I watched the travel channel last week and supposedly the Startosphere will reimburse you up to $125 in slot losses for the first hour you play if you join their players club (of course anything you make you get to keep). Does anyone know if this is true? You know what they say... If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

From the Stratosphere's website (www.stratospherehotel.com)

January 9, 2002-Las Vegas-On January 1, The Stratosphere Casino Hotel and Tower launched the Guaranteed Refund Slot Gaming Program to replace its existing Guaranteed Winners Program. The Guaranteed Refund Slot Gaming Program is a new gaming program which guarantees a refund, win or lose, for new members of the Stratosphere Player's Club, announced Stratosphere officials today. The Stratosphere's Player's Club Guaranteed Refund program will reimburse 15% of new cardholders' coin-in (the total sum of money that is put in to play the machines) on any slot or video poker machine, and any denomination, in the first 30 minutes of membership-up to $100 guaranteed. To be eligible for the guaranteed reimbursement, play must take place within the first 24 hours of signing up for a membership and the new card member must be a Las Vegas visitor. "The new Guaranteed Refund Slot Gaming Program is the best program we have had to date because it pays you back,win or lose. Players get paid 15% of what they play, which means win or lose, they are guaranteed to get money back. At Stratosphere, we really mean it when we say 'You play, we pay,'" said Keith Williams, vice president of casino operations. "This new program for out-of-town slot players really makes our Player's Club very attractive to new members. We feel our Player's Club gives our patrons an unparalleled gaming value," Williams added. To be eligible for up to $100 refund, players must be 21 years of age or older, have at least thirty (30) minutes of rated slot play in the first 24 hours (does not have to be for 30 consecutive minutes, but must occur within the first 24 hours of joining the Stratosphere Players Club.) The Guaranteed Refund program is available on slot and video poker machines only and is available for play on .05, .25, .50, $1, $2, $5, $10, $25, and $100 reel and video poker slot machines. "Our goal is to make new friends and reveal the outstanding value The Stratosphere offers in all areas. We have affordable rooms, liberal gaming odds, great places to dine and fun and exciting shows at very reasonable prices," Williams says. "Now, we have a guaranteed refund program to make Las Vegas even more fun for our players. This program is just another example of The Stratosphere's commitment to provide our players unmatched value." The offer is available to Las Vegas visitors (residents of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson and Boulder City are not eligible to participate at this time) who establish a new Stratosphere Players Card for the first time and is limited to only one reimbursement per account. Qualifying customers will receive their reimbursement and bonus vouchers in the mail approximately two weeks after qualifying. To find out more information and get all the details on this new program, stop by the Stratosphere's Player's Club or call1-800-946-7771.

Uh, could I please get the cliff notes version?

If you put $125 in to the machine and lose it all without a win, you get 18.75 back. It's not that it's too good to be true, you just have to read the fine print.

XXX is correct. In an hour you can lose a whole lot more than a $125.00 also. Lose $200 and you get back $30
AFTER you go home approx. 2 weeks via mail.
Are you a gambler or a player????