2/2/2006
Don’t you just love the Question of the Day feature on the LVA homepage? If you’re not familiar with it, anyone can submit a question about Las Vegas, one of which is answered on a daily basis at this Web site. After visiting Vegas frequently for 16 years and living here the last five, I thought I knew most everything there was to know about our fair city. But this feature shows that there’s always something new to learn.
I was especially interested in the January 21st question: “My friend loves Las Vegas. When he passes away, he would like his ashes spread over the Strip (perhaps from one of the hot-air balloons or helicopters that go over it). Is this possible?”
The extensive research was amazing and the official answer to this question was interesting, to say the least: The disposal of human remains on public property is illegal in Nevada and, before disposing of them on private property, you must have permission from the property owner.
However, in a recent conversation with a Vegas mortician, I found out that people often scatter ashes in some unusual places and don’t bother to check for the legality of their actions or get permission from anyone. He told the story of a man who wanted to carry out the wishes of his recently deceased wife, an avid gambler who always played at one particular Vegas casino. She wanted her ashes spread around the floor of that casino so she would always be near her beloved slot machines.
The man tried to do the right thing and asked the casino if he could carry out his wife’s last wishes. Of course, they were sympathetic, but said that it just wouldn’t be possible as they had a policy against this.
Now the man was in a quandary. He had promised his wife he would do this. He couldn’t bear going against her wishes. Finally, personal loyalty won out over casino policy. He filled his two pants pockets with the ashes of his beloved, drove to her favorite casino, sauntered into the rest room, and cut a tiny hole in the bottom of each pocket. Then he slowly sauntered around the large casino with his hands in his pocket, shaking them periodically to keep the ashes trickling to the floor.
For the first time, he left a casino with empty pockets, but full of happiness.
The mortician said that this was a true story and I don’t doubt it. Fanatical gamblers can be … well, fanatical!
As a passing thought, I wondered if this husband got his idea from the movie, The Great Escape, where prisoners building a tunnel to escape from a German prison camp used this method to dispose of tunnel dirt onto the baseball field.
Brad and I came across this story when we were doing research about advance planning for our eventual deaths. We want to be as “useful” in death as we try to be while we’re alive. When we lived in Indianapolis, we made arrangements to donate our bodies for medical research at the Indiana University med school. We weren’t able to find a substitute for this in Las Vegas, although we were happy with the arrangements we made to be organ donors. We feel this is a very worthy cause.
Recently we did come across a local facility that takes bodies for medical research: The Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Henderson. You can call their agent, the Medical Education and Research Institute of Nevada, at 702/933-5627.
For those who are always looking for frugal options, before and after they die: Although all funeral homes in Vegas can arrange for cremation and other lower-cost options, the Yellow Pages has several listings for companies/societies that specialize in low-cost cremations and funerals, including pre-planning.
Here’s to frugal advance planning –- and when that’s done, hopefully there will be a long time thereafter when all you have to do is plan for the frugal present!
2/10/2006
Some readers have remarked that I don’t talk about comps much any more. No, I haven’t abdicated the Queen of Comps throne, but I wrote so much about comps in The Frugal Gambler and More Frugal Gambling that I felt I’d covered the subject quite thoroughly. However, casino policies do change, plus some comp techniques are so strong that I like to remind players about them. So I thought I’d revisit the subject for the next few weeks.
Casinos Play the Averages Game
When I want to snag good offers from a casino (or want to establish myself at a new casino), I usually play big on only one day, but give as much play on that day as I usually would for a two- or three-night stay. This often works even if you actually stay more than one night. You often don’t know whether a casino is looking at daily average or trip average. Still, playing big on one day makes you look good if they go by trip average, but you’re still maximizing your daily average if that’s what they use to decide on future marketing offers.
Vegas Strip Marketing Offers for Locals
As locals, Brad and I often don’t take a room when we get an offer from a Strip hotel, for example, for a tournament. Or we might take a room for only one night, even if we have a 2-night offer (or take only two nights if it’s a 3-night offer). Of course, I always read the fine print since sometimes you’re required to stay a specific number of nights for some offers. Even then, using the “just-ask” technique, I’ve sometimes asked the host if a local must take a room when the fine print states it. I’ve found that locals can sometimes be an exception, despite what it says on the invitation. (Often locals and out-of-towners get the same mailed offers, but the rules may differ.) If you must take a room, there’s no law that says you have to sleep in it. We like hotel rooms for naps, but usually prefer to go back at night to our own bed just a couple of miles from the Strip.
Hard Comps
The following advice comes from Pesach Kremen, a member of a Yahoo Group that zeroes in on comp information. (Subscribe at
[email protected].) The thread was discussing how to get expensive popular show tickets comped.
”First of all, staying at the hotel where the show is playing will help, since you’re both a hotel guest and a present or prospective player. Then, be the type of individual who only asks of their host when they really need something, and try not to ask for what you haven’t really earned. For example, if you have a 2-for-1 coupon to a minor show where your seat location isn’t important, don’t bother the host with a request for a comp. Same thing goes with a restaurant where you plan to order something that isn’t very expensive anyway. Just use your slot points or table-game points at the booth to get your meals, use a coupon, or pay the small bill yourself. On top of this, when you do get a restaurant comp, just order what you intend to eat and don’t go wild with the expensive booze. If your host knows that you always turn an ordinary $50 meal into $200, your future requests are in jeopardy.
”Using these hints, when you really need something, the host will see that you’re sincere, not a pig, and will try to help. If your play isn’t high enough for free tickets, perhaps she can get you a free upgrade in location for purchased tickets; and/or a line pass; and, for sold-out shows, at least give you a chance to purchase tickets from those seats saved back for good customers.”
