Arizona Gaming Guide Magazine June 2011 by Arizona Gaming Guide

JUNE

Contents

FEATURES 12 THE CASINOS—STILL A BUNCH OF CROOKS? Reaction to misinformation about Arizona’s casinos 18 PRESCOTT CASINOS WELCOME RODEO Prescott Frontier Days & World’s Oldest Rodeo

GREAT GAMES

08 NEW TABLE GAME Bucky’s Casino debuts new Poker Bingo game 09 SLOT REVIEW The Price is Right—Ultimate Show™ by WMS 10 SLOT REVIEW Attack from Mars™/Revenge from Mars™ by WMS

WINNING WAYS 20 VIDEO POKER Quick tips on all your favorite games

22 SECRETS OF SMART PLAYERS 20 Lines vs. 30 Lines

FAST FACTS 23 CASINO INDUSTRY NEWS Arizona’s Tribal Casinos report best Q1 in 4 years 25 KENO The history of a game called “The White Pigeon” 26 CASINO BUZZ Curtis Stone—Sat. June 11—Desert Diamond Casino

REGULAR RESPINS 04 EDITOR’S NOTE What’s on our mind 06 PLAYERS TALK What’s on your mind 27 SAMI’S SMACKDOWN Rants, raves & reflections 28 FUN & GAMES Sudoku & Jackpot Puzzle to keep your mind sharp! 30 CASINO SPONSOR DIRECTORY

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EDITOR’S NOTE @

Your Authority On Everything Gaming VOLUME 02 • ISSUE 11 PUBLISHER Chris Hoft chris@azgamingguide.com

News Report Is Misleading ‚Going to the casino may be a favorite pastime, but when you lose is it just about bad luck?‛ This was the opening line to an investigative report presented by the local evening news just a few weeks ago. What followed was what I, my team members and many others in the casino gaming industry, expected to hear—misleading information. Insinuating that a player’s ‚bad luck‛ could be the result of something other than just that, ‚bad luck,‛ is absurd. Implications that deficiencies such as faulty door switches or human negligence for proper documentation affects whether we win or lose at the casino is just plain wrong. Is it true that the casinos had documented deficiencies that were found upon inspection by the Arizona Department of Gaming? Yes. Are these deficiencies serious enough to affect the integrity of the machines? Absolutely not! Our article in this month’s issue is meant to clear up any misunderstandings that may have resulted following this news report. I would like to thank all of our sponsors and loyal fans for your continued support. We are having an amazing time with our new facebook page. Please visit www.facebook.com/ArizonaGamingGuide, become part of our community and share your thoughts and experiences with others who also love the same casino games you do. Don’t forget that you can also find the current and back issues of the Arizona Gaming Guide on our website at www.azgamingguide.com. For your convenience, we have included the QR codes for both web addresses in our directory. Let me know what you think of our June issue and have fun. Cheers! Alexandra Lang

Editor-in-Chief editor@azgamingguide.com

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MANAGING DIRECTOR Elizabeth Torma liz@azgamingguide.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alexandra Lang editor@azgamingguide.com ART DIRECTOR Melanie Mueller CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mark Novak Alex Stewart Samantha Becker Lana Hartmann Elizabeth Torma ADVERTISING SALES Nina Consiglio nina@azgamingguide.com Alex Stewart alex@azgamingguide.com MAILING INFORMATION Arizona Gaming Guide P.O. Box 20636 Mesa, Arizona 85277 INTERNET INFORMATION www.azgamingguide.com www.facebook.com/ArizonaGamingGuide

Copyright © 2011 The Arizona Gaming Guide. All rights reserved. The Arizona Gaming Guide (AGG) presents casino industry and gaming related facts as well as personal opinions and expects the reader to make his or her own decisions. All responses to reader emails and letters are to be considered as advice only. AGG accepts no responsibility and no liability for any actions of our readers based on the articles and advertisements presented within this publication. All pictures, images, logos, trademarks and trade names, etc. are the sole property of their respective owners. You must be 21 or older to gamble. Please play responsibly. Help is available at 1.800.NEXT.STEP or www.problemgambling.az.gov.

PLAYERS TALK @ Q&A On Everything Gaming Q: SMOKING—COURTESY AND FAIRNESS I am new to your magazine and I think it’s great with valuable information to enhance our fun playing slots, so thank you for all the tips and truths! In the article about myths where oxygen pumping/ozone was addressed, it was stated that about 50% of casino guests are smokers. That set me to ask my question: if 50% are non-smokers, like me, why isn’t 50% of the casino smoke-free instead of none or a little room with few popular games in it? Why are the smokers given the larger share of respect in the casino for their choices? Non-smokers don’t cause harm to others. Smokers can cause great harm to others with their second-hand smoke. Why would they (or the casinos) want to risk others’ lives or not care? This is a big issue with many of my friends who would love to play at the casino, but don’t want to breathe other people’s second-hand smoke. There has to be a solution to this challenge for ALL, not just 50%. If it’s to be fair, then it needs to be fair, 50% - 50%! Not 100% - 0% or 90% - 10% always in favor of the smokers. Thanks for listening. Lots of nonsmokers and potential regular casino guests are waiting for a change and feedback. There are hundreds of people at my park alone waiting for a change. Who’s going to step up to the plate and be a leader here and bring casinos into the 21st century? Hmmm … Jeanne Danowski – Scottsdale, AZ A: Jeanne, thank you for taking the time to write in to us. We chose to print your question because it is such a crucial, albeit controversial, topic that demands immediate attention. We hope that your question and our response prompts an important discussion amongst executives at the casinos who are in a position to make a change. There have been numerous studies conducted in large gambling cities such as Reno, Las Vegas, and Atlantic City across the years to try and determine an approximate percentage of gamblers who are smokers. Most of the results of these studies indicate around 50% of casino patrons are smokers. However, one recent study by the University of Nevada Department of Nutrition published in 2008, made the claim that smoking rates

