ask trying2learn about casino player ratings & the host position

[Rottersod]

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about how much do you make?

are you allowed to accept tips (i had a host in a reno casino who wasnt allowed to take tips, so i had to sneak it to him - i think he mightve even got fired for taking tips from me, long story...)?

ive actually thougth about trying to be a casino host - what sort of advice do you have to get my foot in the door? ill be moving to vegas in a few months. i have a college degree (english BA from UC Berkeley) and i can chat it up with the best of them.

also, what sort of advancement is available to a host? how far up can a host go?

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i currently make 65k/year and i'm allowed to accept tips. it differs at different places...i'm not surprised there are places you cannot accept them. however, i find it hard to believe that your host got canned for taking your tip...there's almost always something else at play...but who knows?


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Is 65k/yr a good salary for Vegas? I'm assuming that most casino employees gamble too (and lose, just like almost everyone else in the long run) so would 65k/yr be good enough to pay the bills and play the fhills?

[trying2learn]

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how do casino rates compare with poker rates?

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to be honest - i've never been at a spot with poker rates. i know wynn & bellagio have them, i would assume (but don't hold me to this) that they are fairly comprable...however if one is lower - it would be the casino rate. casino marketing (which is kinda like the A-list sales team of the business) has always looked down on poker. (this is odd for me, because i'm such an avid player and student of the game...but anyway).

poker is like a low level bank of slots...as long as someone is sitting there...it's great for the house, because there is no chance the house loses.

However, there is also no chance that someone goes on a huge chasing streak and blows a large amount their either...it's a fixed rate for the house.

it's a drop in the bucket compared to the high end rooms and $25 bank video poker machines for example.

[trying2learn]

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T2L,
Thanks for this thread. It's really interesting hearing from the host point of view. We are comped at several properties, (Mandalay, Aladdin, MGM, Green Valley), and I've noticed that Silverton seems to have good musical acts and have been interested in seeing what it's like.
What table games do you guys have there? Aside from poker I have to admit that I get sucked into some of the carnival games at times....that new WPT Texas Hold em, and Crazy 4 Poker - our other game is craps.
What's it like in there?
TIA

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Silverton is great for what I call B- to C+ level talent. Our largest deal is with Hootie & The Blowfish, they play here four times a year. After that we have acts who play here regularly like; Three Dog Night, Cheap Trick, Steppenwolf, Eddie Money, 38 Special, Twisted Sister, Rick Springfield, Gin Blossoms, Sheena Easton, KC & The Sunshine Band, The Commodores, etc, etc...

Some people think the shows are amazing, because it's kindof a small room and so they're intimate. Others think it's hilarious, because they are def nitch market type acts...they sell out often, but it's the same group of people who come every time. It is what it is.

Our craps games are great because they're 10x odds...we pulled out Crazy 4 Poker last week actually...don't know if it was because of lack of action or some other reason...that's an operations thing. We don't have the WPT either. We have three card poker, lots of pai gow, and a new one they just put in called Boston 5 Stud Poker...no idea what that is or how it's played yet. That in addition to BJ (single, double, and full shoe), Dice, Roulette, and Mini-Baccarat.

As far as what it's like...it's either perfect for you...or it's the opposite. It's really quiet and cozy, but at the same time...we don't have a night club - ya know? There's a great steakhouse that's won awards, and two really cool bars. The poker room is beautiful...but it's also very small. After the expansion I expect it will be one of the best rooms in town for low limit games, but that's a bit of a ways off.

[trying2learn]

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So... how does a host get paid? Are you salaried? Some sort of commission? Both? Is there a direct benefit to you to bring in some big money other than points on your performance review? Does it matter to your boss if you bring in $100k from one guy or from 4 guys? From 10 guys?

How proactive are you about bringing people in? Is it mostly you get lucky being the guy who gets the phone call and then from there it's just about keeping him, or are you actively looking for people to come to Vegas? Is it luck of the draw when someone calls in, or is it assigned? Maybe your boss or a receptionist or something gets a guy looking for a host and they assign him to who they think should get him - they make sure the better host gets the bigger money player?

How many players do you have? Are there all kinds of hosts at the casino, or is it like 4 or 5 guys? How many players do you each typically have?

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Casino Hosts are salaried. There are bonus structures of course, but not commission. However, the real money (talking large 6 figures) often happens when hosts go the route of Independant Reps. This is what I like to compare to almost being a sports agent. See, the players are like the athletes at this point of the game. If a host has enough high end players (whales), then he/she can go independant and set up contracts with individual casinos...but not really work for any of them. Then the Rep gets paid a commission off of what the player plays when they stay there. This is what Steve Cyr (who I mentioned earlier) is now.

As far as the way numbers are brought in...it's not dependant on how many people you bring in...but obviously the number most closely looked at in my field is New Business. If you bring in a guest that was going to stay somewhere else if not for you...that's the key.

There are many ways people get players in...I'm a hustler...in fact, I'm a bit surprised I haven't used this avenue (2+2) a little more aggressively...but I actually have my hands full as it is.

'Lists' of players are all over the place. Off the record...no one shares or sells them, but hosts are always looking for leads. It's a sales position...watch Glen Gary Glenross, Wall Street, Boiler Room, these are all flicks that in some ways relate in part to casino marketing.

But everything you said is also true...sometimes it's luck of the draw...I knew a host at Paris who got a generic operator call while he was on break and so he passed it to another host. That player turned out to be a 500k credit line guy...happens.

