Looking to get some freebies while vacationing in Vegas? Rudymax.com has some great advice on getting comp’ed at casinos:
Almost anyone who wagers more than a couple of hours a day, including slot players, is a customer a casino wants to coddle. But you have to know the rules.
1. Make yourself known. If you sit down at a blackjack table at a major casino in Atlantic City or Vegas, a pit boss may approach you to ask your name. Or he or she may ask if you “would like to be rated.” First-time visitors often decline to give their names, perhaps thinking the casino is tracking their play for the IRS.
In fact, the casino would like to know who you are so that if your play warrants it, you can be offered freebies. Why? So you don’t wander down the street to the competition. Unless you’re just making a once-in- a-lifetime visit and don’t intend to gamble more than a couple of hours, give you name.
2. Play in one place. If you would like to be rated and receive benefits, don’t hop from casino to casino. If you stay in one establishment, you’ll be evaluated (and rewarded) according to two criteria: how long you play and the average size of your bets.
It’s that simple. All casinos measure your play using an A to D or a one to four scale. Casinos in smaller markets will have different criteria than those in larger ones, but generally, an “A” player will bet $500 or more per bet and play for at least four hours a day. A “D” player may bet $25 per hand at blackjack for at least four hours a day.
3. Time is important. A casino expects a player who wants to be comped to spend at least four hours betting during a 24-hour period. The theory is the longer you play, the more likely the odds are to favor the house. So even if you walk into a casino and make one, million- dollar bet at craps, don’t expect a free pass to the buffet line. By the same token, if you play for an hour and find yourself winning big, quit and don’t worry about qualifying for a comp.
4. Size matters. When a casino measures the size of your bets, your first bets count the most. That’s because you’re generally paying with your money. Someone who starts by placing a $25 chip on a blackjack bet, builds his bank up to $3000, and starts placing $100 bets will most likely be rated a $25 player.
