Asking to be rated when betting small

Is it ridiculous to ask to be rated at a locals casino at say $5 a hand betting blackjack? I wouldn't do it at a place like Wynn, Bellagio, Venetian etc. where they wouldn't rate me anyways but is it silly to ask to be rated at say a Red Rock or a Suncoast? I'm not going to be asking or expecting comps but am wondering If I should feel like a flea for asking.

Thanks

Why feel like a flea? Never hurts to ask, if you play enough they will usually give you something just to keep you playing.
Asking for stuff is not begging it's part of the system.

Yes, you should get rated. You might even ask for a buffet or coffee shop comp after a few hours' play.

I agree that you should be rated. You may not get anything on this trip, but there is a chance that you will get something in the mail from the casino. Now some casinos will tell you that they do not rate players under $25 per hand etc. But if they don't say anything, get rated.

It's true that at the fancy-ass Strip megatoilets, they think that they're doing you a favor if they don't spit on you if you're only betting $5. However, the locals' casinos are a whole 'nother ball of wax. The competition is fierce. They will definitely rate you, and you can probably score a buffet comp after a few hours' play. After all, they would rather see you eat at the buffet and then waddle back to the tables, rather than go somewhere else to eat.

And the golden rule in the casino comps game is "it never hurts to ask". I've only seen a pit boss whip out his billy club and knock a person senseless for asking for a comp maybe, forty, fifty times at the most.

I would tend to agree that a person should do whatever he can to get noticed. Asking to be rated, talking to the floor person, asking for a meal comp, indeed doing just about anything tends to help. Maybe you would get a flyer anyway but you do not know for sure. So my advice would be to get noticed and get your action noticed. Now its nice if they notice your action and think favorably about it, but its good to get noticed. Even if your action on this particularly trip is not all that impressive, they may think more favorably about you simply because you brought up the topic of comps. They may think you are used to being comped.

Oh sure, if you are equipped with only a modest stack of red chips, The Venetian won't even see you must less rate you, but other places will probably not mark you down for low action. Only a truly sweat the money joint marks you down for low action. And if its a sweat the money joint, what are you doing there in the first place?

Heck, I once asked for a comp in an Indian casino noted for being cheap penny pinchers but the "25.00 meal comp valid for three days" was at least something to cheer me up since I had lost so heavily and so darned rapidly that day. And of course I was not going to eat alone, so I had to bring my companion along three days later to use up the meal comp before it expired. That trip was slightly profitable though. The point is that if I had not asked for that meal comp I would never have received it. The place is that stingy!!

I don't ask to be rated, but usually they do. I remember the guy who lost $400 while he waited around for his "free buffet." I played one night at the Venetian and got 3 nights free in the mail without asking. One casino in Canada, where I have a gold card, has given me only 1 room in 5 years. Probably because I walk away when I am ahead. I like comps but it's NEVER a consideration when playing.

When I stayed at the Sahara in 9/09, they had $1 BJ tables and $5 BJ tables.

At the $1 tables, they don't swipe your player card, but they do at the $5 tables.

Does that help answer the question?

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On a side note, the $1 tables paid even money if the bet was $4 or less, and 6:5 for $5 or more. The $5 tables paid 3:2.

I always hand out my player card when seating at the table. Of course I play in places like Fremont, Excalibur, Fitzgeralds and such. I did play a quick round of rock and roll dice at the Wynn where I didn't hand them my card. But that was because I was only playing a small amount of money (I think I bought for well under $50). Win or lose, I was certain to leave the table before they could rate me.

And I always stick the card into VP and slot machines .

It is not ridiculous to ask to be rated at a $5 table, because if you are tipping well, you will probably be rated higher. At least that is my experience.

Quote: yankeesfan2615

Is it ridiculous to ask to be rated at a locals casino at say $5 a hand betting blackjack? I wouldn't do it at a place like Wynn, Bellagio, Venetian etc. where they wouldn't rate me anyways but is it silly to ask to be rated at say a Red Rock or a Suncoast? I'm not going to be asking or expecting comps but am wondering If I should feel like a flea for asking.

Thanks

Larger casinos might turn you down, but a smaller casino could potentially be willing to rate you. Never hurts to ask. I tried getting rated at the Monte Carlo at $20 a pop, but no luck. But went to a smaller shop, and got rated at $10. So like I said, never hurts to ask. Who knows, the pit boss might even be in a good mood.

