Good Vegas players club for a low-roller?

[pokerpokerpoker]

Heya gang,

I have been a loyal Mlife player for many years for our yearly Vegas trips. I am not a high roller, playing mainly 5-play nickel machines (UX, DC, QQ), single hand quarters, and a limited amount of dollar single hand and quarter triple play. My bankroll for the trip is $2000. I would estimate total coin in to be around $30,000. I play all day and half the night for a 3 night / 4 day trip. In the past I would simply call the Mirage and ask for my offers, this year the lady on the phone said I have none. 3 weekday nights in a standard room would be $601!

Now I certainly don't expect the royal treatment, but I would like my play to have some value for next years rooms and maybe a buffet or two. I like to play in somewhat nicer places with good booze. Being told "no Heinekin, domestic only" is a real downer. My favorite places have always been the Mirage and Bellagio. Palazzo too. I won't play truly crappy paytables like 6/5 DDB, but I know the strip is tighter than off strip. I would prefer to be able to play at several different hotels with the same players card.

Any suggestions? Total Rewards? Grazie? Or just stick with Mlife? Thank you all.

PKPKPK

[BillyJoe]

Staying within one 'family' of casinos, be that CET (Total Rewards) or MGM (MLife), can have its advantages in establishing play history. Even though you play at a relatively low denomination, that much play within a single casino group should certainly earn you something.



 
Keep in mind that there are 'corporate' offers and 'property' offers, with one not always having visibility to another. Both CET and MGM can look at your play system-wide, assuming you always use your card when you play.
 
I would suggest that you call and ask for a host or VIP Services at the next casino you plan to visit BEFORE you go, and ask them to look at your total play within the casino group, not just their property. I would be surprised if you did not have something with regard to rooms and food that they can offer you.
 
With regard to rooms in Vegas, remember that both CET and MGM properties are 'tiered', so you may have better luck with rooms at a lower tier Vegas property. In other words, as an MLife player, it may be tougher to get a free room at Bellagio or Aria than at MGM Grand.    

[pokerpokerpoker]

Thanks for the advice, Billy Joe.

The lady I talked to was from the Mirage Casino Marketing department.   I assumed that since we always stayed and played there, that they would be the people to call.   It never occurred to me to call say the NYNY or the Luxor.

It all worked out, the TI is gonna give us 2 nights and a good rate for the third night. Which is funny because we don't play a whole lot there. I hope to get the Mlife deal figured out while I am in Vegas. I just hope my favorite casinos don't consider me personna non gratta.

[Vman96]

Well, for Ultimate X at least, the Quad is pretty competitive at the nickel level, offering 9/5 DDB. It literally may be the highest return game (98.4%-98.5% max) that they offer in the entire casino. Sad, but that's CET for you. It's on the UX that aren't multigame units. Some other CET properties may have 9/5 DDB Ultimate X too, but that's the one that stuck out to me this last trip.

CET is well-known to toss out rooms in Vegas very easily to everyone except fleas like myself. But on the other hand, Mirage is a nicer room than nearly every CET property (except Caesars Palace maybe?) I wouldn't know; billy could answer that...lol

Unfortunately, DreamCard and Quick Quads are pretty non-existent at CET unless you're playing a "five-star" machine. But there are some of those at the quarter level at various properties. Supposedly according to the CET slot finder bally's has DreamCard for nickels now, and quick quads for quarters. I didn't notice them during my quick scan of that place, but they're probably there.

Venetian, I wouldn't bother with to try to get comps. I guess you play the nickel quick quads there? It's sadly also one of their better games in the casino, 7/5 Bonus specifically.   I wouldn't be shocked if they barely gave you anything for playing that though.

Ideally, you would start playing downtown or off-strip with Boyd properties if you want good quarter denomination VP with decent comps. But then it becomes a bigger pain to get to the strip as well (via bus or shuttle) without a car, but if you get a car, then someone can't drink...blah

[BillyJoe]

CET is well-known to toss out rooms in Vegas very easily to everyone except fleas like myself. But on the other hand, Mirage is a nicer room than nearly every CET property (except Caesars Palace maybe?) I wouldn't know; billy could answer

I would have to say that Caesars, especially the Augustus Tower rooms, are my favorite. With the recent upgrades, though, the Mirage rooms that I have been in have been very nice. I would still put rooms in Aria or Bellagio Spa Tower above Mirage rooms within the MLIFE family.

