way, with CashNetUSA

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    To me, "gaming" the system is a way of life.
    I can't even THINK any other way. (in ANY aspect of life!)

    Comps are easy to come by, you just have to work hard at figuring out the system.
    Also, you're absolutely right about craps...any table game for that matter. Unless you're a solid black chip player and above, forget it.
    FWIW: The wife and I just spent 4 days in Vegas...ate as much as we wanted, gambled as much as we wanted, and even saw Penn & Teller..all on $300 TOTAL.
    NOW, if we were on the "Comp Yourself" program, let me add this up:
    Rooms = $265 (That would be getting a GENEROUS rate)
    Show = $150
    Food = $400
     
  5. cjohnson202

    cjohnson202 VIP Whale

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    I often think about this, that if I toned down my gambling and just paid for rooms myself, I'd still end up way ahead than I usually do. But I enjoy the gaming aspect of it all and I don't really find gambling lower amounts than I do fun. I always joke about how I could play $3 blackjack at hooters, but to me that's no risk and thus no thrill.

    Do I chase comps? Yeah, sometimes I think I do. I know at TR I try to get the 1,000 TC a day to get the bonus and sometimes will lose extra just to get there. But as long as I'm enjoying myself and not going over what I can afford to spend, I'm happy. There will definitely be a time when being comp'd stuff like Suites and food doesn't matter, but for now I'm young and like to feel important haha so I'll keep playing the comp game. But you make a great point. I'm sure there are a lot of people who chase comps and WAY outspending themselves to do so. You spend a few grand to get comp'd a few hundred dollars. The logic isn't great, BUT WHAT IF YOU WIN (I'm still waiting for my first big one)
     
  6. Nevyn

    Nevyn VIP Whale

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    So much to respond to there:

    Do they HATE table game players? Are they afraid of the players winning? Of course not. But a green chip blackjack player with half decent basic strategy might make the casino 25 bucks on average per hour they play, and the casino has already paid the staff and overhead to enable that hour. That green chip player might sit down with 300-1000 bucks. If that player sits at a slot with 300-1000 to lose, their theoretical loss in an hour could be in the hundreds. Slot and even VP players play more iterations at higher advantage games, often at quicker speed, while needing less overhead.

    Added to that there is also the inconsistency as to how players get rated in a table game. Is their play really accurately tracked?

    Now as to your general point, I AGREE, players and especially low players should not be chasing comps. Play how you want to at a level you like and can afford.

    But that does not mean that they should not seek comps. Still play with loyalty cards, still use any points you happened to accumulate, and check in for offers, comps and discounted rates when planning trips. Comps are fine as long as you don't alter your behaviour seeking them.
     
  7. jamie1983

    jamie1983 Low-Roller

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    You sound very much like me...typically bring 2k or so for 3 days...gamble a ton but never in one spot....wherever I'm doing good I stay, where I lose I leave.....I always like playing craps downtown or casino royale, but do not enjoy staying there. I'll get some offers for discounted rooms, or maybe some free food here or there. But I like to stay at Cosmo and don't really enjoy playing there.
     
  8. Chuck2009x

    Chuck2009x VIP Whale

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    I agree with your general point, but I don;t agree that casinos hate table players because they win.

    The main reason most (or let's say more casual) table players don't end up with as much in comps or offers as a slot player is because they don't bankroll themselves properly for the variance involved in table games. So way more of them bust out way faster than a slot player with the same bankroll. So they don't generate as much theo and therefore don't get as much in comps.

    Editing to add:

    I and others here calculated what MGM was giving table players in terms of Tier Credits and Express Comps for table play and it worked out to be pretty much the same per theo $ as slots, and it stands to reason that comp offers were similar.

    Now they're taking away the Express Comps for table players, which is about 3% of theo at the lowest level, I guess you can't say they treat table players equally any more unless they're making it up somewhere else, which I doubt.
     
