How does comp rooms work for MGM and Caesars?

[DrSayre]

Im wanting to know what the best way is to get comp'd rooms for the next time you go to Vegas. I went to Vegas about a year ago and stayed at Planet Hollywood, while there I gambled at a few different Casears properties and several MGM properties (not a ton, but played a lot of bubble craps, some video poker, and some slots.. also some futures sports bets). About a month or so later, I noticed I could stay at more higher end properties for free (Aria, Bellagio, Paris). I went back earlier this year and stayed at Aria and Paris. Did gamble.. but now Im noticing I dont have as good of offers. Does anybody have a rough idea on how that works? Is it just how much you gamble, or is there better/worse games to get better offers? Or was it because I booked in January and Covid was bigger issue than it is now?

[Dan Druff]

Im wanting to know what the best way is to get comp'd rooms for the next time you go to Vegas. I went to Vegas about a year ago and stayed at Planet Hollywood, while there I gambled at a few different Casears properties and several MGM properties (not a ton, but played a lot of bubble craps, some video poker, and some slots.. also some futures sports bets). About a month or so later, I noticed I could stay at more higher end properties for free (Aria, Bellagio, Paris). I went back earlier this year and stayed at Aria and Paris. Did gamble.. but now Im noticing I dont have as good of offers. Does anybody have a rough idea on how that works? Is it just how much you gamble, or is there better/worse games to get better offers? Or was it because I booked in January and Covid was bigger issue than it is now?

It's a complicated formula.

Basically the casinos try to determine your "value" to them (how much they make off your gambling after the expenses they incur from comps), and make offers based upon that.

However, if they have relatively little data on your recent play, sometimes you will get offers which are far better than your play deserves. This especially can happen if you haven't been seen at a casino in awhile (or at least haven't used your card there), and suddenly you play a spurt of middle or high stakes action, and then leave. After about 2 months (sometimes sooner), your comps will suddenly improve, but will decline unless you keep up that level of play.

Sometimes you will also get inexplicable comp room offers after low limit play or very sparse play. This can occur because they are seeing you gamble again, and want to entice you back there. Room comps are cheap for them to offer, especially for nights where they typically don't sell out.

The reason you didn't get offers as good as before was because you probably failed to live up to what they were hoping for with your previous comps, and now they aren't going to offer much to you -- at least not unless you disappear for awhile again. For poker players, "disappearing" can be hard from Caesars properties, because they will always "see" you if you play WSOP events.

I hope that helps.

[DrSayre]

Thanks Todd, that does help a lot. Did not know about "disappearing", which is easy for me to do with MGM properties since I dont live near any.

[Dan Druff]

Thanks Todd, that does help a lot. Did not know about "disappearing", which is easy for me to do with MGM properties since I dont live near any.

It's going to have to be a minimum of 18 months. That means you put your card in the drawer and don't touch it again, and don't stay at any MGM properties in the area, either. Or none in any area, ideally (unless in someone else's name).

It's unclear whether or not the parking system in Vegas counts toward this (I'm guessing it doesn't, but not sure).

[DrSayre]

Thanks Todd, that does help a lot. Did not know about "disappearing", which is easy for me to do with MGM properties since I dont live near any.

It's going to have to be a minimum of 18 months. That means you put your card in the drawer and don't touch it again, and don't stay at any MGM properties in the area, either. Or none in any area, ideally (unless in someone else's name).

It's unclear whether or not the parking system in Vegas counts toward this (I'm guessing it doesn't, but not sure).

I wonder how much gambling you have to do to keep offers for comp'd rooms at Park MGM/Luxor? I still get 4 nights there during the week. I might stay at one of those MGM properties next.

Another thing I think I mess up at, is Ill play video poker at Cosmo or other non-MGM properties because of the better pay tables. Maybe sacrificing some EV at video poker to play at MGM (same for other games) can help.