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Thread: Use cash before free play?

  1. #1
    A friend told me he is saving his Total Rewards Reward Credits to buy free play during New Years weekend. But in the meantime he is going to casinos now and using cash to play. Does it make sense to save his RCs abd free play while he gambles with cash out of pocket?

  2. #2
    No, it makes zero sense. Also, I hope your friend is Seven Stars, or he will get a terrible exchange rate on his RCs.
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  3. #3
    Another question: does it make sense to save Reward Credits to pay for dinners, etc. in Vegas while using cash first to gamble? Let's assume the player is a 7 Stars and getting the best conversion rate.

    Personally, in all cases, I would use "reward credits" first whether its for play or to pay for meals, etc. My thinking: why use your own money first?

  4. #4
    I never use my money when I have free play. On our last trip to New Orleans we played two days without ever using our money.

  5. #5
    Alan

    Have you ever asked your host for your theo after a trip to Vegas? At your level of play you should be receiving back end comps.

  6. #6
    Aaron what do you mean by "back end comps" and what level of play is needed? My level of play is not tbat high.

  7. #7
    Many times over the years I've felt like I got back ended after a Vegas trip.

  8. #8
    Back end comps are comps you additionally receive at the end of your trip. You can go to the players desk (or see your host) and see if there are any charges you've made to your room they can comp. For example, you charged some drinks at the pool to your room, or you had a nice dinner. They can look at the total costs charged to your room, than look at your play and decide to comp you (part) of this costs and as additional comp.

  9. #9
    You can receive 25% - 35% of your theoretical loss in comps.

    My last trip was 2 nights (these numbers are approximate):

    Booked an offer for $1,200 FP and 2 Bedroom Panorama Suite at Planet Hollywood.
    Played just over 20,000 TC before bonus.
    I play both slots and VP this trip however was mostly VP 75%
    Coin in was 150K VP and 25k slots.
    The VP theo was probable 4% so 150k x 4% = $6,000 loss I should have had.
    The slot theo was probably 10% so 25k x 10% = $2,500

    So my theo for the trip was $8,500 (The amount I should have lost)

    The room and upfront freeplay counted only $767 to my comps. (this needs a whole explanation on its own)
    I bought about $750 in freeplay from my RC's (When you use your RC's on a trip they are actually counted as comps, even though you have already earned them)
    They will use (steal) any RC's you have before you can have back-end comps applied.
    I will use all convert all my RC's to free play before I see my host.

    So I had a total of $8,500 (theo) x 35% = 2975 available for comps on this trip.

    767 Room & Free-play
    750 Purchased Free-play
    1500 in room charges (shopping, shows and food)

    $3017 in comps for the trip.


    FYI I actually came home ahead about $1,000 this weekend, because of 2 Royals and 3 A's w/kickers. Also bought about 5k in giftcards from the GGWU.

  10. #10
    Aaron I am no where close to your level of play.

  11. #11
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    Originally Posted by Dan Druff View Post
    No, it makes zero sense. Also, I hope your friend is Seven Stars, or he will get a terrible exchange rate on his RCs.
    Dan,

    Assuming he is Seven Stars, why do you say it makes zero sense? What is the difference if you cash them out now or save them and cash them out for New Years regardless if you use them for meals or free play? Personally I would rather let my RC's build a little, cash them out for free play allowing me a bigger bankroll to play and possibly even play higher limits.

  12. #12
    I've been thinking about this one line:

    Originally Posted by Nash View Post
    What is the difference if you cash them out now or save them and cash them out for New Years regardless if you use them for meals or free play?
    This is really the truth. What difference does it make?

    The only difference -- and this might be a stretch -- is if without warning Caesars files for bankruptcy or changes the value of the reward credits. In which case "banking" the reward credits creates a risk.

    But if you think there is no danger as to the value then it makes no difference if you play them now or later.

  13. #13
    Originally Posted by Alan Mendelson View Post
    Aaron I am no where close to your level of play.
    Alan

    The level of play is not my point. If you are at a level of play to warrant a host you should be keeping track of your theo and using all available comps when staying in Vegas.

