When I’m not sharing Vegas News at TravelZork, I often reference casino rewards data, the current state of those benefits, and what the future may hold for the programs in Las Vegas and around the country.
Earlier this year, I noted that 62% of visitors to Las Vegas pay the full rate for hotel rooms. Moreover, only 13% of visitors to Las Vegas stayed in complimentary rooms last year.
This is according to the annual Las Vegas Visitor Profile. The number doesn’t change by much annually, and it’s a good reminder that this is a small community of people looking to get the most out of their rewards.
Amazingly enough, less than 10% of visitors in Las Vegas last year redeemed rewards for discounted hotel rooms through casino rewards programs. That’s bananas to me, but I’m always looking for a deal.
Another casino rewards data point that hasn’t changed at all over the past decade crossed my desk this week.
Only 5%-10% of casino rewards members are part of the highest tiers like MGM Gold, Platinum, Noir, or Caesars Seven Stars. Less than 20% are mid-tier like Caesars Diamond.
In other words, 80% of casino rewards members never move beyond the lowest tier.
This isn’t a Las Vegas thing, and it’s not new. The number hasn’t changed since I started covering the casino industry.
I came across the info when writing about the Golden Hour promotion for the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens at Bellagio last week. Every month for the rest of the year, except for November, there will be one day when MGM Rewards Gold members and above can enjoy the gorgeous display without the crowds and sip on complimentary drinks.
It’s a pretty cool perk for upper-tier members. Of course, MGM launched this alongside The Watering Hole, where guests can buy drinks. It’s not a “deal,” but the price for a crew of four isn’t crazy for 90 minutes of booze at a luxury resort.
I don’t want to rehash what I wrote about MGM’s move to monetize the free amenity and use it as a perk for the elite rewards members. Today, I’d rather look at using TravelZork to get the best out of casino rewards.
Getting The Most From Casino Rewards At TravelZork
We all want to get the most out of rewards, and there are many ways to learn how to do so in the TravelZork family. Sometimes the podcast covers important topics like understanding earning tier credit, theoretical loss, and actual loss.
Every week, in addition to news, Hurdy Gurdy Justin shares real-life examples of getting the most from gambling as it relates to casino rewards. Most of what he covers is a must-read for gamblers looking for the games that will reward players the best.
Lastly, the TravelZork Facebook Group discusses the good, bad, and ugly of the miles and points world. Like Justin, the members are boots on the ground and often have up-to-the-minute rewards info not found anywhere else.
Next year, the community will gather for ZorkFest. Community members will mingle with points and miles experts who focus on everything from casinos to travel and everyday life.
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Marc grew up on the mean streets of the South Bronx. He's the rare combination of Yankees and Jets fan which explains his often contrarian point of view. He learned about gambling at a young age working down the street from a bookie who took action on anything from the mainstream sports to the last three digits of the purse for certain horse races. Yeah, that's a thing. Today Marc is a freelance writer and social media consultant which allows him to work anywhere there's a wifi signal. This allows him to work from the sportsbook at Red Rock Resort or the food court at The Venetian where you’ll find fast and free wifi. Writing about steak, booze, gambling and Las Vegas is a tough job but somebody has to do it.