Arizona Gaming Guide Magazine July 2011 by Arizona Gaming Guide

JULY

Contents FEATURES 12 A CONVERSATION WITH BILL RAGATZ Gaming Device Compliance Manager 16 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Players want to know the answers 19 SHOULD THE CASINOS BAN SMOKING? We’d like your opinion on this hot topic

GREAT GAMES 08 SLOT REVIEW Our Facebook fans name their favorite slots

WINNING WAYS 20 HINTS & TIPS Poker and Blackjack 22 SECRETS OF SMART PLAYERS Your own slot

FAST FACTS 23 SLOT MACHINE SOFTWARE Software glitches—Who’s really at risk?

25 PARTICIPATION SLOTS Not all slots are owned by the casino 26 CASINO INDUSTRY NEWS Sheila Morago leaves Arizona for Oklahoma

REGULAR RESPINS 04 EDITOR’S NOTE What’s on our mind 06 PLAYERS TALK What’s on your mind 28 FUN & GAMES Sudoku & Jackpot Puzzle to keep your mind sharp! 29 SAMI’S SMACKDOWN Rants, raves & reflections 30 CASINO SPONSOR DIRECTORY

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EDITOR’S NOTE @

Your Authority On Everything Gaming VOLUME 02 • ISSUE 12 PUBLISHER Chris Hoft chris@azgamingguide.com MANAGING DIRECTOR Elizabeth Torma liz@azgamingguide.com

We Have Exciting Plans This July issue marks the end of our Volume 2 series! As we prepare to celebrate our second year anniversary, and the beginning of our Volume 3 series with our August issue, we are reflecting on all of our achievements and setting even higher goals for ourselves for this next year. As always, we will continue to deliver intriguing information on everything gaming to all of you through our magazine. In addition to our print publication and growing online presence through social media outlets and applications, we will also be utilizing new and exciting communication methods and tools as well. Watch for some thrilling additions to our website and our all-new electronic newsletter in the coming months! I extend my deepest appreciation and gratitude to all of you for supporting our publication and being loyal fans. Thank you for always taking the time to write in your wonderful ideas and suggestions because your feedback is so important to us and always welcome! Please visit our Facebook page at 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 July issue and have fun. Cheers! Alexandra Lang

Editor-in-Chief editor@azgamingguide.com

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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: SLOT MACHINE TOURNAMENTS I love playing in slot machine tournaments. Are the slots used for the tournaments and the outcomes of the tournaments fixed? Linda Padilla—Casa Grande, AZ A: Linda, the slot machines used for tournaments may be set at higher payback percentages to elevate the excitement during game play. However, tournament outcomes, just like any other casino drawings and promotions, are not fixed! According to the Arizona Tribal State Gaming Compact, the Tribal Gaming Office is required to document all the rules and procedures and certify the tournament games. Even though the Arizona Department of Gaming is not required to certify them according to the Compact, they’ve opted to test and certify all new tournament slot machines anyway as a second check. Q: JACKPOT CONFIRMATION How do casinos confirm whether jackpots are legitimate wins? They can just tell us it was a malfunction or error or whatever they want and we just have to believe them. Sandy Tovar – Tucson, AZ A: Sandy, casinos can’t cheat players and claim that a jackpot was not a legitimate win if it was. Either the winning amount matches with the listed pay table amount in the help screen or it doesn’t. If you line up five wilds on a pay line and the pay table says the win is worth $10,000, but the slot malfunctions and displays $1 million on the screen, you’re not going to become a millionaire. Sorry. If the casino truly believes that there has been a mistake, then they must provide documented evidence to support their claims! Slot personnel can look into “Last Game Recall” which steps through the spin leading up to the jackpot. Even if it’s an accumulated win from a free games bonus, the employees can still see the entire history stored in the “Last Game Recall.” They can verify the win against the accounting system, and they can also look at the meters on the slot machine to make sure that the jackpot was recorded correctly. If they believe there’s been foul play, then they could even pull up security surveillance tapes. There are many measures in place to secure that neither the patron nor the casino is being cheated!

Q: WAITING FOR A HAND PAY Why does it take so long for the casino employees to come around and do a hand pay? You would think they’d want us playing and spending money rather than just sitting around waiting. Ruth Roberts – Glendale, AZ A: Ruth, there is a strict procedure that casino employees need to follow regarding hand pays according to the Tribal State Gaming Compact. There may be paperwork involved in the hand pay, someone may need to use the reset key to clear off the hand pay, more than one person may need to be involved to verify the win, and money has to move from the cage to the patron. All of this needs to be properly documented and takes time. Several casino personnel are involved with every hand pay and each one of them needs to be careful not to make any mistakes. Q: THE BEST VIDEO SLOT I’m a slot player. I’ve tried playing blackjack and I’ve even gone to a few bingo sessions, but I’m just not interested. I have the most fun playing the slots. The only problem is that I lose too much money. In your opinion, what’s the best slot to play? Gloria Vincent – Tucson, AZ A: Gloria, the best slot machine to play at the casino is video poker. That’s the game that tends to have the highest payback percentage when played using optimal strategy over the long run. The simplicity of video poker is the true beauty of the game. The pay table is right there in front of you, so there’s no guesswork involved. Also, video poker isn’t as volatile as some of the other video slot games, especially some penny slots. And, although it varies from one video poker game to another, you usually get a win every two to three spins playing video poker. Furthermore, you are guaranteed at least your bet back when you do win (with single-line video poker). If video poker doesn’t interest you, then make sure the video slots you choose to play don’t have progressives, community bonus rounds, and side wagers. These slots tend to have a high level of volatility which can decimate your bankroll! $

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.

