I am taking up Cosmo Kevin on an offer he made to me, based on my play, he was very responsive and kind. I am impressed already. However, I've never been a tier level there, a few questions... Is it best to aim to come within 100 points of the next tier and then head home when you had started at ground level? Thus, saving yourself time on the clock for the year in which your tier year anniversary starts? This will be my third visit this year and I can see myself taking a good long break until Vegas near fully resumes, I am only going to see my sister and show her around for her first trip. I was given two options for my four day trip, 2 days comped and 2 weekend days at a discount rate, or I can JUST take the 2 days comp and then switch to an MLife property. I've got several 3 or 4 day comp offers at all properties. Kevin was very gracious and open about it being cool whatever I wanted to do. I was leaning towards just doing all 4 days at Cosmo, but I know my sister is going to want to eat at some MLife Restaurants that I'll want to get credit for on my MLife card... which could hurt my gambling daily average. So now I am thinking of splitting 2+2 which will also allow me to use some resort and freeplay credit. I also could stay at Caesars properties, my "host" even booked me without my confirmation (or credit card) at a tiny room in Harrah's with the POTENTIAL to be upgraded, but to be honest, no thank you? Give me Cromwell, PH, or a non-Forum Caesar's room, or bust. I only mentioned being ok with the other hotels if it meant a great room, PREMIUM ROOM CITY VIEW HARRAH'S, meh? Kevin also mentioned that my play could earn me the remaining 2 days comped if we stay with them all 4. I asked lightly and gently if there was a gambling target I should aim for, but to no avail. I suppose that makes sense, but anyone have a clue what that might be? To be honest, I don't really understand back end comps... I've seen mention of them on these forums but I still haven't figured out any definitive answers - like when to ask for them, do you need to use all of your credits in your account first, how much to really expect, etc. We tend to check in late, like 10 pm, and then check out at the VERY last second, and by check out, I mean, open the room door and hope the maid doesn't go crazy and then continue shoving stuff in bags for 15 more minutes and then ACTUALLY leave the room, lol. Seems fair since others checked in like 10 hours before us, but anyways This late checkout procedure means I would probably need to ask the night before unless you can do it after checkout, but then I'll be asking before a good few hours of late night gambling are accounted for... Thanks in advance! P.S. A couple of Vegas Facebook groups have been saying Wynn's Lake of Dreams IS INDEED OPEN contrary to what their website says, if anyone is curious. Supposed to be all new lake shows.
I'll leave the comp answers to others, but what I learned last trip is AFAIK you need to visit the host office in HL to ask for any back ends, so you should be aware of the hours, and allot some time to trying to track one down to talk to (and maybe wait if s/he is occupied). Maybe higher rollers than me have host numbers they can call, IDK? all I really wanted to do was apply ID credits to resort fees and I wasted some time in my life, just trying to check out going through that.. next time I'll spend it elsewhere and pay the resort fee.