amongst gamblers actually mirror the U.S. smoking rate. According to 2009 statistics released by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 21% of adults 18 years of age and older in America are cigarette smokers. This would indicate that only one in every five casino visitors are smokers! What’s also interesting is that 15 years ago the CDC reported that 25% of the adult population were smokers. This could signify that the trend is changing and more people are beginning to take the health hazards of smoking cigarettes more seriously, or they just don’t have the money to support such an expensive habit. Just like you, we want to be clear that we are not advocating that casinos should be non-smoking. Casinos just need to seriously consider what percentage of their players are smokers and devote the appropriate amount of floor space to their nonsmoking areas so they can accommodate as many of their guests as possible. Nobody should have to curtail their casino visits just to avoid being in a smoky environment! Second-hand smoke, which is a combination of the smoke given off by the burning end of a tobacco product and the smoke exhaled by the smoker, can cause very serious health problems. Research has shown that second-hand smoke is made up of approximately 4,000 chemicals of which 40 are known to cause cancers. Other serious health risks include respiratory diseases and heart disease. Jeanne, you asked an excellent question, “Who’s going to step up to the plate and be a leader here and bring casinos into the 21st century?” Please look for our report in the July issue which examines this subject in more detail. Q: JACKPOTS AND SOCIAL SECURITY I enjoy reading your magazine. I’m 67 years old and I’m collecting Social Security. Let’s say I win a huge Jackpot of like $15,000 or $20,000 at the casino. What would happen then? Would that Jackpot be counted as income for the Social Security? Joe Guzman – Tucson, AZ A: Joe, the Jackpot would need to be reported on Form 1040 as additional income and should be combined with your Social Security income. As a matter of fact, any extra income must be reported to the IRS. This would probably trigger an increase in the tax on your Social Security benefits. $

ASK THE EXPERTS and get a $25 gas card if we decide to print your question! Do you have a question for our staff of casino gaming industry professionals and slot experts? Write us with your questions and comments in any area of gaming and we will make every attempt to publish a response in upcoming issues. Space is limited so we are unable to print every letter or e-mail we receive. Please include your name and mailing address with all correspondence. Mail to: Arizona Gaming Guide PO BOX 20636 Mesa, AZ 85277 or E-mail to: editor@azgamingguide.com.

06 Arizona Gaming Guide | June 2011 | azgamingguide.com

GREAT GAMES @ New Table Game

Poker Bingo At Bucky’s Casino In Prescott! By Alex Stewart Mr. Jeff Cagan and Mr. Aquil Patel at Bucky’s Poker Room in Prescott have designed a brand new game for you to try your luck at! Available exclusively at Bucky’s Casino during the months of June, July, and August, you can participate in the ‚Poker Bingo‛ Texas Hold’Em Promotion in Bucky’s Poker Room. All you need to do is sign up for the Gold Rush Club, show your card to a pit supervisor, purchase a ‚Poker Bingo‛ card for $5 and you’re ready for some added excitement to the Texas Hold’Em poker games hosted at the casino. Each ‚Poker Bingo‛ card is similar to a standard Bingo card except the numbers are replaced by poker hands! When a player has a hand listed on their card they must identify the hand to a pit supervisor in order for their card to receive a stamp on the corresponding box. It does not matter if the identified hand wins or even if it is played out to completion, as long as the player is using one of their cards to make the qualifying hand, it’s good! Once a player achieves a single line Bingo on their card,

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they receive one entry into the monthly Bingo drawing. Monthly drawings begin in July and are held on the first Wednesday of the month at 7 pm. Each month four lucky winners will receive $250 in gaming chips! Winners who play for at least one full hour immediately prior to the drawing will get an extra $50!

The first five players to get a coverall on their card get $1,000 in gaming chips! This promotion is extremely valuable to the regular and recreational poker player across Arizona, so head on over to Bucky’s where $5 can quickly turn into $300, or even $1,000, over the course of just a few short hours of play! $ Special thanks to Loreen Vargo, Jeff Cagan, and Aquil Patel at Bucky’s and Yavapai Casinos for their assistance with this article! For more information, call 1-800-SLOTS-44 (1-800-756-8744) or visit www.buckyscasino.com.

