Back to book contents Definitions

The first step towards understanding how to earn comps is to better understand some of the terms and definitions used in casinos. Here are the ones you'll probably come across during your comp hunting adventure!

Comp: Short for "complimentary". Anything a casino gives you for free is considered a comp. This can be as basic as a keychain or as luxurious as a penthouse suite.

Pit Boss: The area where table games such as Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, etc. are setup is the "pit". In each pit there is one man or woman who is in charge of the overall operation of the pit. This person is the "pit boss". One of the responsibilities that a pit boss has is to issue comps to players that they feel have earned them. We'll talk later about how to approach them for comps and what you can do to improve your chances.

Slot Host: The slot host is given the responsibility of issuing comps to slot players that they feel have earned them. They do not issue comps based on table play (Blackjack, Craps, etc.) but can take that play into consideration if a slot player is a little short of earning a comp based on their machine play. It is also important to understand that the slot host doesn’t just care about the play on a slot machine. They consider all machine play, including video poker, electronic keno, and any other machine type of game. If you are going to be playing machines, be sure to meet with a host before you begin playing. You can introduce yourself, make a good impression, ask what the typical comp guidelines are and assuming you've made a positive impression, have a better chance at increasing the level of comps he or she will give you.

Tracking Card: Similar in size and shape to a credit card, this is the card that casinos use to monitor your play. The card is usually issued at a player's club or slot club counter but can also be issued by a pit boss upon presentation of your driver’s license. Whenever you play the machines, you must always insert your card, and verify that the machine successfully read your card in order to get credit for your play. And whenever you play at a table, you must always give your card to the dealer who will then hand it to the pit boss so that he can monitor your play. At a table, the pit boss will record how much you buy-in for (i.e. how many chips you purchase from the dealer to play), your average bet and the total time you spend at the table. It is a good idea to occasionally ask the pit boss what size average bet he's tracking you at so if it is too low, you can bring to his attention that you are betting more. Remember, the more you bet, the better your chances of getting comps.

Slot Club / Player's Club: Almost every casino now has some sort of club. The club is responsible for running promotions to attract machine players and is where machine players can go to have comps issued. Note that the employees who work at the club counters have very little flexibility in determining what comps to award. For example, if a casino's rules state that you must put in $500 in coins to get a free meal, and you aren't quite up to that number, they usually can't issue the comp. For them to bend the rules, they would need to call a slot host over who can then make the call whether or not to issue you the comp. For this reason, it is always a good idea to either ask your pit boss (if you've been playing at the tables) for a comp or develop a relationship with a slot host so that they'll be more able to issue you comps.

Coin-In: When a player drops a coin into the slot machine, a computer hidden deep inside the casino makes a note of this. (The casino can tell who you are only if you've inserted your slot club card into the machine. So, be sure to always do this or you won't be getting credit towards comps!) The more coins in, the more you're gambling and the more the house stands to earn. Therefore, the more coins you put in, the more comps they're willing to give out. Of course, putting 5 coins into a dollar machine is much better (in the casino's eyes) than putting 5 coins into a quarter machine. But never bet more than you can afford. If you can only afford quarters, don't play the dollars. You'll still be eligible for comps and may even earn more than if you played the dollar machines since your money will last longer. Also understand that "coin-out" (i.e. the money you win) does NOT get subtracted from your coin-in count. You are not punished for winning.

RFB: One of the most sought-after comps, RFB means "Room, Food and Beverage". If you have an RFB comp, you won't be paying for your hotel room / suite nor will you be paying for any of your meals and beverages.

Whale: There are few "whales" in the casino world. A whale is a player who is betting at least a million dollars every time he sits down at a table. If that is you, then you really don't need to read this eBook as you'll earn plenty of comps! (Whales are the players you read about who get flown in by the casinos on a private jet, driven to the casino in the largest limos, put up in the 10,000 square foot suites, get bought the grandest meals and the finest wines, and are given gold watches and diamonds for presents.)