Slot play may have the most objectively measurable negative impact, but I find it hard to believe anyone really thinks slot players are the ones hurt most by the leadup to/rollout of mlife and other various comp changes over the last 8-9 months or so.

Thing is though, we'd need to have an accurate comp valuation system in place before trying to do website comps, at least in the current form. The determination of so-called "expresscomps" is a joke for table players, so as it is, you'd have to go through a host to get anything meaningful anyway.


This 12-month rolling qualification period has been in the FAQ on the mlife website, btw.

It looks like (from the published list) the "tier privileges" are nothing to write home about. Jump the queue a few times ? That's it ?

To my understanding you can see and measure the comps available from logged play - this any player's club employee can do - but it's up to the host, with a certain amount of discretion, as to what else they can comp you (RFB etc)

I have about 10 hours of BJ logged at just over $100 a hand, which I understand is good enough for a few days of RFL. Have not followed through on that yet, though...

D.

COMPS are Much Less
 

Back in Vegas again. I posted last month a bit about Mlife at Aria. This time I am at Monte Carlo in a Monaco suite (finally updated). My play last night consisted of a mix of slots and BJ. I checked this morning and my BJ play was 3hrs 5 min at an average bet of $350. That play yielded $81 in ExpressComps. Since I am now supposed to use those comps for meals, shows, etc and not get anything more from my host, I would say those pretty much suck. Of course, it really doesn't matter much when figuring comps, but between 2 MGM casinos last night I lost $9500 on BJ and slots. $81???? Hmmmmm. Once again, the time, play and comps were all verified today.

Table players (with decent action) should still get discretionary comps.

What did your host say, when you asked for charges to be covered?

Funny. Asked that question last night. 12% of comps go to express comps. I had another $100 in discretionary comps. I assume the rest are used for future RFB offers.

Whether you won $9500 or lost $9500 isn't the question. Suppose during that 3.5 hrs you were playing blackjack you played 40 hands per hour for a total of 140 hands at $350. If you are a perfect basic strategy player you have a -EV of 0.5% or about $1.75 per hand. This works out to a theoretical loss of $245 (more if you play poorly, learn your basic strategy cold!). The $81 comp offered to you therefore is not significantly out of line.

The 12% figure explains a lot. This just goes to show how ill-conceived the whole "Express Comps" system is. It's like MGM is making a feeble attempt at eliminating guest-host interactions while also trying to throw a bone to gamers who would rather just go through the website than have to call in. But at a meager 12% which could (depending on the property) be as low as 1/3 of what would normally be granted, it makes the whole scheme pointless and has the bonus effect of alienating players. As I mentioned before in this thread, everyone is still just going to have to talk to hosts anyway.


Ya, he even said that himself - just look at what you quoted.

BTW, 40 hands/hr is extremely low even at a multiple player table (which is less likely at 350avg, too) and throws off your estimates.

I believe the standard these days is 60 rounds/hr for calculating comps. OF course, if you're playing heads up it'll be much more - but I don't think the pit suits can adjust anything to take that into consideration....

As to accumulated losses - that does help, but only if you're talking to someone who can work outside the framework of "computer said so".

D.

60hph is about right for a full table, so I wouldn't be that surprised if casinos use that as a baseline for ratings - but anything less than a full table will be much faster than that.

Rating systems do accommodate variances in hph; on rating cards and in software this is usually referred to as "game speed". Of course, whether casinos or pit bosses choose to accurately measure this is a different issue.

Really ? I wasn't aware that game speed was factored into the system - you sound like you're familiar with these systems.... are you ?

D.

I'm familiar with some of the systems that are used, but not familiar with how companies actually implement and use them. For example, it's entirely possible that some casinos may just skip over the "game speed" rating category even if it's in the software and on the cards.

I'd be annoyed if hph weren't measured accurately since I almost always play heads-up... I mean, heads-up can probably exceed double the baseline 60hph even with shuffling.