Slot Review @ GREAT GAMES

COME ON DOWN! You’re The Next Contestant On

The Price is Right! By Mark Novak Whether you’re a fan of this popular television game show or not, you’re definitely going to want to ‚Come on Down‛ and have a seat at this slot game! WMS’ The Price is Right—The Ultimate Show™ is a must play for all our readers. Cliff Castle Casino in Camp Verde was the first location in the state to feature the game. And, on May 18th the Phoenix Valley’s local hot spot, Casino Arizona Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, was the second casino in Arizona to bring the excitement to their slot floor. Both casinos installed the four-player slot bank in pennies, so with such a small minimum bet you really can’t go wrong at either property! When one of the Local Area Progressive bonuses trigger, you’ll feel like you’re in the game show as environmental lighting chooses a lucky player on the bank to enter one of the four bonus levels. Featuring game play straight from the game show, progressives award free spin enhancements, cash prizes and more! Trust us when we say, you’ve never seen or played anything quite like ‚The Ultimate Show.‛ $ azgamingguide.com | June 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide

GREAT GAMES @ Slot Review

By Mark Novak

Attack from Mars™/Revenge from Mars™ is one of the latest and greatest WMS slot games to hit the casino floors. You have the option to choose to play the game as the Humans who defend Earth or as the Martians who help destroy Earth in this electrifying doublefeature slot! The multi-game functionality allows you to select your gaming option for a personalized offering that is out-of-this-world! Whichever game you choose, you’re sure to have a truly unique gaming experience as you play through two exciting Wild features and four comical bonus levels that will have you chuckling out loud guaranteed!

YOU CAN PLAY THESE GAMES EXCLUSIVELY AT

CASINO ARIZONA TALKING STICK RESORT! There Goes the Universe: Select from Martian ships for credit awards. Some ships reveal a Mother Ship feature or a Tractor Beam feature. The Mother Ship feature awards a multiplier while the Tractor Beam feature fires a tractor beam upon one of Earth’s landmarks. Attempt to stop the ship from stealing the landmarks by selecting from a group of missiles: if the missile reveals “Hit” then the Earth’s landmark is saved and the bonus continues. Duck It’s Chicken: Receive an unlimited amount of free spins! A winning spin eliminates a row of invading Martians and awards 1 of 4 features while losing spins allow the Martians to advance one space. Once the Martians advance far enough your pick could push the Martians back and retrigger the bonus. Mars Kneads Women: A Martian Robot is scouring the city to collect different types of women for credit awards. Pick from various city items searching for sets of women for more credit awards, but watch out for the Sergeant who’s packing a nasty surprise! Abducting Makes Me Hungry: Two Martian ships hover over the town square. Select from the stores to reveal credit awards, but be careful if a selected store contains a bad item it causes your Martian scout to abort its abduction and leave the screen. $ Slot machine image courtesy of WMS. © Copyright WMS. All Rights Reserved. www.wms.com.

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Steve Shliveck, the Bartending Academy’s Center Director, has seen all kinds of students participate in the various courses offered at the school. From college students to retirees to executives of major corporations to bar managers to bar owners; there is something for everyone at the Bartending Academy! This unique training program contains 40 hours of handson instruction with free class refreshers. This can be completed in one or two weeks and includes your Alcohol Awareness State Certification from The Department of Liquor Licensing & Control. Additional courses are offered in Practical Bar Management, Master Flairtending, and Bar Magic. With Bartending Academy’s lifetime Career Assistance and free Refresher Courses, graduates are equipped with all the tools they need to succeed. Since the Bartending Academy has been educating students for over two decades, the range of job opportunities are practically limitless. The Bartending Academy receives calls from prospective employers all over the State of Arizona and they include lifetime job placement assistance locally and nationwide. So if you are looking for a career change, or an opportunity to make some extra money, contact the Bartending Academy at 480.921.9925 and try them out right now with one free training session just for mentioning this ad!

THE CASINOS STILL A BUNCH OF CROOKS?

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By Chris Hoft

Did you know modern casinos are still partly owned and operated by criminals? In fact, every single tribal casino in the state of Arizona is in a business relationship with crime syndicates all across America! Ever since the Arizona Tribal-State Gaming Compact went into effect in 2003, there has been increasingly more crime and corruption within the walls of the casinos! Luckily, we have honest investigative reporters who work for television stations to tell us the truth, keep us informed, and save us from the evil wraths of the casino hoodlums who are just out to steal all our money and rob us blind! The statements above sound juicy and make you want to read more, but they are FALSE, just like the “investigative reporting” regarding Arizona’s casinos broadcast a few weeks ago. Unfortunately such reporting is misleading and inaccurate. Recently, a local television station announced, ‚Going to the casino may be a favorite pastime, but when you lose, is it just about bad luck?‛ We’re supposed to be able to trust that news reports are reliable and factual. Unfortunately there are people who will do anything to attempt to dig for a story. And, who doesn’t love a great conspiracy theory, in particular when you are trying to grab as much of the local television ratings as you possibly can? I can see producers wanting to over-sensationalize everything, in particular in today’s news environment and in an industry like casino gaming which is already fraught with luck, superstitions, rumors, and a sketchy past. What a great idea! Play into people’s emotions and that will get a response! But all this does is mislead the public. The most frustrating part of working in the casino gaming industry is that the general public, and even some people in the casino gaming industry, don’t quite grasp all the ramifications of gaming regulations. I frequently enjoy using the following anecdote to explain how secure and fair casino gaming really is. If slot machines were to be converted for use as voting machines, there would never be a question over the outcome of an election any-