I have not stayed in a CET Vegas room other than Caesars in quite a while, so I don't know what they are currently like. .

[chattycattty]

We like the Calais Suites at Paris. We have stayed at both the Augustus and Octavius towers at Caesars but the best room we have ever had there was what they called a mini-suite. Overall we like Paris better than Caesars because it is not as big and easier to find your way around. Do like the Qua Spa at Caesar's though. Either place never had any problem getting premium liquor and the service is adequate at both places.

The reason we play at CET is because they have properties everywhere including 2 hours from where we live. With the new tier bonuses, it would be fairly easy for you to become diamond at CET and even 7star if you play enough days in the year. The only drawback is your points get set back to zero at the end of each year and we are already into March.

We have compared the different programs and have not regretted our decision to gamble exclusively at CET properties. If you do gamble at other places besides Vegas, an added benefit is that there is a good chance CET has a property there as well. Once you figure out how to work their system, I do not know of ant casino group where you can get back as much in return.

[pokerpokerpoker]

Dang Vman, sounds like you really know your way around Vegas! Sounds like CET may well be the players club for me. I always liked the casino at Paris and the buffet at Harrah's. I never really cared for trying to navigate the maze known as Caesar's palace. Haven't been to Bally's or Planet Hollywood in years, but if they are part of the same club I will check them out. As for the Quad I remember playing a little UX there last year. I think I won a quick $50 and belled on out of there. My buddy asked for a Kettle One martini there and the waitress told him that is a premium liquor and would cost extra! WTF! We aren't heavy boozers, but "free" cocktails has always been one of the perks of Vegas. I know that I will most likely loose, but when you consider a few comp meals, a few comp nights in a decent room and free drinks plus a lot of fun - I call it square.

Locally, we have Horseshoe Hammond and Ameristar (which has some kind of relationship with Mlife). Ameristar had a great video poker room: plenty of room, not too smokey, an ATM and TITO machine all in one area. Lately, they ripped it all out and moved it to the back of the penny slot section.

Yeah, I kinda figured Venetian would be tough for comps. I do like the Palazzo nickel VP section.

I never really cared for off strip properties. We don't rent a car and I hate fool around trying to find a ride to get there. I just try to stagger back to the hotel by 3am, catch a few hours sleep - then back at it!

Thanks again, Billy Joe, Vman and Cathy. Got another week or so then VIVA LAS VEGAS!
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

[Vman96]

Eh, I am just a low roller and STP addict, so I try to pay attention to the best machines on the strip I can find for nickels. I did spend a lot of time at CET places this past trip though because they have gone through that major VP overhaul.

Horseshoe Hammond has full-pay Ultimate X now too, only place I have ever seen it outside of Vegas. The drawback...you gotta bet $30/hand to play it...

Horseshoe does have 6/5 Bonus UX for nickels though. Harrah's Las Vegas does too on their All Star Poker II machines near the secret 7 Stars credit/cashier room.

Enjoy your trip!

[DaBurglar]

If it HAS to be the Strip, The Strip and nothing but the Strip, then low rollers are really at a disadvantage in Vegas these days when it comes to almost anything but especially video poker!I would really, truly implore you to consider Downtown Vegas and the Fremont Street.....if your total bankroll for a 4 or 5 day trip is 2 or 3 grand, then you actually could make out quite nicely if you do things right......consider:    The Plaza and its sister property the Las Vegas Club recently implemented a new program for comps, and the two properties are situated next to each other at the junction of Fremont and MAin Streets in Downtown.   If you confined your play within their walls, I doubt if you'd end up paying for anything during your stay (rooms, food, booze, entertainment....even the dreaded "resort fees"!)Downtown also has two Boyd properties nestled close together, and the crown jewel of Downtown, the Golden Nugget, is actually as nice and clean and swanky as most of your Strip Properties but since they must compete with all the other Downtown "value joints", Golden Nuggets VP and Slots tend to be definitely NOT like the strip and much more player friendly, but I doubt you could get as much bang for your 2000 bucks there as opposed to, say, The Fremont or even "The D" (formerly known as FITZGERALDS)But it is easier to get to the strip from downtown than most people realize, at least during the daytime....the bus stop right in front of the Plaza shoots you straight up to the Strip, and LAs Vegas Transit is in my opinion extremely efficient and cheap, with the bus running every ten minutes pretty much all day and only slowing down during the late evening hours!  

[royal flush]

gold coast Orleans are good places for "low roller" ok games good comps