I just established credit lines at the two hotels I plan to stay in on my next trip. I've heard you get better comps if you have a credit line at the casino. This will also save me having to carry a lot of cash with me on the trip.

I also want to test a theory about the size of your buy-in in relation to offers you get. A good friend recently received a 3 night comp with limo service from the Venetian based on about 2 hours of $25/$50 carribean stud action. He said that he was written down as making a buy in over $1,000 as a courtesy for waiting quite long to receive his rating card.

Anyone here have personal experience with a credit line pro or con?

jm

One other thing I'd like to know and I could probably call my credit card companies is if they consider paying off a marker a purchase or cash advance? I was in line behind a guy at the Hard Rock one time and he was settling his marker with a credit card. If they consider it a purchase, I could get my bonus and not be charges any interest.

jm

Jeff, I read that the casino does rate you higher if you have a line of credit, but a lot of people dispute this. The large buy-in does make a difference, but it still is your average bet and the total time played that they go on.
As far as using the credit card to pay off the marker, let me know what you find out. Frequent flyer miles may be at stake<G>

------------------
John
Moderator-Dining Forum

Anybody want to bet<G>? I say using a credit card would be considered a cash advance, not a purchase thus the finance charge starts right away. Tom Casey

Tom, Bet? You think people here gamble [img]http://www.talkvegas.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img]? I've got a feeling you're right.

John, If it's scrictly Bet x time how do you explain my friend's offer from the Venetian?

jm

Dear Jeff,
Another ?? about credit lines that I've always wondered about is whether you can use them for slot/ VP. I know that in Peoria where I live and gamble (unfortunately!) you can write a check, get cash, and they "hold" the check for you so you can buy it back. If you don't they send it through like a regular check. You can do this after you establish an account with them.

I've never done this because I don't necessarily want checks to the casino showing up in my checkbook <G>. So I always wondered about the whole credit thing. As you say, it would be nice to not carry large amounts of cash on a trip (unless I'm carrying it home<VBG> ).

As far as the credit card thing, I believe that if you "purchase" chips it is considered a cash advance but it should depend on how the casino puts it through to the credit card company.

P.S. If you ask, I'd ask the casino instead of the credit card people<G>!

I have to concur with the thought that paying off a marker with a credit card is
treated as a cash advance.

I just established a line of credit at a
hotel this past month. We'll see if it results in any new and better offers.

Dick 8/4/99

Jeff, I'm sure your friends big buy in helped. I have no idea why he got the offer. If I could figure out casino comp policies I'd write a book and become rich<G>

------------------
John
Moderator-Dining Forum

supermom,

I understand that you CAN draw against your credit line for playing slots. I've heard you can get it at the cage and I've also heard you need to work thru a slot host. I don't play machines much so probably won't have the opportunity to find out.

jm

Hope this is not a dumb question, [img]http://www.talkvegas.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] but what is a marker? I've heard the term before, but have never understood what it is.

HSMOM,

Marker = I.O.U.

When you get money from a line of credit,
they set up a marker. If you win, and
want to repay the money, you cancel the
marker. If not, the casino will bill you
for the amount.

Dick 8/5/99

[This message has been edited by Dick - So. Calif (edited August 05, 1999).]