1. Player’s Club Programs also known as Slot Club Programs
2. Direct Mail Offers and email offers
3. Hosts or Player Development Executives

Note: Direct Mail Offers and Hosts use slot club tracking to award comps.

In 2007   Louis Theroux spent a weekend in Las Vegas as part of  a television series for the BBC. Louis Theroux, son of travel writer and novelist Paul Theroux, is known for bringing his low-key and somewhat intellectual style to unusual and  exotic situations and topics.

The six links below will take you to to You Tube for the video, note there are a few hiccups at the start of the first video, but then its smooth sailing.

The six videos document Louis’s interaction with some of the top gamblers at the Las Vegas Hilton. It is interesting to see host interaction with high-rollers and as Louis frequently points out, never forget who pays the host’s salary.

Part One: Louis Theroux: “Gambling in Las Vegas” Meet the Canadian Mattress King.

Part Two: Louis Theroux: “Gambling in Las Vegas” Two salesmen on a weekend blitz; Mattress King plays Roulette at $5,000 a spin.

Part Three:  Louis Theroux: “Gambling in Las Vegas”

Part Four:  Louis Theroux: “Gambling in Las Vegas” Mattress King gets a $3000 Neiman Marcus comp.

Part Five:  Louis Theroux: “Gambling in Las Vegas” Mattress King hits the high limit slots.

Part Six:  Louis Theroux: “Gambling in Las Vegas” Louis puts $3,000 of his own money at risk and wins!

As room rates at Las Vegas hotels have dropped precipitously during the current economic downturn, hotels have found away to partially counter this trend, the resort fee. The resort fee is added as a daily charge to your room charge, fortunately, most Vegas Hotels include extra services and items with the resort fee.

Resort Fees Come with Extras

Resort Fees often include some, or all, of the following:

• Internet Access
• Local Telephone Calls
• Newspaper (usually USA Today)
• Spa / Exercise room admission
• Bottled Water in the room.
• Free cocktails or beverage credit
• Business Center services , such as printing-out boarding passes

Resort fees range between roughly $5-$25 per day with the higher end Hotels charging the higher fees. The higher fees often include additional services, such as the $24.99 fee at Green Valley Ranch includes Airport Shuttle Service and Free Shoe Shine Service in addition to Free Internet Access and Spa Access. Many Resorts now include those Bottle waters that were conveniently places next to the complementary shampoo and hand lotion in the bathroom, which I’m sure many people assumed was also complimentary. Other resorts are including items that were always free in the list items included in the resort fee, such as the Hard Rock lists towel service at the pool.

The following table is an edited version from vegas.com, since vegas.com is notorious for leaving outdated information on their site, please help keep this list current by posting updates in the comment section of this post

Click on the Hotel Name in the table below for more information on the Resort.

Click on the Hotel Name in the table above for more information on the Resort.

Mark posted the following information on MGM Grand on the Yahoo Group “Casino Comps”

‘For your convenience, for arrivals after July 4th, a daily resort fee of $10 plus tax will be added to your room account and includes the following hotel services: Complimentary high speed internet, $15 beverage credit per stay available at any MGM owned bar, daily USA Today newspaper, local and toll free numbered calls, limited Business Center Services such as outgoing faxes, copies, notary, and boarding pass printing.’

This is still a dreaded Resort Fee, but depending upon how you look at it, you might benefit from it. If you are only staying one night, the bar comp is more than the fee. I think it is worth noting that it is lower than a lot of the other resort fees out there, too. Even if you are staying a couple days, the fee is less than what most places charge for Internet access alone when done
ala-carte.

Resort Fees and Comped Rooms

The answer to the question, “Do I have to pay the Resort Fee, if my room is comped?” is really uncertain. I have recent personal experience, May 2010, with New York New York and Excalibur, at both hotels I had comped rooms, with extras. When I booked the rooms, I was told I would have to pay the daily resort fee. After my stay at both hotels, I noticed I was not charged the resort fee. Note the resort fees at both these resorts included internet access, which I used at both hotels.

The following exchange on “Casino Comps” demonstrates some of the recent experience at Venetian/Palazzo:

“I was not charged anything for my free nights. There is a special floor with a lounge with some food which carries a daily fee and this could be what u were told about….it is in the Palazzo, I don’t know if there is one in Venetian.”

