This is going to have to be a very quickly-written blog since I am madly racing around trying to get ready to fly out of Vegas tomorrow morning for a much-needed vacation. It will be our favorite kind of get-away, a visit to family in Georgia. However as usual, for part of the time we will combine family and casino time when we will take all the adult children and grandchildren to help us use our Harrah’s 7* retreat in Cherokee.
Here is some information – very unorganized – I have in my notes about the new Boyd players club that I want to share before we leave.
- When talking about credits, the term is spelled “tier.” However, “tear credits” is being used as a sarcastic reference to how sad so many players feel, crying “tears.”
2. Many reliable VP players who are tracking their play are agreeing that this is the “best estimate” of how VP players are earning tier credits, since it depends on what game you are playing:
99.73% NSUD requires $185 coin-in to earn one tier credit.
99.17% BP requires $60 coin-in per tier credit.
I haven’t seen a figure for DDB and lower-EV games, but the lower the EV of the game the less coin-in it will require to earn one tier credit. What can’t be figured by most people is whether the theoretical loss while playing lower-EV can be made up by the benefits they can use at the higher tier levels they can attain. The math-savvy might be able to put a dollar value on some of these benefits and see whether they are worth more than their game losses, and a few might be very high bankrolled to try this. But most players would go broke long before they are able to reach the new extremely high tier requirements.
- Here is a warning for slot players and VP players: Your journey to reach a certain tier level can be slowed down if you frequently pull your card or change machines or even change games within one machine. The tier credit countdown stops whenever you do any one of those things, and then starts back at zero whenever you start back to play again. This might not be such an important consideration for slot players since it takes only $5 in to earn one tier credit. But as you can see from the above item, it would seriously affect the VP player.
4. The double-tier credit multiplier for Ruby players is only good for September (unless they extend it but no word on that yet) and is limited to the first 100 tier credits you earn each day. (Remember Ruby players can earn tier credits but NOT B-Connected points which are redeemable. Since they earn no points, they can not earn multiple points, like the 11x on Young at Heart Wednesdays.)
5. Some have commented that other Vegas local casinos probably are jumping for joy because they will get some – even a lot – of these disgusted Boyd players. I’m sure this is happening! Rampart has wasted no time sticking it to the neighboring Suncoast. Here is some text I read in their recent newspaper ad:
Don’t buy into all the buzz…we’re still the best player’s club on the Boulevard! Video poker players always know their point standings at our club. At our club, 1 point =1 tier credit. At the club down the street, 5 points = 1 tier credit.
- And finally -PLEASE – I can’t tell you what you personally should do about all this. These new changes will affect each player differently. A few casual players tell me that they don’t play enough to worry about all the details. But many regular customers are saying they are going to cut down on their play and/or play only on multiplier days. Many are leaving and hunting other casinos where the benefits are better. If you read the comments on my last 4 blogs, you would find good specific suggestions for this option. Just always remember that a wise player will look at a combination of factors, trying to get the best total EV of good games AND benefits.
If you want to voice your complains to me in person, you can find Brad and me at Harrah’s Cherokee September 27-29!
Samtown Tuncia Ms.is where I’m a loyal player well over 20 years wow now was at a high Emerald player now with new club I think I’m a low Sapp.I had 725,345 point level they Took all my points a month later and I played the same way no can can say why.but now with this club a low sapphire I think me and my husband going to Total reward Boyd is a joke and there drawing in rigged they call people that thread them.###$
With Bconnected giving the screws to the Ruby players and the fact that we only come twice a year on average and will never get to the sapphire where is the best place for us to go? We don’t rent a car and we try to take the free buses ect. Loved the young at heart day but the way it looks thats pretty much gone, so much for the day of playing at one place going to a movie,enjoying one of the few things we could look forward to being over 50. Is there any other over fifty days that are good out there . We are running out of places in Vegas that make you feel like you even matter. Way better deals at other Nevada destinations . Better comps and free rooms and airfare.
As i have said before . Just do not go to Boyd’s. There are options. Here is a few. Stations, Southpoint and the M.
Heading to Vegas in mid October and staying at Gold Coast(Ruby Level) and Rio but after seeing this we’ll be doing all of our gambling at The Rio.
Usually gamble $1000-$1500 over 4 days and as a Ruby player that apparently can not even earn points at GC anymore why bother!
Here are some preliminary Video Poker calculations based on Ted’s formula.
Coin-in per tier credit = $50 divided by house advantage in percent.
House Coin-in Coin-in to
Advantage, per Tier Reach 750,
% Credit Sapphire
———————————————-
0.1 $500.00 $375,000
0.2 250.00 187,500
0.3 166.67 125,000
0.4 125.00 93,750
0.5 100.00 75,000
0.6 83.33 62,500
0.8 62.50 46,875
1.0 50.00 37,500
1.2 41.67 31,250
1.5 33.33 25,000
———————————————-
Interestingly, the expected loss to reach Sapphire is constant across all games, at $375.
