High rollers might spend more real cash than low rollers!

Sit down and take a deep breath, you are going to learn something that is remarkable, amazing, unbelievable but nevertheless true. Are you ready? Breathe in; exhale slowly. Now wrap your mind around this statement: High rollers spend more cash at the casinos than do low rollers!

Don't snicker. I am not talking about a high roller's relatively large losses compared to low rollers smaller losses either. Let's forget the gambling part of this completely, OK? Let's just talk about the taking of cash out of your pocket (or out of your credit card) for other things like travel, food, tips, shows and so on. I will base this on my own experience as a low roller against my own experience as an RFB player.

In my decades-long career I've been both a low and a high roller. I've seen every side of the barn, so to speak.

For those not familiar with that term RFB, it means BIG SHOT! Yup, I get everything for free now: limos from the airport to the hotel; limos to wherever I want to go; free dinners at gourmet restaurants, free show tickets and even more than that. Hosts ask if they can carry my wallet to my suite. That's what it means to be a BIG SHOT folks — your wallet has made a lot of friends.

As a low roller I got a free hotel room for two days during weekdays and I paid for my own food and everything else. I never had a host, unless I was the host for some germ.

So now it's going to be LOW ROLLER versus BIG SHOT in a battle to a monetary finish for a single day in the casino-hotel. This is going to be the Ali/Frazier of casino contests. Here goes:

BIG SHOT arrives in Vegas and a limo takes BIG SHOT from the airport to the hotel. That is comped, except BIG SHOT tips the driver $20. LOW ROLLER takes a ratty cab and that comes to about $15 including the tip. BIG SHOT pays $5 more in this case.

In the hotel, BIG SHOT registers with the VIP reservations clerk and tips her $10 for her attentiveness. The LOW ROLLER goes to the peasant check-in line and pays no tip. Both their rooms are comped. BIG SHOT pays $10.

BIG SHOT goes to expensive comped suite and tips the luggage attendant $10 for two suitcases. As a high roller you have to be generous with tips because the attendants all talk to each other and you want good service. LOW ROLLER carries his own bags to the room. BIG SHOT pays $10.

After a long flight hunger sets in. BIG SHOT goes to have a free meal at the Heart Attack Café and orders whatever he wants. It's all comped. He doesn't even finish his meal. His bill comes to $70 and he leaves a $14 tip. The LOW ROLLER buys a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich and a coke which comes to $12. He leaves a $3 tip. LOW ROLLER pays $1 more than BIG SHOT.

It's dinner time: BIG SHOT goes to a gourmet restaurant where he is comped $250 for the best meal in town with the finest wine. All free - just amazing! He leaves a $50 tip. LOW ROLLER eats at the buffet for $21. He leaves a $2 tip. BIG SHOT pays $27 more for dinner.

That night both BIG SHOT and LOW ROLLER decide to take in some entertainment. BIG SHOT goes to see Danny Gans, a comped $110 ticket. He takes the limo and tips the driver $20. LOW ROLLER walks to see the fountains at Bellagio and then the Volcano in front of the Mirage and then the Sirens of Titan in front of TI. Good entertainment, all free, along with good exercise. BIG SHOT takes the limo back to his hotel, another $20 tip. BIG SHOT pays $40 to LOW ROLLER's nothing.

Now at the casino games, BIG SHOT tips larger amounts since he plays for larger amounts. He tips cocktail waitresses $5 per drink. LOW ROLLER tips $1 for a drink. They each have three drinks. BIG SHOT pays $12 more in tips.

The next morning BIG SHOT eats a hearty breakfast at the Heart Attack Café that comes to a comped $40. He leaves a $10 tip. LOW ROLLER eats at the buffet for $12 and leaves a $1 tip. LOW ROLLER pays $3 more than BIG SHOT.

They go back to the airport: limo versus cab. BIG SHOT pays $5 more.

In the end of this scenario BIG SHOT pays more than LOW ROLLER. Being a BIG SHOT puts you in situations where you must take more money out of your pocket for tips and travel. These expenses come with the territory.

So the moral of this story is simple: If you get everything for free it costs more!