Caesars sends a letter with a coupon for either a $100 gaming chip or a $100 coupon for one of their gourmet restaurants. There's no obligation to be a hotel guest to use the coupon. That's the whole offer, and nothing more. In order words, they sent me the bait with that darn coupon <G>.

Say I am staying at another hotel but use the $100 dining coupon. Does doing that hurt or help in receiving future room offers since using the dining coupon tells Caesars I was in town but staying elsewhere? Or won't it make any difference because they just want you to show up and hope you stay and gamble?

Hi, Veronica.

My initial reaction to your question is "who knows?" It seems, to the naked eye, that there often is little real rhyme or reason to these mailed offers. I would guess that they might match the date you use the coupon to any action you give them that day, although sometimes I think we may give them more credit for solid organization than they deserve. I would not think that you would be penalized for not staying there (I've used coupons under these circumstances in the past and have not noticed any "penalty"), but, as we all know, it varies from property to property.

Bottom line, though, is 100 bucks is 100 bucks, and I wouldn't let that offer slip away. I'd use the coupon, and give them some solid action that day if I was so inclinded. But, I'd definitely use the coupon if I were you!


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Mark L. in NJ

Thanks, Mark. Using the $100 dining coupon would be the one I would definitely not pass up.

If I did NOT gamble but just used the coupon, where will that leave my rating with Caesars? Another case of "who knows?" probably.

V, why not take the $100 gaming chip and then cash it in for cash. Will they give you a regular black chip that you could do this with? The one offer I received mentioned $100 chips, so I assumed they were regular casino chips. That way, if you want to eat you can use the $100 towards paying the tab. If not, keep the $100.
Also, by doing it this way they have no idea what you did. What if you are a $5 blackjack player and don't get rated. You could have played the $100 at a blackjack table and they would have never known.
Whatever you do, I don't think that it will hurt your rating. I doubt that Caesars worried about your $100. The idea is to get you to the casino. There are a percentage of people who will play and make up for those that don't.
Did you just receive this offer? Boy, must me nice. I wish I got an offer like that. Maybe mine is still in the mail.

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John
Moderator Dining Forum
john@talkvegas.com

John: Good thought on taking the $100 chip and cashing it in, but I checked the offer and it says it's a $100 non-negotiable gaming chip. I'd rather have the food credit anyway.

Veronica -

Well, if you used the coupon and did not gamble, that would leave you with $100 more in your wallet! :-) Seriously, though, I think it is a case of "who knows." My gut tells me that we give the casino a bit more credit than it deserves, and that it probably does NOT match up your coupon use with your play. On the other hand, and a bit ironically, you can be sure that if you gave only minor play while you were there it probably would HURT your rating. Bottom line, in my view, is use the coupon and give them either a few hours of serious play or no play at all. It'll be interesting to see what happens! Keep us posted.

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Mark L. in NJ

[This message has been edited by markl (edited September 26, 1999).]

V,

If is "A $100 non-negotiable chip", you've only got one shoice of what to do with it. You make a $100 bet. If you win your bet, they'll pay you in real chips. You will probably still have your $100 Non-neg chip to keep betting with until you lose it. The only way to get rid of those things is to make a bet that loses.

Here's the big question. What's worth more? A $100 chip that you could lose in one hand or possibly make several hundred dollars with OR a hundred dollar meal that maybe you could get comped anyway?????

jm

How about going for one roll at the craps tables? Take the $100 chip and divide it up after the come-out roll into 4 place bets--say, 6, 8, 5, and one other depending on the come out. The odds are in your favor for that one roll of the dice. No seven and you walk away.

The biggest problem if you escape the seven is the part about walking away after that one roll.

If it's a $100 non-negotiable gaming chip you may only be able to bet the whole chip on one thing. In that case I would bet the chip on black put another $100 real money on red and $6 on both zero and double zero. You are guaranteed to make an $88 profit if they take the n-n chip and pay you real money if it lands on black. If you do have to keep playing the chip if you win, I suggest betting it on one of my hands of blackjack.<g>

[This message has been edited by randyc (edited September 30, 1999).]

Veronica,
I think that the casinos here in Vegas DO NOT keep very good records and therefore will send you specials regardless of your history of staying at the hotels. Basically I say that you should take advantage of all the "free" things you can while you visit. Well, that is my 2 cents [img]http://www.talkvegas.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

Joe

ps- sometimes it is not worth it to walk through an entire casino to get a free hat!

Joe: Very good advice and many thanks.

Yesterday I got a voucher from the D.I. for a non-negotiable chip. You better believe I will take advantage of grabbing those kind of "freebies" [img]http://www.talkvegas.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img]