The first resort-casino license in Region B (Western Massachusetts) was awarded to MGM Resorts and their $1.3 billion casino, MGM Springfield, opened August 24, 2018. The second license for Region A (Eastern Massachusetts) was awarded to Wynn Resorts and their $2 billion, Encore Everett, is expected to open in mid-2019. Whether you come to the We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort for the great food, the amazing golf, the decadent hotel and spa, or the fun-filled gaming floor, the new Fortune Club has something in it for you. Each game you play at a casino has a statistical probability against you winning. Slot machine odds are some of the worst, ranging from one in 5,000 to one in about 34 million chance of winning the. Many online casino operators are aware of the potential for losing money while giving out bonuses. As such, there is often a minimum wagering requirement for cashing out. Some casinos will limit the payout in case of a win. Also, they may restrict players from playing certain games, often those games with a low house advantage.
Comps are complimentary items and services given out by casinos to encourage players to gamble.[1] The amount and quality of comps that a player is given usually depends on a combination of factors: what game(s) they play, how much they bet, and how long they play.
Most casinos have casino hosts who are responsible for giving out free items and contacting players to bring them back to the casino. Pit bosses can also award comps at table games. Most casinos now urge players to obtain a player's club or similar card, so that their play can be tracked and comps awarded.[1]
Levels[edit]
The lowest level of comp available at most casinos is free alcohol and other beverages. Many casinos provide free drinks to anyone who is gambling.[1]
The second level of comp that many players earn is free self-parking, lounge access, or free meals. Many casinos have several players' lounges and restaurants, and may require more play to earn a comp to higher-end restaurants. Often the player is given a certain amount to spend, but sometimes, particularly with high rollers, the player may be given the right to order as much food as they want and to bring guests.[citation needed]
The next level of comps is usually free hotel rooms, free valet parking, and free access to more exclusive VIP or 'high roller' lounges. Many casinos have attached hotels, but those that do not may have the ability to comp rooms to a hotel nearby.[citation needed] Many casino hotels have higher quality rooms, such as suites, villas, presidential suites, and so on for bigger bettors or VIP guests. Many players who receive hotel rooms receive a package called 'RFB' (for 'room, food, and beverage') or 'RF' (for 'room and food') for smaller bettors, or in jurisdictions where casinos are not allowed to give free alcohol.[citation needed]
Many casinos also offer other comps, especially to high rollers. These may include airfare reimbursement, limo rides, tickets to shows, golf, free concierge services, cash back, money to show up in the casino, loss rebates, private gaming areas, and private jet service.[2]
Casinos also frequently offer players comps by mail or email, or in casino apps. These may be free bet offers, free meals, discounted or free rooms, or entries into tournaments or prize drawings.[3] These offers will often come with terms and conditions that establish the rollover and wagering requirements.[4] An aspect most users overlook and the main cause for winnings withdrawal rejection.