I have a couple different groups I consider my players. 50 close ones...guys I talk to when they're not just coming to town. Then a group of about 300 others who are 'coded' to me. This means...I get credit for their action and it goes to my numbers. Some of them I help a lot...others are self-sufficient and I rarely speak with them.

We have 3 hosts at this casino. At Paris I was one of about 45.

[trying2learn]

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What about a group of people? When I head to Vegas, it's typically with 3-8 guys or so. What's the best plan if we're fine with sharing a room (since we're hardly going to be there)?

Would it all depend on the single highest rated player, or is it an aggregate? Would we get treated differently if one player was playing $50/hand BJ for 8 hours versus 4 guys playing $50/hand BJ for 2 hours each? How would this change as the makeup of the group changes from visit to visit?

Also, what about couples? Do they get rated together or seperately?

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This is a question that is HUGELY dependant on the host you get. It can be a real pain to sit and combine all of the different action together to show why you're comping a room...I would guess at a high level place it'll be hard for you to find a host willing to do it.

At a smaller joint, action is action. If you have 8 guys in two rooms (less rooms than that is a bit silly), and 6 of them have play...then you can combine them. Couples often have accounts that are linked or "spoused"...this shows the play together - which is nice.

Some couples of course, don't like this...because one doesn't know how much the other actually plays. This is much more common than you may think also.

[trying2learn]

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about how much do you make?

are you allowed to accept tips (i had a host in a reno casino who wasnt allowed to take tips, so i had to sneak it to him - i think he mightve even got fired for taking tips from me, long story...)?

ive actually thougth about trying to be a casino host - what sort of advice do you have to get my foot in the door? ill be moving to vegas in a few months. i have a college degree (english BA from UC Berkeley) and i can chat it up with the best of them.

also, what sort of advancement is available to a host? how far up can a host go?

[/ QUOTE ]

i currently make 65k/year and i'm allowed to accept tips. it differs at different places...i'm not surprised there are places you cannot accept them. however, i find it hard to believe that your host got canned for taking your tip...there's almost always something else at play...but who knows?


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Is 65k/yr a good salary for Vegas? I'm assuming that most casino employees gamble too (and lose, just like almost everyone else in the long run) so would 65k/yr be good enough to pay the bills and play the fhills?

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What's a good amount to live on is relative I suppose. I made 50k/year parking cars, and had to take a pay cut to get started in this...but that was a ceiling job.

I'm married and my wife is a teacher, so combined we still don't make 100k/year yet (actually with my tips & bonus we do), but anyway...we do just fine.

I've lived in Vegas for 12 years now...and before that I wasn't exactly in the housing market...but from what I hear, cost of living is at least a little bit less than it is in most places. We own a home, and are comfortable.

There are cocktail waitresses at many properties who probably would laugh at my salary...it's an odd town.

[trying2learn]

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Is 65k/yr a good salary for Vegas? I'm assuming that most casino employees gamble too (and lose, just like almost everyone else in the long run) so would 65k/yr be good enough to pay the bills and play the fhills?

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oh...and as far as gambling in this town...yes, many many locals do it. i would check yourself early if you move here though...because it outright burries some people.

i actually do not gamble...aside from hold 'em and omaha. luckiliy, i turned a small profit from my hobby last year...but i know many locals who lose, and lose often.

[Rottersod]

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Is 65k/yr a good salary for Vegas? I'm assuming that most casino employees gamble too (and lose, just like almost everyone else in the long run) so would 65k/yr be good enough to pay the bills and play the fhills?

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oh...and as far as gambling in this town...yes, many many locals do it. i would check yourself early if you move here though...because it outright burries some people.

i actually do not gamble...aside from hold 'em and omaha. luckiliy, i turned a small profit from my hobby last year...but i know many locals who lose, and lose often.

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Thanks for your replies and for starting this thread. It's really interesting to hear about it from an insiders perspective. I used to hit Vegas about 4 times a year back in the late 80's - mid 90's. I'd stay at the DI and Frank always RFB'd me because I was a $100/hand average. Sometimes I'd hit $500/hand if things were going well. I loved the DI back when it was small and intimate. When they built the tower that was the beginning of the end.

After a while I just stopped going there and concentrated on HE (back when limit was the only game), and Pan9 here at The Bike and now I'm strictly a NLHE player. For some reason Vegas doesn't hold as much attraction for me anymore. I think it's because the huge mega-casino's are so impersonal.

[Caldarooni]

T2L,

I opened a credit line at the WYnn last year and played a little BJ during the WSOP. I bet about $200 a hand but didnt play for more than a few hours.

In Dec, I received a free suite and 1k towards food and drink. My GF and I went and lived like kings (the suite was very realworld esq.) but I didnt play any table games.

Did I [censored] myself for the future or can I remedy this situation? I could adjust to the Wynn suite life.

-Calda

[trying2learn]

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For some reason Vegas doesn't hold as much attraction for me anymore. I think it's because the huge mega-casino's are so impersonal.

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The final monologue that Bob DeNiro gives at the end of Casino sums up everything you're saying here...and I agree fully. The casino's just aren't the same...I def feel like I missed the 'cool' window of vegas.

That said...I feel I've got a small piece of it with this little casino. I report to my Vice President, who reports to the President, who reports to the owner. I prefer this arrangement over the 'corporation set up' by a wide margin.

I've wondered over the last year if I can comfortably go back to the 'strip game'.