Comps at Casino Niagara

Inquirer · Sep 04,2007, 11:49 PM

I don't know if this is old news, but to me it's new...news. I was playing at Casino Niagara yesterday and found out that they offer comps ($0.40/hr, same as Fallsview I believe), much like at Fallsview now. Everyone at my table was surprised as they were just as clueless as me. I guess it's relatively new and not really advertised.

BlondeFish · Sep 05,2007, 12:46 AM

I was as clueless as everybody else. I've had long poker sessions at Casino Niagara, Fallsview Casino and Casino Brantford, but was never informed about handing over your player's card in the poker room for rewards. I had been playing poker for six hours at Brantford when I happened to notice a couple of players handing over their card, so I later asked what it was for and it was only then that I found out that I had been missing out on the $.40/hour reward all this time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inquirer

Everyone at my table was surprised as they were just as clueless as me. I guess it's relatively new and not really advertised.

Overseer55 · Sep 05,2007, 07:39 AM

The sad thing about $0.40/hr is that I have actually accrued semi-meaningful comps at Brantford.

primetime21 · Sep 05,2007, 01:59 PM

I get my comps at Fallsview from playing the slot machines mainly. I haven't had to pay for a buffett there in probably 6 months. As well as getting probably $400-500 worth of concert tickets in the past month or so. They are finally starting to loosen the slots up at Fallsview, i've had some pretty good wins there, but at Niagara not so good. The last few times i've been to Niagara the place was dead, and they only had 2 poker tables going on the friday of Labour day weekend at 2 in the afternoon. I can really see them closing Casino Niagara in the not too distant future.
I guess i will have to bite the bullett and pay the $5 per half hour seat charge at Fallsview and try playing poker a bit more. During the day they just don't have enough poker tables going at Casino Niagara, but i would rather pay the rake there. At least if i'm having a day with no cards what so ever i'm not giving the casino 10 dollars per hour like at Fallsview.

BBC Z · Sep 05,2007, 02:18 PM

Quote:

I get my comps at Fallsview from playing the slot machines mainly.

OMG, how much are you down? 10k-20k?

Quote:

I can really see them closing Casino Niagara in the not too distant future.

Nah, I doubt that the old casino loses money.. Plus, you have to basically get hit by lightning a thousand times in a row to be able to open a casino anywhere.. You think they're gonna just give it up?

Now I don't want to get off on a rant here...

But if theres any reason why the traffic is waning to the casinos it's because the % return on the slots is too low, causing too many losers and breaking all the gamblers quickly while killing the 'return urge'... But of course, the OGC won't realise that until they *DO* have to shut down Niagara.

primetime21 · Sep 05,2007, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBC Z

OMG, how much are you down? 10k-20k?

Actually i almost have my gold card for this six month period, and i am actually up in money. I've had a couple of good payouts, as well as i can usually play for a couple of hours on about $80 lately with the outcome being that i brake even at least. I try to go to Fallsview during high volume periods, ie Friday night, sometimes Saturday. And for some reason Wednesday nights seem to be quite good for me. Starting since about June they have definitely loosened the slots quite a bit since the previous year. I have seen people winning some good payouts the past month or so especially.
As to your comments about Casino Niagara, i agree they probably won't close it down. But the traffic volume through there is on the downside. One of the major reasons for this is that the major bus lines no longer drop people off at Niagara anymore they are let off at Fallsview. As well there is no shuttle between the 2 casinos anymore. They are pretty much killing off Niagara slowly a bit more each month it seems. I'm sure it will pick up now with football season and the betting section down below, but for poker playing they definitely have few tables running during the day compared to summer last year. The poker room at Fallsview definitely had a large increase of players during the day this summer.

moose · Sep 05,2007, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by primetime21

i can usually play for a couple of hours on about $80 lately with the outcome being that i brake even at least. I try to go to Fallsview during high volume periods, ie Friday night, sometimes Saturday. And for some reason Wednesday nights seem to be quite good for me. Starting since about June they have definitely loosened the slots quite a bit since the previous year. I have seen people winning some good payouts the past month or so especially.

Well done. You obviously read this book:

HP_John · Sep 06,2007, 04:18 AM

I believe it's $0.50 at FV. Casino profits are down noticeably according to a news story. CN has definitely taken a bigger hit than FV.

DP_Machine · Sep 06,2007, 11:06 PM

How do you collect those rewards/comps? Do you have to show your card when you register or when you sit at the table? Is this something that is kept a secret on purpose or similar to a warranty on parts/aspects of a car that no one knows about unless one reads or is told about it?

As to the Casino Niagara struggles as of late, I still prefer going to Casino Niagara as to Fallsview. It doesn't even have to do anything with the rake v session fee argument. I just feel more comfortable there and the environment. It's possibly due to the fact that it isn't as crowded over at Fallsview and that the wait won't be an hour-long or possibly more.

It's too bad if the OLGC would consider and end up closing it down. Why would you want to close something that could generate a lot of revenue? Sure, there would need to be changes in order to encourage players to come back or to choose Casino Niagara and make sure that it does make money. Perhaps, a suggestion would be to have more rewards for players in the various games that are played there and to have an aggressive ad campaign with the focus being on making the casino more consumer-friendly and rewarding those who continue to play there.

Inquirer · Sep 07,2007, 10:48 AM

If you've ever gotten any comps at Fallsview, it's just like that. You give them your card when you sign up and when you get a table they should key you in. When you finish remember to sign out or you get nothing I think. I also heard that if you play past 6am you need to re-sign. I have no idea why they keep it a secret, I would think that it would only be beneficial for them. Or why they don't have more sngs. As bad as they are, they seem to be popular so I would think they would make more money by having more or at least by demand.

Seems like maybe Niagara could be closing down (though I doubt it)? I noticed that it seems like Fallsview is cutting it's ties so to speak with Niagara. First, the buses (at least the one company I've been on) only goes to Fallsview. Second, there's no shuttles between the casinos anymore. Lastly, Niagara aren't holding any WPT satellites this year.

Maybe the card shufflers and the comps are a way to bring more players/revenue in and not just because they are late in getting it as I had thought.