where in the world. There would never be a recount, because no one would be able to cast doubt on the results. That’s how secure slot machines are! A slot simply can’t be cheated or tampered with. The statement by the news station that some casinos in Arizona have a large number of ‚violations‛ from 2008 to 2010, which could affect your chances of winning, is absurd. When playing slots, losing or winning is solely determined by the random number generator and the mathematical design of the game. Deficiencies (the news station kept using the term ‚violations‛ in place of the official term deficiencies) recorded by the Arizona Department of Gaming do not affect the outcome of any one spin of a slot machine. Almost all casinos in Arizona have received notifications of deficiencies during Arizona Department of Gaming inspections over the past three years. So, to clarify, let me summarize and explain the types of deficiencies recently given to casinos by the Arizona Department of Gaming. 1. MEAL Card inconsistencies 2. Revoked software 3. Missing tape seals 4. Discrepancies with listed software settings 5. Faulty door switches or other electronic problems Not a single deficiency I came across indicates there is any (Continued on page 14)

azgamingguide.com | June 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide

(Continued from page 13)

cheating going on by either the casino or other individuals who might wish to commit crimes or fraud. In no case was a player going to be ‚cheated‛ while playing any of the slots that received deficiencies. What follows is an explanation of each deficiency: 1. MEAL Card inconsistencies A Meal Card is a small form filled out by a slot technician who opens the door to a slot machine and performs a variety of maintenance related tasks. Each time the door is opened the slot technician must fill out the date, time, reason for opening the slot door, their name, employee information, and sign their entry. This must be carried out every single time. If the Arizona Department of Gaming finds any portion of a Meal Card incomplete, a deficiency is issued to the casino for every occurrence. Now, put yourself in the shoes of the hard-working slot attendants. Can you imagine forgetting to fill in a portion of the Meal Card log if the floor is busy, you are interacting with customers, performing your tasks, and monitoring radio communications all at the same time? I’d have a hard time filling out the log perfectly and completely every single time with all sorts of distractions spinning around me! Obviously, in no way does a Meal Card deficiency have anything to do with a player winning or losing on the slot in question. 2. Revoked software Revoked software occurs when the manufacturer of a slot machine upgrades their software. In most cases, this is done to introduce additional functionality and compatibility with the vast number of accounting systems and player tracking systems in the industry. This has absolutely no effect whatsoever on the RNG, the math of the game, or your chances of winning or losing on any given spin of the slot. Imagine your home computer running an older version of an operating system or other application. Does everything still work the way it should? Of course! Is it a good idea to upgrade to the latest software? Yes, but without the upgrade you can still perform all the tasks you used to perform without anything going awry! 3. Missing tape seals In all the deficiency notices I examined concerning missing tape seals, I couldn’t find any indication that any software being used without the seals was tampered with or was actually unauthorized software. In many cases, the seals from the state were affixed across EPROMS and the seals from the Tribal Gaming Office was not (or vice 14 Arizona Gaming Guide | June 2011 | azgamingguide.com

versa). Furthermore, none of the deficiency reports I saw noted that any of the security software or sensitive paytable software was missing their seals. Seals were missing from non-critical software needed for the operating system, graphics, sounds, and communication with external devices. Again, the television news is just trying to mislead the general public by implying that a few missing seals on some of the internal parts of a slot machine somehow can lead to a player being cheated. Not true! 4. Discrepancies with listed software settings Both the Arizona Department of Gaming and the individual Tribal Gaming Offices working at the casinos keep meticulous records of the settings used for the software on all slot machines. If any discrepancies are found during the Department’s random inspections of 50 slots, a deficiency is noted per instance. I did see several notices regarding these kinds of problems. However, even if a setting does not match with what was recorded by either regulatory agency, the integrity of the slot machine is not in question. The casino and both regulatory bodies just have to figure out what happened and make the corresponding corrections. (Continued on page 16)

(Continued from page 14)

Furthermore, if a casino wants to change anything on their slot machines, up to and including payback percentages, they are required to give their Tribal Gaming Office and the Arizona Department of Gaming a 30 day written notice prior to taking any action. Again, there are so many checks and balances, procedures, and regulations in place that a slot canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t all of a sudden start cheating a player, or the casino for that matter! 5. Faulty door switches or other electronic problems This deficiency means the slot and the accounting system wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know if the door is open or not. However, you first need a key to open the door! Very few people have this key and, as everyone well knows, there are more cameras pointed at every nook and cranny of the casino floor than anyone knows what to do with. Furthermore, to get at any sensitive parts of the slot, like the cash box or the logic box containing the EPROMS, you need another key. Even if someone had those individual keys (they are different from each other and the door key) both the logic box and the cash box have their own switches, which are unlikely to be defective as well. This circumstance is unfortunate, but easily corrected, and in no way headed towards a situation where a crime could be committed by an employee or a patron.

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Most of these deficiencies can be corrected on the spot. The documentation indicates many of the deficiencies were fixed before the Arizona Department of Gaming walked out of the casino and into their vehicles in the parking lot! However, the Meal Cards are a product of human error. All a casino can hope to do to correct this particular issue is to continue to train their employees and with repeated mistakes, discipline them. Ultimately, casinos will fire employees who canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t consistently obey regulations.