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GREAT GAMES @ Slot Review

SLOT FAVORITES … chosen by our Facebook fans By Lana Hartmann

We asked our Facebook fans which slot machine games they enjoy playing the most and they were more than happy to share their preferences with us! If there’s a game on this list you’re not familiar with, give it a try! You may just find your next favorite slot amongst these titles. We only had room to mention some of the many gems that our fans wrote to us about, but don’t worry because we’ll continue with the rest of the games in next month’s issue! We’ve included a few of our own hints and tips for each slot game as well!

Double Diamond® By IGT It wasn’t surprising to us that several fans listed some classic mechanical steppers as their favorites. IGT’s Double Diamond® three reel is a tried and true top-notch game that can still be found on almost all casino floors! One of the main reasons players still love this slot is because it lets them play longer than most other steppers do and is not as volatile. We can tell you that you will be getting a winning combination on this game about once in every 7 spins! This is actually a great hit frequency considering that most stepper games produce a win about once in every 12 to 20 games! Here’s another secret you’ll only be able to find out from us—the jackpot on this game actually has a high probability of occurring as it hits once in every 50,000 spins, on average. Given that one spin takes about 5 seconds to complete, 50,000 spins translates to approximately one jackpot every three days. 08 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com

Now, those are some great odds. Throw into the mix the fact that the wilds show up about once in every 25 spins and that makes for some exciting game play action while waiting for that jackpot to happen. Here are a couple more hints: 1. Never, ever, sit down at this machine unless you are prepared to risk 300x your wager on this game. According to our mathematical analysis, any wins in-between 50x and 500x your wager will be attainable with that bank roll. 2. Most casinos install the game with the max credit jackpot proportionally higher than the one credit jackpot. Therefore, you should play the maximum bet to gain an even greater advantage.

Red, White & Blue® By IGT Another reel classic and symbol of American patriotism is IGT’s Red, White & Blue® three reel mechanical stepper slot. This game, like IGT’s other hit Double Diamond ®, is an excellent choice because of the high probability of landing a winning combination which occurs about once in every 7 games, on average. Although your odds of getting the top jackpot in this game aren’t so good (usually about once in every 250,000 spins), lining up any of the colored sevens is not difficult to attain during one play session as it occurs about once in every 250 to 300 spins! Since this game’s overall hit frequency is similar to Double Diamond®, we offer the same advice—don’t sit down at this machine unless you are prepared to risk 300x your wa-

Slot Review @ GREAT GAMES news, Mazatzal Hotel & Casino in Payson has their version set much higher than that! Cliff Castle Casino Hotel in Camp Verde still has the game and Hon-Dah ResortCasino in Pinetop recently installed a bank as well. Our team members have had great play sessions at all three locations! Just remember, it’s a fact that the more you bet the better your chances are for triggering the random progressive on this game. To increase the odds of hitting this progressive, your best move is to play max bet. Although, since most people don’t wager the maximum on this game, you can gain an advantage by just making sure you’re the biggest bettor at the bank (and that you’re not sitting at a bank with another Arizona Gaming Guide fan)!

Images of Goldfish Race for the Gold & The Lord of the Rings are courtesy of WMS. © Copyright WMS. All Rights Reserved. www.wms.com. Images of Sex and the City, Double Diamond, and Red, White & Blue are courtesy of IGT. © Copyright IGT. All Rights Reserved. www.igt.com.

ger. And, although we always recommend playing at the bet level you feel most comfortable, just be aware that the top jackpot wins are also bonused on this game when playing the max bet of 3 credits. The Arizona Gaming Guide team has had the best experience playing Red, White & Blue® and Double Diamond®, as well as some other classic mechanical reel steppers, at Cliff Castle Casino Hotel in Camp Verde, Bucky’s Casino in Prescott, and Desert Diamond Casinos in Tucson.

Goldfish® Race for the Gold™ By WMS It’s no surprise to us that most of our Facebook fans listed WMS games as their favorites. One such game, Goldfish® Race for the GoldTM, seems to continue to be a huge success amongst slot enthusiasts according to our reader letters and the comments from our Facebook fans. The overall hit frequency of Goldfish® Race for the GoldTM is 50%, so a winning combination should happen about one out of every two spins! Here’s another insider secret: you will not find this game installed here in Arizona at a payback percentage less than 88%! And, for some even more good

Here’s an amusing true story—one of our team members was playing Money to Burn® in nickels and 20 lines at the Casino Arizona Salt River location (unfortunately no longer on the floor). As everyone was betting the minimum bet of 20 credits ($1.00 wager), our team member was betting 40 credits to gain an advantage for the progressive. Another lady sat down next to her and immediately started betting 60 credits which prompted our team member to start betting 80 credits. Of course, she didn’t expect the lady to start betting 100 credits (a $5.00 bet) right away as a result. Then, the lady turned to our staff member and said she wasn’t trying to be rude she was just following a rule she read in a gaming magazine about being the “biggest bettor at the bank” with randomly triggered progressive slots. When our team member asked her which magazine she read that in she said, “Arizona Gaming Guide, you can pick it up here.” They both had a good chuckle!

