Casino Asking For Comp
Meeting a casino host is not difficult. You can talk to a host on the phone before you check into a casino or you can meet them once you are there. If you are planning to stay at a new casino you should call and ask to speak to a casino host before making your reservations. Aug 29, 2014 Comp City is a practical, logical, factual - and hysterical - guide to bluffing your way into all-expenses-paid hedonism.New Orleans Times Picayune Rubin is a comp wizard with an insider's knowledge of the casino industry, and he plays angles that have never even dawned on the rest of us. Steve Bourie, author of the American Casino Guide, interviews gambling author/expert Jean Scott, who is known as 'The Queen of Comps,' for details on how to take advantage of the casino comping. How to Get Free Rooms at Casinos. Asking that they not be charged for their rooms because they intend to wager next week’s paychecks at the poker tables. American Casino.
Free Stuff! -- Casino Comps
Originally published 2006, revised 11/2010
'Comp' is short for 'complementary' and it means anything free or reduced price that a casino gives you. It's a marketing tactic, like 'buy one get one free' at the grocery store. If you're parking your RV overnight at the casino you already have one comp -- the free parking -- and it didn't cost you anything on your comp account!
What kinds of comps can you expect?
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At a minimum, anyone playing a casino game (in Nevada and most other states) can expect free drinks, including soft drinks, beer, wine, mixed drinks, coffee, hot chocolate, even milkshakes in some places. Pretty much anything the bar can make you can have free while you're gambling.
Of course, you do need to tip the cocktail waitress or bartender. They work hard, and work for tips, so I recommend the following:
Tipping for Cocktails
Normal good service $1 each drink. Excellent service, $2 each drink. If you're somewhat of a high roller and you'd really like special treatment from the cocktail staff tip $5 up front when you order each drink.
Check out www.cocktaildoll.com. You'll learn the inside story of what it's like to cocktail at a casino. Many of her stories will have you rolling on the floor laughing!
Beyond free drinks the sky is the limit for comps, it all depends on how much you play.
Low Rollers can expect free or reduced price buffet meals, reduced price rooms, some other limited comps.
Average players can expect the same, plus free rooms and/or upgrade to suites, nicer restaurant comps, show tickets, special invitations.
If you're a High Roller, you'll get what's called RFB. That stands for Room, Food and Beverage. You'll also get free show tickets, rounds of golf, airfare to visit the casino, cruises, celebrity social events, etc.
How do you get additional comps?
There are several ways to receive comps, but the primary two are through marketing, and by asking for them at the casino.
Marketing Comps:
After you visit a casino and play some you'll start receiving marketing in the mail. Usually this will include coupons that you can redeem at the casino for free buffets, free room (or reduced price), free spa visits, show tickets, etc. You may also get what's called 'bounce back cash' or 'free play'. Bounce back cash is a coupon that you exchange for cash at the casino. Free play is a coupon for a dollar amount of free play on slots or video poker machines. Both are great. Cash is nice, but you usually get less cash and more free play.
A typical quarter video poker player who plays 4 to 6 hours a day for a long weekend might get between $25 and $50 in free play for the next trip. If you play a lot longer you might get more. If you play at the Dollar level you might get $100 to $300, and so on.
Comps you ask for
One thing to remember in a casino is to ASK for a comp, because you'll rarely get it unless you ask!
Playing Table Games: If you play blackjack, craps, or other table games you'll usually get your comps from the Pit Boss. How much you get depends on three things:
Your level of play -- how much you're wagering
How long you have played
What casino you're at, how upscale it is, and their comp policy
The basic version is this. Sit down and play for a few hours. When dinner time comes, tell the dealer; 'I'd like to color up, and could you ask the boss if I can get a dinner comped?' The pit boss will check your play, and will tell you if you can have a comp or not. If not, ask what level of play is typically required for a couple of buffets or a trip to the coffee shop or whatever it is you'd like.
Special Note for RV Travelers
Comp 'status' is a different game for Locals than for Vacationers. As an RV traveler, sometimes you're like a Local and sometimes like a Vacationer. If you care about comps it's important to recognize which you are 'now'.
