Please explain Comps to me

Of course, I get free alcohol when I gamble which is a great bargain given the astronomical prices for drinks in Vegas, but how to I get other comps and what are they?

Can I get free food? Discounts on my hotel bill?

Whom do I ask to get my comps?

How should you bet in craps to maximize your comps?

There are various ways to get comps.

1. Sign up for the property's reward card program. Use it when you buy into the table. The floorman will note your time in, buy-in, average bet, time out, and money won/lost.

The more you bet and the longer you play, the more comp points you earn. You also can get mailers and online offers based on this play. Things like free rooms, free buffet, etc.

Most properties allow your comp points to be spent on food, room, etc.

2. Ask the pit boss to write you a comp. Maybe you buy in for $500 and lose very quickly. Not enough to earn significant rewards comps. Ask the pit boss to write you a dinner comp.

3. Get a host. Play using your rewards card and/or markers/front money. When you check out, call your host and ask if your play justifies him comping things off your folio. To get a host, call the casino's 800 number and ask for a host.

The best way to bet at craps to maximize comps is big flat bets on the pass line. Most floormen don't seem to count come bets (which isn't fair) or odds (which is fair) on your average bet. Appearing to be a carefree gambler by making a few center-bets like hardways when the floor is watching doesn't hurt.

Comps allow you to get back between 30- and 40% of your theoretical loss. Some casinos will have a minimum wager that they will rate so if you're a low roller, ask? Always play with a player's card. Most places give you you some kind of sign up bonus or promo. Always ask. If they don't have any freebies, coupon sheets, free play, etc., ask for a deck of cards. If the girl at the players' club is cute ask if you can have a sign up kiss. If she balks, say, "Come on, no tounge."

Quote: Greasyjohn

If the girl at the players' club is cute ask if you can have a sign up kiss. If she balks, say, "Come on, no tounge."

that's the host's job to your butt

Many casinos look not only at your average bet but at your Time At Table and seem to have a tripping point of three or four hours.

ALL casinos will sweeten your comps IF you are an exceptional winner or an exceptional loser. Otherwise the comps are mostly limited to what the computer shows for your play which means you have to use your card and you have to be noticed as well as let enough time go by for the casino's paperwork to catch up with you. MOST casinos start their day at 4:00am for comps and other purposes.

You can ask at checkout but its best usually to be a bit of a squeaky wheel.

How much of an effect (if any) does tipping and generally being pleasant to the crew have on comps?

I never thought about it before, but a trip to the IP Biloxi in 2011 made me wonder. I'm a certified red-chipper and might tip $2 - $10/hr (depending on how I'm running). With the exception of the snack I bought when I got there, I didn't have to pay for a meal during my 2-night stay (buffet comps). I may have won a total of $100 that weekend and was tipping a little better than average.

On the first night, after I asked for and received a buffet from the PB, I left the table for about an hour while I went to eat. When I returned to the same table, I bought back in and handed the dealer my card. PB said he didn't need it; I was still in the system. Would he have "left the meter running" while I was eating?

Quote: Joeman

How much of an effect (if any) does tipping and generally being pleasant to the crew have on comps?

I never thought about it before, but a trip to the IP Biloxi in 2011 made me wonder. I'm a certified red-chipper and might tip $2 - $10/hr (depending on how I'm running). With the exception of the snack I bought when I got there, I didn't have to pay for a meal during my 2-night stay (buffet comps). I may have won a total of $100 that weekend and was tipping a little better than average.

On the first night, after I asked for and received a buffet from the PB, I left the table for about an hour while I went to eat. When I returned to the same table, I bought back in and handed the dealer my card. PB said he didn't need it; I was still in the system. Would he have "left the meter running" while I was eating?

Comps is not my area of expertise, nor is tipping I can assure you, but I've seen things over the years that lead me to believe that tipping helps. Many of the floors who enter you into the computer are dual rate which means that they still make their living from tips. They're not going to "cheat" for a tipper but they have a lot of leeway when entering your average bet and have no problem "rounding up".