Wheel of Fortune® By IGT This great game has attracted a lot of players over the years! You have to play max credits to activate the Spin bonus, which should happen about once every 60 to 80 spins according to our data (depending on the version of the game). If you play less than max credits, you are at an extreme disadvantage because you cannot play the Spin bonus. The payback percentage when playing less than max credits is generally around the lower limit of the gaming jurisdiction (for Arizona this is 80%). The max credits payback percentage starts at 86%, so you definitely want to take advantage of the extra 6%! If you do get to play the Spin bonus, your chances of winning the 1,000 credit award are about 1 in 250 based on our research. That’s why you win 20 credits so often! (Continued on page 10)

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GREAT GAMES @ Slot Review (Continued from page 9)

The Lord of the Rings™ By WMS Fans of The Lord of the RingsTM, also by WMS, will be happy to know there is just one version of this game. It is only available in 25 lines, no more, and no less. Presumably every player has taken the time to create a login name and password for the game. Doing so enables you to save your progress on your journey through Middle-earth. The more miles you collect, the more bonuses you are allowed to play during your adventure on this remarkable slot. With a hit frequency of around 50%, you should see a win about once every other spin. The lowest payback percentage for this game is around 86% and as you already know, Mazatzal Hotel & Casino set their game in the 90s. Casino Arizona at Talking Stick Resort, Fort McDowell Casino, Cliff Castle Casino Hotel, Mazatzal Hotel & Casino, and Desert Diamond Casinos are all great places to play these slots. I can never seem to get an open machine when I arrive! Until we hear differently, Mazatzal Hotel & Casino has the highest paying version of this slot.

Sex and the City™ By IGT Sex and the CityTM was mentioned several times by our fans. I agree this game is very appealing and, as a result, has been on the slot floors for a while. If you want to play all four sets of reels, you should hit a bonus after about 25 spins. If you elect to play three sets of reels your chances 10 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com

of hitting the bonus decrease to 1 in 33 spins. Activate only two sets of reels by wagering 100 credits for a chance to hit the bonus once every 50 spins. If you play one set of reels for 50 credits, the bonus should happen about once every 100 spins. This relationship will be similar for all of IGT’s slots with four sets of reels. That is to say your chances of hitting the bonus obviously decreases by a factor of four when playing one set of reels as opposed to all four sets of reels. With a follow-up version of this slot coming to Arizona in the near future, you should jump on a game while you still can. None of the remaining Sex and the CityTM slots in Arizona are set lower than 90% in terms of their payback percentage. Based on our analysis of the game, winning spins happen about 50% of the time, when playing all four sets of reels. You should know one final hint about this slot. The more you wager, the more picks you get in the progressive bonus game. A bet of 200 credits yields one pick in the bonus, 400 credits yields two picks in the bonus, and max bet guarantees a progressive is awarded! $

PLAYING BY THE

RULES Bill Ragatz

Gaming Device Compliance Manager Random inspections from various state regulatory agencies happen throughout the entire service industry and the casinos aren’t an exception. The Gaming Device Compliance Unit of the Arizona Department of Gaming (the Department) continues to play an integral role in ensuring the integrity of gaming in Arizona. Mr. Bill Ragatz, Manager of the Unit, and his team certify that all the gaming devices that are played by the public are properly inspected and meet rigid specifications. Arizona Gaming Guide (AGG): What does your team at the Department do on behalf of the public? Bill Ragatz (BR): We certify, inspect, and monitor all the gaming devices and all the communication systems connected to the gaming devices in the Arizona casinos; this includes the player tracking devices and the accounting system. We keep track of and regularly check anything machine-wise, whether it is the machine itself or it is a component hooked up to the machine, which might cause a critical problem. We visit every casino in Arizona, randomly and sometimes without notice, up to five times per year. Absolutely every slot machine in Arizona has been certified by our team, has had its software checked by our team, and is continually monitored by our team here at the Department. When we show up to a casino that is in the process of setting up a bank of new slot machines (after having previously been given 12 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com

a 30 day advance notice), we open every single machine and check the software, check with the results provided to us by the independent testing labs, and verify the software is approved in Arizona. If something is out of the ordinary, we’ll investigate why and resolve the discrepancy. About four years ago one of the slot manufacturers shipped software that was not approved for Arizona but was approved for Nevada, Illinois, or some other state. This was a shipping mistake, nothing intentional. When we checked the software to verify each chip’s electronic signature, we identified the signature did not match the approved software! This is one of our most stringent steps we take during our certifications. Software that is not approved in Arizona cannot be shipped here and be used in a gaming device. AGG: Can someone get into trouble for having made an honest mistake? BR: Yes, they can. We take any discrepancies very seriously. Slot manufacturers can be fined, employees can lose their jobs, and a manufacturer’s gaming license can be revoked. Whenever something happens that shouldn’t have happened, the first step is to have a conversation and document what occurred and what steps will be taken to resolve the issue. We have never turned a blind eye to anything! Absolutely everything is reported and recorded, even for an honest shipping mistake or human error. Obviously it depends on the severity of the situation as to what kinds of actions the Department will take to resolve an issue.