Quote: fwtxbevo

It is not ridiculous to ask to be rated at a $5 table, because if you are tipping well, you will probably be rated higher. At least that is my experience.

I wouldn't count on this. The guy who rates you isn't the same as the guy who you are tipping. Even if the guy doing the rating would take your tips into account (and why would he?), he wouldn't necessarily see them.

The most important thing is to get noticed when you buy in and sit down. It also seems to make a difference in the low-roller sphere how much you buy in for, not how much you're betting. So even if you're not planning to lose more than, say, $50 no matter what, buy in for $100.

I noticed on the backside of my 24 Karat Club card for Golden Nugget that it specifically states that table game players betting $25 or more are rated. Fitzgerald's advertises that players are rated automatically at $5/hand. Bottom line, it really depends on the casino. It never hurts to ask.

Quote: mkl654321

The most important thing is to get noticed when you buy in and sit down. It also seems to make a difference in the low-roller sphere how much you buy in for, not how much you're betting. So even if you're not planning to lose more than, say, $50 no matter what, buy in for $100.

Agreed. I even have a friend who will always buy in with cash at each new table he sits down; he either brings enough to do so or just makes trips to the cages.

A little extreme, but it does appear to make a difference. I always buy in for at least $100... that seems to be some sort of tier. Any buy in below that and they don't seem to notice as much.

Quote: mkl654321

I wouldn't count on this. The guy who rates you isn't the same as the guy who you are tipping. Even if the guy doing the rating would take your tips into account (and why would he?), he wouldn't necessarily see them.

The most important thing is to get noticed when you buy in and sit down. It also seems to make a difference in the low-roller sphere how much you buy in for, not how much you're betting. So even if you're not planning to lose more than, say, $50 no matter what, buy in for $100.

mkl,

The boxman does not always see how much I am tipping, but if I am tipping well, the dealers will inform him and my rating will be higher. This happens to me frequently.

Quote: fwtxbevo

mkl,

The boxman does not always see how much I am tipping, but if I am tipping well, the dealers will inform him and my rating will be higher. This happens to me frequently.

Sure, this may happen to you. But as an overall strategy, it's terrible--most of the time, your generous tipping won't have any effect on your rating.

I also wonder if you've stopped and figured out how much you gain in comps per hour, how much additional money you tip per hour (that you otherwise wouldn't, except for your perception that you get rated higher as a result), and which number is bigger.

Quote: mkl654321

Sure, this may happen to you. But as an overall strategy, it's terrible--most of the time, your generous tipping won't have any effect on your rating.

I also wonder if you've stopped and figured out how much you gain in comps per hour, how much additional money you tip per hour (that you otherwise wouldn't, except for your perception that you get rated higher as a result), and which number is bigger.

I never said I tip for comps, you did. I don't pretend it is a strategy either, but I do tip well if I am winning, and as a result, I am rated higher. I only play craps, so I have no idea if this is the case for other table games, only my experience for this game. I am sorry this is so hard for you to believe. Maybe I am just lucky, but I don't talk shit at the table, and I am not a pain in the ass to the dealers. I respect their job and my tips reflect this, and so subsequently does my rating.

Quote: mkl654321

Most of the time, your generous tipping won't have any effect on your rating.

Based on several decades of play, I have to say that is completely inaccurate. It is more than clear that the sessions I have lost or been unhappy with the customer service, incurring meager or no tips, resulted in nothing more than pro forma ratings. Whereas more generous sessions showed up in surprisingly high or even, for lack of a better descriptor, inexplicable ratings.

You should always ask to be rated when playing, even for $5.00. I know for a fact at the M they have a new liberal comp policy. If you play 5 minimum for around an hour they will definitely send you to at least the deli (which is pretty good). Personally, I won't play anywhere that won't rate me. Just like basic strategy and good rules, I will seek out places that give me a good value for my patronage and the most bang for my buck.

Quote: SanchoPanza

Based on several decades of play, I have to say that is completely inaccurate. It is more than clear that the sessions I have lost or been unhappy with the customer service, incurring meager or no tips, resulted in nothing more than pro forma ratings. Whereas more generous sessions showed up in surprisingly high or even, for lack of a better descriptor, inexplicable ratings.

That may have been true in the past--and it was true in my experience as well. Nowadays, however, ratings are not supposed to contain any element of subjectivity--it's your action times your theo times .4 or .25 or whatever the number is. Discretionary comps are pretty much a thing of the past for similar reasons.

