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Casino comps are more difficult to come by every day. There was a time where casinos would hand out complimentary meals, rooms, and drinks just to keep guests gambling. Forget meals and rooms. It's a challenge to even find a good complimentary drink.
Casino operators in Las Vegas today are mostly corporations looking to maximize profit everywhere they can. Casinos don't dish out the freebies like they used to. The casino customer has changed a lot over the years and so have the companies.
About 30-40 percent of casino revenue comes from gaming. That's a huge decrease from the 1960s, ‘70s, and '80s. Casinos have changed policies to match changing preferences in order to maximize profit. Here are a few things to be aware of next time drinkers visit Las Vegas.
Short Pouring Drinks
Depending on where you gamble in a casino, there might be a different policy for complimentary drinks. Waitresses still fly around the casino floor offering table game and slot machine players complimentary drinks. Of course, depending on the casino the drink might taste a little different.
In 2016, MGM Resorts started to serve cocktails with only 1.25 ounces of spirits instead of the typical 1.5 ounces. This might not sound like much but that's similar to paying 6:5 for blackjack instead of 3:2. It's annoying and it's a challenge to get a great drink.
The small difference might not be noticeable by every guest but most people should be able to taste and feel the difference. The short pours aren't only for mixed drinks. All drinks, even a delicious Macallan scotch are measured a little smaller. Less booze = less buzz. Not cool.
MGM Resorts says that they aren't the only casino operator to short pour drinks in Las Vegas. The quality of your mixed drink may depend on where you're gambling.
Recommendation: Casinos can't short pour the amount of alcohol in beer and wine. Consider these drinks in order to maximize your buzz.
Limiting Complimentary Drinks at Bars
While complimentary drinks still flow on the main casino floor, they're limited at video poker bars. Most casinos on the Vegas Strip have installed drink monitoring systems at their video poker bars. These systems help casino operators limit the number of 'free' drinks for guests.
The drink monitoring systems track how much the player is gambling. When a guest places $20 in a machine, they'll receive one complimentary drink. If the pace and amount wagered (usually $1 minimum per hand) per hand meet qualifications, the bartender is alerted that they can offer complimentary drinks or the machine gives the player a ticket to redeem for a complimentary drink.
The systems are obnoxious but they shouldn't hamper video poker players that play at a steady pace and max bet ($1.25 per hand) each hand. Some guests that are chatting with friends while playing video poker might have a problem keeping up with the pace needed.
The systems have a downside but they do weed out some video poker players that only play for a unit and expect the same complimentary drinks as a max bet player. This should keep seats empty for paying customers.
Some bars that don't have the system have instituted a time limit to the number of drinks served. Last year I was served one glass of scotch every 15 minutes – and not a second sooner. (More on this shortly.) Fan pageof old vegas slots.
Getting The Most From Drinks At A Video Poker Bar
Limiting drinks to video poker and slot machine players at casino bars sound much worse than it is in reality. Manhattan slots casino. Drink monitoring players is not a great policy for casino guests. However, drink monitoring systems are more of an inconvenience than something that will limit how much players drink.
Video poker players who are also drinkers now have to think about the best way to spend their money. Does it make sense to put $20 in a video poker machine with bad paytables just to have one complimentary drink? Maybe, the vision of a $1,000 royal flush is alluring.
I tend to drink beer when gambling nowadays to get the most out of each experience. When given the option of where to play, I usually opt for a luxury property like the Cosmopolitan. Each drink ticket can be used for a cocktail with a $15 retail value. This keeps most booze options open.
Since the Cosmopolitan doesn't short pour so it's possible to even taste the booze in a mixed drink. Gasp! Most middle-shelf scotch and vodka are available as complimentary drinks for a ticket. I've enjoyed a delicious Old Fashioned with Woodford Reserve as well as a fair pour of the bourbon on the rocks.
While Treasure Island limits drinkers to four drinks an hour, they offer Macallan 12 as a complimentary drink at the video poker bar. This is one of the best comps available for scotch drinkers on the Vegas Strip. Macallan isn't available to table game players, so this is an especially nice treat.
The luxury properties tend to offer stronger complimentary mixed drinks than the lower end casinos on the Vegas Strip. Wynn only offers comp drinks at the tables. You might get the best 'free' vodka/soda at their tables but that's only at the tables. Video poker players will have to pay for their drinks.
Explore Comp Drinks At Your Favorite Casinos
This information is all subject to change. Casino operators may change the complimentary spirits available to gamblers throughout the casino. While the recommendations above have worked for me recently, they may be out of date by the time you visit the casino. Just ask the bartender or cocktail waitress for their complimentary spirits and go from there.
My exploration of different boozes are available started by trying to avoid Absolut vodka. This continued as I was looking to drink Macallan instead of other scotches. Exploring booze can maximize your complimentary drink experience in the casinos.