Some casinos contract with bus companies to bring players in. Riders often enjoy free slot play, dining coupons, and other benefits, often worth as much as the bus fare itself.[5]
Calculation[edit]
Technically, every player may be offered comps, but most casinos require players to have played for a given period of time and play at a certain level, i.e., the duration of play and amount wagered are directly proportional to the level of expected comps. What games are played are also factors.[6] Casinos award comps based on a player's Average Daily Theoretical loss, also known as ADT, theoretical loss, or 'theo' for short. The theoretical loss is the amount of money a player is expected to lose based on the long run statistical advantage the casino has on the particular game being played.[7][8]
Theoretical loss algorithms differ somewhat among casinos,[9][10] but in general, the logic behind the calculation is as follows:
- Theoretical Loss = (Casino Advantage) × (Total Wager)[citation needed]
Hustling[edit]
Players known as 'comp counters', 'comp hustlers', or 'comp wizards'[11] attempt to maximize the amount of comps they receive while minimizing their expected gambling losses.[12][13] Comp hustlers play games with a low house advantage, such as blackjack or video poker, or games with small bet sizes, such as penny slots. Comp hustlers may use tactics such as placing large bets when a pit boss is checking their bet size to rate them for comps, and then moving to a smaller bet size when the boss is not watching. They may also take frequent breaks from playing, play at full tables to be dealt fewer hands per hour, and play more slowly.[12] Comp hustling is a type of advantage gambling if the player is able to hustle more in comps than their average cost of gambling.[14] And the author of 'How to Get a Dollar in Casino Comps for Every Dime You Lose Gambling', in their summary of key takeaways from Max Rubin's book, Comp City,[15] observes: 'The next step up from being a comp wizard is to become a comp counter. These players have specific knowledge and skills that enable them to combine a low house edge with comps in order to profit.' Another step up are practitioners of 'ACES (Advanced Comp Earning System). People practicing this kind of system earn a dollar's worth of comps for every dime they lose gambling.'[16]
Online[edit]
Online casinos, poker rooms, and sportsbooks offer a variety of bonuses that are similar to brick and mortar casino comps. Also similarly, comp hustlers and advantage players can use these bonuses to turn a profit via bonus hunting, or can convert these comps to a guaranteed profit using the technique of matched betting.
Many online casino operators are aware of the potential for losing money while giving out bonuses. As such, there is often a minimum wagering requirement for cashing out.
Some casinos will limit the payout in case of a win. Also, they may restrict players from playing certain games, often those games with a low house advantage. And, they may require players to bet the bonus amount multiple times before being able to cash out. For example, a casino may require a player to bet the bonus amount 50 times before being able to cash out. So, for a $100 bonus, a player would have to bet $5,000 before being able to cash out. Therefore, it is advantageous for players to check the wagering requirements of a bonus.[17] All bonuses have a turnover requirement. This means that placing a certain number of wagers, such as turnover 5x, means wagering 5 times the bonus. Most online casinos distinguish two types of bonuses: a no deposit bonus and a deposit bonus. First one does not require from a user to make a deposit at a casino in order to start playing. A deposit bonus requires from a user to make a deposit of certain amount of funds to start playing at the casino. Both of these type bonuses apply to terms and conditions of turnover requirements.[18]
References[edit]
- ^ abc'Keeping Customers Happy in Casinos'. ABCNews. November 1, 2007.
- ^'Cashback Casino Bonuses'. Best Online Casino Offers.
- ^Grochowski, John (17 June 2003). 'Comps - The Basics'. Casino City Times.
- ^'Rollover and Wagering Requirements'. Onlineunitedstatescasinos.com. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
- ^Moro, Marianne (Leaf Group). 'Travel Tips: Atlantic City Casino Tours'. USA Today.
- ^'THE EXPERTS GUIDE TO COMPS'. www.smartgaming.com. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
- ^'CASINO COMPS & YOUR 'AVERAGE DAILY THEORETICAL''. N.E. Time Gambling. August 10, 2016. Archived from the original on October 28, 2018. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
- ^Coach Kitty. 'Gambling: Casino THEO: It's All About the Theo'. TravelZork.
- ^Scoblete, Frank. 'Getting the Most from Your Slot Play: Points, Bounceback, Mail Offers and Good Machines'. CasinoCenter.com. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
- ^Coach Kitty (April 19, 2017). 'Caesars Total Rewards Part 4: Generating Casino Offers (Marketing OFfers)'. TravelZork.
- ^Stevens, Michael (June 10, 2018). 'How Comps Work In Gambling (And How to Make Them Work for You)'. GamblingSites.org.
- ^ abRubin, Max (June 2001). Comp City. Huntington Press. ISBN978-0-929712-36-9.
- ^Scott, Jean (July 2005). The Frugal Gambler. Huntington Press. ISBN978-0-929712-40-6.
- ^'Comp Hustling'. Casinopedia. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
- ^Rubin, Max. Comp City.