AGG: What happens during a typical inspection? BR: A member of our team goes out to a casino randomly and unannounced. Our team member first arrives at the local Tribal Gaming Office and informs them they will be doing an inspection and then randomly selects 50 different slot games. If there has been recent complaints about certain machines, we may combine our investigation of the suspect machines with a random inspection. For the most part, the Tribal Gaming Office and the casino have no advance notice at all. When we arrive we request a slot tech, a Tribal Gaming Agent, and a Security Officer to accompany us around the casino so we can have as much unrestricted access as we need. We open the slots, enter the setup Absolutely every menus and verify the percentages, the software, and the seal tapes are still in slot machine in place. Then, we perform communicaArizona has tion tests with the accounting system been certified by and run bills and tickets through the our team, has acceptors. We still do coin tests as had its software well, but there are very few places in Arizona that still use coins and tokens! checked by We also check all the accounting meour team, and ters to make sure they are working is continually correctly. This includes the credits in, monitored by credits out, credits played, etc.

our team here at the Department.

AGG: If you come across a problem, what do you do?

BR: If we find a problem during an inspection, we immediately notify the individuals we are working with so they can physically see the problem. Then, they report the issue to their superiors. We always complete a report, whether there is an issue or not. If there is a discrepancy, we note what section of the Arizona Tribal State Gaming Compact the issue violates and possibly quote the Compact, depending on the nature of the discrepancy. During our inspections we tend to find very little in the way of problems. (Continued on page 14)

Can Players Be Cheated? AGG: Our readers ask questions about the casinos being able to “cheat” them. Can the public feel secure in knowing that any slot machine they encounter in Arizona’s casinos is a fair machine? BR: Yes, absolutely! I’ve been here nine years and based on my knowledge I have never known a casino or Tribal Gaming Office to place software in a slot that wasn’t approved for use in Arizona, changed a machine, or its settings on purpose in order to deceive customers. There have been some instances in the past where the PARs (percentage accounting reports) didn’t match with what we had on file. This is extremely rare, and again, does not mean the slot is “unfair.” What can happen is that a slot needs a soft reset or a hard reset to clear an electronic or hardware problem. So, a slot tech, along with a Tribal Gaming Agent, resets the machine and has to configure all the settings. By the way, a slot tech is unable to do this without a Tribal Gaming Agent being present. Then, someone from the Department has to come out and re-certify the machine. Human error can happen and the wrong percentage can get picked. Between performing our certifications of new gaming devices, certifying changes to existing slots, our random inspections, the diligence of the Tribal Gaming Agents, and the attention to detail of casinos themselves, I am 100% confident that every single slot machine across all the casinos here in Arizona is okay. One of the great things about casino gaming in Arizona is the regulations established by the Compact. We all work together (the casinos, the Tribal Gaming Offices, and the Department) to ensure a fair, entertaining experience for everyone. azgamingguide.com | July 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide

(Continued from page 13) AGG: What’s the most surprising thing you or a member of your team have ever found when opening a slot machine door? BR: I found a 1923 silver dollar in a dollar game when I was a tech! The casino let me buy it from them for a dollar! I had opened a multi-game machine to do some maintenance on the slot when I saw the coin. Back then, it was very common for coins to miss the hopper during a slot tech’s refill or for a player’s coin to bounce out when the hopper was almost full. AGG: What is the most ridiculous myth you have heard about slot machines? BR: I’d say the one about the guy in the back of the casino who controls if you win or lose. That is probably the craziest myth I’ve come across! Back when I was a slot tech, I do remember asking surveillance to keep an eye on an older gentleman who was a regular visitor at the casino. I noticed he was repeatedly punching the numbers on the player tracking device before every spin. Obviously, he was not tampering with the slot machine or the player tracking device, but you never know why people do the things they do. I eventually decided to strike up a conversation with him and asked him why he was pushing the buttons. He told me he was “communicating with the mothership!” Then he said he was pulling my leg! The eye in the sky was on him for a while and realized he wasn’t cheating. I guess that was just superstition on his part. His behavior was something to bring him luck during his next spin. AGG: What does the future of the casino industry look like here in Arizona with server-based gaming? BR: It’s going to be very interesting! I’m a “techie” so I’m looking forward to everything that’s coming. We’re still at least a couple of years away from taking on the challenge of serverbased gaming, but when we do get closer we’ll have to pick it apart and investigate how everything is secured. The Compact will have to be updated to accommodate the new technology. The one advantage for us will be that several other jurisdictions are already using server-based games, so we’ll be able to learn a lot from them. If a new technology is implemented in Arizona which meets the secure means of an existing technology, then the Compacts don’t have to be adjusted. However, server-based gaming will most likely require a whole new section to the Compact. *Editor’s note: Server-based slot games are connected to a central computer system. With this technology casinos will have the ability to change slot game themes, denominations, payback percentages and promotions with just a few keystrokes. More information, including the benefits and drawbacks of this new technology, will be presented in our August issue.] $ 14 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com

FAQ Across the years, we’ve answered thousands of questions from casino gaming enthusiasts all across the state of Arizona. Here are some of the most common issues players want to know about with the answers given by Mr. Bill Ragatz (BR), Gaming Device Compliance Manager at the Arizona Department of Gaming. So, if you didn’t believe us …

Players the next. Each spin is totally independent of the spin before and completely random. There is no sequence to a slot machine. You have just as much of a chance of hitting the exact same jackpot moments after someone else hit that very same jackpot on the same machine. Additionally, it’s also not correct to believe that a machine is “due” because it hasn’t hit a jackpot for a while. Say I’ve been playing a machine for an hour and I get up and leave then a guy sits down after me and hits a big win, would that have happened to me? BR: There’s no guarantee that both you and the person playing after you would have pressed the spin button at the exact same millisecond. All the combinations are cycling through so quickly. As soon as you hit the button, that’s when the random numbers are picked by the computer program and a result is determined. One time my mom visited a casino and somebody won a huge amount of money after she got up and left the machine. I kept telling her it had nothing to do with her leaving and that it probably wouldn’t have happened to her, but it still hurts her to this day. If the progressive is not awarded and the game is taken off the slot floor, what happens to all the money?

