As I understand it, comps are based on theoretical loss most of the time, and video poker has a lower theo so less comps. The other side of that is that you can play longer due to the lower losses. On average, if you took $1000 and put it in a decent dollar machine, say 6%, at $5.00 per spin, how long would you expect to play at 400 spins per hour? With the same bankroll, same 400 per hour spins, in a 9/6 JOB at $5.00 per spin, how long would you expect to play? For the purposes of this, assume playing until the money is gone because we can’t really know when things are going to go our way and when they don’t.
If I took $1000 to a casino and played slots at $5 per spin I would not expect to last more then 2-3 hours and even then I feel like I would be spending time roaming the caisno to slow the bleeding If I take $1000 to a casino and play VP at $5 a spin I feel like I would have to make knowingly bad plays to loose it all before I just got tired/bored and wanted to go to bed If you want tier status and the perks that come with tier status (they are different at every chain but generally think of them as line cutting, no resort fees, etc) then play VP to get the tier score and keep as much of your money as possible If you want "good comps" then play slots. (things like free rooms, food credits, free play etc.) But more soo.. play what you enjoy and take whatever comps come naturally. I do suggest knowing the tier levels and requirements because there are times where is actually might make sense to donate another $20 before leaving..
If the hold of the game/machine holds up in actuality compared to in theory and playing your bankroll down to $0.00... slots (6% hold): 8 hours, 20 minutes VP (9/6 JoB, 0.46% hold): 108 hours, 41 minutes, 44.3 seconds You're not going to get anywhere close to those numbers in real life unless you get super lucky. Expect reality to be those numbers divided by at least two, if not four. If you don't hit a royal on VP early enough (and the number of hands you would be able to play in theory gets really close to expected royal frequency), just divide by at least 10. Here is a better and easier way to think about it, framed in terms of a 3-hour gaming session. If you're playing slots, bring at least 250 times your average per-spin bet. For VP, bring at least 150 times your average per-hand bet (and if you are doing multi-hand, make that your average total bet). You're going to need a lot of practice on VP in order to not have your skill level cut into your RTP and thus reduce your generated theo even more.
Thanks, Julian. Coming from your post on my other question, are there better casinos for comping VP on the strip? We are also staying at Mirage for a few nights while we are there. It looks as though I would have to play VP a lot longer. While I realize that my bankroll would usually last longer if I am playing more than 3-4 hours at a time, I will get bored. In my trips to Vegas, I used to stick to the table games, but when I don't have friends gambling with me or if my wife is with me, I prefer to sit at slots so that we can talk without thinking. Even if I am solo, I have found that I like the solitude of the slots. I was thinking that VP would give me the best of both worlds, with some thinking involved while not dealing with people at the tables. On the other hand, if I am going to play for 4 plus hours a day, I at least want something in return for the money I am giving the casino. I look at gambling as entertainment and expect to lose over time, but like most gamblers, I at least want to get as much entertainment as possible before walking away have spent my bankroll as well as the occasional win. I consider comps to be part of the wins. Based on all of this, I may be better off playing slots for the mindless fun, and throw in the VP when I want to use my brain and/or have the desire to hit a tier level.
I will just throw in here that luck is the biggest variable in my play. I have played days of VP with very few premium hands, despite changing casinos/games/denomination. And I have had some slots that let me play for hours on my hundy.
This is a common mental mistake. Don't forget comps are always based on a fraction of theoretical loss that is less than 100% (in fact a lot less) ... so you are always better off on average just paying for an amenity than getting it on comps. The way to consider comps is to maximise the value of them BUT ONLY FOR GAMBLING THAT YOU WOULD HAVE DONE ANYWAY EVEN IF COMPS DIDN'T EXIST AT ALL. [the minor exception here is if VERY close to a next tier level in various reward schemes it can be +EV to keep playing past what you would purely for fun - although most people vastly overestimate the benefit of chasing the next tier level vs the cost of reaching it and chase when they shouldn't ... of course the casinos know this - why do you think tiers exist?] Specifically here, you need to look at both session loss and comps - not one in isolation. For example if a 4 hour slot session would lose you $500 on average and a 4 hour VP session loses you $50, then even if the casino is giving you a lot back for that slot play ($200 room say) and nothing at all for the VP, then you are still far better off on VP even though you are getting "nothing back". In reality you even get a little back for the VP play. It's also worth mentioning that seeking out and only playing better pay tables with good strategy on VP will make a far bigger difference in your total "return" (that is the total value you walk away with at the end of the session in both money left over and comps received) than any comp will.
Any numbers on slots, and to some extent VP are of marginal value/accuracy. 1 - You can play a $1 slot machine with a 99.99% payout and go through $1,000 in short order. After all, it still has to take in money to pay off the jackpot and various level wins. For example, if the ONLY payout was $1,600 and no small payouts. Even if you put $1,000 in the machine, in overall theory, you are still below the $1,600 payout. You could also put in $1 and win the $1,600. 2 - VP at full pay or even close to full pay does include the Royal Flush payout. If you never get that, even after a million hands, you will be in the hole. If you get it after playing a couple hundred, then you are in great shape. 3 - VP does seem to make your money last, especially if playing smart. At the same time, you will never win massive jackpots on VP. The top payout is not as high as some slots. 4 - You can win millions of dollars on a slot machine. Your odds of course are slim to none. 5 - If you are going to pay slots, play machines with lower jackpots. Mathematically they will pay more often.
I strongly suggest slots if comp is a concern. Playing VP you could lose the same or even more, but very little comps.
I may have misworded what I said. I do not play for comps, but when I am in Vegas I usually gamble at least 4 hours per day and often times more becasue I enjoy it. Since I am doing that, I want a little something in return. Of course, winning is the best-case scenario. I agree that from a bankroll perspective, I am better off with VP. Sometimes, I don't want to think though.
