How much action do I need to give?
 

How much action do I need to give a casino at blackjack and other games in order to get a decent level of comp? I'd like to move past the level of free pig trough buffet and into the world of RFB and beyond without losing my ass.

Is blackjack the best game for this? What about other low-risk alternatives like craps, baccarat, and paigow?

What casinos comp the best?

Re: How much action do I need to give?
 

Bud, it depends on the Casino/Hotel. It could be anywere from $25 hand at some older properties. Circus circus, Stardust, Downtown & etc. Maybe $ 50 a hand get you Flamingo, Luxor, Excalibur. Usually they look for at 4 hours a day but for RFB at 25 & 50 Hand you probably need 6-8 hours worth of Play. if you could tell me what property your looking out I might be able to help you more. PM me if you like I know some tricks.I used to work at a Strip property doing comps for the Players club.
Gene

Re: How much action do I need to give?
 

I was at the Rio for a convention back in November. I was green chipping Let it Ride and Boston Stud (no poker in the Rio at that time) for a couple hours a day because my work buddies were too lazy to go anywhere else.

A couple weeks after I left I started getting coupons from the Rio and Harrah's like crazy. When I was in Vegas two weekends ago I stayed at Harrah's (because the Rio was full) and I got a great rate. I don't remember the exact rate but Thursday, Friday, and Saturday ended up costing me like $150 and I had 4 people in the room which cost extra. The regular rate that someone I was with had to pay was over $600.

I also get all kinds of coupons for free rooms in New Orleans, Reno, Laughlin, Atlantic City, etc.

Re: How much action do I need to give?
 

Wouldn't it be cheaper to simply buy the nice meal and not play the -EV game?

Re: How much action do I need to give?
 

Places like the Sahara, $25 to $50/hand for a few hours will get you a room. At the Hard Rock, $100/hand for something like 4 hours will get you a room. At the Mandalay Bay, $200/hand for 4 hours will get you a room. The Mandalay Bay sucks wrt comps, though, because if you do not meet their avg bet threshold, you cannot apply your points towards a free room comp. At the Hard Rock, for example, I could play $50/hand for 10 hours and get a free room. At Mandalay I can play $100/hand for 12 hours and get absolutely no room comp - just apply to food/bev/etc. Bellagio is similar comp levels as Mandalay, but they don't have this silly minimum avg bet nonsense.

Re: How much action do I need to give?
 

Most casinos on the strip won't even begin to rate your play until you play $25 or more a hand. You can play red cheques all night and receive nothing. If your playing strictly for RFB, unless your sure you can win or break even, it's not worth it. Your better off paying your way. Losses at green or black cheque level over 3 or 4 hours can be rather large. If you must play sit at full tables with a slow dealer. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Re: How much action do I need to give?
 

I was gonna say, the dumbest thing I have ever heard is to play 7-8 hours of BJ or whatever at $50-100 a bet just to get a free room that costs what? $150-$200? Thats 2-4 bets. LOL

--LoO

Re: How much action do I need to give?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Wouldn't it be cheaper to simply buy the nice meal and not play the -EV game?

[/ QUOTE ]

Almost certainly, yes.

The reason the casino gives out the comps is so that you'll play the -EV games in which your expectation is to lose more than the cost of the room or whatever they're comping.

Re: How much action do I need to give?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I was gonna say, the dumbest thing I have ever heard is to play 7-8 hours of BJ or whatever at $50-100 a bet just to get a free room that costs what? $150-$200? Thats 2-4 bets. LOL

[/ QUOTE ]

Dear Nit,

This is a stupid argument, based on the idea that the most important factor in any decision is money.

Furthermore, the idea that the cost of the room is equivilant to 4 $50 bets is ridiculous. The cost of 4 $50 bets at a blackjack table is around 1$. If you don't understand this, then you really shouldn't be posting.

Beyond all that, I'm going to be playing casino games anyway, you know why? Because they're fun.

aces

Re: How much action do I need to give?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Places like the Sahara, $25 to $50/hand for a few hours will get you a room. At the Hard Rock, $100/hand for something like 4 hours will get you a room. At the Mandalay Bay, $200/hand for 4 hours will get you a room. The Mandalay Bay sucks wrt comps, though, because if you do not meet their avg bet threshold, you cannot apply your points towards a free room comp. At the Hard Rock, for example, I could play $50/hand for 10 hours and get a free room. At Mandalay I can play $100/hand for 12 hours and get absolutely no room comp - just apply to food/bev/etc. Bellagio is similar comp levels as Mandalay, but they don't have this silly minimum avg bet nonsense.

[/ QUOTE ]

El D,

Thanks for your answer, this is what I was looking for. Is it a safe assumption that if as you say, betting 100$ a hand for 4 hours at the hard rock will get me a room, that betting 200$ a hand for 2 hours, or 400$ for 1 hour will do the same, or does it not quite work that way?

Also how does varying your bet size factor in?