SLOT CARDS....a must use in the casino

Fishhead · Apr 25, 2006

Have stressed for years on this forum that it is of tremendous value to you as a casino patron to use your slot card.

Obviously the most common place to use your card is for playing slots/video poker, but many can also be used to track your play in the race and sportsbook, and at the gaming tables also.

The following is a nice excerpt on the value of slot cards curtosy of VPR........

Almost every casino offers some kind of "Slot Club" or "Player's Club". For video poker players, participation in the slot club is essential. When entering a casino for the first time, your first stop should be at the player's club booth to get a card (in fact, you may want to get several -- just ask).

Slot clubs offer many benefits, but the most important are listed below:<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=baseline width=42>

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Cash back -- Many casinos have some kind of "cash back" provision, so that you get some percentage of the amount you play back in cash. The amount of cash back varies from one casino to another, but it is based on "points" that are accumulated as you play. Always cash out your card at the end of a casino trip -- should you not return to the casino for an extended period, your points can be erased (many casinos maintain points on a card for some predetermined period, like three, six or twelve months, then erase them). [/FONT]

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Comp meals -- Casinos will often provide free meals after some amount of slot (or video poker) play. Some will provide a buffet comp after a few hours of play, others require a certain number of points, etc. After you have some playing time, go to the player's club booth and say, "Could I get a buffet comp, please?". If you don't have enough play, they'll tell you -- but usually, you'll get it. Just remember -- if you don't ask, you don't get. [/FONT]

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Comp Lodging -- If you play enough, casinos will provide a "comp" room, and if you play even more, a suite. Lodging obviously requires more play than just getting a free buffet, but depending on the season, how busy the hotel is, and numerous other factors, you may be surprised. In general, when you call to make reservations at the hotel, you'll need to speak with either "VIP Services" or a "Casino Host", who will look at your play from your previous trips and determine whether you will be comped. If they won't comp you, ask whether they can provide a casino rate -- this is a room at less than the going rate for the night. If it is your first trip to the particular casino, don't expect to be comped up-front. However, if you have a lot of play during your stay, ask a casino host about comping you after-the-fact. In general, it seems to take a lot more play to get an after-the-fact comp than it does before your stay, so whenever possible, get the comp up front. [/FONT]

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Mail Offers & Free Money -- After you've visited a casino and played some, you can expect them to pursue you further. You will receive mailings that contain coupons redeemable for food, rooms, and even money. Generally, the coupons are limited as to the dates they are valid. If you play a little, you may get a discount on a room for a weekday, if you play more a free room on a weekday. If you play quite a bit, you may get a prized free room on a weekend. Casinos with great hotel and meal offers may offer lower cash back; casinos with minimal hotel properties may offer more meals and free money offers. Casinos with a really good selection of first-rate games may be very stingy with comps. And casinos with really bad (low-paying) video poker games may be very forthcoming with comps. [/FONT]

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Gift Shop Comps - Usually, you can elect to "spend" your comps at the casino's gift shop, if you have a mind to do so. [/FONT]

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Before you begin playing any game, be sure you have your player's club card properly inserted in the slot and that it has been accepted (most will display your name once the card has been read properly).

The ways in which casinos accumulate "comps" vary from one casino to another. Frequently, "points" are used for computing cash back benefits only, while other measures are used for determining the casino "comps" you qualify for. The casino tracks how much time you spend playing, how much money you win or lose, your total "coin-in", and anything else they care to track. From this information, they can determine with some degree of accuracy how much you should be comped. Often, comps are based on your playing time, where the casino knows that so many hours of playing time translates to a certain numbers of dollars lost by the player.
Couples may want to consider playing on a single card in some circumstances. While the casinos often frown on this practice, it does give the appearance that one player is spending more money. If you are just visiting the casino for a brief period, you may have no chance at getting comped for a buffet if playing on two separate cards; but if both are playing on a single card, you may at least get one of your buffets comped. If you're unsure, you may just have to try both methods and see which works best at a given casino.

You will generally find casinos to be much more accommodating on weekdays than on weekends -- obviously, this is because they want to encourage weekday customers when the casinos are relatively empty. Also, the busier casinos naturally will be less free with comps.
The important point is that you should take advantage of whatever is offered; failure to do so is leaving money on the table.

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bigbet1234 · Apr 25, 2006

I think the mail offers are the biggest advantage. Where I live, there are 4 casino within a 2 hour drive. Get cards at each, and 3 of the 4 will really send some goodies trying to get your business.

The cash coupons pay my rent alone each month, along with their 3 times cash back, and various promos the EV is HUGE!

BB

Fishhead · Apr 25, 2006

bigbet1234 said:
I think the mail offers are the biggest advantage. Where I live, there are 4 casino within a 2 hour drive. Get cards at each, and 3 of the 4 will really send some goodies trying to get your business.

The cash coupons pay my rent alone each month, along with their 3 times cash back, and various promos the EV is HUGE!

BB

At times, mailings can be so good its downright scary.

:money8:

BAGIANT · Apr 25, 2006

And now red rock Station has another use for the cards. When you go into the poker room, you can slide your Boarding Pass card to get listed on the board for any game you want to play. When you get to the table, you slide your card again, and get credit for the amount of time you play.

And another BIG plus of using your cards at any Station Casino or Fiesta property is the Jumbo Jackpots. They just started one for the horsey players that starts at $5000, and MUST be hit at $15000. All you do is swipe your card when you make a bet. They also have a Jumbo Jackpot for poker. But the best one, because it affects so many people is the slots and vp JJ. Just by using your card in any machine you play, you have a chance to win $100,000-$150,000. The JJ starts at $100,000, and MUST be hit at $150,000. This is a jackpot for all Station casino properties. When some lucky player sets off the jackpot, everyone in all casinos using their player card (Boarding Pass) gets a $50 credit for their slot or VP game.