Put yourself in the shoes of the casino for a moment. They offer an entertainment experience in an environment which has a minimum of two levels of regulators at any given moment in time. Their primary entertainment product, slot machines, are thoroughly tested by the manufacturer, submitted to an independent laboratory for additional testing, and finally scrutinized by at least one governmental gaming agency, all before the slot is even allowed to hit the casino floor and be played by the general public. This entire process can take up to two years before a new slot machine is approved for play in a casino! These same casinos have to endure reporters who don't understand how a slot machine functions, don’t bother to carefully investigate the regulatory environment, and misrepresent facts to the general public. This situation is very frustrating for everyone working in the gaming industry! Having been a mathematician and game designer for several international slot machine manufacturers since 2001, I know everything about slots, casino games, the testing procedures, the regulatory environment, and how secure casino gaming really is. The 1950’s was undeniably crime’s heyday in the city of Las Vegas. During this era, criminals were making money off of a completely legal enterprise. People caught cheat-

ing were ‚taught a lesson.‛ Casino ‚executives‛ covered up elaborate skimming operations being conducted within the counting rooms. And, because everyone was getting paid bribes (including many employees), everyone involved with the casino industry turned a blind eye to the mysterious suitcases of cash that left the casinos day in and day out. These days, casinos are no longer run or influenced by crooks. Regulation and oversight have driven crime completely out of the industry. You won’t be cheated by a casino or anyone else for that matter when playing a slot machine or other casino game. The Arizona Gaming Guide is written by casino gaming industry professionals. If you ever have any questions about any aspect of casino gaming, please ask! You are interacting with experts who have years of professional knowledge and insider information. It’s unfortunate there are so many people who provide confusing and inaccurate information about casinos and slots. In closing, I’d like to thank all the hard-working employees in the casino gaming industry for continuing to perform their jobs at a high level of excellence in one of the most demanding and heavily regulated industries on the planet! $

azgamingguide.com | June 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide

124th Annual

Prescott Frontier Days World’s Oldest Rodeo Nowhere is the history of rodeo more beautifully preserved and nurtured than in Prescott, Arizona; home to the World’s Oldest Rodeo ®. This year, the town ‚Where It All Began,‛ celebrates its 124th Annual Prescott Frontier Days® with festivities beginning June 28th and continuing through July 4th. Since 1888, folks have come from miles around to experience the excitement of the rodeo heritage and tradition first hand! Every year the event gets bigger and the contestants more daring and bold. When the bulls, the horses, the world-class competitors and the barrel clowns come to town … well, let’s just say you’ll want to see “what’s kicking up all that dust!” You also won’t want to miss the featured riders, mounted groups, horse drawn entries, commercial and non-commercial floats, and all the reenactment groups and musical performances during the Frontier Days® Parade on Saturday, July 2nd.

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Looking back, July 4, 1888, was the birthday of professional rodeo when a group of Prescott businessmen organized a formal ‚Cowboy Tournament.‛ Those early editions of the Prescott Frontier Days ® were mostly appealing to the local cowboys and ranchers because it gave them the chance to bring their ranch-bred skills to town to compete. From this foundation, rodeo evolved into the professional sport it is today. The spirit of the first pioneers of the sport live on in every turn, throw, kick, jump, twist and record set in the arena. At each performance you will see the Wild Horse Race, Bareback Riding, Saddle Bronc, Steer Wrestling, Tie Down Roping, Team Roping, Barrel Racing, and the crowd pleasing Bull Riding, as well as an All Around competition! The action is fast, exhilarating, heart-stopping and hilarious, all at once! Isn’t it about time you came to the Prescott Frontier Days® World’s Oldest Rodeo® to experience history

“Where It All Began” in the making? Call 866-407-6336 or visit worldsoldestrodeo.com for more information. As sponsors of the World’s Oldest Rodeo ®, Bucky’s and Yavapai Casinos have added a special bonus. If you bring your rodeo ticket to either one of the two Casinos, you will receive $20 in Free Play when you join the Gold Rush Club. And, if you’re already a member, your rodeo ticket will still get you $10 in Free Play! See the Gold Rush Club for full details on this special rodeo bonus. At Bucky’s Casino, you can enjoy a full range of games from live table games to hundreds of the latest slots. Bucky’s Casino also boasts the best Blackjack games in Northern Arizona with Blackjack hourly specials every Sunday-Thursday. You’ll also want to visit their non-smoking Poker Room and try your hand at Texas Hold ‘Em. When you’re ready for a break you should head over to the re-

laxing atmosphere and casual setting of Bucky’s Café: open for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The Café is the perfect hangout - whether it’s for the Classic Juicy Hamburger or simply a nice cup of Joe. Yavapai Casino, located directly across from the Prescott Resort on Highway 69, provides an intimate setting for maximum enjoyment. Casual, yet inviting, Yavapai Casino is a slot player’s paradise. Yavapai Cantina is the place to catch great sports action. Sit back and relax with delicious food and drink specials. For more info, call 800-SLOTS44 or visit buckyscasino.com. Book your gaming getaway at the Prescott Resort featuring the best views in Prescott, call 800-967-4637. Portions of this article provided by Kathy Gaddy, with contributions by JC Trujillo (Prescott Frontier Days®, Inc. General Manager) & Carlos Pastore (Prescott Frontier Days®, Inc. President). Special thanks to Loreen Vargo at Bucky’s and Yavapai Casinos for her help with this article. Images by Christopher Halloran/Shutterstock.com

azgamingguide.com | June 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide

