AUGUST
Contents FEATURES 16 UNDERSTANDING THE ODDS The house advantage & how to decrease it
GREAT GAMES 08 WMS’ ALICE™ Makes a grand entrance at Fort McDowell Casino 10 WMS’ REEL BOOST SLOTS Arrive at The Fort & Casino Arizona—Salt River 12 ROCKET GAMING’S CLASS II SLOTS Arrive at Mazatzal Hotel & Casino
08
16
WINNING WAYS 18 PLAYER’S CARDS Why they are so important 20 HINTS & TIPS Always be wary of wandering slots!
FAST FACTS
10
22 SETTING A BUDGET Do casino visitors set a budget & do they stick to it? 23 RESPONSIBLE GAMING EDUCATION WEEK AGA hosts 14th annual RGEW 25 CASINO ENTERTAINMENT Mazatzal Hotel & Casino’s 2011 lineup reviewed 26 CASINO INDUSTRY NEWS UMC (Tucson) hosts tribal leaders in appreciation
REGULAR RESPINS 04 EDITOR’S NOTE What’s on our mind
12
06 PLAYERS TALK What’s on your mind 28 FUN & GAMES Sudoku & Brain Teasers to keep your mind sharp! 29 SAMI’S SMACKDOWN Rants, raves & reflections 30 CASINO SPONSOR DIRECTORY Slot machine image courtesy of Rocket Gaming. © Copyright Rocket Gaming. All Rights Reserved. rocketgaming.com. Slot machine image courtesy of WMS. © Copyright WMS. All Rights Reserved. www.wms.com.
18 azgamingguide.com | August 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide
03
EDITOR’S NOTE @
Your Authority On Everything Gaming VOLUME 03 • ISSUE 01 PUBLISHER Chris Hoft chris@azgamingguide.com
It’s Our 2nd Anniversary! My team and I are so excited to be celebrating our second year anniversary this month! I extend my deepest appreciation and gratitude to all of you for supporting our publication and being loyal fans. Thank you for the engaging discussions on our Facebook page and the wonderful communications through e-mail and even hand-written letters! This magazine is for YOU which is why your feedback, your ideas, and your questions are very important to us! You can trust we will always provide you with accurate information based on all the knowledge we’ve gained as professionals in the casino gaming industry. We know everything about casino games because we’ve designed and developed them! We know all the rules and policies because we’ve worked closely with gaming laboratories for compliance and during testing. And, above all, we love playing casino games and being able to share our insights and experiences with all of you! Thank you for two very exciting years and many, many more years to come! Please visit us 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 August issue and have fun. Cheers! Alexandra Lang
Editor-in-Chief editor@azgamingguide.com
04 Arizona Gaming Guide | August 2011 | azgamingguide.com
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: SLOT PAYBACK PERCENTAGES I’ve been enjoying reading your magazine for a long time now and have learned quite a bit of interesting information. You talk about payback percentages a lot and it got me thinking - if you have a game set at 88% at one casino and the same game set at 90% at another casino how are they different? I mean, obviously one is programmed to pay out more than the other. What I’m asking is what changed in the game? How are the two games different? Adriana Cunningham – Phoenix, AZ A: Adriana, you ask an excellent question! Let’s start with some basic information first. Slot manufacturers design every game with several payback percentage options available for the casinos to choose from. As a result, different versions end up on the casino floors. The payback percentage describes, on average and in the long run, how much money a player can expect to win when playing a particular slot machine game. To a casino, the payback percentage describes the theoretical hold of the game. So, between an 88% game and a 90% game, the casino has a lower hold percentage on the 90% game than on the 88% game. In other words, the 90% slot is “looser” by 2%. From the player perspective, a 2% difference in the payback percentage doesn’t seem like it could affect game play all that much, but it can! The mathematician who designed the game and created all the percentage variations had to “take away” 2% from somewhere when going from the 90% version down to the 88%. There could have been changes to the base game, the bonus, or both. You might find that the 88% version doesn’t seem to provide you with as many hits as frequently during the base game or smaller wins seem to be occurring more often than the bigger wins. On the other hand, the base game could play the same with no changes made there, but the bonus pulls-to-hit might have increased meaning it takes longer to get into the bonus with a smaller average bonus win! These are just a few of the many ways a mathematician “tweaks” a game to create the various payback percentages. Just remember that the payback percentage describes the average outcome on a slot machine in the long run. Ultimately, we
as players need to be aware of the fact that while two casinos may offer the same slot, those slots may play very differently as a result of the payback settings. If you “feel” that your favorite game doesn’t seem to play the same across various casinos, then you’re probably right. Our job is to let you know which casinos have the best payback percentages, so that you can maximize your chances of winning! Join us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ArizonaGamingGuide and read our “Game Review” section in the magazine for up-to-date information about all your favorite games! Q: GAMBLING ADDICTION Do you think that casinos are making most of their money on people who have a gambling problem? Sometimes I see people go to the ATM machines and keep feeding money into the games and I wonder if the casinos are taking advantage of people with a problem? Larry Mullen – Bullhead City, AZ A: Larry, no the casinos are not making most of their money on people who have a gambling problem. The majority of