Presumably they don’t award partial tier credits, so any odd points left over at the end of a session would be lost. We’ll have to keep track of hands played and be sure to quit on a whole number of credits. This is sort of like the old “countdown” meters, but I haven’t seen any of them lately.
This was worked out on a spreadsheet and proofread three times. I make no claims regarding accuracy or anything else; but it seems to be consistent with other data given here.
Good luck, good counting, and good calculating.
Thanks for the good info. I was trying to figure out their algorithm, but had trouble because I did not realize that the counter stops when you interrupt a session. For the two games described, if you take the house edge times the play required, you get $0.50 per tier credit. For NSUD: (1.0-.9973)*$185 = $0.4995. And for BP (1.0-.9917)*$60 = $0.498. I don’t know how it works for different games on a multi-game machine; do they calculate differently for each game or just use the worst case (for the player). That comes to -$375 EV for the player to get the 750 tier credits to keep sapphire status, not counting interruptions. I am also curious how they treat progressive jackpots on the RF.
I learned that I could stay 7 nights in a Green Valley Ranch suite, for around $2,000 and at 50X1 status points, I would be at Presidential level (100,000 points), on hotel room spend alone.
I have heard great things about GVR & Red Rock, so perhaps Stations is for me. I can go in December and for my birthday in May and keep the second highest status level. Gamble some and then get some offers as well. Who needs Boyd in 2018, they are not even equal to the top end Station properties.
After the point reduction I was still a sapphire level and now have to play $2 to $3 to get 1 point on VP. So now the last couple weeks have only played there on Wednesdays for YAH run $5 thru a $.25 slot machine to earn my 1 tier credit then go have a free dinner buffet that costs $21. With a couple small hits only costs me couple bucks. I will milk this till I lose my Sapphire status. Have now moved on to Stations Casinos for my heavier play.
I have been loyal to Boyd for some 15 years staring more and more of my cash to them. I am deeply saddened by the new bconnected. And to be truthful now gave better offers from Station Casinos and TI. Looks like if Boyd doesn’t gave a change of heart we will play elseware. I posted a similar review on bconnected and they have had so many “not recommend” statements since Aug 27 2018 they took the review page on facebook down. You wont find reviews in the menu anymore.
I just cancelled my reservations at The California for October. Took up an offer at The Palms instead.
Just had lunch today at Aliante and was told that “very soon” you will not be able to use your points with any kind of coupon or voucher for food. The cashier did not know when it would start but she said she was instructed to start telling guests that this is coming.
I went to Gold Coast to see how the new system works. Only played $120 on NSUDW without getting a tier credit. Being a sapphire level, points earned are reduced 75% as well. Previously 2x pts for $1/pt, now $2/pt with no every day muliplier. Might play on YAH days until tier expires end of year.
Suckers. Boyd loves u. Rampart is a ripoff. The few times I have been there the machines are tight and the Buffet is a waste. Casino’s I find rewarding are M and Stations. Again Boyd’s loves u. Keep going there. Reminds me of a restaurant that was so bad the cook did not eat there.
If you want to play blackjack, the El Cortez has a much better game.
Didn’t you get the message ? Boyd don’t want you small videopoker gamers anymore. Stop crying and go playing elsewhere. You simply are no longer of any interest for Boyd. Because you are not a big enough loser.
If those numbers are correct, it appears that first you need to calculate the hold percentage, which is 100%-the payback percentage. Take 50 divided by the number of your hold percentage (forget the two extra zeros). That should be how many dollars of coin-in you would need to generate one tier credit.
So for 99.73% NSUD, the hold percentage would be 0.27%. 50/0.27=185
And for 99.17% BP, the hold percentage would be 0.83%, 50/0.83=60
Obviously, those amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar. I’m curious if this holds up for other games. 9-6 JOB should be around $109 while 8-5 JOB should be around $31.
Thank you Jean for what you and Brad do for all of us.
Boyd and the idiot beancounter(s) have made a BIG mistake. They will lose many, many locals and those,who like myself, that visit 5-6 times a year. Jean, your old adage of not marrying a casino (or group of casinos) comes back to mind. Downtown is looking more and more like the Strip and Boyd has forced many of us long time loyal customers to the outlying casinos (Orleans, Gold Coast, Sam’s Town and Sun Coast) by not offering any comped rooms downtown – only to the aforementioned outlying casinos. Ripoff resort fees have crept in, more 6/5 Blackjack and the lowering of VP payouts. Now this “Tier” B.S. A mass exodus of us loyal patrons would only serve them right. You reap what you sow.
Boyd still offers a playable double deck BJ game, so I’ll continue playing that.
But my very limited VP play will go back to what it was a few years ago – I’ll play only if I have a coupon or offer for free play. Boyd had gotten me playing a bit more for YAH and other point-based promos – those days are gone since I’ll never be more than a lowly Ruby player.