Raise or Fold:  A Year of Risky Business

Writing and playing poker as if they were activities worth doing well.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Q and A: A Poker Player Getting Comped? What's Up With That?

Faithful reader phrankguy1 asks:
I'd be interested to know how a poker player gets completely comped rooms at AC casinos (Harrahs again?) on weekends. Do you play table games, etc?
I get this question a lot.

Once in a blue moon I'll run $20 through a slot machine. Or I'll sit at a $5 table game with $50.

But, honestly, it's a rare thing. I do it because someone told me that I'd never, ever get comped a room if I didn't.

I'm not so sure, though. I am currently a Platinum member at Harrah's and wouldn't be surprised to make Diamond level on poker play alone this year. When I go to a casino, I play A LOT of poker. I mean, ridiculous numbers of hours. On a four night trip I can easily rack up 70 hours of play. I think the stakes you play at matter too. On the other hand, on my last trip to Vegas I only played about 16 hours at Harrah's properties and they still comped my whole five-day stay. Go figure.

Most of room comps come from corporate headquarters, or through my casino connection folks. Once or twice, however, the poker room has arranged for me to extend my stay, gratis.

It has occurred to me to wonder, too, whether they are more generous to female players than male. I don't know why that would be the case, but I suppose it's possible.

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6 Comments:

Blogger Tarpie said...

Wow, I thought I was playing a lot of poker this year, but I'm not platinum yet.

I challenged myself to play 150 hours by the end of the month at Harrah's to get entry in their freeroll tournament. I need to play 22 hours this weekend to reach platinum and then I hope to start getting some Saturday nights free. At least I play enough to get a poker rate.

P.S. I have been reading your blog for a couple of months now and really enjoy it. It's been interesting to see the crosstalk with Rakewell's blog as I have been reading him for years. I look forward to reading about the rest of your poker year.

3/4/09 5:01 PM  
Blogger Cardgrrl said...

@Tarpie: I should be clear. The Platinum was earned last year, and is good for all of this year.

3/4/09 5:07 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Don't discount the effect of the current economic environment on casino willingness to lure patrons. See, for example:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123621653216135807.html

3/5/09 12:08 AM  
Blogger lightning36 said...

Wow. I end up in a comped room in Las Vegas most of the time due to my brother. When there, however, I spend most of my time playing poker at Ballys. Never have been offered anything comped unless I got it through player comps earned through hourly play.

3/5/09 11:33 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dman. I'm starting to love this blog! Great info Grrl...

3/6/09 2:18 AM  
Anonymous phrankguy1 said...

Thanks for answering my question. I will also be in town the weekend of the 21st. Maybe I'll stop by Harrah's and say hello!

3/6/09 12:45 PM  

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