MAY
Contents GREAT GAMES 08 NEW SLOTS IGT’s Wheel of Fortune® Triple Extreme Spin Slots.
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10 NEW SLOTS Aristocrat’s Three Wishes Progressive Jackpot Slots. 13 COMING SOON WMS’ The Lord Of The Rings 3-Reel Slots.
WINNING WAYS 14 HINTS & TIPS Staying positive, Table limits, Video poker, Max bet. 15 HINTS & TIPS The $40 test.
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CASINO DINING 16 MOTHER’S DAY FEASTS AT AZ’S CASINOS Where to take your Mom on Sunday, May 13.
FAST FACTS 19 GAMING NEWS Caesars Entertainment’s “Escape to Total Rewards.” 21 GAMING NEWS Yavapai Casino clears the air & Glendale Casino. 22 GAMING NEWS Lucky Mesa man wins $5.7 Mil. at Casino Arizona. 24 CASINO BUZZ More penny slots at Cliff Castle Casino Hotel.
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CASINO ENTERTAINMENT 26 CASINO LISTINGS The editor’s picks of Arizona’s casino entertainment.
REGULAR RESPINS 04 EDITOR’S NOTE What’s on our mind. 06 PLAYERS TALK What’s on your mind. 28 FUN & GAMES Sudoku & Puzzles to keep your mind sharp. 30 SAMI’S SMACKDOWN Rants, raves & reflections. 30 CASINO DIRECTORY
21 azgamingguide.com | May 2012 | Arizona Gaming Guide
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EDITOR’S NOTE
Your Authority On Everything Gaming VOLUME 04 • ISSUE 05 PUBLISHER Chris Hoft chris@azgamingguide.com MANAGING DIRECTOR Elizabeth Torma liz@azgamingguide.com
AZ Casinos Offer Many Options Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, Graduation, Memorial Day—May is a busy month filled with celebrations and Arizona’s casinos are the perfect place to have fun with your loved ones. In this month’s issue, we provide a myriad of options to choose from for that special event. Whether it’s playing a new slot game, enjoying a scrumptious meal, or listening to your favorite band in concert, you’re sure to find an activity that will commemorate any special occasion. From gaming to lodging to dining to golf and everything in between; Arizona’s casinos truly have it all! 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. You can sign up for our enewsletter and find the current and back issues of the Arizona Gaming Guide on our website at www.azgamingguide.com. Let me know what you think of our May issue and have fun! Cheers!
Alexandra
Alexandra Lang Editor-in-Chief editor@azgamingguide.com
“Like” us on Facebook because
we “Like” you too!
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 Elizabeth Torma liz@azgamingguide.com MAILING INFORMATION Arizona Gaming Guide P.O. Box 20636 Mesa, Arizona 85277 INTERNET INFORMATION www.azgamingguide.com www.facebook.com/ArizonaGamingGuide Copyright © 2012 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 posts, e-mails 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 problemgambling.az.gov.
Arizona’s State Gaming Regulatory Agency: Arizona Department of Gaming 1110 W. Washington Street, Suite 450, Phoenix, 85007 1.602.771.4263 or azgaming.gov
www.facebook.com/ArizonaGamingGuide 04 Arizona Gaming Guide | May 2012 | azgamingguide.com
Tribal Gaming Funded Problem Gambling Resource: Office of Problem Gambling 1.800.NEXT.STEP or 1.800.639.8783 1110 W. Washington Street, Suite 450, Phoenix, 85007 1.602.542.8998 or problemgambling.az.gov
PLAYERS TALK
Q&A On Everything Gaming
Q: JACKPOTS & BET LEVELS Last year I was playing a “Monopoly” slot machine at Desert Diamond Casino in Sahuarita. Someone sitting at a similar machine next to me won $400 when all five wheels landed on “Monopoly” symbols. If she had been playing the max bet, she would have won the jackpot of $129,000. Her husband asked me if the machine still would have stopped on five “Monopoly” symbols if she had been playing max bet at that moment? I guess what he was suggesting is whether or not slot machines are programmed to produce different outcomes depending on the amount bet. Do you know? Jonathon Shacat – Bisbee, AZ A: Jonathon, that hurts!!! One of my team members witnessed a player lose out on over a $1 million jackpot playing “Wizard of Oz” by WMS because she wasn’t playing max bet either. I would have a hard time handling that situation if it happened to me! For that reason, all of us here at the Arizona Gaming Guide usually play max bet on those types of games or if our bankroll doesn’t allow it at the time then we completely avoid them altogether. Unfortunately, I have to answer that the slot machines are not programmed to increase or decrease your chances of lining up the symbols needed to hit a top award on a game based on your bet level. Therefore, the lady playing the “Monopoly” game missed out on the jackpot. Here’s a summary of how the slot picks what will be shown to the player on any given spin: Every slot machine has a random number generator (RNG) whose function is to arbitrarily pick what symbols will appear in what order to form winning or losing combinations. The RNG is constantly shuffling through all possible combinations and going through 100,000 or more outcomes in just one second! It is perpetually doing so even when the machine is not being played! The RNG stops on a combination only when the player presses the SPIN button. The RNG does not differentiate between bet amounts. Now, here’s a different scenario: Let’s say someone is playing max bet and seems to be getting into a randomly triggered progressive bonus (Fort Knox for instance) more frequently than another player betting the minimum. This is a different situa-
