What a player rating is
A player rating is a casino’s record of how much a guest plays, used to estimate how much the casino expects to win from that play. At a blackjack table, the person doing the rating is usually the floor supervisor, who notes details when a guest presents a loyalty card or asks to be rated. The information is then entered into the casino’s system and linked to the guest’s account.
The purpose is business, not generosity. The casino wants to know which guests are worth rewarding with free or discounted items, and how much it can afford to offer.
What gets measured
Blackjack is hard to track automatically because chips are on the table and not in a machine, so ratings rely on observation and estimates. The usual inputs are:
- Buy-in. The amount of cash or chips the guest starts with.
- Average bet. A supervisor’s estimate of a typical wager over the session. Because bets change from hand to hand, this is a judgement, not an exact figure.
- Time played. How long the guest was at the table, often rounded.
- Hands per hour. Typically assumed from the game and the number of players. A crowded table deals fewer hands per hour than a quiet one, and the figure is usually an estimate. Online play has a different pace, as discussed under hands per hour.
- Rule set and game type. The house edge changes with the rules, so a rating system may apply a different assumed edge for different games.
The record is not a count of your actual wins and losses. A rating is about volume of play, not outcomes. Whether you won or lost on the day does not change the theoretical figure.
The theoretical loss calculation
From these inputs, the casino computes an expected loss, often called theoretical loss or “theo”. The calculation is the same idea as expected value, the long-run average result per unit bet:
average bet × hands played × assumed house edge
Here is an illustration with deliberately simple numbers. Suppose a guest plays 60 hands an hour for 3 hours, which is 180 hands, with an average bet of 20 units. Total amount wagered is 180 × 20 = 3,600 units. If the casino assumes an edge of 1 percent, the theoretical loss is 3,600 × 0.01 = 36 units. These figures are examples only and do not describe any real casino or game.
This is an average over many hands, not a prediction for one session. In a single session, a guest may win or lose far more than the theoretical figure, because results vary widely around the average. The notion of variability is covered in the piece on standard deviation.
What a comp is
A comp, short for complimentary, is something the casino gives free or at a discount because of a guest’s play: a meal, a drink, a room, a show ticket or a promotional credit. Casinos typically set comps as a fraction of the theoretical loss, not as a share of the guest’s real losses. Rules differ by property, and the percentage is set privately by each casino.
Because comps are tied to theoretical loss, a guest who bets more, or plays for longer, earns larger rewards. That is also the guest who has the most expected loss.
Why comps never offset the house edge
Comps return only a fraction of what the casino expects to win. If the theoretical loss in the earlier example is 36 units, a comp worth a share of that, say a quarter, would be 9 units. The guest still expects to lose 36 and receive 9 in value, a net expected cost of 27 units. Those numbers are illustrative, but the structure is real: the casino’s policy is built so that it keeps a margin after comps, otherwise comps would not make business sense.
Two further points:
- Comps are not cash. A free meal is worth less to many guests than the same amount in money, and it often encourages additional time at the property.
- Playing more to earn more gives the wrong incentive. Increasing your bets or hours to reach a comp level raises your expected loss by more than the reward is worth.
Basic strategy lowers the house edge, but it does not remove it, and no loyalty scheme changes that. The size of the edge is set out in the article on the house edge, and the cost of play over time is covered under cost per hour.
Practical points for players
- Joining a loyalty programme is optional. Think about what personal information you are sharing and how it will be used.
- Ratings are estimates, so differences between your own view of your play and the casino’s are normal.
- Do not let the chance of a comp influence how long you stay or how much you bet. Decide on a session budget first and treat any reward as a small extra.
- Remember that a rating is a tool for the casino, not a measure of how well you are doing.
Gambling is a form of entertainment with a cost, and outcomes are uncertain. It can become harmful, and anyone worried about their play can contact a local support service.