Casino doesn't have base rules for comps??

Hello! Let me pre apologize if I am askin a question previously posted. I did my do diligence-I have spent 3 hours on this site looking for the answer. I frequently play at the Cannery (2-3 times per week approx 15 hours per week), I only play at other casinos about 2 times per month and not Nearly as much money, I play only penny slots, hold a frequent flyer card, and if I do not calculate my wins or loses-I put into a slot machine approximately $1,000 a week. I smoke, so the only comp I ask for is a free pack of cigarettes. My question is:
I can play 1 day and 8 hours into playing, with a loss of maybe $100 I will get the comp cigarettes no problem. But then I can play the next week, and 8 hours into playing have a loss of $550 and am told I don't qualify for a free pack of cigarettes.
I'm not sure if the reason for this is because they know I'll continue to come in each week on certain days for a certain amount of hours even if they deny the comp. Or if it's because I do ask every week. I ask for a comp 1 time per week but only after I have played atleast 6 hours. I had asked a couple different employees (a manager and change person) what their formula is for deciding if they comp my cigarettes or do not, so that I would know when to not ask. Si following "their formula"--1 time it would work and the next time following the exact same formula that got me the previous comp did not get the comp the next time.
6 weeks ago I asked after 8 hours of straight play and the comp came very easily-since then I have requested cigarettes 5 different times-each time after 8 hours play and I have been denied. And yes, I have asked management why. I was was told I was denied because I had only lost $40 thus far for that day and it needed to be $100 or more. So the following week I did the same thing keeping track of my losses and when I asked for the comp I was down $550 and I was told I still did not qualify. I tried to give you as much information as I could so that hopefully you'll be able to help me understand because it's completely illogical to me

Hi, and welcome.

I can only speak in generalities, not specific to Cannery.

You're at a Boyd Gaming property. I don't often ask them for tobacco, but I do play at their properties.

Tobacco is in a special category of comps. It's easy for them to give out rooms, drinks, and in-house meals. Tobacco comes out of a different expense account, because it's a third-party comp. They have to pay nearly, or the same, as you to give you a pack of cigs most places. They don't have a stash of them somewhere (most places) - the cocktail person has to go and put money in the vending machine, or pay the gift shop or cigarette girl, for the pack, then bring them to you.

Some pits have discretionary comps for tobacco. Most of them have lost the discretion. You're playing slots, so you're one step further removed from a pit person with discretion than a table games player. But even for a table player, some places will only comp tobacco if you're playing $100 a HAND, or some other high threshold.

Also, to them, $1000 coin in is not that much action, really. I've put that much through a penny slot in 20 minutes, and I'm not that big of a slot player. If you take 6 hours to do that same amount, you're worth about $165 coin in an hour, which is a really small blip on their radar, maybe $25 an hour in theoretical loss, against free drink service and other operating costs in providing you a place to play .

In calculating that formula, doesn't matter if you drink or not - they assume you do. But don't let me mislead you into thinking I know the comp formula, or even that a lot of the casino employees know it. Some do, but it's proprietary, changes with each casino brand, and changes further by local practices. Tobacco is also affected further by local and state laws, since it's a controlled substance.

The person to ask, IMO, is a pit supervisor in a not-very-busy Cannery pit, who might or might not be allowed to answer you. But if anyone there has comp discretion for tobacco, it will be them. And it's likely they have to call "upstairs" to get it approved, not decide for themselves.

tl:dr - tobacco is a special category of comp, and not offered easily or cheaply.

Quote: Livinnvegas

And yes, I have asked management why. I was was told I was denied because I had only lost $40 thus far for that day and it needed to be $100 or more.

Welcome to the forum. This sentence is very hard for me to believe. It has always been my understanding that it is your theoretical loss, not actual loss, that will earn you the comps. I'm not saying there aren't exceptions if a high roller is on a particularly bad streak that he may get a higher comp value, but the casino should not even remotely consider your actual loss ($40 versus$100) to decide if you qualify for smokes.
I find it also hard to believe that anyone playing for 8 hours in a single day won't qualify for a single pack of cigarettes, everytime.