Does it matter if I pull the handle or I press the button on a slot machine? BR: The handle you pull and the button you press to initiate a spin activate the same switch on the game. There are no gears or levers or springs which control the outcome of a spin anymore on mechanical reel slot games. Even the classic slot games with the sevens and bars are run off of a computer and a random number generator too, and they actually have been for decades. Even stopping the reels by pressing the spin button has no effect on the outcome of the game. If someone hit a jackpot on a machine, is it a good idea not to play that machine for a while? BR: The slot doesn’t remember what happened from one spin to 16 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com

BR: Any player contribution towards a progressive has to be returned to the players in some way. If a slot machine manufacturer were to put an entire wide area network out of business, they wouldn’t be able to! They’d have to keep at least one machine running until the jackpot was hit. Then they could shut down the machine and remove it. But, if the network changes to a new group of games, the money rolls over from the old games to the new games. Even if it isn’t a wide-area jackpot hosted by a slot manufacturer, the casino still has to distribute in-house progressives onto other progressive games in the casino. That’s part of the Arizona Tribal State Gaming Compact. If I’m on a “cold streak” and I cash the ticket out of the slot and put it back in will that change my luck? BR: It might warm up your hands a little bit! I think many people believe that cashing out a ticket, or even taking out their

Want To Know player card and reinserting it into the slot, “resets” the machine. In actuality, the machine “resets” itself each time a player presses the spin button because each game is independent of the game before. Do slots that require skill, like video poker, pay more than slots that don’t? BR: Based on my knowledge, video poker has a high payback percentage because the game is designed that way. Generally, these games are set to higher denominations and are better games than other slots. I recall seeing video poker games paying back 99% or more, in the long run, if the player uses their skill correctly. In my opinion, if a player wishes to play a video slot machine they are better off playing video poker.

Do casinos put higher paying machines in busy traffic areas like near the cage or near the doors? BR: Personally, I don’t think so. There are possibly a few casino executives who believe in that idea, but most do not. I’m not a slot manager but I would think the placement of the slot depends more on the game and the denomination. I used to hear a theory that the slot machines on the aisles had lower payback percentages than the slots in the middle of the row because people like to sit at the end of a row first before they move into the crowded part of a bank of slots. I don’t think there is anything to that theory. You could argue the exact opposite that “loose” machines at the ends would attract players to the “tight” machines in the middle. I do know there are players out there who prefer to play on the end of a row because they don’t like feeling crowded. I guess that’s where those theories come from. In all the certifications I’ve participated in, if a slot was set “loose” the whole bank was set to the same payback percentage. I can’t recall a single situation where the casino was selective about the payback percentage down a row of slots. Do the casinos have the power to control which games are going to pay out, how much they’re going to pay out and when? BR: I’ll admit that when I wasn’t in the business I probably had just as much suspicion as anybody else! After working around slot machines as a slot tech and then with my experience here at the Department, I’m 100% convinced every spin on a slot machine is 100% random. I’ve seen the technical specifications and I know how the games communicate. The only electronic information going in or out of a slot is data on credits wagered, credits put into the game, credits cashed out, and the player tracking data. There is no communication coming into a slot telling the game to do something regarding winning or losing. I know there are some people out there that believe there are casino employees sitting in the back room making them win or lose! But, if you know the technology of the games, you know that’s absolutely impossible! $ Special thanks to Bill Ragatz, Rick Medina, and Talia Otto at the Arizona Department of Gaming for their assistance with this article! For more information on the Department visit their website at: www.azgaming.gov azgamingguide.com | July 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide

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Should the Casinos

BAN SMOKING? By Mark Novak

On May 1, 2007, the Smoke Free Arizona Act (Proposition 201) went into effect banning smoking in all enclosed workplaces and within 20 feet of all entrances or exits. Casinos and all other businesses located on Indian reservations are exempt from this law. We asked ten casino employees from all across the state of Arizona what they believed to be the approximate percentage of smokers at their casinos. One employee responded 50% while the remaining nine casino employees maintained that 70% to 75% of their patrons are smokers - three smokers to every one non-smoker! In 2006, a study conducted by a research group from the University of Nevada, Reno indicated that, contrary to popular belief only one out of every five, in other words 20%, of the casino patrons are actually smokers. The 2010 statistics posted by the Center for Disease Control seem to mirror the results of the study denoting 21% of the U.S. population 18 years of age and older are smokers. Why is it that what casino employees are suggesting based on their own observations and what the Reno study and numerous other studies are reporting are so vastly different? The Arizona Gaming Guide team has decided to conduct our own research and report our findings in an upcoming issue. Whether you’re a smoker or a non-smoker, a casino patron or casino employee, we want to hear from you! Do you think Arizona casinos should ban smoking, why or why not? Should every casino have a non-smoking section and for those that do are they big enough? Which casino deals with the smoke the best? Send us an e-mail to editor@azgamingguide.com with “Smoking” in the subject or mail to Arizona Gaming Guide P.O. Box 20636 Mesa, AZ 85277. $ azgamingguide.com | July 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide

