One card or Two?

It has been asked many times over the years, so I figured I'd create an entry about linking your players club cards.

If you always travel with your significant other, in my case my other is much more significant than I, should you link your players club cards?

For those of you that have no idea what the hell I'm talking about, most clubs will allow spouses to "link" their players club numbers into one shared account. This will allow that account to build points between two players. Both players will still be sent offers, but supposedly the linked account would be building up better offers on a joint basis.

So should you link? Yes and no. It depends on how you vacation. Are you always together? Or do you sometimes take separate gambling trips?

If you both always travel as a couple to gamble, I would suggest just one card with two copies. You can have a pair of active cards going at once without issue. I have published a pretty comprehensive report in the past comparing players clubs, and I have talked to a bunch of gamblers. And it really seems like the bounce back offers/comps are greater when you have 2 players on one card VS 2 cards being linked.

The casino will think you are that much larger of a player VS two OK players! The downside is only one of you will be given a comped room at a time (if you qualify) VS both getting OK offers. But the offers that one account is piling up points on should be getting much better comps. Such as an upgraded room or suite comped VS a standard room offer. The free play will certainly be more (I guess you would have to share it). That resort credit should go up as well.

The wife and I had linked cards under the old MGM program and the offers were just OK. We always stayed/played together anyway, so we would never use 2 rooms on the same trip. Once we switched to the "double up on one card" method, the offers were MUCH more advantageous. Two players linked, in my case, never qualified for food comps (resort credits). Once we switched to just my card we were seeing $100 or so in resort credit for every trip. Free play went from $25 each (or so) to $100 just on my end.

Our standard vacation we went from having 2 rooms comped (and only using one) to having a suite comped. Since she did not book a room offer, she couldn't get her $25 in free play. So I went from just $25 in free play (when booked) to $100 in free play. And the wife got half of that. So now we both got double! Add in the food credit, and our vacations were just that much better!

The only danger of doubling up is that if you travel alone, and obviously don't put through the same play as you were with both players, your offer will drop accordingly after awhile. But it all depends on how many times you go. 12 "double up" days and 2 "single player" days will not hurt your offers that much. 2 "doubles" and 1 "single" would. It is all in the averages.

I have never seen a club offer a "linking" for lovers, couples or just BFF's before. It was always for spouses and some demanded that the last names match as well.

With the patented Grid "Double Up" you can make this work with any Shmoo you brought with.

If you are both already good players, maybe alternate cards each trip. If you always wanted a higher level card, double up the same one each time. A couple friend of mine went from 2 Ok Platinum level players with total Rewards, to one Diamond player after they both moved to one card. And now they both gain access to the Diamond Lounge when they are together. Plus no more resort fees when they travel.

It just makes the most sense.