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Sprees
Casino Consumer
by Steve Bourie
A spree is a special gambling package where in return for making a minimum
bet, for a minimum amount of time, you are entitled to receive rebates
from the casino in the form of cash, chips, rooms, food, drinks, shows,
etcetera. At one time these were fairly popular in Las Vegas, but they’ve
died out and the Riviera is virtually the only major Strip casino to still
offer a spree program.
The “Riv” offers sprees for both slots and table players. If
you’re willing to put in the time and bet requirements it could be
worthwhile for you. The minimum bet for table players is $25 and the following
games are eligible: blackjack, roulette, baccarat, mini-baccarat and Caribbean
stud. The time requirement is relative to the length of your hotel stay.
For two-day stays you must gamble for at least twelve hours. On three-day
stays the minimum is twelve (or sixteen) hours and on four-day stays it’s
sixteen hours.
The benefits for qualifying with twelve hours of play are: $200 in action
chips (non-negotiable chips that can be used for betting but, win or lose,
they are only good for one bet—you can figure the cash value at 50%
of their chip value), a $75 food credit at the buffet or restaurants,
$25 in drinks at the lounge bar, plus free admission to three shows: La
Cage, The Comedy Club and Crazy Girls. If you play for sixteen hours on
a three-day stay, the food credit is raised to $100 but all other benefits
remain the same. For $50 and $75 bettors the casino will also give you
back a minimum of $100 in cash, plus slightly better food, drink and show
benefits.
Slot and video poker players are required to earn 480 points on their
slot club card during their stay to qualify for benefits that are similar
to the twelve-hour table game program except for a few changes. Instead
of action chips you are given $100 in cash, three daily buffets (substituted
for the $75 food credit), and free admission to Splash II is also included.
Additionally, there’s a bonus credit of $100 that can be applied
to any telephone, drink, room service, gift shop, or gourmet restaurant
charges. Slot players earn one point for each $10 played while video poker
play requires $20 to earn a point. The best video poker at the Riviera
is quarter 10/7 Double Bonus that pays eighty coins (rather than the standard
fifty) for a straight flush. The return on this machine with maximum coin
and perfect play is 100.52 percent.
Sprees can be booked through many travel agencies nationwide or through
the Riviera’s marketing department itself. You are required to pre-pay
your hotel stay at the casino rate ranging from $40 to $95 depending on
the day and time of the year. While at the hotel you must charge all of
your drinks, food and shows to your room. At the end of your stay if you
have qualified under the terms of the spree the money you paid for the
room will be refunded to you, plus all of the other food, drink and show
charges will be deducted from your bill. If it turns out that you didn’t
fulfill the requirements you won’t owe anything for the room because
it will have been pre-paid but you will have to pay for all of the other
charges. Also, keep in mind that the room rate is for up to two people
in the room but each person in the room must qualify in order to earn
the other free benefits. If only one person qualifies the room would be
free, but only that one person would be eligible for all of the other
free food, drink and show benefits.
If you want to try a spree program you can book it directly with the
Riviera’s casino marketing department at (800)437-7951 but they only
take bookings that don’t require airfare. If you need air transportation,
you’ll have to book it through a travel agency. Since sprees are
available through many travel agencies around the country it’s usually
a good idea to look in the travel section of your local Sunday newspaper
for the best air-inclusive prices from your city.
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