the casinos’ revenue (estimated to be around 96% according to the National Gambling Impact Study Commission) comes from casino patrons that are not classified as compulsive or pathological gamblers. Unfortunately, that means 4% of the casinos’ revenue does come from pathological gamblers. However, even though the casinos are businesses, they have absolutely no desire to take advantage of individuals with a gambling problem! In fact, every casino in the state of Arizona strongly encourages responsible gambling and prominently displays the problem gambling hotline, 1-800-NEXTSTEP, throughout the casino. In addition, casino employees are trained to spot addictive behavior and encouraged to discuss concerns with patrons directly who are exhibiting signs of a gambling disorder or to bring it to the attention of a supervisor. It’s not right for anyone to look at the casinos as the “bad guys” who take people’s money or fuel gambling addictions, just as restaurants shouldn’t be blamed for their overweight patrons! Anyone who doesn’t understand that gambling is a form of entertainment shouldn’t be going to a casino. Ultimately, every person needs to take responsibility for their own actions. $
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 | August 2011 | azgamingguide.com
GREAT GAMES
Slot Review
Alice
™
Makes A Grand Entrance At Fort McDowell Casino! By Lana Hartmann
B
ased on the extremely positive reaction our Facebook fans had to the sneak peek videos we provided them on our page, we knew this slot would be an instant hit. Alice™ is the game to play if you want to be entertained, stretch your bankroll, and truly enjoy yourself during your next casino visit. Fort McDowell Casino was the first in the state to feature this brand new slot on their casino floor and we anticipate Casino Arizona—Salt River having the slot available for play by late August or early September. The manufacturer of this creative and unique game, WMS Gaming, wants players to enjoy following Alice down the rabbit hole to enter a land of wonder. Filled with five Bonus Bank features and two unique base themes — Alice and The Enchanted Mirror™ and Alice and The Mad Tea Party™ — this classic tale steps out of the storybook and unto the slot floor in a magical way! Filled with exciting game features that have never been done in the industry like a Cascading Reels™ bonus on a mechanical reels game! All of the slots share five randomly activated bonuses: Alice – turn up to five reels wild The Cheshire Cat – turn up to 15 symbols wild The Tea Party – search for the White Rabbit and a multiplier up to 10x The Caterpillar – randomly awards a multiplier up to 15x after any winning spin Queen’s Card Pick – pick a card to turn matching reel symbols wild Alice™ is filled with never-ending excitement! If you love bonuses like we do, then this slot is for you! In addition to all of the shared bonuses that happen randomly, both Alice and The Enchanted Mirror™ and Alice and The Mad Tea Party™ themes each have their own unique features and bonus rounds! So, grab a chair, sit back and enjoy the adventure! Slot machine images courtesy of WMS. © Copyright WMS. All Rights Reserved. wms.com.
08 Arizona Gaming Guide | August 2011 | azgamingguide.com
Slot Review @ GREAT GAMES
Alice and The Enchanted Mirror™ slot game has clumped Mirror symbols that randomly populate with symbols that trigger a Cascading Reels ™ bonus on any symbol included in a line win!
Alice and The Mad Tea Party™ slot game has the Super Mad Respin bonus, a respin feature with a picking component that’s triggered when three Alice symbols land on Reel 1! The minimum bet is 50 credits (split between the 30 pay lines and all the enticing bonuses), but between the random bonuses and the bonuses you hit off the symbols, this wager is well worth your while. The Enchanted Mirror™ lets you use the Cascading Reels™ bonus during the Free Games Bonus for twice the action! The Mad Tea Party™ starts re-spinning if you get three Alice symbols on the first reel. When prompted to pick a teapot, you can win up to a total of seven re-spins! Additionally, when you win the Free Games Bonus, players pick from one of five teapots to make symbols wild, get multipliers, and/or trigger the re-spin feature. Ultimately you could walk away with seven re-spins at a 10x multiplier on each free spin during the bonus! That would truly make for a winning trip down the rabbit hole! You’ll have to judge for yourself when you sit down to play these two fun games, but according to our sources, The Mad Tea Party™ slot wins slightly more often than The Enchanted Mirror™. Their respective hit frequencies are around 43% and 36%. One final secret, regardless of where you end up playing these slots, the lowest payback percentage available is about 87%. Also, watch for the random bonus featuring The Caterpillar and his hookah! His smoke puffs turning into increasing multipliers is just fantastic! I had to laugh every time he showed up! $ azgamingguide.com | August 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide
09
GREAT GAMES @ Slot Review
WMS—THE INDUSTRY LEADER IN INGENUITY By Mark Novak With WMS the new inventions just keep coming, demonstrating how creative and imaginative the game designers really are! From the company that brought us Cascading Reels™, Money Burst™, Spinning Streak®, Super MultiPay™, and Win It Again™ comes a whole new exciting addition to their Innovation Series™ called Reel Boost™! The Reel Boost™ category of games features a unique 6Reel configuration with 192 pay lines! What’s really hot about the addition of the 6th reel is the increased winning amounts as a result. Watch out, the volatility may be high, but that’s exactly what gets our hearts pumping and has us sitting on the edge of our chairs wide-eyed and eager for each new spin!