“I was just there 2 weeks ago on Grazie Gifts offer for 3 nights and was not charged a resort fee either.”

I stayed two comp nights at Palazzo. I was charged the resort fee $19.95. This provided free internet, use of Spa/exercise room and we could pick up a free paper at the second floor shop, “Presse”. No complaints. I would do it again.

I stayed at Palazzo 4 nights at the end of June. I was not charged a resort fee and was comped for everything.

The resorts fees seem to be in a continual state of flux. Please help to improve this post by posting your own experience with resort fees in the comment section.

Update from Tom:

The Las Vegas Hilton, which has no resort fee, will actually give you a $10 voucher, per day, if you do not use housekeeping services. You simply place a tag on the door handle in the morning.

Atlantis Bahamas

We have stayed at the Atlantis several times over the last few years. The offers in the past were always specific, free suite, $300 day food and $1500 in FreePlay.

This time the offer said to call your host and let us customize a vacation just for you. I e-mailed Marshall and asked him what he could do. He e-mailed back saying “the same as last time the suite and he would take care of dinners.”

When I received my bill at the hotel it had all food charges. I went to VIP services, No Luck. I e-mailed Marshall and his comment was that I did not play enough so there would be no comps above the room. I said that I expected him to keep his word but that didn’t matter.

In fairness to Marshall, I did gamble less this trip than on previous trips. I played about 50K /day and lost a decent amount of money.

So,I tried disputing the charges with the credit card company but since he only said that he would take care of it and not comp the food charges, I lost the dispute. The interpretation on “take car of it” was make the reservation. I have a feeling the sleazeball knew that and worded his e-mail very carefully.

Now we have had 4 very nice vacations at the Atlantis, ate great meals and love their pools and water rides. This is just a note to make sure you get a detailed up front note of what will be comped especially when visiting the Atlantis in the Bahamas.

RFB versus RFB Plus

Note RFB= Room, Food and  Beverage all comped, although most casinos have different levels of RFB.

I will chime in here after reading some of the posts which touched on
being comp’ed RFB and RFB/Plus. I am a long time East Coast Player
not a Vegas player except for a couple of trips but I have a steady
flow of hosts that contact me through other hosts and the couple of
trips I have made to Vegas in 2006. The latest was a contact from an
upper lever (Executive Level) host/director at MGM and its properties.
Here is what the email said and this was in response to a first email
from him asking me if I would like to attend the Superbowl Party this
weekend.

First MGM-Mirage Host / Guest Exchange

(1st Email)
MGM: “Just a quick email to invite you to join us Super Bowl weekend
in Las Vegas (Jan.30th thur Feb2nd). Whether it’s Mandalay Bay, MGM
Grand or Bellagio, our Super Bowl parties are as good as any in the
city. If Super Bowl doesn’t work for you how about 2 weeks later for
Billy Joel in concert at The MGM (you can stay at any MGM Property and
still attend the concert. ‘etc., etc.’

(My Response Back)
Me: Full comp, RFB/Plus???

How Play at One Property can get you Comped at another Property, Host Talk to One Another, Even at Distant Cities

(2nd Email)
MGM: The casino play we show for you (your one occasion at The
Bellagio and I don’t think you stayed with us) qualifies you for room,
food & beverage comps. However, we show only the one trip for you.
Thanks.

(My Response Back)
Me: Only twice to LV. Once to The Bellagio day trip and I stayed 2′x
at The Venetian and don’t care to again. You can contact my long time
host at The Atlantic City Hilton (and I gave htme the full contact
info for him), etc. Please call him to verify and that way you’ll know
exactly what you can feel comfortable to offer me and stick by it.
Thanks.

(3rd Email)
MGM: Confirmed your play in Atlantic City and yes, that type of play
qualifies you for our private parties and for your RFB Plus to be
comped for you and a guest. Please call or email us to let me know
which MGM property you would like to stay.

(My Last Response Back)
Me: What type of suite are you offering and we are talking a suite
correct? Thanks.

