Gambling Perks at a Casino

The word casino brings to mind elaborate venues replete with musical shows, shopping centers and other distractions for patrons. But the vast majority of casinos’ profits come from games of chance such as slots, poker, blackjack and craps. These games of chance—and the skill involved in some of them—are what bring in billions of dollars every year to casino owners, shareholders and investors. And they’re what draw many tourists to the world’s largest gambling establishments.

Historically, casinos focused on drawing people to their properties by offering cheap buffets and free show tickets for high rollers. These perks were called “comps.” Today’s casinos are more selective in how they invest their perks. They target high-stakes gamblers who spend a lot of money. These gamblers are given perks, such as free hotel rooms, meals and tickets to shows. They might also receive limo service or airline tickets. They might also gamble in special rooms where the stakes are tens of thousands of dollars more than what’s normally played on the main casino floor.

To be safe and profitable, a casino must know both the house edge and variance for each of its games. This information helps them predict what kind of profit they’ll make and how much they need to set aside in the form of cash reserves. To get this data, they hire gaming mathematicians and computer programmers. These professionals also study the game rules and the expected behavior of players to spot any irregularities.