tion and, in fact, playing max bet on this type of game does increase your likelihood of getting into that randomly triggered progressive. It’s important to understand the difference between these two situations. A progressive controller that is randomly picking a machine based on the bet level to trigger a bonus CAN differentiate between bet amounts. The RNG that is randomly selecting combinations to display on screen (like the five top symbols for a jackpot) CANNOT differentiate between bet levels! Q: SAME GAME, DIFFERENT PAYBACK Dear Arizona Gaming Guide, I am a long-time Arizona resident and slot player. I recently had the opportunity to visit Last Vegas and play at three Strip Casinos. I went specifically looking to play the WMS titles “Alice and the Mad Tea Party” and “Alice the Enchanted Mirror” for I have come to love these games locally and have played them for many hours. After playing these games for only a short time in Vegas, I could “feel” a definite difference in how these games played. The random pop-up bonuses on the games were far less frequent, the multiplier bonus was in a range much lower than those I had experienced in Arizona, the “Super Mad Respins” were far fewer and paid less than usual, and the three symbol Bonus was almost non-existent! I played both games for several hours at each Vegas Casino and got the same impression at each location, very disappointing! Was the "feeling" of such a difference in the game play due to the payback percentage that the Casino had set for the machines? I realize that the payback percentage is the profit that the Casino can expect to earn over the lifetime of the machine, but did this factor alone make the game play so drastically different in the short-term play? I know that the WMS “ALICE” machines are leased to Casinos, and wonder if that affects payback percentages? I know that some states regulate the minimum payback that a machine can return. Do Arizona Tribal Gaming Casinos fall under this rule? I learned a valuable lesson on my Vegas trip that sometimes the grass is greener in your own backyard and I think I will
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 | May 2012 | azgamingguide.com
Q&A On Everything Gaming stay and play right here at home from now on! Thank you. Sara Hill – Gilbert, AZ A: Sara, I'm very impressed with your ability to pick up on the differences between the same games in different jurisdictions. Your "feeling" is absolutely correct. Every slot game is designed with different payback percentage variations. Slot machine manufacturers need to be able to offer casinos options. According to Las Vegas gaming jurisdiction laws, the paybacks can go as low as 75% - and trust me, from what I've seen they do! They rely heavily on non-gaming revenue in Las Vegas and feel they can afford to offer their games at lower percentages because Vegas is a tourist attraction. Here in Arizona, the minimum is 80% for non-skill games and the main revenue stream comes from the gaming. Therefore, almost all new game installs we've been privy to are usually set in between 83% and 85% for penny denomination games to provide a more enjoyable gaming experience. When you play a game at 75% and the exact same game at 85%, you will feel a difference. The mathematician's job is to try and create all these variations of the game without making it obvious to players where changes have occurred. And, most players aren't as perceptive as you are, so these differences
PLAYERS TALK
aren't as evident. Specifically referencing the WMS “Alice� slots you mention, the math designers probably did lower the pulls-to-hit and the average wins on the bonuses. If they had to "shave off" several percentage points somewhere, then your feeling that it happened in the bonuses is most likely correct. They could have, just as well, modified the base game by making some winning combinations occur less frequently. Math designers don't have an easy job, because they have to find that right balance when modifying the game variations. Some choose to only make changes to the bonus or just to the base game, while others choose to make some modifications to both. It's a delicate balancing act! As I mentioned to you, I'm impressed that you picked up on these differences. If more players would just listen to their gut instincts, they would be able to identify which casinos offer their favorite games in the best payback percentages - just from pure observation! $ Hint: Changing the reel strips during a bonus with free games can allow a mathematician to change the payback percentage of a game as well. In other words, they can increase or decrease the hit frequencies of the individual wins, change your chances of re-triggering the bonus, affect (on average) how much each free games will pay, and so on. Next time you play your favorite slot game, see if you can tell if any changes were made.
azgamingguide.com | May 2012 | Arizona Gaming Guide
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GREAT GAMES
New Slots
Wheel of Fortune® TRIPLE EXTREME SPIN Ready for play across Arizona!
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Quick Hints & Tips
The minimum bet is 50 credits.
Slot pays a win, on average, once every other spin.
Recommended bankroll of $40.00 allows for extended play at the minimum bet level.
lueWater Resort & Casino in Parker, Arizona is where we first played this new slot by IGT and what a great decision that was! My team member and I walked up to the empty MegaFX® surround-sound chairs, admittedly with some apprehension. Armed with $40 a piece, we carefully eyed the minimum bet button of 50 credits (a $0.50 bet as the game is available in pennies) and quickly calculated the guaranteed number of spins based on our bankroll to be 80. Over an hour later both of us walked away with $60! This game delivers a top-notch playing experience and, in our opinion, all our readers who are interested in having a chance at extending their play sessions need to consider this slot! Our largest win was $75 playing the minimum bet which was a pleasant surprise, but the slot delivered frequent wins in the $10 to $40 range which kept us going, and going! Both bonus games hit often to keep you interested and pay out well enough to prevent you from losing your stake quickly. By now, you’ll find the slot in almost every casino in Arizona! Give them a try and let us know how it goes. Write us a hand written letter (Editor—Arizona Gaming Guide, PO BOX 20636, Mesa, AZ 85277), send us an e-mail (editor@azgamingguide.com) or tell us on our Facebook wall (www.facebook.com/ArizonaGamingGuide) what you think of this new Wheel of Fortune® Triple Extreme Spin slot by IGT. $
Main game pictures showing the symbols & a big win!