Some might say, that 'heads-up' play is not comp-maximizing (in almost all instances). ;)

Unfortunately, I know from expereince many MGM properties will comp 10% of actual losses, but you will have to speak to a host.

Perhaps that's true when you form a longer-term relationship with a property ? Or when your losses are high ?

When you look for offers in your account on www.mlife.com, there is a begin and end date, make sure you extend the end for several months, otherwise offers which are available probably won't be listed.:td:

Anybody have any idea how table game play translates into tier credits ?

I logged about 10 hrs x ~ $120 avg / hand (BJ) for ~ 30,000 tier credits - is that typical ?

In the MLife brochure they state:

"Your Tier Credits for playing table games accumulate according to length of play, average bet, and game type. For example, get rated at $25 per hand in blackjack for one hour and you will receive 550 Tier Credits."
So based on your play 10 x 4.8 x 550 = 26400, so you seem to have gotten the better of the deal.:) [120/25 = 4.8 ]

Thanks - I never got a brochure.

That's interesting. I have seen a few opinions about how much a gold (or above) status is worth - does anyone have any input on this as of the new system (2011) ? Any real perks to getting "elite" status ?

Thanks

D.

In the same booklet I quoted from (above) they have a grid listing perks for the various levels. IMHO the whole program is not that great (compared to Harrahs), except that Gold and Plat. earn "Express Comps" at an accelerated rate.
[In Harrahs system: diamond level players: (1)special lounge, (2)special lines at their players club, (3)casino cage, (4)check-in--MLIFE Plats get none of these. There are special lines at the buffet for plats:p]

Both, and add in a third in that losses have to be consistent in order for hosts to base comps off anything other than ADT.

Seems about right. Although I was staying at Cosmo over March Madness I put in about 80 minutes at Bellagio, ~1.5k average and got a little under 60k credits. This is their double deck game (stand S17, no surr, no rsa).


Platinum in mlife is worthless for table games players (as you appear to be). Anything that a Platinum-level table games player can now get through Platinum would have been available previously by talking to a host anyway. And some of the listed perks are a total farce, such as nightclub access.

BTW, word on the street is that MGM is already planning a massive overhaul of mlife to make it more attractive, but it might be too late for that. Had a drink with my old host and all he did was complain about how many players he's losing. Really got to feel for the hosts. Best thing for all the Bellagio employees at this point would be if Elaine buys the property.

Just got back from a trip to the MGM Grand over 4/22-4/25 on a comped room. I'm an mLife gold, bet around $100/hand ~4 hrs day, and figured I'd share a bit on the new "benefits":
1. Room upgrade - no upgrade available on check-in. Go figure : (
2. Access to clubs/VIP pool area (Wet Republic) - as noted in prior posts, whoop de doo. I was offered free admission to the clubs and VIP pool area. I agree with gengar, a "total farce."

At the end of my stay, I was unpleasantly surprised to find that my comps were SUBSTANTIALLY reduced from prior trips. The host explanation: "your comps were reduced since the new express comps offer you more freedom to comp yourself". My usual offer would be room and generally $300-500 of food/bev, depending on how many hours I play (varies based on win/loss). This trip, my comps, including express comps, were ~$170. It seems the fancy cards are the only new benefit of mLife.

Thanks - informative post.

When you say $100 a hand, is that BJ or other games ?

D.

A relatively equal proportion of of BJ, craps and pai gow poker. And for craps, I am not counting odds in my avg bet, as the MGM doesn't. I didn't clarify in last post, but room was free up-front, no resort fees, food/bev was a back-end comp of ~$170.

Yikes - my immediate response to any host who tried to feed me that line would be to tell him where he could put that freedom. I'm not saying people don't want host-less interaction, but in Express Comps' present implementation at maybe 1/10 of ADT (if that), who can take advantage of it? It's saying a lot that Express Comps is the biggest joke of mlife, since mlife is pretty much the biggest joke of a program out there.