Slot machine images courtesy of WMS. © Copyright WMS. All Rights Reserved. wms.com.
10 Arizona Gaming Guide | August 2011 | azgamingguide.com
There are several themes to choose from in the Reel Boost™ series and our favorite happens to be Dean Martin’s Vegas Shindig™! When Mystery Symbols appear on reels 2 through 6 they magically transform into 1 of the 2 symbols on reel 1. The really thrilling part of this game happens when 2 of the same symbols appear on reel 1 and all the Mystery symbols automatically transform into wilds! Get ready for even more action when the free spins bonus happens because all of the reels and lines are flipped and all the Mystery Symbols become wild! Based on our observations, the best payouts (so far) are at Fort McDowell Casino and Casino Arizona - Salt River! Give them a try and let us know what you think! $
GREAT GAMES @ Slot Review
ROCKET GAMING’S CLASS II SLOTS ARRIVE AT MAZATZAL HOTEL & CASINO! By Mark Novak
M
azatzal Hotel & Casino in Payson, Arizona will have six brand new slot machines ready for action by the time you are reading this latest issue and these games, manufactured by Rocket Gaming, are the first of their kind in the state of Arizona! All of them are classified as ‚Class II‛ games, which mean they operate slightly differently than the ‚Class III‛ slot machines all of us are accustomed to playing. However, don’t worry, because both of the mathematicians on our team, including our publisher Chris Hoft, have experience designing Class II games, so we can give you all the important details concerning these slot machine lookalikes! Burnin' Up®, Lucky Year®, and Rainforest Riches® are all purely video games with the typical five reels and multiple pay lines everyone is familiar with. These penny games will be very exciting to play as they all feature four local progressives starting at $20, $40, $100, and $1,000. Our sources have informed us of a few important secrets about these Class II games: The low 90’s payback percentage is well above most other penny games across the entire state and with Burnin' Up®, it is coupled with any one of four different bonuses happening about once in every thirteen or fourteen spins. Those are some hot odds with a lot of action! When you play Burnin' Up®, make sure you stick around to play the Wheel Bonus where you win the local progressives, credits, bonus spins, and a bonus multiplier spin. The
12 Arizona Gaming Guide | August 2011 | azgamingguide.com
Blaze Bonus has you picking burning windows to determine how hot of a multiplier is awarded. The Golden Jubilee Bonus awards five free spins to receive as many golden jubilee symbols as possible. Collect enough and you just might win one of those local progressives! The Hot Spot Dog Bonus features the hot spot dog that sneaks behind the reels to change some symbols awarding higher pays!
Burnin' Up® is a fire fighter themed game with three exciting bonuses that really turn up the heat! The two Gold Cup® and one Gold Crown™ games are reel slots with players wagering one to three credits across one pay line. Both games will also have payback percentages in the low 90’s but don’t expect the wins to happen as frequently. These games have three reels and only one pay line which means, on average, one winner for every seven spins. But, don’t despair; the game packs a serious punch and features a Wheel Bonus with one, two, or three spins, including the possibility of an additional mystery Bonus spin or a Multiplier! And, any one of the three reels may randomly nudge to award a win. Either of the two bonuses, Wheel or Mystery Nudge, have a chance of hitting every 24th or 25th spin, on average. So, (Continued on page 14)
GREAT GAMES @ Slot Review (Continued from page 12)
if you like the classic Wheel of Fortune® slots, are a three reel slot fanatic, or love a lot of bonus action when you play, these games are for you! All of the new Class II games Mazatzal Hotel & Casino is installing are part of the Gold Series® progressive line which has had four million dollar winners in 2011 and ten individual million dollar winners since the games were introduced in 2009. Rainforest Riches® has an intense jungle themed bonus game and wild creatures in their amazing habitat!
Lucky Year® is an Asian good luck themed game with three exciting bonuses that will keep us wanting more! So, what’s different about these Class II games? The first major difference is their connection to the game of Bingo. As a matter of fact, these slot machines represent electronic Bingo. Each time players wager on these games, a game of Bingo is, literally, played out and displayed on the screen! Using the same kind of random number generator found in Class III slot machines, a player’s slot outcome for any spin depends on whether they win or lose the Bingo game! The reels are just used to show players the outcome of each game of Bingo! The second major difference is the actual display of the Bingo game. With each spin of the reels, a Bingo game needs to be played out, which may take a second or two. Be patient and don’t be alarmed as this is part of the game. Just allow yourself to get into the rhythm and have some fun!