WINNING WAYS @ Hints & Tips

TIMING is everything! It’s not difficult to spot the poker “newbie” at the table. You know, the one that acts quickly and impulsively on all the strong hands, but then agonizes over the weak hands. You can hear his thoughts echoing like a loud speaker, “Hmm, should I raise or just throw away this miserable small pocket pair?” In the meantime, the rest of us are sitting there thinking to ourselves, “Raise, raise, raise so we can clean the floor with you!” One trick to avoid being so predictable and giving away your hands to your opponents is to institute a timing rule. Get in the habit of taking the exact same amount of time in making decisions with all your hands, regardless of whether they are strong or not. If you already know the move you’re going to make just sit there and count to yourself or sing the verse to one of your favorite songs.

How often does a player get dealt a

BLACKJACK? A player gets dealt a blackjack hand of 21 about once in every 21 hands (I’m not kidding about that number - it’s just a cool coincidence). This is about 4.8% of the time for single deck games and 4.7% of the time for six deck games.

It’s still COLD HARD CASH! Picture yourself sitting at a blackjack table pulling out one $10 bill after the other and betting on each hand with real money rather than plastic chips! I would imagine that it would feel very different. The same goes for the ticket vouchers for the slot machines. A $100 ticket just doesn’t feel the same as 5 twenties feel in our hands. Whether you’re playing with chips or tickets, don’t forget that they both still represent cold hard cash. Always keep that in the back of your mind when you’re at the casino! $ 20 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com

Question You’re playing blackjack at $10 a hand and the dealer’s up-card is a 6 against your two 10s. Should you split your 10s?

Answer Assuming you’re not a card counter, you should never split 10s against a dealer’s 6, regardless of the bet you’re making. The flawed logic most players use with 10s against a weak dealer card is to get a higher return playing two hands when the dealer busts or the chance of having two strong 20s! Always stand with a strong hand of 20 that’s almost guaranteed to be a winning hand! If you’re one of the many blackjack players who think splitting a pair of 10-valued cards against a dealer’s 6 or even a 5 is a good play it’s not! You may be counting on the fact that the dealer will bust so you can make more money on a split, but you’re wrong. If you break up your 10s you only have about a 65% chance of winning on each split hand. Conversely, if you just stand with 20 you will win about 85% of the time! Even if you take into account that you are wagering more money with the chance of higher returns by splitting, you will still be making more money in the long run if you stand (about $15 more for every $100 wagered). $

WINNING WAYS @ Secrets of Smart Players

Your Own Slot By Mark Novak For all of us who enjoy slots, video poker, or video keno, we have some great advice for you. Get your own game! Practicing your video poker strategy on an actual multigame slot in the comfort of your own home is a great way to make sure your next trip and all future trips to the casino are a success. If you are a video keno fan, you can play all the different games a multi-game slot has to offer at home and then find a casino which offers your favorite game. Getting used to the ups and downs of multiple play sessions at home is critical to understanding a volatile game like video keno. If you can play an actual casino slot at home and begin to observe the frequency of the larger and smaller wins, you are entering the casino with an advantage when choosing which slot to play. You'll immediately notice if the casino's slot is behaving better or worse than your machine at home. Then you can make an informed decision whether to shorten or lengthen your play session for that particular casino visit. Nothing beats being able to practice on and enjoy an actual slot machine thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been in a casino from home while you plan your next casino trip! Each used slot, whether it has multiple games or not, will still function in the same way it did when it was in an actual casino. Rest assured, the slot's software and RNG can't tell the difference between a casino and your game room! Most used slot stores have a variety of video slot, reel slot, and multi-game units at reasonable prices. Even if they don't have what you are looking for in stock, they can usually find an available unit quickly. Don't expect to find the newest games in stock, most of the machines are at least several years old. However, you'll notice a lot of slot manufacturers recycling the same games on the newer slots at the casino. In many cases, there are little to no differences between a used slotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game software and newer slots at the casino! Be aware that licensed slot themes, like those based on movies, celebrities, TV shows, game shows, or other popular brands, go back to the slot manufacturers and are generally never available to the public. If you are considering purchasing a used slot, we have found the One Arm Gambler to have a great selection, an expert technical staff, and an excellent reputation in Arizona. You can visit the store at 9838 North 19th Avenue in Phoenix or at www.onearmgambler.com. To speak with a representative directly, call (480) 921-4248 and let them know the Arizona Gaming Guide sent you! $ 22 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com