Dante · Apr 25, 2006

stuckinvegas said:
And now red rock Station has another use for the cards. When you go into the poker room, you can slide your Boarding Pass card to get listed on the board for any game you want to play. When you get to the table, you slide your card again, and get credit for the amount of time you play.

And another BIG plus of using your cards at any Station Casino or Fiesta property is the Jumbo Jackpots. They just started one for the horsey players that starts at $5000, and MUST be hit at $15000. All you do is swipe your card when you make a bet. They also have a Jumbo Jackpot for poker. But the best one, because it affects so many people is the slots and vp JJ. Just by using your card in any machine you play, you have a chance to win $100,000-$150,000. The JJ starts at $100,000, and MUST be hit at $150,000. This is a jackpot for all Station casino properties. When some lucky player sets off the jackpot, everyone in all casinos using their player card (Boarding Pass) gets a $50 credit for their slot or VP game.

now THAT is a nice deal!:toast:

Fishhead · Apr 25, 2006

Over the years, STATIONs properties has offered some of the best deals in the entire valley when it comes to slot cards.

Great mailings

One will never go hungry at Stations either, as food comps build up quickly and can be used at all the fine restaurants they offer.

Sorry im missing this current deal by not living in the valley any longer.

I do believe they have significantly reduced the amount of 100%+ video poker however, which is a crying shame.

:cryingcry

BAGIANT · Apr 25, 2006

So has everyone else. But get this. My last two trips to Vegas the JJ was near the 150,000 mark. I was staying at Sunset Station as I was invited to a slot tournament. Went to bed early one night with the Jumbo around 146,000. Woke up the next morning only to find out some lady wound up hitting the JJ on a penny machine no less, about 15 minutes after I went to bed.

My next trip was for the Super Bowl this past year. I was staying at Sam's Town for a couple of days before switching over to Sunset. We got to town around Sunday at noon, checked in and drove over to Sunset to watch the game and try to hit the JJ. We sat down at the sports bar and started playing when I noticed the JJ was down to 100,000. It got hit 15 minutes before we sat down. And to top it all off, it got hit again while staying at Sunset at a time we weren't playing again. Those extra fifties would sure have come in handy.

Fishhead · Apr 25, 2006

Wow, close but no avail........geez.

Woody0 · Apr 25, 2006

Even for a 2 night stay the slot card is worthwhile. I got one for the Wendover casino where we stayed, played FP DW and the card paid for breakfast coffee and muffins at Starbucks.

TwoCard · Apr 25, 2006

Be careful - most casino look at wagering daily average for comps.
(For a short sesssion use your enemies card.)

ChalksR4Kids · Apr 26, 2006

TwoCard said:
Be careful - most casino look at wagering daily average for comps.
(For a short sesssion use your enemies card.)

This is a very important point for comp crunching. In general, your daily
average is the top factor casino's use in determing comps. Playing $5000
in a single day is usually better for your rating than playing $1000 for five
days even though your total bet is the same.
If you are only going to play a little, it is usually best to not use your card.

Fishhead · Apr 26, 2006

ChalksR4Kids said:
This is a very important point for comp crunching. In general, your daily
average is the top factor casino's use in determing comps. Playing $5000
in a single day is usually better for your rating than playing $1000 for five
days even though your total bet is the same.
If you are only going to play a little, it is usually best to not use your card.

It does vary with each casino though.

If your a regular and have other friends that play at the casino in question, you can usually plan your best strategy to maximize your profits.

Here is a tip.....it is a good idea to pull your slot card from the machine before cashing out periodically if you do not want to give the impression to the casino that your in the POSITIVE. Most slot readers register one as losing what they anted up if one chooses to pull their card. Again, it varies from joint to joint.

DrunkenHorseplayer · Apr 26, 2006

Plenty of full pay VP at Station and Fiesta casinos. However, cash back is slowly disappearing from Vegas and the comp rates are getting smaller and smaller.

Railbird · Apr 26, 2006

show me a slot card user, and Ill show you someone who is a favorite to get lung cancer from 2nd hnad smoke.

Fishhead · Apr 26, 2006

Railbird said:
show me a slot card user, and Ill show you someone who is a favorite to get lung cancer from 2nd hnad smoke.

One of the reasons that I play only sparingly now compared to 40-80 hours a week in past years.

Good point Railbird, very true.

Mr.Smith · Apr 26, 2006

true. Vegas casinos are disgusting smoke filled ashtrays

kyhawk · Apr 26, 2006

Almost inevitable to bring smoker to bj table after sitting down. Gambling and smoking seem to go together. The worst are the orientals. Smoking fiends. The biggest gambling degerates too.

jeffksu · Apr 26, 2006

i am living proof that slot cards work as i have hit the jumbo jackpot at fiesta ( 1 of the stations properties ) about one year ago...may 17th to be exact...$143,120.17...and 200,000 points on the card= $2,000.00 in comps to any restuarant of any of the stations casino's...all of this just for using my card...didn't even have winning hand on the machine...i had put in a 20 spot and on my first hand hit Aces for 200.00 and then the next hand machine locked up and there it was...still had $218.75 credit on the machine...so it was a very nice day indeed...all in all had $196,000 worth of W-2's from the casino's last year.... so take the fish's advice and always play with your card in the machine...jeffksu