WINNING WAYS @ Video Poker By Lana Hartmann

TRIPLE DOUBLE BONUS POKER Triple Double Bonus Poker is a brutal, but extremely rewarding video poker game. With a bet of five credits, a winning combination of four Aces with a kicker (any single 2, 3, or 4) pays 4,000 credits. This is equivalent to $1,000 playing a quarter denomination machine—the exact same win as the Royal Flush. You can expect this substantial win to happen quite frequently; on average about once in every 14,000 hands! And, not only do the Aces pay much more than usual, but the four 2s, 3s, or 4s with a kicker also pay a much higher bonused win of 2,000 credits than other standard video poker games. You won’t need to wait that long for this win either, because one of these sweet four-of-a-kind combinations will appear about once in every 5,800 games, on average. Asking yourself, ‚What’s the catch?‛ Well, the catch is—higher rewards for winning combinations that happen less often and reduced rewards for winning combinations that happen very often! In this game, you’re not rewarded twice your bet back with a two-pair as you are with video poker games like Bonus Poker and Jacks or Better, but rather just your bet back. Furthermore, the three-of-a-kind wins are reduced to twice your bet back rather than three times your bet like on most other video poker games.

422

The number of spins it takes, on average, to get a four-of-a-kind playing video poker.

Who Knew? Say you’re playing Triple Double Bonus Poker and you’re dealt a full house with three Aces. Most people hold the full house. Note: this IS NOT the correct play! What you should do is hold the three Aces and discard the pair if the pair is a 5 through King. If the pair is a kicker (a 2, 3, or 4), then you have to hold one kicker along with the three Aces. Do not hold a kicker when dealt only a pair of Aces or a pair of low cards! Good luck and have fun! $ 20 Arizona Gaming Guide | June 2011 | azgamingguide.com

What’s Better … Playing the min bet of 25¢ on a quarter video poker game or max bet of 25¢ on a nickel video poker game?

You should always, always, always play the maximum bet regardless of what denomination video poker machine you’re playing. Since the Royal Flush is the only win in video poker that is not proportional to your bet like the other wins are, you have to play the maximum bet for the added advantage. Playing video poker at a one or two credit bet rather than the usual five credit maximum bet is a serious mistake! If you feel too intimidated to play the max, then you’re playing the wrong denomination and you need to go down a level or two. Hitting the Royal Flush while playing the min bet of 25¢ on a quarter video poker game pays $67.50. However, hitting the Royal Flush while playing the max bet of 25¢ on a nickel video poker game pays $200.00! Same bet, same win, but two very different payouts! Taking a look at another example: if you’re playing the minimum bet of $1 on a dollar video poker machine and you hit the Royal Flush, this win (in almost all situations) pays $250. On the other hand, by going down one level and playing a quarter video poker game at a max bet of $1.25 the Royal Flush pays $1000 (and more if it’s a progressive game). So, don’t give the casino an even greater advantage. Choose a comfortable denomination and always play max bet! $

Blackjack @ WINNING WAYS

WINNING WAYS @ Secrets of Smart Players

20 LINES vs. 30 LINES By Mark Novak

So, you noticed your favorite penny slot is available at 20 lines in one casino and can be played with 30 lines at a different casino! Which one do you play? Most people would think to play the 20 line game for what appears to be a logical and obvious reason. Clearly, 20 lines requires less of a bet than 30 lines, therefore that must be the correct game to play, right? Wrong! What many players fail to recognize is that for almost 99% of the slots on the floor, the 30 line game uses the exact same mathematical structure as the 20 line structure. You are playing the exact same game. The advantage you gain with the 30 line version of the slot is the greater hit frequency. In some cases, the 30 line slot can give you up to 50% higher hit frequency over the 20 line slot, and who doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to win more often? You will definitely notice the difference between the two games even with a small bankroll of just $10. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll feel the increased wins. The extra 10 lines will really pay off during a free games bonus with much larger bonus wins (on average). Do a comparison and see for yourself! $ 22 Arizona Gaming Guide | June 2011 | azgamingguide.com

Casino Industry News @ FAST FACTS

ARIZONAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TRIBAL CASINOS REPORT BEST Q1 IN 4 YEARS! The Arizona Department of Gaming announced that tribal contributions to the state for the quarter ending March 31, 2011 from gaming revenues was approximately $22.6 million. This reflects a 6.0% increase from the same quarter last year. The Arizona Department of Gaming, in partnership with Arizonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tribes, regulates Indian gaming. Under the Arizona Tribal-State Gaming Compact, tribes with casinos contribute one to eight percent of their Class III gross gaming revenue to the state, cities, towns, and counties. In Arizona, Class III gaming includes slot machines, jackpot poker, blackjack, keno, and off-track pari-mutuel betting. There are currently 22 Class III casinos in the state. Tribes send contributions to the Arizona State Benefits Fund every three months. For more information on the Department of Gaming, please visit their website at: www.azgaming.gov. $

Quarterly Contributions to the Arizona State Benefits Fund Instructional Improvement Fund/Education: $11,289,709 Trauma and Emergency Services Fund:

$5,644,854

Arizona Dept. of Gaming Operating Costs:

$2,000,000

Arizona Wildlife Conservation Fund:

$1,612,816

State Tourism Fund:

$1,612,816

Office of Problem Gambling:

$452,249

Total Tribal Contributions for Q1: $22,612,444

azgamingguide.com | June 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide

Keno

@ FAST FACTS

Keno “The White Pigeon” A look at the fascinating history of the game By Lana Hartmann

The game of Keno originated in China about 2,000 years ago.