Slot is a low to medium volatility game!
Player favorite Siberian Storm® is the main game with pays left-to-right and right-to-left for adjacent symbols in any position and a five reel screen showing 3, 4, 5, 4, and 3 symbols respectively.
Mini Wheel Bonus game pays when three or more Scatter symbols land on the reels. Small wheels spin on screen for credit wins. The symbols on the right reels pay more than those on the left reels!
Triple Extreme Wheel Bonus game pays with three to seven bonus symbols on the middle reels. The screen transforms into envelopes and players pick for pointers on the massive wheels. Players can win up to three pointers per wheel! Two wheels have credit prizes and the last wheel has a multiplier used to increase the total bonus win.
08 Arizona Gaming Guide | May 2012 | azgamingguide.com
Three or more bonus symbols start the Triple Extreme Spin Wheel Bonus below where you pick for wheel pointers!
GREAT GAMES
New Slots
Three Wishes By Aristocrat Technologies
Exclusive to Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino in Maricopa, Arizona is a brand new bank of rapidly hitting progressive slots called Three Wishes by Aristocrat Technologies. Located just inside the main entrance, this group of slots see a lot of action every day, all day long! Featuring all your favorite Aristocrat Technologies games like Jaguar MistTM, BuffaloTM, Timber WolfTM, Aztec DreamTM, and Crusader’s HeartTM, this new bank delivers excitement spin after spin. In addition to the standard bonuses available in each game, there are three progressives waiting to be awarded to one lucky player at the end of each spin. Each game is installed in a penny denomination and the rapidly hitting progressives bring non-stop gaming action to Aristocrat slot enthusiasts. The lowest level progressive jackpot resets at $15 and must be awarded by $25. The middle progressive jackpot starts at $40 and can only climb to $60 before the prize is randomly delivered to one player at the bank. The top progressive jackpot starts at $2,000 and will award by $2,500!
Here’s a hint: Our contacts at the casino tell us the progressive jackpots will hit, with continual play, on average 60 times per day! Furthermore, the top progressive jackpot will hit about once every ten days! How’s that for regular luck? $ 10 Arizona Gaming Guide | May 2012 | azgamingguide.com
The Inside Scoop* Jaguar Mist Min Bet 40 Bonus Hits 130 spins Play Time Low Big Wins Good Chances Bonus Free games with Wild multipliers Buffalo Min Bet 40 Bonus Hits 130 spins Play Time Low Big Wins Good Chances Bonus Free games with Wild multipliers Timber Wolf Min Bet 40 Bonus Hits 150 spins Play Time Good Big Wins Small Chance Bonus Free games Aztec Dream Min Bet 50 Bonus Hits 100 spins Play Time Low Big Wins Very Good Chances Bonus Free games Crusader’s Heart Min Bet 30 Bonus Hits 150 spins Play Time Low Big Wins Very Good Chances Bonus Free games *The Inside Scoop data presented here is based solely on the analysis of multiple play sessions by Arizona Gaming Guide Staff and represents averages.
Coming Soon
GREAT GAMES
Slot manufacturer WMS Gaming and Arizona casinos are making all efforts to bring you the latest installment of The Lord Of The Rings™ slot machines during the next few months. Players who enjoy 3-Reel slots and traditional video slot players need to pay attention to this game as six—that’s right, six—special features from Middle-earth™ await in these brand new 3-Reel adventures!
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rought to life in two unique base game themes, an engaging and interactive top box and six unique feature events themed for characters from the award-winning motion picture trilogy. You can experience all the action in either 3Reel Mechanical Transmissive Reels® or 3-Reel Video versions that are enhanced with Sensory Immersion and Wide Area Progressive technologies. Both unique base themes – The Fellowship and Land of Mordor™ – include six features from which one is randomly selected once the bonus is triggered giving players the bonus-filled adventure they’ve come to know and love with The Lord Of The Rings™ slots. Both themes include a menagerie of features, including one worth up to a 3000x bet multiplier credit prize; a one-spin feature with a multiplier of 10x - 30x; a spin-till-you-win feature with either held stacked WILD symbols or a held 3X WILD; a one-spin feature with up to 9 WILD symbols; a feature with held 1x, 2x or 3x WILDs held on Reels 1 and 3; and a Free Spins feature with up to 20 free spins during which additional spins or other features may be triggered. This is The Lord Of The Rings™ slots adventure 3-Reel fans have been waiting for! To learn more about these new slots and see a preview video, point your web browser to: http://now.wms.com and http://www.youtube.com/ wmsslots. $
azgamingguide.com | May 2012 | Arizona Gaming Guide
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WINNING WAYS
Hints & Tips
Stay Positive!