Indian gaming. This Act separated games of chance and wagering into three classes. Bingo fell into Class II gaming and slot machines were identified as Class III gaming. When a slot uses Bingo and a random number generator to determine the outcomes of the spins, then that slot is a Class II game. As a result, it falls under the jurisdiction of the tribe, their tribal gaming agency, and the regulation of the National Indian Gaming Commission—as long as the state the games are located in allow Class II gaming (only Hawaii and Utah don’t). Therefore, Class II games are a key product for tribes who have not entered into a compact with a state in order to permit and regulate Class III gaming. Here in Arizona, both Class II and Class III games are allowed. In any event, Mazatzal Hotel & Casino is trying out these new games on their slot floor for the next few months. If we, as players, like them and play them often enough, they’ll make sure to add more. And, other casinos around the state will probably add this style of game to their mix of existing slot machines as well! Send editor@azgamingguide.com
Gold Crown™ is a classic game with an extra Mystery Nudge bonus certain to send us home with the crown! Why in the world would Class II games be needed? Well, the answer to that question starts with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 which allowed Native American tribes to establish a jurisdictional framework to govern 14 Arizona Gaming Guide | August 2011 | azgamingguide.com
an e-mail with ‚Class II‛ in the subject field or a letter to P.O. Box 20636 Mesa, AZ 85277 and let us know what you think of these type of games! $ Many thanks to Allen H., Michele S., John E., and Shauna K. for their assistance with this article!
Slot machine images courtesy of Rocket Gaming. © Copyright Rocket Gaming. All Rights Reserved. www.rocketgaming.com.
UNDERSTANDING By Lana Hartmann
INDEPENDENT VS. DEPENDENT EVENTS To understand gambling, you have to understand the concept of an ‚independent event‛ versus a ‚dependent event.‛ Each spin on a slot machine, whirl of the wheel, or roll of the dice is an ‚independent event‛ meaning the chances of one particular outcome occurring remain constant and are not influenced by the previous events. In other words, if you just had a bonus on a slot machine, the probability of triggering another bonus on the very next spin is the same— same—regardless that the bonus just happened the spin before! Drawing cards from a deck is an example of a ‚dependent event‛ because the probability of being dealt certain cards and outcomes depends on the previous events. That’s why many people believe they can gain a an advantage playing blackjack if they are in a position to count cards. However, even with a game like blackjack, there are still no guarantees since the cards that are dealt are based on a random occurrence! The ‚Gambler’s Fallacy‛ occurs when players mistake an ‚independent event‛ for a ‚dependent event‛ particularly while playing the slots. If a player hasn’t been in a bonus or won big in a while, then they start to believe they are ‚due.‛ An event is not likely to happen just because it hasn’t happened in a while! It’s like saying I know I’m going to get ‘heads’ soon because my last 10 coin tosses were ‘tails.’ It’s flawed logic. THE HOUSE ADVANTAGE Whether you play slots, cards, bingo, keno, or any other game in a casino, you have to understand that they are all designed to make the ‚house‛ money. The ‚house,‛ meaning the casino, will always have the advantage over you regardless of the game you choose to play, because these games of chance are based on random outcomes that favor the casino. They are, in a nutshell, mathematically calculated to work against you! That is fact. Therefore, if you are one of those people that always complains about the casinos cheating players, setting up the cards, or rigging the slot machines, you’re just being foolish. 16 Arizona Gaming Guide | August 2011 | azgamingguide.com
WINNING AND LOSING Gambling is a legal and highly lucrative business. The casinos, whether commercial or tribal, have absolutely no reason to cheat players! Typical house advantages in popular casino games range from 0.5% to 30% or more. This means you are losing 5 to 30 cents for every dollar you wager. This is the price associated with playing these games. And, that is why casino gaming should always be considered a form of entertainment and never a way to make money. While there are ways to increase your chances of winning and decrease the house edge while at the casino with every game on the floor, there is no way to ‚beat‛ the casino. Don’t ever let any soso-called ‚professional gamblers‛ convince you otherwise. There are plenty of magazines, books, and ridiculous ‚winning methods‛ that are floating around in book stores and on the internet that make ludicrous claims. Stay away from them because they are all scams! You can’t influence a game that is based on a random event. DECREASING THE HOUSE EDGE There are, however, ways everyone can increase their odds, and therefore decrease the house edge, while at the casino. Our main goal with this magazine is to provide all of you with information that will help you maximize your chances of coming out ahead, so that in the long run you have more winning sessions than you do losing ones. That’s about all you or I can hope for! An informed gambler is a smart gambler. So, if you enjoy casino gaming, then you have to make the commitment to educate yourself about the games you’re playing. That’s the only way you will have a fighting chance against the casinos. Make sure you read the help screens, use optimal playing strategy when playing skill games such as blackjack and video poker, increase your return by using a player’s card, and seek out the casinos that offer the best promotions and games with the highest payback percentages. That’s where we’ll be your ‚eyes and ears.‛ Listen to our advice, so you can maximize your chances of winning and be entertained every time you visit a casino! $
THE ODDS THE HOUSE ADVANTAGE CHART Casino Game
House Advantage
Expected Loss Per $100 Bet*
Live Blackjack
0.5% - 1.5%
50¢ - $1.50
Video Blackjack
0.5% - 15%
50¢ - $15
Penny
5% - 25%
$5 - $25
Nickel
4% - 12%
$4 - $12
Quarter
3% - 10%
$3 - $10
Dollar
1% - 8%
$1 - $8
Video Poker
0.5% - 8%
50¢ - $8
Video Keno
5% - 15%
$5 - $15
Live Keno
25% - 30%
$25 - $30
Roulette
2.7% - 5.3%
$2.70 - $5.30
Craps
1.4% - 16.7%
$1.40 - $16.70
Blackjack
Slots
Keno
* Based on long term game play and optimum strategy for skill games. Values are determined by game rules, average operator ranges, and regulatory requirements. Actual game hold percentages will vary by casino.
