The myths and realities of Las Vegas casino hosts Tom Donoghue / DonoghuePhotography.com A bird’s-eye view of the Las Vegas Strip at dusk, Wednesday, Aug.
I've had a little experience at Ameristar, and had no problem getting meal comps, but I didn't stay long enough to get any decent mailers, so I'll probably keep my exclusively there.
That's been my experience in Tuncia, as well. I used to give a lot of play to Hollywood, and got $200+ in free play every week and free nights any day of the week, but since Penn took them over, I have to work just to get free drinks it seems.
Don't get me started on Penn National. The service is atrocious at nearly every property they operate, and while the comps for table players are usually better than average, I can't stand their awful way they treat you.
That is pretty neat! I am a Diamond level player and have never been contacted by a host. I dont play very high either to warrant a host. But I am thinking you could ask for some discretionary comps. Flight rebate? Gas rebate? Never hurts to ask!
I was a mid level Diamond player a couple of years ago, and inquired about flight comps. At the time, I had received a $300 comp for dinner at Voodoo Lounge without a problem. I was told to come back when I had $10,000 in losses.
If you really want to make the most of it pick up a copy of Comp City by Max Rubin, he really explains how to work the system and how to handle hosts. And it is fun as hell to read.
What a coincidence, I just picked up a used copy of this on Amazon a few weeks ago, but it's been sitting on my bedside stand un-read since then. One question about the book: I have the 2nd edition from 2001. I'm assuming there hasn't been a new edition, since as far as I could tell, it was nearly impossible to get a new copy easily on the web (my used copy wasn't expensive). Is most of the material in the book still relevant more than 10 years later? I'm thinking about stuff like computers used to track play time/average bet more closely than the cards they used to use, etc. Although I know a lot of places in Vegas still don't have computers in every pit.
I'd assume that like most casino gambling/AP/etc. books, most of the ideas are still valid if not the actual procedures.
Caesars Casino Host Directory
She keeps me up in a suite, whereas my mailer doesn't necessarily include a suite. (I would imagine that's a 'discretionary')
I've never had occasion to deal with a Harrah's host myself. I mostly just go through the TR website and whatever coupons they give me.
Other than that, I honestly don't know what a host is supposed to do. My friend and I have always wondered why hosts even exist. It's just a salary for an employee that looks to be completely wasted.
Interesting and informative book about Las Vegas' then-Super Host.
- Page 2 of 3
Having never had a Casino host before, I'm not sure what benefit it will be. I usually book my rooms through the TR website, and I usually have enough offers for free or nearly-free rooms at the low-end properties. I don't really go to shows. I don't really eat out at expensive places. Can she help me with discretionary comps that don't spend my credits?
With regards to gambling, I have dabbled in AP but am not really serious about it. And when I do try to play blackjack with an edge, I generally try to hit the MGM properties with better rules and play anonymously; at Harrah's properties I'm much more likely to just hit the craps table. So I'm not worried about that really.
to talk to her. Confronting beauty like that in person is
so uncommon I can't handle it. People are always telling
her to move to Vegas, she'll make a fortune as a host.
Think of Sam from the Las Vegas TV show, only better.
Rio - Asked for dinner at Voodoo. Host made the reservation. But I didn't get anything comped, or any special treatment.
Rio - Asked for good tickets to Celine Dion. He said he could get me tickets. No discount. Couldn't tell me where they'd be located. I made my own reservations.
Harrahs - Asked for reservations or front-of-line for dinner for a group at Toby Keith's. Restaurant is not actually affiliated with the hotel, so the host couldn't do anything for me.
Aria - Made my hotel reservation for me (coulda done it myself). Made reservations for me to Crazy Horse at MGM. Except she screwed it up, and got me tickets to Copperfield instead. I had to change tickets at the last minute, and got crappy tickets to Crazy Horse. Woulda been better off doing it myself.
I do have a host set up at Horseshoe Tunica, and she has been very helpful with me. She got me weekend comped rooms, which aren't impossible to get in Tunica but can be a challenge on the website, and food whenever I needed it. Granted, it was all buffets, but I'm low maintenance. In the past, I got spa reservations at a discount and at least at Horseshoe, they don't have to take it out of your Reward Credits.
As far as Vegas, I'm not sure how the comp system would work. On the one hand, they did diddly for me at Caesars when I checked out, deducting everything off my account; however, I really didn't play all that much, so I guess I don't blame them, and my room was a premium room with a fantastic view.
I don't really think it would be out of line to ask her what she can do for you and what she can't. If she'll just advance you a few meals after using your RC's up, it still might be worth it. If she can do it all without touching your RC's, then it's definitely worth it, though you'll be playing bad games with high house edges if you want to maintain it. If she's just going to drain your account then you're responsible for the rest, I'd say thanks, but no thanks. I don't want to be tied down to Caesars properties in Vegas, when there are so many better gambling deals in town.
How much play does it take to get a host in Tunica??
In Tunica if a girl approaches you and says she'll
be your casino host for 15min for $100, she's
talking about something else entirely.
How much play does it take to get a host in Tunica?? I'm a middle level blackjack player there, but I'm moving down to Jackson so I'm sure it's all for naught. Hopefully I'll be able to get in a lot of play in Vicksburg now. Any insight on that?
I can't help you with Vicksburg, but the big dog there is Ameristar and they heavily use the host system (at all their other properties). Good news there is that the hosts are pretty free to help you out; bad news is if you go to any other property, you retain your tier status but no points or comps.
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