Page 6 - November 2007 • Southern California Gaming Guide

Jean Scott: The Frugal GamblerTM
UHsing Mail Comps Wisely
ere are some hints for using those wonderful comps you receive from casinos by mail. You are usually not required to play during the time of your stay at a casino resort; they won’t look at your playing record on checkout and charge you for the room if no play is shown. And if you have a long history of play on other visits to this casino, it might not
hurt your record. However, not playing when you’re staying on a free-room o er is usually the very best way to stop the mail o ers from the casino.
• Write for information before your visit. (As an added bene t, you will sometimes be sent coupons, fun books, or small souvenirs.)
At some casinos, applying for a line of credit will bring mail o ers, often for a free room for two or three nights, even before you join the players club.
A caveat: Be sure you can handle casino credit lines with discipline. It’s all right to stay on these o ers without tapping your approved credit line, but do not take markers at a casino where you have a credit line without showing any play. Casinos don’t look favorably upon taking a cash advance to play at another casino or to make interest-free purchases. Although applying for a line of credit may help get you some comps at a new casino initially, future comps will be based much more on the amount of your play.
Use your casino comps wisely—they will lengthen your casino play and enjoyment.
Look for Jean Scott’s new publication, The Frugal Video Poker Scouting Guide that lists video poker pay schedules and a mini-wealth of video poker information. Check out www.QueenofComps.com online or call 1-877-798-7-RGE for information.
Reservations are recommended. If you like your turkey with a Baja avor, check out the anksgiving specials at Cabana Cove available from 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Reservations are not required. And the San Luis Rey Café is o ering a traditional anksgiving dinner special served from 11:30 a.m.–midnight and no reservations are necessary.
Viejas Turkey Giveaway—Enjoy $15 o your holiday turkey compliments of Viejas Casino! Get a free coupon good for $15 o a holiday turkey from any Ralph’s or Food 4 Less grocery store. Coupons will be given away between 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, November 13th and
11:59 p.m. Wednesday, November 14th at all V Club booths while supplies last. Players must present a valid V Club card and ID. Coupons will be given away on a rst come, rst serve basis for a limited time. Coupons
may not be redeemed for cash. Restrictions apply. Avoid the stress—and the mess—and leave the cooking
to Viejas Casino! From 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on ursday, November 22nd, enjoy a hearty anksgiving feast in the Harvest Buffet for just $24.95 per guest. And to continue the celebration, don’t miss the Day-After-Thanksgiving Brunch on Friday, November 23rd from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for only $16.95.
And join the Golden Acorn Casino family for anksgiving Day with a special anksgiving meal served from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. for only $11.99 (children
12 and under $5.99).
Gaming News continues on page 8...
Your speed of response in calling and accepting room o ers is crucial. Often all the rooms set aside for a particular o er are booked up quickly. However, if you call as soon as you get the o er and still nd all the rooms gone, you can sometimes speak with polite insistence to a supervisor, and a promotional room suddenly may be found for you.
In trying to establish yourself at a number of casinos in order to get mailings, try to play enough when you rst get your players club card to get to the minimum redemption level for cash back. Some have suggested that this often seems to be the key to getting entry-level mailings.
Many casinos base their mailings on frequency of play and/or long-term playing history: another good reason to concentrate your play at one or two core casinos.
If you want to get a high-level o er from a casino resort where you have never played, concentrate your heaviest possible play in one day. I have known some
high rollers to get extremely lucrative mailings for a long time after just this one big-play day.
Carefully read any mail o er for a free room. Some casinos will require a credit card to hold the room, but will not charge anything on it. Others actually do charge one night’s fee to your credit card, even with a free-night promo; then when you check in, the front- desk clerk is supposed to remove this charge from your card. Be sure to ask for a credit receipt at this time. If it is forgotten, there can be a hassle to straighten it out later by phone.
Is it possible to get into a casino database and possibly score a room comp before you have ever visited the particular casino?
Here are some things that have worked for savvy visitors who play the comp game:
• Join the players club by phone or online.
• Visit the casino web site and sign in as a guest.
November 2007 Gaming News
outhern California casinos celebrate the holidays in style. Take a look at the anksgiving celebrations and fun we learned about at press time. Check with your favorite casino for anksgiving bu ets and promotions.
hanksgiving at the Casinos
TS
Soboba Casino’s Turkey Days 2007—Club Soboba players can begin earning points starting ursday, November 1st for a turkey and everything needed to prepare and serve the noble bird—a baster, roasting pan and thermometer; apron and oven mitts; and a turkey platter. For every 1,500 points players earn, players qualify to receive anksgiving gifts.
e $75k Gobble Up the Green Cash Giveaway at Soboba Casino every ursday in November
(except anksgiving Day) features $1,000
drawings every half hour from 2:30 p.m.
to 9:30 p.m. and a $5,000 drawing at 10 p.m. Plus every Tuesday, Club Soboba
members could win a shopping spree. Check Club Soboba for details.
Harrah’s Great Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway—Harrah’s is heating things up this
holiday season with the Great Thanksgiving
Turkey Giveaway. Earn 15 Base Reward credits on Sunday, November 4th or Monday, November 5th between 6 a.m. and 7:45 p.m. and receive a digital meat thermometer. So where’s the turkey? Well, if you earn even more Base Reward Credits during the promotional period you’ll receive a grocery gift card from $10–$200, depending
on the number of Reward Credits that you can use to purchase your anksgiving Turkey. Base Reward Credits must be earned between 6 a.m. and 7:45 p.m. to be eligible and will not carry over to the next promotion day. Check with the Total Rewards booth for more details.
Harrah’s Rincon International Buffet Thanksgiving Feast—If you are looking for a anksgiving Feast without all of the hassles of shopping, cooking and
clean up, look no further than Harrah’s Rincon Casino & Resort. Harrah’s will be serving four spectacular anksgiving feasts that are guaranteed to please
every palate. For a generous variety, enjoy anksgiving at The International Buffet. Feast on anksgiving dinner
with all the trimmings at the all-you-can-
eat anksgiving Day Bu et, available for $25.99 per person. Special anksgiving Day hours are 11 a.m.–10 p.m. and no reservations are required. Plus Fiore Steak & Seafood will be o ering a anksgiving menu in addition to the regular menu options. A special three-course dinner is available for $42 per person or diners may order items a la carte. Fiore’s
anksgiving feast will be served from 5:30 p.m.–11 p.m.
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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAMING GUIDE
November 2007
Gaming News The Frugal GamblerTM, Jean Scott