Every customer likes to feel appreciated and casino gamers are no exception. Casinos know this very well, so they reward their loyal customers with comps simply for playing their favorite games. As a result, understanding how casino comps work is essential for any player seeking the best possible experience at a land-based or online casino. The kind of comps you can expect casinos to award you vary depending on the kind of player you are.
Maybe you’re happy with a free drink on the slots floor. Maybe you’re the kind who appreciates the red-carpet treatment. Find out more with our comprehensive guide to casino comps.
Understanding comps
Quite simply, casino comps or casino perks are complimentary services and products that casinos offer their patrons as a thank-you for gambling with them. After all, casinos would be nothing without their loyal customers.
Classic entry-level comps include free parking, cocktails, coupons, souvenirs and various giveaways. Typically, you’ll receive these kinds of comps simply for showing up and spending money in the casino (assuming you’re of legal gambling age, of course).
The more you spend, the more interesting the comps tend to become. High rollers can often look forward to perks such as meals, rooms, shows, airfare, limo rides, golf and invitations to special events.
Comps are generally calculated based on how much you bet, how long or how frequently you play and the types of games you play. This data is tracked through your player’s card or your online account.
How to get casino comps
As mentioned, the only way to get casino perks is to spend money on casino games at a land-based or online casino. Both types have tiered loyalty programs that offer increasing levels of rewards the higher you move up the VIP ladder.
Land-based casino rewards
Land-based casino rewards typically break down into Player, Room and Food (RF) and Room, Food and Beverage (RFB) status. Most gamblers have Player status. They can look forward to free drinks, meals, cashback, limo service and hotel stays depending on their activity. Gamblers who reach the highly sought-after RF status get comped rooms and meals, while RFB status throws in complimentary soft drinks, beer and liquor.
How to get comp rooms in a casino? Quite simply, you need to get a player’s card and earn reward points by spending a certain amount of money, depending on the specific casino loyalty program.
Online casino rewards
If you’re wondering how to get freeplay at casinos, you’ll find that many casinos also offer incentives for slot players. Typically this takes the form of a “slot bucket” that awards players with free rolls depending on how much money they bet on slots.
Online casino reward programs typically have Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum levels. The more you play and spend, the more points you earn and the further up the ladder you can travel. The increments between tiers are typically progressive. For instance, you may have to earn 1,000 points to reach Bronze, 10,000 to reach Silver, 100,000 to reach Gold and 1,000,000 to reach Platinum.
Online casinos can’t give you free drinks, meals or rooms, but they do award better cashback rates and bigger deposit bonuses. New players are typically eligible for deposit-match bonuses to use on selected games, especially online slots.
VIP casino perks
Some players enjoy their casino games so much that the hours and dollars they put in enable them to achieve VIP status. Casinos roll out the red carpet for these high rollers, offering travel incentives such as private airport transfers, free flights and upgraded airfares. Live entertainment is often part of the mix, too, with comps for music, magic, theater, dance and sports events. Online casinos, in particular, try to find creative ways to show their appreciation for their special VIPs. Higher table limits, personal account managers and exclusive tournaments are just some of the benefits.
How comps work for casinos
So what’s in it for the casinos? Surely giving drinks, food and rooms away for free makes no sense. The fact of the matter is that casinos really value their customers. Comps can transform the relationship between player and casino from fairly casual to long-lasting loyalty. If a specific casino’s comps make a player feel special, they are more likely to return as a result. Considering the competition among casinos for customers, it should be obvious that comps represent a win-win situation for the casino and player alike.
How to maximize your comps
If you’re the kind of player who only spends small amounts of money at casinos from time to time, it isn’t really worth looking into comps. But if you’re willing to put in the hours and the dollars, you can get real benefits, depending on how you play it. One of the best-kept casino comp secrets is that you can leverage your player’s card. Every time you use your card, your activities are recorded on a database. This helps the casino figure out how much of an asset you are to them, so they can reward you accordingly. As a result, you’ll want to maximize your value.
Only use your player’s card when you decide to play big. If you’re just having some low-stakes fun, don’t use it. Spend $100 on a visit when you spent $500 before and the casino will figure that your value is decreasing. A consistent average spend will yield consistent comps. But don’t get carried away. You don’t want to spend money just for the sake of better comps. Always stick with your budget and realize that casino perks never come for free.
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