I am looking to anyone who has a "Harrahs Total Rewards" account. Is it better for both of us to use one card (which is what we do now) or use separate cards? Can you combine the two cards? Thanks

RUkiding,
Sharon & I both have cards, however, I play mostly on hers until she reaches Diamond level. I'm still gold. LOL I see no reason for both of us to be platinum level. Diamond is where the good perks start, as well as the offers. We'll never make 7 stars, that is the top.

I get a kick out of seeing both sides of what is offered on the web site for me, a lowly gold member and Sharon the diamond card holder.

The one down fall of playing on one card, that one person will get all the offers and coupons for cash.

Ok Lee thanks for the info. I guess that means we will continue playing on my card and be happy with whatever we get. At our level I dont anticipate getting any higher than gold anyway. Thanks again.

RUkiding,
The only time I really use my card is when there is some sort of promotion. Like 300 points earns you a stadium blanket, at Caesars. Then we both play and get a blanket. Also, remember, that when you look online at harrahs web site for rooms, there is a place to enter a spouses total rewards number. And it does make a difference. Like if I use my number, I get next to nothing as far as free nights room in Las Vegas, however when i list Sharon as my spouse, a lot more options open up.

LEE, Can you tell us what those "Perks" are for various levels of card membership?

I'm only aware that I can use it to pay for my buffet meals when and if my points are high enough.

I think I still have a bit over 5,000 points on my Palms Club card which I thought was pretty high but I do recall one club giving me 5,000 just for signing up.

Haven't paid too much attention to the value of these points but I am a big collector of these cards and trying to collect one from each casino in Nevada as well as California. Someday I'll mount them all in a big picture frame.

Thanks, Lee

will, the Harrah's website has a total rewards section. It has a very complex matrix of what's available with each level of membership and what it takes to get there. The general overview is easy enough to understand, yet fairly busy. The matrix comes to life when you select the specific benefits for each property. That stretches it out to designate how much perk you might get at places like The Voodoo Lounge or Forum Shops or golf or special tournaments or certain restaurants or clubs.

Coast or Boyd or whoever owns the Orleans and Gold Coast has recently lost a lot of my play when they installed special parking for Emerald status. I was already at that level so it wasn't a big deal. Still, I don't like them messing with parking, so I cashed out over $1000 in comp cash and was bumped down to infantry status.

Didja know that 1 point at casino A might take 1 dollar in to accumulate. That one point might take 25 dollars of action to accumulate in casino B. Of course the levels and benefits are proportional.

A really sharp card user might know which casino cards take the most to accumulate and remember that on special days when they have 10X point multipliers and specials like that.

Also, some casinos have automatic point multipliers as you hit certain levels. You might need 5000 points to hit a certain level, then 50,000, then 500,000, then 1,000,000. It may look impossible for some, but at 50,000 you automatically get a 10x multiplier whenever you play, at 500,000 you get 25x points, and at 1,000,000 you get 50x. I haven't put it on a spreadsheet but I think it makes it hard to get to a level but easier to maintain the level.

Will, JMT beat me to the punch here. He explains it very well I might add.
Those Harrahs points can be used for almost anything, so long as you have enough of them! But it does take a long time to build them up. As far as I can tell, Harrahs has one of the most expensive point systems (cost per point).
Some of the main perks I enjoy with Sharons diamond status, the free diamond lounge, in Vegas it's just snacks and drinks, internet, a nice get away. In AC, it's full buffet meal, with drink service.
Another of the perks is, free rooms at almost anytime. I've never asked for a date and didn't get the room, except asking on the same day of, when they where booked.
We've also had many free meals, whole bottles of booze, reservations for meals & shows. Like this upcoming trip, Sharon will get an extra $200 cash for staying at Caesars for free. Now you know where that cash will be going, but an extra $200 ain't bad.
Me as a lowly gold member gets free parking! LOL

JMT, I see a lot of the big clubs doing that special parking thing for thier big players. I didn't take offense to it. Look at it as those places just want the lower card members to stay healthy so then can someday make top card status, by giving us the much needed exercise from the long walk to and from the casino. Those casino marketing guys are always thing of the little guy! LOL

I certainly cannot complain about what is offered to me. I have really only stayed at Harrahs in Atlantic city for two nights and IP last month for 7 nights and I am going back to IP this month with 5 days comped and $95 for the other 2. I also may be leaving on the 20th instead of the 23rd and checked the website about rooms and can have those extra 3 nights comped at IP or Flamingo, so for 10 nights I pay $95. Maybe when I check out those 2 nights will be comped as well. I think I will combine our two cards when I get there and see how that works out.

We are going to see "Jersey Boys" tonight in Toronto and based on the reviews here I think we will really like it.

We are lowly gold members too. But IP has been generous with free rooms. The rates at Harrahs and Rio haven't been bad either. I always enter both of our gold card numbers on the website when prompted. It really does make a difference. For our gambling budget, we are very happy with Harrahs Total Rewards. I hope it stays that way.