Comps
“A dollar saved is a dollar earned!” This old saw is basically true, so be sure to take full advantage of casino complimentaries, known simply as “comps.” You may as well get your share of free meals, accommodation, show tickets, “match-play” coupons, etc., which are generally available to all casino patrons. Every dollar you save this way can rightly be considered part of your blackjack winnings, as long as you would have purchased these goods or services anyway.
By giving away comps, the casino hopes to entice players to continue playing at that establishment rather than moving on to another. Comps are handed out more easily and frequently where there is a greater selection of casinos from which players may choose. These playing “perks” are easier to obtain in the Las Vegas area, where about fifty casinos are all competing for your gaming dollar. In Vegas, three or four hours of uninterupted play at a $5 table is often enough to earn you a dinner for two at one of their famous all-you-can-eat buffets. At the other extreme, the Atlantis (near Nassau, in the Bahamas) is extremely reluctant to reward its small-time players with any comps whatsoever. This is probably because the Atlantis is the only casino on the island. There you must play for at least four hours a day with bets of more than $25 a hand in order to receive the slightest comp of any land.
“Squeaky wheels get the grease.” Normally, you have to ask for comps no matter where you play, other than the free drinks offered to all players. “High rollers” who normally wager thousands of dollars a hand often receive substantial comps even without requesting them. Comps are a matter of intense prestige among some players. By requesting a pit boss to “rate” your play, you are, in effect, asking him for potential comps. He will then note the amount of your average bet and how long you play, in order to determine exactly what value of comp you are entitled to receive. Asking to have your play rated in order to gain comps immediately draws attention to yourself. This should be avoided until you are confident that you can completely disguise your counting, or unless you are simply adhering to flat betting and BS alone. Wonging around behind the tables, jumping in and out of games as the TC varies, will never gain you any comps.
In awarding comps, some casinos also take into account the amount of money you win or lose, but this is done rarely, because it is too difficult for them to monitor accurately. I am reminded of a relevant incident that happened a few years ago while I was playing the double-deck games at the Mirage, Las Vegas. I had purchased several hundred dollars worth of chips over the course of maybe an hour, even though I was up a fair bit. (Continually buying more chips labels you as a loser, and secreting them away in your pocket is an easy way to hide the fact that you are actually winning.) I knew that one pit boss in particular had seen me “buy in” more than once, since dealers have to call it to their attention when changing large bills. The next time he came by, I asked innocently, “How much do I have to lose here before I can get a free buffet for me and the wife?” I had only a few red chips on the table in front of me, so he likely assumed that I had lost $300 or $400 there. Without saying a word, he wrote me up the comp immediately. My wife was so embarrassed when she found out how I obtained our free meal that evening, she accused me of being no better than a beggar. I saw her point and have not hustled comps like this since, but the fact remains that had I not asked we would not have received this little blackjack-playing bonus.
