EyeHeartHalves
Well-Known Member
I rarely ever feel the need to initiate a thread. A recent thread entitled "Help with Comps" and its fifth reply by Sagefrog has inspired me. Comps are one of those rare areas of advantage play which is not well studied or even acknowledged. There are but a few authoritative books on the subject. Comp City by Max Rubin is the quintessential text. Is it as important to a cardcounter (CC) as the many CC books--no. However, I think it is must-read for the black chipper and highly recommended for the green chipper. However, there are other texts. Of particular not is a long essay by James Grosjean entitled "Beyond Coupons". This essay can be found on Arnold Snyder's website and downloaded for free. It is extremely important if you can obtain matchplay/rebate-type offers. So, why am I amidst an emmense babble about comps? I think that a concept that I call comp whoring is greatly undervalued by modern CC's.
DISCLAIMER: I know little about LV comp whoring. I feel the need to say a few things about it, upfront. Choose two "home bases". Obviously, you would choose one at a time. How do you choose a home base. That all depends on your experience level. My first time in LV, I chose Hilton because they were affiliated with two AC casinos. Thus, I was able to acquire a host on the phone. He promised me two nights for free, two for $125 and two for $75. The retail price was $195 per night. I only played twice per day for an average of about 20 hands each time. I only played in the HL room. Before going out on the prowl in the afternoon, I'd play and then again when I "came home". I counted halves. I never played with anyone else at the table. I always wonged out at TC<= -0.75. I flat-betted two hands of $100 each. I played perfectly according to the count. I forget whether I won or lost at the LV Hilton but EVERYTHING SAVE THE PLAIN FAIR WAS COMPED AT THE END OF THE TRIP--all nights, wife's massage, all room service plus roundtrip limo service to McKarren. As you can immagine, I was playing a slightly -EV game with large variation but I greatly reduced expenses and they beg me to come back. Now, one reason this worked is because THEY DIDN'T KNOW I WAS GAMBLING AT OTHER CASINOS AT NIGHT. I acted like I loved them. (Are you beginning to see why "whore" may be the proper verbage?)
Now, what if I had discovered an extreme vulnerability in one of LV Hilton's games? I don't think this will happen but would I pounce? Of course I would! Now where does that leave me? This is why I need a second home base. However, it can't be MGM or HET because the hosts will be able to see me playing green or red chips at all their other casinos for about ten times as long at each one. Plus, a little message such as "skilled" my show up on their comp screens. Think P.H., LVS, Stn. casinos, etc.
ATLANTIC CITY: Now this, I know something about. Have a whif of this mind fart: If you get a receipt from ANY parking garage, that receipt is good for one free admission to ANY other parking garage for that "casino day" (5:59AM). Every casino has free parking for Tier 2 comp card holders except that Borgata and most of LV do not have a Tier 2 status.
Always DEMAND a smoking room whether you are a smoker or not. These rooms are the best and they sometimes FEEL FORCED into giving you a mini-suite or even (once in my lifetime) a "real suite".
Resorts used to be "pencil and paper" until recently. I would wong out heavily on a busy night at TC near -1 from table to table, all night betting $50 in one of the first two hands (whenever the critter looked at the bait) but usually just $25. I would end up getting penciled in at several tables for $50 bets.
If you are staying a couple nights in a row, ask for a third (At least one of them is usually a weeknight anyway.) Then, you won't have to worry about waking up at 11:00AM.
Put your coupons in chronological/priority order. Highest priority is straight-up comp cash. Borrow your buddy/wife's card whenever you go, along with the pin and coupons if possible. By the way, if you borrow a brother's identity with his permission for purposes of playing bj, you're not "stealing" his identity.
Again, CASH IS KING. Secondly, 2x cashback days! It only truely exists at one or two casinos. HET isn't "real". Go to Dan Paymar's website to figure out what VP games have higher payback than 9-6 JoB. Play them only on this 2x Cashback Day. In April, one chain offered Vacation Cashback for April's play. Played $25 craps. $100 odds, $100 a number--Accross Bet. That's only a -0.87% edge per point roll with huge variation but they didn't understand this. They comped according to house edge well, well over 2%. $400 Comp Cash plus 800 Comp Dollars (spent on a camcorder for 350 and many other juicy items) plus mini-suites and zero heat at the bj tables for short bursts. Always find a way to pick up as many cash offers as possible. Hey, $5 is $5. Always choose cash if offered a choice--ALWAYS. DO NOT FEEL SORRY FOR A CASINO!!! Does the postcard say "you've earned it"? Well, the postcard doesn't lie. By the way, I won over $5K playing craps in April. I know, "just good variation."
