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Bob Dancer's CasinoGaming Column - 11 MAR 2008

Bob,

As it relates specifically to Tuscany, what did you hope to get in the way
of mailers?

My info is a tad dated (goes back to when the had the $1 multi line SDB with
5 X's points for various days/hours each week) but I don't think I ever
received more than $40/wk. from them on the mailers.

The CB on these 5X points days made it a good play for me and comps
accumulated at a rate of just under $100/hr. which meant many free meals and cigs (no
social commentary about the ills of smoking, please:)) for friends.

I agree with your overall premise that overplaying good promotions could get
you on the poopie list. However, doing this at Tuscany really didn't amount
to much.

**************It's Tax Time! Get tips, forms, and advice on AOL Money &
Finance. (http://money.aol.com/tax?NCID=aolprf00030000000001)

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

BJDan asked me: As it relates specifically to Tuscany, what did you hope
to get in the way
of mailers? . . . I don't think I ever received more than $40/wk. from
them on the mailers.

An extra $40 a week would be enough to get me to play --- and I think it
was Dick who said a while ago here that the top mailer is now larger
than that. They no longer have SDB, but the 10x points they have
semi-regularly added to 8/5 Bonus adds up to about the same as SDB with
5x points.

Bob Dancer

For a 3-day free trial of Video Poker for Winners, the best video poker
computer trainer ever invented, go to //www.videopokerforwinners.com

BJDan asked me: As it relates specifically to Tuscany, what did you

hope

to get in the way
of mailers? . . . I don't think I ever received more than $40/wk. from
them on the mailers.

An extra $40 a week would be enough to get me to play --- and I think

it

was Dick who said a while ago here that the top mailer is now larger
than that. They no longer have SDB, but the 10x points they have
semi-regularly added to 8/5 Bonus adds up to about the same as SDB

with

5x points.

That is correct ... it appears the 10x points will be a twice a month
activity. The upgraded mailer only lasted at $60/wk for two months and
then fell back to $40/wk this month (and even lower for some others).
It takes two trips a week to collect the full amount now. Also, I
believe someone else mentioned the various versions of aces and faces
that pay slightly more than BP.

Dick

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "Bob Dancer" <bdancer@...> wrote:

<<The upgraded mailer only lasted at $60/wk for two months and
then fell back to $40/wk this month (and even lower for some others). >>

We still got the upgraded mailer this month - $30 x 2 per week. The reason so many players were downgraded this month is that they thought they could play just the same amount per month as when they got the $40 x 1 per week mailer. I guessed (correctly as it turned out) that they upgraded the mailers to see if that would drive more play. Therefore, we played more.

One does have to look at things from the casino's point of view. It is not necessary to play a lot more. I figure what we can play and still give us a nice edge, and play that much. Sometimes this takes some experimenting with different play levels over a period of months to settle into some known area. And sometimes one never knows for sure what it takes to get how much.

I do know a few things about Tuscany's marketing department:

1. They do not like players who pull their cards when they play off their free play. And they have a small enough database base that they can handpick those who do this and cut off their mailers.

2. They like you to play some when you pick up your free play. It seems that daily average is no longer a factor, at least not as important as it used to be, so we try to play almost every time we pick up free play, even if it is just a little bit.

3. They do not appreciate someone who plays only on 10 times points, even if they play a lot those days. We usually play on 5x and 10x but occasionally a little on a non-bonus day.

I forget whether it has been reported here, but the multi-line games with 8/5 Bonus now have stickers that exclude them on 10X days.

···

________________
Jean $�ott
http://queenofcomps.com/

New blog taking the place of
Frugal Fridays. Go to
http://lasvegasadvisor.com/
and click on "Frugal Vegas."

<<The upgraded mailer only lasted at $60/wk for two months and
then fell back to $40/wk this month (and even lower for some

others). >>

We still got the upgraded mailer this month - $30 x 2 per week.

The reason

so many players were downgraded this month is that they thought

they could

play just the same amount per month as when they got the $40 x 1

per week

mailer. I guessed (correctly as it turned out) that they upgraded

the

mailers to see if that would drive more play. Therefore, we played

more.

So did I. With the 10x points days in Jan. I played quite a bit more
and still got downgraded. However, since I have no idea how they are
rating play it could be some other factor (like eating lunch there
and not playing).

One does have to look at things from the casino's point of view.