- ^Rubin, Max. 'How to Get a Dollar in Casino Comps for Every Dime You Lose Gambling'. Gamblingsitesonline.org.
- ^'Casino bonuses'. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
- ^'No Deposit Bonus'. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
Gambling is good business, or at least a profitable one. According to the American Gaming Association, in 2012 the 464 commercial casinos in the U.S. served 76.1 million patrons and grossed $37.34 billion.
Each year gaming revenues in the U.S. yield more profits than the theatrical movie industry ($10.9 billion) and the recorded music industry ($7 billion) combined. Even the $22.5 billion combined revenue of the four major U.S. sports leagues is dwarfed by earnings from the commercial casinos industry.
Gambling is such good business that despite reported negative impacts — such as increased poverty and unemployment, higher crime rates, and decreased property value in nearby neighborhoods — the state of Illinois early this year passed a law to allow slot machines in all establishments that sell alcohol.
Gambling is not just common, it's also accepted. Despite the fact that for an estimated 4 percent of the population gambling represents a problematic and even pathological addiction, 85 percent of Americans feel that gambling is either perfectly acceptable for themselves or if not themselves for others in a country where more than 20 states now allow some form of commercial casino.
The first resort-casino license in Region B (Western Massachusetts) was awarded to MGM Resorts and their $1.3 billion casino, MGM Springfield, opened August 24, 2018. The second license for Region A (Eastern Massachusetts) was awarded to Wynn Resorts and their $2 billion, Encore Everett, is expected to open in mid-2019. Whether you come to the We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort for the great food, the amazing golf, the decadent hotel and spa, or the fun-filled gaming floor, the new Fortune Club has something in it for you. Each game you play at a casino has a statistical probability against you winning. Slot machine odds are some of the worst, ranging from one in 5,000 to one in about 34 million chance of winning the. Many online casino operators are aware of the potential for losing money while giving out bonuses. As such, there is often a minimum wagering requirement for cashing out. Some casinos will limit the payout in case of a win. Also, they may restrict players from playing certain games, often those games with a low house advantage.
Comps are complimentary items and services given out by casinos to encourage players to gamble.[1] The amount and quality of comps that a player is given usually depends on a combination of factors: what game(s) they play, how much they bet, and how long they play.
Most casinos have casino hosts who are responsible for giving out free items and contacting players to bring them back to the casino. Pit bosses can also award comps at table games. Most casinos now urge players to obtain a player's club or similar card, so that their play can be tracked and comps awarded.[1]
Levels[edit]
The lowest level of comp available at most casinos is free alcohol and other beverages. Many casinos provide free drinks to anyone who is gambling.[1]
The second level of comp that many players earn is free self-parking, lounge access, or free meals. Many casinos have several players' lounges and restaurants, and may require more play to earn a comp to higher-end restaurants. Often the player is given a certain amount to spend, but sometimes, particularly with high rollers, the player may be given the right to order as much food as they want and to bring guests.[citation needed]
The next level of comps is usually free hotel rooms, free valet parking, and free access to more exclusive VIP or 'high roller' lounges. Many casinos have attached hotels, but those that do not may have the ability to comp rooms to a hotel nearby.[citation needed] Many casino hotels have higher quality rooms, such as suites, villas, presidential suites, and so on for bigger bettors or VIP guests. Many players who receive hotel rooms receive a package called 'RFB' (for 'room, food, and beverage') or 'RF' (for 'room and food') for smaller bettors, or in jurisdictions where casinos are not allowed to give free alcohol.[citation needed]
Many casinos also offer other comps, especially to high rollers. These may include airfare reimbursement, limo rides, tickets to shows, golf, free concierge services, cash back, money to show up in the casino, loss rebates, private gaming areas, and private jet service.[2]
Casinos also frequently offer players comps by mail or email, or in casino apps. These may be free bet offers, free meals, discounted or free rooms, or entries into tournaments or prize drawings.[3] These offers will often come with terms and conditions that establish the rollover and wagering requirements.[4] An aspect most users overlook and the main cause for winnings withdrawal rejection.