How Type of Comped Rooms are Determined at MGM-Mirage, by Committee

(4th Email)
MGM: All room allocation go to a suite committee for big weekends
(New Years, Championship Boxing Events, Super Bowel and Holidays,
etc). I don’t believe you have told me which property you desire to
stay at but here is a little inside info you can ponder about decide.
Customers staying at MGM Grand have a better chance of getting a
larger and nice room or suite than if stayed at Bellagio. Staying at
Treasure Island or Monte Carlo will give you a better chance of
getting a nicer room–compared to staying at MGM Grand. So it’s up to
the Suite Committee based on the volume of business over Super Bowl
weekend at each particular MGM Mirage Property (but bear in mind you
can eat at any MGM Mirage restaurant at any MGM Mirage Property.
Etc.,etc., (and lots of sales talk why I should play at the MGM
Properties).

Note: It was also further explained to me from another member of The
MGM Mirage Sales Team that, for full RFB/Plus at their properties
overall it takes a $700.00/average bet for a bare min. of 4 hours per
day table games. Average bet is derived from your 2nd, 8th, 16th,
etc.,etc., bet if you are playing about the same amount. However if
you play considerable swings in your bets, like $50.00 then $500.00 a
hand, your average bet will be almost always really be lower than what
you really do play.

Also I was told that a customer can stay at any one of the MGM Mirage
Properties and play at the another casino within the MGM Mirage
Property and have that play count towards his RFB comp at where the
customer is staying.

I hope this helps some of you who are full RFB players and were
curious how they assign suites to a customer.

How much play to get full RFB at MGM-Mirage in Las Vegas?

As the above post states:

“MGM Mirage Sales Team that, for full RFB/Plus at their properties
overall it takes a $700.00/average bet for a bare min. of 4 hours per
day table games.”

Video Poker Strategy Essay on VegasMavens.com

Video Poker is one of the best games for earning comps in a casino. Most important among the reasons video poker is a great game to play to earn comps is that it is a game of skill, which allows the player to “trick” the casino into thinking that you are a more valuable customer for the casino than they really are. Additionally, games are available to satisfy just about any level of gambler, from high-roller to low-roller. Finally, but by no means least in importance, video poker is fun! Video Poker has become so popular, in many locals casinos in Las Vegas it has practically taken over the whole gaming floor. The game seems to have the right balance of player involvement via the discard decisions, but is not so taxing as to impede the fun.

To read the rest of the essay, follow this link.

Casinos award comps based on the patron’s theoretical loss value to the casino.

I recommend the following essay on Theoretical Loss.

Once you have your casino player’s card it is important to use the card while you gambling. This entails inserting the card into the card reader if you are playing a slot machine, or presenting it to the dealer or pit boss if you are playing a table game. The dealer is the person actually dealing the cards or running the game if you are playing roulette, while the pit boss is the dealer’s supervisor and oversees several table games in a given part of the casino. Once you have inserted your card into the slot machine or presented your card to the dealer, your play is now being “tracked”, which means you are now earning comps.

Comp is short for Complementary

Some comps are really special courtesies that are extended to the casino’s better players, such as the ability to check-in to your hotel room when you arrive at the hotel, and not having to wait to the designated check-in time. Late room check-outs are rarely given to someone that is not a rated player, but are commonly given to good players. A rated player is someone that is recognized by the casino as a customer that has their played tracked by the casino, and is discussed more fully below.

Some Comps are really special courtesies that casinos extend to their better players, like late check-outs.

Cocktails, wine, beer, soft drinks are all routinely comped at Las Vegas casinos to anyone while they are gambling. Parking whether you self park or use valet service are free at Strip casinos, and really can be thought of as comps that are available to everyone. Once you start moving up the comp latter higher value comps are offered to customers. The meal comps usually start with a buffet comp, the next level would be a coffee-shop restaurant, then a mid range restaurant and finally the casinos top gourmet restaurants. Even when you reach the gourmet level, there are ranges of how much the casino will grant in a comp, a top level player will have the entire wine list comped, others will need to show more restraint in their wine selection.

A similar comp latter is often in play for show tickets. Many casinos will have several different shows playing in the same casino, some are more expensive, and hence more difficult to get comped. It also matters whether the show is produced by the casino themselves or the theater is rented out to a third party, in which case it is usually more difficult to get the tickets comped. Some shows are completely free to everyone, and are used to draw customers to a casino.