I think this is actually not a bad idea as long as you think you will be back within 365 days of the date you earn your first tier point. But it also depends on how often you really think you'll go. Let's say you go in November 2020 thinking you won't be back for 10 months and you don't know how long it will be after THAT. We'll say you stay 2 nights and earn your last point on November 2 and you make it into Sterling. So your anniversary date is November 2. When you go again in September 2021, you will technically be shooting for Gold, but you can also re-up Sterling There's a big gap between Sterling and Gold, so you don't make Gold So now your anniversary date comes around in November 2021 The tier points you earned in 2020 will drop off If you earned another 4,000 tier points in September, you'll stay Sterling and your anniversary date will stay at November 2 If you didn't, you'll drop down to the base level on November 2 Now let's say you stop 100 pts short on your first trip. You go again in September 2021 and add at least the 100 tier points and make Sterling. Your anniversary date is September 2 and won't come up again until 2022. The key is really when you think the third trip would be what what you think things will look like by then. Whenever the point comes where you think things will be normal enough so that you'll be going 3 or 4 times a year, then there probably won't be much benefit to pushing off crossing the tier threshold. The other factor is that when you cross the Sterling threshold, you get one additional free night you can tack onto an offer stay. Would you rather have it available after the first trip? If you don't use it before the 365 days is up, or you advance to Gold on the 2nd trip, you lose it. I don't know how much getting points on your MLife account at a point of purchase without staying or playing will affect your offers from them. I have two similar experiences that had totally different outcomes: This was about 5 years ago I booked one night at MGM Grand on an offer with freeplay and resort credit. I checked in but didn't stay in the room I used the freeplay and resort credit and recycled the freeplay, so maybe $200 actual coin-in My offers didn't change On a different trip, much more recently, I: Wasn't staying at an MGM property Used ExpressComps to pay at point of purchase at a restaurant at Aria Played about 1/2 hour of bacc there to kill time My offers went down I'm pretty sure it was the low play that killed me, but I have no way of knowing what would have happened if all I had done was use the ExpressComps I think I would take the bird in the hand from MLife and split the trip 2 - 2 between Cosmo and MLife unless you really hate moving. It will eliminate the issue of your MLife rating getting dinged, and you won't have to sweat out back-end. I've gotten back-end at Cosmo when I had a long stay where I was paying for some nights, but it was less than I expected. I think Cosmo is more loose upfront with room comps than with back-end. To put in a different way, I think the amount of play it takes to get X number of nights comped upfront in an offer and to maintain that level of offer, is less than the amount it would take to get the same nights comped back-end. I could be wrong, that's just the way it looks to me going off one encounter. It could be that loss level (or lack thereof) played into it.
more re: Cosmo: I'm hesitant to add this, but if a host telling you you were lucky to get the original comp, implying you're still overcomped and you definitely didn't play enough to get anything else might set you off, try to go in there with a pleasant frame of mind. like I said, front desk sent me there to apply ID points to resort fee, "so you can be sure you don't miss any back end you're due." We really didn't play that much there tbh though. It's still a great room, we're still getting 2 night terrace offers, still got a sterling night, so it's all good.. But I just would have rather heard "ok we applied the points, if you played x more I could give you y more, but you didn't." I didn't even ask for any backend. (so yeah, what @Chuck2009x said, 2+2. And loose up front, tight in the back - #twss)
From my research, mainly on this forum, the strong general idea and theory is that each day you are scanned in (using a comp, swiping a card, quite literally anything) - it counts as a day of play. The computer stores probably all records on you, but only uses a predetermined number of days to calculate your average. Maybe a year, maybe five, probably variable. I would guess, total guess, from your first set of bullet points, they don't care if you went into the room, and are happy you gave them 200 coin in. This one day didn't affect your average too much. Your SECOND trip suggests you had even less than 200 coin in, though you didn't specify plus table games are trickier anyway, so now you've added another day to your average... and another shitty day at that. PLUS, your previous years of gambling may have dropped off. Big question, were there any trips between your scenario A and scenario B where you used an MLife card? I tend to think they'll even hold your data from years ago in case you don't go regularly or semi regularly, but after two trips in a row where you were useless to them... Makes sense, each property works in their own mysterious ways, and everyone has a strong theory, and then things get changed up once again. We may see bigger shakeups since they can blame literally anything on COVID.
I am so very confused. Where did someone mention a host saying someone was lucky to get a comp? Was there a post that was then deleted or edited?
Wait wait wait, the moment you hit Sterling you can ask to use the free night for the same trip? Are there any restrictions on which night-do popular weekends count? What if you had paid for an upcoming night same trip, can they swap it out for the comp earned night? And then you mention hitting gold makes you lose the night, is that because you never used it as Sterling and then you hit gold which resets to the new set of earned nights? I earned 900 something points back in July 2020 in an hour or two's trip, but I was focusing on another property. Just having fun there. I can easily hit the remaining 3100 this coming week's trip, but wondering if I should earn 2900-3000 instead. I am sure I'll be back before July.