One of my favorite parts of Las Vegas is all of the comped drinks. Which is short for complimentary drinks. Which is casino jargon for free drinks.
You read that right: free drinks.
Need I say more? Probably not, but it wouldn't be Viva Las Value without a long-winded geeky explanation, so let's talk more about the best way to maximize your (drinking) value in Las Vegas!
Drinks are only free if you're gambling (or look like you're gambling).
And, as any seasoned gambler knows, Lady Luck is a fickle mistress. Which means that sometimes you will win, sometimes you will break even, and sometimes you will lose. Fortunately, free drinks can help offset the house edge and make it possible to come out ahead — or at least buzzed.
So, about those free drinks. Or should I say, 'free' drinks:
- Sometimes drinks are truly free in that you break even. Which is technically a win, since you would've paid way too much for it at the bar.
- Sometimes you pay a LOT more than you'd pay for your drink at the overpriced bar 20 feet away. Learn from my mistakes… I've had a $51 Heineken before.
- Sometimes, though, the stars align, and you transcend the odds to achieve the ultimate dream: getting paid to drink. Trust me, nothing tastes sweeter than a beer that you're getting paid to drink.
The steps to getting a free drink are simple.
- Gamble (don't forget to use your players card!)
- Listen for the siren call of 'driiiinks? cocktaaaiiiiiills?'
- Make eye contact with the cocktail waitress (or bartender)
- Order your drink
- Get your tip ready as you wait for the waitress to return
- Collect your drink and tip the cocktail waitress
- Protip: if you're serious about your drinking, give a larger tip and ask her to bring another next time she comes around; do this, and you'll never have an empty glass/bottle. Just remember that you can only have one drink in front of you at once, so drink quickly!
- Repeat until you are sufficiently drunk
Beer, liquor, wine, and cocktail selection varies by property, so don't hesitate to ask the cocktail waitress what they have in your preferred category. They will be more than happy to give you a quick rundown of what they can offer for bourbons or beers, but they won't be amused if you ask the broad question 'what do you serve?' since they're effectively a roving bar, and time is money since they rely on tips.
Beer
Most places will serve bottles, but if you're playing at the bar, you'll sometimes get drafts.
Every casino will have the standard American beers (Bud, Miller, Coors, etc., and their corresponding light varieties) and popular imports (Heineken, Corona, etc.). Most casinos also have faux-craft beers like Blue Moon and Goose Island.
Craft beer selection varies by casino, so it never hurts to ask, but be prepared to be flexible if the server tells you they don't have it. I recommend having a fallback domestic (mine is Bud Light, since I like to hydrate while I'm drinking) just to be safe.
If you're a beer snob like me, your best bet is to play bartop video poker so you can see the taps they have and order accordingly. Ellis Island and Main Street Station both brew their own beer in house, which means you can get some nice pints fresh from the keg. The Vue Bar (upstairs at the D) and Bar Prohibition (at Golden Gate) also have a great selection of beers on tap.
Liquor
Every casino will have well liquors for all of the standard types of liquor (whiskey, vodka, rum, tequila, etc), as well as a large selection of premium/call brands (Jack Daniels, Maker's Mark, Grey Goose, Captain Morgan, Patron, etc).
ALWAYS order a call drinkand/or ask the cocktail waitress what brands they can comp and order accordingly. If you order a 'shot of whiskey' you'll get a shot of gut rot. But if you order a Maker's Mark, they'll either bring you a glass of quality bourbon or tell you 'we can't comp that, but we can do Jack Daniels/Jim Beam/Crown Royal/Windsor.' Anything is better than gut rot.
I usually stick to beer in Vegas (since it's not a sprint, and I have to carbo load for my all-day drinking marathons), but I've been impressed with the bourbon selection at The Cromwell (comped healthy pours of Woodford Reserve) and Main Street Station (I literally fished off a bottle of Maker's Mark on Election Night 2016).
Cocktails
Every casino will have the standard cocktails (liquor + mixer, margarita, martini, cosmopolitan, mimosa, etc) and the ability to make most things. The cocktail waitress puts your order in at the bar, so if a bartender can make it, they'll be able to deliver it.
Again, when you order your cocktail, be sure to specify the brand so you don't get stuck with bottom shelf liquor. Most bars are fully stocked, so shoot for the moon (but be prepared with an easier backup just in case).
Many places have frozen cocktails, and I've also seen people order unique drinks like the Mississippi Mudslide, a Hot Toddy, or coffee-based cocktails.
Wine
Wine hits me with a brutal hangover when I overdo it (which is every day in Las Vegas), so I've never ordered it at the casino. However, I often see people drinking it. Unless you're balling out in the high limit room, they probably won't have specific brands, but they do seem to have multiple varieties of whites and reds covered.
