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Ask The Slot Expert (Las Vegas Slot Clubs)

14 November 2002

I have a trip planned for this coming weekend at the Stratosphere. We have never stayed there before, but hear good things about their slot club. We usually play quarter and dollar slots and quarter video poker. Do you have any information specific to the comp program at the Stratosphere and can you recommend which strip casinos offer the best slot club advantages? The main thing that we are interested in is free or discount rooms and food comps.

Thanks,
JB

Dear JB,

I have to admit that I haven't been to the Stratosphere in years. I did play there in its early days. I have a complete set of their collector's coins and I was lucky enough to hit the progressive (about $1500) on Gorilla Mania. The Stratosphere doesn't have the collector's coins or Gorilla Mania machines any more.

Because of its location, the Stratosphere has to be very aggressive with its slot club and machine paybacks. I don't know anything specific about the slot club today, other than that I believe they even give a small amount of cashback on their 100%+ payback video poker machines.

As for the other slot clubs on the strip, I recommend looking at the hotels first. Start by making a list of the hotels that have rooms, restaurants, and a casino that you like. Then narrow your list down further by investigating the slot clubs. It's much easier to get information about the hotel and casino--all you have to do is walk through the place--than it is to get information about the slot club. Few, if any, of the slot strip clubs publish comp requirements. You'll have to ask someone at the booth or a host.

Another reason to start with the hotel first is because a good slot club can't make up for a bad hotel. The Imperial Palace could have the greatest slot club in the world, but I won't stay there again because most of the dining options are mediocre and I've celebrated a birthday while waiting for their incredibly slow elevators.

In any case, the B-level joints will have lower comp requirements than the A-level joints. For example, the Stardust, Flamingo, and Tropicana will have lower requirements than the Mirage and Caesars Palace.

One hotel you might want to check out is the Barbary Coast. They have the most positive expectation video poker machines of any casino on the strip.

Since the Desert Inn closed, I spend most of my time on the strip at Treasure Island and Caesars Palace. I've almost always been pleased with the way I've been treated at TI, both in terms of the offers they've sent me and what they've comped based on my play. Caesars is a little different. I've received a number of good offers from them, but I've found the requirements to get comps once you're there to be above my level of play.

Best of luck in and out of the casinos,
John


Send your slot and video poker questions to John Robison, Slot Expert, at slotexpert@comcast.net.


For more information about slots and video poker, we recommend:

The Slot Expert's Guide to Playing Slots by John Robison
Break the One-Armed Bandits! by Frank Scoblete
Victory at Video Poker and Video Craps, Keno and Blackjack! by Frank Scoblete
Slot Conquest Audio Cassette Tape (60 minutes) with Frank Scoblete
Winning Strategies at Slots & Video Poker! Video tape hosted by Academy Award Winner James Coburn, Written by Frank Scoblete
The Slot Machine Answer Book by John Grochowski
The Video Poker Answer Book by John Grochowski
John Robison

John Robison is an expert on slot machines and how to play them. John is a slot and video poker columnist and has written for many of gaming’s leading publications. He holds a master's degree in computer science from the prestigious Stevens Institute of Technology.

You may hear John give his slot and video poker tips live on The Good Times Show, hosted by Rudi Schiffer and Mike Schiffer, which is broadcast from Memphis on KXIQ 1180AM Friday afternoon from from 2PM to 5PM Central Time. John is on the show from 4:30 to 5. You can listen to archives of the show on the web anytime.

Books by John Robison:

The Slot Expert's Guide to Playing Slots
John Robison
John Robison is an expert on slot machines and how to play them. John is a slot and video poker columnist and has written for many of gaming’s leading publications. He holds a master's degree in computer science from the prestigious Stevens Institute of Technology.

You may hear John give his slot and video poker tips live on The Good Times Show, hosted by Rudi Schiffer and Mike Schiffer, which is broadcast from Memphis on KXIQ 1180AM Friday afternoon from from 2PM to 5PM Central Time. John is on the show from 4:30 to 5. You can listen to archives of the show on the web anytime.

Books by John Robison:

The Slot Expert's Guide to Playing Slots