+EV to gamble?

[Nate tha\\\' Great]

So for whatever reason I got on a nice comp list for the Harrah's properties, and I get offers in the mail literally every week for free room nights, etc. This is presumably because I dropped about $2K playing blackjack there last year after busting out of one of the World Series events. I'm finally taking advantage by heading out to the Rio for four nights later this month.

Is it +EV to log some hours playing blackjack or other table games while I'm there? Am I going to get scrubbed from the comp list if I just play poker?

Sorry for the stupid question,
Nate

[mingorama]

Never +EV. Those who get plenty of comps have, in all likelihood, paid for whatever they're being comped several times over. And while Harrah's and MGM are fighting for loyal customers with their offers, just playing poker doesn't get you much in the way of player points.

[Nate tha\\\' Great]

[ QUOTE ]
Never +EV. Those who get plenty of comps have, in all likelihood, paid for whatever they're being comped several times over. And while Harrah's and MGM are fighting for loyal customers with their offers, just playing poker doesn't get you much in the way of player points.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's what's weird about it -- I've given them very little action, just this one blackjack session plus three buy-ins into the smaller WSOP events between the past couple years.

[Mike Gallo]

That's what's weird about it -- I've given them very little action, just this one blackjack session plus three buy-ins into the smaller WSOP events between the past couple years

Just curious, what average bet size did you make when you played the black jack?

Even though you dropped $2000 if you had the potential to drop $10,000 they will give you enough rope to hang yourself.

[Nate tha\\\' Great]

[ QUOTE ]
That's what's weird about it -- I've given them very little action, just this one blackjack session plus three buy-ins into the smaller WSOP events between the past couple years

Just curious, what average bet size did you make when you played the black jack?

Even though you dropped $2000 if you had the potential to drop $10,000 they will give you enough rope to hang yourself.

[/ QUOTE ]

Average bet was probably $100, max was like $200 or $225. It was a good group of people at the table and I played forever, like for five hours or something and had probably 6-8 drinks during that time.

[Mike Gallo]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
That's what's weird about it -- I've given them very little action, just this one blackjack session plus three buy-ins into the smaller WSOP events between the past couple years

Just curious, what average bet size did you make when you played the black jack?

Even though you dropped $2000 if you had the potential to drop $10,000 they will give you enough rope to hang yourself.

[/ QUOTE ]

Average bet was probably $100, max was like $200 or $225. It was a good group of people at the table and I played forever, like for five hours or something and had probably 6-8 drinks during that time.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think that explains it. You lost $400 an hour. To balla fellows such as yourself that does not seem like that much. You wipe your butt with that money. However, to the average Las Vegas gambler, not the super balla playas but the average Joe America thats a pretty significant sum of money to gamble.

[fishyak]

I'd bet (total speculation) that you stay on the free offer list for at least this year, probably two years and possibly longer.

I know it's EV- but my wife loves penny slots and she gets free room offers whose value really exceeds her losses. My job is to win back her losses. But remember, she ENJOYS the slots. Do you LIKE Blackjack? Craps? If so, have some fun, but be sure to have your player's club card out there to get credit for that fun, too. It's is really nice to arrive at the hotel and hear: "The casino has comped your room, sir."

[bav]

Aren't you kinda answering your own question in your original description? You lost $2000 playing BJ. Harrah's is offering you free rooms which cost them effectively 0 and at best are worth like $600 or so to you. Doesn't sound +EV to me.

I suspect if you show up for 4 days and play $100/hand BJ again for 5 hours, they'll still like you and you'll get more offers.

[Ryno]

Harrah's is notoriously stingy with blackjack comps, surprised you got anything.

That said, you generally get the best offers after your first visit because they want to see if you are a nice, reliable loser they can count on if they can get you to stay there. When you take an offer and stiff them you get maybe one more shot at a free room, then that's it.

(Note this is based on a combination of personal experience and heresay that is a couple of years old.)

[Clover362]

This post hints at a way to make blackjack a +EV game. It is relatively easy to make the house edge at blackjack really really small. If you do this and play at a high level you can take advantage of the comp system to more then make up the amount you lose at the tables.