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Casino gambling's "silly season" starts 10/31/2019

Discussion in 'Comps' started by DaiLun, Oct 30, 2019.

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  1. sinnerman

    sinnerman VIP Whale

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    Thanks for the super useful information Dailun, really enjoyed reading it as I do all your TR's.

    Just out of curiosity, given the points differential now, did you consider getting FP instead of Visa Gift Cards, converting the FP to cash and using that cash for your future trip? The small advantage is that you also get a few hours of 'free' gambling time as well. The risk, of course, is a poor conversion that results in less money.
     
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  2. DaiLun

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

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    Not really, because:

    1) VISA gift cards are a "known quantity", and the "discount for FP didn't really appeal to me
    2)mLife had only vendor gift cards, and I don't patronize those vendors, which made the FP decision at HGS a little easier

    My BFF took $1000 in VISA gift cards and $300 in Free Play. he had horrible luck with his free play and only converted to $65, but he was more in "speculation" mode than "conversion" mode.

    In December, I will be in 100% conversion mode with my $1700 Free Play.
     
    Last edited: Nov 7, 2019
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  3. FABismonte

    FABismonte Tell my wife I am "about even."

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    @sinnerman I know your question was directed to @DaiLun but I also chose Visa gift cards over FP at the GGWU. My reason was I was staying Downtown and if I converted my points to FP, I would have had to pop my CET players card into the machine and so would have been "tripped." Since I was not going to give CET any significant play that weekend, I opted for Visa cards.
     
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  4. sinnerman

    sinnerman VIP Whale

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    Lol, I am a bit like your BFF or maybe a little worse. I take the FP telling myself I will 'convert' and then end up gambling recklessly lol. A couple times I have walked away with twice or more cash than the FP and more than a couple times I have walked away with just the lint in my pocket telling myself 'At least I got some free gambling time'.

    Yeah, I was only referring to the CET, vendor gift card never as good as either FP or Visa. Not the least of which is because purchases rarely use the entire gift card perfectly without more cash from your pocket or leaving some value left on the gift card

    Very good point, I forgot about the fact that a 'tripped' day can hurt your ADT. When I get the FP, I am always at the property anyway so it doesn't matter to me
     
    Last edited: Nov 7, 2019
  5. oghuman

    oghuman VIP Whale

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    I got a $100 gift card and a $25 gift card. I was just short 1,700 points for a $50 but I decided to just get the $25 card instead of going back again the next day if I had the points.
     
  6. Mijoro

    Mijoro Tourist

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    Hey @DaiLun just wondering if your HGS myVEGAS points have been credited for the December Bellagio event. I got the 250000 package and can’t remember how far in advance they credited the mgm ones. Also have your gift cards arrived from the mgm event?
     
  7. DaiLun

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

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    No. They credit about 2 days before the ballroom opens. You can't redeem them until December 5th at 10AM anyway.

    No, my gift cards weren't in today's mail. I expect them tomorrow.
     
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  8. DaiLun

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

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    No gift cards today (Saturday).
     
  9. DaiLun

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

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    No gift cards today (Tuesday). :(
     
  10. DaiLun

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

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    I emailed mLife today. They said:

    " . . Shipping typically takes 2-3 weeks. . . ."
     
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  11. Mijoro

    Mijoro Tourist

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    I have been checking the post like a crazy person. I wonder where they are sent out from. It definitely makes me rethink getting gift cards at the next event.

    If you get handbags or say a tv at an event do you get to take it home that day or are they delivered as well?
     
  12. DaiLun

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

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    Everything is delivered. They used to give out the gift cards at the event. This is the first time they've mailed them. It is a "Christmas" event, so they think that they win if they make it before Christmas.
     
  13. Mijoro

    Mijoro Tourist

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    I got my email today re my gift card it’s going to arrive on Monday!!!!!
     
  14. Mijoro

    Mijoro Tourist

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    Gift cards arrived today via ups
     
  15. DaiLun

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

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    I got my first batch today, and was short one. Oh well, s**t happens. Emailed them for a response. Unfortunately, (for me) the missing one was for a host and I will need to replace it since a replacement won't get here in time.
     
  16. SloggingScotsman

    SloggingScotsman Tourist

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    DaiLun, sorry to hear that, do you (or anyone) know, for I can’t be the only person wondering this, how much commission a host gets on your loses/adt, in addition to their base salary?

    Someone once posted that their host told them not to tip, as they made enough of this commission (I guess it was a genuine friendship between host and player).

    To keep figues round, say you lost 100,000 and could get a 10% discount, would the host also get a bonus of 10,000?

    Anyone here got any shareable insight into how much hosts make of your play? Losses or adt?

    Remember being a Brit, I am not used to the tipping culture of the US and especially Vegas, so tipping (on the scale you do) like most Brits is new to me. And I am trying to get my mind around how much any host may make from any potential future play of mine.

    The casino takes my money, the host works me to get me to lose more, while trying to make me feel good about it, and I then tip to maintain relationship, while they score from my loses, that they have helped create by being friendly and working me, and making my life easier so that I spend more time playing. It’s sheer brilliant. So anyone willing to share what percentage of loses/adt a host is likely to earn from my play? It’s relevant to knowing (for a Brit) how much to tip.
     
  17. DaiLun

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

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    Playstudios is not a casino, so I don't actually know/care, and I'm sure that they don't get many tips.

    With my Asian hosts it's an Asian custom to "chan gee" (share lucky money).

    I have NEVER heard of a host refusing a tip.

    To me they are not tips. They are GIFTS.

    Hosts do not MAKE me play, therefore, I wouldn't have any meaningful information.

    However, I am having lunch with an ex-host supervisor and her husband (ex-GM of a major hotel casino in the US) in Macau next week, and I'll see if they'd be willing to divulge that information (I'll casually ask, and see what the response is).
     
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  18. annbrown57

    annbrown57 VIP Whale

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    I just received an email regarding the point value. I arrive on the last day, Dec 8th, and will run over to Ballys. I've never been before, so thank you DaiLun & all others for all your valuable information! I wouldn't have known about the Visa nor freeplay options without your postings.

    IMG_1489.PNG
     
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  19. AllenAndRossi

    AllenAndRossi VIP Whale

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    Thanks @DaiLun and everybody who contributed info to this thread!

    We'll be in Vegas Thursday-Sunday to do our "shopping". The only product we know we will be getting is an Xbox for our daughter for Christmas. I see a few other things I'm thinking about, but none of them are things we really need, and VISA gift cards are always useful.

    Between my girlfriend and I, we'll have about 500,000 GGWU points(give or take a few thousand either way).
     
  20. Mijoro

    Mijoro Tourist

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    Has anyone had their MyVEGAS Bellagio HGS points added to their account yet?
     
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