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2015
  9. rgerards

    rgerards Low-Roller

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    The CET system where you can add your buddy's TR card is awesome, we are lowrollers and easily get comped rooms.
     
  10. Nevyn

    Nevyn VIP Whale

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    It was even more awesome when they were true comps.

    I always need to remind myself I'm still paying the resort fee grumble grumble. I miss the good ole days of 2 years ago on that front.
     
  11. Franken Dean

    Franken Dean Newbie

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    Oh, yeah. I like this comp system best!

    Hey, Nate can you carry a player card or two for me! Haha!
     
  12. captainron62

    captainron62 VIP Whale

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    It was a thing of beauty to check out and see $0.00 owed. Last year my 5 night COMP at Ballys was $25 a night and this year I believe Harrah's will be around $29. When this started I quit worrying about being exclusive with one Casino and I bounce around. I spend my days at Cosmo and my eves where I am laying my head down usually. This year instead of COMP sometimes a weekend night costs me $12 to $50 dollars if its a holiday. It is a great trade to now worry about it, I don't mind the extra money in trade for not stressing about playing enough at one joint.

    So at least in my case they were unwise to charge me a resort fee because I gave away much more of my gambling money elsewhere. It was kind of like when a gf tells you it is okay to see other people....... you run with it!
     
  13. TIMSPEED

    TIMSPEED Money’s on the way, with CashNetUSA

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    On the front of Resort fee's at CET...
    It's literally LAUGHABLY easy to get Diamond, if you spend 8 days a year in vegas...1000TC in a day, is almost a gimme. (Video Poker especially)
     
  14. Marilyn

    Marilyn Tourist

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    We are very low rollers but still get comped, this year 2 nights at Orleans and 4 nights at MGM, plus $100.00 resort credit, 1 ticket for KA, have had the same MGM offer every year for the last 4 years, we get this offer for summer and winter unfortunately we can only take advantage of it once a year, too expensive coming from Canada but we sure do not chase comps, we just play our normal play and still get the comps, so no complaining here.
     
  15. dmr

    dmr Registered Abuser

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    We're very low rollers. Just barely Platinum at CET and still the lowest level (Sapphire?) at Sams Town. We just came back from 5 (comp) nights at ST and it was appreciated and well worth it.

    Of all of the comps, I think I appreciate the drinks on the flloor most! :) Rooms are a very nice perk. We really don't play for comps, but they kinda happen. :)
     
  16. shifter

    shifter Degenerate Gambler

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    so if I get this correctly,

    you're saying that you haven't figured out how to get comps, so you advise people to just throw away the cards?

    the better option is for you to learn how to work the system better.

    I know there's several very, very low rollers on here that still manage to get free rooms and some occasional food picked up every time they come.

    it's all about learning how to work the system and turn it in your favor.
     
  17. grosx2

    grosx2 Have fun storming the castle!

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    Saying that one shouldn't worry about comps or play for comps is one thing, and generally good advice.

    But saying that one shouldn't use a players card when they play is bad advice, plain and simple.

    If I'm going to gamble, I'm going to take any extras that the casino gives me for my action.
     
  18. BayouBengal

    BayouBengal VIP Whale

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    What I recommend for low and mid rollers is to combine play on machines onto a single card. I go with my gf 95% of the time so we split up different casinos. We get better comps by combining play than we ever got separately.
     
  19. BackInVegas

    BackInVegas VIP Whale

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    I wonder what my bill will be for this trip?

    I give my play all over the place now. Some places I don't even have a player's card. But, if they have the best point spread, I bet there.

    I miss the old comp days of 2008 and before.

    I have never chased comps, but I don't begrudge them. What is that saying, "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth."
     
  20. Electroguy563

    Electroguy563 Vegas Joker

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    The OP brought up some good points about chasing comps. But different strokes for different folks.

    Me, I play how I want and take whatever comps (if any) that come my way.

    But I hope the OP was joking about his kids lunch money......
     
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