Introduction ©2001 Jeff Konrad, All rights reserved.(www.go-gamble.com) Comps are the icing on the cake for the casino player. Casinos love to give comps to gamblers, both to earn their loyalty, and to make them comfortable while they are gambling. This ebook comps guide was written for everyone from the first time casino visitor to the veteran gambler. The aim of this ebook is to help everyone get their share of casino comps.
Simply put, comps are any complimentary (read free) goods and services
provided by the casino for the enjoyment of their patrons. They can range from
free soft drinks on the low end all the way to free luxury suites and private
jet flights to Vegas and Atlantic City on the high end, with everything in
between. They are available to EVERYBODY who gambles at a casino and many comps
are available even if you don't gamble. Every gambler, even the small time
player at the nickel slots can get their share. The quality and quantify of
comps the player receives are dependent upon how much the casino thinks you are
gambling, and where you gamble.
This short guide to comps is directed at the mid to low roller gambler. The
high rollers already know how the comps game works and don't need me to help
them out. What most people don't know is that comps are available to EVERYONE
who gambles at the casino. There is a small army of staff at every casino ready
to look after their needs. What I want to focus on is the comps available to the
rest of us. Even if you risk as little as $20 a session, you are eligible for
comps. Just remember, the casino WANTS to give you comps. They want to make you
feel welcome and comfortable in their establishment. They want you to enjoy
yourself and come back often. Most importantly, the casino wants you to stay put
and keep gambling. That's why they will bring you free drinks. You are at the
casino to have fun. Receive and enjoy your share of comps, trust me you have
earned them.
The short answer is: Everybody get comps. At the lowest level, casinos will
comp anybody who even looks like they are playing at a slot machine, table game,
or a sports book. The comps at this level are free soft drinks in all casinos
and free cocktails in some jurisdictions. You don't need to fill out a form or
even join a slot club to enjoy these freebies. They are also in addition to any
comps you may receive if you are a slot club member. Usually the cocktail
waitress will notice you gambling and ask you if you want a drink. If you accept
these comps, just remember, the drink is free but, you must tip the waitress for
the service. There are two reasons for this. One, if you expect her to come
back, you have to make it worth her while. Second, these people work for minimum
wage, the bulk of their income comes from tips. Just remember, the comps are
free, the service must be compensated by you.
The casinos, since they want to give you comps, make it very easy to get on
the comps bandwagon. All you have to do is JOIN THE SLOT CLUB. Every casino has
a slot club or players club. The casino looks on the players club as one of its
major marketing efforts. The procedure for joining is simple. Just ask any
employee where the player's club booth is. The person manning the booth will
fill out a membership card for you and ask for some photo ID. You will be issued
a credit card sized players card in your name. It is now time to invoke the
first rule of comps, "Obtain an additional players card". Just ask for
one, if the employee balks, tell them that you like to play two machines at
once. Players cards are disposable. They will issue you another one or two just
for asking so don't worry if you lose one.
When you go to a slot machine, insert your card in the card reader, making
sure that the card is accepted. You are now connected to the players club
computer which will start to track your play. All you have to do is go about
your normal play. The reason you got two cards is that many people gamble with a
partner. Give the extra card to your partner and you will rack up double the
amount of points. This is a much better method than both of you joining the
club. There are other reasons for the greedy and unscrupulous to get an extra
card, which I will cover later.
Most casinos combine their table play and slot play onto one card. When you
sit down at a table game just place your player's card on the table along with
your cash when you buy in. The appropriate casino employee will record your
presence and track your play. An entry will be made later in the players club
computer, crediting you with the appropriate amount of points. The two
players/one account trick described above does not work so well for table play.
Casinos print your first and last names on the cards and, if your wife sits down
to play blackjack, the pit boss might be sharp enough to realize that she is not
Arthur Small. You can, however, gamble at the tables yourself, and still have
your wife, or whoever, rack up points for you on the machines.
Collecting your comps is just as easy as earning them. When you are ready to
collect, just go over to the players club booth, present your card, and ask if
you have anything coming. The employee will check your account on the players
club computer and tell you what you are entitled to. If you have a comp coming,
they will issue it on the spot, usually a free buffet, or two, or a credit at a
casino restaurant. Some casinos have prize books that catalog the prizes.
Instead of a price for each comp, the catalog will quote a certain number of
points that are needed, for example 1,000 points for a room or 200 points for a
buffet breakfast. The employee will tell you how many points you have and it is
a simple matter of choosing your comp out of the catalog.