Vacationer
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If you're just visiting for a few days, and will be moving on, then you're more like a vacationer. If you'd like to get a room comp next time you're in town (maybe for friends to join you for a vacation) or to use in the casino RV park, then you're like a vacationer.
If you're a Vacationer, you care about getting the free room comp, and about achieving the highest status you can on the way to being RFB. The path to high status as a vacationer is daily average play. The casino knows you'll only be in town a short time, so they want to know how much action you'll give them on your next trip.
Here's how you get the highest possible rating as a vacationer:
Read Gambling 101, and pick casinos that offer good games. Never 'play for comps', they're just a bonus
Play at casinos that want your business.
For a given gambling budget, one casino may lavish you and another may ignore you.
Do some research, and find out which casinos will give you the best comps for YOUR level of play. For Las Vegas, join the Las Vegas Advisor and visit their online forum. Worth many times the cost of membership. If you visit casinos in the Midwest check out www.midwestgamingandtravel.com
Give all your play for the trip to ONE casino. This will give you a high daily average.
Talk to a host, or slot club supervisor, and find out what time the casino 'day' begins and ends for tracking play. Often this is midnight but not always.
Your daily average is '$ divided by days'. So if you give the casino $20k of action over 3 days your average is $6,666, but if you spread it over 4 days your average is $5,000. Big difference.
Time your play to avoid messing up your average.
At the end of your trip, talk to a Host. Ask them to take a look at your play and tell you what you'd qualify for on your next trip.
Some times it takes 2 or 3 trips to become 'established' at a casino, but sometimes one visit is sufficient.
Be prepared to tell the host what you'd like to have if they ask (room, buffets, RFB).
Local
Best Casinos For Comps
If you'll be in the area for a month or more - maybe for a whole season - then you can play like a local. For local players, casinos don't care so much about your daily average but about your total action. You also have time to take advantage of promotions that may be going on (like those free car drawings that you 'must be present to win').
Here's how you get the best comps as a local:
First two points are same as for a vacationer above.
Don't worry about daily averages. When you're playing for a month or more it's your total action that matters.
Find out what papers run the casino specials and promotions and become aware of them all. Get on casino's email lists so they'll tell you. Seek out casinos that are offering promotions where you have an advantage.
Be aware of any 'tier' systems that reward you for reaching particular levels of play. These often have names like Gold, Platinum, Diamond, etc. If achieving the next tier has enough value for you give all your play to that one casino until you reach the level you desire, then it's OK to move around some.
Ask the casino a few days before you leave how close you are to the next tier. You may be only a few hundred points off, but if you wait a year you may have to start over.
Here's a more detailed explanation of how casinos figure comps.
Warning: This may put some of you to sleep. We're going to do math..
You're playing green chips ($25 a bet) and you've been at the blackjack table about 4 hours. If you're in downtown Las Vegas (except maybe the Golden Nugget) you can easily ask for some buffets, or probably a nice restaurant comp with a limit on spending. If you're on the strip at Bellagio, Wynn, City Center, etc. you probably qualify for another cocktail.
Next time, you're playing black chips ($100 a bet). Now you can probably get an open comp for two at a gourmet downtown restaurant. At the Bellagio, Wynn, Mirage, etc. you'll get a couple of buffets (and they're really good buffets!) Some strip properties are trying harder during the bad economy and you might get more.
Getting to know Theo
Who is Theo, and why should you get to know him? Theo stands for 'Theoretical Loss'. (Note, this is the 'technical stuff' folks, so fair warning).
Theo is the dollar amount you are expected to lose playing a particular game, at a particular rate, for a specific time. The formula is Vig x Your Average Bet x Hands Per Hour x Hours Played. It is used to compute how much you can receive in casino comps.
Let's say you're playing a game with a 1.5% average casino vig. The actual Vig (house advantage) with expert play may be 1%, but they usually do these figures based on the average, so if you have some skill you come out ahead! Now lets say you play at the level of $25 a hand, and play 40 hands per hour. That's .015 x 25 x 40 = $15.00. Now let's say you play for 4 hours. Statistically, your loss should be $60 for that four hours of play. That's your Theo.
Casinos have a standard for what percentage of your Theo you can be comped. Sometimes the pit boss has discretion, and will take into consideration a really bad losing session. Comping at 40% of Theo is typical. So in the example above you now have about $24 in 'compability'. You ask for a couple of $15 buffets, and the pit boss throws you a bone and writes you the comp for $30.
