A couple of related questions that I get so often:
Q: [Speaking about Caesars] Why would you want to go to a property that is going to declare bankruptcy? There are many others (Bellagio ,Wynn, Venetian, Southpoint) to name a few. I would avoid Caesars.
A: The short answer is that we can still find very good plays there. Where skilled players play depends on a lot of factors: whether they are locals or out-of-towners; whether they need room comps or not; how much bounce-back free play is given; whether they have been banned from a casino; what their financial and/or psychological bankroll limits are; what their goals are; whether they count comps in their win figures; their location – and on and on.
That being said we try to be very aware of benefits we have earned at any casino and not let them pile up. It is rare for a casino to actually close and you lose benefits – although that has happened. But more common is that a casino will change owners or just change their programs so benefits may expire and/or be lost. All CZR properties will not shut down if the company goes bankrupt – although some may (and some already have) or some might be sold – but it is very likely some programs will change. Therefore, we will redeem our Total Rewards credits pretty much as we earn them – not letting them build up. We will continue to play there as long as we are able to find and take advantage of positive plays. I don’t waste much time trying to predict future possible changes in casinos – just deal with them as they come. If/when the time comes when we can no longer find positive plays at any property, we simply quit playing there. Our time is always better spent scouting for new opportunities as opposed to crying about old ones that are no longer available or worrying about things that may or may not happen.
Q: Why do you play at XXX Casino? I heard that there were no good video poker games there.
A: So many people make this mistake, speaking of “good games” rather than “good plays.” Also it is a mistake to judge whether someone is doing a positive play or a negative one just by looking at what game they are playing. And you must be careful not to mix up fact and opinion on Internet forums. These forums can provide a wealth of information, but you need to verify much of it to see whether it fits into your gambling style and goals. Some of it may just be idle rumors. And much is subjective personal opinions. What is a “good” choice for one player might not be “good enough” for another.
Skilled/winning VP players choose a play with a combination of many factors, some – yea, most – that are not or cannot be known by another person. They combine game EV + bounce-back free play + slot club benefits + promotions (like tournaments, drawings, gift cards, etc.). Brad and I do not add comps to get our total play EV, but we certainly could – and many people do. (If you get a comp for something you were going to pay for with money out of your pocket – a meal, a room, a show – that has definite monetary value.)
Be a wary consumer of gambling information!