BTW, you can add Jet to the long list of nightclubs I've personally checked doesn't that recognize the stated mlife Platinum perk. It's become a personal hobby of mine (quite entertaining, I might add!) to see just how much a joke the nightclub access stated benefit is.

Fortunately, Studio 54 and Tabu both DO recognize the Gold/Plat benefit and offered free admission via VIP/invited guest line even on Saturday night. Not the classiest of Vegas nightclubs though, and I'd wager that the typical Gold/Plat/Noir mLife demographic has no interest fighting mobs of fake-ID carrying college brats for a $20 well-vodka appletini in a plastic cup.

Perhaps that was the intention of mLife: give higher level gamblers "VIP" benefits that they will be unlikely to use as an excuse to reduce comps, in order to maximize revenue. If this is so, I'd say MGM is just a wee bit short-sighted...

On a separate note, have any recent MGM property visitors felt that drink service has slowed as compared to last year? I swear I waited 30+ mins for drinks even in higher limit areas.

Mid-day the wait was minimal--5 minutes at the most; in the morning (between 9 am and 10 am), I didn't see a waitress for over an hour. [I play 1 cent slots...]
Harrahs properties are gravitating to a system where you can order drinks right from the slot machine^. I saw this in New Orleans, and I received an email that it is coming to Atlantic City.

I haven't played at MGM, but I do know that at Bellagio they have cut many off-peak waitress shifts. In fact in one of the high limit areas, they do not even have waitress service on some graveyard shifts. I know that the workers all live off tips so slow shifts are never good, but to not have certain shifts staffed at all seems to go a bit far.

If at table games, just tell the pit boss you want a drink - whoever is there should be able to get a waitress over for you.

Is there any way to get a complimentary Sapphire status without much gambling?

Noir...
 

Info n/a anymore

I've essentially quit the mgm system (too many un-honored offers, and unanswered emails.) They tried to emulate some of the good features of Harrahs (=Caesars Entertainment), but left out lots of others: (1)no tiered lines at the players club desks, (2)no special lines at the cashiers, (3)no platinum lounge, (4)no platinum line at the taxi stands etc.

I've been a Diamond player for 4 years now hitting tiers of 88k points, 93k points, and 87k points 3 out of the 4 years. I was never bumped up to 7-stars nor was I treated any different than a "minimum" Diamond member hitting 10k tier points (at that time). I'm currently at the Platinum level at MGM properties and in my opinion, the MGM rooms BLOW AWAY the Harrah's facilities.

Even if you have to use a host to book, it's well worth it...just shoot them an email and let them take care of it. I know that a room is just a room, and when you're in vegas you don't plan on spending a lot of time in the room, but when you lose, every little bit helps you feel better!

Also just to clarify, if your room is booked as a comped room, you DO NOT have to pay a resort fee.

I go to Vegas about every month and I used to never play at MGM. Now I won't touch Harrahs properties at all. What MGM offers is SO MUCH MORE than what Harrahs will/can offer.

I haven't seen the remodeled rooms in MGM, but their "old" rooms (included small suites) were very much inferior to even Caesars Palace Forum Tower rooms; CP Augustus Tower rooms were IMHO were "twice as nice" as anything MGM had to offer.
PS: Do you play slots or table games? Before I attained 7-Stars, as Diamond slot player, when I had gotten to over 80K, I got lots of nice offers from "Harrahs system", free rooms (even on weekends) and other nice perks.

I once stayed in a Bellagio Penthouse suite, which was easily the best hotel room I ever stayed in (which isn't saying all that much but it was still a great room). Most other rooms mgm stuffed me in (before the switch to mlife) were really nothing special, especially the rooms in the MGM itself. My favorite rooms there are the Signature suites which they unfortunately can't comp.

The rooms in Caesars properties go from very bad to pretty good. I haven't stayed in the Augustus Tower yet but I did think the Forum Tower rooms were nice. I used to love going to Caesars to play and especially hang out in the sports book, but not anymore. What they've done to that property is a disgrace IMO.