azgamingguide.com | August 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide
17
WINNING WAYS @ Player’s Cards slots set at 90%, you will earn 20% more back from the ‚loose‛ casino’s Player’s Club program! That means more free play, more comps, longer play sessions, and more fun, all for the same price! If we have two casinos with slightly different Player’s Club rules and one of the casinos has their slots set just a little looser than the other, you’ll still end up on top at the ‚loose‛ casino. If our point system remains the same, except for the ‚loose‛ casino expecting you to wager 20% more for one point, then you’ll still earn the same amount of points between the two properties and your average play session length will still be longer, meaning more long term entertainment for the same amount of money.
Choosing to do the right thing can be SCARY... Here are some hints, tips, & secrets to get you on the right path! By Mark Novak
Guess what? The payback percentage of a slot machine can drastically affect how many points you’ll earn in the long run! Some casinos pride themselves in how amazing their Player’s Club benefits are, how much the program pays you back in terms of gifts, hotel rooms, free food, free play, and so on. However, let’s take a look under the hood and see what happens across the long run when we compare the two different scenarios. And, we have to consider the long run because we do all enjoy the experience and excitement of gambling more than just one time, right? If we have two casinos with the same Player’s Club rules and one of the casinos has their slots set just a little looser than the other, guess what can happen to your points in the long run? If it takes wagering $1.00 to earn one point, and 100 points gives you $1.00 in free play, the casino with the looser slots allows you to play longer, earning more points during every trip! If the ‚tight‛ casino has their slots set at 88%, and the ‚loose‛ casino has their 18 Arizona Gaming Guide | August 2011 | azgamingguide.com
Now how do you suppose certain casinos are able to give back what appears to be a lot of free play, comps, and other gifts? Could it possibly be that their slots are tighter? Based on our knowledge and experience, that is definitely the case. Just remember that looser slots will always lengthen your play sessions allowing you to earn more points when you use your Player’s Card. Several of our contacts in the casinos regularly inform us that the Player’s Card system is the best method for justifying how much the casino can reward their loyal players. So, if
you are a loyal player without a Player’s Card, you are missing out on everything the casino is willing to give you as part of your entertainment experience! For those absolute skeptics out there, based on our gaming industry experience we’ve said this before and we’ve interviewed other casino gaming industry professionals who have said the same thing as well: always, always, always use a Player’s Card when you gamble at a casino. Casino Gaming Regulations clearly state that using a Player’s Card cannot change the outcome of any one spin, cannot determine if you win or lose for the day, week, month, or year, and does not interfere with a player’s game other than to record how much you are wagering on every spin, allow you to download free play, and participate in special drawings or promotions. Quite simply, a Player’s Card does not change how you win or lose. However, where and how you use it has a huge positive impact on your gaming experience in the long run! There are only two situations where you shouldn’t let the casino track your play through a Player’s Card, but that will be discussed in a future article. Questions? Send us an e-mail at editor@azgamingguide.com or a letter to Arizona Gaming Guide P.O. BOX 20636 Mesa, AZ 85277. $
Should Casinos
Ban Smoking? M
ore than 200 of our Facebook fans participated in a smoking poll on our page just recently. When asked what the casinos should do regarding the smoking problem, the results didn’t surprise us! 33% 100% Smoke-Free 39% 50% Smoking, 50% Non-Smoking 21% Predominantly Smoking with small Non-Smoking area 04% Predominantly Non-Smoking with small Smoking area 03% 100% Smoking Please tell us your feelings about this subject. Send us an e-mail to: editor@azgamingguide.com with ‚Smoking‛ in the subject field or physical mail to P.O. Box 20636 Mesa, AZ 85277. Thanks to everyone who has written in so far! Watch for our article regarding this topic in an upcoming issue! $
azgamingguide.com | August 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide
19
WINNING WAYS @ Hints & Tips
WAR Y
Always Be Of Wandering Slots! By Mark Novak
Y