Chinese scrolls identify the ruler of the Han Dynasty, Cheung Leung, as having invented the game as a way to generate money to fund his army. In addition, many historians also believe that Leung used some of the revenues from the game to fund the Great Wall of China. Leung’s original version of the game was played with 120 Chinese letters rather than numbers. Those who wished to participate in the game had to choose the winning set of letters; similarly to how our modern day lottery and Keno games are played today. To announce the winning letters, carrier pigeons were used to spread the word to all the communities. This is the reason the game was referred to as ‚The White Pigeon‛ game. In the 1800s, when the Chinese immigrants came to America, they brought the popular game with them. It didn’t take very long for the interest in the game to spread, particularly in the West where most immigrants had settled to help build the railroad. Although English speakers enjoyed the game, they were frustrated with the Chinese letters which were difficult to differentiate. So, by the early 1900s, Arabic numbers replaced the Chinese characters and the amount of numbers was reduced from 120 to 80. When Nevada legalized gaming in 1931, lottery-style games were not allowed, so to get around it Keno was just referred to as ‚Race Horse Keno‛ where the numbers represented horses! In a humorous twist, in 1951 when the U.S. government started taxing off-track betting, including ‚Race Horse Keno,‛ the casinos just changed the game back to using numbers and not horses to avoid taxation! Nevada’s gambling authorities had forgotten the game was deemed illegal 20 years before! $

*EXP. 7/1/2011

azgamingguide.com | June 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide

FAST FACTS @ Casino Buzz

KEEPING IT COOL WITH

CURTIS STONE Saturday, June 11 At 6pm Desert Diamond Casino By Lana Hartmann What better way to enjoy a hot, summer day than with a cool and delicious bowl of Gazpacho—Curtis Stone’s very own recipe! Curtis Stone recently cooked up this summer soup with Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford, the hosts of the NBC television program Today.

GAZPACHO Ingredients 2 lb vine ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped 1 lb ripe plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped 3 cups chicken stock ½ cucumber, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped ½ green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped ½ red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped ½ in thick slices country white bread, crusts removed, bread coarsely cubed 1 cup tomato juice 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 1 shallot, coarsely chopped ½ jalapeno chili, coarsely chopped 1 large garlic clove, coarsely chopped 1 tsp salt ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper Extra virgin olive oil Preparation 1. Stir all the ingredients except the olive oil in a large pot or bowl. 2. Set aside to marinate for 2 hours or cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. 3. Working in batches, place the marinated soup in a blender & blitz until smooth. 4. Divide the gazpacho among serving bowls, garnish with croutons and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over the soup and serve.

“My cooking philosophy is to keep it simple and cook with naturally produced ingredients just as Mother Nature intended.” Curtis Stone from America’s Next Great Restaurant, The Apprentice, The Biggest Loser, Cooking with Curtis Stone, Take Home Chef, and now host of Top Chef Masters, will be doing a cooking Demo and a Q&A with guests exclusively at Desert Diamond Casino! So mark your calendars for Saturday, June 11! Doors open at 6:00pm with the show starting at 7:00pm in the Diamond Center at the Sahuarita location just south of Tucson near the I-19 & Pima Mine Road (Exit 80).

Recipe source: www.curtisstone.com/Recipes/Salads-and-Starters/Gazpacho Image of Curtis Stone arriving at NBC All-Star Party on January 13, 2011 in Pasadena, CA by DFree & Shutterstock.com

26 Arizona Gaming Guide | June 2011 | azgamingguide.com

Tickets are on sale at all TicketMaster locations or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Advance reserved tickets are $30, $40, and $50 ($35, $45, and $55 day of show). For more information, call Desert Diamond Casinos at 1-866-332-9467.

@ SAMI’S SMACKDOWN

JUST REMEMBER … Karma is a harsh mistress By Sami Becker For each insensitive jerk that exists in this world today who only thinks and cares about himself or herself, there’s a truly kind-hearted, caring human being out there. That’s evident by all the wonderful physical and electronic letters I receive daily from people who have a genuine concern for others. For example, Kristina Malenkov from Phoenix wrote to me about the inconsiderate treatment a pregnant cocktail waitress received from several casino patrons recently who ‚all rudely snapped their fingers to get her attention and then didn’t even give her a tip.‛ Her letter went on to tear at my heart as she explained how the waitress looked so hurt as she walked away and was struggling to carry the heavy tray in her condition. Jane Reed from Yuma expressed her frustration of selfish people who don’t tip the casino personnel as she wrote to me, ‚If I don’t have any change to give them as a tip, then I don’t even order a drink. I’d rather go thirsty until I get the change than accept a drink without giving them a little something for it!‛ Just because you feel it’s beneath you (or you are just too cheap) to tip or don’t even think it’s decent to say thank you, realize there is a fellow human being serving you. They deserve to be recognized for their part in enhancing your entertainment experience. Try actually being nice to a waitress or server for once and you’ll be pleasantly surprised how attentive they become when you treat them with respect. By the way, all you thoughtless, uncaring people out there. Just remember, Karma is a harsh mistress. At some point you’ll deal with the repercussions of the bad vibes you dish out in not tipping. $

Do YOU have something to rant about? Write me at:

sami@azgamingguide.com azgamingguide.com | June 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide

FUN & GAMES @

SUDOKU

JACKPOT PUZZLE

Each of the columns, rows, and nine 3x3 grids must contain all of the digits 1 - 9. None of the digits may appear more than once in each column, row, and 3x3 grid.