The juiciest ones say "You have $XX guarunteed with a chance to win $XXX." I once won $500 cash in one of these in March. (In shock, I kept stating how happy I would have been to have the $15 until one of the hosts suggested giving her $485.)
If you manage to get a Tier 3 status, they may start offering some expensive gifts with a time window on the coupon. ALWAYS BRING THE REAL COUPON TO ANY AND ALL EVENTS. For example, if it says 2 - 8 PM, go as early as 7:30 PM! If they ran out, ask/demand/convince them to give you some Comp Cash in leui of the item. (Would you rather have a $100 DVD player or $50? Good, you're catching on but again, "the verbage"?)
TO RECAP PRIORITY: (1) Cash, rooms, cash, air fare and more cash.
(2) Cash or expensive gifts.
(3) Free tournaments/bingo/drawing with a zero-cash possibility.
(4) Crappy gifts.
Tropicana has the best tournament in town. It's on Thursday nights. This is the only tournie I've ever won. 4D bj, 1st rnd = 1 on 1, spread from one to 7 hands. 2nd rnd = 7 vs. dealer & eachother. One winner from each of the seven tables of the 2nd rnd. 3rd rnd sitters are guarunteed winners!
PALMING CHIPS: Practice at home first. YOU ONLY NEED TO PALM ABOUT THREE SMALL BETS PER HOUR. Wear a shirt with an empty pocket or carry a pocket book. Wait to offer your comp card until you are down atleast four - eight small bets and slow the game down until she takes it. Talk to them! Tell them what you started with. If she has your comp info. and you gotta leave the table for a long time to do whatever OR OCCASSIONALLY, EVEN IF YOU PLAN TO LEAVE THE CASINO, ask them to hold your spot.
COMP DOLLARS: If you obtain a lot like I did in April, make sure it's at a chain, not an indie. YOU COULD LOSE THEM AS A RESULT OF A CASINO COUNTERMEASURE BUT A CHAIN OFFERS THE POSSIBILITY OF SPENDING THEM AT ANOTHER CASINO. So, what do you spend the small amounts on? Even after a meal you still may have some but would like to wipe out the account. Find a one-to-one shop and think about some things YOU WOULD NEED ANYWAY? Do you need those little toothpastes for future trips? Other hygiene products? Are you a fan of bottled water and soda like I am? Then, think about products that you'd normally pay cash for at home like a certain gum, candy or maybe even cigarettes.
Okay, running out of wind--gotta go do the real-job-thing.
--Halves
DISCLAIMER: I know little about LV comp whoring. I feel the need to say a few things about it, upfront. Choose two "home bases". Obviously, you would choose one at a time. How do you choose a home base. That all depends on your experience level. My first time in LV, I chose Hilton because they were affiliated with two AC casinos. Thus, I was able to acquire a host on the phone. He promised me two nights for free, two for $125 and two for $75. The retail price was $195 per night. I only played twice per day for an average of about 20 hands each time. I only played in the HL room. Before going out on the prowl in the afternoon, I'd play and then again when I "came home". I counted halves. I never played with anyone else at the table. I always wonged out at TC<= -0.75. I flat-betted two hands of $100 each. I played perfectly according to the count. I forget whether I won or lost at the LV Hilton but EVERYTHING SAVE THE PLAIN FAIR WAS COMPED AT THE END OF THE TRIP--all nights, wife's massage, all room service plus roundtrip limo service to McKarren. As you can immagine, I was playing a slightly -EV game with large variation but I greatly reduced expenses and they beg me to come back. Now, one reason this worked is because THEY DIDN'T KNOW I WAS GAMBLING AT OTHER CASINOS AT NIGHT. I acted like I loved them. (Are you beginning to see why "whore" may be the proper verbage?)
Now, what if I had discovered an extreme vulnerability in one of LV Hilton's games? I don't think this will happen but would I pounce? Of course I would! Now where does that leave me? This is why I need a second home base. However, it can't be MGM or HET because the hosts will be able to see me playing green or red chips at all their other casinos for about ten times as long at each one. Plus, a little message such as "skilled" my show up on their comp screens. Think P.H., LVS, Stn. casinos, etc.
ATLANTIC CITY: Now this, I know something about. Have a whif of this mind fart: If you get a receipt from ANY parking garage, that receipt is good for one free admission to ANY other parking garage for that "casino day" (5:59AM). Every casino has free parking for Tier 2 comp card holders except that Borgata and most of LV do not have a Tier 2 status.
