Until the casinos got hip a lot of money was made setting the casinos up to deliver copious amounts of freeplay. It was a play that was put down in casinos across the country.
1. You go in and sign up for the players club. You are a new player. Sit down on a $5 video poker game in the 98% range. You want to make yourself look like a total sucker. Run 50 to 100K in action. Theoretical loss = 2 to 4K.
2. Then it was a matter of waiting on the mail, usually a month or so. The amount of freeplay varied from casino to casino but you'd usually get 1 to 2K a week for up to six months in freeplay.
3.. Do this at multiple casinos that are unaffiliated.
4. Run a route to each casino running off the freeplay then leaving.
I have one friend that was making 150K a year pulling off this play just in California.
If you'll remember, several years ago the casinos severely cut back freeplay offers and amounts. The reason was the casinos got hurt by wiseguys pulling this play on them.