Quote: SanchoPanza

Based on several decades of play, I have to say that is completely inaccurate. It is more than clear that the sessions I have lost or been unhappy with the customer service, incurring meager or no tips, resulted in nothing more than pro forma ratings. Whereas more generous sessions showed up in surprisingly high or even, for lack of a better descriptor, inexplicable ratings.

My rating in 2009 reflects this as well. Even though Harrah's is notoriously cheap with their gaming, I received more than a fair rating at their Vegas properties on the craps table. I play for long hours at a time, and I frequently have action for the dealers, either through a $1 PL bet with 2x odds, or a $6 place bet - player control. The vast majority of the time I am nice and go out of my way to converse with the dealers and the box, assuming the table action allows for conversation. When things get busy, I engage them less and let them just do their job.

Even if the Pit 'has no discretion' in the rating, on a craps table it is not that simple. There are so many different bets that you can have out there, and for someone like myself who is pressing place bets, I get assigned 'an average' bet size. More than once I have overheard the box and the pit conversing and George mentioned when I know they are discussing my action. And more often than not, when I inquire about my session rating, the pit will tell me a figure that is usually on the high side of what I would have accepted.

So, I agree, that tipping on the craps table, coupled with aggressive play, does in fact, get you a higher rating than if you are not tipping.

RaleighCraps, my gut feeling is that on a busy table, the pit might not even adjust your rating and thus leave you at the same level when you first bought in. I have a feeling the only time they adjust the rating doing a busy game is when your stack of chips start to pile up. How can anyone really know whether you are playing all the different prop bets and factor that into your average play? If a table is not busy, than I figure you might get a similar adjustment more often. More so a quick glance at chip count rather than bet size........

I don't play at the higher-level casinos. I am a $5 pass line/$10-$20 odds type player. I hate tables with mins any higher than $5 because I want to have flexibility to bet low amounts. I always ask to be rated and I always seem to get some comps. I doubt it would work at the higher level places, but it works where I play. My card automatically goes with my buy-in and I ask how I was rated at the end of each session. I have yet to be told "Rated? For that? Not at Hoity Toity #1 Casino. We only rate black chip players" and the rating I do get is usually fair.

I always buy-in for $400 or more. My tolerance for loss is much less than that, but that amount seems to help me in the rating department. I don't place chips in my pocket but my wife does take four reds (or a green) when I don't have a $20 in my pocket so that she can get back to playing slots. The casino I play at most frequently notes buy-in, average bet, and color. I usually ask how I am rated and the numbers seem fair. They are more generous with a "fun" crew than a "dud" crew--maybe a couple of more tips and a couple quicker presses combined make a difference.

I do know for a fact I was rated higher than I played last year at the Mini-Bac table. I was playing green chips with a press every once in a while, there was a great crew, and my average was way higher than my bets were.

I know there may not be a lot of comp $$ in my play, but I always seem to have room offers...

Quote: Asswhoopermcdaddy

RaleighCraps, my gut feeling is that on a busy table, the pit might not even adjust your rating and thus leave you at the same level when you first bought in. I have a feeling the only time they adjust the rating doing a busy game is when your stack of chips start to pile up. How can anyone really know whether you are playing all the different prop bets and factor that into your average play? If a table is not busy, than I figure you might get a similar adjustment more often. More so a quick glance at chip count rather than bet size........

Even on a busy table, I have seen the pit look at me, look at my chips in the rack, and then scan the felt for the bets I have out on the table. And then they move to the player on my right. If he catches me early in a roll, I may only have $44 inside, which is not much. But if he happens to come by near the end of a good roll, I can have $440 inside. When the table is not stone cold, and I have managed to play for 4 hours or so like that, I tend to get rated from $170 to $205, but I don't think I make it to $170 on my place bets even half the time, so I am definitely getting some sort of break. Maybe I am getting the sucker's break for place betting ;-)

Now, on those occasions where the table is cold, and I am tapped before the hour ends, I barely get a rating. Even if I ended up with ~$220 inside on a couple rolls I get some mumbled response, that usually says $50 to $60. When it is cold, I will stop place betting every roll, and they really seem to catch that and dock me for it.

I asked the pit boss/floor man at Harrah's Reno what I would have to play to get a breakfast comp. He said $5 a hand for an hour because your so good looking. True story, but that $20 breakfast comp cost me $100.