Vegas Comp Question

[AlienBoy]

1) Get a players card at every casino you might even stick 25 cents into a slot machine at.

2) Most casinos don't use the players cards for Poker, but some do like Skankosphere and Imperial Palace. But players cards are how you get "into the system" to get freebies and offers.

3) Downtown casinos are generally much more aggressive in comps.


Comps work based as a percentage of the House EV.

Let's say you play blackjack, and the house EV is 1% for the game you play.

Over a period of one hour, you lose $500 total, but the total churn is $12,000 (that is, the total amount won and lost over one hour, all hands combined). This $12,000 is called your "handle".

If the house EV is 1%, then the house assumes that with a handle of $12,000, they made $120. This despite the fact that you lost $500, the house only considers the "theoretical" advantage relative to your HANDLE.

The typical comp is 20% of the theoretical EV - in this case that's 20% of $120, or $24.

Thus the comp value even though you lost $500 is a whopping $24.



Poker does not have this kind of EV for the house - they only get the rake, which is modest compared to other table games. And that rake is generated with 9 players, not one, so the comps are similarly reduced to a very low order.


If you want to stay in LV cheap, stay downtown, or off strip like Sam's Town or Palace Station. Tropicana has specials right now as they are closing soon for a major rehab. Also there's the Frontier if you don't mind an armpit, but it's cheap.

Downtown, Binion's and Freemont are generous with comps just for getting a players card.


Poker related comp expectations at a few places in LV:

Binion's: After 3 hours a play, get a small meal comp for $8
Golden Nugget: After 3 hours a play, get a meal comp for $10
Imperial Palace: Get $3 comp to players card per hour off play.
Stratosphere: Get a meal for 4 hours of play.
MGM: Meal comps, and a $40 reduction in room rate for 5 hours of play.
Luxor: Get a $5 meal discount for 3 hours of play.


NOTE: to get a comp you MUST ASK. they don't just hand them out - squeeky wheel gets the grease.

For more on B&M rooms in LV and comps. see:

http://www.allvegaspoker.com/


AB