Always DEMAND a smoking room whether you are a smoker or not. These rooms are the best and they sometimes FEEL FORCED into giving you a mini-suite or even (once in my lifetime) a "real suite".
Resorts used to be "pencil and paper" until recently. I would wong out heavily on a busy night at TC near -1 from table to table, all night betting $50 in one of the first two hands (whenever the critter looked at the bait) but usually just $25. I would end up getting penciled in at several tables for $50 bets.
If you are staying a couple nights in a row, ask for a third (At least one of them is usually a weeknight anyway.) Then, you won't have to worry about waking up at 11:00AM.
Put your coupons in chronological/priority order. Highest priority is straight-up comp cash. Borrow your buddy/wife's card whenever you go, along with the pin and coupons if possible. By the way, if you borrow a brother's identity with his permission for purposes of playing bj, you're not "stealing" his identity.
Again, CASH IS KING. Secondly, 2x cashback days! It only truely exists at one or two casinos. HET isn't "real". Go to Dan Paymar's website to figure out what VP games have higher payback than 9-6 JoB. Play them only on this 2x Cashback Day. In April, one chain offered Vacation Cashback for April's play. Played $25 craps. $100 odds, $100 a number--Accross Bet. That's only a -0.87% edge per point roll with huge variation but they didn't understand this. They comped according to house edge well, well over 2%. $400 Comp Cash plus 800 Comp Dollars (spent on a camcorder for 350 and many other juicy items) plus mini-suites and zero heat at the bj tables for short bursts. Always find a way to pick up as many cash offers as possible. Hey, $5 is $5. Always choose cash if offered a choice--ALWAYS. DO NOT FEEL SORRY FOR A CASINO!!! Does the postcard say "you've earned it"? Well, the postcard doesn't lie. By the way, I won over $5K playing craps in April. I know, "just good variation."
The juiciest ones say "You have $XX guarunteed with a chance to win $XXX." I once won $500 cash in one of these in March. (In shock, I kept stating how happy I would have been to have the $15 until one of the hosts suggested giving her $485.)
If you manage to get a Tier 3 status, they may start offering some expensive gifts with a time window on the coupon. ALWAYS BRING THE REAL COUPON TO ANY AND ALL EVENTS. For example, if it says 2 - 8 PM, go as early as 7:30 PM! If they ran out, ask/demand/convince them to give you some Comp Cash in leui of the item. (Would you rather have a $100 DVD player or $50? Good, you're catching on but again, "the verbage"?)
TO RECAP PRIORITY: (1) Cash, rooms, cash, air fare and more cash.
(2) Cash or expensive gifts.
(3) Free tournaments/bingo/drawing with a zero-cash possibility.
(4) Crappy gifts.
Tropicana has the best tournament in town. It's on Thursday nights. This is the only tournie I've ever won. 4D bj, 1st rnd = 1 on 1, spread from one to 7 hands. 2nd rnd = 7 vs. dealer & eachother. One winner from each of the seven tables of the 2nd rnd. 3rd rnd sitters are guarunteed winners!
PALMING CHIPS: Practice at home first. YOU ONLY NEED TO PALM ABOUT THREE SMALL BETS PER HOUR. Wear a shirt with an empty pocket or carry a pocket book. Wait to offer your comp card until you are down atleast four - eight small bets and slow the game down until she takes it. Talk to them! Tell them what you started with. If she has your comp info. and you gotta leave the table for a long time to do whatever OR OCCASSIONALLY, EVEN IF YOU PLAN TO LEAVE THE CASINO, ask them to hold your spot.
COMP DOLLARS: If you obtain a lot like I did in April, make sure it's at a chain, not an indie. YOU COULD LOSE THEM AS A RESULT OF A CASINO COUNTERMEASURE BUT A CHAIN OFFERS THE POSSIBILITY OF SPENDING THEM AT ANOTHER CASINO. So, what do you spend the small amounts on? Even after a meal you still may have some but would like to wipe out the account. Find a one-to-one shop and think about some things YOU WOULD NEED ANYWAY? Do you need those little toothpastes for future trips? Other hygiene products? Are you a fan of bottled water and soda like I am? Then, think about products that you'd normally pay cash for at home like a certain gum, candy or maybe even cigarettes.
Okay, running out of wind--gotta go do the real-job-thing.
--Halves
nice one ! :toast: