"J" is for Junkets

by Larry Edell

Junkets, along with comps, provide a lot of FREE services to the crapshooter! For example, you can get RFB (Room, Food and Beverages) from both junkets and comps. Further, once you establish yourself as a steady gambler you will be invited back, and in doing so, the casino will offer you more FREE rooms, free food and free beverages in return for your continued gambling! But if junkets and comps are so similar, how do their differences apply to the average gambler?
Let's find out!

Junkets first started on the East Coast, as a means to lure seasoned gamblers away from Las Vegas and into Atlantic City. Now, Las Vegas casinos do the same thing, in order to lure people away from the East Coast and into their own golden coffers.

A junket always involves travel, and usually involves a group. The junket operator (hired by the casino) will charter an airline to take 80 or so gamblers from one coast to the other. They will all receive full RFB, and have run of the casino. In return, they all pay the junket operator a certain amount of money (usually between $5,000 and $10,000)up front. When they get to the casino they can use this money to gamble with. Sometimes they get a credit line, and sometimes the operator gives them the full amount back in non-negotiable chips. Either way, you alway spay your junket expenses in advance of your travel and your gambling sessions.

Comps, on the other hand, are given to you after you gamble. Although airline reimbursement is possible, it will not happen until after you play and meet a certain minimum playing criteria, like over $100 average bets for four hours a day. Comps are also available to players who betas little as $5 – but junkets are available only to higher rollers.

There is a third way to get some free casino services, which is a combination of the junket and comps. This is called a turnaround, and is a day trip to the casino, either by bus, train or local airline. Like the junket you need to pay in advance, but it is only $100 or so, and you will usually receive non-negotiable chips for this. In return they transport you to your favorite casino early in the morning, and then will bring you back to your starting point very late at night.

They will usually throw in a meal or two as well. Turnarounds are very popular with Indian casinos and local resorts that cater to low rollers.

If you're interested in these types of trips, just call your favorite casino and ask them for information. If your gambling budget is $5000-$10,000 ask about junkets. If you gamble with $500 to $5000 ask what kind of comps you can get. And if you gamble with $100 or so, ask if they have any turnaround trips.

So, have you ever wondered how people get junkets, comps and turnarounds?

Well, now you know!

And as always, good luck at the tables!

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