It is not

necessary to play a lot more. I figure what we can play and still

give us a

nice edge, and play that much. Sometimes this takes some

experimenting with

different play levels over a period of months to settle into some

known

area. And sometimes one never knows for sure what it takes to get

how much.

I do know a few things about Tuscany's marketing department:

1. They do not like players who pull their cards when they play

off their

free play. And they have a small enough database base that they

can

handpick those who do this and cut off their mailers.

2. They like you to play some when you pick up your free play. It

seems

that daily average is no longer a factor, at least not as important

as it

used to be, so we try to play almost every time we pick up free

play, even

if it is just a little bit.

3. They do not appreciate someone who plays only on 10 times

points, even

if they play a lot those days. We usually play on 5x and 10x but
occasionally a little on a non-bonus day.

I forget whether it has been reported here, but the multi-line

games with

8/5 Bonus now have stickers that exclude them on 10X days.

All good points. I also played quite a bit on 5x days. I do not play
the 5-play BP, and I almost always play for at least an hour when I
pick up my free play. Any other good thoughts? :slight_smile:

Dick

PS. I always find it interesting that casinos offer point multipliers
seemingly to encourage play and then turn around and penalize players
for doing exactly what the casino promoted.

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "Jean Scott" <queenofcomps@...> wrote:

The intent of a promotion is to bring players in to play more than normal. They might even do it at a slight loss. It the slot club returns 0.1 and JOB returns 0.46 to the casino (more with poor play) they hope that you come in and play but also play at other times, otherwise they see that they don't make any $$$ from the promo. Guess the marketing trick is to give something to the player but not so much as to run at a loss. Anyway, play by all means for the promo but if you are a good enough VP player to stay even or even with comps, ect try giving some action at other time so that the promos will keep coming.

<<The upgraded mailer only lasted at $60/wk for two months and
then fell back to $40/wk this month (and even lower for some

others). >>

We still got the upgraded mailer this month - $30 x 2 per week.

The reason

so many players were downgraded this month is that they thought

they could

play just the same amount per month as when they got the $40 x 1

per week

mailer. I guessed (correctly as it turned out) that they upgraded

the

mailers to see if that would drive more play. Therefore, we played

more.

So did I. With the 10x points days in Jan. I played quite a bit more
and still got downgraded. However, since I have no idea how they are
rating play it could be some other factor (like eating lunch there
and not playing).

One does have to look at things from the casino's point of view.

It is not

necessary to play a lot more. I figure what we can play and still

give us a

nice edge, and play that much. Sometimes this takes some

experimenting with

different play levels over a period of months to settle into some

known

area. And sometimes one never knows for sure what it takes to get

how much.

I do know a few things about Tuscany's marketing department:

1. They do not like players who pull their cards when they play

off their

free play. And they have a small enough database base that they

can

handpick those who do this and cut off their mailers.

2. They like you to play some when you pick up your free play. It

seems

that daily average is no longer a factor, at least not as important

as it

used to be, so we try to play almost every time we pick up free

play, even

if it is just a little bit.

3. They do not appreciate someone who plays only on 10 times

points, even

if they play a lot those days. We usually play on 5x and 10x but
occasionally a little on a non-bonus day.

I forget whether it has been reported here, but the multi-line

games with

8/5 Bonus now have stickers that exclude them on 10X days.

All good points. I also played quite a bit on 5x days. I do not play
the 5-play BP, and I almost always play for at least an hour when I
pick up my free play. Any other good thoughts? :slight_smile:

Dick

PS. I always find it interesting that casinos offer point multipliers
seemingly to encourage play and then turn around and penalize players
for doing exactly what the casino promoted.

···

mroejacks <rgmustain@aol.com> wrote: --- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "Jean Scott" <queenofcomps@...> wrote:

---------------------------------
Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

normal. They might even do it at a slight loss. It the slot club
returns 0.1 and JOB returns 0.46 to the casino (more with poor play)
they hope that you come in and play but also play at other times,
otherwise they see that they don't make any $$$ from the promo. Guess
the marketing trick is to give something to the player but not so much
as to run at a loss. Anyway, play by all means for the promo but if you
are a good enough VP player to stay even or even with comps, ect try
giving some action at other time so that the promos will keep coming.

I think it has been working fairly well for Tuscany. From what I have
seen there lately, they are getting far more play then just a few
months ago. Of course, it's pretty hard to judge overall play from just
a single player's experience.

Dick

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, pesach kremen <royalflush2222@...> wrote:

The intent of a promotion is to bring players in to play more than