There will always be highs and lows during every play session at the casino, but you should never let the lows affect your mood. Nobody can deny that a losing streak can be extremely frustrating. However, letting frustration turn into anger or desperation is when a bad situation becomes even worse very quickly. Here are a few hints on how to shake off some of that negative energy and change your luck around: LOSE THE ATTITUDE. Whining and grumbling about losing isn’t going to do anything for you except keep you in a negative frame of mind. If you find yourself huffing and puffing, protesting and criticizing—stop! And, get away from other party poopers who are doing the same thing. A negative attitude is contagious and spreads like spilled water. GET A LUCKY CHARM. Okay, there is no proof that lucky charms can bring you luck at the casino. However, I will tell you that feeling lucky makes people feel happy. And, I know that the people who feel happy are usually the ones who are having the most fun and enjoying themselves at the casino! TRY A NEW GAME. The quickest way to lift your spirits after a bad run is to get your mind off of it. Trying a new casino game you’ve never played before will do just that. Focus on learning the new game and, who knows, beginner’s luck may just follow!
TABLE LIMITS Next time you’re at your favorite casino and you find the table limits a bit too steep for your bankroll, just ask to have them lowered! If a higher-limit table is open with no players, there’s a good chance the pit supervisor will lower the minimum bet.
PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE Of all the video slot games on a casino floor, video poker has the highest payback percentages! However, to take advantage of the high returns, you have to be using optimal strategy. Become an expert by practicing for free at videopoker.com!
WHEN SHOULD YOU PLAY MAX BET? You should always bet the maximum on games that offer higher rewards at max bet. This includes most classic 3 or 5 reel stepper slots since the majority of these games are ‘buy-a-pay,’ video poker since the Royal is bonused at max bet, games that are connected to progressive systems, and slot games that have bonus features that only activate with the maximum wager. Make sure to read a slot’s help screen to see if betting max will give you an advantage. 14 Arizona Gaming Guide | May 2012 | azgamingguide.com
Hints & Tips
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WINNING WAYS
The “$40 Test”
ow much money should you put into a penny slot to “test” a game before you get up and move to another machine if it’s not going well? While most people will say $20, this is not nearly enough money to truly experience the new slot games hitting the casino floors. Given that modern slots tend to be more volatile, a $40 initial investment is your best bet—and this is assuming you will be playing the minimum bet. Insert any less than this and you may be setting yourself up for disappointment. The average number of spins (called the pulls-to-hit) it takes to trigger a bonus varies from slot to slot, and it’s up to the mathematician to determine how often a player will get into a bonus. Extremely volatile slots can take over 180 spins, on average, to hit a bonus whereas less volatile slots have much lower pulls-to-hits of between 60 and 80 spins. As a slot enthusiast, you should be able to have a rough idea of approximately how many spins it
takes to get into the bonuses on your favorite slot games so you can plan your budget accordingly. Let’s assume, for example, that your favorite slot game has medium volatility with an average bonus pulls-to-hit of 120. If you intend on wagering 30¢ per spin and it takes 120 spins to get into the bonus, then you can expect to spend about $36 before you trigger the bonus. Therefore, a reasonable bankroll for this scenario is $40. This amount of money would, most likely, allow you to experience the game’s bonus at least once. If you reach your $40 mark but haven’t triggered a bonus, then it may be time to end the play session and try a different game. Since the “$40 test” is based on a medium volatility game at minimum bet, make sure to adjust the initial stake based on your playing style. If you tend to wager 60¢ per spin, then the appropriate bankroll would be $80, and so on. Always be realistic when setting your budget. $
azgamingguide.com | May 2012 | Arizona Gaming Guide
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CASINO DINING
Mother’s Day Feasts at Arizona’s Casinos Mother's Day is the celebration of a mother's unconditional love, support, sense of sacrifice, and to thank her for all small and big things she has done for her children. It is believed that ancient Greeks celebrated Mother's Day in spring by honoring Rhea, 'mother of the gods' by offering honey-cakes, flowers and drinks. This day is celebrated across the globe, in different ways and on different dates. In the United States, Mother's Day remains one of the biggest days for sales of flowers, greeting cards, and the like; it is also the biggest holiday for long-distance telephone calls. Children typically give their Moms a break from household chores and take them out for a festive dinner. Moreover, churchgoing is also popular, yielding 16 Arizona Gaming Guide | May 2012 | azgamingguide.com
the highest church attendances after Christmas Eve and Easter. Many worshippers celebrate every Mother’s Day with carnations, colored if the mother is living and white if she is deceased. In the Roman-Catholic Church, the holiday is strongly associated with reverencing the Virgin Mary. In many Catholic homes, families have a special shrine devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In many Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, a special prayer service is held in honor of the Theotokos Virgin Mary. In Australia, traditionally, the chrysanthemum is given to mothers for Mother's Day as the flower is naturally in season during Autumn and ends in 'mum', the Australian
slang for a mother. In France, a Mom is honored with a cake resembling a bouquet of flowers followed by a traditional family dinner. In Mexico, Mother's Day is celebrated on May 10 every year. On this day, churches organize special masses. This is followed with distribution of 'tamales' and 'atole', the traditional early-morning meal for all mothers. In the United Kingdom, there is a tradition of making almond cake (called Simnel Cake) for mothers in addition to giving gifts and flowers. So make sure to tell your mom Happy Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 13th, take her out for a lucky day at her favorite casino and don’t forget to tell us all about it in an email to editor@azgamingguide.com! $
Where to take her & what to expect! Casino Arizona—Scottsdale—480.850.7777 Cholla Prime Steakhouse & Lounge from 1pm to 8pm for $42 without wine pairings and $70 with wine pairings. Starters—Sesame seared tuna with crab mango relish, cilantro oil and lemon. Salad—Red pear salad with spring mix, candied walnuts, gorgonzola and apple cider vinaigrette. Entrée—8 oz. horseradish crusted sirloin & 4 oz. lobster tail with drawn butter, fingerling potatoes and sunburst patty pan squash. Dessert—Crème fraiche panna cotta with port poached rhubarb and phyllo crisps.