ou visit a casino excited for the opportunity to be able to play your favorite slot machine only to notice that it's not there anymore! Before you decide to play another game, do a quick walk-around to make sure your slot hasn't been moved to another location. Slot directors and techs are sneaky that way! Here are some reasons why they do this... Slot directors are constantly keeping a close eye on the performance of all the games. They monitor the "Coin-In" and "Coin-Out" to make sure the games are making the casinos money. If a slot starts to under-perform, the slot director may decide to move the slot to a more visible or higher traffic area to generate more interest in the game. People are creatures of habit; casino patrons tend to park in the same location, use the same entrance, and walk the same route to their favorite slot or favorite section of slots. Some people see an "old game" in a "new location" and immediately get interested in trying something different. Furthermore, shuffling some slots around is a quick way for the casino to bring a fresh, new look to their slot floor. However, always be wary of wandering slots! Moving slots requires down time. First, the slots need to be turned off which means getting all patrons off the machines. Anytime slots are turned off the casino is losing money, so there has to be a strong justification to move them! 20 Arizona Gaming Guide | August 2011 | azgamingguide.com
What we've found out from slot directors and techs over the years is that when moving slots they may also use the opportunity to change the payback percentages of the games. Making a payback percentage change can also increase the performance of a slot. The change could be to increase or decrease the payback. Relocating slots is a sly way to make a change to the game without alerting patrons. All casino players are curious and suspicious when slots are turned off and then turned on again. Questions like "What did they change?" and "Are they tighter now?" immediately come to mind. But, if a slot is moved people are less likely to think about a possible change to the game and will focus more on the fact they were moved, not even considering that the payback percentage could have changed. We, the players, have to be the detectives in order to determine if changes were made to relocated slots. After several play sessions, you should notice if the slot plays worse, the same or better than it did before. If your gut tells you that your game just doesn't "feel" the same anymore, then you're probably right! In any case, we are always suspicious when a slot has been relocated and anxious to figure out why! In our opinion, players should be prepared to investigate how the slot performs in the new location. One play session may not be enough, but if after a few play sessions the slot still doesn't feel the same, you may have to look for a new "favorite slot!" $
FAST FACTS @ Setting A Budget
BUDGET REALITY CHECK
Do Casino Visitors Set A Budget? More importantly, do they stick to it? By Mark Novak
Y
ou’ve been down on your luck and the jackpots have been few and far between. The money you brought with you to the casino didn’t last you as long as you’d hoped it would. Now you’re out of money, aren’t quite ready to go home, and wondering what to do? Tempted by all the ATM machines just a spitting distance away, you struggle with the urge to give in and just take out more money. Funny how you may have to walk around a while to find where the restroom, buffet or players club is at a casino, but an ATM always happens to be right in front of you! And, there always seems to be at least one person waiting in line! Not setting a budget or going over a predetermined amount is the biggest mistake gamblers make and we’ve all been guilty of it at one time or another! However, according to the 2010 American Gaming Association Survey of Casino Entertainment, 91% of gamblers set a budget prior to every trip to the casino. That means more than 9 out of 10 casino visitors pay no attention to those ATM machines. These statistics aren’t bad, if true. In fact, the same survey indicates that not only are people setting a budget, but they’re also decreasing the amount of money allocated for their casino entertainment. The chart to the right shows the average amount of money casino patrons bring with them during one casino trip. We’d love to hear your thoughts on these statistics! Send us an e-mail to editor@azgamingguide.com with ‚Budget‛ in the subject or mail to Arizona Gaming Guide P.O. Box 20636 Mesa, AZ 85277. $ 22 Arizona Gaming Guide | August 2011 | azgamingguide.com
I
f you don’t consider how many spins on a slot machine or hands at the blackjack table your money will buy you when determining your budget for a night out at the casino, then you may be setting yourself up for disappointment. Bringing $100 with you to the casino if you intend on playing for several hours may not be such a realistic expectation. If you’re playing the slots at 50 cents per spin, your $100 will buy you 200 spins. You may be done with those spins and out of money in 15 minutes or less if things don’t go well. Always be realistic when setting your budget. You don’t want to be out of money waiting around for your friends or family or, worse yet, running to the ATM machine for more money! $
What’s Your Budget For One Trip To The Casino? Less than $100
48%
$100—$199 $200—$299 $300 or more Don’t Know/Refused
21% 13%
14% 4%
Source: The AGA U.S. Commercial Casino Industry: Facts at your Fingertips
Responsible Gaming Education Week @ FAST FACTS
Responsible Gaming Education Week
By Lana Hartmann
T
he American Gaming Association (AGA) instituted an annual Responsible Gaming Education Week (RGEW) in 1998 to be held during the first full week in August every year as a way to promote awareness of gambling problems. Employees that work in casinos and companies that create casino games participate in planned activities throughout the week to understand and be able to educate others on how responsible gaming is a vital part of gaming operations.
