Over the last few months, I have written about how I turned my Marriott Platinum status into Caesars Rewards Diamond status (formerly known as Total Rewards). Then, I turned that Diamond status into a whole bunch of others.
However, some PMTTP readers posted that they don’t have top tier hotel status to match to Caesars. So, if you’re in the same situation, here’s a guide on how to get Caesars Rewards (Total Rewards) Diamond status.
Earning Status The Hard Way
If you don’t qualify for a hotel status match, you’ll have to earn status the hard way. That means earning 15,000 Tier Credits within a calendar year. Unfortunately, there is no “free” option here, like those of us that matched from other hotels. There’s a few ways to reach Caesars Diamond status, and I’ll go through each of them: hotel stays, The Founders Card, and of course, gambling.
Read: What Are The Benefits of Caesars Rewards Diamond?
First, What Is A Caesars Reward Tier Credit?
The good news is that despite recent changes, Caesars left their current Tier Credit structure in place. Caesars Rewards is a revenue based program. You earn Tier Credits for each dollar you spend at Caesars properties. The current structure is:
- Slot machines: Earn 1 Tier Credit for every $5 you play on a reel slot machine and for every $10 you play on a video poker machine. Some machines have lower earning rates and are clearly marked.
- Table games: Earn Tier Credits based on the type of game you are playing, your average bet and how long you play.
- Poker: Earn Tier Credits based on the type of game and how long you play.
- Hotel: Earn 1 Tier Credit for every $1 spent on hotel accommodations.
- Dining: Earn 1 Tier Credit for every $1 spent at any of our participating restaurants.
- Shopping: Earn 1 Tier Credit for every $1 spent at participating retail outlets
Additionally, Caesars is also keeping the current opportunity to earn Bonus Points on those dollars (more on that later).
1. How To Get Diamond Status Total Rewards: Hotel Stays
As of March 1, Caesars Rewards offers 5x Tier Credits on hotel stays and resort fees booked directly with Caesars. You would only need to spend $3,000 on hotel accommodations vs. $15,000 previously. This makes gaining Diamond status significantly easier.
Caesars currently has 39 different properties in 13 different US states as well as in Canada. Therefore, you have some decent destination choices including Vegas, Atlantic City, and New Orleans.
As a non-Diamond member, you are responsible for paying the insane resort fees, but thankfully those are also included in the 5x offer. Therefore, it would only take 15 nights at $200/night to earn Diamond status within a year. This seems quite generous considering most hotel chains require at least 50 nights to earn any usable benefits (looking at you Marriott Bonvoy).
Keep in mind Diamond and Seven Star members don’t pay resort fees at Caesars properties.
Additional Caesars Hotel Benefit
Caesars Rewards recently added another benefit. You can gain one free night in Vegas, Atlantic City, or Dubai by earning 5,000 Tier Credits. That means that for every $1,000 spent on hotels, you’ll get one night free. Therefore, you’ll get a total of three free nights while en route to Caesars Diamond.
Read: How To Get Comp Rooms At Casinos: Free Nights In Dubai, Las Vegas, and Atlantic City
2. How To Get Diamond Status Total Rewards: FoundersCard
FoundersCard is a membership card that actually comes with some decent benefits with airlines, hotel chains, and rental cars, among other perks. Its whole branding aesthetic definitely has millennial entrepreneurs in mind, but it can be owned by absolutely anyone. Here are more details of the Founders Card on its website.
The Founders Card has a partnership with Caesars Rewards that provides all of the benefits of Caesars Rewards Diamond, except for free lounge access. The annual fee of the Founders Card is $595 without a referral code. With a referral code, this card can be had for a lower rate around $300-400.
Personally, before Wyndham opened up backdoor status, my plan was to acquire Diamond status through this method due to its flat rate pricing.
3. How To Get Diamond Status Total Rewards: Gamble, Baby
Let me preface this bit: I don’t encourage gambling against the house as a way to achieve status. However, if you already have money set aside in your budget, then this method could allow you to pick up status faster. Obviously, this method is highly dependent on your luck. Diamond status could cost you a few thousand dollars, or if are lucky, Caesars might actually pay you to earn status.
How Do You Earn Faster?
Typically, a gambler needs to put in $75,000 “coin in” on slot machines to earn Diamond Status and $150,000 “coin in” for video poker. Table games and poker vary depending on bet amounts, stakes, and time played. Either way you slice it, those numbers are ridiculous for the average person.
Over the course of a year a 90% Return to Player (RTP) payout on a slot machine would mean that the average player will experience a $7,500 loss while earning Diamond status. This extrapolates to a $15,000 loss on an 80% RTP machine. Typically video poker pays out better, but even a player who plays perfectly and earns a 99% RTP would still lose on average $1,500.
