Last month (June) the Palms ran a good “match your status” promotion. At that time I put the chart here on my blog – and many players took advantage of the offer, showing their card from another casino and happily collecting their freebies, two free buffets or buffets with added free play, depending on the tier levels.
But I heard a lot of complaints, so it’s time for me to give a little lecture on How to Take Advantage of Casino Promotions Without Letting it Ruin Your Life.
First, realize that no casino promotion lasts forever. The casino sets the promotional time limits according to their own marketing plans. If you weren’t going to be in Vegas in June, don’t waste time stewing over something you can’t change. Start looking for other promotions you could do when you are going to be in town. And even if a casino has been running the same promotion for years, don’t assume it will continue next month. Change is the name of the game in all casinos!
Second – and this might be the most important warning – be sure to check out all the details of a promotion BEFORE you get too excited about it or make a big effort to get to the casino. A phone call or two to the players club, perhaps asking to speak to a supervisor, might reveal some crucial details. Or, there are gambling forums on the Internet where you can ask about a promotion and you may get some additional details from the experiences of other players that will help you decide whether you want to pursue it. And if it is promotion that involves actual play, you would ALWAYS first check at the players club for the rules, hopefully in writing as well as in discussion with an employee.
Third, don’t be surprised when a promotion has limitations. Many do, for example, the amount of base points that can be multiplied on bonus-point days or specific hours/days the promotion runs. In this Palms promotion, although it gave some very good benefits, there were limitations. For example, your new “matched” tier card might not have all the benefits that someone who earned that card by playing would have received. Bounce-back free play almost never is based on your tier level – that is earned by your play.
Not expecting too much from a promotion until you know all the details can save you much disappointment and grief – and checking in advance can save you a lot of time and energy!
If u have to depend on promotions fr Casinos to make money u would starve. Play at a Casino with FULL PAY and hope for the best.Most promotions are meaningless1
Perhaps some Player Clubs have knowledgeable employees working there . The Isle in Biloxi was bought by the Golden Nugget over a year ago . We played there frequently and just noticed that our Comp $$ account had been reduced by almost $50.- on 1 July even though we had not used it . My husbands had been reduced as well and no one at the Players Club could come up with an explanation . After they finally got hold of a host we were informed that Comp $$ accounts are reduced by the amount earned 13 month earlier . I’ve never played in a casino that reduced Comp $$ that were rightfully earned through play . Tiers and card scores do get reduced at certain intervals , but Comp $$ ?! Seems nobody knew about it , not the Player Club nor was that listed in any of their brochures and I doubt many players at the Nugget in Biloxi are aware of it until the first 13 months of the new ownership happened . It was kept real quiet . Had we known we would have used the $$ for meals or at any of their shops , instead they became another profit for the casino from probably a lot of players that were as unaware of this system as we were . If that’s a casinos system players will deal with it , but to purposely keep the information from players as well as from their own employees at the Players Club is inexcusable . Be cautious about information that you receive from Players Clubs . Sometimes they are kept in the dark by the casino they work for as well as those of us that play there .
I fuly agree with your point – many people ecxpect too much form a prmotion and than get really unhappy about it. Everybody should remeber that any promotion is always beneficial for the casino in the first place, in other case they won’t run it. So before going or especially travelling to a casiono with promotion yo seem to like – try to find as much as possible about it. I think that online gambling communities and forums are the best place, because real plyers share their experience there
The primary thing you need to know is that each and every casino CAN and WILL renege on ANY promotion at ANY time, for no stated reason at all. That free this or that promo that all the splashy casino advertising said was good for the entire month of July may, in fact, end at 3:18 on the afternoon of the 19th, which will be one minute before you get to the boothling at the slot club desk after waiting in line for 45 minutes. Or, it may suddenly apply only to left-handed albino dentists from Paraguay.
Never, never, never trust a casino! NEVER!
Jean-
It does not look like it is possible to reply privately on Yahoo any more. So in answer to your Joker Poker questions-My wife and I have played it with great results since I first met you and Skip. 101%(4700 royal 20-7 4 of a kind/ full house was very profitable with all the comps back then. Slowly 101 was removed and replaced with 20/7/4000 and of course you know what happened to the comps for quarter players.
Just a few easy rules. Joker and without the joker.
1.4700 always go for the royal with 2( with and without the joker) That is the major difference with 4000.
2. Pairs rule, not matter how low or high(Could become 5 of a kind)
3. 3 to a straight flush-sometimes hard to see but very important, gaps are not important.
4. 3 to a straight must be consecutive and the last possible option
4. Always take 2 pair-period.
5. IN 4000 with 3 to the royal with an ace or a 4 flush, always take the flush.
6. When to keep the Joker only or the Joker and another card-not critical(minimal reduction in expectation) but fun to pause and think about. When nothing matches up/straights, flushes etc and all other cards are 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,J,Q-The following progression applies with: 7-choose joker/7,next, joker 8 or 6, next joker/ 10, next, joker 9 or 5, every thing else joker alone which happens maybe once every 500 hands. Always take into account flush penalty and straight penalty when choosing.
There is more of course but I think is more fun than deuces and it is possible to stay even or be ahead with just 4 of a Kinds and some high hands without ever hitting the royal.
Best wishes,
Jim and Donna Mason