Some casinos contract with bus companies to bring players in. Riders often enjoy free slot play, dining coupons, and other benefits, often worth as much as the bus fare itself.[5]
Calculation[edit]
Technically, every player may be offered comps, but most casinos require players to have played for a given period of time and play at a certain level, i.e., the duration of play and amount wagered are directly proportional to the level of expected comps. What games are played are also factors.[6] Casinos award comps based on a player's Average Daily Theoretical loss, also known as ADT, theoretical loss, or 'theo' for short. The theoretical loss is the amount of money a player is expected to lose based on the long run statistical advantage the casino has on the particular game being played.[7][8]
Theoretical loss algorithms differ somewhat among casinos,[9][10] but in general, the logic behind the calculation is as follows:
- Theoretical Loss = (Casino Advantage) × (Total Wager)[citation needed]
Hustling[edit]
Players known as 'comp counters', 'comp hustlers', or 'comp wizards'[11] attempt to maximize the amount of comps they receive while minimizing their expected gambling losses.[12][13] Comp hustlers play games with a low house advantage, such as blackjack or video poker, or games with small bet sizes, such as penny slots. Comp hustlers may use tactics such as placing large bets when a pit boss is checking their bet size to rate them for comps, and then moving to a smaller bet size when the boss is not watching. They may also take frequent breaks from playing, play at full tables to be dealt fewer hands per hour, and play more slowly.[12] Comp hustling is a type of advantage gambling if the player is able to hustle more in comps than their average cost of gambling.[14] And the author of 'How to Get a Dollar in Casino Comps for Every Dime You Lose Gambling', in their summary of key takeaways from Max Rubin's book, Comp City,[15] observes: 'The next step up from being a comp wizard is to become a comp counter. These players have specific knowledge and skills that enable them to combine a low house edge with comps in order to profit.' Another step up are practitioners of 'ACES (Advanced Comp Earning System). People practicing this kind of system earn a dollar's worth of comps for every dime they lose gambling.'[16]
Online[edit]
Online casinos, poker rooms, and sportsbooks offer a variety of bonuses that are similar to brick and mortar casino comps. Also similarly, comp hustlers and advantage players can use these bonuses to turn a profit via bonus hunting, or can convert these comps to a guaranteed profit using the technique of matched betting.
Many online casino operators are aware of the potential for losing money while giving out bonuses. As such, there is often a minimum wagering requirement for cashing out.
Some casinos will limit the payout in case of a win. Also, they may restrict players from playing certain games, often those games with a low house advantage. And, they may require players to bet the bonus amount multiple times before being able to cash out. For example, a casino may require a player to bet the bonus amount 50 times before being able to cash out. So, for a $100 bonus, a player would have to bet $5,000 before being able to cash out. Therefore, it is advantageous for players to check the wagering requirements of a bonus.[17] All bonuses have a turnover requirement. This means that placing a certain number of wagers, such as turnover 5x, means wagering 5 times the bonus. Most online casinos distinguish two types of bonuses: a no deposit bonus and a deposit bonus. First one does not require from a user to make a deposit at a casino in order to start playing. A deposit bonus requires from a user to make a deposit of certain amount of funds to start playing at the casino. Both of these type bonuses apply to terms and conditions of turnover requirements.[18]
References[edit]
- ^ abc'Keeping Customers Happy in Casinos'. ABCNews. November 1, 2007.
- ^'Cashback Casino Bonuses'. Best Online Casino Offers.
- ^Grochowski, John (17 June 2003). 'Comps - The Basics'. Casino City Times.
- ^'Rollover and Wagering Requirements'. Onlineunitedstatescasinos.com. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
- ^Moro, Marianne (Leaf Group). 'Travel Tips: Atlantic City Casino Tours'. USA Today.