The most technologically advanced casinos have taken a further step and
automated the comps reward procedure. These venues have installed comps kiosks
that look and work just like ATM's. Instead of dollars in a bank account,
however, they are tied into your comps account. You insert your players card,
tap in your PIN and the comp kiosk will tell you what comps your are entitled
to. At that point you can ask for a meal comp of, say $50, and the machine will
print it up for you. Just trundle off to the buffet with your comp and chow
down. There are absolutely no reasons not to join the slot club and use the card at
every opportunity. There are some myths, however that people use for not joining
the club and receiving the benefits.
This is absolutely, positively false. It ranks right up there with the old
wive's tale that the casinos flip a switch to lower the slot machine payouts on
weekends. The RNG on the slot machine (which determines the result of a pull) is
totally separate from the slot club computer. Inserting your slot club card has
no affect on the outcome.
Slot Club Myth #1--Using the slot card affects the
outcome of the slot pull.
This is true but, believe it or not, this fact actually works to your benefit in both cases. You want the casino to track your play. That is how you rack up points towards your comps. As for the government, if you hit a big jackpot, the IRS will be there for their cut. You might want to retrieve a record of your losses to offset the tax bite.
Absolutely correct, you want to go on a mailing list. How else can the casino send you deals for reduced rooms and notify you of special events?
Don't worry about it, they will give you another one, as many as you want. The only thing someone else can do with your slot card is insert it in a machine and rack up more points for you. This is a good thing.
Okay, so you have joined the club, you use your card at the slots and at the
tables. Now, let's increase your points by 200 to 500 per cent. How? Read on.
First the multiple card strategy. This is very basic, if you play two
machines at once, have a card in each machine. If you and your wife (travelling
companion) both gamble, don't get two players accounts. Get one account, and
concentrate all your points in that one. Have your wife play with your extra
card. The same goes if you are travelling with friends or family, get them to
use one of your cards.
Occasionally, even strangers will help you build up points. If you are
playing beside someone who is not using a card, strike up a conversation. Ask
them if you can insert your card in their machine. The worst they can say is no.
A variation of this technique is to simply leave your card in a machine.
Sometimes people will just start to play without noticing.
Besides these methods, the casinos themselves often provide double triple, as
much as 5x slots days to boost their business during slack days and hours.
There is another trend among casinos that could be a great boon to casino players. Harrah's casinos are now issuing and honoring one slot card for ALL their branded properties. In other words, a slot card issued Harrah's Las Vegas can be used at Harrah's Tunica and visa versa. If you travel a lot, and like to gamble around the country, you have to join Harrah's slot club.
Various methods have been advanced for stretching your comps at the tables. These include: betting heavy when the pit boss is looking, taking long rest room breaks etc. I really don't agree with these because it puts the player in the position of gambling just for the comps, a risky and expensive proposition. My advice is simply to make sure they know you are there and that the proper personnel are recording your play.
DO-Play at the right casinos for your style and level of play.
DO-Use use your slot club card at every opportunity and maximize your comps.
DO-Make sure your comps stay active. Some casinos have a six or twelve month comps cycle, that is, if you don't use the slot club card every six or twelve months, you will lose all your points. If you have a favorite casino or a lot of points built up, make sure you know what the cycle is and try to keep those points active.
DO-Ask, ask, ask. If you have any question about any aspect of the slot club reward system, never be afraid to ask the appropriate personnel. This also goes for table games, do not be afraid to ask for 'extra' comps if you have been at a table game for a couple of hours.
DO-Toke at the tables. Toking is part of a successful overall gambling strategy but it also enters into a successful comps campaign. Dealers and pit crew in general will be much more willing to comp a friendly player who is toking them occasionally than a surly player who never tokes.
DO-Join more than one slot club. In fact, many players join the club at every casino they enter. You never know when someone, somewhere will send you a freebie.
DON'T-Be a cheapskate. If you follow this rule you will get as many free drinks at the quarter slots as the big roller at the $5 machine. Remember, the cocktail waitress is basically working for tips. Give her a buck or two the first go around, tell he you will be needing another one soon and you are on your way.
DON'T-Gamble drunk. Gambling while drunk (although real easy to do when the casino is giving you free drinks) is just plain dumb. Don't do it. When you start feeling that your judgement is the least bit impaired, run, don't walk away from the slot machine or get away from the table. On the other hand, having a couple (or ten) complimentary drinks at the casino bar while playing video poker or blackjack at the quarter bar-top Gamemaker is a great way to while away a few hours.
