You or I play VP (single-line, .25) for a three-day weekend,
playing, let's say, six hours a day at the modest rate of 600
hands/hour. Our coin-in per day is $4,500 or $13,500 for the weekend.
Now, if we play the BEST game (FPDW or 4000/20/7 Joker), and we play
it PERFECTLY, we will profit 0.7 x 13,500 or $94.50. We will also
earn comps to the tune of about another $30-$40 or so. Now, in order
to accomplish this, we had to put a great deal of money at risk. We
COULD have lost $600 (anybody ever have a trip like that? worse?).
There were no guarantees that we would realize our tiny mathematical
advantage. In fact, unless we're superhuman, we probably made many
small errors (and the occasional biggie, like missing a pair) that
in the aggregate cost us 0.2% or so. So we're playing very little
more than breakeven with the house. In the meantime we're
patronizing their hotel, restaurants, and other amenities, and
paying for everything at full rate except for when we use the
aforementioned comps (which only actually COST the casino about half
of their face value). In the meantime, we're subject to the bankroll-
destroying effects of a losing streak, which could happen anytime.
Will that $95/trip be realized ten or more times before the minus
$1000 bloodbath? Let's not forget, also, that we bring along our
(sweet and wonderful, but) clueless wife, husband, mother-in-law,
etc who just loooves them video keno machines, or wants to try out
their new blackjack system....
If you patronized ANY business to the point of spending over
thirteen grand on its products, wouldn't you EXPECT the royal
treatment? But all you get from a casino is a comped buffet or two
and a few glossy pamphlets in the mail telling you how wonderful the
Golden Commode is. Business is business--we give the casino PLENTY
of that. They profess constantly that what they want from us is not
necessarily losses but ACTION...presumably with the action, the
losses will come. Well, we give them action....and now they're
starting to piddle on us. WE ARE VALUABLE CUSTOMERS.
So, I suggest we seek out those properties that are a
little "hungrier" and are willing to do more to atttract and keep
players. We should DEFINITELY cease to visit those casinos that have
tightened their comp policies so that they will perceive a cause-
effect relationship. We actually deserve far more than they ever
gave us in the past. We gave them ACTION---it was never a
requirement that we lose, too.