Luck or Strategy? My Experience with Las Vegas Casino Comps

by joeheg

I’m not the target audience for Las Vegas casinos as I don’t gamble large amounts of money. In fact, the most I’ve lost over a Las Vegas weekend is a few hundred dollars. The mega-hotels are more likely to make money off of me when I go to eat and see shows rather than through my visits to the casino. That’s because if I happen to get on a hot streak playing slots or video poker, I’m likely to cash out my winnings and use that money to pay for my trip.

a white card with black text on it

Las Vegas Comps

With the limited amount of money I spend in Las Vegas, I’m amazed that the casino loyalty programs think I’m worthy of receiving a comp room. Back in 2022, MGM offered me several nights of free rooms with no history of visiting for several years. At the time, I figured it was because the casinos were still suffering after the pandemic and needed to fill rooms.

Earlier this year, Caesars Rewards offered me deeply discounted rooms, despite my only history of gambling with them was when I dropped $50 in the slots in New Orleans. I took them up on the offer and spent two nights at Caesars Palace. My plan was to visit a casino from each program to see if it would trigger future offers.

I didn’t execute my plan as designed as I didn’t feel much like sitting at a slot machine during my trip. However, I did spend time at the Cosmopolitan casino while waiting for a seat for brunch. I was aware that the Identity program was going to merge with MGM Rewards but since I only spent $40 in slots, I didn’t have a ton of points to transfer.

Apparently, this was enough for MGM Rewards to offer me free or deeply discounted rooms at their properties this fall.

MGM Rewards

a black and white sign with white text

MGM Rewards is offering me up to four complimentary nights if I book online by September 30, 2024, for travel before August 31, 2025.

I can find up to four free nights at lower-end MGM properties like Luxor and Excalibur. However, I can also find free nights at MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, Park MGM and New York, New York.

screens screenshot of a hotel room

I’d still have to pay the resort fee, which is $37 a night plus tax, but that’s not much to pay for a room in Las Vegas. This leads me to ask why the casino loyalty programs feel that I’m worthy of receiving 4 free hotel nights because I spent $40 on a slot machine and went to brunch at one of their casinos.

Since I stayed at Caesars Palace, I’m curious to see if they’ll also send me another offer for a discounted room.

Want to comment on this post? Great! Read this first to help ensure it gets approved.

Want to sponsor a post, write something for Your Mileage May Vary, or put ads on our site? Click here for more info.

Like this post? Please share it! We have plenty more just like it and would love it if you decided to hang around and sign up to get emailed notifications of when we post.

Whether you’ve read our articles before or this is the first time you’re stopping by, we’re really glad you’re here and hope you come back to visit again!

This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary

1 comment

David Miller September 17, 2024 - 6:26 pm

“Complimentary” used to mean without cost – these casinos lie and charge a rip off “resort fee”, plus tax. And everyone who accepts the offer says the same thing-” it is cheaper than paying a regular room rate”. While cheaper, it is not complimentary. Complimentary definition — Are complimentary things free?
Providing an item or service on a complimentary basis means that the recipient is receiving something of value, however they are not being charged.

Reply

Leave a Comment