This year marks the 14th annual RGEW that will be held August 1—August 5, 2011, with the theme ‚Know the Odds,‛ focusing on educating the public on the odds of all the casino games as it is a key component of responsible gaming. All of us at the Arizona Gaming Guide magazine have a long-standing commitment to promoting responsible gaming in the casinos. We are proud to be one of the many industry participants in RGEW 2011! We want all of our readers to gamble for the right reason, which is to have fun! We pledge to continue to educate our readers that casino games are games of chance based on random outcomes that favor the casino in the long run. We will continue to reinforce the importance of responsible play through the content of our magazine. If you or someone you know may have a problem with gambling, please seek help. The Arizona Office of Problem Gambling has many resources for individuals needing help that include casino self-exclusion programs, treatment options, and help through Gambler’s Anonymous. Call 1-800-639-8783 or visit www.problemgambling.az.gov right now. There is hope and there is help and it’s just one step away. $
azgamingguide.com | August 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide
23
Casino Entertainment
S
ince the beginning of the year Mazatzal Hotel & Casino planned for an exciting lineup of entertainment for their patrons. February kicked off a long line of performers with Elton: The Early Years Dinner Show. This Elton John fan favorite was a real crowd pleaser! March brought a room full of Las Vegas entertainers to the casino with the Vegas Country Artist Tribute: Reba, Garth, and Tim. On April Fool’s Day, Mazatzal Hotel & Casino’s event center was rockin’ to the sounds of Satisfaction: Rolling Stones Tribute.
At the end of May this year, Mazatzal Hotel & Casino introduced Andy LoRusso—The Singing Chef—to a packed house. Classic songs made famous by a variety of singers, a sumptuous Italian feast, and a lively crowd all combined to make a very unique show a special memory for all who attended. The Singing Chef has performed around the globe and continues to combine his love for cooking and singing into an energizing stage show inspired by his earliest memories as a child in his Grandmother’s kitchen. We hope to see Andy LoRusso-The Singing Chef back at Mazatzal Hotel & Casino or in one of Arizona’s other casinos very soon!
@ FAST FACTS
On October 29th Mazatzal Hotel & Casino will present a Halloween Costume Contest and Show, the best place to be on Halloween! Huge cash prizes for the best costumes and an awesome show featuring Metal Head and the return of Rock Lobster. Just a few days later on November 4th, Roy Wood, who is credited as being one of America’s funniest comedians, will perform. We’ll be able to laugh all night long with this star performer who has been featured on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam, The Late Show with David Letterman, NBC’s Last Comic Standing, E!’s Chelsea Lately, and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Rounding out the year on New Year’s Eve is the famous Rat Pack Tribute The Dean-O-Holics! They’ll take us back to a time when Frank, Dean, and Sammy ruled every stage they walked on. Performing with a full band and a variety of extra talent, you won’t want to miss the party as Mazatzal Hotel & Casino rings in 2012! $
The summer months at Mazatzal Hotel & Casino brought comedian Jon Reep’s antics and humor to a huge crowd in the event center. Surfin' Safari at the end of July was a faithful recreation of what it would have been like to see The Beach Boys live, in concert, in their prime. As we look ahead to fall, Mazatzal Hotel & Casino will continue to present us with a variety of entertainment options! Starting with Creedence Relived–CCR Tribute on October 8th, this group has re-captured the look and feel of the Creedence Clearwater Revival Band with their rugged Levi jackets, shaggy hair cuts, beards, and one heck of a live show! They play the part note for note without missing one detail of the original recordings. Lead vocalist Tim Walsh is believed to be the perfect fit for the unforgettable voice of John Fogerty.
For more information, visit the Mazatzal Hotel & Casino Player’s Club, www.777play.com, or call 1.800.777.PLAY. Reservations can be made by calling 1.800.777.PLAY x1001. Many thanks to Karen A., Susan J., and John S. at Mazatzal Hotel & Casino, and to Andy LoRusso for their assistance with this article! azgamingguide.com | August 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide
25
FAST FACTS @ Casino Industry News
UMC Trauma Center Hosts Tribal Leaders For A Special Appreciation Luncheon & Tour Indian gaming funds provide major support for trauma and emergency services in Arizona
Leadership of the Arizona Indian Gaming Association (AIGA) met Friday, July 8th with Dr. Peter Rhee at the UMC Trauma Center for an appreciation luncheon and tour of the UMC Trauma Center, which is supported by funding from Arizona Indian gaming tribes. Peter Rhee, M.D., medical director, UMC Trauma Program and chief, Division of Trauma, Critical Care and Emergency Surgery, UA Department of Surgery, told the tribal leaders, ‚Without the money made available to the trauma centers from the tribal leaders, the trauma center in Tucson would not be where it is today.‛ Since 2002, revenues from Indian gaming have contributed more than $151 million to support trauma and emergency services throughout Arizona. The funds have helped expand emergency services in Southern Arizona including new trauma suites and the addition of seven trauma surgeons in the last three years. One of eight Level 1 trauma centers in Arizona, the UMC Level 1 Trauma Center is the busiest, serving a population of 1.5 million citizens. It is also among the nation’s leaders in
Arizona tribal leaders with UMC Medical Staff and Peter Rhee, M.D., medical director, UMC Trauma Program (second row, fourth from the right) at a UMC luncheon in appreciation of support provided by Indian gaming funds for trauma and emergency services in Arizona.
