Playing for Comps
The gravy of gambling
We are big fans of casino loyalty programs. In Las Vegas, the big two casino loyalty programs are MGM and Caesars. In this article we’ll go over the basics and why we chose one over the other.
What are casino loyalty programs?
Casino loyalty programs offer gamblers a way to earn “comps”. Comps are no- or low-cost benefits that are based on your gambling spend. In return, you allow the casinos to track your gambling behavior.
In a world where we all seem to be endlessly feeding corporate data analytics, a tracking system may seem intrusive. But a casino isn’t Amazon—the benefits are tangible and substantial. Casino comps saved us more than $15,000 last year.
How to sign up for a casino loyalty program
STEP 1: Locate the rewards desk at the casino BEFORE you do any gambling
If you’re a U.S. citizen, you’ll be asked for your driver’s license, email address, and phone number. You’ll then be asked to enter a 4-digit PIN number that will be used to access your account. DO NOT use your ATM PIN.
STEP 2: Using your loyalty card
Loyalty cards are the same size as a credit card. You should insert your loyalty card in whichever slot you decide to play EVERY SINGLE TIME to earn tier credits. Tier credits add up and may eventually move you to a higher loyalty tier with more benefits and higher comps.
STEP 3: When you get home, log into the casino's website and check your account
If you want more comps from that casino, continue to gamble there. We belong to more than a dozen loyalty programs, but we decided to push for a higher tier at only one.
Signing up for casino loyalty programs usually takes less than five minutes.
ANECDOTE: One caveat is that you will begin to receive a lot of marketing material in the mail and email. We saved a month’s worth, and the stack is about an inch tall. We think it’s a minor inconvenience given the benefits.
Why We Chose MGM Rewards
If you’ve watched our YouTube videos, you’ll know that we choose MGM Rewards over Caesars Rewards. Here are the reasons why:
Resort Quality
MGM resorts in Las Vegas include the Bellagio, Cosmopolitan, Aria, Mandalay Bay, W, MGM Grand, Luxor, Park MGM, New York New York, and Excalibur. The first three are among the fanciest hotels in Vegas. Caesars properties by contrast are a big step down. From a slot perspective, all of our handpays have been at either MGM Grand or Mandalay Bay.
Better Online Tools
We track our gambling with as much care as our stock portfolio. We want fast and complete answers updated in real-time. MGM’s online portal and mobile app have BY FAR the most advanced and easy-to-use system. You can literally track how much you spent on a machine a minute after playing it. Which leads us to our next topic…
Tier Accelerators
There are two ways to earn bonus tier credits. One is via “multiplier days” which occur on specific days. These require you to be in a specific city on a specific day. That’s difficult if you work.
MGM uses “daily tier status accelerators” which are active any day over months. Tier accelerators require you to gamble $5K, $10K, $20K, or $40K in a 24-hour period, which entitles you to bonus tier credits.
While these milestones may seem high, we’ve shown in our YouTube videos that it’s possible to do with an average bankroll ($1K).
Locations
We primarily gamble in Las Vegas. Caesars actually has an edge in terms of where their affiliated casinos are located. For example, we visited New Orleans recently, and gambled at the Caesars casino there. If you visit Reno, Nevada, Caesars is there, too. For us, however, Vegas matters most because it’s by far the most expensive place to get a hotel room.
ANECDOTE: In April 2024, we made our first trip to Las Vegas, staying at the Cosmopolitan. Before gambling a penny, we signed up for MGM Rewards. A few weeks after that trip, we received our first free hotel offer. Our fountain-view room at the Cosmopolitan had cost us $1,200 for 3 nights; MGM was willing to give us the exact same room for free on our next trip with no resort fees.
Free gambling credits ("freeplay")
Some casino loyalty programs will give you a small amount of freeplay ($10-$20) as a thank you. You may have to swipe your card at a loyalty program kiosk to activate your freeplay.
To activate your freeplay, go to a slot machine you want to play and insert your card, then insert some cash ($1 will suffice). You’ll then see a message on the slot machine welcoming you by name. The menu system at every casino is different, but there should be a menu item labeled “account”, “bank”, or something similar. It will then ask a series of questions culminating in how much freeplay credit you want to transfer to the slot. Those credits can’t be cashed out. You’ll need to gamble with them on that slot.
Since we made MGM Gold Tier, we also receive between $300-$375 in freeplay on every trip. If you’re a high roller, freeplay can be in the thousands.
Summary
Almost every slot channel on YouTube recommends joining a casino’s loyalty program, and hopefully we’ve shown why it makes sense.
We aren’t being paid to say that. It’s what we honestly believe.