The cuts keep coming.
SILVERTON
I should have known better!
When my January Silverton mailer arrived the last week or so in December, I saw lots of dates with January 2x points on VP. This from a casino that had excluded VP from multiple points for ages. I thought, “Maybe a casino finally looked around and saw other casinos cutting benefits for VP players and decided to try a promotional grab for this large segment of local gamblers.”
Silly me!
I did have suspicions – I’ve been around the block enough times to watch for casino “tricks.” But I had no letter promoting a “wonderful new players club,” I saw no changes on their website, and I heard no scuttlebutt on the gambling internet forums. So I was looking forward to this new benefit.
But early in January the rumors started up and finally Silverton posted the scorched new data on their website:
$1 = 1 point on all video reels and slots
$4 = 1 point on video poker
$8 = 1 point on optimum play video poker
333 points = $1
Unless you were alert, you might have missed the change for VP players, since the point redemption rate hadn’t changed – you still get $3 free play or comps for every 1000 points. However, now playing most VP games would take FOUR times the coin-in as in the past to get those 1000 points, dropping the VP earning rate from.30% to .075% (even lower for the few games they call optimum play).
This casino had already become a marginal option for many knowledgeable VP players. Even though playing the best paytables, you would need to make several trips there a week and take advantage of every extra benefit/promotion/offer. We had already crossed it off our play list since we don’t have the energy to chase extras like we used to. I imagine more VP players may do so now since the downgrade may be too severe for even just recreational players.
They have also changed their FAB 50+ Senior Mondays program, details here. I’m not sure if this is an upgrade or downgrade. I would welcome any reader personal experiences to be described in the “Comments” section.
By the way, there does not seem to be multipliers – for slots or VP – for the general public. Fine print on the mailer specifies multipliers are for “invited guests only.”
M RESORT
Change of owners brings a change in players clubs. Penn Gaming is phasing out Marquee Rewards at M and going to Pinnacle’s My Choice program.
We don’t play there so I don’t have personal experience about this changeover, but you need to check the website carefully because it seems to be a very complex and gradual 6-month process. Some of your questions might be answered here.
Both programs will have the same tier point earning and benefits beginning January, 2019. All guests in Marquee Rewards and mychoice will also receive the same great benefits and all play at both Marquee Rewards and mychoice properties will count towards your 2020 mychoice status.
BOYD PROPERTIES
Check here for the new 2019 Young at Heart (YAH) rules for 6 non-downtown properties (now including Aliante and Eastside Cannery). Most are the same – including that notorious “advantage player” one, but there is now a shorter time to collect your free play if you pick the right color in the Celebration Spin.
Check here for YAH rules for Boyd downtown properties.
A personal note: For the first time in I can’t remember how long – 20 years or more, Brad and I are no longer Emerald tier. This is true for many of our former fellow Emeralds. However, we have others, many who hadn’t played as much or as long, who were simply given extra tier credits the last few months – even as many as 10,000+ – and they are now Emerald for all of 2019. Don’t ask me to explain this. Actually, I know one person who had been designated as one of those notorious “advantage players” and had been no-mailed for the last year or so although he could continue to play and earn points and tier credits. He was given around 10,000 points so he is Emerald for 2019 although he isn’t to get any mailed offers!!!!
Some Ruby’s have been given enough tier credits to put them to Sapphire – a welcome gift to them because they will start earning points on their play. In all these upgrades, it was impossible to determine the reason why some got them and others didn’t. There were some anecdotal details that perhaps these upgrades were for losers and not for winners, but even if that is valid information, no details whether this was determined for short-term or long-term look-back periods.
Like with so many of these recent drastic downgrades, not just at Boyd but at so many other casinos, people are starting to shake their heads and wonder if the powers-that-be have any idea how gamblers think. They might be surprised how many even avid casino players might decide that they can’t take all these cuts and start some cutting themselves, perhaps even looking for another entertainment option that doesn’t “cost so much.”
I have to say that I was not at all disappointed with my last stay at MSS in December. I have not been playing as much @ Boyd in general, but I did take them up on 2 free nights, so I figured I needed to give them some play. I started with 810 credits (200 of those were the freebie points they gave out in November). I played about 15 hours of $ VP over 2 days, and at the end I had 1600+ credits. I did not think that was too bad. During that play I got a RF and also won the YAH drawing. I went to the BConnected desk and asked for dinner buffet vouchers which I was granted without a problem. They told me to go straight to the VIP line each time, so I did not have to stand in line (just like when I was an Emerald).