Fort McDowell Casino—Fort McDowell—800.843.3678 Red Rock Buffet from 9am to 3pm for $19.95. Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino—Maricopa—800.427.7247 The Buffet from 9am to 3pm for $21.99. Talking Stick Resort—Scottsdale—480.850.7777 Blue Coyote Café from 11am to 11pm for $24.95. Choice of soup or salad. Entrée—seared Australian rack of lamb with a raspberry mint demi-glace, buttered baby carrots, and herbed roasted fingerling potato medley. Dessert—Lavender shortbread with a Meyer’s lemon cream.
Talking Stick Resort—Scottsdale—480.850.7777 Wandering Horse Buffet from 9am to 8pm for $42.95 (Adults—includes champagne toast) and $17.00 (Children 5—12, 4 & under—complimentary). Slow roasted prime rib of beef, orange tangine pork crown roast, grilled halibut, American kobe steaks, lamb chops, red curry sturgeon, porcini mushroom lobster risotto, crab and cream cheese enchiladas, and chilled jonah crab claws.
Wild Horse Pass Casino—Chandler—800.946.4452 Café 24-7 May 12 & 13 from Noon to 8pm for $14.95 Baby spring salad with choice of dressing, boursin stuffed chicken breast with sun dried tomato and artichoke sauce, whipped potatoes, baby vegetable medley, and assorted cakes and pies. Available Mother’s Day menus at press time. All restaurants are open daily. Please verify all details and any age restrictions with each casino. We are not responsible for incorrect or outdated information.
azgamingguide.com | May 2012 | Arizona Gaming Guide
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Gaming News
FAST FACTS
CAESARS ENTERTAINMENT LAUNCHES “ESCAPE TO TOTAL REWARDS,” AND UNVEILS THE NEXT GENERATION OF TOTAL REWARDS LOYALTY PROGRAM. Now through the end of May, Total Rewards members have countless chances to win more than 90,000 prizes through the “Escape to Total Rewards” game that can be accessed at www.TotalRewards.com/Escape. In addition to a vast array of experiences and millions in prizes that will be awarded at Total Rewards resorts nationwide, one lucky winner will receive a once-in-a-lifetime, all-expense paid trip to Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. With the new Total Rewards, members are able to redeem their Reward Credits for free play. Elite members also have the ability to gift up to 5,000 Reward Credits to friends or family members, up to twice per year. Total Rewards members receive preferred pricing at restaurants across the network. Participating restaurants will have two sets of menu prices—full price for anyone who chooses to dine at the restaurant and a lower price available exclusively to Total Rewards members. In addition, Total Rewards members will now be able to redeem their Reward Credits for gift certificates at several hundred retailers participating in the Total Rewards Marketplace. These gift certificates can be used for online purchases, or they may be printed out and used at the retailer’s local brick-and-mortar locations. This unique feature of the Total Rewards Marketplace makes Total Rewards more relevant and valuable in members’ everyday lives. For more information about the new Total Rewards program and all the benefits, visit: www.TotalRewards.com.
ABOUT TOTAL REWARDS Total Rewards, a loyalty program connecting millions of active members who visit nearly 40 Caesars properties nationwide, is focused on building loyalty with guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. With Total Rewards, members have access to the largest network of hotel and entertainment options in the gaming industry and are able to take advantage of endless amenities, including exclusive access to unique experiences and benefits. Total Rewards’ major resort brands include Caesars Palace, Horseshoe, Harrah’s, Showboat, Bally’s, Harvey’s and Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. azgamingguide.com | May 2012 | Arizona Gaming Guide
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Gaming News
FAST FACTS
YAVAPAI CASINO IS CLEARING THE AIR on-smokers, the wait is over. As part of an extensive overall renovation to Yavapai Casino starting earlier this year, the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe and Yavapai Gaming Agency has recently opened a completely smoke-free room with more than 80 new and old favorite slot machines in a 2,300 square foot space located in the current Yavapai Casino building. At the present time, the new no-smoking room is the largest of its kind in any Arizona casino.
