Vegas comps?

[Mad Jack]

Anybody know what casinos offer the most for a player that has about a $100 per hand rating at BJ?

Years ago, before they finally got me big, my rating was around $200 per hand and the Aladdin offered MUCH more than places like Mirage. Hell, Aladdin gave us air, gourmet, room service, beverage, shows at the other casinos, the whole 9 yards. At that time, the Mirage wouldn't even comp me Sigfried (sp?) and Roy with that rating and only would give a discount room. WTF?

Anyway, I am thinking about opening a new credit account with a casino out there and was wondering what would be the MOST I could get for a $100 player with a 10K credit limit.

any suggestions?

[Ronbets]

Mad Jack,

In all due respect, you're asking gourmet and they'll counter with fast food. I don't work in the industry but learned their little games through the years.

First of all they require 4 cummulative hours of play per day. They rate you not only on buy in, first bet, etc. but how you play the game. Egg to card counter. BJ is one step above playing sports. No margin for casino to wine and dine you.

To answer you ?, lets assume you play good basic strategy and put in 4 hours per day at 125 per hand. Top of my head, I'd guess mid level joints SDust and down would give you RFB(no gourmet). Monte Carlo and up, casino room rate only. Food comps can be obtained by asking during play.

I lived in the Mirage(homeless) for 6 mos. and played sports(high) and some BJ.
They charged me casino rates with frequent coffee shop comps.

Looking for air fare? You're playing the wrong game. Try being a high rolling craps or slot player. Actually you're playing the right game. I found that out of pocket expenses is usually cheaper and less stressful.

[Underdog7]

Mad Jack - You want some comps? Before we begin, here is my story. This was way before Bellaggio, Stratrosphere, Paris, Venitian, Pyramid, Lexur, New York New York, to name few hotels just along the strip.

I was a frequent flyer of Southwest Airlines. Go for a ride on a Saturday and come back the same day on a last flight. I was able to establish myself at the Mirage and finally a lucky day had arrived. I won approximately $120,000 on a baccarat table and just before I quit and left the table a guy approached and handed me his business card. Sir, I am ******(will not mention names) and I am the Marketing Manager, next time you come back just call me and I will try my best to give you "anything" you want. Since I was still young and so naive about the whole process I felt that I was the most important person in Nevada. Had I known, it was just one of the strategies for you to come back and get their money back I should had thrown that card. So, I did exactly what he said. Call him for room reservation, ask for ticket shows (Sigfreid), gave me suite room for $1200 a night until it came the day they really waited. The whole $120,000 was brought back "plus" a couple of dimes from the savings.

It might be a boring story for you but that experienced will definitely answer your questions. Ronbets is exactly right. If you are asking for an air, I really don't have any idea on how in the world Alladin was able to cover that. Mirage, treated like a king, drove from the hotel to McCarran airport with a chauffer and long stretch limo, but never mentioned airfare.

A very good friend of mine who is a surgeon, hit MGM Grand (used to be Bally's) for 1M on blackjack. That guy is being chartered from L.A. going to Las Vegas. And FYI, that doctor I was referring to had 5 houses in L.A. and now just renting a condominum in Malibu area.

To end this stupid story , we all know that we can't beat the odds against the house, when opportunity arised that you are lucky enough to go ahead of it, TAKE YOUR MONEY AND RUN, for get about COMPS. Good luck!!

[azbob]

i used to take that southwest same day flight to from phoenix

dog...it's too bad i'm in colorado now or we could have hooked up for a day of college football

used to be way under $100 round trip to fly up...spend the day in the sports book and fly home that night...what better way to spend an october afternoon

long ago, i used to get comped (room/food only) at caesar's...at the tables, i won some and lost some but i still saw value in the free "stuff" as i didn't increase my play limits just based on a free room

[Underdog7]

azbob- first of all I have to welcome you back. We haven't heard from you so much. I know you moved to Colorado now, but I'm sure if it's not Southwest you could go with other carrier. I'm attending a black jack tournament at Venetian this coming early August and I know it's early for football season. If you had any plans going to Vegas on any given Sunday for the regular season, drop me a note. You got my email. Good luck.

