"Jubilee" slot tournament(s) at Main Street Station/The Cal-- questions

So, I've come to the realization that the Boyd properties downtown are finally becoming some of my favorites in Vegas. I'm really a "downtown person" as it is, and for gaming and comps Boyd seems to be the best way to go (at least in my case) to keep me happy. The microbrews at MSS and the general laidback atmoshpere at MSS/The Cal also appeals to me.

On my past two trips to Vegas, I stayed at The Fremont (two nights out of four) and The California (all three nights)... and Fremont/Cal/MSS got the bulk of my play both trips. (Other Boyds such as Gold Coast and Sam's Town also got some action from me, too, so, heck, I'm earning points.) Even though I'm mostly a low-roller and do like to casino hop frequently, I guess I got on their radar, because...

...today in the mail I got an offer for something called the January Jubilee Slot Tournament. Included in the offer, for FREE, is an entry into the slot tournament, a $20 food voucher, and a complimentary FOUR NIGHT STAY at either MSS or The Cal.

The problem is that I can't make it to Vegas in January!! BOO!!! I really wish I could, but I can't.

So, gentle readers of VMB, I ask these questions...

1) I guess I'm in their good graces now. I never used to get mailers from them, but now I am! Yay! Will there be other "Jubilee" slot tournaments and will I get invited to future ones? (I hope so.) I like the idea of four complimentary nights downtown.

2) Does anyone know what the schedule of these are? Like, for example, are there ones in March? April? May? June? July? August? September? October? November? The thing is, I work hard at my job and need to request time off well in advance. I can't just go to Vegas whenever I want... and I live kind of far away, and booking airfare well in advance to get the best rate is important for me. So, if there are future things like this, does anyone know the schedule?

3) What is this slot tournament, exactly? Is it just a few rounds of "push the button over and over again for ten minutes, and do the same thing the next day?" This is silly to me... (I've done this before at other properties.) What happens if I book this in the future and decide to blow the tournament off-- but I give the Boyds my regular amount of play (coin-in) on other games? Will they get mad at me and rescind future offers? Really, the thing that appeals most to me is the complimentary room... Oh, and a food credit helps, too.

4) If you have experience booking this type of thing... What happens if you miss a day in the tournament... Or if you only need 3 nights instead of 4... Or if you leave early one day to catch your flight home and can't play in the tournament... I guess what I'm asking is, how serious is the silly tournament anyway? I'd rather just be given four nights comped no questions asked, but this isn't what they are doing.

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Actually, looking over the mailer some more as I type this, it says "two exciting days of Slot Action," so I guess it's designed such that you can arrive whenever on day 1, play days 2 and 3, and leave whenenever on day 4... And the two days are Tuesday, January 15h, and Wednesday, January 16th. Too bad I can't make it.

Anyway, if you can answer my questions or have some comments on this stuff, please let me know... Thanks!

 

There are slot and video poker tournaments regularly at Cal/MSS. I can't seem to divine the schedule but there is at least one or the other every month.

You'll probably get invited regularly now as long as your play keeps up.

 

I don't get totally free offers from Boyd in downtown. However, if its anything like their other four casinos in Vegas you should get them again as long as you stay and play a few times per year. I get about 6 free offers from the Orleans per year, but only take 2 usually and I continue to get them regularly. Boyd so far has taken way better care of me than any other company.

 

I get a flyer each month and I just looked back for Nov-Feb, there is a tournament offer in each one. But, they are all very date specific within each month. As mentioned 2 types VP or slot.

The slot tournament is played at MSS on the machines in the Player's Club area. You are assigned a time and date and usually it is two sessions over 2 days and then maybe a dinner to award the prizes. Just mindless hitting of the buttons until time runs out. You do a random draw each session and that determines which machine you play.

The VP tourneys work the same way and they are played on the bank of machines on the second floor mezzanine at the Cal. But there you have to actually make decisions each hand and there is a time limit. I'm used to playing slow, so I usually end up with credits on my machine when time runs out.

In November we changed our dates (thanks SW) to arrive a day earlier to participate in a tournament plus dinner etc. I checked in and went to claim my $100 slot credit and was told I couldn't do both. Either the tourney or slot credits, but not both. We took the $100 in credits. Our food is all comped anyway, so the dinner in the Ohana room didn't thrill us.

This must be a change because IIRC, we have done both on the same trip in the past.

We have the same type offer for our Dec trip and our host emailed back it is one or the other.

 

Did you sign up recently for their player's card? A lot of times casinos will send new players offers to stay so they can rate you and check out your play. If you already have a player's card and if you continue to put in a certain level of play you will receive offers (as others here have received).

When I signed up for a boyd player's card many years ago I was sent many offers for free rooms, free meals, tournaments, etc. but once they figured out my play (not much) I never received another mailer from them with comped rooms.

It all depends on your play, IMHO the people who gamble a lot receive a lot more mailers and comps than the players who don't. If you take them up on a tournament/free room offer and decide not to play in the tournament it will then depend on how much action you provide the casino, I think others can explain the comp system and how much play you have to put in to continue to get the comped offers.

but that's JMHO. I play mostly craps so I hardly get any good deals (comps) other than casino rate.