GUIDE: Casino Status Matching (UPDATED!)

Casino Match Status

Casino Status Match Opportunities offer a ton of ways to get perks and benefits from casino loyalty programs, even when you’re not visiting Las Vegas or other gaming destinations. You can receive a Caesars Status Match to Diamond From Other Casinos. Casino status matching starts with having one status, and turning it into many. Casino programs offer Status Matches to elite members of competing casinos. Even more exciting are the freebies that come along with these casino match promotions.

MGM Status Match is currently available through the end of June 2023. 2021 Caesars Rewards Guide (Plus Earning and Redeeming Tier Credits, Rewards Credits and Benefits) The key here is to earn casino status but without burning any major match opportunities. Starting out in Atlantic City is highly recommended, since Hard Rock and Ocean are excellent places to start without wasting any free night or play offers.

Getting Started

In order to get started with status matching, you need to have any one of the following elite statuses:

1. • World of Hyatt Explorist
   • Wyndham Diamond
   • Caesars Diamond
   • MGM Rewards Gold

UPDATE The easiest merry-go-round had been matching Wyndham Diamond and Caesars Diamond back and forth. That seems to be completely dead, with only a few successful data points of rematching without the status being legitimately earned. Also, MGM is now only matching Caesars Diamond to MGM Pearl. The matches to MGM are advertised as ending at the end of June.

This has made finding an on-ramp to status matching much more difficult. There are options though! You can sign up for the Wyndham Business Earner credit card, which will start you with Wyndham Diamond. Status through this card has been able to match to Caesars successfully.

You could also get Hyatt Explorist, which requires 30 nights of stays. Status matches are frequently offered by Hyatt. You can also spend on co-branded Hyatt credit cards. Mattress running at cheap Hyatt/MGM properties could also assist in meeting the 30 night goal.

Follow This Order

Here is a step-by-step guide to matching when starting with Wyndham.

1. Earn Wyndham Diamond status by signing up for the Wyndham Business Earner credit card.
2. Match Wyndham Diamond to Caesars Rewards Diamond here.
3. Head to Hard Rock in Atlantic City. Show them your Caesars Rewards Diamond Card and you’ll be matched to their Top Tier “Rock Royalty” status (in addition to getting two free nights and free play).
4. Take your Hard Rock Rock Royalty Card to Ocean Resort AC and get matched to Ocean Rewards Prime status. This comes with a free 2 night stay at Wynn (Boston or Las Vegas) and a free 7 night MSC cruise!
5. Match Ocean Prime to MGM Rewards Gold in person.
6. Use your MGM Rewards Gold status to receive a reciprocal tier match to Hyatt Explorist with World of Hyatt here.
7. (optional) Visit Mirage (soon to be Hard Rock) in Las Vegas and match MGM Gold to Hard Rock Unity Icon status.

If you have Hyatt Explorist or higher, do the following:

1. Match Hyatt to MGM Rewards here.
2. Match MGM Rewards to Caesars Diamond in person.
3. Proceed with the Atlantic City/Hard Rock matches if desired.

Wyndham status expires at the end of December. Match back from Caesars before that status expires at the end of January here. Then, match Wyndham back to Caesars after February 1.

MGM status expires at the end of January. Match back from Hyatt before that status expires at the end of February here. Then, match MGM back to Hyatt after March 1.

How to Earn Casino Status with MGM and Caesars

• Wyndham Rewards Business Earner Credit Card: Wyndham Diamond status matches to Caesars Rewards Diamond
• Caesars Rewards Credit Card: Caesars Platinum Status (BougieMiles Review Here)
• Wyndham Rewards Wyndham Rewards Visa Card with Annual Fee : Wyndham Platinum Status
• World of Hyatt Credit Card: Discoverist Status
• MGM Rewards Credit Card: Pearl Status (BougieMiles Review Here)
• Royal Caribbean Cruise Crown & Anchor members receive a complimentary tier match into MGM Rewards
• Honorable Mention: Founderscard Offers Caesars Diamond (UPDATE: FoundersCard Renews Caesars Rewards Diamond Benefit Through 2023)
• Status matches of course

RELATED: Check out this post for all things Casino Credit cards at Travelfanboy.com

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Related: 7 Easy Ways to Get Hotel Elite Status

Caesars Rewards Status Match

Status Match Details and Chart

Diamond Caesars Rewards Benefits Obtained Through Status Matches:

• No resort fees on any hotel stay
• $100 Celebration Dinner
• Complimentary valet and self-parking at most destinations, including Las Vegas & Atlantic City
• Access to Diamond Lounges (Members who earned less than 20K Tier credits will be charged 1,000 Rewards Credits and 1,000 Rewards Credits for a guests to enter Diamond Lounges.)
• Priority lines
• Match your status with Wyndham Rewards Diamond
• Certain benefits like Caesars Bluewaters Dubai and Atlantis Paradise Island benefits are only valid for Members with earned Tier Status (Diamond members earning at least 12,000 Tier Credits.) Although in practice the Atlantis stay has been honored for all Diamond elites.

Ocean Casino Resort Atlantic City

Status Match Details and Matching Chart

Ocean Casino Resort has revamped their loyalty program and made some awesome changes to the status match challenge. The upgrade is available for new and inactive members. Unless you have MGM Platinum, you should head over to Hard Rock before you go to Ocean, so that you can upgrade to Rock Royalty which qualifies for Ocean Prime. This offer includes Complimentary access to Avila Lounge for you and one guest, and a Two Night Complimentary Stay (Sunday – Friday). What’s really cool about this match is that it gives you the status perks without any additional requirements- so you’ll be able to book the free cruise which includes taxes and port fees the day you upgrade to Prime. Even better, the Wynn free nights are available once per year!

TIER BENEFITS (Ocean Rewards Prime Member Benefits):

• Access to Avila Lounge for you and one guest Entry Fee: $10 Comp Dollars per person per visit
• Complimentary Valet Parking with Priority Service
• Reserved Parking in Self-Park Garage on Levels 7 + 10
• Resort Fee Waived
• Priority Line Service
• Complimentary MSC Cruise
• Complimentary 2 night stay at Wynn/Encore (Boston or Las Vegas)

Hard Rock Atlantic City Wild Card Rewards

Status Match Details and Chart Hard Rock AC has brought back an awesome promotion for new players when they sign up for the Wild Card Rewards‘ Program. Upgrade to top tier status aka Rock Royalty with just Caesars Diamond and MGM Gold! The lower Elite Tier comes with a comped night Sunday-Thursday and can be matched from lowly Mlife Pearl or Caesars Platinum.

Hard Rock Unity (Las Vegas)

• MGM Gold/Platinum matches to highest Unity tier- Icon (in person match)
• F&B comps- $50 for match from MGM Pearl, $100 from MGM Gold, $300 from MGM Platinum. Comps will also work for room charges on your final bill if staying on property.
• Free parking (including valet), waived resort fees, room upgrades. For the time being- MGM status will also get free parking at Mirage. Supposed to change soon, but no firm date when that will actually happen.
• Priority access/seating for taxis, restaurants, entertainment.
• Member only rates.

Related: 2021 MGM Mlife REWARDS GUIDE (PLUS EARNING AND REDEEMING TIER CREDITS, REWARDS CREDITS AND BENEFITS)

Thoughts

The status match gravy train is slowing down, with potential roadblocks making it difficult to get started. This is just a primer, I cover in detail how the status extensions have created some very lucrative opportunities and how to exploit them. Check out this post about transferring points between the programs.