    Your room and upfront free-play is not valued at 100%. You can see above they valued my $1,200 in free-play and 2 nights in a 2 bedroom suite at only $767. There is more available for back-end (discresionary) comps.

  14. #14
    Aaron, I can't remember paying anything out of pocket except for tips. My regular comps cover everything. I guess my play matches my expenses.

    I play only a fraction of what you play. A "big trip" for me is putting on 5000 tier points -- I don't get snywhere near 20-thousand.

    So what am I missing?

  15. #15
    I assume "My regular comps cover everything" means RC's earned at Rincon or the $500 gift cards.

    All that I am saying is that you should not have to use RC's earned at Rincon to pay for dinners in Vegas. With 5000 tier points earned in Vegas you only receive $50 worth of RC's.

    People in general seem to be afraid of hosts. Hosts are sells people and make money from our Vegas visits. Everyone should ask a host for their stats on play and theo to make sure they are receiving what they deserve.

    And if your host will not provide that info you should find a new host. I have had a few friends that have had that problem with their hosts.

    The reason I am posting this info is because there are a lot of people being under comped. I was for over 4 years. I joined your board and many others to find out how to get the comps I deserved.

  16. #16
    Aaron I understand what you are saying now. The question is: will our hosts give us discretionary comps without wiping out our RC banks?

  17. #17
    Originally Posted by Aaron View Post
    You can receive 25% - 35% of your theoretical loss in comps.
    Booked an offer for $1,200 FP and 2 Bedroom Panorama Suite at Planet Hollywood.
    The room and upfront freeplay counted only $767 to my comps. (this needs a whole explanation on its own)
    Damn, I would have thought they charged your comp account more than that, for a 2-bdrm Panoramic!
    I'm wondering if I had a theo of $1000, if they'd comp some food off at the end (staying at Bally's Jubilee of course)

  18. #18
    Originally Posted by Alan Mendelson View Post
    Aaron I understand what you are saying now. The question is: will our hosts give us discretionary comps without wiping out our RC banks?
    Actually that's NOT what he's saying.
    With the new(er) rules, they HAVE to wipe your RC balance out BEFORE they "discretionary" comp off...
    So, like Aaron is saying, use your RC to purchase FreePlay and/or GiftCards, etc BEFORE asking.
    But, Alan, it seems like you have TONS of RC's, so you never ask a host for anything...am I correct?

  19. #19
    Timspeed: Unfortunately I don't have tons of RCs.

    I am not sure that I am a big enough player that I can use my RCs on free play and expect my host to pick up my restaurant charges or show tickets or other items not in a "package" that I've booked.

    Has anyone else had success getting these discretionary comps after first wiping out their RCs on free play and gifts?

    Remember I recently wrote how my free play and other offers were cut again. I don't consider myself in Aaron's league.

    For the record: right now I have RCs worth $272 and a $500 folio credit for New Years weekend.

    I don't want to get too personal here but I think Aaron's advice applies to bigger gamblers. He said above he purchased $5000 in gift cards at the Great Gift Wrapup. Each $100 gift card is 35000 points which represents 35000 tier points earned during the year (not counting GGWU bonuses). But it appears to me Aaron may have a tier score of about 1.5-million before the bonus tier points were added to his account.

  20. #20
    I do have just over 1 million tier points this year. Most of my GGWU points came from the Rincon bonuses in October and November. I could receive 192,000 points on each of the 5 Sundays with 4,200 tier point earned.

    If you know your theo you can determine what your comps should be. I can ask my host the night before my departure and then I know exactly what I can spend.

    Tim - $1,000 theo would be 50,000 coin in on 98% VP or 5,000 tp. With 1,000 tier points earned at 98% VP your theo would only be $200.

    I do play a lot of slots so my theo is higher than a player who only plays VP.
    Last edited by Aaron; 12-10-2014 at 09:45 AM. Reason: mis calc

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