Get Those Comps and Enjoy the Money You Lose
Almost every business firm has their own distinct way of showing appreciation for the loyalty and patronage of their customers. This can be in the form of gifts, corporate giveaways, merchandise discounts and other tangible items that will show to the customer that his business is appreciated by the company. The more business that a customer brings in, the more that he is considered a "valuable client" by the company. The size or value of the corporate gift depends on how valuable the client is to the company.
Being the businesses that they are, casinos are no exception to this. There is hardly any casino on the Strip that does not provide complimentary gifts, or "comps" to their players as their way of attracting more people to enter their doors and retaining the patronage of their existing customers. Comps can vary in value according to how valuable to the casino the customer is, ranging from free meals and drinks to hotel room discounts for regular patrons and plane tickets, free hotel accommodation and limousine service for high rollers.
So how do casinos determine what comps are fair and fitting to any of their patrons? Well, that's easy enough. Casinos base their comps on the amounts wagered by their customers at the tables and game machines. And, at this modern age of computers, it is really very easy for the casino to keep track of the betting history of the customer. The first step in this process is for the customer to proceed to the casino's redemption window and request for a player's card, a plastic card the size of your ATM card with a magnetic strip at the back.
Once you sign up for the card, an account will be created in the casino's database. Every time you play in any of the casino's game machines, like slots for instance, you will have to insert your card in a slot provided for at the front. The moment the machine accepts and registers your card, you can start playing with the card inserted inside the machine. But when you leave, do not forget to pull off your card. Using your card at the game tables is a bit different as you will have to give your card to the dealer, who in turn, hands it to the pit boss who'll scan your card and rate your play based on your computed average money wagers during the game.
The house computer system then records all of your play history at the game machines and tables. At the click of the mouse, the casino can determine the amount of business you've given to the casino and the corresponding comps are matched to your play history. Availing of comps not only builds goodwill between you and the gaming establishment, but is the casino's way of giving back to you a small portion of the amount that you have lost to the casino. So, why not get your player's card now and start piling up these player's points?