I don't know exactly what the technical rule is about hitting Sterling and then trying to tack the free night on at the end of the same stay. I think you might be able to do it, but not 100% sure. I'm trying to think of a logical reason why they wouldn't let you do it, and I can't. The slot multiplier kicks in as soon as you cross, so why not the tier benefit? I've never done it that way though, I always use mine on the following trip after I earn them. I've been able to use my tier nights on Fridays and Saturdays when I've needed to, but the room you qualify for might be lower than what you could use them for mid-week. But I think you could get at least some room there on a weekend night unless it was really sky high. Like you might end up having to take a City Room. Like my upcoming trip. Normally my play level will get me into a One Bedroom any night of the week on an offer. I found a string of cheap midweek dates where I can get a Terrace Suite comped. So I configured my trip to stay in a Studio (because I don't like the One Bedroom layout) on Sat - Sun using my Tier nights and then I'm in a Terrace Suite starting Monday, for 4 nights on an offer. I think if I had wanted to go one day earlier, I still would have been able to configure it the same way - my Tier nights would be good for Fri - Sat in a Studio and then I'd move to the Terrace Suite on Sunday. And yes, there are two situations where you forfeit your Sterling night: You don't use it within your player year, or You don't book it before you advance your tier again So for example, Trip 1 - You make Sterling and bank one tier night You get a new offer and book it but you don't tack the tier night onto either end of the offer and you don't book it for any other date Trip 2 - You advance to Gold. As soon as you cross the Gold threshold, you get 2 new tier nights for being Gold, but you lose the Sterling night, it doesn't stay in the bank If you had already booked the Sterling night as part of Trip 2 (or even a Trip 3), you'd be OK If you reached Sterling and had a future reservation booked with one or more paid nights, and you wanted to swap in the Sterling night, I think they would do it, depending on the night involved. The room type you can get for a Tier night is usually going to be same as what you would get on a marketing offer for the same night.
I was just at Cosmo 2 weeks ago. I had 2 comped nights and a Sterling night. From what I was told, you have to book the Sterling night at least 14 days out. So unless this has changed due to COVID, it would not work to tack it on. On check out day, I was going to go stand in line to use Identity points to pay our charges. All we had extra was resort fee for the 2 comped nights, and an upgrade to get the Fountain View. Instead of standing in line, I figured I would call the front desk and just ask if we could do it that way. Both my daughter and I were on the room. We had both earned over 4K points during our stay, so we had enough Identity Credits to cover the charges. She told me to hang on while she called the host desk. They took care of all of it over the phone in just a few minutes. Super easy and much better than standing in line to check out. Surprise -- A few days later I checked my credit card. They had already charged the card when I called, so it needed to be refunded. Refund went through fine! We then both checked our Identity points a few days later, we both still had all our points. So it's possible they just comped the rest on the back end, even over the phone.
Play is more based on points than how much you put in (could be someone based on how much you put in, but in my experience it has always been points that brings my offers up at casinos). Also how long you have been playing might have something to do with comps too, but I think its mainly points. Every casino I go to if I get a lot of points, my offers go up. If I spend a lot and nothings paying where I do not get a lot of points and have trouble finding a good paying machine, my offer always go down. I just hope the machine I pick keeps me playing and brings up the points. I won a jackpot at the golden nugget last time I was in vegas and played a lot (did not put all of it back in) and my offers went up 3x as an example. Do not worry about a gambling target because it can put you in a hole if you think about it too much. That is what happens to me and I just go and play, find a slot that is paying out, and have fun, then good offers will come. It is not fun when you are just focusing on points rather than finding a good machine that pays and then all of the sudden what you bring with you is gone. BTW end of October I have a comp night from contacting Kevin for 1 night (match offer from mlife) and it will be my first time ever staying at cosmo and even going in there. I was told though I have to play a lot to determine my future offers and make up for this comp trip, which is no big deal as long as the machines are paying and letting me stay on and play without taking taking taking. I am just going to focus on finding a paying machine and enjoying myself and hope I get future offers based on my play.
