I field questions all the time about all sorts of gambling and casino topics. But recently, it seems they can mostly be combined into one big question: Why is it getting so hard to be an advantage player? And then many tack on a plea: What can I do about it?
Let me take that second part first.
For many years now, I’ve been trying to give you little nuggets of information in my writings, especially here in this blog, that may help you cope as gambling conditions deteriorate. Actually, in a recent QOD, I gave a 10-item summary list of some of the most valuable nuggets that made casino action so successful for Brad and me down through the years. But sad to say, there never has been just one secret advantage-play gold mine anywhere. You have to prospect and dig constantly and it’s hard work.
It is a little easier to answer the first part of the question, the “why?” And I think you can boil it down to one word: analytics.
Eons ago when I started gambling in casinos, although I knew the meaning of the word, I was mostly unaware of the specifics that analytics covered. After all I was an English teacher and never a math major, and a very latecomer to the digital world. (In fact, after I handed in my first book in my little chicken-scratch handwriting, my long-time editor and friend, Deke Castleman, rejoiced when I bought a computer and learned word processing.)
In those earlier days, in my writing and talking about slot club benefits, I frequently emphasized that it didn’t matter what you played or whether you won or lost, that the key statistic was just the amount of coin-in you gave the casino. That’s why I pounded on the idea of using your players card, so the casino could track how much money you put through the machines. And that was true in almost all casinos at that time. They were just interested in how much play you gave them and they rewarded you accordingly.
However, I noticed early on, especially in the advertising and mailings I received, that they were full of positive terms and glowing descriptions that emphasized the “fun of winning.” I knew their copywriters were either trained by or were themselves psychologists, well versed in influencing people’s behavior, as was common in any business at the time. I wrote about this in my 2003 book More Frugal Gambling, railing against the host system being called “player development.”
I have visions of wild-eyed scientists in the casino basement, madly working with multi-colored fluids and rows and rows of test tubes, cooking up a potion to add to the casino’s free drinks that will turn a sensible thrifty deliberate conservative nickel-playing Iowa hog farmer into a reckless loud-mouthed out-of-control money-flinging red-eyed marathon high-limit slot player.
Even more sinister, I see psychologists, advertising mavens, market researchers, and time-study experts sitting around a large boardroom table discussing how they can get gray-haired retirees to dig into that deep dark part of their wallet, take out the $20 stashed for emergencies, and try to hit that progressive jackpot that they know is “due.”
I can develop myself — my character, my physical body, my mind — all by myself, thank you. I don’t want to walk into a casino and feel I’m a subject in an experiment.
Today, I will at myself laugh with you at these naïve words.
Because, soon after, to the consternation of all of us knowledgeable players, casinos started using simple software that looked at several other factors as well as coin-in to determine how many benefits to give machine players: some combination of your zip code, frequency of visits, choice of machine, denomination level, and time spent playing. To maximize this last factor with reduced financial cost, I remember some of us experimented with playing two machines, trying to see how long we could pause between hands and not be timed out.
Even more problematic, we were slowly finding out that we could no longer depend on our friendly hosts who in the past helped us figure out the best way to take full advantage of the players club system; they themselves no longer knew all the details of these new programs that were quickly adding more and more pieces of information. So now I had a new picture in my head to describe in my writings – a kitchen food mixer. I remember I made a joke that perhaps if I changed the color of my hair, they’d throw that piece of information into the mixer and I could see if that changed my monthly mailers!
Well, as the old saying goes: That was then. This is now.
No longer a dozen or so factors, but millions of data points are being fed into programs. It’s hard enough for non-math me to understand the descriptions of the new ultra-sophisticated software available to casinos these days, much less to describe how they work and what they can do. Just google “modern casino technology” and you can read for hours about the many companies bringing out new and more complex programs at a fast and furious pace.
Although the press releases are full of hype about how these new programs will “improve the customer’s entertainment experience,” the casinos aren’t, to be sure, scrambling to install them for that as a primary purpose. Their eyes are always focused on improving their bottom line. Here is an example about one program put out by Acres, a leading innovator in casino technology.
The ability to double casino revenues! You don’t have to be a mathematician to know from whose pockets these new profits are coming. Their new Video Poker Analyzer software is a glaring example of the casinos’ bottom-line interest and a stark revelation for knowledgeable players of that game.
Another promotional piece I saw exclaimed, “The data and profiles we collect allow us to know the players’ personality and that can be used anywhere in the property.”
Another brags that their program “helps hosts get their players to play more.”
And this one made me laugh out loud. “So much of where we’re going and what we’re doing is to remove friction from the consumer experience.” Do they believe we casino players think it’s just too much to have to go to our mailbox to see how much money the casino wants to give us!?
Just when we think the situation can’t get any worse, now they’re going to use AI (artificial intelligence for you who are still hiding under a moldy rock).
Back almost 40 years ago, I was worrying about test tubes in a lab. I’m not even sure I knew what a computer chip was then.