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Complementing the smoke-free Poker Room at Bucky’s Casino, the smoke-free area in Yavapai Casino boasts its own entrance, restrooms, beverage area, and a separate HVAC system to keep the fresh air continuously circulating. Other changes within Yavapai Casino have also taken place. Walls have been painted, new carpet has been installed and slot chairs have been reupholstered or replaced. New directional signage will be added to make everyone aware of changes within that building. In addition to the gaming area, Yavapai Cantina is also experiencing a facelift. More seating in the cantina is available and wireless speakers at each individual table have been added for select listening. The 8 big screen TVs in the cantina will remain for added viewing. “We would like to thank all of our customers for their patience during this renovation. We are confident that all the improvements we’ve made will be met with as much enthusiasm as we feel here at Yavapai Gaming Agency.” $
Proposed Casino Near Glendale Heads To Court The Gila River Indian Community, which currently operates the only West Valley casino, Glendale, and top state lawmakers are appealing a federal decision to take the Tohono O’odham-owned land into the reservation system. n 2003, the Tohono O’odham tribe purchased property around Loop 101 and Northern Ave. near Glendale to replace nearly 10,000 acres of ancestral reservation land damaged by a federal government dam. In 2010, the Department of the Interior declared the Glendale property a reservation. Ever since the Southern Arizona tribe has stated their intentions of building a casino, opponents have been challenging the decision. On April 16, 2012, a federal appeals court in San Francisco took up the complicated legal fight that has ensued for nearly three years. We want to know what you think! Send an e-mail to editor@azgamingguide.com and tell us your opinion. $
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azgamingguide.com | May 2012 | Arizona Gaming Guide
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FAST FACTS
Gaming News
Lucky Mesa Resident Hits A $5.7 Million Jackpot At Casino Arizona
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Mesa resident, Gerald Allen Phillips Jr., 51, won $5,707,069 after hitting the top Wheel of Fortune™ award at Casino Arizona located on Loop 101 and McKellips Road on April 13. The lucrative jackpot is among the biggest given over the course of Casino Arizona’s more than 10-year history. “All of our players come to Casino Arizona with the hopes of winning the big jackpot. It is so rewarding to see that dream come true for a really deserving player,” said David Chavez, director of slot operations at Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort. Phillips, who was playing for the first time at Casino Arizona in more than a year, had put $60 in the lucky 25-cent machine at the time of the win. According to Phillips, “I had been playing the machine next to it and kept hitting, but my wife wanted me home. As I got up and was ready to leave, I put in my last $60. Then the bells and lights went off and I was freaked out.” Thinking, he had first won $100,000, Phillips found out his true win when he saw all of the managers and pit bosses rush to his side. “I was so nervous, I almost passed out when I saw all the people,” said Philips. In fact, he wasn’t the only person ‘freaked out’ by the jackpot. After learning of the amount he had won, Phillips immediately called his wife who hung up on him in disbelief. It wasn’t until he had one of the casino’s managers call her back that she actually believed the news about the win. When asked about his plans for the money, Phillips said, “I’m going to buy a nice new truck, which has always been a dream of mine, but we are still going to be the same penny-pinchers we’ve always been. We want to buy a little house and then invest so the money can work for us.” Casino Arizona is part of a Native American progressive gaming network, which includes 20 casinos statewide. Each time a coin is played in a linked machine, anywhere in the network, the jackpot accumulates until a winner hits the top jackpot award. The Wheel of Fortune™ progressive machines are among the most popular among guests, featuring an exciting bonus spin. For more information about the Wheel of Fortune™ progressive by IGT visit www.igt.com. For more information about Casino Arizona visit their website at www.casinoarizona.com. $
22 Arizona Gaming Guide | May 2012 | azgamingguide.com
FAST FACTS
Casino Buzz
MORE NEW PENNY SLOTS Arrive at Cliff Castle Casino Hotel in Camp Verde, Arizona By Christy Telese of Cliff Castle Casino Hotel
