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Imperial Palace
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Total Rewards Program
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| The Total Rewards Program is the first serious attempt at a nationwide slot club system. In Las Vegas, Bally's, Caesars Palace, Flamingo, Harrah's, Imperial Palace, O'Sheas, Paris, and Rio are all a part of this nationwide system. The slot card issued at one of these Las Vegas casinos will work in the card readers at all casino locations in the Total Rewards Program; benefits earned at one casino location are valid at any other location with certain minor exceptions. So conceivably, a player can earn benefits at one Total Rewards casino and then visit another Total Rewards casino he has never even seen and receive all the amenities to which the player is entitled by his accumulated play. As I understand matters, the entire system observes certain rules which are outlined below. In the Total Rewards Program, a player earns two items simultaneously: base reward credits and bonus reward credits. Credits are really nothing more than what are commonly call slot points, but their terminology of credits will be used here. A single base reward credit is earned by playing either $5 on a slot machine or $10 on a video poker machine. Of course, bonus reward credits are being earned simultaneously. The base reward credits are accumulated and determine a player's tier score. There are three tiers or levels of participation in the Total Rewards Program. The tiers in ascending order are called Total Gold, Total Platinum, and Total Diamond. I am a little surprised the program isn't called the Total Program, but that might make it sound like a breakfast cereal program. The two advanced levels or tiers are obtained by earning, respectively, 4,000 and 10,000 base reward credits within a year. The honor of being in either of the upper groups is maintained by earning 4,000 or 10,000 base reward credits annually. Play on any machine also generates bonus reward credits. These are earned at a rate unknown to the player. These credits are also earned at varying rates depending on the machine. From the Total Rewards slot booth personnel, a player will receive a runaround when inquiring how much play is necessary to acquire a bonus reward credit. "It depends on the type of machine and the denomination and ... " Basically, the appearance is that these employees do not know. Finally, base reward credits and bonus reward credits are added together to get what are called reward credits or comp dollars. The club's personnel do inform the player that reward credits or comp dollars may be used at the rate of 1000 reward credits for $10 in comps. When a player inserts his slot card into a reader, he will receive four pieces of information: his name, his reward credits (comp balance), his tier score (his base reward credits accumulated since January 1), and the countdown until his next base reward credit. Occasionally, if the computer system is in heavy demand, the reader will simply display the word ACCEPTED. This is not a problem if your purpose is simply to play the machine. However, if you wish to know the appropriate information, you may have to insert your slot card repeatedly. The reward credits expire after six months of inactivity on the slot card. |
| Online Slot Club Amenities | ||||||||||
| Reward credits and tier score may be viewed online. | ||||||||||
| Slot Point Accrual | ||||||||||
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| Slot Benefits | ||||||||||
| Cash: | None. | |||||||||
| Scrip: | None. | |||||||||
| Food: | Meals, buffets, etc. are obtained by using the reward credits. If not used, the reward credits will eventually be lost or at least sizably reduced. ATTENTION In my opinion, it is totally needless in a city like Las Vegas to play at any gaming establishment where the slot benefits are not clear and straightforward. At the casinos such as those in the Total Rewards Program, which are simply steps away from good competitors, it is effortless to go to adjacent casinos which will spill their guts (informatively speaking) and undoubtedly appreciate your patronage. My advice is to fully play introductory offers and promotions and then walk away. Unless the nationwide system has particular appeal to an individual's lifestyle, the program is of limited importance. |
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