What is Comp?

A comp (short for complimentary) is any benefit a casino provides free of charge to reward player loyalty and betting volume. Common comps include free hotel rooms, meals, show tickets, free-play credits, airport transfers, and for the biggest players, flights and suites. Comps are calculated from your theoretical loss, not your actual result: the casino estimates how much it expects to win from your play based on average bet size, hours played, game speed, and the House Edge of the games you choose. Worked example: you play blackjack at an average bet of 50 for four hours, at roughly 60 hands per hour, giving 4 x 60 x 50 = 12,000 in total Action. If the house edge on your play is about 1%, your theoretical loss is around 120. Casinos typically return a portion of theoretical loss as comps — often in the region of a quarter to a half — so this session might earn 30 to 60 in comp value, regardless of whether you personally won or lost that day. Comps matter because they are real value you have already paid for through expected losses, so claiming them improves your effective return. The common mistake is over-betting to chase a higher comp tier: spending an extra 1,000 in expected losses to earn a 200 meal is a poor trade. Always insert your player's card so play is rated, but let comps follow disciplined Bankroll decisions rather than drive them. The online equivalent is the loyalty or VIP programme, where points convert to Cashback and bonuses on similar principles.