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liff Castle Casino Hotel would like to invite you to play our new penny video slots from slot machine manufacturers IGT, Bally Gaming & Konami Gaming! We’ve installed a total of 28 new penny and multi-denomination 1¢/2¢/5¢ video slot games in recent weeks that are waiting for you to come play and enjoy. From IGT there are 12 new 1¢/2¢/5¢ machines that include 20 all new themes on Cliff Castle Casino Hotel’s gaming floor. These include Wolf Run 2, Larry Lobstermania 2 Three level progressive, Lil’ Lady 2, Frantic Antics, Jaguar Princess and more! These games all have affordable bets ranging from a 25 credit minimum to a 500 credit maximum depending on the theme. Also installed from Bally Gaming are new 1¢ five-level linked progressive video machines that look like a traditional 5 reel stepper machine! You can find the Moon Goddess and Sun God themes (minimum bet 30, maximum 300) in 4 of the Pro Series Curve© cabinets right next to our 10 table Blackjack/Pai Gow/3 Card Poker pit. Let’s see if you can tell that it’s a curved LCD and not traditional mechanical reels! Also included on this bank of machines are four 1¢, 25 line machines with very low minimum bets (too low to publish) and a max of 400 credits. When 30 credits will cover all of the lines on a volatile 1¢ machine you can’t go wrong! Over spring break this year Konami Gaming delivered to us the fun – and jackpots! – with 8 new Podium© cabinets. Dynasty of Gold, Fairy’s Wish, Electrifying Riches, and more new themes were an instant hit at Cliff Castle Casino Hotel. These games have a maximum bet of either 250 or 300, depending on the theme you choose, and have been hitting jackpots like crazy (over $84,000 combined) since we turned them loose on March 22! $
Only at Cliff Castle Casino Hotel We would also like to give a small reminder and extend an invitation to everyone that we are still the only casino in Arizona with the Battleship themed community bonus bank from WMS Gaming! Come see this new style of Wide Area Progressive where no reel combination is needed to win the BIG jackpot—it’s totally random! Cliff Castle Casino Hotel would also like to inform all of our Guests that we are now utilizing downloadable credits for point redemption and promotional groups. New Castle Club members will receive $10 in free Castle Cash beginning May 1. Make sure you sign up when you first arrive! Over 95% of our slot machines are enrolled in our Castle Cash function, so you will have plenty of options to play, on us, in all available machine denominations! All Castle Club members must visit the Castle Club to set up a personalized PIN before being able to utilize Castle Cash so don’t forget to visit the friendly Castle Club team. The Castle Club is located right next to our ever popular Gallery Restaurant. For more information call 800.381.7568 or visit www.cliffcastlecasinohotel.com. $
24 Arizona Gaming Guide | May 2012 | azgamingguide.com
ENTERTAINMENT
Casino Listings
Apache Gold Casino—Globe, AZ—800.272.2438 Cabaret Lounge: Call for more entertainment details* BlueWater Casino—Parker, AZ—888.243.3360 BlueWater Showroom: Cage Rage on the River 2—Jul. 7 at 7pm Bucky's Casino—Prescott, AZ—800.756.8744 Call for more entertainment details* Casino Arizona—Scottsdale, AZ—480.850.7777 The Showroom: Call for more entertainment details* The Pima Lounge: Local bands playing rock, pop, funk, old-school and more from the 60's, 70's, 80's 90's & today. Start times: 8pm SuTh & 5pm Fr-Sa. The Arizona Room Piano Lounge: Features a variety of music styles including the sounds of swing and jazz. Start times: 4pm weekdays & 5pm weekends Casino del Sol—Tucson, AZ—520.838.6506 AVA Amphitheater: Gabriel Iglesias—May 12th at 8pm Chickenfoot—May 31 at 8pm Scorpions & Tesla—Jun. 17 at 8pm Chicago & Doobie Brothers—Jul. 11 at 8pm Earth, Wind & Fire—Jul. 31 at 8pm Seal & Macy Gray—Aug. 3 at 8pm Duran Duran—Aug. 12 8pm Casino of the Sun—Tucson, AZ—520.879.5450 Call for more entertainment details*
Happy Together Tour Fort McDowell Casino—July 15th Cliff Castle Casino—Camp Verde, AZ—800.381.7568 Stargazer Pavillion: Call for more entertainment details* Dragonfly Lounge: BeatleMania LIVE!—May 16-20 Cocopah Resort Casino—Somerton, AZ—800.237.5687 Call for more entertainment details* Desert Diamond Casino I—Tucson, AZ—866.332.9467 Desert Diamond Sports Bar: Call for more entertainment details* Monsoon Nightclub: Friday Night Groove—Join 106.3FM The Groove for a dance party now through Dec. 28. $5 cover, ladies free! Desert Diamond Casino II—Sahuarita, AZ—866.332.9467 Sports Bar: Friday Night Party—Music & dancing at 8pm or after the featured game. Saturday Night Party—Music & dancing at 8pm or after the featured game. Diamond Center: Kool And The Gang—Jun. 15 at 7pm Desert Diamond Casino III—Why, AZ—866.332.9467 Call for more entertainment details*
George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic Talking Stick Resort—May 25th 26 Arizona Gaming Guide | May 2012 | azgamingguide.com
Fort McDowell Casino—Fort McDowell, AZ—800.843.3678 Radisson Ballroom: George Jones—Jun. 15 at 6pm Happy Together Tour—Jul. 15 with performances by The Grass Roots, The Buckinghams, The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, Garry Puckett and The Union Gap, and Mickey Dolenz
Casino Listings
ENTERTAINMENT
Harrah's Ak-Chin Casino—Maricopa, AZ—800.427.7247 Oasis Lounge: The Walkens—May 12 at 8pm Young Country—May 19 at 8pm Moonwalker, A Tribute to Michael Jackson—May 25 at 8pm & 10pm Mark Chesnutt—May 28 at 2pm & 5 pm
