Slot Machine Tier Points Guide for AP Players

Tier credits are the currency of casino loyalty status — and understanding how they work is foundational to any serious AP strategy. The right tier status drives offer quality, mailer generosity, and Las Vegas trip value. This guide covers what tier credits are, how the major programs structure them, and the calendar-year strategy for building status efficiently.

Tier Credits vs. Reward Credits

Most casino loyalty programs run two parallel currencies that are easy to confuse:

• Tier credits (status credits, tier points): Track your cumulative play to determine your tier level. They have no direct redemption value — they exist solely to move you up the tier ladder. These reset annually in most programs.
• Reward credits (comp points, base credits): Spendable currency earned alongside tier credits. Used for free play, hotel nights, dining, or merchandise. These may not reset at year end, and the earning rate is separate from tier credit earning.

The distinction matters for AP play. A session that earns 500 tier credits toward Diamond simultaneously earns reward credits you can redeem. Tracking both currencies separately lets you measure the full value of each session.

Major Programs and Tier Credit Rates

Caesars Rewards

The largest program by property count, and the most valuable target for AP players who visit Las Vegas.

• Earning rate: 1 tier credit per $5 coin-in on most slot machines
• Gold: 5,000 TCs — entry tier; limited benefits
• Platinum: 10,000 TCs — enhanced reward credit earning, some comp upgrades
• Diamond: 15,000 TCs — resort fee waivers, $100 annual FSP, free parking in Las Vegas
• Diamond+: 20,000 TCs — elevated Free Slot Play, better comp rates
• Seven Stars: 150,000 TCs — dedicated host, penthouse eligibility, premium perks

Penn mychoice

Penn Entertainment operates Hollywood Casino, Ameristar, L'Auberge, and other regional properties nationwide. The mychoice program uses a different tier structure:

• Earning rate: 1 tier credit per $10 coin-in on slot machines (lower rate than Caesars)
• Base / Preferred / Elite / VIP Elite: Progressive tiers with increasing free play offers and mailer amounts
• Key benefit: mychoice tier credits are particularly valuable at regional markets where Penn is the dominant operator; Las Vegas benefits are limited compared to Caesars

MGM Rewards

MGM's program covers Bellagio, MGM Grand, Aria, Vdara, Borgata, and numerous regional properties.

• Earning rate: 1 tier credit per $5 coin-in on slot machines
• Sapphire: Base tier
• Pearl: 20,000 TCs
• Gold: 75,000 TCs — resort fee waivers at MGM Las Vegas properties, meaningful Las Vegas benefits
• Platinum: 200,000 TCs
• Noir: Invitation only

MGM Gold at 75,000 TCs requires five times the coin-in of Caesars Diamond, making it a longer-term target for most regional AP players. However, for players near MGM regional properties like Borgata (Atlantic City), National Harbor (MD), or Detroit properties, MGM Rewards can be a viable primary program.

Station Boarding Pass

Station Casinos operates primarily in the Las Vegas locals market — Red Rock, Green Valley Ranch, Palms, Santa Fe Station, Boulder Station, and others. The Boarding Pass program is structured differently from the national chains:

• Tier points and reward credits both factor into tier level; the program uses a points-based system rather than a fixed tier credit rate
• Tiers: Classic, Preferred, Elite, Chairman — each with escalating free play offers and mailer amounts
• Highest value for Las Vegas-based AP players who play regularly at locals casinos; less relevant for out-of-state visitors
• Station frequently runs multiplier promotions that accelerate both tier and reward credit earning

Why Tier Status Matters for AP Players

Tier status is the primary determinant of offer quality. The same coin-in volume at a lower tier produces materially worse offers than at a higher tier. The cascade effect:

• Free play mailers: Higher tiers receive larger free play offers, both from automated systems and host-generated offers. A Diamond player at a Caesars regional property commonly receives 2-4x the free play amounts of a Gold player with equivalent coin-in.
• Bounce-back offers: Post-visit free play offers triggered by a losing session scale with tier status.
• Hotel offers: Free room offers, both at regional properties and Las Vegas, are prioritized for higher-tier players.
• Comp rates: Food and beverage comps are more readily extended to higher-tier players at player's request.
• Las Vegas benefits: At Diamond and above (Caesars), resort fee waivers represent direct, measurable cash savings on Las Vegas trips.

Tier Credit Calendar Strategy

January 1 Reset

The majority of casino loyalty programs reset tier credit balances on January 1. Your status earned during the prior year is then held for the new calendar year, but you must re-earn it to maintain it into the year after. This creates a predictable annual cycle for AP players.

Q4 Push

October through December is the critical earning window. Players who are within striking distance of the next tier threshold in Q4 should concentrate play to clear the tier before December 31. The incremental value of reaching the next tier — better offers for the entire following year — typically far outweighs the cost of additional coin-in to cross the threshold.

• Calculate your current tier credit balance in October and determine the gap to the next tier
• Convert the gap to coin-in needed: gap TCs ÷ earning rate (e.g., 2,000 TCs ÷ 0.2 TCs/$ = $10,000 coin-in remaining)
• At your typical denomination and session length, calculate how many sessions you need before year end
• If the math is feasible, schedule those sessions before December 31

Rolling 12-Month Programs

Some programs use a rolling 12-month window rather than a hard calendar year reset. In a rolling window, tier credits earned in any given month drop off 12 months later. This smooths out the urgency of a year-end deadline but requires consistent play throughout the year rather than a Q4 concentrated push.

Grace Periods and Tier Maintenance

Caesars Rewards offers a grace period tier maintenance benefit: existing Diamond and above members who do not fully re-qualify (15,000 TCs) in the new year may still retain their tier for an additional year if they meet a lower maintenance threshold. This means:

• Year 1: Earn 15,000 TCs — achieve Diamond
• Year 2: Diamond is held automatically; if you earn the maintenance threshold, you keep Diamond into Year 3 without hitting 15,000 again
• Year 3: If you did not re-qualify in Year 2, you drop to the tier matching your actual Year 2 TC balance

Check the current Caesars Rewards terms for the exact maintenance thresholds, as they are subject to change.

Frequently Asked Questions