Why Did My Lucrative Mailers from South Point Suddenly Stop?

I've been a regular at South Point for well over a decade, visiting 2-4 times per year and putting substantial amounts through their video poker machines, sometimes playing their good double-deck blackjack. For years, I've gotten quarterly mailers offering free rooms, free food, and free play of various amounts. Suddenly, the mailers have stopped, and the host I've dealt with for years is cold and distant, unwilling or unable to do anything for me. Is this an example of AI analyzing my play and telling the casino my actions doesn't justify the comps? Have you heard other stories like mine, at South Point or other casinos?

[Editor's Note: As mentioned in yesterday's QoD, this one is written by the inimitable and irrepressible Jean Scott.]

Actually, these days, multitudes of players could have submitted this exact question, just replacing the name of the casino with almost any other casino in existence -- in Las Vegas or any other place in the country. And it's not a recent problem; I've been trying to help people cope with this troubling issue for many years.

I had to deal with this personally at South Point one time. I forget the exact date, but it probably was about 10 years ago. After years of playing there heavily as a Vegas local and getting their monthly mailers regularly, I missed a mailer one month and went to the players club to see if there was a mistake that could be remedied. The clerks tried to be helpful and discussed it with each other; one finally admitted that it was because I'd won the previous qualifying period.

I didn't remember having any big jackpots, so I asked how much I'd won.

The answer: $140.

I wasn't surprised, even by this didn't-make-sense explanation, because I'd heard "through the grapevine that many South Point regulars were showing up to play, only to find their players cards deactivated.

No explanation letters were sent out, but there was a widespread purge of advantage players. No one knew what got you on that do-not-mail list. Playing only the best VP? Playing only on bonus-point days? Winning too much (even $140)? I heard from several couples who played pretty much the same and one got cut, while the other one didn't.

Many players went to a host to ask for explanations, but their lips were sealed!

I never heard if anyone ever got their cards reactivated, but it seemed like this was a decision from the very top that no player could get changed. We felt lucky that neither Brad nor I got our players card deactivated and my mailers continued after that one period when I "won big."

So the long and short is that when casinos start taking away your benefits, there's often nothing you can do about it. Once in a while, you can talk to a host and they can help you out, but they usually can't modify company policy. I've occasionally talked to a second or third host and landed on someone who could find a way to get more benefits, perhaps a long-time employee who knew some work-arounds. But as the older hosts retire, I'm finding few of the younger ones who can help much at all.

But you've hit the nail on the head by mentioning artificial intelligence. Not all casinos have installed the powerful new AI technology that knows everything about you. These programs are very expensive, so you might be guided by the idea that maybe the smaller properties might not have them yet.

My advice: Brush up on your scouting skills. I've always said that you shouldn't "marry" a casino. Just have brief affairs while the love lasts.

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Comments

Don the Dentist Dec-30-2024

SP Mailer

When any of my fellow Video Poker players hits a taxable payout the common refrain from the rest of us is "There goes your mailer!"

David Sabo Dec-30-2024

Small typo

Jean. I believe you meant to say at the end of the first paragraph, And it's NOT a recent problem. The NOT is missing.

Hoppy Dec-30-2024

Re: Small Typo

Caution: Casinos see comments like that as enough reason to suspend your mailer :)

Kevin Lewis Dec-30-2024

We LUVVV losers--the rest of you, not so much

As a member of South Point's slot club from the day they opened, I can attest unequivocally that the benefits you get--comps, mailers, offers--are dependent on your recent playing results. Get stomped, and you'll receive nice offers; do well, and you won't get a stale bagel. Jean also mentions the cold shoulder that the hosts there give you if you DARE to win. I can confirm that as well.

They're pretty much the only casino that does this, and it's stupid in the extreme. Anybody in the casino industry knows that it's action that matters, not short-term results. Somehow not knowing about this basic fact is puzzling for an otherwise well-run and player-friendly casino. It's as inexplicable as their recent LVA coupon book snub.

I wonder if they've fried some slot players' accounts after they hit a big jackpot, or if this love-and-hate relationship is just with VP players?

Donzack Dec-30-2024

Video poker classes

Maybe the same reason they no longer allow Bob Dancer to have his vp classes there?

Michael B Dec-30-2024

Have never received a mailer

I signed up for a card at South Point about 18 months ago and have never received any promotional material either mail or electronic. I verified my info was correct on my last trip there. I'm no high roller and I have yet to win "big" there so not sure what's up. I get mailers from EVERY other casino I join. Guess they just don't like me for some reason lol.

Marty McCann Dec-30-2024

Southpoint

I’ve been a regular player at Southpoint for years  and like others here I used to get a mailer with free rooms (even Super Bowl night)  every month along with slot play and food. Nothing the last two years or so. Still play there because I like the casino and food options.

SCOTT Dec-30-2024

Wynn

My wife and I play nearly weekly at the Wynn (VP) and are low - medium rollers. We each were getting $75 in free play each week. Suddenly my wife's free play stopped. When she went to players club to find out why, she was told it's because she spent more food comps than she lost at the machines.

vegasnow Dec-30-2024

SP Hasn't Changed

About 16 years ago when I first started playing at SP my wife and I played their 25-cent 10-play Super Times Pay for about 4 hours ($15 per hand). I figure we must have each put about $15,000 through our respective machines and I figured that would be worth some kind of dinner comp. Host looked at our play and said nope we were not eligible for a comp.  When I pressed the explanation was that we hadn't lost money while playing. We left and had dinner elsewhere.

sunny78 Dec-30-2024

odd

Something is missing here. 

If people "win" something, the math says it's a short term thing. An anomaly. The vast majority of people lose in the long term. The casino knows the math. And the more people play, the more they profit and the more broke the player gets. It's a long run thing. That's their business model. Get people to play as much as possible. More play, more profit. So logically, it seems bad business to stop a mailer to give "freebies" to the person just because they had a little bump in "winnings". Actually, if anything, that's the time in my view to get that person back in the casino with incentives. They have winning on their mind now because they got ahead the last trip and I think that person is more likely to up the ante, play harder, play more.

Gene Brown Dec-30-2024

South Point

I recently wondered why I was not receiving offers via mailers. So I inquired earlier this month when I was there simply because I really consider it as a go to place when I’m visiting Vegas. The food choices meet my expectations. Their rooms are large, clean and comfortable. The slots selections are current and well stocked. I haven’t hit anything close to a jackpot; so I don’t know the reason why I am not receiving any current offers or the tri-monthly mailers. Until they deactivate my player’s account, I will be returning to eat and play there but lodging on the Strip using my Diamond Level perks. South Point, in opinion, is one of my favorite places to explore.

Lucky Jan-03-2025

Caesars

I am a 7 stars player with Caesars.  In December there was a $750 free play promotion listed in my available promotions.  I tried to book it, but at all the hotels the promotion was "sold out" for me.  Called my host, and he could not figure it out.  He arranged the free play for me thought another avenue (I do not know how he did that) and I received the free play from the casino cage. I won a large jackpot in November, and my host thought that could have something to do with it.  He is an executive host for 20 years.  He says this was now happening all the time.  They show the promotion, but you cannot get it.  Those things are never sold out.  I expect that this year, my promotions will go way down, as I did pretty well in 2024.

Question of the Day - 30 December 2024

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