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Gaming Guru
The Value of Slot Clubs6 January 2005
If you're someone who refuses to give anyone your name and address, then I suppose the answer is 'no'. If, however, you're willing to deal with some more junk mail in exchange for some offers and some cash and comps, then I say, you have to sign up for as many as you can. That doesn't mean running around town signing up for each and every. It means that if you find yourself playing in a casino, go sign up for their slot club before you start to play. Once you join, it's up to you as to how much you want to use your 'coupons'. You may decide that your first priority is to play where you want to play and while there, you'll use the slot club. Or, you may be one of the people who keep track of what special offers each casino is offering to it's slot club members on any given day (like double points or bonus points for Royals, etc…). This is the U.S. of A. and you have the freedom to choose what is right for you. Just like there are some people who run all over town for the sale items at 2 or 3 different supermarkets, there are some who run all over town to hit all the casino specials. At the same time, there are some who buy things because they have a coupon even though they don't use the product. So, running to a casino to try and win a bright orange satin jacket which you'll never wear might not be the best use of your time. I can't tell you what is right for you in this regard. But, I can offer some suggestions so that you can view the slot clubs in the proper light. First of all, there may be value in limiting your play to only a few clubs. The casinos will never know how many clubs you belong too, of course. But, they do keep tabs of just how much time and money you are spending in their casino, and not all offers are based on a simple formula. The more you play, the more they want you to keep playing and the more they will do to keep bringing you in. Assuming you're not addicted to gambling, this can be to your advantage. Second, have an understanding of how much the items that you are getting are really worth. Obviously, cashback for your gambling is pretty straightforward to calculate. Comps and marketing offers may not be. If, when you come to Las Vegas, you stay with friends, getting a lot of discounted hotel rooms may be of little value to you. If you don't like the restaurants where you like to play, comps for free meals are hardly worth their retail value. On the other hand, if you like to eat where you play, it would be foolish not to take advantage of the slot clubs. When playing video poker, slot clubs can return an additional 0.25% - 0.50% back to you in cash and comps on a regular basis. Putting a price tag on promotional offers is more difficult. You have to decide how much your time is worth to chase some of these things. Either which way, no amount of comps and cashback can make up for playing video poker poorly or playing poor paying video poker machines. Recent Articles
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