Tag: Rewards

16 Casino Do’s and Don’ts For the New Recreational Gambler

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Casino Entrance sign

So, your friend or family member offers to take you to a casino for your very first time.  But, never having been before, you haven’t a clue about what to do when you get there.  So, here are 16 Casino Do’s and Don’ts to enjoy your recreational visit to the casino.

Bankroll, Game Rules and Rewards Club

1) Know how much money you can wager and lose.  Yes, that’s right, lose.  Know your Bankroll. Approach it as entertainment first. Remember, if you’re not an Advantage Player looking to make a living, it’s recreation.th (33)

2) Know the rules of the games you might play.  If you can, get a free app on your smart phone or tablet and play a little before you go.

3) Decide if your trip is for gambling only, or it’s to enjoy all that the casino experience can  offer. You can spend sometime dining, shopping or watching live entertainment. These are good activities too. Just don’t gamble in casinos to make your trip productive.

4) Sign up for a rewards card.  You may get a free slot play bonus, or get freebies for eats later on. You could get free tickets to a concert, and if you play enough to raise your level of card, you could get additional things from a special parking area for your card level, to entrance into a VIP lounge.  th (26)

5) Be contented with small casino wins. First timers usually lose more in casinos. Breaking even in casinos is generally considered a win.

Casino Do’s and Don’ts – Online Resources

6) Check the local newspaper for advertisements, or check the web on the best deals in casinos.  netime-logo NECANETimeGambling often lists promotions and New England casino news on Twitter and Facebook.  Sign-up bonuses, double points, giveaways, dining deals – they’re all for the taking.  Go where the whole experience will be great, not just the gambling.

7) Don’t believe in superstitions like “hot machines” or “it must be time my luck changed’ or, “surely it can’t be red again” because each bet is an event of it’s own, with no connection to the previous event.  As soon as you realize this, the easier it will be for you to understand the gambling experience.  Repeat after me – “The House has the advantage.”  Good! Now go out there and enjoy it, win or lose. Be prepared ahead of time and be knowledgeable.

8) Do drink alcohol responsibly when gambling.  Excessive alcohol will inevitably cause you to accept losing beyond a “healthy situation.”

9) Do Bring a watch and your cell phone.  Casinos show no clocks, and don’t provide windows Wrist devices like FitBit or Apple Watches can signal you with incoming messages by vibrations or sounds that you can feel or hear above the cacophony of  noise in the casino and prove invaluable.

Be Aware Of the Little Things

10) Casinos convert your cash into chips at the tables. Simply said, this is so you lose the sense that this is really money. Remember chips ARE money.

11) Don’t be afraid to ask staff for help.  Remember, the casino is built on getting you there (or should be) and so there are many people who are there simply to help you as a hospitality service.th (1)  Don’t be shy.  If you are new (or not) to the game, please ask the dealer for advice. They want you to win! The more you win, the more likely you are to tip, however tip for their helpfullness and entertaining personality – they have nothing to do with your winning.  Don’t worry about taking a little longer. Everyone starts as a beginner, and most will appreciate your attempt to make the correct play.
12) Don’t hand dealers chips or cash – they are not allowed to handle it directly.  The “Eye in the Sky” is watching your play and their work. Put the chips or cash on the table. They will not accept it any other way.

Non-smoking, Tipping, and pictures

13) If you smoke, be aware of those around you. If you are a non-smoker in a smoking part of the casino, be flexible.  Reach a common ground that you both can be comfortable with.th (16)
14) Take a walk around when you arrive.  In this day and age, make sure you know your nearest exits if new to that property. Get acquainted with your surroundings. Casinos can be difficult to navigate through.  That’s the way they want it.
th (2)

Tip your waitstaff, especially if you request specific items.

15) Carry dollar bills for tips. In most casinos, complimentary beverages are served, but the wait staff is usually expecting a small tip.

Related Post – Tips on Tipping

16) Be aware of the casino’s rules concerning using your phone for taking pics.  Each casino has different rules and it is important for player to be aware of them.  Hey, SELFIE-ADDICTS – Taking pictures in a casino or talking on a cell phone can get you into big trouble if it breaks the rules.  Some casinos allow some picture taking, like when a jackpot is hit. But don’t be surprised when you asked to put your phone away. SELFIE STICKS aren’t tolerated by both the casino staff and the patrons.  Remember, many visitors would prefer not to be in anyone’s picture – especially those Advantage Players that make a living in anonymity.
Related Posts: Mindful Gambling – Improving Your Experience In The Casino
Casino Decisions For the OBLIVIOUS Recreational Gambler
Finally, have fun.  It’s social, it’s entertainment.  Let’s just leave it as that.
That’s all for now.
Binbin

New England Casinos Offer Multiplier Days

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I Love Multiplier Days!

