Getting Comps in a Las Vegas Sports Book

by Chris Allen

Asking for and actually getting comps from Las Vegas Sports Books has changed dramatically over the past few years. In the past you could simply ask the supervisor or sports book manager for a food comp, or if you were a big bettor maybe even a room comp or more, and if they knew you played in their sports book frequently you would probably receive the comp.

The times are really changing, with the large mega corporations taking over most of the casinos every dime must be accounted for. One major casino used to give each of it’s managers and supervisors an allotted amount of funds to comp each month and when it was gone they had to wait until the next month to begin. Of course this is no longer the case, your comps are directly related to the amount of money you wager, and the casinos are very strict with this policy.

Almost every casino in Las Vegas uses a player’s card to track wagering in their sports books. If you do not have one simply ask the ticket writer or supervisor how to obtain one, and also ask what their comp rates and policies are, as these can vary greatly from casino to casino. Most of the casino sports books that take wagers on horses will give you 1% to 3% return in comps for your play. This simply means you get one to three dollars in comps for every hundred dollars wagered. For sports bets you make you usually only receive half of one percent or fifty cents in comps, for every hundred dollars you wager. One major casino in Vegas only gives twenty-five cents for every hundred dollars wagered, so asking about the comp return can be crucial.

Be sure to ask how to redeem your comp points. Some casinos just add the points directly to your player’s card which is used throughout the entire casino, or they require you to actually go the sports book where they will write you what is called a hard comp, a ticket, that you can use toward food, room, or other casino service. These casinos keep your available comps separate from the rest of the casino.

If you are a big player and acquire a lot points toward comps, be sure to ask the supervisor or book manager for a room comp, or at least how can you get that taken care of. Usually you can get your room comp for at least a portion of the bill if not free. If you are a big player be sure and introduce yourself to the book manager and let him know how much you intend to play, especially if you are betting horses. You may be able to negotiate a higher comp rate than the average player. I know some big horse players who regularly receive a six percent comp rate in Vegas. Usually sports books will work to keep their big players happy by giving them a few extra percentage points in comps.

You also need to find out how long your comp returns are good for, depending on the casino, they can expire in a certain period of time or inactivity from one month to a year. Hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions in comps are lost every year in Las Vegas due to expiration, so take advantage of the comps you earn.

Remember you must play to receive comps in Las Vegas. Always use your players club card. This is not old school Vegas anymore where they hand out comps left and right.

I remember one of the funniest moments I witnessed a guy ask for a free buffet comp he said to the book manager “Come on man I am here EVERY DAY” the sports book managers reply was swift and without emotion “We give out COMPS for play not attendance.”