How to Use Slot Dollars and Make the Most of MGM Casino Rewards

09/11/24

If you’re looking to visit Vegas and enjoy a weekend (or week) of endless fun, you might well end up at an MGM casino at some point. And if you’re a member, doing so will give you several advantages. Among the main ones is that you can use MGM slot dollars, which is an excellent way to make playing slot games even more fun.

Before going, though, it makes sense to learn more about this scheme. Today, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about slot dollars. Keep reading to understand what they are in more depth, along with some tips on using them.

You’ll also learn how to earn slot dollars. Without further ado, let’s get started.

Understanding Slot Dollars

Slot dollars are a scheme awarded to customers by MGM Resorts. While you’ll probably associate them predominantly with Las Vegas, you can actually earn and use them in venues across the US. If you’re playing in New York or Ohio, you’ll hear these referred to as VLT Dollars.

As the name suggests, slot dollars have a valuation of $1 each. If you’re already an MGM Rewards member, you’ll probably know about tier credits; it’s worth keeping in mind that slot dollars are independent from these.

MGM slot dollars’ expiry date will depend on your membership tier. You can’t exchange them for real money, nor are you allowed to use them alongside other offers that MGM might be running at the same time.

Earning MGM Slot Dollars

To earn slot dollars, you’ll need to play a qualifying game at an MGM casino. You can earn slot dollars at any property that also accepts MGM Rewards. To get these, you’ll need to play one of the following:

Slots
Video lottery terminals
Video poker

When earning slot dollars, you can receive a bonus depending on your current MGM Rewards tier. If you have a Sapphire membership, you can earn slot dollars but don’t receive a percentage-based bonus. As for the others, here’s a rundown of the earning bonus percentages you can expect from each of them:

Pearl: 10%
Gold: 20%
Platinum: 30%
Noir (invite only): 40%

Once you’ve earned slot dollars, you can use them at a handful of machines. Your options may vary from casino to casino, so it’s worth thinking about what you’d like to play.

In addition to playing slots, video lottery, and video poker, you can also earn slot dollars if you get the MGM Rewards Mastercard. The card is free, so it’s worth considering if you haven’t yet applied for one.

See also: Best Slots to Play in Vegas

How to Use Slot Dollars at MGM

Once you’ve earned your slot dollars, you can use them as FREEPLAY tokens. These are available on a selection of video lottery terminals and slots. Redeeming them is a different process depending on where you’re going.

At some MGM casinos, you’ll put your MGM Rewards card into a slot machine and choose FREEPLAY before then entering your PIN code. There might be some extra steps depending on where you are.

Venues where you have to enter your card include:

MGM Grand Detroit
Beau Rivage
MGM Grand National Harbor

It’s worth noting that some casinos will only let you use your slot dollars at video lottery terminals.

In situations where you don’t have to enter your card, the process might be different for redeeming your slot dollars. For example, Las Vegas casinos will automatically load your FREEPLAY tokens after you’ve checked in on your first stay during a promotion. In other cases, you may need to swipe your card instead.

Tips for Using MGM Slot Dollars

Now that you know what MGM slot dollars are, let’s look at a couple of tips for using your MGM slot dollars wisely.

Consider the Expiration Date

The most annoying thing would be to get to your casino, redeem your slot dollars, and find out that they’ve expired before you can use them. This probably won’t happen, but understanding the expiration dates and rules is a good idea before you step into things.

If you’re a Sapphire member, your slot dollars will expire if you don’t use them for six months. This, however, is not the case for more premium rewards members. If your membership is Pearl or higher, you have no expiration date on your slot dollars.

Experiment With Different Slots

The most ideal scenario is that your favorite slot games are included in the FREEPLAY scheme. However, this is not always the case. With this in mind, you might have to get creative and try different things.

If your favorite slots, video lottery terminals, or video poker games aren’t eligible for FREEPLAY, consider using your slot dollars to try something new. It’s relatively risk-free as you aren’t spending actual money, and you can always earn them back later. But if things go well, you might find a new game that you enjoy.

Consider Volatility

When playing slots, it’s important to remember that they aren’t all created equally. Some have higher volatility than others, which has its pros and cons. On the bright side, you could potentially win more if you land on a winning combination. But on the flip side, results and rewards are less consistent (and even then, normal slots are still somewhat volatile).

Before playing any slot, it’s a good idea to think about volatility. If you’re solely using slot dollars, you have the opportunity to potentially pick something more volatile that could reap bigger rewards. However, if you’re also going to spend real money alongside your slot dollars, you should think about the risk-reward tradeoff.

You might have to experiment and see what works for you, and what doesn’t.

Research Each Casino Beforehand

As mentioned earlier, not every slot game is included in FREEPLAY. So, it’s a good idea to see what each casino has to offer in advance. You can check online, and if in doubt, it’s a good idea to contact the customer support team.

A Simple Guide to Using MGM Slot Dollars

MGM slot dollars are independent from tier credits, and in some cases, they don’t expire. Earning them is pretty simple; you just have to wager at a slot, video lottery terminal, or video poker machine at a qualifying casino. You can then spend these on several games throughout MGM’s resorts in Vegas and beyond.

Now that you’ve read this guide, you should know how slot dollars work in more detail. And thanks to this, it should be easier to redeem and earn them.