New England Casinos Offer Multiplier Days throughout the year.  It’s one of the great equalizers to earning comps and decreasing payout percentages is gambling big on multiplier days. In New England, where the competition is about to get fierce and the eventual nine casinos are going to be battling for patrons money. Multiplier days are one of the best ways to get people through the doors.  It’s also one of the type of promotions that gamblers should take advantage of.

Bonus point multipliers have long been used as a marketing tool in casinos. The practice dates back to the earliest days of player tracking systems. Multiplier days can increase your status/tier points and/or club points for dining, etc.

Mohegan Sun has always offered multiplier days. Now, Foxwoods & MGM Springfield are offering them as well. Oxford Casino in Maine has also offered these type of promotions for quite a while. Here are the list of multiplier days in December at New England’s casinos.

OXFORD CASINO & HOTEL

In the middle of Maine (actually considered southern Maine), in the wilderness where the town of Oxford sits, you can find Maine’s newest casino, owned by  Churchill Downs Inc. It’s quite rural, with the biggest point of interest besides the casino being Poland Springs Water production center.

Oxford offers many promotions, and multiplier days are included. This month, Oxford’s typical points days includes:

The bad news about these multipliers is that they exclude Tier Points, Keno & Video Poker. Only slots and slot points are included.  The video poker is so ugly, you would think they would include VP as a compromise….just saying……

Mohegan Sun Casino Resort

STATUS MAYHEM – (TBA) Give your Momentum status a huge boost with Status Point multipliers from 6:00am – Midnight. The multiplier will randomly change throughout the day – earning you anywhere from 2X – 5X Status Points. This promo guarantees that each of the multipliers occur at least 2X throughout the day. Every hour, or sometimes on the half hour, the new multiplier is announced and posted on screens all over the three casino areas. (Not valid on poker play.)

Double Momentum Dollars & Double Status points– June 28th.  Now includes POKER ROOM

TRIPLE STATUS POINTS – July 7th, & July 25th

Related Post – Mohegan Sun “Status Mayhem” – A Great Low Roller Promo

Foxwoods Casino Resort

TRIPLE TIER POINTS – Foxwoods seldom offers multipliers, but probably due to the rise in competition, we now see them. Available on July 14th,  you can earn TRIPLE TIE CREDITS on slots, table games, keno, bingo and race book. (Not valid on poker play.)

MGM SPRINGFIELD Casino Resort

New Entrance renderings for MGM Springfield

The newest New England casino, MGM Springfield, has added multiplier days as well.

First, Mondays in June. Swipe at kiosk to activate your bonus point multiplier, up to 5X.

Also, MLife Rewards Tier Credit Multipliers are available on Tuesdays in June.  The amount of the multiplier depends on your tier level:

  • Saphhire – 2X Bonus Tier points
  • Pearl – 3X Bonus Tier points
  • Gold -4X Bonus Tier points
  • Platinum & Noir -5X Bonus Tier points

You can earn Bonus Tier Credits on slot machines, table games and non-gaming spend. It starts at 12:00AM and goes until 11:59PM.

Take advantage when our New England Casinos Offer Multiplier Days – they can make a big difference for your tier status, especially for those of us who low to mid-rollers.

Binbin

Remember, when you gamble, embrace the math, not the myth.

 

 

The Ultimate Truth About Casino Players Cards & Slot Machines

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  players-clubIt amazes me to see people sinking their money into a machine with out having a card inserted in the card reader. So, here is the Ultimate Truth About Casino Players Cards & Slot Machines. There are appropriate times to not your rewards card, but we’ll save that for a future post.

I sometimes ask people why they don’t use a card and have received several interesting answers. One day, someone was spouting off every slot myth in the book. He was trying to inform everyone around him, whether they cared or not.  However, his biggest sin was that he had taken out his card to “get a bonus” for nearly 10 minutes of big play.  His bet was over $8.00 a whack! Just think of the comps he missed due to his “Casino Paranoia.”