DON'T-Ever don't gamble just for the comps. This rule is self explanatory but you will see people violate it on a daily basis at every casino. Long after it is time to leave people will be routinely pouring more money into the slots, or staying too long at the tables, just to score that "free" buffet. The buffet is only free if the casino gives it to you as a result of the play you were going to give them anyway. If you play just to get the comp you might end up paying hundreds of dollars for a comp worth just a few dollars. toking-at the tables
I will give you some general rules here about where to play to maximize your
comps but you will have to refine the technique to your own particular betting
style and limits. You will obviously want to play where your play is
appreciated, and rewarded. You will find that competition for your business, and
maximum comps return is concentrated where the casinos are forced to compete, in
other words where there are a lot of casinos. Low Rollers-This includes quarter
players and dollar slot players and up to $5 table players. The following
casinos will reward your level of play best: The following casinos are not that interested in quarter players. You better
be prepared to play at least a dollar at the slots and ten or more at the tables
for any comps here: Venetian, Mandalay Bay, Caesars, Bellagio, Alladin, Monte
Carlo, Luxor, Mirage, Treasure Island.
Moving up the slots ladder involves getting to know a slot host, and getting
the host to know you. If you play enough to pass the threshold of dealing with a
host, don't worry, the host will find you. If you are contacted by a host, you
have reached the mother lode. You will be taken care of and, depending on your
level of play, well taken care of.
Even though you presented your card at the table, don't be afraid to ask for
an additional comp after a couple of hours of play. Many times the table
personnel will reward you with a meal comp or two because you have played for a
while, win or lose. This is where toking comes in. If you were friendly with the
dealer, toked once in a while, you stand a much better chance of scoring a comp.
Many times, comps will be offered at the table to a long time (two hour or more)
or a well known player. These comps usually WILL NOT be taken off your point
total with the players club computer. These comps can also be collected even if
you aren't a slot club member.
Destination resorts know that their business is seasonal. Las Vegas slows
down noticeably in December, and in the summer. The casinos still have all their
fixed costs to pay during these slow times and they turn to their players lists
to try and keep their hotels and gambling halls humming. By signing up for the
slot club you put yourself on the casinos mailing list. They are always trying
to fill their hotel and, many times, will send out terrific offers to their slot
club members, trying to entice them back during slack times. These
"comps" will generally take the form of greatly reduced rooms rates,
combined with coupons for free buffets, free aces, matchplay chips, free coin
rolls, free show tickets, scratch tickets, keychains, hats, t-shirts, and on and
on. Another reason to join the slot clubs.
Casinos were generally slow to enter the internet age but now they are doing
so, with a vengeance. Many casinos encourage you to sign their guest book online
or just get on their email list by giving them your email address. Periodically
they will pump out specials deals and offers to their email list. These are
usually not as good as the deals they offer their slot club members, but
sometimes they offer tremendous value.
Finally, casinos sometimes post room specials on their internet sites. This
requires some work, you have to periodically scan your favorite casino's sites
to see if anything has been posted. This may seem time consuming, but, I have
found, and cashed in on virtually free rooms using this method.
Free shows and extravaganzas in Las Vegas are really comps for everybody,
even children. The best things in life sometimes are free. At least in Las
Vegas, some of the best shows and attractions can be enjoyed gratis. Enjoy these
free shows, presented in no particular order.
The Fremont Street Experience tops most lists as one of the premier
free attractions in Las Vegas. Planned as a way to attract people and spruce up
downtown at the same time, it is certainly a unique attraction. The Experience
is a huge, themed sound and light show that takes place on a canopy covering the
pedestrian mall on Fremont Street, downtown Las Vegas. Shows take place on the
hour every night from 8pm until midnight. Take in this show. Where else can you
get a free light show that runs four city blocks, surrounded by casinos?
In a city of superlatives, the
Downtown Las Vegas generally and specifically: The Plaza, Lady Luck, Four
Queens, Golden Gate, Fitzgeralds, Las Vegas Club, Fremont and others. Strip
Casinos: Imperial Palace, Stratosphere, Riviera, Circus Circus, Stardust,
Sahara, Barbary Coast, Harrah's Offstrip Casinos: Arizona Charlie's (Both), all
the Station casinos, Ellis Island, Terribles. Windsor-Detroit: Casino Windsor
has the best slot club in this market, by far.
Comps in the Mail
Comps in your Email
Keep Your Eyes Open
The pirate battle at the front entrance to Treasure Island is a long time Las Vegas favorite. Watch the Royal Navy battle the pirates of Buccaneer Bay right on the Vegas strip. Shows run daily at 4pm, 5:30pm, 7pm, 8:30pm, 10pm, and 11:30pm. Another Las Vegas must see, and the price is certainly right. If you want a great seat, go to the lounge located in the casino just on the Buccaneer Bay shoreline. You can get a ringside table for the price of a few cokes and a order of fries. Get there about an hour before showtime, unfortunately children are barred.
