Poll : 12 September - 25 September 2018

For the last few years, my only comps in Vegas have been at Orleans and Gold Coast. I've been playing enough VP to keep qualified. No changes lately--until Boyd announced their new point system. It looks like I'm dead in the water at the end of the year, along with many others.  See my recent post on the Frugal Vegas blog for more details. 
I haven't been inside any Strip or Downtown Vegas casino in many years, and it looks like Boyd off-strip is about to join the list--except maybe Gold Coast for the WSOP. 
I do get some room comps pretty regularly at a couple of places in Laughlin.

Back downtown, D & 4 Q have good comps for video poker players.

I don’t play enough to get enough comps to be able to compare or notice any change. 

Stations has been better the last few years.  Boyd on the other hand is worse then ever.  I get nothing from downtown and never go to the strip anyway.

Not much change in last 2 years.
Worse than 7 years ago for same play.  
Mich worse than 10 years ago for same play.
Beyond that, today's comps are a joke. $25 black jack for 4 hours to get a $50 comped room and be charged the resort fee?  I don't think so.

I've been unwaveringly loyal to the Boyd system for many years now, MANY - refusing to stay or even play anywhere else. (Mostly for me it's The Fremont, with friends at Main Street and Gold Coast.) The "exciting new changes" now mean you have to put almost $4000 through the VP machines to qualify for ANY reward points... so no multiplier days, no reward points to spend on food, nothing. Out-of-town players like me who come 2-3x/year no longer have any incentive to stay within this system. Really, I feel betrayed and like they've just gotten too greedy for their own good. I'm not an advantage player, so I'm just expected to give them all my money with no reward whatsoever for loyalty. Wow.

I have changed my play considerably over the last couple of years, so it's hard to know for sure. I did usually get a few mediocre offers in the past, and usually gambled on the strip. Lately I've been doing more off strip, and in higher denominations, and the offers are rolling in! I don't think I'm that high of a roller, but I get room offers with gift cards and freeplay/F&B credits attached, as well as cruise offers and the like. I usually get 3 to 5 offers in the mail every week. Some from places that I only went to once, and didn't play for very long.

I try to minimize my losses by staying away from slots. I have been successful shooting Craps and playing penny/nickel multi-card Keno machines. I get some 2 for 1 meals and some match play tickets. I would rather play and win than to get a comp.

I've been coming to Vegas for 17 years, and this is by far the worst year of comps, especially with Boyd's new tier system. After being in Vegas last week and getting the run around at every Boyd property about their disgusting new program, with no true answers, I am now cancelling all of my hotel stays, not going to play, or even go to restaurants. I am thoroughly disgusted with the way VP players are being ostracized and with our "rate of play" on VP I will undoubtedly be losing my status by the end of the year. No more comps will be coming my way, so Boyd will no longer get my business. This is the first time I've been this disgusted with the blatant slap in the face from a locals casino and I  can only hope that whoever came up with this steaming pile decision gets fired and Boyd reinstates their old program. In the mean time I'll be cashing in my points and playing at any casino that gets me room offers for my "miniscule" play. See you soon D, and El Cortez!

There is no answer for better on the strip. I used to go to Vegas 3 times a year, but have dropped down to 1 to 2 times. My bank has been the same for quite awhile but I have been receiving better comps. I think maybe I play longer or bet more, but I win more also. The slots are not as tight in Vegas like the Indian casinos.

I visit LV once or twice/yr and stay several weeks at a time (house-sitting for friends), so primarily play at locals casinos.  What really gets me is that I may get fairly good offers for a month or 2 after I've been there, but they quit coming long before I'm scheduled for another trip. (Are you listening, M?????) And no way will a host restore even so much as a half-price buffet.  Cheap, cheap, cheap.

I can say it just isn't Vegas.  It's also Atlantic City.  I used to get $50 match play a few times each month plus 2 free buffets each month at the Borgata.  I play the same as I always have.  The buffets disappeared at the beginning of 2017.  Then around May, the $50 match plays became $25 match plays.

My end of summer/fall offer from the Cosmopolitan as a comped player was actually better which was a nice change, but I also have not visited the Cosmo in a while so maybe it was better to entice me to visit.