Quote: longtimelancer

Of course, I get free alcohol when I gamble which is a great bargain given the astronomical prices for drinks in Vegas, but how to I get other comps and what are they?

Can I get free food? Discounts on my hotel bill?

Whom do I ask to get my comps?

How should you bet in craps to maximize your comps?

While others have pretty much answered your questions entirely, I thought I'd give you a little more of a technical glance at how "most places" comp someone. Again note, this is not EVERY casino, but I would be comfortable saying most places comp like this... off your Theoretical Loss. They use a formula to determine the average amount you'll lose playing the way you play (bet size, time span, etc, etc), then they give you a % of that average amount loss back. So for starters, please understand that "comps" are really them paying you with your own money. Now, for the formula...

Theoretical Loss = TL
Average Bet = AB
House Edge = HE
Number of Events = NoV (this is how many throws you play in craps, how many hands of blackjack, etc. Example: in 1 hour in blackjack, at most places, you can be expected to play approximately 70 hands... so for craps they might have a standard that if you played for 1 hours time you probably played 'about' 50 rolls). That number might be higher, or lower, I'm just giving an example to help you understand the Number of Events is a way to track how many times you make a bet in their favor.

TL = AB * NoV * HE... So for example... Say you play craps for 1 hour (50 rolls) and your average bet is $50 (however you bet the PB marks your average as such). You're betting exclusively on the Pass Line, and maybe a hard way here or there in front of the PB...

TL = 50 * 50 * 2% ...Notice I'm using 2% for the house edge, because hopefully the PB see's you're not just playing strictly the 1.41% Pass Line. Thus, your Theoretical Loss would be: TL = 50 * 50 * .02 = $50. Great, you can get $50 worth of comps, right? NO... This is your total theoretical loss. This means no matter if you make money on this session, lose money on this session, etc, if you keep playing this way until the cows come home you're going to, ON AVERAGE, lose $50 for each 50 rolls (or 1 hour) you play. This is how they make money from you. So to keep you happy, they'll give you "a little" back. Most places give back about 20% for comps. Again, this varies pending each different casino/rewards program/etc, but on "average" 20% seems to be fairly standard.

Finally, of your $50 Theoretical Loss from the scenario above, you could expect $10 worth of comps (50 * .2 = 10). This is the comps that are generally loaded on to your reward card from whatever place you're playing at. Do note that simply asking the PB "Hey, is there any way I could get some food?" could result in the PB just writing you a comp, which at some places, sometimes, doesn't use your comp dollars; it's just an actual comp from a PB.

I hope you better understand comps and how they work now =). Any questions, feel free...

Quote: Greasyjohn

... "tounge."

What is "tounge?" Pronounced like "lounge?"

Regarding how tipping and being pleasant relates to comps/rating -- I think it helps a pretty good amount, especially if you're a red-chipper.

There are a few things people don't like -- if you're at a casino where someone is always sitting box, they do not like "game starters". These are people who buy-in to a dead table and get it going. Remember, the dealers and floor get paid the same amount whether you're playing or not. Except for a few exceptions, they'd rather stand dead than have to deal to someone.

I've had bosses ask me "what's his average bet...how much has he tipped?" when entering the player's average bet. I don't know exactly how much, but they'd make a guy with a $25 average bet...give him $35-40 average bet if he's tipping a little bit or if he's just a really nice/easy player to deal to. The a**holes who throw chips everywhere, take shots, etc. usually don't even get rated. If a boss asks me what a player's average bet is, I usually add or subtract some based on how easy/hard they are to deal to and how much they tip. And whatever you do, don't tip the shooter [without tipping the crew]. I'm not saying I would cheat you, but, I've heard stories..



TL;DR: You should be nice/friendly to begin with, it shouldn't be some added incentive to get a better rating. And you should be tipping regardless. If you tip a little bit and you're nice, you'll get better service by the dealers/bosses and good chance of better comps. If you're rude and stiff the crew, there's a good chance you'll get a worse rating (or no rating) for your session.