Slot Machine Software @ FAST FACTS

SOFTWARE

GLITCHES Who’s really at risk - the player or the casino? By Lana Hartmann

In 2007, a man was playing the Mystical Mermaids™ nickel slot machine by IGT at the Sandia Resort and Casino in New Mexico when a software glitch occurred. Coming out of a bonus the slot, which should have displayed a win of around $200, locked up for a jackpot hand pay of $1.6 million! Once the casino realized that a malfunction had occurred, a nice settlement of $2,500 (the actual maximum payout on the machine) was offered to the gentleman as a good will gesture. In 2006, gamblers at Caesars in Indiana raked in nearly a half a million dollars in two days on one slot machine that was registering ten times more money than the players were inserting. Putting a $20 bill into the game was actually being recorded as $200! Players didn’t even need to play the slot. They could just cash out their inflated ticket and leave. Security tapes later showed people just walking up to the machine, inserting $100 and cashing out $1,000! A young couple finally reported the problem to security and it was determined that the machine’s bill acceptors had been incorrectly set for the Philippines instead of the United States which instructed the machine to multiply credits by ten! We asked Mr. Bill Ragatz, Gaming Device Compliance Manager at the Arizona Department of Gaming, if he has ever come across a situation where a player was actually being cheated by

a software glitch? He said he couldn’t recall a single incident in the nine years he’s been an inspector for the Department and the four years he was a slot tech previously that there was an instance of slot software cheating a customer. “Based on my experience, when there is a problem with a slot, the casino is at a disadvantage. Slot machines are a huge liability and risk for the casinos! It’s not the other way around. Players are not the ones who are at a disadvantage if a blip occurs. Even though there is a disclaimer on every slot machine that states malfunction voids all pays and plays, casinos tend to provide some form of compensation to a player in the event of a malfunction anyway. One time a slot’s touch screen stopped working while the player was in the bonus and the casino paid out the maximum possible bonus award on the slot to the customer as a result since they couldn’t complete the bonus!” Obviously, software glitches can pose serious problems that no casino, slot manufacturer, independent laboratory or regulatory agency wants to deal with. Ultimately, if something goes awry with a slot machine one individual or a group of individuals will be held accountable and the repercussions can involve fines, loss of jobs, and even lawsuits! That is why casino gaming is so secure. There is so much testing, certifying, and regulating to prevent these kinds of problems from occurring and that is why software glitches are so extremely rare! $ azgamingguide.com | July 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide

Participation Slots

@ FAST FACTS

Bet You Didn’t Know… Not All Slot Machines Are Owned By The Casinos! By Mark Novak There is a trend which has become increasingly popular in the last five years. Rather than selling a slot game to a casino, slot manufacturers are loaning the games and sharing in the profits. Games in this category are referred to as “Participation Games.” The slot games remain the property of the manufacturer and both the casino and the manufacturer share in the revenue that the games produce. Some slot manufacturers only offer their more exciting slot themes and licensed titles as “Participation Games” to share in the profits to recoup some of their costs. Casinos agree to enter into participation arrangements with the manufacturers, even though in many cases it means a

smaller margin for them, in order to be able to provide their customers the newest and greatest games. Furthermore, these game titles typically earn two to three times the house average because players are attracted to the licensed titles. In addition, manufacturers offer casinos assurances that if the games are underperforming they will be switched out with a new title. Here are a few popular participation slot games you may recognize: Deal or No DealTM by Atronic, Wheel of FortuneTM by IGT, and MonopolyTM or Star TrekTM by WMS. $

*EXP. 8/1/2011

azgamingguide.com | July 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide

FAST FACTS @ Casino Industry News

Sheila Morago Joins Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association (OIGA) announced that it has hired former Arizona Indian Gaming Association (AIGA) Executive Director Sheila Morago as its first full time Executive Director. “Sheila has graciously served the Arizona Tribes,” said Mark Brnovich, Director of the Arizona Department of Gaming.” She has been an excellent advocate for tribal gaming interests and I wish her the best of luck in Oklahoma.” “While I am very sad to leave AIGA, I am looking forward to this new opportunity as Oklahoma is a significant player in the gaming industry. It is the 4th largest gaming revenue generator behind Nevada, California and New Jersey,” said Morago. “This is a big loss for Arizona,” said Diane Enos, President of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. “Under Sheila’s leadership, AIGA has maintained national visibility as the model for Indian gaming. She has fostered an environment of mutual respect among all of the tribes, the state and the federal government. I know that I am speaking for all of the leadership when I say that we appreciate her talents and wish her well.” Morago brings to OIGA a depth of experience in Indian gaming and a proven history of consensus building. As Executive Director for AIGA, she successfully led all negotiations with the State of Arizona regarding compact-

ing, regulatory, security and surveillance and jurisdictional issues. “Sheila’s extraordinary grasp of Indian gaming from a legal, cultural, social and economic standpoint has been invaluable in our dealings with the Governor’s office and the Arizona legislature,” said Kristen Boilini, of KRB Consulting, the legislative lobbyist for AIGA. “She has a unique ability to keep everyone focused on the key issues and moving forward so that we can achieve the goals of the tribal leaders.” Prior to becoming the Executive Director of AIGA in 2004, Sheila was the tribal liaison for Arizona’s Fair Gaming and Indian Self-Reliance, Proposition 202, which enabled Arizona tribes to extend their gaming compacts with the State of Arizona. For that campaign, she coordinated all efforts between the 17 Tribes belonging to the coalition and the casino operations. From 1998 to 2001, Morago was Director of Public Relations for the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA), based in Washington, D.C. She began her career in gaming in 1994 as a Director of Marketing. Morago has been nationally recognized by the gaming industry. She is frequently asked to speak to groups throughout the country on every aspect of Indian gaming. Valerie Spicer, Deputy Director, has been appointed Acting Director for the Arizona Indian Gaming Association. $