I Heard some rewards card myths

All of the following was either told to me or overheard. They are completely false and I provide an explanation why.  But some slot players build their play on suspicions and conspiracy theories.  Are you aware of that “switch upstairs.”  You know that switch, the one that changes the machines from hot to cold and vice versa. I hope you don’t believe in any of the following:

“I don’t play enough to earn anything.”  Rewards points can add up quickly, especially on multiplier day promotions. Take advantage of multiplier days to increase your points and tier status.

“When I use my card the machine knows and doesn’t pay off.”  There is no connection between the card reader and the slot machine. There is NO WAY that using a card will affect the way a machine pays. They are two separate systems.

download (4)“I don’t want to give out my address to the casino.”  The casino cannot send you any promotions if they don’t have your address.  Some high rollers play without their rewards card at tables so they stay anonymous.  But as face recognition software gets better, even that may become difficult.

“I take my card out and I get a bonus – explain that!” Again, there is no connection between the card reader and the slot machine. There is NO WAY that using a card will affect the way a machine pays. Two completely different systems that don’t communicate between each other.

“Playing with your slots club card decreases your chances of winning.” The theory is that the casinos want you to win less in order to recoup the perks and rebates that you receive from playing with the slot machine club. The reality is that the amount of money returned is negligible, and the casinos don’t mind paying it.  Your perks depends on your theoretical value.

Related Post –  Average Daily Theoretical.

More Crazy Talk -The Ultimate Truth About Casino Players Cards & Slot Machines

“When I use my card, I never win. The machine knows and it doesn’t pay off.” Although a very interesting and popular myth, this is absolutely false. The notion that using a casino club card lowers the odds of winning is a big misconception, and quite frankly illegal.  Remember, the players club software is a different system and does not have a connection to the Random Number Generator working in the machine.

download (5)“The slot machine can tell the difference between playing maximum and minimum.” That’s why I take out my card when I change my bet.”  The number of coins played has no effect on whether or not the winning symbols will line up. It only determines how much you will win or lose. Many players will vary the number of coins they play per spin because they believe there is a pattern that can make them winners. Some players will even cash out during their playing sessions so the machine will “think” a new player has started playing. Slot machines are computers and there is no way they “know” when a new player starts playing. The RNG is continuously running and is used only to select the next win or loss.

“Using a player card enables the casino to report my winnings to the IRS.” The fact is, it makes no difference. If you win $1,200 or more they will report it either way. If you have a net losing year, which you probably will, at least the casino will have evidence of it. Use your annual win/loss statements to declare offsetting loses to jackpot wins.

When Not to use your Rewards Card

When your amount of $$ played will be substantially less than a ‘typical’ day, don’t play with your card.  If you are rated based on average of $300/day, $25 on the last day only hurts your Average Daily Theoretical. But, only if you are a second tier player or higher.  Changes in your ADT will diminish your comps.

ADT has little to no effect on small stakes gamblers. If you are not going to be getting food comps and free shows anyhow, I’d recommend using your card all the time.

It’s Storytime

A friend of mine, with only a few years of casino experience under his belt made a huge mistake. He used to visit the local casino about 4-8 times per month. Most of the time, he stopped in only to play his free slot play and leave. Of course, he used his rewards card to access his freeplay.  Every month after that, freeplay diminished month by month. It was the worst use of a rewards club card.

Another friend of mine with years of casino experience will also stop by his local casino about 4-8 times per month. This guy doesn’t use his card during short plays. He plays a little VP or Keno, enjoys a drink, and is on his way with no record of small play. He otherwise uses his card all the time.

And, yes, I’m sure you have realized by now both of these are me.  Experience has a lot of worth in the casino world.

Beware of Chasing Comps

Please Note – One of the most-common mistakes in gambling involves chasing comps. Far too many players think that they should continue gambling just to earn a specific reward. A player may realize that they’re close to earning enough points for a free meal. Therefore, they continue spinning the reels two hours longer to reach this comp.

I have no problem with people continuing to play slot machines, but I hate to see gamblers play slots longer just for comps alone. The key thing to realize here is that the rewards are never worth the theoretical losses you’ll spend to reach them. You’ll rack up more losses when doing so. If you’re somebody who has trouble chasing losses and/or extending sessions too long, then you’ll likely have trouble with pursuing comps. Just don’t do anything that encourages you to gamble beyond your means.

Play sensible, play with knowledge, and play responsibly with your Players Card. For more information about The Ultimate Truth About Casino Players Cards & Slot Machines, click ob the link from Casino Player below.

Related Post – Players Clubs 101

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