PS: It might be smart to buy in for a little extra $$$. Maybe you usually bet $54 across. If you buy in for $100 and catch a monster roll, they might not view you as someone who'd have $1K in his wallet [and willing to lose that much]. Even if you'd have the intention of buying in, $100 at a time, 9 more times. [PSS: That's another thing lots of floor people hate.] But, on theo ther hand, if you buy in for $1K up front, they'll view you as someone who is willing to lose that much money. Would you rather the casino think you're willing to lose $100...or think you're willing to lose $1K?

Quote: indignant99

What is "tounge?" Pronounced like "lounge?"

That's how I read it. Understandable mistake, though. Tongue is a weird word. Plus, the joke was funny.

I'm quite sure, but only have anecdotal evidence, that 1) being pleasant at the table 2) tipping well 3) using a player's card 4) playing long hours, add up to comps and treatment much better than the norm. Several times, when I've double-checked how I'm being rated, I'm told that my avg bet is considerably more than I'm playing (as much as 4x), they still have me in the system after I've taken a meal break, floors I've never met address me by name and want assurance that I have everything I need, etc. etc.

I would recommend, if you're approaching a new place where you want good comps, that you buy in large and play rated (as someone else recommended), engage the floor in conversation if they're available, do a minimum of bitching about the cards (especially how other players are playing them; don't cost the casino other customers by being a jerk to them, even if they're jerks), plan to play long hours rather than hit-n-run. After a couple/few days of play, have a host or floor evaluate your play and tell you where you fall in their program. Some places/personnel can be very informative, others pretty secretive. You won't know until you ask.

It will take a couple months (most likely) or more for you to start receiving offers, so be a little patient. But there's nothing wrong with asking about buffet or dinner comps after several hours of play, and definitely worth asking if you're in the hotel, for them to look at your play at checkout and perhaps comp your stay/food/etc. For that reason, if you're staying in-house, any meals or gift shop purchases should be charged to the room, to be settled at the end of your stay (which gives them the opportunity to offer the comps). If you pay-as-you-go, they can't recover those purchases for you.

Also, if you're booking rooms with them, make the booking directly on the casino's website, not through a 3rd party like hotel.com. It works well to check rates for particular dates on those sites, but the host can't comp a 3rd party booking, because they owe some part of the money to the website.

Quote: longtimelancer

Of course, I get free alcohol when I gamble which is a great bargain given the astronomical prices for drinks in Vegas, but how to I get other comps and what are they?

Can I get free food? Discounts on my hotel bill?

Whom do I ask to get my comps?

How should you bet in craps to maximize your comps?

I wanted to response to your posting sometime back but I cannot figure out what sort of player you are.
For the sake of this posting I am assuming you are an average recreational player.
Free alcohol seems to top your list. It pays to play in at least the medium bet size table as you would get more frequent waitress service.
Apart from the cat and mouse game that many play with the pit boss remember your ADT is what matters to the casino and what Comps you get.
BJ with BS has the lowest HE. The casino assume the average HE of 2% for Comps purposes but with BS it will cost you about 0.50%.
If you are a decent size player the free rooms and meals will come. But expect that to cover up to 25% of your losses.

If free booze is all you want, find a digital BJ, roulette, or whatever (you don't even have to play it if you're not obvious) Order doubles, tip $1 a drink and you're set. Tip $2 bucks at places like palms and HR, any younger hip place and you'll probably get 3 fingers worth.

Vegas is Horrible when it comes to over serving I don't care what Dan says.

I was with a friend and we ran into a bartender out of state recently, She used to work here in Vegas on the strip, I vaguely remember her. She was telling me her current casino had a very strict policy 2 drinks an hr, you even had to pay for them, and the bartenders stuck to that policy. Cocktails waitresses, not so much.

We were talking about the difference between Vegas and her current job. She told us her supervisors in Vegas said, don't cut anybody off unless they are causing problems. She said she was told, if they can order a drink and hold it, then serve them.

I said, "can I Quote you on that?" she said, "absolutely."