The Mirage has two great free attractions. First is the volcano that erupts periodically to light up the night sky. The other attraction is the rare white tiger habitat. These are among the rarest animals in the world and the only place you can see them is in Las Vegas. Without these free attractions the Mirage itself would certainly rank as a free 'must see'. In many ways this was the resort that started the present themed building frenzy on the strip.
While you are at the Center Strip, stroll over to Caesars Palace and visit the Forum Shops. The exclusive specialty shops of Rodeo Drive, Paris and Milan have been transplanted to Las Vegas. No bargains here but the window shopping is free. Check Caesars out while you are there, it is the original high roller paradise.
Sports fan will enjoy the Las Vegas Club Sports Hall of Fame. This attraction exhibits the largest private collection of sports memorabilia in the world.
Located at the corner of Las Vegas Blvd and Spring Mountain Road (across from the Venetian) the Fashion Show Mall is THE upscale mall in town. Neiman Marcus, Saks, and their elegant cousins stand ready to accept any of your money the casinos didn't get.
Now that you've checked out the expensive stuff, drive south down the strip to the Beltz Outlet Mall. This is billed as the largest outlet mall in the world and, if you get tired of the excesses of Las Vegas gambling, you could certainly spend a day here enjoying the excesses of Las Vegas consumerism. 140 stores at this mall are open for your shopping pleasure seven days a week.
Away from the strip Sam's Town presents a daily "Sunset Stampede" sound and laser show. Like most light shows, this Boulder Strip attraction is best viewed at night. Sam's Town gives patrons good value for their money, a coupon clipper should go here anyway.
New York New York is a city-themed Las Vegas landmark, and pacesetter. The famous Manhattan skyline is reproduced (reduced size of course) as are the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, the harbor, the Coney Island rollercoaster, and many other landmarks. The New York theme is extended to such features as the New York Slot Exchange. This casino proves you can do New York in a day.
Close your eyes and imagine yourself in Venice in the 16th century; the commercial and cultural center of the world at that time. Imagine strolling entertainers, the world's best artisans selling their wares along the canal, and a casino. Well, wonder no more. The Venetian is another entry into the bigger, better Las Vegas sweepstakes. This themed resort includes a Grand Canal, St. Mark's Square, gondolas, and replicas Venetian landmarks such as the Doge's Palace, the Rialto Bridge, the Ca D'Oro and the Campanile Tower. Anytime you get a chance to look at something that cost $1.5 Billion to build (and isn't a government project), take a look. An absolute Las Vegas 'must see'.
Mandalay Bay is a new (1999 opening) casino still searching for its niche. Some of its features are: an 11 acre water park with beach and a wave pool, a Four Season's Hotel contained within the main hotel, and the obligatory numerous bars and restaurants. Las Vegas newest is free for gawkers.
Everybody raves about Bellagio. Steve Wynn's mega-resort is another $1.6 billion playground you can, and should, see for free. Would you spend $10 million for a chandelier and then put it in a casino. Well, that's what they did here in a resort themed after an Italian village on Lake Como. A five story conservatory, upscale shopping arcade, a 10 acre lake, and much more to see in this "must see". Don't bother to bring your kids unless they are registered guests, they won't let them inside.
The Imperial Palace auto collection is nominally a for pay attraction but you should be able to get tickets through their slot club. If not, you can usually promote a coupon or, sometimes the hotel gives away coupons out front. This is one of the best private classic auto collections in the United States.
The Tropicana houses a gambling museum that traces the development of gambling in Nevada from its earliest days. Once again, this is nominally a for pay proposition but you can usually get free passes at the casino.
This is not a free show, but if you work it right, you can get it for free and it's a Vegas 'must see' anyway. The Stratosphere Tower really does tower above Las Vegas and gives an unsurpassed view of the valley. It's usual cost is $6, but, bartenders and other personnel are empowered to give you a VIP card that includes a free pass for two to the tower. Stop by the bar, play some video poker, buy a drink, give them a tip, and ask for a VIP pass to the tower. Once there, you can get another pass for a return trip by purchasing a drink at the Top of the World Bar on the 106th floor.
Paris Casino has become another free Las Vegas 'must see'. You have to be impressed by the exterior architecture, and the attention to detail that permeates this venue. I was particularly impressed by the faux Eiffel tower that rises from the floor of the casino, the Parisien style cobblestone lined shopping/restaurant area, and the staff uniforms. Magnifique!
The MGM Grand is also a free 'must see'. It is the biggest casino hotel in the world and there is always a lounge act rocking and rolling in the main casino just off the entrance from Las Vegas Boulevard. Check out the free show.