Why target mid-high limit players?

[VORP]

I’m starting this thread in response to the question some people were asking in TT’s thread; the question of why a room would want to target mid-high limit players at all. The downside to these players is that they are higher maintenance. They ask for more comps and complain more in general that other players and they don’t really generate significantly more rake to offset this. So why would a room want them? I have a couple ideas.
The first reason it’s worth their effort is that each high limit player you can the patronage of is far more valuable than 2/4 tourist. I’d guess that over half of the people playing 30/60 in town at any given time are locals, many of whom play multiple times a week. Getting just one of these players in to your room twice a week instead of the Bellagio will add up to a lot of rake over the course of a year.
Added to this is the fact that this is a group you can actually target, much more so than the smaller tourist games. Most 2/4 players are tourists and the vast majority of them are simply going to go to the nearest room. The ones that are more interested in exploring the different rooms in town and will likely hit up a number of different places, so just having a busy room should get the attention of the latter.
So those are my basic thoughts. A room like the Wynn is going to fill its lower section just by virtue of having a nice room in a large casino. The upper section, however, is not going to fill itself. Making an effort to get those players can increase a rooms volume by more than just marketing itself as a low limit room.

[AngusThermopyle]

While waiting for a 30/60, the players will sit in a 15/30 or 20/40.
A 15/30 player might want the choice to "play higher".
So a consistent, healthy 30/60 will help the limits below it.
Whether going out of their way to cater to 30/60 players is actually +EV for the casino is the question.

[that_pope]

The one reason is what you pointed out. These players are the ones who play a TON of poker, and will play for hours on end, not leave after losing $100 and go do something else to pass the time. To keep a 30/60 game going for 8-10 hours takes about 15 players total (rough estimate). To keep a 2/4 game going for 8-10 hours, there may have been upwards of 40 to 50 different people at the table in that time frame, many who you will never see again.

Another reason is the people playing these limits take money a little less seriously for the most part. They are more likely to place larger sports bets, larger craps, etc. While you might not be able to prove that the higher players loose more on table games, how much has Bellagio generated from an Ivey craps session...

Also, the people at these limits know others who play that limit. So getting a few in the door and keeping them there will help word of mouth spread to their common opponents.

[Jeffage]

High limit players are typically regulars that pay a lot of time in the course of a year. Also, many high rollers in the pit like to play high stakes poker as well and if the casino poker room tops off at 10-20, they might take their pit action elsewhere. Many high limit players are also degenerate gamblers who bet sports, horses and may go on pit benders if poker isn't working out well. They have more money on them than the average visitor and can often go off for a lot. Also, the spouses/families/friends of these players sometimes play $1 slots or whatever to pass the time while their husbands play poker for 10 hrs. Or they go to the spa, eat at fancy restaurants, etc.

Jeff

[redfisher]

Obviously bigger limit poker players have move cash to throw around if the choose to play other games. Getting somebody in the door who gambles and has money is one of the toughest things in Vegas. Less than 10% of Strip walkthrough business gambles.

From a poker room perspective, mid-high and high limit games make your room "cool". Bellagio has a huge line for 4/8 LHE, treats you like crap, and jams you in like sardines. People take it because the big games are there. Playing at Bally's or the Flamingo just isn't as "cool", even though it has the games that 95% of poker players want and actually appreciates the business.