Casino Hosts

Am I selling myself short by not finding or requesting a casino host? I just completed my third trip to Vegas and I expect to go back out at every year (worst case, every other). I'd consider myself a low-medium roller (I'm sure that description is debatable). Last trip I gambled away about $1500 over three days and typically are playing $10-15 limit tables (sometimes $25). I have a players card but in the end I didn't get offered much of anything. My stay was at the Flamingo and most of my gambling was at Harrah's properties where I produced the card. Am I just not "asking" enough? Or is having a host the key to getting more?

Or am I too low on the totem pole to warrant any special treatment?

Thoughts?

if your not playing greens and blacks....dont even bother...some properties now dont even rate people betting less than $25.....As a reference, I have a host at MB(recently) and a long time host at GN...when I go for a 3 day weekend I wire down(or they give me a marker) 10-15k.....and in the "host world" I am a "low roller"......

Quote: mcampos68

I gambled away about $1500

If you mean that you lost $1,500, that isn't much. How much action did you give, at what game or games and over how many hours?
Those are the key factors.

That amount should have impressed the Flamingo but lets face it, Harrah's likes slot players, not table game players.
Also, Mandalay Beach is known to have tightened its Comps of late.
Some policies change.
Some places still comp the lower rollers, but anyone doing Green Chip and up should get noticed and rewarded or go elsewhere.

You're too low on the totem pole.

Be happy about that, you are way, way ahead by not being higher. Be who you are and be happy in that skin.

Unless you're Diamond or Seven Stars with Harrah's, you really don't stand a shot at being noticed. Even if you're Diamond, but on the lower rung of that status (as I am), the hosts in Vegas may not want to have anything to do with you. However, if you go to a local property (i.e. Kansas City, Council Bluffs, even Joliet or Hammond to a degree), a Diamond level player will at least be looked after.

Remember, with the exception of the Horseshoe properties, Harrah's bases everything on Reward credits, which are earned during play. They are notorious for not offering a lot, but have multiplier days and easy ways to earn bonus credits. However, players do tend to get comped rooms, which isn't always a cheap comp. I have stayed in the Augustus Tower at Caesars, overlooking the Bellagio fountains twice, and didn't have to pay a penny for it. To me, that's worth it... but I didn't need a host to acquire that; my play was good enough via the computers to get it.

To get a host in Vegas, I would try a lower level property, i.e. Tropicana or even possibly Treasure Island these days. The non-chain properties (with the exception of Cosmopolitan, Venetian/Palazzo and Wynn/Encore) are fighting to get every customer they can. Smaller play may well be rewarded...

Quote: mcampos68

Am I selling myself short by not finding or requesting a casino host? I just completed my third trip to Vegas and I expect to go back out at every year (worst case, every other). I'd consider myself a low-medium roller (I'm sure that description is debatable). Last trip I gambled away about $1500 over three days and typically are playing $10-15 limit tables (sometimes $25). I have a players card but in the end I didn't get offered much of anything. My stay was at the Flamingo and most of my gambling was at Harrah's properties where I produced the card. Am I just not "asking" enough? Or is having a host the key to getting more?

Or am I too low on the totem pole to warrant any special treatment?

Thoughts?

I know that on our last trip to Vegas in May, we stayed at NY NY and received 2 free nights, from past play.
I now have emails for 2 more free nights at NY NY, M Bay, Excaliber, and Luxor.

My play was mostly craps, at $5 - $10 pass line and placing the 6,and 8,or 5,9 if the point was a 6 or 8. I was buying in for $300-$400 and risking about $500-$600 a day on our 4 day stay.
Losses for the 4 day stay was in the $900-$1100 dollar range.

I have never talked to a host, but I did play only in the mornings (not many players at the 8-10am time frame) and I tipped well (pass line w/odds or a hard way) plus I got to know the craps crew very well (reminding me if I missed my odds or asking if I wanted to move the place bet off the point).

Chuck

Quote: mcampos68

Am I selling myself short by not finding or requesting a casino host?

Yes, absolutely.

The two most important words in answer to your question are as applicable to this issue as to the pursuit of nubile women: "Just ask."

Based on my experiences...

Harrah's (now Caesars) is extremely stingy with regard to comps resulting from your table play. I would guesstimate something like 0.02-0.05% of the money you put across the table gets returned in "points" comps. I can play green and black chips for 3 days and I'm lucky to come away with enough comps for a buffet. I have switched over to MGM properties and I'm now getting considerably better comps at nicer properties.

However, you should get offers in the mail for free rooms and other special offers on your next visit. If you don't get them in the mail, go to their website and register your player card info. You should get offers on the website or via e-mail. Again, the offers I got from Caesar's got pretty stingy, and I'm now getting much better offers from MGM properties.

I have interacted with hosts at several properties, and I've never been offered anything that I didn't merit through their regular promotions program. Once I asked for tickets to Celine Dion. The host said he could provide them, but he couldn't offer a discount and he couldn't make any guarantees regarding how good the seats would be. Never mind, I'll get 'em through the website. Once I asked for "front of the line" treatment for dinner at Toby Keith's. Sorry, the restaurant is not actually affiliated with the hotel/casino so the host has no influence. On my last trip, I asked a host to make reservations for me and a friend at the Crazy Horse show (I had a 2-for-1 ticket offer from a mailing). When I got to the ticket office to pick up my tickets on the night of the show, I found out that she screwed up and got me tickets to David Copperfield instead. I was able to change my tickets at the last minute, but the Crazy Horse tickets that I got at the last minute were much worse than if I'd just ordered them myself originally.

Hosts don't look at what you actually lose, they look at what you will "theoretically" lose. You seem like a smart player who doesn't overbet his bankroll. They won't be interested in you unless you are throwing greens and blacks on the felt, and preferably at the center bets in the craps table. You just hit an unlucky streak.

To get more for your table games play, play off-strip or downtown. If you must play on the Strip, play at the MGM properties.