- ^'THE EXPERTS GUIDE TO COMPS'. www.smartgaming.com. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
- ^'CASINO COMPS & YOUR 'AVERAGE DAILY THEORETICAL''. N.E. Time Gambling. August 10, 2016. Archived from the original on October 28, 2018. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
- ^Coach Kitty. 'Gambling: Casino THEO: It's All About the Theo'. TravelZork.
- ^Scoblete, Frank. 'Getting the Most from Your Slot Play: Points, Bounceback, Mail Offers and Good Machines'. CasinoCenter.com. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
- ^Coach Kitty (April 19, 2017). 'Caesars Total Rewards Part 4: Generating Casino Offers (Marketing OFfers)'. TravelZork.
- ^Stevens, Michael (June 10, 2018). 'How Comps Work In Gambling (And How to Make Them Work for You)'. GamblingSites.org.
- ^ abRubin, Max (June 2001). Comp City. Huntington Press. ISBN978-0-929712-36-9.
- ^Scott, Jean (July 2005). The Frugal Gambler. Huntington Press. ISBN978-0-929712-40-6.
- ^'Comp Hustling'. Casinopedia. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
- ^Rubin, Max. Comp City.
- ^Rubin, Max. 'How to Get a Dollar in Casino Comps for Every Dime You Lose Gambling'. Gamblingsitesonline.org.
- ^'Casino bonuses'. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
- ^'No Deposit Bonus'. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
Gambling is good business, or at least a profitable one. According to the American Gaming Association, in 2012 the 464 commercial casinos in the U.S. served 76.1 million patrons and grossed $37.34 billion.
Each year gaming revenues in the U.S. yield more profits than the theatrical movie industry ($10.9 billion) and the recorded music industry ($7 billion) combined. Even the $22.5 billion combined revenue of the four major U.S. sports leagues is dwarfed by earnings from the commercial casinos industry.
Gambling is such good business that despite reported negative impacts — such as increased poverty and unemployment, higher crime rates, and decreased property value in nearby neighborhoods — the state of Illinois early this year passed a law to allow slot machines in all establishments that sell alcohol.
Gambling is not just common, it's also accepted. Despite the fact that for an estimated 4 percent of the population gambling represents a problematic and even pathological addiction, 85 percent of Americans feel that gambling is either perfectly acceptable for themselves or if not themselves for others in a country where more than 20 states now allow some form of commercial casino.
It's not too hard to see why casino lobbyists believe casinos make a positive contribution to the communities in which they operate.
It's far less easy to understand why so many Americans enjoy gambling even though it tends to result in the loss of money.
You lose, the casino wins
As a general rule, we tend to repeat behavior that produces desirable results and avoid behaviors that result in loss. We repeat jokes that people laughed at, choose jobs that we enjoy and that pay the most money, and avoid behaviors that produce fines. Following this logic, one would expect a gambler to only play as long as they are winning and then cut their losses when they begin to lose.
Yet gambling appears to operate differently; players play faster after losses and bet persistently regardless of the percentage of payback, magnitude of return, or the lack of winning entirely. So what encourages gambling behavior if losing occurs more frequently, and payouts do not exceed buy-ins?
One explanation is that gamblers poorly judge the actual probability of winning, even as their pile of tokens and coins dwindles before them.
Some examples of this phenomenon can easily be seen in the language of gamblers. 'My luck is going to turn,' 'A win is coming,' or 'I am on a hot streak,' are all statements that speak to an over-confidence in one's ability to predict functionally random events.
Gamblers will often say these things after an unusual series of outcomes, for example, ten straight losses on red at roulette. The gambler may then proceed to bet more on red, in the false hope that the next spin is more likely to come up red due to the overall probability of the game (50 percent chance of red).
This flawed logic is called 'The Gambler's Fallacy.' It stems from a misunderstanding of how probabilities are assessed; in fact the outcome of the previous spin of the roulette wheel has no influence on the outcome of the next spin. The probability of red remains stubbornly fixed at 50 percent.
