The best way to earn casino comps is simple: use your players card on every bet, keep your play with one casino company, and play long sessions at a bet size you are comfortable with. Casinos base comps on how much you wager and the house edge of the game, not on whether you win or lose, so the card has to be in the machine or in the pit boss’s hands every time you play.
How Casino Comps Work
Every big casino company runs a players club. In Las Vegas, Atlantic City and most other markets that means Caesars Rewards at Caesars Entertainment properties, MGM Rewards at MGM Resorts, and local programs such as Station Casinos’ My Rewards. Joining is free at the players club desk or a kiosk, and you get a card that tracks your play.
Most programs track two things:
- Reward points or credits, which you spend on free play, food, rooms and shows.
- Tier credits, which decide your status level and the perks that come with it.
Behind both sits a number the casino calls your theoretical loss: what you should lose on average, given your bets and the house edge. A common way to work it out is:
Average bet × hands (or spins) per hour × hours played × house edge
A $25 blackjack player who plays 80 hands an hour for four hours against a 0.5% house edge has a theoretical loss of $40. Casinos typically hand back about 30% to 40% of that figure in comps, or roughly $12 to $16 in this example. That is why a long session matters more than a lucky one.
Slots and Video Poker: Make Sure Your Card Counts
On slots and video poker, points are earned on coin-in: the total amount you bet, including money you win and play again. Time at the machine and your losses do not change what you earn. Most machines show a small display with your name or point balance once the card is read. If the screen shows an error or nothing at all, take the card out and try again, or ask an attendant before you play.
Earning rates are not the same on every game. Caesars Rewards, for example, gives at least 1 Reward Credit and 1 Tier Credit for every $5 played on reel slots, but only 1 of each for every $10 on video poker, because video poker has a lower house edge. Some machines earn at an even lower rate and are marked as such. Ask the players club what the rate is on the games you plan to play.
Table Games: The Pit Boss Rates Your Play
At the tables, nothing is automatic. Hand your card to the dealer when you buy in, and the pit boss or floor supervisor records your buy-in, your average bet and how long you play. The game matters too, because each game has a different house edge. Caesars Rewards, for instance, awards table credits based on game type, average bet and length of play rather than a fixed rate.
A supervisor watches several tables at once, so your rating is an estimate. A few habits help:
- Give your card before the first hand and say hello to the supervisor.
- If you raise your bets, mention it so the supervisor records your new average bet.
- Ask what your rating is before you leave, and tell the supervisor when you are cashing out so your time is recorded correctly.
Low House Edge Games and Comps
A game with a lower house edge earns fewer comps per dollar, but it also costs you less. Good basic-strategy blackjack at a full 3-to-2 table is one of the cheapest games in the casino. Electronic and multi-hand blackjack machines can be good value if they pay 3 to 2 on a blackjack and allow doubling and splitting, but many pay even money on a blackjack, which costs you far more than the extra points are worth. Read the rules on the screen before you play. The same goes for video poker: a full-pay game earns fewer points per dollar than a slot but usually returns much more.
Your First Trips Shape Your Offers
Mailed, emailed and app offers are built from your recorded play. A ten-minute session on a brand new card gives the casino little to work with, so if you plan a real gambling trip, sign up when you are ready to play your normal session and keep all of it on one card. Keeping your play at one company, rather than spreading it across several, also moves you up a tier faster.
Tier Status: Diamond in a Day
Tier credits usually reset every year. At Caesars Rewards, tier credits go back to zero on January 1, and the levels are Gold, Platinum (5,000 tier credits), Diamond (15,000), Diamond Plus (25,000), Diamond Elite (75,000) and Seven Stars (150,000). Earning 5,000 tier credits in a single promotional day gets you Diamond status for that day plus a 10,000 tier credit bonus. Sportsbook and online casino credits do not count toward that daily bonus. Read our guide on how to get Diamond status at Caesars.
Getting a Casino Host
Each casino handles hosts differently. Some assign one at a certain tier, some wait to be asked, and some have hosts look through player data for guests worth meeting. A host can arrange room upgrades, show tickets, dining and other perks, and can sometimes approve a comp the players club cannot. After a long or big session, it costs nothing to ask a pit boss or slot attendant whether a host is available. The worst answer is no.
Earning Without Gambling and Keeping Your Points
Big programs such as MGM Rewards and Caesars Rewards also give points for spending at the resort, such as hotel stays, dining and shopping charged to your room or linked to your rewards number, so present your card whenever you pay. Before you start saving points, check the expiry rules. Caesars Reward Credits stay active as long as you earn at least one credit every six months; other programs set their own rules.
Comps FAQ
Are comps based on wins or losses?
Neither. Comps are based on how much you bet and the house edge of the game, so a winning session on your card still earns comps.
Which games earn comps fastest?
Slots usually earn points fastest per dollar wagered because they have the highest house edge. Video poker and table games earn less per dollar but usually cost you less to play.
How much of my expected loss comes back as comps?
Casinos typically return about 30% to 40% of your theoretical loss, though each company sets its own formula.
Should I play longer to get more comps?
Only if you would have played anyway. Comps return a fraction of what the house expects to win, so chasing them costs more than they are worth.
Please gamble responsibly. If you need help, call or text the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY-RESET.