[krackman]

It goes by theoreticals ( what the casino theoretically expects to beat you out of )a $100 avg. bj player will get room and food comps here but like Ronbets says 4 hours or more is needed in order to get that.Get yourself a tables games host .Deposit 9 dimes in the cage and draw markers off that(this always gets me a room and usually food but granted I play craps)

[LawyerTx]

4 hours per day @ $100 counts no more towards comps than $400 per day for an hour.
However, formula for extensive comps at the "nicer" strip hotels requires even more than that. I recently had rfb at one of the newer strip hotels for a golf promotion. I played about 1.5 hours per day x 4 days. Average bet per hand of BJ was about $300.
When leaving, I requested a limo to the airport. (I had one from the airport.) I was told none too politely that my play didn't rate a limo to the airport. I was told that I was "overcomped". Irony is that I had a $400 suite that I didn't ask for or want, but that counted $1600 toward comps.
FYI, unless their computers are digesting additional data, the casino wants to know your (1) first bet, (2) average bet and (3) time at the table. First bet is important info so that they can know whether you are bold or timid with (a) your money or (b) their money. Your wins or losses are also some kind of factor, but I don't know how much or how figured. If anyone does, I'm curious about that myself. Incidentally, the cab ride to the airport wasn't that bad.

[bucky]

As a sportsbook player comps are just a hassle. Bet 5 dimes at Bally's and qualify for a buffet - big deal. Just bet where you get the best line and comp yourself. Wouldn't you rather just be anonymous and beat them for ten dimes and tell them it's none of their business who you are?

[Fatui Atata]

Mad Jack,

For an average bet of $100 for 4 hours a day, you might barely muster a room (and nothing else) at the Mirage. You wont even get that at the Bellagio unless your average is up about $175. Other places on the strip where you should get rfb for those bets are the Imperial Palace and the Stardust. If you are willing to stay downtown, most places would rfb you as well, except maybe the Golden Nugget.

To get the most out of your comps you should take a ride down to the Gamblers Book Shop and get a copy of Comp City by Max Rubin. He explains exactly how the comp system works and how to take greatest advantage of it

[This message has been edited by Fatui Atata (edited 07-25-2000).]

[Ronbets]

Here is the criterian for crap table comps. Black Jack play is rated similar but higher amounts are needed and differences in game.

Listed in order of importance(with exc.)

#1 First bet.

#2 Average bet at RISK per roll(Dont players get a low rating here).

#3 Buy in.

#4 Time playing.

#5 Does he play prop(sucker) bets? Hardways, Big 6 or 8, field, etc.

Your amount at risk per roll(right player) is the amount they project to beat you per hour. Example, $100 per roll for 10 hours play. They calculate you to lose a dime.

[Mad Jack]

Thanks for the responses.

I guess things haven't changed too much since I was a semi-regular. Aladdin DID give me gourmet and air but that was when they were up for sale and maybe they were giving away a lot more than the norm for back then.

I guess the best strategy would be for me to contact a host and ask what I would expect for a certain amount of play. They'll probably give me the casino rate upfront but rate me and settle up at the end of the trip. That's cool with me.

I wonder; do they keep a person in the computers after 6 or 7 years of NO ACTION?

thanks again!

So Ron- Even though I don't plan playing black on every bet, you think it's a good idea to start off that way? AND, a buy in for 5K is a lot better than buying in for $1000? Interesting to know. thanks!

[Mad Jack]

Underdog,

I'm going to play anyway, so I might as well get whatever they are willing to give me, right?

I just hope this time around I can use some degree of discipline. THAT'S where they got me. I think I CAN this time around

The last time I was out there on the "program", I won 23K the fist 6 hours of play and quit for the night. To make a long story short, 4 days later I had given all that back, lost my entire credit line at Aladdin and Mirage and also increased my limits by 50% and lost that too.

Was NOT a good flight back to Baltimore

thanks!

[Ronbets]

Mad Jack,

Call a host at casino of choice. Tell him you intend to post up 5-10 dimes in casino cage and draw markers off this deposit(also sugg.by krackman). Then ask what can he do for you. Negotiate.

Initially buy in for 1500. Make first bet black. Now play according to decks richness. Remember its average bet for rating. Also, you should still be in their system.

Make your next flight back to BWI a happy one.