Clarification on Players cards

So is it even worth my time to get a players card if I bet under $25 a hand? I have heard conflicting reports.

My betting level varies a lot, and many times I will be betting at $25 or higher but I also drop down to $5 bets based on the count. My max is $100.

So the core of my question is this do I have to bet a minimum of $25 for any comps?

Are there any places with more liberal comp policies than the ones I have encountered on the strip?

Thanks in advance...

but by playing $10 a hand or higher at most places and turning in the player's card to pitboss you will get rated and receive offers in the mail, often with discounts for rooms and restaurants. And they will often give you a comp for the coffee shop restaurant for a free meal after a couple hours of play if you just ask. Length of play and average bet are what they are looking at most often (your total "action"). Instead of getting your room free you might get it at a lower rate (often called casino rate) if your action was good but not great. You can speak with a casino host to see what action is needed to qualify for certain comps, that's their job. Just call the 800 number for the hotel and ask for a casino host, or table host. I've heard that the nicer Strip hotels typically want $25 per hand for 4 hours to get rooms comped.

Of course, turning in a player's card to get rated is asking the pitboss to watch your play so he can write down on the rating slip your activity. Many players believe this is not so good if you are a counter, increases your chance of being caught. All depends on your cover and bet level. Many places don't get too concerned with redchip play unless it gets really outrageous. Like I said, it really varies from place to place. The smaller places will get interested in redchip play if you start increasing the bet quickly, like tripling the bet when count goes more positive. Don't get too greedy and most place will tolerate the light action. Many players believe in not overstaying if you've won pretty good, but it is hard to leave a winning situation.

This is not the policy at most casinos. If you like playing mostly at the likes of Caesars, Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, the big casinos in Atlantic City, etc, you're right. Action below $25 will get you nothing. Downtown LV, Reno, and most of the riverboats around the country will rate smaller action.

Remember, the average bet, not the table minimum is what gets you comps. You can look great on your rating card at a $5 game if you show average bets of $25. Bet higher when the pit is watching, lower when th're not. Tipping dealers a little will also help as the pit may ask the dealer how you've been betting. He has nothing to lose, but why help if you are stiffing him. Remember, if you are playing to win, ratings are needless, if you are playing for comps it is mandatory.

The average bet is used for actual rating purposes. The minimum bet is used to qualify to be rated. Higher end places will not even open a tracking card on someone betting $10, even if they do have a $25 average.

The rest of your comments are good. You want to avoid having the pit see you making lots of small bets, for more reasons than one. When I take a restroom break during negative counts it is more to escape the pit seeing my small bets than to escape the negative ev, which is almost meaningless given the normal size of my spread. The first two or three bets when you first sit down are important. You don't want them to be minimum bets, as much for cover as comps. The first time the dealer calls "checks play" it is far better for this to be 3X the first few bets they wrote down than 12X.

I doubt you'll get a room comp at a nice strip hotel for $25/hand. You'll need more like $100/hand. Downtown, $25/hand should be enough.

F. Bar

sentences 4,5 and 6 of DD's second paragraph... you will see the very positive long-term effects of this style of betting for many years, no matter what your level of play (assuming you go back to that same casino frequently). 'Cause, many red chippers eventually become green chip players, and casinos know this. Of course if you plan on going to any given casino only once every year or two for the rest of your life, and never plan on betting more than red chips, do whatever you want and don't worry about any cover bets whatsoever, IMO.

AB