But let's dissect this comp, what's it really worth?
Most of the comps you receive will be what are known as 'soft comps'. The casino didn't spend $30 cash to give you those two $15 buffet tickets. It may have only cost the casino $4 to serve your meals. To YOU, it's still worth $30 (unless you'd prefer to eat a cold ham sandwich in your room). The same principal goes for those $8 mixed drinks you got for free, and that $150 a night room.
'Hard comps' are a completely different thing. Most of the time you need to be a high roller to get them. Let's say you're playing at the Rio, and you tell the host you'd really love tickets to see Zumanity (the Cirque Du Soleil show at NYNY). Those tickets are 'hard comps' because the Rio has to pay hard cash for them. So unless you're a real high roller forget it.
What should you remember from all this?
If nothing else remember this; 'Ask for comps'. Be aware of what you can get from the casino to offset your losses (or add to your winnings!)
Resources on the web
Places I've found for researching casino comp systems and asking questions about specific casinos:
The Frugal Gambler, More Frugal Gambling books by Jean Scott http://queenofcomps.com
Casino Comps Yahoo! Group (Free) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/casino_comps/
Las Vegas Advisor ($39/yr, but with an excellent coupon book) www.lasvegasadvisor.com
- Midwest Gaming and Travelwww.midwestgamingandtravel.com
In the context of casinos, comps are complimentary items and services given out by casinos to encourage players to gamble.[1] The amount and quality of comps that a player is given usually depends on a combination of factors: what game(s) they play, how much they bet, and how long they play.
Most casinos have casino hosts who are responsible for giving out free items and contacting players to bring them back to the casino. Pit bosses can also award comps at table games. Most casinos now urge players to obtain a player's club or similar card, so that their play can be tracked and comps awarded.[1]
Levels[edit]
The lowest level of comp available at most casinos is free alcohol and other beverages. Many casinos provide free drinks to anyone who is gambling.[1]
The second level of comp that many players earn is free self-parking, lounge access, or free meals. Many casinos have several players lounges and restaurants, and may require more play to earn a comp to higher-end restaurants. Often the player is given a certain amount to spend, but sometimes, particularly with high rollers, the player may be given the right to order as much food as they want and to bring guests.[citation needed]
The next level of comps is usually free hotel rooms, free valet parking, and free access to more exclusive VIP or 'high roller' lounges. Many casinos have attached hotels, but those that do not may have the ability to comp rooms to a hotel nearby.[citation needed] Many casino hotels have higher quality rooms, such as suites, villas, presidential suites, and so on for bigger bettors or VIP guests. Many players who receive hotel rooms receive a package called 'RFB' (for 'room, food, and beverage') or 'RF' (for 'room and food') for smaller bettors, or in jurisdictions where casinos are not allowed to give free alcohol.[citation needed]
Many casinos also offer other comps, especially to high rollers. These may include airfare reimbursement, limo rides, tickets to shows, golf, free concierge services, cash back, money to show up in the casino, loss rebates, private gaming areas, and private jet service.[2]
Casinos also frequently offer players comps by mail or email, or in casino apps. These may be free bet offers, free meals, discounted or free rooms, or entries into tournaments or prize drawings.[3]
Some casinos contract with bus companies to bring players in. Riders often enjoy free slot play, dining coupons, and other benefits, often worth as much as the bus fare itself.[4]
Calculation[edit]
Technically, every player may be offered comps, but most casinos require players to have played for a given period of time and play at a certain level, i.e., the duration of play and amount wagered are directly proportional to the level of expected comps. What games are played are also factors.[5] Casinos award comps based on a player's Average Daily Theoretical loss, also known as ADT, theoretical loss, or 'theo' for short. The theoretical loss is the amount of money a player is expected to lose based on the long run statistical advantage the casino has on the particular game being played.[6][7]