The only downside — all those credits I earned so close to the end of the year, are now gone, except for 500 carry-over credits. Technically, if I were to give Boyd all my play over the next year, I could make Emerald, but what’s the point? Emerald really has no perks that make it worth while.
Claudia,
My husband and I like to play at MSS too and we always carry an extra card to show for our scratcher. Now it seems like it has become a necessity.
When my husband and I visit Vegas we like to play occasionally at the Main Street casino bar. When you hit four of a kind or higher you call for the floor attendant and she comes and gives you a scratcher. ( usually it is only two dollars) BUT to give you the scratcher you have to pull your card out of the machine for the attendant to record the info. Will this reset the count for back to zero ? If so then I will have to carry another card to show the attendant .
Yes where do you two now consider good or at least reasonable places to play?
I received I notice I had zero tier credits as of 1-1. I was in Vegas dec. I lost at Orleans but won at Fremont. I just said I received notice I had 500 tier credits. Problem is the amount of money you have to run thru machine for a tier credit. I played 25cent mainly with some 50cent. I played app 8 hours per day. For the 7 days I received 200 tier credits. You should check meter when you arrive and when you leave. I was given sapphire status thru 12/31. After that if I go 4 times per year and gain 800 credits don’t see how I would qualify for any card. In fact unless you play dollar or above you might qualify. Meanwhile I am playing more at station casinos.
Still getting a “IT DEPENDS” from the players club at Boyd Casinos in regard to how much coin-in equals a tier credit. At least other casinos tell you it’s $2-3-4 bucks to get my point. As only a red card holder, I get zero pt.s and need to get to 750 tier credits to reach sapphire. Is it really legit to NOT have a specific amount to earn a specific credit????
Silverton’s senior Monday is actually a little better, since the 50% discount now applies to restaurants in addition to the buffet. If you make the assumption that the swipe-and-win will be an average prize of $5, that still makes it worthwhile even for the lowest tier (Dirt, I think) players (everyone else gets that and the 50% discount automatically), as 25 points is $100 coin-in (or $200 on whatever “optimum” is), which would only be an EV loss of a couple of dollars. As their best game is 8/5 Bonus, I can’t imagine what “optimum” would be. Another nice feature, which I’ll have to verify, is that the 50% off voucher can be used if you’re paying cash (many places, you get such a discount only if you’re paying with points).
So the slashing of the VP points earning rate coupled with the fairly lousy paytables means this joint is a non-starter overall, but it’s worth dropping by on Monday if you’re a senior, because the restaurants and buffet are excellent.
I was hoping to receive a gift of points too. I had requalified for emerald at the end of June with way more points than was needed. My husband would have renewed his emerald status just after the program change. So I lost 6 months and he 8 months of being green due to the change. I did end the year with over 13,000 tier credits, so it wasn’t like I was that far off. Just seems like common sense and good customer service to give us a few extra months instead of penalizing us for their decision. Their loss, we will take our local play to Hollywood Joliet. 45 minute drive instead of 2 hours to Blue Chip.
We did get our 500 carryover points today and sapphire status for 2019.
All this reminds me of some good advice I got from a former neighbor. “Go while you can because you never know” She was talking about traveling but it applies to this.
As I read the My Choice program for the M Resort, the new cash back rate on video poker is .2, down from .3, versus cash back at both South Point and Stations being .3, so that’s putting M Resort at a disadvantage to its closest competitors that have 99%+ video poker. Guess where this visitor to LAS is going to play, and where I’m going to use my remaining My Choice points to sample their buffet on my next visit to LAS?
My husband and I both received points to keep our status as Emerald for 2019. I hope things change before our time runs out.
I don’t really mean to be a “conspiracy theorist” but with the number of programs that have “adjusted” their requirements relative to v.p. players specifically – does anyone else feel there’s a little bit of collective price-fixing going on among the casinos? (I was loathe to use the word “collusion”.)
Forcing VP players to put at least 20x as much coin through the machines as our slot playing friends is just wrong! As long as Caesar’s doesn’t follow suite, they’ll have all my business going forward. I live in the Midwest and have 2 options in my area with Vegas connections, so it’s not too hard to figure which one to support. I’m pretty happy with my perks as a Diamond Player…so long, Boyd
So where are you and Brad playing ?