Comp Questions
I get a lot of questions about comps, perhaps because of my nickname, the Queen of Comps, given to me by Dan Rather way back when we made our very first TV appearance on “48 Hours.” (It soon replaced the earlier Queen of KuPon label, given to me by my long-timer editor and friend Deke Castleman.) But more likely, when someone wants help with a specific comp issue, I guess they figure I probably met up with a similar one during our 39 years of visiting casinos.
One common question is about leaving a big balance in a comp account. Is this a dangerous practice?
I must say I’m very careful with my “comp bank” at any casino. For me, comps have monetary value and I try to be as frugal with them as I would be with my cash assets. There was a question about “wasting comps” in a Question of the Day on this website early this year. If you missed that, you can click here for my answer and some interesting comments on the subject.
However, most players who refer to a “comp account” are really asking about a players club account and the points that you can use at your own choice of time and place, sometimes for cashback, but more often for comped benefits. And the best way to get many of your questions answered is to read the club rules.
I’m not talking about the summary details you might find on players club brochures or casino website home pages. I’m talking about what is usually a long list, often in fine print, that covers the nuts and bolts of the players club program. There, even if you’re a long-time player, you might find some rules you may not have known about before.
Some casinos empty your account pretty quickly if you don’t earn any new points, perhaps in a year or two, but perhaps as soon as 6 months. Some might send you a warning when your point balance is close to expiring, while others don’t bother to remind you.
One good thing these days is that many casino programs allow you to earn points for activities other than actual gambling, for example, anytime you spend money in their restaurants, retail outlets, or for most anything in their casino. Those added points can keep your account current. And becoming more common these days, you can keep points from expiring even if you don’t visit that casino very often. Some are offering point-earning opportunities by using a casino-related credit card, online play and shopping, or spending money with one of their preferred business partners.
But the casino visitor who plays regularly and isn’t worried about points expiring may not be aware that there can be a danger in carrying a big balance. A lot of players found that out during the last couple of years. Although most casinos extended the point expiration dates for a generous amount of time due to the pandemic, it wasn’t enough for many players who just weren’t comfortable going back to crowded conditions so soon.
The pandemic also brought up another issue you might not have considered. Serious illness can hit a person of any age and keep you from your usual frequent casino visits. And the older you get, the bigger that risk. “We aren’t buying green bananas” isn’t as funny to many of us as it used to be!
Although we don’t like to think about illness and death, both probably should enter into decisions as to whether or not to keep a large balance in your comp account. There are many advantages for a couple to have separate players club accounts; in fact, most casinos these days require it. However, you should consult those fine-print rules, because a few casinos allow a couple to redeem each other’s points or combine them.
While you’re checking those rules, you should also look for the policy when there’s a death. Some players clubs allow accumulated points to be transferred to a spouse or another person the account holder has designated. More often, however, those points just disappear. I’ve heard that some players have been successful in having a host arrange for the points to be transferred, but I don’t believe that’s common.
There are a few other circumstances where a large point balance might be in danger. When a casino does a major revision of its players club, is sold, or merges with another, there is usually a pretty fair changeover of points. However, there is always the possibility that changes will reduce the value for you personally, because they don’t allow you the choices and/or flexibility you had before.
Another common comp question I get is whether we miss all those freebies we enjoyed for so many years. When we first moved to Georgia in early 2020, it did seem a little strange – and a bit painful – to pull out cash or a credit card every time we filled up the gas tank, checked out of the grocery store, or took our family out for dinner. But it soon became routine. And now another factor keeps us from missing comps so much. We no longer have a car and we live in a senior facility where most of our meals are provided. So, I don’t have to pull out my credit card very often these days.
That said, we’re again being showered with a good number of comps, since the pandemic is waning and we do some major casino play about every four months. I’ve mentioned in earlier posts that Harrah’s Cherokee is very generous with comped hotel stays, dining offers, and entertainment options. Also, we’ve received numerous invitations for free air/hotel packages to CZR properties all over the country. And, as usual, I always hate when I leave so many casino benefits unused.
But I’m happy to share with you that I am planning to use a recent good offer to go to one of our long-time favorite CZR properties, Harrah’s Lake Tahoe: airfare credit and sizable free play, coupled with a comped room for four nights and free food credits, and topped off with a limo from the Reno airport to Tahoe. But most important of all, my good gambler girlfriend of so many years, after such a long time apart, is able to join me. And to make this all possible, my daughter is taking off work so she and Steve can take care of Brad in their home. I haven’t left him longer than a few hours at a time since his health started to decline seriously three years ago, but everyone, including my doctor, insisted I needed a break, so my own health can stay strong and I can continue giving him care in the future as long as needed.
So if any of you are up at Harrah’s Tahoe anytime May 19-22, please stop and say hello. You’ll usually find me in the high-limit room playing multi-line 9/6 Jacks or Better – unless I find a surprise better play elsewhere!