The trick around this? One could expedite their Tier Credit earnings by reaching Caesar’s Daily Tier Bonuses:
| Earn (In One Day) | Receive |
|---|---|
| 500 Tier Credits | 125 Tier Credits |
| 1,000 Tier Credits | 1,000 Tier Credits |
| 2,500 Tier Credits | 5,000 Tier Credits |
| 5,000 Tier Credits | 10,000 Tier Credits |
Translation, Please!
Someone that wants to earn Diamond could do it in one day if they earned 5,000 Tier Credits in a 24 hour period. Note: A day starts at Caesars properties typically starts between 4-6am, which is when Tier Credits reset. It’s best to check with each property to figure out when their Tier day starts.
With these bonuses, instead of $75,000 “coin in,” it would now only take $25,000 “coin in” for slots and $50,000 “coin in” for video poker in one day. At a 99% return to player percentage, that means an expected loss of around $500. Again, not ideal or free, but consider if these benefits are worth the risk as this is a highly variable proposition. Also, please never gamble more than you can afford to lose.
The Upshot
Obviously, none of these options are as good as the Wyndham to Caesar free match if you have top tier hotel status elsewhere.
However, how to get Caesars Rewards (Total Rewards) Diamond status isn’t as difficult as I had first thought, even the hard way. If you take advantage of one of these options, take a look at the other articles I’ve written on how to turn your new Diamond status into other statuses.
Read: How to Status Match to M Life, Hyatt and Hard Rock Instantly
The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
19 comments
Informative post, for sure. Quick update: You now earn FIVE tier credits per dollar spent on rooms and resort fees. Also, in the interests of accuracy, top-tier status is Seven Stars, which can’t be earned. One must be invited.
Uh, Diamond is not top tier by literally any definition of that phrase.
I’m not a big gambler I go to the local Horseshoe casino with friends and have Marriott status, are you saying I can stays match? I think they are part of Caesar’s, thanks for the help!
Boonie,
Thanks for reading. Check out this thread that shows how I status matched my Marriott to Wyndham to Caesars. This status match is still open so if you have Platinum or above you can match to Diamond.
https://pointmetotheplane.boardingarea.com/2018/10/18/striking-as-a-diamond-wyndham-and-caesars-total-rewards-status-match/
My FoundersCard VIP Referral code is **** . It gives you membership for $395(instead of $595) and it waives the $99 activation fee.
Once I get the founders card is there a waiting period to upgrade to diamond status? And how do we go about it?
Looks like 2 to 4 weeks. Keep in mind, the Ceasars Diamond benefit is guaranteed until the end of January 2020. They usually re-up but since its 4 months away I would not do it unless you are planning at least 13 days (about $32 a night in fees at Atlantic City) to a Total Rewards property from now to then and the membership would pay for itself.
Do you have to be a business owner?
Not exactly. Yes, they do want you to be a business owner/entrepreneur. I did some digging, you can say something like freelance photographer and they would not care.
If you get the founders card are you allowed in the diamond lounge for 1000 reward credits?
Yes as long as you have 1000 credits per person in your account.
Does the fee include the parking at Las Vegas if you are Diamond Status?
Thanks
Alberto
From Caesars website: Self-parking and valet is complimentary for Caesars Rewards members at the Platinum, Diamond and Seven Stars® levels.
I just make Platinum this weekend and know there is no way I will make it to diamond. Just wondering, what would be the going rate to pay someone to use your card and gamble, perhaps a video poker player to get diamond status. Obviously i can just get the founders card but earning the status by actual actual gambling (coin-in) I would get more offers (freebies).
Does the 5x tier bonus for hotel stays stack with the daily tier bonus? For example $200 hotel night stay = 1,000 tier points + 1,000 tier point bonus?
No. From the Caesars website:
You can earn Tier Credit bonuses based on hospitality spend (dining, entertainment, hotel, shopping,and spa). However, Tier Credits earned for hospitality spend may take up to ten business days to post to your account. Tier Credit bonuses will be awarded based on the date the Tier Credits post to the account.
***Nightly room rates and resort fees are excluded from the daily Tier Credit bonus earning.***
I have same question as last comment re: does the hotel tier credits earn the daily bonus
Can I get a $1000+ /night room = 5000 tier credits in one day —> 10,000 bonus credits = 15000 in one day —> diamond ???
No they are excluded. See below directly from Caesars website:
You can earn Tier Credit bonuses based on hospitality spend (dining, entertainment, hotel, shopping,and spa). However, Tier Credits earned for hospitality spend may take up to ten business days to post to your account. Tier Credit bonuses will be awarded based on the date the Tier Credits post to the account.
***Nightly room rates and resort fees are excluded from the daily Tier Credit bonus earning.***
Hi there! So I have the status match from Wyndym to Caesars for Diamond. But I cant use the Diamond status because I dont have any tier credit right? Or can I? What is the point of the status match if I cant use it? Can you help explain??