Missed it by that much
Another example of how gamblers misjudge losing outcomes can be seen when individuals respond to losses that are similar in appearance to a win. Receiving two out of three symbols necessary to win on a slot machine is a loss but players often respond to this 'near miss' with excitement, increased betting and more persistent play.
Winning and almost winning are such similar events to many people that they respond in the same way to both. People pause, for example, for longer after a win than a loss. This is known as a 'post-reinforcement pause.' People often pause for longer after a near-miss.
It's no accident near misses are pretty common on slot machines.Mark/Flickr, CC BY-SA
Winning and almost winning are so alike in gamblers' brains that research on the dopamine-transmitting pathways of anticipation and reward show remarkably similar activation patterns for a near-miss and a win.
Near-miss effects are not limited to outcomes that look similar to win. Outcomes that are closer to a win in a more abstract sense also cause a similar response.
For instance, the near-miss effect has been demonstrated in games where 'nearly winning' might relate to scoring a number that is close to a winning number, such as in blackjack.
Near-miss outcomes are not the only form of almost winning that contributes to the behavioral confusion faced by gamblers. Modern slot machines also present a myriad of features that are designed to confuse outcomes.
Slot confusion
One feature present in almost every modern slot machine is the partial win or 'loss disguised as a win.'
Since slot machines have gone from the traditional 3-reel 1-line slot machine to the modern 5-reel video slot, often with 25 or more winning lines, near-miss outcomes have become almost unidentifiable from other losing outcomes.
By encouraging individuals to play on more than one line, casinos have created a scenario where players are awarded a win on almost every spin.
Despite the increased frequency of winning, the proportion of money returned is often far less than the entire bet, such as winning 10 cents on a 50 cent bet. This 80 percent loss is accompanied by the same sounds on the machine as a real win and occupies the same area of the screen that wins are reported in.
Since noticing near-misses on modern slot machines is difficult, game makers have incorporated other game features such as free-spin symbols, mini-games, and progressive awards, which create new near miss situations while often not guaranteeing any increased value of a win themselves.
For example, special symbols might be placed on the reels that provide 10 free spins whenever three appear anywhere within the game screen. These symbols will often make a special sound, such as a loud thud when they land; and if two symbols land, many games will begin to play fast tempo music, display flashing lights around the remaining reels, and accelerate the rate of spin to enhance the saliency of the event.
When you win these sorts of outcomes you feel as though you have won a jackpot; after all, 10 free spins is 10 times the chances to win big money right? The reality is that those 10 free spins do not change the already small probability of winning on any given spin and are still likely to result in a loss of money. For many games, features such as this have entirely replaced standard jackpots.
Online Casino Win Rate
These features share one important characteristic: they allow the casinos the ability to provide more outcomes that feel like a win while not increasing the actual payout. The effect of these features is so significant that in 1989 the Nevada Gaming Commission banned algorithms that purposefully increased the prevalence of near-miss outcomes. Of course, this only applied to the intentional increasing of near misses when a loss is already determined, i.e. artificially producing a near miss instead of what the reels would have normally landed on.
Casino Theoretical Win Rate
Unfortunately, these laws do not preclude the intentional design of reel layouts that, without additional manipulation, produce frequent near misses and losses disguised as wins. These laws also do not apply to the newer game features which either highlight the near miss, such as accelerating reels, or create entirely new topographies of outcomes, as is the case with free-spins or mini-games.
While the question of how to best manage artificial manipulations of near misses may be a topic of future regulatory discussion, the decision to play games with these illusions will ultimately fall upon the end user.
As long as you are willing to expose yourself to the game in the first place, the casino need only sit back and wait. And with increasing availability of casinos across the U.S., they won't need to wait long.
Casino Win Ratio
The authors do not work for, consult to, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article. They also have no relevant affiliations.
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