CasinoCityTimes.com

Home
Gaming Strategy
Featured Stories
News
Newsletter
Legal News Financial News Casino Opening and Remodeling News Gaming Industry Executives Author Home Author Archives Author Books Search Articles Subscribe
author's picture
 

What does coins-in mean?

18 February 2008

The player tracking system states a certain number of coins in determine the level of rewards you receive on a monthly basis. What does coin in mean? How does the coin denomination fit in? How does the multiplier (point) fit in? No one at the casino I play at can explain it. All they tell me is I need 96,000 coins in over a 6-month period to qualify for the Inner Circle rewards, which is fine if it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Please help me with this.

Thank you.

Walter

Dear Walter,

Coin-in has two meanings. First, it is the number of coins played on a slot machine, whether dropped through the coin slot (if it has one) or played from the credit meter. This meaning applies only when you're reading the coin-in meter on a slot machine.

Second, it's the total dollar amount of the coins played on a slot machine. That's the meaning meant by coin-in in the slot club brochure. You need to give $96,000 in action over a 6-month period to qualify for the Inner Circle rewards.

That doesn't mean that you have to lose $96,000. If you're playing machines with a long-term payback of 95%, your loss will be, on average, $4,800. Your actual loss might be much more or much less, maybe even a profit. The key thing to earning the elite level is giving the action, not how much you won or lost while giving it.

Multipliers usually don't count. Compare slot clubs to airline frequent flyer programs. To qualify for elite level, you usually have to fly a certain number of miles. There may be mile multiplying promotions in effect, but the bonus miles usually don't count towards elite qualification.

The same situation applies to the slot club. The bonus points count when you go to redeem rewards, but they don't count towards your elite level qualification.

I would normally suggest that you ask at the slot club booth to find out for sure, but it looks like your casino has not done a good job in training its slot club personnel — which is unacceptable, in my opinion. The slot club personnel should be well versed on all aspects of the slot club and on any promotions that may be in effect.

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. Because of the volume of mail I receive, I regret that I can't reply to every question.

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