Casino Comps Explained

Comp is short for complimentary. Comps (or comp points) are issued by casinos to encourage players to keep gambling. In a land-based casino you join the players club when you first visit. The host will issue you with a tracking card. This card is the same size as a credit card with a magnetic strip on the rear. Every time you play on a slots or video poker machine the card is inserted and your play is tracked. The more you play and the higher you bet the more comps you may be entitled to receive.

Many online casinos also offer comps. Play is tracked and you are often compensated with free chips or exclusive special offers.

Some of the larger casino groups (e.g. MGM-Mirage) have a group players club. This means you can play at any casino within the group and be awarded comps based on your play. Comps available from land-based casinos vary depending on the players value to the casino and range from key rings all the way up to complimentary room, food & beverage (RFB). For whales casinos will frequently offer free flights, limosine, suite at the hotel and various show tickets for the duration of the stay.

One of the most basic comps in land based casinos is free drinks. Often everyone playing in the casino is entitled to free drinks from the cocktail waitresses. Often this means you can put $10 into a slot machine and drag play out for a few drinks. Tips are expected but $1 per drink is much cheaper than the prices at the bar.

For table games, where it is not possible to insert the tracking card into a machine, the dealer or pit boss will assess your play and add comps to your account accordingly. You will be assessed based on your buy-in amount, the average size of your bet and the duration of play. Although there are no hard and fast rules, comps generally amount to between 10 and 40% of the amount the casino expects to profit from you. I.e. the amount they expect you to lose.

For example if a blackjack player was betting $5 per hand for an hour at 60 hands/hour, he has bet $300. Of this the casino takes its 2% house edge ($6). Even if they were very generous and gave 40% in comps, the player would only be entitled to around $2.40. Clearly casinos tend to look after the high-rollers more than the average ‘little-guy’. After several hours of play however this player may be entitled to a free meal. Not bad, if they are getting entertainment from the game.

A ‘comp hustler’ is a player who sets out to maximise the amount of comps he/she receives whilst minimising any personal losses they make. The general strategy here is to play games with a low house edge (like blackjack or video poker), and to place large bets when they know they are being assessed by the pit boss. The player will then drop down to a minimal level of play or even withdraw from play altogether. Although a feasible strategy in some instances, the larger casino groups will be well aware of such tactics and catch on quickly to hustlers.