Casino Comp and Theoretical Loss Calculator

How to use this calculator

Pick a game to load a typical house edge and playing speed, then adjust them to match your table. Enter your average bet, how many hours you play and the comp rate your casino reinvests - the share of your theoretical loss it returns as free play, food, rooms or other perks. The calculator shows your theo (what the house expects to win from you on average), the comp value that theo earns, the total amount you wager, and your theo per hour. Theo, not your actual win or loss, is what almost every players club uses to rate you.

The terms, explained

• Theo (theoretical loss) - your total wagering multiplied by the house edge. It is the casino's expected win from you, and your expected cost, over the long run.
• Handle - the total amount you put through the game, not the money you bring. A small bankroll recycled many times builds a large handle.
• Decisions per hour - hands, spins or rolls per hour. Blackjack and baccarat run around 70, roulette near 45, slots many hundreds.
• Comp rate - the fraction of your theo the casino gives back, often somewhere between 10% and 40% depending on the property and your tier.

How it is calculated

It is the standard formula every casino host uses, so the maths never needs updating.

• Handlehandle = avg bet × decisions/hr × hours
• Theoretical losstheo = handle × house edge
• Comp valuecomp = theo × comp rate

Notice that comps are driven by handle and edge, never by whether you actually won or lost - you can leave ahead and still have earned full comps.