How to Stay in Vegas Free During Affiliate Summit
For the past couple of years now Affiliate Summit West has been held in Las Vegas. The first time around it was at the Riveria, then Bally’s and this year it will be at the Rio. Each time around, Shawn (founder of Affiliate Summit) has the hotel offer him discount rates on rooms, because of the attendance volume for an event. I have yet to pay for my stay in Vegas over the past three years during Affiliate Summit, and today I will show you how to do the same!
If you are attending Affiliate Summit this year in Vegas, it’s likely you will gamble a few times during your stay. The first thing you should do when arriving or entering a casino, is make sure you get yourself a players card. Not only will get a few comps, but you will establish a record and partnership with the casino. Now that the casino can track your game play, they will reward you for your time. If you are going to be gambling in Vegas, here are a few tips to consider while there for Affiliate Summit.
1.) GET A PLAYERS CARD
Whether you are a small player, or like to spend a few thousand on a roll of the dice… the casino wants your action. As a registered player at the casino you will be given a players card, which you place into any slot machines you play at, or hand to the dealer at any table games. While you are playing, you are earning points/rewards/comps, which are based on your average bet over the amount of time you are playing. Even if you only play a little, I highly recommend you get a players card. Lastly, most casinos in Las Vegas will actually have some sort of incentive to have new players signup for a players card, whether it be a free handbag or a $25 credit towards your game play.
2.) MAILING LIST
Once you have your players card, you will be added to the casino mailing list. Throughout the year you will receive a decent amount of promotions from the casinos… they want you back! From free rooms to free entertainment systems, depending on your level of game play, they will offer you anything. Depending on where you live, making a quick run to Las Vegas for a free 4 day/3 nights vacation might not be a bad deal. I’ve had offers sent from Vegas casinos to pick up $1200 Visa Gift cards, just for staying at their casino. Unfortunately, I’m on the other side of the country.
At least the SPAM I get from Casinos is Usefull!
3.) CASINO HOST
Depending on your level of game play, I would ask for a casino host. Once you arrive for check-in, you can ask the desk person where the VIP or Rewards Center is, from there you can ask for a casino host. The great thing about having a casino host, is that they can heavily help you with comps or any problems you have during your stay. If you are playing at table games for a while (where you earn comps/rewards slower than slots), and would like to get a comp’d dinner, simply contact your casino host so they can look at your game play. As long as you are a decent player with a nice average bet and playing for a while, the casino host shouldn’t have any problems writing you a complimentary dinner pass.
4.) LINE OF CREDIT
If you are a big gambler, you may want to setup a line of credit with the casino. Instead of walking around with a lot of cash, you can have the casino hold funds for you, then when you want to play at the tables, you simply tell the floor person how much you would like. They will then issue you a receipt to sign and your requested chip value. If you end up winning, you can bring the receipt to the cashier window and close out your line of credit… if you lose, you usually have 7-15 days to pay back the casino… usually by check. One would think, that setting up a line of credit in a casino would help with comps, or get you some free rooms… but it doesn’t, it merely lets you have access to more playing money.
5.) BILL EVERYTHING TO YOUR ROOM
Once you are setup with the casino and in your room, I highly recommend you bill everything possible to your room (instead of paying cash). Not only will you benefit from doing this, but it will make tracking all of your expenses a lot easier. If you are a decent sized player, this will play highly to your benefit at the end of your stay during check out.
6.) CHECK OUT
The checkout is the most important time in your stay at a casino. Before going down to the front desk and paying off your stay (assuming your rooms weren’t complimentary), you should go to the VIP Players or Rewards Center and try and talk with your host or any that are available. Hand them your players card and tell them you would like to see if there is anything they can do for you based on your game play and removing some of your costs. At the very least, they should be able to knock off a few dinners you had. If you won or lost big, they may wipe out your whole bill and let you go. This is why you should bill everything to your room!
I personally have a players card at nearly every casino in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Since I frequently visit Atlantic City, my rewards and game play that I earn in AC can be used or credited towards related properties in Las Vegas. It was extremely easy for me to call up the Rio and get my whole week’s stay complimentary. Since I play at Ceasars in Atlantic City (Harrah’s owns Ceasars & Rio)… they know I have a decent game play record, and would gladly invite me to their casino.
Offers Available through Harrah’s Online Reward Center
I highly recommend you grab a few players cards this time around in Las Vegas. By doing so, your visit to Affiliate Summit in Las Vegas next year, should be a lot cheaper. Assuming you don’t lose on the casino floor! 🙂
Thanks for the tips! Getting a free hotel stay would go nicely with the free press pass I got to attend the Summit. I'm on the players club at the MGM Grand, and they send me cool offers all the time. I used to live in Vegas (Summerlin, northwest of the strip), so I've even got friends I could crash with, but for this trip I decided to go ahead and grab a room at the Rio so I'd be right on top of the Summit.
Yes, but do you really come out on top in the end. How much do you have to lose to get free dinners and stuff?
Yeah it's really only valuable to gamblers, so you risk your money for comps and discounts…so to "stay in Vegas free" is a crap shoot….
The point is… if you are going to play in Vegas while at Affiliate Summit, here's how to make the most of it.
Apprec the tips man! Def good advice and I will take it!
Getting a player's card is a good way to gain comps. However, if you play card games you'll need to speak to the pitt boss. Most casino's will only rate you based on the time you play at the table and your average bet. If you're only playing for a few hours at a time and betting the table minimum on a $15 or $10 table, you'll never get a comp. At most casino's you need to bet an average of $25/hand over a four-six hour time frame to gain a minimum comp of a free meal.
I guess I don't know Vegas too well, but putting down a min of $25 a hand seems foolish, unless of course you can win. Not for me man.
Those are some useful tips there. I don't know about Vegas because gambling interests me not at all, but Roi sounds wonderful!
I'm not into gambling either, but the rewards definitely sound nice.
Hi Zac…I found you through a post John Chow did about tax write-offs..and your hummer ..thats cool bro! Regarding Vegas….just ask for it..I always go in August because I am from Toronto Canada and I love the heat…I just ask for what I want and they usually give it to me. For example, last time in MGM…I just walked in and went straight to the bar and said, "how much bloody dough do I have to spent to get a drink around here…where are the bloody waitresses man?" The bartender said, relax bro, what do you want…I said a Red Bull and Grey Goose…and a shot of your top cognac…and I tipped and walked out. I also get nice suites in Vegas as well….just by asking…if you want to be treated like a bigshot…act like one…and people will think you are one! Reverse thinking man! it works!
I don't know, man. It sounds like you might have acted like a jerk. Maybe it's just me, but I'm not sure I believe that this bartender thought you were a big shot for demanding the most expensive cognac and an energy drink in the same breath.
I only hit up Vegas once or twice a year. That method would never fly in Atlantic City…. AC is strictly based off game play. Even getting a dinner comp is a mission there.
I don't like gambling. Gambling is not good for you, it is addictive. Before you know, you are losing too much money and maybe you will become an roamer if you don't look out!
"At least the SPAM I get from Casinos is Usefull!".. you mean a spammy comment like this one isn't?!
What's your game of choice?
My parents always claim to spend no money gambling in vegas but they always get their rooms comp'ed… LIARS!
Vegas is a great place to hold the summit. I don't understand why some people object to it…if they don't like to gamble then they don't have too. Personally, there's nothing wrong with playing a hand or two 🙂