Casino Comps Part 2

Even if you don't gamble much, I cannot underscore the importance of fostering a relationship with a casino host. Although some property chains, like MGM/Mirage (MLife) and Caesar's (Total Rewards), have great point systems that allow you to build and use your own comps as desired, many properties still do it the "old-fashioned" way. They can book stays for you, get you into VIP events, get you show tickets, etc. BUT, there are other ways to get comps.

First of all, never leave a table game without talking to the pit boss (the guy in the suit). Especially in cases where you played a long time (even if you ended up winning) or took a big loss (no matter how long you were there), the pit boss can usually comp you a nice dinner at one of the casino restaurants. They may be able get you a current running promotion without having to get a certain amount of slot points. For instance, I was at the craps table one day and I was given a voucher for a set of holiday plates that required I earn 300 points in the slot machine. Instead of throwing a $20 (or more depending on what amount of dollars equals points) into the slot machine, I just asked to pit boss at the craps table and he gave me a voucher based on my play, and YAY! I got my beautiful holiday dishes.

While a casino host can often seem to be a genie in a bottle, beware. You can't get everything you want, even if you feel like you deserve it based on your play. Sometimes they use fuzzy logic... e.g., we can't comp your dinner during your stay because we already comped your 2 free hotel nights and therefore you didn't earn any more. Huh? I thought you gave us the promotion for 2 free nights based on previous play? No? Also, if you go to the host at the beginning on your trip, they will often encourage you to charge you food to the room, and they will "see" what they can take off of your bill at the end of the stay based on your play. This is, excuse my french, absolute bullshit. So, my advice is if you are staying at the resort, not to just liberally charge to the room hoping for a magical comp at the end. Spend what you spend, and don't expect anything to get comped (unless you were given a certain amount of "resort credit" or food comps with your stay).

If you aren't staying at the particular resort (or that chain) and you'd like a free meal after your craps or blackjack session, talk to the pitboss. The only thing the pitboss can't usually do is grant you a hotel night. But, by making use of your pitboss and your casino host, you can get lots of freebies. Just don't be afraid to ask!

Good luck!