Quote: beachbumbabs

Tobacco is in a special category of comps.

You bet it is! Remember the old days when a pretty girl went around with a tray of cigarettes slung around her? Asking to be comped was like taking money out of her tip jar. Even when the Seminoles first opened their casino in Immokalee and the Gamblers Breakfast Club started meeting there to trade the latest gossip on comps in different casinos in the country they all laughed at the Seminoles. Cigarettes provided on the floor of the casino cost a fortune and you were expected to tip the runner as well, so most dealers just told the gamblers to step into the vending machine area where you would legally be in a non-gaming location. One machine there sold cigarettes and even if it kept your change, as it often did, you were still well ahead financially.

It is probably best for the poster to find a soft comp, any soft comp that he might enjoy.

The Cannery is fun place and thier Buffalo slot just awarded a 32k bonus though most of their slot bonuses hit at about five grand.

Quote: SOOPOO

Welcome to the forum. This sentence is very hard for me to believe. It has always been my understanding that it is your theoretical loss, not actual loss, that will earn you the comps. I'm not saying there aren't exceptions if a high roller is on a particularly bad streak that he may get a higher comp value, but the casino should not even remotely consider your actual loss ($40 versus$100) to decide if you qualify for smokes.
I find it also hard to believe that anyone playing for 8 hours in a single day won't qualify for a single pack of cigarettes, everytime.

You are correct, Soopoo.

What I have seen however is casino staff simply state the word "losses" or "lose" without distinction of theoretical vs actual.

Im certain this is to throw off players who think they can just lose $100 (which could easily happen even at slots very quickly) and get a pack of cigarettes

8 hours on a slot machine isnt enough info. He hasnt stated his wager amount. 8 hours at max ber $5 or $25 or 8 hours playing ten cents a pull? I have even seen machines that offer 1/3 penny wagers. Cant imagine what ridiculously low comps 8 hours on that would generate

Finally its possible the casino is demanding an average daily theo for the month (or some other timeframes) to qualify. So his play the first day quaified him but over the course of the weeks he pulled his daily down and no longer qualifies

Quote: darkoz

Finally its possible the casino is demanding an average daily theo for the month (or some other timeframes) to qualify.

At the Cannery? Since when did they ever start doing that? Five years ago they were known for 'Your Theo, never adjusted downward and only very, very rarely adjusted upward'

Comps, of any kind, are always discretionary and it can depend a lot on the casino, the bosses, and what the casino's bean counters decide to set the comp thresholds at. If you feel you deserve more I would speak up about it to someone a bit higher up the food chain if you can.

There are two kinds of comps; soft and hard. The former, like a room, doesn't cost them a dime because the room will just sit empty if it's not being used and it's already been paid for many times over from previous earnings. Food is cheap and not a big deal from them and they know that gamblers will go across the street if they cut out the free drinks.

Tobacco is another categrory since it's a hard comp. The casino has to pay real money for it. Their standards will be higher anywhere for it and, like I said, the rules and decisions are capricious from one joint to the next.

Last of all (despite my screen name) it'll be a lot cheaper to pay for the smokes yourself. I think it's $7 a pack. Never play for comps.

Livinnvegas, BeachBumBabs nailed the answer. Basically, it's not a good use of your comp credit to redeem for hard merchandise like cigarettes. Your comp credit will go farther when redeeming for buffets. To get an idea of how much credit you earn for how much play, see my Comp Calculator.

Quote: MichaelBluejay

Livinnvegas, BeachBumBabs nailed the answer. Basically, it's not a good use of your comp credit to redeem for hard merchandise like cigarettes. Your comp credit will go farther when redeeming for buffets. To get an idea of how much credit you earn for how much play, see my Comp Calculator.

And the shilling for his website continues. What a joke.

AFAIK the Can just has a flat value for points. 400 points is a dollar of FP, a dollar of food, a dollar in the store. Possibly for movies.

IDK if the cig prices are jacked up. Many casinos offer good prices on cigs.

I also find it weird that the staff would just come out and say "you need to lose $100 to get a pack of cigs."