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When to Ask For a Comp?

You're probably wondering when you should be asking for comps? Unfortunately, there is no right answer that will work for every situation. But the guidelines listed here will help you to improve your chances of getting the comps you're hoping for.

1.Of course you should avoid asking for a comp before you have any action. Going to someone and saying, "I promise to play after you give me something" is like Wimpy promising to pay for his hamburger next Tuesday. The casino wants to know that you're going to gamble. But once you have some action, even if it isn't enough, it can't hurt to ask for a comp. For example, let's say you started playing at 6:30pm. You've been at it for about 45 minutes but you just now realized how hungry you are. Let the pit boss know that you are quite hungry but are planning on coming back after dinner. If he has reason to believe you, then you stand a better chance of him taking the risk and comping you early.

2.Once you think you are close to having enough action for the comp you are wishing for, ask the pit boss if he can make it happen. Sometimes it can take as long as 30 minutes for them to get around to issuing the comp. So if you are close, by the time he finds the time to consider your request, you may have just enough credit to be comped. But if you waited until you had earned the credit, you could find yourself playing for another half hour while he gets the comp prepared.

3.Ask early. I've been known to ask for a breakfast comp for tomorrow morning when it is now only 4:00pm. Giving a comp for over 12 hours away can be easier for some bosses as they figure that you still have 12 more hours to play and you'll be cashing in the comp after they've gone home for the night. Try to get the comps issued as early as possible so you can decide when to quit playing.

4.Ask often. If one boss says you don't have enough play, then ask another when the first boss isn't around. If he goes on a break, ask his replacement. If the casino has several pits, move to another one and ask the boss working that area. If that doesn't work, ask your casino host.

5.Take a comp when you can. I once asked at a 5 star Vegas casino if I had enough play for 2 comps to the buffet. (The buffet is unlike any other Vegas buffet and had a value of $30 per person!) The boss told me I did but I made the mistake of saying, "OK. I don't want to risk losing the comp slip so I'll get it tomorrow when I need it." The next day, the pit boss that had told me I was qualified was off for the day. I asked another boss who had no history with me and therefore had no reason to want to comp me. I then spoke with a host who was quite rude and said, "Are you kidding? You don't even qualify for one buffet." When I explained that a pit boss had told me the night before that I was eligible for two, they said, "Too bad. You should've taken it last night." After further debate, the host said, "OK, I'll give you one. But you don't even deserve that!" Away I walked angered and embarrassed. But, never willing to give up, I went up to another pit boss and explained the situation. She was quite nice, apologized for the behavior of her colleague and issued a second comp. The moral is to take a comp just as soon as you can and don't be afraid to ask more than one time for what you want.

6.If you have a good relationship with a host or a pit boss, and they're about to go home, ask them before they leave. They may be willing to issue the comp because of the positive relationship you've established where the person coming on may feel you have not met their standards. Another benefit of doing this is that if the first person you asked said no, you can ask their replacement just as soon as the first one is gone.

7.Some bosses don't have the courage to say, "No". So instead they'll tell you, "Why don't you just charge everything to your room and we'll see what we can do at the end of your stay?" If you do this, you're spending without knowing how much, if any, will be returned to you. If you can't get the host to change their mind on this, then it's better than nothing. But tell the host that you want to be rewarded for your play as you go and not be judged at the end of the stay. Make it clear that you feel you've earned what you're asking for and you feel your request is not only reasonable but also justifiable. Also, explain details as to what play you've done that should make you eligible and, if it is true, that you didn't have this problem at the xxx Casino when you asked them for a comp the last time you were there. Even if you don't get the host to change his mind at that moment, the conversation will stay in his mind and he may be willing to give in to your requests next time to avoid further confrontation. But please keep in mind that if you act rude or come across like you are being arrogant, you may make things harder for yourself. It's a fine line to walk but with the right attitude you should be able to persuade the host to see things differently.