Comments on: Update on Station Casinos Changes

By: Dean

Dean — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 07:24:01 +0000

fwiw, told at players desk that 3x points count toward 50k, 100k, or 200k goals for freeplay. On Sunday, only 3x multiplier points counts although it’s a 6x multiplier day.

By: Dean

Dean — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 00:55:39 +0000

I played 99.8 machine and was getting 1 point for $1 in. Plus multiplier applies. Getting conflicting reports on what counts toward freeplay promotion

By: Richard Withers

Richard Withers — Fri, 18 Apr 2014 19:21:40 +0000

I am presently playing at Caesars and am a Diamond member. I also play at South Point and Boyd casinos. I used to play at Station casinos and did get room comps etc. Don’t want to spread myself too thin, but was thinking about starting to play vp again there. Really like Red Rock. However, based on new point change etc, not sure it would be worth while. Can you advise me a little.

Thanks
Cal Withers

By: Kevin Lewis

Kevin Lewis — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 22:48:34 +0000

TAKE THE FOLLOWING WITH A GRAIN OF SALT:

I just got off the line with a helpful person from GVR. Here’s reality according to him:

100%+ machines: $12 = 1 point. No multipliers apply–not even the “everyday” 3X. So the return on those machines is now 0.008%, or 1/3 of what it used to be. It has essentially gone from almost nothing to nothing.

99.8% machine games (not all of which are as good as 99.8%): $4 = 1 pt. These machines ARE eligible for the everyday 3X and the Sunday (or other days) 6X. So the return on those is 0.075 (three quarters of a tenth of a percent), and 0.150 on 6X days.

All other games: $1 = 1 point. The everyday multiplier as well as the 6X promo multiplier apply. Return is therefore 0.3% normally and 0.6% on 6X days.

They appear to have fine-tuned it so that you can’t get above 100% except on the few full-pay machines. The remaining unanswered question is whether the base points are multiplied to make 3X BASE POINTS. I’ll find out tomorrow.

By: Kevin Lewis

Kevin Lewis — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 22:29:47 +0000

I have actually just tried to confirm the point return on the 99.8% machines at Stations with FIVE different people at three different properties–slot managers, marketing managers, etc. who should presumably know what they’re doing. Not a one of them could tell me for certain. My impressions are anecdotal, taken from message board posts. I can’t confirm from my own experience since I only play the 100%+ machines and even 6x points (0.6%) wouldn’t bridge the gap. However, as discussed elsewhere, playing something like NSUD to earn X points for a promo is better than playing FPDW or other 100% games, since you earn points 12 times as fast on the -EV games. You might earn them 24 times as fast on double points days, though it seems that no point-accumulation promos ever appear on the same days double points are offered (and only the base points would count for promos anyway, at least in terms of the double (“6X”) points promo).
I just got a call back from a slot manager at Boulder and he said that the points awarded on the 99.8% machines were “less than the regular video poker machines but not as low as the 100% machines.” I asked him how MUCH less and he said he didn’t know. Sheesh!!! Many people know what it’s like to get a simple question answered, but for me, it never seems any less idiotic that I have to go through it!

By: Dean Nishijima

Dean Nishijima — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 06:44:13 +0000

I knew that it took $4 for 1 point on 100% machines but didn’t realize that this also included 99.8% machines as well. Is this something new or has this always been the case?

Thanks

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 13:57:43 +0000

Thanks for the update Kevin. Good to hear they are using common sense on that one.

By: jack potts

jack potts — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 03:31:16 +0000

Jean We are talking about Casinos so don’t take all their promotions literally . Stations used to have a promotion yrs ago where each Casino would have a progressive $100k VP and some one would hit before it got to $150K. It was very exiting an I guess wasn’t profitable to Stations so they did a way with it. As u probably know this is the same Casino that filed for bankruptcy and had their debt reduced fr 5+B to about $2B+ with the only loss of 1 Casino ( Alegiant)and the Fertitas still retaining the rest of the Casinos.

By: Kevin Lewis

Kevin Lewis — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 02:38:33 +0000

CORRECTION RE STAY AND PLAY PROMO
I have just confirmed this via GVR’s manager of marketing. The Stay and Play Promo will be operative as it originally was offered. If you are Chairman/President/Platinum, you do not need to swipe, otherwise, you do; but in either case, the 3X point multiplier multiplies the BASE POINTS. This means that for this particular promo, you still get $1,000 free play for $66,666 coin-in aka 200,000 points (and I presume, the lesser amounts of free play for lesser amounts of points earned).
I do NOT know if this is a general policy (if it is, then the slot club change is truly NOT harmful as all you have to do is swipe to get the same 3X base points as before) or whether they are simply honoring the original conditions of this particular promotion. In any case, I applaud them for doing so. I will attempt to verify whether the base points are multiplied by the 3X swipe/3X automatic. I am fairly sure that the 6X (aka 2X) Sunday points will NOT add base points, but you might get 3x base and 3x non-base.
If you do get the base points multiplied, then there is no effect on promos; for instance, you would still get a scratch card for $100 coin-in. Stay tuned!

By: Kevin Lewis

Kevin Lewis — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 01:02:59 +0000

The multipliers also don’t apply on the “99.8%” machines. The base rate for both the 100% and the 99.8% machines was $12=3 pts., or 1/12 of the normal rate, i.e., 0.025% rather than 0.3%. I suppose that if all other things are equal, on the good VP you will now get $12=1 pt.(x3), which would be the same 0.025%. I’ll find out this weekend–it’s quite possible that they have manipulated things so that you don’t even get that minuscule 0.025% any more! (For instance, if you didn’t even get the normal 3x multiplier, resulting in an all-time low return of 0.008%, or eight cents for every $1000 coin-in!!!)
And yes, as I mentioned in comments to the last blog entry, they don’t feel obligated to honor any promo offers that depended on an advertised base rate of $1=3 pts. Many people, myself included, accepted the “Stay and Play” offer, intending to give them a lot of action on the 99% machines that were the only ones you could play and accumulate points on (99.17% 8/5 BP). The 1.5% rebate for 200K action made this a halfway decent play. Now, though, the base rate has been slashed. I consider this to be unethical since an offer was made by the casino and accepted by me and other players, then essentially rescinded.
The above is emblematic of the dishonesty that has been typical of casinos for decades but is now becoming not just ubiquitous but also downright blatant. And BTW, no-mailing people who hit royals is stupid, and bad business to boot.