Having just been through this over the past 6 weeks, let me offer a bit of advice if you're into comps.

Stations are cumulative comps- in other words, every minute you play earns you comp dollars. But they also subtract EVERYTHING from that total. They even subtract a pack of cigarettes, billing it at $5. My wife and I have played together on the same card for hours, and asked for a pack of cigs (filthy habit, we admit) and were told the pack we got 2 days ago at another station put us below even on comp dollars. We're down $50 for the night and they give us a hard time for tobacco?!?!? Drinks aren't subtracted, but they're hard to get.

Coast casino (SPECIFICALLY THE ORLEANS) has a much more liberal drink and tobacco policy. What they don't do is accumulate points. If you play at a level to get a free meal at a good restaurant ($5/hand for a few hours) you get it. And that's a great deal, because their restaurants are good. But you'd better take it that night. While strip casinos will add your play up to score a room. These guys won't. Take what you get the night you get it. No carry-over. This very night I looked at a pit boss who's watched my wife and I play a total of 70 hours at $10/hand average over the past month and never awarded us a comp, and I told him we'd like to stay later, but I need to drive home. Can I get a room? He told me that if I'm not playing $50 to $75 a hand, rooms are impossible. He reiterated that play isn't cumulative at the Orleans.

As for limits- I stick to larger "locals" places like Coasts and Stations. But for the best blackjack in hand I recommend going to The Sahara. $1 blackjack tables are easier to get than a $5 on the strip. $2 blackjack is simple. At the Coasts, $5 blackjack is a search but do-able, $2 craps is easy.

Please keep in mind that I have no gripe with anyone's comp policy. I just think the player shoudl know what it is.

Also, playing poker at The Palms for 2 hours at a 2-4 Hold 'Em game has scored me a $5 meal ticket without asking. That's the most generous I've experienced anywhere. (AND NO- THEY DIDN'T KNOW I KNEW GENE)

All I know, for what it's worth.