My friend and I have been going to Vegas together for over 18 years and we have been totally loyal to Boyd Properties. I'll be there next week and we have our usual 3 night stays put together so we get 6 days  of great play and fun. We've been completely loyal so why can't they be? I didn't know about this until I read it here. Shame on Sam (or who ever is in charge now) It seems the casino owners are like a bunch of lemmings - all jumping off the cliff at the same time. Hopefully they'll change their minds and not play follow the leader. How refreshing that would be!!!

First few visits to Vegas were in late 1980s.  No players clubs, no tiers, no up front comps.  Less worry, more fun.

Now I'm held hostage to tiers and comps.  Isn't everybody?
They should coin a new medical diagnosis:  "Gambling comp anxiety."  LOL.

Mine is pretty much steady, if I pay attention and work things to my advantage.  Depends on what one values.  I won't fly 1000 miles for $10 Free Play and "a chance" to win a car, but good concerts and enough Free Play to cover the flight cost get my attention, and these are still coming often enough.
 
If I factor in comped flights (and rooms/food) to non-Vegas properties secondary to my play at the Vegas properties (e.g. CET and MGM), that moves the needle to the plus side.

The trade off is limiting my play, i.e. conserving money, to a certain few casinos to earn those comps.  Since I'm older I'm less interested in casino hopping for a $3 ice cream and a headband anyway.  But that was part of the fun 30 years ago.   

"Gambling comp anxiety" -- Candy, your comments are always interesting and incisive, but gambling comp anxiety is classic. And true. And sad.

Lots of discussion on Boyd's new point system.  Boyd lost most of my play about a decade ago when I was staying and playing downtown.  As I played more the free room stays started dwindling from 4 nights to 3 to 2.
But when I called to get a free night offered to me on the strip at Caesars properties I was told I could be comp'd up to 5 free nights.  That was mostly the end of downtown for me.   I am a low roller and play the penny slots. After 45+ years of working I just want to have fun and be entertained.  So I make "my donation" 2-4 times a year.  Caesars offers me free show tickets (Elton John's final show was great) and I get varying offers for dining and free play, etc.  My play has even gotten me offers for $225 in casino free play.  I have made Caesars my "core" casino so 90% or so of my play is at their casinos.  But they've been good to me.  Other strip casinos want twice as much coin in to get one slot point.  Give Caesars a try.  You might be surprised.

This is my response from Boyd. I made 2 5day trips this year and played hours on VP;I had 78k points, now I have 1327.--
Please allow me to explain how our new "tier credits" work as they vary significantly from our previous "card score".

In the past, tier status was achieved by earning "card score".  $1 coin in would equal 1 card score.
Currently, tier status is achieved by earning "tier credits".  On reels, $5 coin in equals 1 tier credit.  On video poker and table games, it varies depending on the type of game played, average wager, and amount of time played.  Below is a chart of the new earning thresholds compared to the previous ones.

Tier LevelNew Threshold          Previous Threshold
Sapphire750            Tier Credits 25,000 Card Score
Emerald15,000          Tier Credits250,000 Card Score
Onyx 50,000            Tier CreditsN/A
Titanium200,000     Tier CreditsN/A
As you can see, the criteria is significantly lower than before - even when you factor in the earning ratio change.

As Ruby holders, we have had trouble getting any Tier points since the new policy went into effect.  We don't like or play slots, and yet there is not a definitive way for video poker players to get to the next level.  Are any other ruby card holders finding this?  I'm not even sure if playing slots, video slots, or keno works as it says on their website that for every $5.00 played would give a Tier point.  No one at the players club seems to know the formula either. 

Haven't had a serious comp in years. An occasional twofer one at a Boyd buffet or a $25 slot freebee is not a serious comp.

A lot of people here dissatisfied with Boyd's new "loyalty" program. Myself included. I'm considering cutting my Emerald card in half and mailing it to Boyd corporate i protest. If they get enough cards back, they may reconsider their crappy program.

We just booked our next trip. We will still play and stay downtown, but for the first time in many years, our party will be at El Cortez instead of Fremont. It felt *very* strange to break the pattern, but as Ruby-level players, there is zero point in spending one dime in any Boyd property. I am sad and nostalgic about leaving our familiar digs... but not stupid. 

Food comps are how I usually decide where to go gamble. 

All I can say is, Reno, Reno & Reno!

Stations have the best VP machines for me. As an out of town guest they are still very generous with free rooms, even when I am winning on 100+ machines. Not so much on food and the points at 12 per dollar thru are not worth a damn.