More on comps next week.
2/16/2006
This week I’m continuing on the subject of comps, with some samples of good advice I read on Internet forums. Here are Web sites where I read and contribute to the boards that include discussions on comps:
http://forums.lasvegasadvisor.com – Some subject forums are free; others, including one specifically on comps, requires an LVA subscription.
vpFree – This site emphasizes video poker but welcomes discussions on other subjects, including comps, that are germane to the whole casino experience. Subscribe at [email protected]
Skip’s List – http://www.vphomepage.com. On this long-standing VP site you can discuss video poker or any subject connected with casino gambling.
Casino_comps – The name says it all. Subscribe at [email protected]
1. “”Your RFB (room, food, beverage) or RFL (room and limited food) comp status always has rules attached. Find out what they are to get the most out of your “”perks””. There may be dollar limits. Sometimes, however, there are “”people”” limits.
“”Example: Paris offers me RFL. It is based on TWO people. So, when I go into the Boulangerie and buy my $75 worth of pastries, breads, etc. to take home I make sure the cashier rings it up as either 1 or 2 guests. Their system doesn’t care how much I’ve spent; it tracks by number of guests. Believe it or not, you can walk in with two friends, order three coffees, spending $10, and if it is rung up as 3 guests, the computer will only take off 2/3 of it, putting $3.33 on your bill. Yes, you can spend 15 minutes finding a host to take it off, but why go through all that? Spend $80, ring it up as 1 guest, and you’re fine.””
2. “”ALWAYS find out at check-in what applies to your RFL/RFB status and how it is posted. And do this every trip; don’t assume it will be the same as last time.””
3. “”If you suspect your comp account may be reduced by the cost of your room, as happens at Mandalay Bay properties and others, try this: Before you check into your room, check your comp account and get a comp for a meal then. Then go ahead and check in. I did this at Luxor and got a free buffet, which was a good thing, because they then charged the cost of the room to my comp account, wiping out the rest of the comps and leaving nothing for meals. This is one reason why it might be good to book in at a RFB or Limited RFB status through a host if possible. This way you are guaranteed at least some meals with your stay.
“”Also the amount of comps deducted will depend on the type of room you have. One of my friends accepted an offer for a suite at one Strip resort and, although he played a lot, ended up without enough comps for a show because they took out so much for a room. The next time he checked in, he asked for the cheapest room they had. Then he ended up with enough comps for his show and meals.””
3. No matter how many times we’ve been to a particular restaurant, before ordering we confirm with our server what the comp covers. Usually, the server goes and asks a manager, and we know what we’re entitled to before we order. I know you might feel a little uncomfortable doing this in a nice restaurant, but we don’t want to be stuck with a large tab at a restaurant that we wouldn’t go to if we were paying with our own money.
4. “”Comp systems at Las Vegas locals casinos and on the Strip are like night and day. The Strip’s bread-and-butter is out-of-towners. Off Strip, their bread-and-butter is locals.””
More on comps next week.
2/24/2006
This week we have a guest columnist, writing under the name of MissCraps. She’s an experienced gambler and knowledgeable about the comp system in many casinos. She has some good advice to share.
Random Thoughts about Las Vegas Resort Comps
By MissCraps
I think most casinos still have lock boxes at the cage for free, but it’s annoying that many hotels now charge a fee for using a hotel safe, even if everything else on your bill is comped.
To avoid mini-bar charges, just don’t touch anything; don’t even open the door. You can also call room service when you get to the room and request that they remove all the items.
Watch out for inviting-looking bottles of water in your room. They often aren’t free, and the high price will shock you. Don’t take the robes or slippers in the closet home with you either, unless you’ve checked to determine that they’re free (robes probably aren’t; slippers may be).
You can no longer “sample” pay-movies in most hotels. So don’t try to watch them for even five minutes the way you used to be able to do.
Check with hosts, while you play if possible, to see if you’re accumulating enough comps for the offer under which you came in. If a casino employee promises you something, get his/her name. Always verify on the day before you’re checking out that all charges against your room have been removed, so that you aren’t running around trying to find a host when you need to run for a plane.
Hosts often have more flexibility to comp food than shows or spa
treatments. Meals at restaurants owned by the casino are more likely to be comped than non-owned. Meals at adjacent properties, such as the Forum Shops when you’re staying at Caesars, are usually not available for comping.
If you come in on some sort of RFB (comped room, food, beverage), find out in advance (or immediately on arrival) exactly what’s covered. Are you actually Limited RFB, where you can eat only at coffee shops and buffets, or Full RFB, which can mean all casino restaurants or are certain ones excluded? Can you order from room service and are you limited to a certain amount of money per day? If you reach the full RFB level, check to see what else you may be able to get, or not, such as spa and show comps.
Check in advance if you qualify for VIP check-in. This might keep you from waiting in long lines in the regular registration area. Some VIP centers also have snacks and/or drinks. Usually, once you’ve checked into the VIP area, you can keep going back and snagging a beverage while you’re a hotel guest. Sometimes you may have to show your special VIP ID every time you pop in, sometimes not.
I’ve found that when you start playing at higher levels ($1 and up), you’ll often be eligible for VIP check-in and even limited RFB, but you normally won’t know it from the mailed offer. To find out, call and ask for a host to book your invitation, then ask, “Do I qualify for meals? For a VIP check in?” Your host is usually able to book it for you. VIP check-in is a nice perk.
Similarly, it seems that hosts don’t regularly book you into suites that you may be entitled to, unless you ask for them. Even if you’re up to the full RFB level, you may not be automatically booked in that way. So when you talk to the host, ask if you’re eligible for a suite.