Should you look like a loser or a winner in the eyes of the casino? The jury may still be out on this issue. Some seasoned gamblers believe that you will get better comps if you give the impression that you have lost. For most, that may not be hard.

The theory here is that the casinos are more likely to invite back those players that have dropped their hard earned dollars at their casino. It makes sense when you understand that the casino's sole purpose for being in business is to take your money. And you thought the casinos were there to provide you with a wonderful vacation and also allow you to win at their tables. Think again!

Personally I've found that it's best to stash it away if you're playing in the Host casino (the one you're staying at) and let it all show at a casino you're visiting (Visiting casino). To be really honest, I've never been offered a comp when I was losing. No matter how much I was down! The only time I was offered a comp was when I was winning and I wasn't staying at the casino. Let me give you a couple of examples.

The very first time I ever took a marker at a table I was a little nervous about owing the casino money. There was no way that I was going to lose it all and then have to figure out how to get it back, or worse yet, have the casino send the check to my bank! As a way of managing my money I began to slowly stash it away. The pit personnel are normally busy with lots of things and it's impossible for them to keep track of what's going on. If you get a dealer that's also rather oblivious to what's going on, you can stash it away without bringing undue attention to yourself.

Over a couple of hours I held my own at the table, the dealers changed a couple of times during this period, and the casino took a money count, adding to the confusion. Understand that the casino keeps track of individuals with player cards, the amount they bring into a table or the amount they bought in for, if they bought in for more at the table during the course of the play, and how much they left with. (In my booklet Casino Comp Basics - A Manual for the $10 and Up Bettor, I detail how the casinos track your play.) When I finally left the table it appeared like I was a loser to the woman who had given me the marker. In reality, I was slightly ahead!

Later that evening PC and I had a good run at another blackjack table (a rarity for both of us to hit at the same table at the same time) and I was able to buy back the marker. We walked away winners for the evening.

The following evening, we were in the same blackjack pit and the same pit personnel were on duty. I started a conversation with the individual who had given me the marker the night before. She commented, "I'm sorry things didn't go well for you last night." She thought I'd lost when in actuality I'd won! I inquired about the possibility of getting a comp dinner in their gourmet restaurant for the following evening. She said, "Let me check." A few minutes later she came back and said, "What time would you like to go?"

The view was fantastic! The meal was fantastic! Before dinner drinks, steak and lobster, desserts, and after dinner drinks and the total for the two of us was more than $120! All comped, except for the tip for the maitre'd and the wait staff.

Another time my brother-in-law and I took a quick trip to Las Vegas. Since it was on short notice (this was before I had learned how to get comps) we ended up in a real dump! We arrived around 10:00 p.m. on a Thursday evening. Things went well for us (we were $5 bettors at the time) and by 5:00 am on Friday morning we were both up about $2300. We had just hit a crap table at one of the major casinos on the strip for around $800. One of the pit crew came around and inquired if we had a player card and if we were staying at their casino. I told him I had a player card but didn't have it with me. We also explained that we hadn't been able to get a room in their casino because they were booked when we had finally decided to visit Las Vegas.

He was back in a few minutes with a comp for their coffee shop. He also told us to check back in about 45 minutes as they were checking to see if they could get us a room! Guess what? They found one! Result, two nights comp'ed. Looking back, I bet we could have had all our meals comped also.

The moral of these two examples, from the casinos point of view? Invite the losers back to the Host casino and keep the winners at the Visiting casinos as long as you can. They know if they keep you coming back, they have a chance to get it back . . . and more.

So, if you are visiting another casino, let it all hang out. Make them think you're a winner and your comps will be easier to get, they may even offer you a meal. As $10 betters PC and I don't qualify for the full RFB. So, we visit other casinos and hit them up for some meals. I believe it's easier to get comped for meals in casinos where you're not staying. It also adds some variety to your trips.

And remember, "When you know how, it's easy."

About the Author: Paul Enockson is a teacher, lecturer, author, and computer software developer. He is the author of "Casino Comp Basics - A Casino Comp Manual For The $10 and Up Bettor". For details on his manual, visit his web site at http://www.compbasics.com/compbasics/. His most recent accomplishment is his new Las Vegas web site at http://www.aGlitter.Com, a site containing a wealth of information on Las Vegas Room Deals, Casino specifics, shows, attractions, tournaments, winning tips and much more