Poker Deadbeats

SPECIAL REPORT
PRO SWIPERS

It is a Saturday evening in Las Vegas, the first one in 2009. There is a choice of a hundred things to do but it appears the whole neighborhood is crowded into one corner of this station casino. They are waiting, many without spending any money, for the 8:15pm drawing were the "chosen one" could go home $25k richer. The drawing is free to enter. You just have to go to a Station or Fiesta owned property everyday and swipe your player's card to win entries or other prizes. "Every swipe is a winner." There are the casual players and the pros. Since this is a free-for-all, it is hard for the pros to find an edge. One such edge may be to go to a less populated casino, one like the recently opened Aliante, in a remote part of Las Vegas, which isn't serviced by public transportation.

All casinos must be grateful for the recent sharp drop in gasoline prices. After all, few would spend $10 to drive to a casino for just $3 in free slot play.

Miss G won $7k when her name was called at two drawings in a week. Asked how much of the money she returned to the casino she replies "All of it." She does receive a mailer every month offering cheap imported mystery gifts, 2 for 1 buffets, and free slot play.

Mr. J sets out early every morning for the Station card swipe which runs until January 10th. He swipes for himself, his wife, and a friend from out of town. Mr. J says he has often won small food comps which he uses to buy lunch in the casino. Once, he won a $50 food comp which he saved for a weekend brunch with his wife and two friends.

It is a harmless pastime for many players such as Mr. J who has retired to Las Vegas.

Then there are the pro swipers. One such player is Mr. K — he knows the formula casino marketing uses and aims for maximum comps every month for the minimum risk. Mr. K only plays at casinos with active/aggressive marketing for players and in casinos with near 100% payback machines. Of course, on sessions without jackpot hands he will still lose money but Mr. K is in it for the long haul.

The pro players are continually networking, working as a team to try and find any positive plays.

The Coast casinos have a magazine inserted into the local newspaper once a month. Anthony Curtis, operator of the popular www.lasvegasadvisor.com and www.advantageplayer.com sites calls it "such a strong play we didn't expect to see it again." Indeed it is so popular, finding a newspaper on the day of the Coast casinos mag, is harder than making money off all the coupons inside.

The idea originally came from Station casino marketing and for one profitable month players could work almost full time at redeeming coupons at these two companies eleven participating properties.

Story continued next week...