Two weeks ago, in part 3 of this series, we enjoyed a post from Jean Scott, The Queen of Comps, author of “The Frugal Gambler” and other books. This week I want to start a discussion with you about what it means to be a frugal gambler, beginning with an overview of casino comps, what they are, and how to get them.
You may guess that my personal philosophies about casinos and gambling have been strongly influenced by Jean Scott – and you’d be right. What does it mean to be frugal? It’s not the same as being cheap – although for me, as one of Scottish heritage, cheap is in my DNA. In a broad sense being frugal means getting all the value possible from your experience at the casino. It’s a smart way of approaching the whole casino relationship with a plan in mind and a goal of obtaining maximum return from your entertainment dollars.
Two questions I frequently get are “What are comps?” and “How can I get comps from the casino?”
In casinospeak “comp” is short for complimentary. A comp is anything free or reduced price that a casino gives you, usually as a reward for your play, or as an incentive for you to do something like becoming a new slot club member, visit the casino on a particular day, etc. “Being comped” is being the recipient of a casino comp, and there’s really no limit to what can be comped as long as it’s not against the law. Generally, bigger players get bigger comps, but there are many good things available to low rollers who “play the game well”. When I say “play the game” I’m not talking about blackjack or video poker. You see, obtaining the maximum comps available to you is a whole other game you can play while visiting a casino. Some of us find it to be almost as much fun as the gambling, and it’s a way to obtain the most value from the entertainment dollars you take to a casino.
What are some of the things you can expect to be comped?
Even someone who barely plays can expect a few things. Whenever you’re playing any casino machine, even the penny slots, or any table game, you can expect free drinks of your choice from bottled water and soft drinks to beer, wine, and mixed drinks. Of course you do need to tip the cocktail waitress who serves you, typically $1 per drink. Some places, particularly in poker rooms, you have free food during some parts of the day. This can range from pastries in the morning to hot dogs, pizza, heavy hors devours or even full buffet meals.
Another freebie you may get is a gift for signing up as a new player’s club member. This varies from casino to casino and some are more generous than others. So you might get nothing, but usually there’s something being offered. You could be given a deck of casino playing cards, a logo coffee mug, t-shirt, or hat, or other gift. You also might receive a free buffet or two, or be offered free buffets for playing a minimal amount. You could receive a coupon book, often called a “fun book”. Some coupon books are very nice, and include free or 1/2 priced buffets or other food, and valuable gaming coupons. Your funbook may have a coupon for extra chips the first time you play a table game. For example, the coupon could entitle you to $50 in chips when you buy in for $40. Or, a coupon could be a “matchplay” for a table game bet. Matchplays are great, and are typically found in $5 to $25 denominations. Here’s how they work; you place a $10 bet, and include your $10 matchplay coupon with the bet. If you win, the casino pays you $10 on your bet, and $10 on the matchplay too. There are many more coupons, some more valuable than others.
All you have to do is ask
As you can see, there are sometimes many things available to you even as a new player who has never spent a dime in the casino. How do you obtain these comps for new players? All you have to do is ask. If you’re in a new casino where you’ve never had a player’s card here’s what to do: Walk up to the player club counter and have your photo ID in hand. Tell them you’ve never played there before, and ask if they have any promotions going on for new members. Then listen, ask for a brochure that explains things, and ask questions if you don’t understand any of the details. That’s simple isn’t it?
In future posts I’m going to write a lot more about comps, but if you have questions I’ll be happy to talk with you. You can post comments and questions here on the blog (see below) or visit the thread I started on The Open Road Forum.
Happy travels, and good luck in the casino!
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Clark Cupery
LET’S HEAR MORE ABOUT COMPS……THANKS
Eric Young
Mac,
As a Scot, I must take issue with your contention that because you are of Scottish decent, “cheap” is in your DNA. Scots are frugal…so, being frugal is in your DNA. As I was growing up, I remember that my family didn’t have a lot of money (probably as most of us remember, Scottish or not), so my parents always looked for the best value for their hard-earned money, and that fits the definition of being frugal. Most Scots would give you the shirt off their back, so they really don’t fit any definition of “being cheap”. Apology accepted 🙂
PokerDiva
We always did well with comps at Terribles’ in Las Vegas and Pahrumps but I can see the handwriting on the wall…..they are going into Chapter 11 according to today’s papers. The poor economy is hitting some of the casinos.
Rick & Lucky Lucy
We are finding comps harder to come by as the bean counters and “bottom line” mentality takes over more and more casinos. Last year we got an $80 comp at Casino Del Sol near Tucson when we walked in the door — a casino host offered it and this was before dropping the first nickel. This year the same casino said they don’t give out comps any longer. Now we have to earn them through our slot card account which gives us a small % of our coin-in. We redeem the comp by “paying” with our slot card just like it was a credit (or debit) card. No slack, no discretionary, and quite a bit of play is necessary for any benefits. You have to have enough credit in the account to pay for the comp or make up the difference out of pocket.
Casino of the Mountain Gods, near Ruidoso, NM; same song, second verse.
Seems they are all trying to emulate Harrah’s Total Rewards, but Harrah’s gives out multi-point days where you can actually build up some value in the account.
Bottom line: The old advice of “ask, ask, ask” is becoming obsolete. As more and more casinos are adopting the ‘self comp’ system the ‘comp game’ will be harder and harder to play.
Rick