After 8 years retired in Vegas , we no longer feel compelled to visit many casinos. We are low stakes game players and still get gifts, either free or with 50 point from Station. We would visit there, Boyd, Silverton, Ariz. Charlie, Tuscany, Westgate, Sahara, Palms, Silver Sevens and Southpoint at least monthly and most of them weekly. Now, with very little in senior/locals benefits…our monies can be used in other ways. After playing 93 months, we only have lost in three. And we miss Westward Ho, Riviera and the free attractions.
Hello Jean
Thank you for all you have done for us frugal gamblers. We first met you and Brad at a bookstore in Castleton where you were selling your first book. My how time flies.
May I ask, Is there any good video poker games anymore? Games that we should be learning for our future trips to a casino.
Thanks again.
Jim and Bev from Indianapolis
We have all heard recently about train derailments, but I had posted to the vp free group several years ago that the video poker gravy train had started it’s departure from the tracks, even before the covid closedown. Positive play searches have become a giant needle in a haystack mission. For Kevin and Bob’s comments, let me start with Kevin. I question his word of “megatoiler”. This sounds like it might mean a giant worker. Since R is right next to T, he may have meant to say “megatoliet”. This sounds like it may be a large dumping ground, which also likely needs constant cleaning. For the actual toilets, some properties will clean them somewhat, but I have tended to see them more dirty than clean. I would bet that most of us players will agree about what the outfits want to clean. My sum up comment for Bob is Pockets, Purses, and Wallets, OH MY!
There are a few things that are included in all casinos. If you build it people will come. Some people will have the thought that they will be at a casino and big things will happen. There are big corporations that will put out a promotion and there will ALWAYS be people who can justify the amount of money they spend.
There are large groups of people who spend big$ on seats at sports events ….. there are numerous other hobbies that are expensive. If the casino can draw you to a casino for food, alcohol or anything else, why would they care about anything other than profits.. The casinos have changed because people have changed…. The younger generation is definitely different. It is what it is!!!! Thanks Jean for all that you still do for us.
Enjoyed your frugal trip report in the link. Deserting red-eye flights was one of the first things that dropped from my frugal travel plans. They are the worst! I’ll pay a little more to keep good mental health!
My suggestion for cruise ship VP? Since paytables are, yes, so bad, just play them from your “recreational money budget.” Set loss limit, not bigger than what you would be very unhappy to lose. Expect to lose but be happy if you are lucky to win a jackpot!
Very much enjoy your blogs, Jean. And when another appears, I eagerly look forward to reading it and enjoying.
But different reaction with this one. After reading the references you gave, I’m left shocked and astonished. As always, your research is excellent and thorough (? …and who knows how many other sources you reviewed, but chose to not include here? …)
Again, a very interesting post, but I came away quite depressed. After many years of playing VP, feeling somewhat superior to the other “non-advantage” players, am now feeling like a squashed bug or something. As you write: “That was then. This is now”
Keep up the good work, stay healthy, and always looking forward to your next posting.
(btw, I was an engineer in a past life — the word “analytics” is kinda mundane to me …)
LOL. Mr. Lewis (above) knows whereof he speaks.
Here’s where I plug my favorite book: Addiction By Design by anthropologist Natasha Dow Schull. It’s the most thorough summary of social psychological studies and casino business history/strategies I have ever read. It’ll give you the willies like Whale Hunt in the Desert (just keep repeating “Hosts are NOT your friend”) while laying out decades of science and design.
And Mr. Lewis, I tried to come up with a clever line about “you can only feel the lint when your pockets are empty” or something to pair with your last line, but I couldn’t come up with something spur of the moment. If you add something pithy, please let me know.
I am reading this as we are in the middle of our weekend in Reno. Our mission was to accumulate points to reach Diamond plus. Mission almost accomplished. I need 3000 more points, and that should not be too difficult. We are amazingly ahead at the moment. Next, we go home and wait for offers. Since we really only gamble in Las Vegas, this should be interesting.
Rarely, the casino’s analytics yield some nice benefits for an AP. It certainly has worked in my favor at least twice. This happened not because analytics are flawed. It happened because the human analyst did not think to include all the data that was relevant to the player (me!).
In one case I had to play a very bad game to earn tickets for some generous prizes. However I could earn tickets very quickly and the net edge for the play was very positive. Each year my losses on the bad game were substantial but my drawing prizes equaled about twice what I lost on the game. This casino also had a player card swipe promotion every January. The swipe results must have been based on the previous year’s net win/loss record for each player. For several years I was awarded one or both of the top two prizes offered in January. Apparently the casino neglected to include the drawing prizes in my yearly win/loss accounting. The analytics chose me as the best candidate for the top prizes. I never did factor this casino error into my calculations on the advantage play.
This advantage play became a victim of COVID.
Outstanding Article. Thank you, Jean
Cruise ship video poker? Any suggestions? I know the pay table are bad but I have been looking for some information on the subject.
The big answer is, stay away from the big casino megatoiler corporations. They’re too good at figuring out exactly what you’re worth to them and returning only a small, carefully calculated fraction of that in goodies.
Oh, and they treat you like pocket Lint, should that matter to you.