length of hospital stay, low treatment costs, and low mortality rates. In November 2002, Arizona voters passed Proposition 202 which stipulates that 28% of the shared revenue from Indian gaming reimburse Arizona hospitals for uncovered trauma and emergency services. The tribal leaders made this decision to direct a percentage of gaming revenues to trauma and emergency services after learning that these centers were in danger of being closed because of a lack of funding. $
The Arizona Indian Gaming Association (AIGA),
Arizona Indian Gaming Association (AIGA) tribal leaders (left to right) Ned Norris, Chairman, Tohono O'odham Nation and Joseph Manuel, Lt. Governor, Gila River Indian Community and AIGA Chairman, present a Man in the Maze blanket to Peter Rhee, M.D., medical director, UMC Trauma Program at a UMC luncheon for tribal leaders in appreciation of the support provided by Indian gaming funds for trauma and emergency services in Arizona.
26 Arizona Gaming Guide | August 2011 | azgamingguide.com
is a non-profit organization that was established in 1994 and is committed to advancing the lives of the Indian peoples—economically, socially, and politically—so Indian tribes in Arizona can achieve their goal of selfreliance. 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 to maintaining and protecting Indian sovereign governmental authority. Many thanks to the AIGA, Martha Hunter and Pam Hait for their assistance with this article.
FUN & GAMES @
SUDOKU
BRAIN TEASERS
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. (Solution on page 30)
7 8 2
6
3
1 5
4
9
6
6
4
5
Each man wins a jackpot, but there are only three jackpots! How is that possible?
1 1
5
4
9
man makes a bet that he can predict the exact
score of every football game before it begins and he’s always right! How’s that possible?
2. Two fathers and two sons go to the casino together. 3
1
1. A
3. Jenny’s mom had four children in all. The first one
1
9
2
was named April. The second one was named May and the third one was named June. What was the name of the fourth child?
4
7
3
4. There is a man who loves to go to the casino. And,
7
without fail, he comes home after every single casino trip with a small fortune! How does he do it?
2
8
6
28 Arizona Gaming Guide | August 2011 | azgamingguide.com
(Solutions on page 30)
@ SAMI’S SMACKDOWN
ATM MACHINE NIGHTMARE ADULT SEWING LESSONS!!!
This is the "YOU CAN MAKE IT" series of lessons! NEW THIS SUMMER, WE WILL BE OFFERING WEEKLY ADULT SEWING LESSONS!
*EXP. 9/1/2011
By Sami Becker
Sami, you guys better write an article about the ATM machines in the casinos. Tell everybody to never use the ATM machines, because if something happens the casinos won’t give you your money! They just tell you a bunch of lies if the machines don’t pay out the right amount. I was supposed to receive $100 and I only received $40. Unbelievable! Edward Hayes -Tucson, AZ Edward, I can commiserate with you because this exact situation has happened to me before. First of all, neither one of us should have been using an ATM machine at the casino to begin with! But, we’ve all done it at one time or another against our better judgment! Second of all, by law the casinos are not responsible for any errors made by the ATM machines on their property. Every ATM machine has an 800 number located on the front of the machine that customers need to call in the event that a malfunction occurs. I assume you had a discussion with a casino employee and I would hope that he or she informed you about the 800 number. A friendly casino employee may be willing to assist you in calling the 800 number and helping you communicate the problem to the supplier. Other than that, there is not much more the casino is able to do for you. Hopefully you still have your receipt! If you haven’t already, I would strongly suggest that you call the number on the machine and report the circumstances of your situation. You deserve your money. Make sure to also check with your bank and see whether $100 or just $40 was withdrawn. Since there are audits in place, sometimes these situations tend to resolve themselves after a few days. I’m sorry for your trouble! Nobody deserves to deal with the hassle involved with these types of mistakes! $
Do YOU have something to rant about? Write me at:
sami@azgamingguide.com azgamingguide.com | August 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide
29
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 843 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 Over 900 Slots, Live Keno, 54 Table Games
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 Over 800 Slots, Live Keno, 47 Poker Tables, 54 Table Games
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
facebook.com/ArizonaGamingGuide
Solutions to the Brain Teasers 1. He says the score before every football game begins is 0-0! 2. There are three jackpots because there are three men— A grandfather, a father (the grandfather’s son) and the father’s son! 3. The fourth child’s name is Jenny! 4. The man goes to the casino with a large fortune!
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-07/01/11
30 Arizona Gaming Guide | August 2011 | azgamingguide.com
Solution to the Sudoku
9
5
1
8
7
4
3
2
6
8
6
7
2
3
1
4
5
9
3
2
4
9
6
5
1
7
8
7
8
6
4
5
2
9
3
1
1
9
2
7
8
3
5
6
4
4
3
5
6
1
9
7
8
2
2
1
8
5
4
7
6
9
3
5
4
9
3
2
6
8
1
7
6
7
3
1
9
8
2
4
5