I'll be in Vegas over memorial day weekend and booked a suite in bally's, though it's probably not going to be as good as the last suite I had there. :)

P.S. When you talk about playing BJ, do you play on the 6/5 tables? I'll never play those but have had a hard time finding any that pay 3/2. Do you need to play $100+ minimum tables to get 3/2?

Looking for Some Mlife Guidance ...
 

Hi all,

I go to LV 3-4 times a year and really only play BJ. I generally go either with another guy or my girlfriend (all early 40s). We enjoy shows and fights, not really into high-end fine dining, except for special occasions. It doesn't take much to impress me with a room, so I'm not looking for penthouses and super-suites.

I've been part of the MGM program for several years now and used to stay 4-5 yrs ago (simple comp room, or 2 out of 3 comp with mail offer--not RFB) at MGM Grand when I was just playing <$25/hand BJ or penny slots.

Then I started playing bigger money and learned to get a line of credit and a host. First was the Palms for a year or so where I really like the hotel but it's too far from the strip. Then I moved on to Mandalay and have been there for the last two years, but I'm tired of being so far south and I don't think their casino is up to par anymore. (I like to get out of the hotel and walk the strip easily). I was at Mandalay in late March/early April, 3 nights comp up front at THE Hotel (love my host but she's off on Sundays during the day when I'm checking out and the VIP lounge staff say they can only access my express comps, nothing based on my play.).

So I've come full circle and have a host at MGM and am going out in May for the Mayweather fight, comped 2 nights up front but host says he's out of cheap fight tix he can comp (even worse, I can't charge them to the room to comp some off the back end when I leave!), but if my play is good he'll get them for me for Pacquiao fight in June.

Like everyone else here I'm not thrilled with the discretionary comps that mlife seems to have taken away from the hosts. If you're not full RFB up front, then you're screwed and your play doesn't really matter. So, my question is where (what upper-mid level property and/or program) are your best suggestions for me considering each visit I'll play about 2.5 hrs/day over 3 days (~8hrs total) at $250-350/hand Blackjack? MGM Grand, Monte Carlo, Aria?

Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks.

Edit--Just logged into mlife account ad see mt express comp balance is -$82. ...? How do I get a negative comp balance?

I don't like Aria much for access to the Strip as it takes forever to get anywhere (either a walk through the adjacent Crystals mall or around back onto Harmon). Aria is not actually set back that far from the Strip, it's just that the casino floor is not laid out well and the City Center complex is convoluted.

This is a new one to me, may just be a website glitch (mLife is known for that). ExpressComps are never supposed to go negative since it's a balance account with expenditures controlled by the player. Players can get overcomped on other balances, but they shouldn't on ExpressComps - and they also shouldn't deduct from ExpressComps to cover overcomping elsewhere, otherwise the system is not working like they are telling us it is supposed to. Check with a host and let us know.

I'd say Mandalay Bay is your best bet. Talk with your host and see what you can do about picking up charges on Sunday. Don't ask VIP to do it or they will use your Express Comps. Also, she can reverse credit card charges after the fact when she gets back in after her weekend.

QL

MLife Confirmation
 

How long does it take for MLife to email you your trip confirmation?

Just curious, as it was not instantaneous like most other sites.

Thanks!

Got a room offer from aria. Says if I get 1250 pts per day room will be fully comped. What kind of points is this? Tier? Session?

@ellinj,

1250 tier credits seems incredibly low for a room comp at Aria. Slot points convert 1:1 to tier credits, but there's no points for table games -- they just go straight to tier credits. POINTplay and FREEplay and HSP are all reward points and are not things that marketing would likely say that you need to earn to get a comp.

1250 tier credits requires $250 coin-in on slots, or about an hour of blackjack at $50 a hand. I would believe ten times that number (12,500 points) for a room comp; that's four hours at $125 a hand.

Its apparently session points not tier points, I earned 40k or so tier points but not enough session points for the comp.

Copied from my offer email.