This article is a guest post by Ian Cohen. Find him on Twitter @IMCVegas
Don’t you have to be some kind of big wig? Oftentimes when I use the terms host, credit, or comps to enlighten novice casino adventurers, I get an immediate, uncomfortable pushback as if to say I don’t think we want to commit that kind of money to gambling on this trip. Alas, you don’t need to be a high roller–far from it–to take advantage of the loyalty systems casinos have in place to earn and reward you for your business.
Player’s Card
Before bee-lining it to the craps table, the first thing anyone new to a casino property should do is to visit the player’s club. Loyalty programs today are centered around a plastic card with your name on it, and from those rewards cards are born countless possibilities for patrons at any level of indulgence.
New sign-ups are uniquely valuable. What will casinos give away to acquire your patronage? The business world uses terms like customer acquisition cost, and we’ve all seen ads from mobile carriers giving away free phones and discounted service in order to earn your family’s business. With players cards / casino loyalty programs however, there’s no cost to sign up, and you don’t have to give up or trade in anything. First time players are immediately rewarded with free play, coupons, and other discounts. Furthermore (and insider tip no. 1), any gaming activity done on the first day you get your player’s card is evaluated extra specially by the casino, which yields better comps and perks for you on subsequent visits. In exchange for showing the casino your ID, you open the door to free rooms, meals, giveaways, cruises, golf, sporting event and show tickets, and more. At major Las Vegas and Atlantic City properties, guests earn rewards both from gaming and non-gaming spending. Don’t forget to insert your card at the machines, present your player’s card to the dealer or croupier, and even to servers and retailers when dining or shopping.
Casino Credit
For simplicity, I’ll lump both front money and line of credit into the same category. Casino credit has multiple utilities. It helps you manage a budget. It makes traveling with a bankroll safer and simpler, and it opens up some of the high roller life without having to gamble nearly as much as one might think.
I want to firmly dispel the misconception that casino credit of any kind is a tool only used by those who would otherwise gamble with fists full of hundred dollar bills. Your smaller, more local casino takes applications for lines of credit for as little as $1,000. Even the major Las Vegas Strip casinos offer minimum credit lines beginning at $2,500. There are no strings attached once approved–no expectations to withdraw a specific percentage or bet a minimum amount. What having established credit does before your visit if put you on the radar of the casino as someone that has cash available to be won. This may open up opportunities for front-end comps that you may not have been eligible for before the visit; however, no amount of credit being opened can overcome low play. Casinos will claw back comps that exceed your actual play value if you “overstate your value”. It is still an extremely valuable tool, saves a lot of time and hassle, and also helps avoid certain reporting requirements depending on your level of play.
Casino Hosts
Hosts are casino employees or sometimes (but not often) independent contractors whose job it is to welcome you with open arms to the casino where you’ll gamble. They are professional friends who are your inside guide and liaison to casino management. Hosts are your personal experience makers who have an amazing amount of clout across all departments of a casino property. While some hosts want to see a track record of casino play first, many will at least make an introduction and offer some kind of gesture–a free room night or dinner to earn your business if your stated level of play merits this.
Establishing casino credit first motivates a host to offer comps and rewards which your gambling action has yet to justify. Most importantly, hosts have the autonomy to make adjustments to your rewards account, your hotel folio, and have quite the reach when it comes to catering to the guest experience. Once you have the ear of a host, your casino experience will change forever.
Just Ask!
Casinos don’t expect casual patrons to tap into anywhere near 100% of the comps in which they are entitled. As a business model, casinos hope that their guests only redeem a small fraction of the complementaries that management is prepared to give away. And that room that’s $300/night on your favorite travel website? Giving that away is considered a soft comp; it only costs the property $30/night on average to give away. If a host sees that you’re a knowledgeable gambler with established casino credit who’s willing to shop your patronage elsewhere, a few hundred dollar gambling budget will keep those comps coming trip after trip.