Which bonus is the best?

(Solution on page 30)

9 8

5 8

6 6

1 5

Furthermore, you also recorded how much every bonus paid you across both of your favorite games. Your research tells you the first slot pays $25, on average, for its bonus, and the second slot pays $40, on average.

9 2

By counting the number of spins you play between bonuses and averaging the results, you notice one of your favorite penny slots hits a bonus about once every 50 games. Having performed the same analysis on a second penny slot, you find out it awards a bonus about once every 75 spins.

28 Arizona Gaming Guide | June 2011 | azgamingguide.com

If both slots have the same wager of 40 credits, which slot do you think has the higher paying bonus? (Solution on page 30)

DIRECTORY OF CASINO SPONSORS @ Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Fort McDowell Gaming Center Beeline Hwy (SR 87) and Fort McDowell Rd North of Fountain Hills 1-800-843-3678 fortmcdowellcasino.com 859 Slots, Live Keno, 1,700 Seat Bingo Hall, 24 Poker Tables, 15 Blackjack Tables

Our Website QR Code

Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Casino Arizona—Salt River 524 N. 92nd St, Scottsdale E of Loop 101 at McKellips Rd and 92nd St 1-480-850-7777 casinoaz.com 861 Slots, Live Keno, 7 Poker Tables, 46 Blackjack Tables

azgamingguide.com

Casino Arizona—Talking Stick Resort 9700 E. Indian Bend Rd, Scottsdale 1 mile E of Loop 101 on Indian Bend Rd 1-480-850-7777 casinoaz.com 801 Slots, Live Keno, 57 Poker Tables, 47 Blackjack Tables

Our Facebook QR Code

Tohono O'odham Nation Desert Diamond Casino 7350 S. Nogales Highway, Tucson 1 mile S of Valencia Rd on Nogales Highway 1-520-294-7777 desertdiamondcasino.com 1089 Slots, Live Keno, 270 Seat Bingo Hall 17 Poker Tables, 19 Blackjack Tables Desert Diamond Casino 1100 W. Pima Mine Rd, Sahuarita S of Tucson at I-19 and Exit 80 (Pima Mine Rd) 1-866-332-9467 desertdiamondcasino.com 890 Slots, 2 Poker Tables, 10 Blackjack Tables Desert Diamond Casino Highway 86, Why 1½ miles E of Why, AZ on Highway 86 1-866-332-9467 desertdiamondcasino.com 76 Slots Tonto Apache Tribe Mazatzal Hotel & Casino Highway 87, Payson S of Payson on Beeline Highway(SR 87) 1-800-777-7529 777play.com 413 Slots, Live Keno, 280 Seat Bingo Hall, 3 Poker Tables, 5 Blackjack Tables White Mountain Apache Tribe Hon-Dah Casino, Resort & Conference Center 777 Highway 260, Pinetop 3 miles outside Pinetop at Highways 260 & 73 1-800-929-8744 hon-dah.com 802 Slots, 3 Poker Tables, 4 Blackjack Tables Yavapai-Apache Nation Cliff Castle Casino & Hotel 555 Middle Verde Rd, Camp Verde 1 mile E of I-17 on Middle Verde Rd 1-800-381-7568 cliffcastlecasino.net 656 Slots, 8 Poker Tables, 10 Blackjack Tables Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe Bucky's Casino Highway 69 and Heather Heights, Prescott N at top of hill next to the Prescott Resort 1-800-756-8744 buckyscasino.com 301 Slots, 7 Poker Tables, 10 Blackjack Tables Yavapai Casino 1500 E. Highway 69, Prescott Hwy. 69 at Heather Heights on S side of SR 69 1-800-756-8744 buckyscasino.com 235 Slots Arizona Department of Gaming 202 E. Earll Drive, Suite 200 Phoenix, Arizona 85012 1-602-604-1801 azgaming.gov Office of Problem Gambling 202 E. Earll Drive, Suite 200 Phoenix, Arizona 85012 1-602-266-8299 problemgambling.az.gov

30 Arizona Gaming Guide | June 2011 | azgamingguide.com

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Solution to the Jackpot Puzzle The second slot has the higher paying bonus. The expected value for the first slot’s bonus is as follows: $25 divided by 50 spins results in an EV = 0.50. The expected value for the second slot’s bonus is as follows: $40 divided by 75 spins results in an EV = 0.53. As players we have no other choice but to base our calculations on averages! Also, remember that slots are not guaranteed to pay out a specific dollar amount during a bonus after a defined number of spins!

Solution to the Sudoku