Theoretical loss algorithms differ somewhat among casinos,[8][9] but in general, the logic behind the calculation is as follows:
- Theoretical Loss = (Casino Advantage) × (Total Wager)[citation needed]
Hustling[edit]
Players known as 'comp counters', 'comp hustlers', or 'comp wizards'[10] attempt to maximize the amount of comps they receive while minimizing their expected gambling losses.[11][12] Comp hustlers play games with a low house advantage, such as blackjack or video poker, or games with small bet sizes, such as penny slots. Comp hustlers may use tactics such as placing large bets when a pit boss is checking their bet size to rate them for comps, and then moving to a smaller bet size when the boss is not watching. They may also take frequent breaks from playing, play at full tables to be dealt fewer hands per hour, and play more slowly.[11] Comp hustling is a type of advantage gambling if the player is able to hustle more in comps than their average cost of gambling.[13] And the author of 'How to Get a Dollar in Casino Comps for Every Dime You Lose Gambling', in their summary of key takeaways from Max Rubin's book, Comp City,[14] observes: 'The next step up from being a comp wizard is to become a comp counter. These players have specific knowledge and skills that enable them to combine a low house edge with comps in order to profit.' Another step up are practitioners of 'ACES (Advanced Comp Earning System). People practicing this kind of system earn a dollar's worth of comps for every dime they lose gambling.'[15]
How To Get Casino Comps
Online[edit]
Online casinos, poker rooms, and sportsbooks offer a variety of bonuses that are similar to brick and mortar casino comps. Also similarly, comp hustlers and advantage players can use these bonuses to turn a profit via bonus hunting, or can convert these comps to a guaranteed profit using the technique of matched betting.
Many online casino operators are aware of the potential for losing money while giving out bonuses. As such, there is often a minimum wagering requirement for cashing out.
Some casinos will limit the payout in case of a win. Also, they may restrict players from playing certain games, often those games with a low house advantage. And, they may require players to bet the bonus amount multiple times before being able to cash out. For example, a casino may require a player to bet the bonus amount 50 times before being able to cash out. So, for a $100 bonus, a player would have to bet $5,000 before being able to cash out. Therefore, it is advantageous for players to check the wagering requirements of a bonus. [16]All bonuses have a turnover requirement. This means that placing a certain number of wagers, such as turnover 5x, means wagering 5 times the bonus. Most online casinos distinguish two types of bonuses: a no deposit bonus and a deposit bonus. First one does not require from a user to make a deposit at a casino in order to start playing. A deposit bonus requires from a user to make a deposit of certain amount of funds to start playing at the casino. Both of these type bonuses apply to terms and conditions of turnover requirements. [17]
References[edit]
- ^ abc'Keeping Customers Happy in Casinos'. ABCNews. November 1, 2007.
- ^'Cashback Casino Bonuses'. Best Online Casino Offers.
- ^Grochowski, John (17 June 2003). 'Comps - The Basics'. Casino City Times.
- ^Moro, Marianne (Leaf Group). 'Travel Tips: Atlantic City Casino Tours'. USA Today.
- ^'THE EXPERTS GUIDE TO COMPS'. www.smartgaming.com. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
- ^'CASINO COMPS & YOUR 'AVERAGE DAILY THEORETICAL''. N.E. Time Gambling. August 10, 2016.
- ^Coach Kitty. 'Gambling: Casino THEO: It's All About the Theo'. TravelZork.
- ^Scoblete, Frank. 'Getting the Most from Your Slot Play: Points, Bounceback, Mail Offers and Good Machines'. CasinoCenter.com. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
- ^Coach Kitty (April 19, 2017). 'Caesars Total Rewards Part 4: Generating Casino Offers (Marketing OFfers)'. TravelZork.
- ^Stevens, Michael (June 10, 2018). 'How Comps Work In Gambling (And How to Make Them Work for You)'. GamblingSites.org.
- ^ abRubin, Max (June 2001). Comp City. Huntington Press. ISBN978-0-929712-36-9.
- ^Scott, Jean (July 2005). The Frugal Gambler. Huntington Press. ISBN978-0-929712-40-6.
- ^'Comp Hustling'. Casinopedia. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
- ^Rubin, Max. Comp City.
- ^Rubin, Max. 'How to Get a Dollar in Casino Comps for Every Dime You Lose Gambling'. Gamblingsitesonline.org.
- ^'Casino bonuses'. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
- ^'No Deposit Bonus'. Retrieved 2019-05-24.