Value of table game players

The following 4 gamblers walk into the Mirage. Who can expect to receive the best comps?

Gambler A: Betting $5 per hand on 6-5 crapjack.
Gambler B: Betting $5 table minimum on the pass line (no odds).
Gambler C: Betting $25 per hand at 6 deck BJ.
Gambler D: Betting $5 on the pass line with Max odds (3x4x5x).

To me, C obviously seems like the one that will get the most attention. In fact, I'd venture that the other 3 might have trouble even getting rated in many casinos these days. If the value of a customer is based on average bet and house edge, the four of them shake out as follows (house advantages from the Wizard of Vegas surveys for Mirage games):

Gambler A: Risks $5 per hand at 1.45 house advantage
Gambler B: Risks $5 per hand, at 1.41 house advantage
Gambler C: Risks $25 per hand at 0.26 house advantage
Gambler D: Risks an average of $25 per hand (depending on the point) at 0.374 house advantage

Gamblers A and B are very comparable in terms of bet size and house advantage. So are Gamblers C and D. The parallel suggests to me that playing odds is basically the equivalent of moving to a higher minimum BJ table with better rules. Yet, gambler D at the Craps table gets considerably less credit than C does at the blackjack table, despite betting the same amount at a slightly higher house edge. Are casinos neglecting a valuable demographic by ignoring odds bets? Or am I not seeing something?

Unfortunately - Gambler C is the only one who receives comps at the Mirage. Gamblers A, B, and D will not be rated for play as the Mirage requires $25 minimum per bet. (At least the last time I was there). The odds bet typically isn't comped because it's "Free" odds, at no house edge, so the casino has no reason to comp it, per se.

-B

Definitely "C." Green is the magic color that will get you attention from the floor, in my experience. Anything else will not get you rated, at least on the strip (off-strip and downtown will rate you). This is why I usually only play green chip at BJ these days. I actually have gotten some decent comps playing $5 P.L. with 3x4x5x odds AGAINST the number. They see the green behind your bet and give you a second look. This has only happened rarely, though.

I would say that A, B, and D would probably not get rated at all. They may take down their name and send them a generic mailing once every 3 months or so with a slight discount on hotel rooms (10% to 20%). C would get the best rating.

Now here's another take on the Original Post.

Let's multiply all of the numbers by 20x.

So we have A, B and D betting $100 a hand, while player C is playing $500 a hand. While all 4 players have about the same expected theoretical loss, player C will still get the best comps in my opinion. Big action gets big attention.

Even a $100 a hand roulette player who has is facing a 5.26% house edge would probably get less notice (and therefore comps) then a $500 decent basic strategy blackjack player who faces a 1% house edge.

Player's A, B and D would not get rated, they are all $5 players, and generally automatically are not given a second glance. Player C would get a second glance because he is betting green chips. Now, your assumption is that he is bucking a 0.26 house edge. The casino in that case is only going to make about $4 per hour(60 hands per hour). However, the casino should not automatically assume that the player is a good BS player. If he is a typical ploppy (i.e. never heard of basic strategy) the actual house edge will be significantly higher (i.e. it could be 2% = $40/hour), and the casino should be very interested in encouraging his play with some comps.

Thanks guys - especially DrEntropy for pointing out the effect of imperfect basic strategy. That has to figure in.

Overall, player C was my sense as well. It still seems strange to me that the player offering the highest theoretical win per hour goes undetected. Maybe I should consider playing more BJ...

Quote: waltomeal

Gambler A: Risks $5 per hand at 1.45 house advantage
Gambler B: Risks $5 per hand, at 1.41 house advantage
Gambler C: Risks $25 per hand at 0.26 house advantage
Gambler D: Risks an average of $25 per hand at 0.374 house advantage

Players A and B are not noticed.

Player C is clearly noticed. Green chip. Lets give him some alcohol. Lets hope the next dealer who rotates onto that table has some anatomy he finds distracting. Lets hope he gets a bit fatigued but keeps on playing. Tits, alcohol and time may erode his perfect strategy, but even if it does not do so, he is noticed for the green chip.

Player D gets noticed too, but gets only honorable mention right now. Lets watch him a bit. He knows what he is doing, he plays a tight game. Lets see if he knows how to do the Lord's work or not. If he spends some of those wining odds bets on tips for the dealers then just maybe we will up him from Honorable Mention because although some of his action is at zero house edge and we have certain rules to follow here, his wallet has potential and the night is young. Send for the CW. He might not play such a tight game once he gets a little tight.