Understanding Casino Comps
Casino comps (also known as casino complimentary) are the epitome of rewards as far as casino gambling goes and have been issued to players since the early days of Las Vegas gambling. The term “casino comps” refers to a number of different gifts, prizes and rewards that the casinos offer their customers for free as an incentive to continue playing with the hopes that they will become a loyal (and profitable) casino player over time. Comps are generally issued through what is known as a player rewards program which is basically a voluntary enrollment system that tracks what games you play, how long you play them for and your average bet. Using this information along with a basic formula, the casino will then determine if you are eligible for any comps.
The calculation of casino comps is something that is usually of interest to players since they want to know what they have to risk in order to receive a number of different free gifts. While the comp calculation varies depending on the casino property you are gambling at, most Vegas casinos will comp you back between 10 – 20% of your expected net loss during each session. What is important to understand here is that this is not the amount of money you have won or lost but is what your expected loss is using the house edge along with other data like your average bet size, length of play, hands per hour & history at the casino.
Below is a sample formula that shows how a Blackjack player may be comped based on their typical play from a day at the casino. Let’s say in this example that this player has been playing an average of $100 per hand for 6 hours with an average of 60 hands per hour and uses proper strategy so has been rated with a casino house edge of 0.5% which is common for strategy players.
Average Bet x Hands/Hour x Length of Play x House Edge = Expected Casino Win
100 x 60 x 6 x 0.5% = $180.00
With this example, we see that this player is expected to generate an expected house win of approximately $180 from this type of game play. Using this information, the casino is then able to determine how they will comp the player, so in this example they may give this player anywhere from $18 to $36 back in the form of comps for that particular session of Blackjack. Although this is the general guideline, the casinos do not necessarily follow this formula to a science with each player. You may be wondering for example what would happen if you walked into a casino and bet one hand of $50,000 on the table and lost. In this case, obviously the time and hands per hour values are not considered however the casino would still be inclined to issue this player comps since the value of their wagers was so high. So now that we understand how casino comps are calculated, let’s take a look at what you can actually expect to receive for free.
Types of Casino Comps
One of the added benefits of signing up for a player rewards program at a casino is that you will also be added to their mailing lists and usually will receive some type of offer even if your play isn’t high enough to warrant some of the better comps. If you are however an above average bettor in a casino, here are some of the things that you might expect to receive as complimentary gifts for play.
Casino Rate – This is one of the most common types of casino comps and is basically a reduced rate in the hotel of the casino. The rate is typically 20% less than the regular rate charged to guests and it’s relatively easy to score this type of comp for an average casino player betting $25 or above per hand.
Hotel Room – Getting a hotel room comp means that you room is completely free for your stay and you are a casino invited guest. This type of comp is designed for the medium player and if you have a bit of history gambling at the casino most will extend this type of complimentary relatively often.
Free Play/Match Play – Free play comps are basically free credits that can be used to gamble with in the casino. Generally these are issued to slots players in the form of credits that can be used on any slot machine. For example if you received a $100 free play slots comp, you could use this for $100 worth of bets in a slot machine. You would still need to insert money into the machine however it would use your free play balance for all wagers until it had been exhausted. Match play comps are for table games players and are similar to free play however with match play the casino offers you a free bet up to a certain amount of a wager. For example a $200 match play would mean that if you use this coupon while betting $200 at the table, you would actually be betting $400 ($200 of yours and $200 of the casino’s money).
RFB Comps – RFB comps (Room, Food and Beverage) are some of the more sought after comps in casinos. With an RFB comp everything is taken care of and the only money you will need is for gambling in the casino. This type of comp is reserved for an above average player who is usually betting $50 or more per hand for an extended period of time. Depending on the class of the casino hotel you are in, RFB comps may be offered more generously to the player. For example obtaining an RFB comp at the Bellagio is much more difficult than getting an RFB comp at Paris Paris since the Bellagio is geared towards bigger players and their room, food and beverage services are priced much higher than lower end properties. To obtain an RFB comp you will usually need to speak with a casino host who will examine your play however sometimes these are offered through the mail to frequent guests.
Free Gifts – For the super high rollers anything goes…literally. A high roller is loosely defined in Vegas as a player who is bringing over $300,000 to play with in cash, credit or a combination of the two. These players are the golden gems of any casino and they will go to great lengths to ensure that they come and gamble at their properties. High rollers can expect to receive the RFB comp with the best suites in the hotel plus flight reimbursements, limousine transport, show tickets, free meals, cash back and pretty much anything you can think of. In some cases where mega high rollers have played substantial amount in the millions, casinos have been known to provide extravagant gifts such as Rolls Royce’s, jewellery and private jets to their best players.
Las Vegas Casino Comp Rates
For those of you that are curious, below we have provided some data on what some of the most popular Las Vegas hotels and casinos on the strip require in order for a player to receive an room comp for their play in a given day. If you are looking to receive big comps from the casinos in Las Vegas, it’s a good idea to open a casino credit line and contact a casino host once you have arrived.
Bellagio – One of the harder hotels on the strip to get an RFB comp and generally players must wager a minimum of $150 per hand on table games for at least four hours to be considered for a free room complimentary. Players will need to speak to a casino host to receive this comp after being rated for their play.
Wynn – As one of the more luxurious hotels in Las Vegas, it’s no surpise that the comp requirements are quite high at the Wynn. Wynn casino players should bet upwards of $200 plus per hand for five hours of more to expect to receive a free room in the hotel. RFB comps at the Wynn can have much higher requirements since this casino is geared towards large players with big credit lines.
MGM Grand – The MGM offers a reduced comp requirement for the hotel room comps and generally players who wager $100 or more for a few hours will be eligible to receive a free hotel room. To receive a full RFB comp, you should bet over $250 per hand and make sure that you are rated and have spoken with a casino host prior to leaving the property and paying your bill.
Online Casino Comps
In contrast to land based casino comps, online casino comps are generally calculated using a points program which allows the player to convert their points directly to cash through the casino cashier. Points are earned at the player play casino games for real money and are accumulated through the rewards program with different levels of comps offered to the player. Although the comp programs are nowhere near as comprehensive as that of land based casinos, the incentive with playing online is that all of the sites offer a casino bonus to the player right off the bat. This is usually a match percentage for which they will award you a free amount of chips on your first deposit as an addition to your bankroll.
In addition to bonuses, there are few online casinos that have full blown comp programs set in place. These sites offer the same rewards that you might expect to receive from a Las Vegas casino however the accumulation of points and distribution of rewards is done entirely online. For more information on online casinos and their rewards, check out our online casino reviews section for more.