Harrahs cashback is now $10 for 4500 TOTAL REWARD CREDITS - both Base and
Bonus credits.
I have been averaging about 2x Bonus for every Base point, but this varies
depending on which machine you are playing, your wins/losses, and other factors.
For video poker $10 = 1 BASE point. If you then got 2 more points for every
base points, your $10 played through would equal 3 points.
This means that if you ended up with 4500 total points, you would have put
through approximately 1300 BASE points or $13,000. This would make cashback a
pitiful .0007692.
HOWEVER, some casinos are offering multiple point days. In Vegas a few days
a month are Double Reward Credit days. Also a couple of days allow you to get
Double Cashback when you cash in your cashback check.
If you made a point to cash your check only on a double day (as I did), your
pitiful cashback would go to .0015384. If you could also play on a 2x day you
might get even more.
Again, Bonus points vary, and it looks like the longer you play on one day
and the longer you play on one machine, the more the multiplier effect for bonus
points. If you end up with a higher average than 2x bonus points for each
Base point, your cashback rate would increase.
(I hope you are all following this and I'm sure you now LOVE the new "More is
better" Harrahs program).
Now remember that you are also getting comps, which no longer expire. Your
$13,000 you ran through the machine gave you 4500 total points which gives you
a comp value of about $4.50. You get this plus your $10 cashback.
If you had played this $13,000 at the Orleans or another Coast casino which
has .0025 cashback or comps you would have gotten $32.50 in either cashback or
comps. (Assuming you played only on 1X days).
You might think it therefore obvious that a Coast (or another Vegas casino)
might be better than Harrahs. But you also have to figure in what other offers
your play generates. If you get an offer for 3 room nights and a slot
tourney the next month, plus an offer for 2 tickets to see Clint Holmes, and can use
those things, than Harrahs might be the superior offer. If your play gets
you two tickets to see Simon & Garfunkel ($250 each ticket) plus $150 Lowes card
plus the nights and slot tourney, it becomes more worthwhile.
My personal guess that to start getting the really good Harrahs offers such
as the Simon & Garfunkel/Lowes card type stuff you need to put through
somewhere between 1000 and 2000 base points per visit. (This may be a daily average)
Definitely people I know who put through 2000 Base Points in 1 day got the
better offers for tournaments, gift cards, tickets, etc.
If your play is not generating Harrahs offers that you can use, then playing
at a casino such as Coast or Stations, etc., might be the better way to go.
As with most casinos, the best shot at the best offers is to maximize your
play in 1 day and improve your daily average. With Harrahs/Rio you MUST be
proactive in contacting the hosts to make sure you are getting all possible
offers, and also check their website.
Also remember -- to generate cashback you must get those 4500 points all in
the same month. If you get 4000 points in Dec. and 500 points in Jan. you will
not get any cashback.
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