Harveys Lake Tahoe has made a change in its free play mailers. In the past this Total Rewards casino sent out mailers with a coupon for slot play. Now, there is a coupon that can also be redeemed for table play promotional chips. You present the coupon at the cage for either the chips or to exchange for a slot play ticket.

The free play for tables is valid only for even-money bets and is a "play until you lose" bet voucher (chip).

If I were to rate table play promotions I would break them down into four categories:

1. THE BEST Good till you lose, promotional chips valid for any bet including bets that return more than face value. For example, a promotional $100 chip (voucher) that you place on the 5 in craps would pay $140 if the 5 is rolled and the voucher (chip) would remain live for another roll of the dice.

2. MIDDLE Good till you lose promotional chips for even-money bets. These would be used for bets such as red/black on roulette or pass/don't pass at craps. Also could be for "come bets" and "don't come bets" at craps because these so-called flat bets return even money only.

3. NOT SO GOOD Pormotional chips or vouchers for all bets that can only be used one time. This is what Rincon has. You can use a promotional chip, for example, for any bet at a craps table and it will pay according to the bet. So a $100 promotional chip placed on the 5 at craps would be $140 but you would lose the promotional chip and cannot make the free bet again.

4. WORST A promotional chip that can only be used for even money bets and only one time. I don't know of any casinos that offer this and hopefully no casino will ever.