The National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA), established in 1985, is a non-profit organization of 184 Indian Nations with other non-voting associate members representing organizations, tribes and businesses engaged in tribal gaming enterprises from around the country. The common commitment and purpose of NIGA is to advance the lives of Indian peoples economically, socially and politically. NIGA operates as a clearinghouse and educational, legislative and public policy resource for tribes, policymakers and the public on Indian gaming issues and tribal community development. The Arizona Indian Gaming Association (AIGA), established in 1994, is a non-profit organization of 19 Arizona tribes. The AIGA is committed to advancing the lives of Indian peoples—economically, socially and politically—so Indian tribes in Arizona can achieve their goal of self-reliance. Speaking on behalf of its member tribes with one, unified voice, AIGA serves as a clearinghouse and educational, legislative and public policy resource for tribes, policymakers and the public on Indian gaming issues and tribal community development. This organization is deeply committed to maintaining and protecting Indian sovereign governmental authority. 26 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com

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 point system is better?

(Solution on page 30)

5 2 8

4 4

8 2

5 6

Let us pretend Casino A allows you to redeem $1.00 of free play for every 100 points of play on your card. Each time you wager a total of $1.00, you get a point. Furthermore, Casino B allows you to redeem $10.00 of free play for every 100 points of play on your card. Each time you wager $10.00, you get 1 point.

Which players club has the better free play rewards in relation to your bets?

28 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com

Many of you have questions about the players club opportunities around Arizona. There are many different factors to consider, but one of the most critical and obvious decision points hinges on how many points you have to redeem in order to receive a certain amount of free play.

(Solution on page 30)

@ SAMI’S SMACKDOWN

Those Last Few Credits In The Machine You can do whatever you want with them, but By Sami Becker

Don’t Do This!

Sami, I just got back from the casino and I’m so mad at myself. I was playing the unicorn game on the Fort Knox machine and I got all three unicorns on the middle reels with the girl in the front! Problem is I didn’t have many credits left in the machine so I ended up just betting a few cents on that spin. Can you believe that?? I’m so upset. It’s happened to me and I’ve watched it happen to other people and I still do it! I will never, ever, ever do that again. I made $10 instead of several hundred dollars! Gosh darn it! My husband had to listen to me vent all the way home from the casino. He’s still laughing at me now and saying it’s my own fault and I have nobody to blame. I know it is, but it doesn’t make me feel better. It’s just frustrating. I love your magazine. Thank you for listening! Susan Blair—Mesa

Susan, here are some more stories from fellow heart-broken players I’ve received recently …

Susan, you say you love our magazine, but have you been reading it on a regular basis? One thing that we always stress to our readers is to never, ever change their bet and play off those last remaining credits. Let this be your FINAL mistake and don’t ever let it happen again. Just press “cash out” once the credit meter does not allow you to make the same bet you were making or put more money in if you wish to continue playing.

Sami, I was playing the buffalo slot machine and I practically filled up the entire screen with buffalos. I’m furious because I was playing $2 the entire time and at the end I only had enough money to bet 40 cents! … I won $220 but if I was still playing $2 it would have been $1,100! Debra Shoemaker—Bullhead City

You’re not alone, because I’ve received dozens of e-mails and hand-written letters from other players with similar stories. In fact, I used to be guilty of the exact same thing as have several of my team members! We just don’t play off remaining credits anymore. It’s just not worth dealing with the agony if something happens. Since you were burned more than once, I’m pretty sure you won’t be doing that anymore either! I believe that it’s just some crazy law of the universe that makes things like this happen. For example, I’m a pack rat that saves everything, but the minute I decide to throw something away that’s when I end up needing it! Go figure! That’s also the reason why bonuses and big wins happen as soon as you decide to lower your bet!

Sami, last week I was playing $5 a hand on a quarter video poker multi-strike machine which is the maximum bet possible. On my last hand, I was only able to make a $1 bet because that’s all I had left in the machine. I held two Aces on the top row and on the draw I got two more with a kicker. With this game all your wins on the top row are 8X what they normally would be. I was playing Triple Double Bonus Poker and I would have received $8,000 for that win, but instead I only won $1,600! I was out of money, it was literally my last dollar, so I’m not complaining. It was a nice win—just wish it happened while I was playing $5! Beth Wiley—Phoenix

Sami, I lined up all the wilds and I lost a progressive worth over $4,000 because I switched down my bet from $3 to $1. Instead I won $360! I only had $10 left in the machine and I wanted to get ten spins out of it rather than just three. What was I thinking??? I made the wrong decision. I’m so upset! Jim Hoffman—Tucson Sami, I’m sick of getting the bonus on my last spin when I’m just betting like 3 cents! What’s the point in playing those last few credits? Next time I’m just cashing out! Cindy Thomas—Glendale Do YOU have something to rant about? Write me at:

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

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Solution to the Jackpot Puzzle Casino A & Casino B are offering the same value.

Desert Diamond Casino Highway 86, Why 1½ miles E of Why, AZ on Highway 86 1-866-332-9467 desertdiamondcasino.com 76 Slots

Casino A rewards you with $1.00 of free play after you wager $100.00. That’s 1 “back” for every 100 “in.”

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

Casino B rewards you with $10.00 of free play after you wager $1,000.00. That’s 10 “back” for every 1,000 “in.” The ratio of wagers “in” to free play “out” is the same!

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

Source: Arizona Department of Gaming-Tribal Gaming Status-06/01/11

30 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com

Solution to the Sudoku