The Frugal Gambler Casino Guide by Jean Scott

For readers of the Las Vegas Advisor, Jean Scott needs no introduction—but we'll give her one anyway!

 

Way back in 1992, Jean burst onto the Las Vegas low-roller scene with a lead story in LVA titled "50 Nights—49 Free" that unlocked the secrets to getting comped rooms on a 25¢-video-poker-player's budget. Jean went on to write the best-selling book, The Frugal Gambler, which outlined her powerful strategies for navigating the casino system, and prompted Dan Rather on "48 Hours" to dub her the "Queen of Casino Comps." (Today, she'd get the 50th room free and hundreds more; the Scotts have so many comps, they couldn't use them all in two lifetimes.)

 

Over the last two decades, Jean has refined the art of working players clubs, taking advantage of casino promotions and drawings, optimizing the use of casino coupons, and above all, playing the beatable games expertly. And while veteran gamblers will find dozens of valuable tips, they aren't the primary target of this book. Rather, recreational gamblers are the focus. With solid information on the ins and outs of the games, the systems, and the casino-employee mindset, the Frugal Gambler Casino Guide conveys concepts and strategies that will stretch bankrolls, reduce losses, and provide a blueprint for long-term casino success.

The excerpts below are from four of the 11 chapters. The other seven cover goals and personalities, gambling math, video poker, players clubs, promotions, when to walk, and money issues.

 

Introduction: Why a New Book?

 

In 2008, economic hell broke loose and affected every part of life. The casino world went through a major transformation. Comp policies became more restrictive and games were universally tightened up. Economic conditions have improved, yet it seems the casinos haven't loosened the restrictive strategies they adopted during the rough times. For the first time in my 30+ years of gambling in casinos, the casino customer is no longer king. That's why I felt compelled to write this new book. I just can't stop myself from trying to help you cope with the casino world of today.

 

 

Chapter 3: The Casino-Game Buffet

 

Knowledgeable gamblers know that in the short term, luck is the biggest influence on winning or losing. However, for the long term (all that short-term play averaged together), skill factors can be more powerful. All gamblers can agree on the most basic goal that's especially suitable for the conditions in today's casino: to lose less.

 

Chapter 4: Not Your Grandma's Slots Anymore

 

A dollar slot player is as valuable to a casino as a black­jack player who bets $100 a hand. But did you know that a penny slot player can be five times more valuable than that? Many 1¢ or 2¢ games allow up to 500 bets. Dangerous! Even at the 1¢ level, if you play max coin, that's $5—four times as much per hand than you'd play on a regular single-line five-coin quarter machine.

 

Chapter 8: Playing the Comp Game

 

Getting your comps through the players club system provides many advantages. In most casinos these days, this is an easy process—just stop at a kiosk and print out your comp. Or even easier, there might be a point-of-purchase system where you go straight to the restaurant or other casino outlet, show your player's card and ID, and the appropriate number of points will be deducted from your account to pay for whatever you're buying. In addition, it isn't intimidating. You don't have to approach a casino executive and ask, not knowing if you've played enough to qualify for a particular comp. You don't feel like you're begging; the comp is directly related to your club points, so you've definitely earned it.