Or just make them show up in person like most strip rooms do during wsop

So this is an incredibly basic question that's almost embarrassing. I've been in Vegas for a long time now but I don't gamble (outside of poker) so I never bothered to figure out how reward programs and comps work other than the shitty $1.50/2 per hour we get for poker. I actually don't think I've ever redeemed an MGM comp of any sort.

Anyway, the other night at the Bellagio I decided to play some blackjack after leaving the poker tables which is really unusual for me. I averaged probably $100-150 a hand for a couple of hours and put at least $10,000 worth of bets on the table, probably closer to $20k. I have a pearl status card that I got through having the MGM credit card (for free parking). I have hardly played any poker at MGM resorts this year.

So I thought hey, that's not exactly high roller money but that's a fairly decent sized gamble. And I was curious what sort of comps I'd get. So I look at my MGM comps online and I have... less than $2 worth of comps (reward points) and about 600 worth of tier credits. That can't be right, can it? My play was recorded because the win/loss estimate correctly recorded how much I won. It's been 3 or 4 days now so I would think there's been time for whatever I was going to get to show up. It also says 0 pending reward points.

What happened here? Surely $10-20k in BJ merits more than that, right? A buck in comp and not even 10% of the way to earning pearl status again?

I tried to look up what the comp rates for table games are and the only thing I could find was https://www.bettingusa.com/mgm-rewards/: "Blackjack players earned an estimated 300 TCs per hour with a $25 average bet size." I'm pretty sure I did at least 2 hours (probably closer to 3) betting probably 5x that. And do you only get tier credits? No reward points?

in for answers...

I am Sapphire tier in M Life, but you have some decent hotel offers. If I book using the "best rate" thing, but then end up cancelling it, will that burn my "best rate" offer? Or will I then be able to still get good offers?

Doesn't affect anything afaict from experience.

This is why you always confirm with the pit boss what they rated you at if you are betting larger than you usually would.

Also 10k in bets playing perfectly is only worth < $100 in theo so I wouldn't expect much in the way of comps to come from it.

You would have been better off running $100 through a slot machine until it was gone. Flipping the "this guy will play slots" bit on your account is key.

MGM gives 8 tier credits per $1 of theoretical loss. So 600 tier credits would mean $75 of theoretical loss. If they mathematically counted you as betting exactly $10k, then they are placing the house edge at .75%. Which seems a bit on the low side. My guess is that the pit boss rated you a bit lower than what you were betting per hand, and/or they were using a very low hands per hour number for their rating. That being said, your play isn't worth much even if you were rated better. Assume they had you betting $20k total and used a house edge of 2%. That puts your theoretical loss at $400. At the 30% comp rate of theo, you'd only expect $120 in future comps. Blackjack has a very low house edge. So while you feel like you are giving the casino a lot of action at $100 a hand, the math says you are in fact giving very little action. You can expect maybe between 1%-2% back in rewards points of your theo. So less than $2 in rewards points for $75 theo sounds about right.

MGM generates new offers the first of every month. Early June play could reflect on your offers on July. But more likely will take until August 1. If this is your first time playing non-poker at an MGM property, you will probably get a teaser offer that is greater than what you would expect given your $75 theoretical loss. You'd have to check July 1st or more likely August 1st.

If you are interested in cheap rooms and play only poker, then you should play at Caesar's/Horseshoe and not at MGM properties. Poker at MGM properties basically counts zero towards anything. Poker at CET can get you discounted or comped rooms relatively easily.

You'll most likely get offers, but it's not immediate as someone mentioned. Table game comps / offers are a weird blackbox with MGM.

When you check in with a pit boss about how you're being rated, what exactly is it are you asking?

I would assume when they come back and enter info into the little screens near each table they're entering info like what they estimate your average bet at, what the table hands per hour rate is, and that sort of stuff, right? Is it automatic or do you have to request something?

You should always be getting rated (some places only if you're betting at least $X).

The floor has great leeway in what they put in as that amount, and there's also a good chance they underestimated.

I think average hands per hour is usually just a constant for the game, so you care mostly about average bet size.

Hands per hour can be way different if you're playing BJ alone vs a full table, at least as far as each player is concerned

I agree but I've asked several pit bosses and always been told they don't account for that.

This is good to know. Im always interested in cheap/comped rooms, but for whatever reason I seem to get better offers from MGM.. but I havent played any poker at Horseshoe or Caesars. I may try to start playing Poker at CET and VP/Bubble Craps at MGM resorts.

They don’t count your actual handle, just your cash in and chips out for actual W/L and your time and avg bet for theoretical. Most retail games are going to be rated as slow, as if there are 6ppl at the table. So there’s a hands per hour in the system. It’s theoretically changeable but the floor won’t care to do that. They do it in HL for the big players. Also there’s a house advantage which is going to be 1% or so unless you’re flagged as a very good player or AP. But at 100 a hand flat betting no one is looking.

Theo calcs are probably roughly correct downthread.

Won’t matter at all.

Never seen such a bit. Usually it’s “table dominant” or “slot dominant” based on total theoretical. Everyone has their own criteria for this — maybe you have to be 75% tables to be table dominant. Maybe 50%. Just determines whether your offer is slot freeplay or TG chips/match play.

It’s what number they enter as your avg bet. If they have you at 100 you can say “hey I’ve been betting between 150 and 200 mostly - can you check w the dealer for me?”

Bingo - you can ask if the game is set too fast if you’re at a table alone and playing fast.

Yup. But supervisors aren’t going to adjust this for $100 players. There’s too much else going on.

You sound like you know what you’re talking about. Are you a casino manager or did you sleep at a Holiday Inn last night?

Going to be heading out to the Flamingo post 4th of July with family. Any recommended activities for two young kids? Got a 8 year old and 3.5 year old. Will probably take them to come/m&m, maybe Ethel M. Youngest probably too small for Medieval Times.

Yes: leave them at home.

Staying at Cosmo, would like to go to Bellagio. What are they running for hours in the poker room and wait times Morning/Afternoon/Late Night?

Will be there 6/23 morning and leaving morning of 6/25

Any other properties that might be better on The Strip? Prefer close by.

Vegas is closed that week.

Ride the monorail, see the exhibits (no idea what is still alive and kicking: Lions, sharks, …?), Pinball HOF (maybe tough for 3.5 but most things are), there’s a decent children’s museum over by the Smith Center, Springs Preserve is always great, lots of out public parks have covered areas and splash pads, see if the Aviators are in town and if so your kids can run around on the berm in RF while you take in a professional (ish) ballgame, go to Dig This and let them play on the diggers/excavators (lmk if you want to do this as I have a connection), bellagio fountains always good, revolving sushi is always a hit at sapporo.

Is the monorail comfortable to ride when it's 100F outside?

I think it’s recommended you ride INSIDE the monorail. Particularly on hot days.

Group of 8 of us flying visiting LA + Vegas (flying in thru LAX).

Not sure how to get a good deal on the Vegas leg of our trip.

1. Explored the MGM vacation that bundles air tickets & room stay. Is that a good deal or should I be expecting more?

2. Most I the group gamble (slots and table games) and given our play, we should able to be comped. But since this is our first trip to US, how do we get linked up with a casino host?

3. We got a international departure flight from LAX at 23.30pm, is it safe for us to book the delta/Alaska flight from Vegas to LAX to reach 8pm? Is 3 hours enough buffer?

Thanks in advance


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