I'd compare the two trips I mentioned this way: First example: Room value 1 night = $150 Freeplay = $150 Resort Credit = $100 For a total of $400 in value I did $200 "real" coin in on slots, which probably generated $20 in theo. So Mlife was negative $380 on the deal. But my offers didn't go down Second example: No room Used $100 of my own earned ExpressComps 30 mins of $100 bacc probably generated about $60 in theo max. So Mlife was + $60 in theo on the deal (I actually lost $100) But my offers went down And there were trips in between the two examples, but I played at a normal level on them So I think I got a "hall pass" on the first example, but not the second. I used those examples to point out the mystery, as you put it. What happens when you're dinking around outside the normal parameters of a trip ends up being unpredictable.
This is highly valuable information so thanks for the detailed answers. I had no idea you would lose the Sterling night and am doing almost this exact scenario for my upcoming November trip. I made sterling on my 1st stay there and also got an offer for 4 free nights join my return home. I booked a 3 night stay there in November using that offer (going to split that trip between Cosmo and Bellagio) but I guess I should also “book” the sterling offer for another possible trip in the spring so if I earn gold I won’t lose that night and can then tack those gold nights onto the sterling night trip or I can always change up the date of the sterling night future booking once I get my next trip planned.
If you take 4 nights comped room offer at Cosmo I would think they are going to want a lot more than 3000 points put on your card. I may be mis-reading your intentions on play. We typically stay for a couple comp nights once per year and put over 5000 points on those couple days. We don’t seem to get many offers much better than a couple comp nights and occasional free play. That could change in the current environment but I don’t have much desire to visit Vegas at this time. Good luck hope you do well, it is a beautiful property.
If you want the rooms comped. $2.50-$3 per spin for 3 to 4 hours a day on slots. That should be enough...
Thank you. This just reminded me...That is exactly how my offers at the golden nugget went up. I could spend hours on one 100 bill if it keeps paying out on wonder 4 (the one where you are playing 4 games at one time at 2 dollar bet if miss kitty, wicked, panda, regular buffalo is on it or 2-2.40 if it is the one with buffalo gold on it with coyote and pete.) Thats only if the one I am on keeps paying back what i put in and keeps bonusing. If dead, will take quick and I know to change quick to a different machine if that happens. I can tell the minute i sit down and start playing. Has to start paying right away. also i dont let the credits i win run when i win something majority of the time which causes the points to go up faster. I stop the credits and spin again. I am not a big fan of the music on some of the spin wins or how long it takes after some small wins. When I go to cosmo for one night end of october before staying 3 nights downtown, I wont have a lot of time to play at cosmo (at least will have 4 hours to play at cosmo or longer if we decide to stay up after midnight as usual) so I defiantly have to play faster. We have mykonami free play to use and my moms bday free play as well at the mlife casinos. My plan at cosmo is to find wonder 4 and play them because I have good luck racking up points on them without taking taking taking majority of the time.
Contact Wynn or Venetian host and ask them to match your mlife offer. They did it for me and I’m a low roller (four nights comp mlife $225 FP $250 RC no resort fees). This way you don’t burn mlife since it seems like you want to keep the offers coming from them. Don’t expect back end comps, better off just paying for the room IMO.
Sorry, yes, I guess I meant whatever level you're about to hit if it makes sense to stop just before, but I guess that only makes sense when you're starting from scratch. Technically I have 900+ points from July, but that's peanuts. So 2 hours at my speed, occasionally I've gotten bored or pissed at a cold streak and I just start mashing that button, spin, stop, spin spin spin gimme the bonus damnit, lol.
ADT for $100/hand Baccarat "Player" betting is about $75/hr, with a comp rate at 30% thats $22.50 of comp generation per hour.