Order by type (chardonnay, merlot, white zinfandel, etc.), and the cocktail waitress should be able to get you what you want (or something close to it)!
Other
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Cocktail waitresses can also bring non-alcoholic beverages. Since not everyone is as irresponsible as me in Las Vegas, I'll refrain from making a snarky comment and add my obligatory reminder to order water.
I've seen people order tea, coffee, hot chocolate, pop (not soda, pop damn it!), virgin drinks, juice, energy drinks, and much more.
Okay, calm down all you pedants… the drinks aren't TRULY free in that you have to tip the cocktail waitress! This is a small price to pay for a bottomless glass of your favorite booze.
The standard tip is $1 per drink. This should keep the cocktail waitresses coming back frequently. I always give $1 for each drink they hand me (including waters). No need to break the bank here, however an extra buck or two occasionally will ensure that they come back even quicker. Additionally, if you plan to post up at a machine or table for a while, a larger tip at first will show the waitress that you're serious about drinking, and will pay dividends.
You can tip in cash and/or chips. I recommend breaking a $20 at the cashier at the start of each day so that you always have tip money on hand.
Trust me on this one, tipping the cocktail waitress is the only sure-fire investment you can make in the casino. I deliberately said 'investment' rather than 'gamble' because it is guaranteed to return cheap/free drinks many times over. If that's not a dollar well spent, I don't know what is (especially when you see the exorbitant prices that casino bars charge)! If only I could get the same return on my gambling…
Playing Bartop Video Poker is the fastest way to get free drinks, since you can gamble at the bar while reaping the benefits of close proximity to a bartender. This is an especially valuable tip if you like draft beers and/or want to relax while people watching or watching a sports game.
If you're taking advantage of comped drinks while playing at the bar, always insert at least a $20 and play max bet (on quarters) so that the bartender knows to comp you. If they ask you if you're gambling, say yes. If you do this, it's implied that the drink will be comped, but you can ask the bartender their comp policy to double check if you'd like.
The bartender will bring you your drink, tell you good luck, and place a receipt in a cup behind your machine. This receipt is only for accounting purposes, and not how much you owe; if you owe money, they will tell you the total. Otherwise, ignore the slip and place your tip in the cup.
Unfortunately, some casinos have implemented lights or ticketing systems to cut down on freeloaders at the bar. Under these systems, the first drink is usually free, but the next ones are dependent on consistent gambling. Fortunately, this only affects play at the bar, so if you aren't prepared to gamble a decent amount, play a machine on the casino floor and slow-roll to your heart's content.
In places with a bartop ticketing system (like the Cosmopolitan), the machine will spit out a drink ticket every 15-20 minutes as long as you're playing regularly. You will then redeem these tickets in exchange for a drink. Be sure to use them, because they often expire within 24 hours. If you're at your limit, you can always redeem them for bottles of water or spread some good karma and give them to other players. One unexpected positive of drink tickets is that many places will allow you to combine multiple tickets for more premium spirits (like Johnnie Walker Blue) or specialty cocktails (2 tickets will get you specialty cocktails at the Cosmopolitan's bars). Bartenders will happily explain
In places with a bartop light system (like Caesars Palace), there is a light on the back of the machine that will turn green when you're betting high enough and frequently enough. If you're not gambling enough and your light goes red, the bartender may tell you to play more. The threshold varies by property, so ask the bartender if you're in doubt. I don't have any experience with light systems since I prefer to gamble at places that are more supportive of my excessive alcohol consumption.
The Wynn and Encore do NOT comp drinks while playing bartop games, so don't waste your time or money playing there; stick to the floor at these two properties.
Slow Roll
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Slow-rolling is the best way to minimize your losses and maximize your BAC. A portmanteau of my own creation, it combines slow play with low rolling to game the system for the cheapest drinks possible.
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Check out my slow-rolling guide for more on this simple technique!
Drink at the LINQ
The LINQ is my favorite place to rev up my drinking, since they will bring you a comped beer AND a shot of liquor with in same order. I discovered this through a happy accident when my table ordered a table shot of Jack, and I was drinking Bud Light; the cocktail waitress said she can't serve two liquors, but she can do a beer and liquor.
As far as I know, the LINQ is the only casino that does this; I've also tried at Planet Hollywood, Flamingo, and Excalibur with no success.
Keep it Classy
Liquor selection tends to correlate with swankiness. If you're a connoisseur, it's worth checking out a classier establishment to see if you can get a marginal upgrade in your selection. The liquor cabinet at fancier casinos (think Cosmopolitan/Cromwell/Wynn/Bellagio) tends to be a bit more varied and premium.
For example, the Cromwell comps Woodford Reserve and Knob Creek… which is a such a good deal, it caused me to miss my departing flight once.
What's your go-to comp drink? Let us know down below in the comments!