Quechan Casino—Winterhaven, CA—877.783.2426 Pipa Event Center: Call for more entertainment details* Sidewinders Bar & Grill: Call for more entertainment details*
Hon-Dah Casino—Pinetop, AZ—800.929.8744 Timbers Lounge and Showroom: Munday Funday—Comedy Show Classic Cowboys—May 8-12 60’s Mania—May 15-19 Groove City—May 22-26 The Doo-Wah Riders—May 29-Jun. 2 Cornell Gunters Coasters—Jun. 5-9 Johnny Ray Band—Jun. 19-23 Tony Marques—Jun. 26-Jul.1
Talking Stick Resort—Scottsdale, AZ—480.850.7777 The Showroom: George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic—May 25 at 8pm Jay Leno—May 26 at 8pm Smokey Robinson—May 27 at 8pm Terry Fator—Jun. 3 at 8pm Purple Reign—Jun. 7-9 at 8pm Keb’ Mo’—Jun. 16 at 8pm Coffee Garden: Dueling Pianos—Th, Fr & Sa from 8-11pm
Lone Butte Casino—Chandler, AZ—800.946.4452 Call for more entertainment details* Mazatzal Casino—Payson, AZ—800.777.7529 Event Center: Surfin’ Safari—Jul. 28 Hotel California—Sep. 21 Paradise Casino—Yuma, AZ—888.777.4946 Sharky’s Bar & Bites: DJ Anthony—We—9pm-1am DJ Noriega—Th—9pm-1am
Spirit Mountain Casino—Mohave Valley, AZ—888.837.4030 Call for more entertainment details*
Vee Quiva Casino—Laveen, AZ—800.946.4452 Call for more entertainment details* Wild Horse Pass Casino—Chandler, AZ—800.946.4452 Showroom: Keith Sweat—May 12 Russell Watson—May 19 Latino Fashion Live—May 26 The B-52’s—Jun. 8 Indigo Girls—Jun. 14 Yavapai Casino—Prescott, AZ—800.756.8744 Yavapai Cantina: Karaoke—Fr—8pm-Midnight
Verify all details & age restrictions for each event. Venues, times, dates, and ticket information are subject to change. Photos/images are copyright of the individual artist(s) or photographer(s). All Rights Reserved. We are not responsible for incorrect or outdated info. *Based on information available to us at press time.
Keb’ Mo’ Talking Stick Resort—June 16th
azgamingguide.com | May 2012 | Arizona Gaming Guide
27
FUN & GAMES
SUDOKU
CASINO MATH 101
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.
What are the chances of drawing two 10’s from a standard 52 card deck?
(Solution on page 30)
What are the chances of rolling a 7 in craps?
5
6 What are the chances of rolling two 7’s back to back?
1
7
9
5 What are the chances of a roulette ball landing on 3 if there are 38 spots on the wheel?
5 7
9
4
5 6 8 6
7
6
5 3
7
8
What are the chances of a roulette ball landing on 3 back to back on a 38 spot wheel?
2
4
1
If there is one WILD symbol on a reel with 40 total symbols, what are the chances of seeing the WILD in a reel window which is three positions high?
7
Suppose the chances of getting into a bonus on any spin of a slot machine are 1 in 100. What are the chances of winning two bonuses back to back?
1 4
2 9
6
28 Arizona Gaming Guide | May 2012 | azgamingguide.com
4
(Solutions on page 30)
SAMI’S SMACKDOWN Casino Gaming Directory
By Sami Becker
Don’t Look Down At Me For Gambling!
Tell a non-gambler how maddening it is to put a bunch of money in a slot game and not have a chance to experience a bonus and they’ll probably say something along the lines of, “Oh, I’m sorry. I can see how that would be annoying.” On the other hand, tell someone who actually plays the games themselves and they will feel your pain. You can sense the camaraderie when they acknowledge your sentiment and follow it up with a personal anecdote of their own. Very few casino hosts actually understand their customers and this is because they just don’t gamble themselves. This, in my opinion, is a major mistake casinos make when hiring employees. Several years ago, I had a casino host openly tell me she doesn’t play any casino games. In fact, she was always blunt with me about her aversion to gambling. Eventually this host quit, because she just wasn’t happy in her position. Clearly, the casino could have avoided the situation by not hiring her to begin with. And, had they known that she often tried to persuade me to not spend my money on gambling, I’m sure they would have dismissed her long before. Casino hosts need to be personable, courteous, and professional—obviously. However, they must also be knowledgeable about casino games and show a genuine understanding and interest in their clients’ experience while at the casino. The best way this can truly be accomplished is if they, themselves, play casino games occasionally. Otherwise, apathy can turn into disdain; neither of which a casino wants employees conveying to their customers. Besides the apparent lack of interest in my experience, I always sensed that the casino host was looking down at me for gambling! No player should ever be made to feel this way by their casino host or any casino employee for that matter! $
Apache Gold Casino Resort 5 miles East of Globe on Highway 70 1-800-272-2438 or apachegoldcasinoresort.com 634 Class III Slots, 1,000 Seat Bingo Hall, 4 Blackjack Tables BlueWater Resort & Casino 11300 Resort Drive, Parker 1-888-243-3360 or bluewaterfun.com 493 Class III Slots, 350 Seat Bingo Hall, 6 Poker Tables, 7 Blackjack Tables Bucky's Casino Highway 69 and Heather Heights, Prescott 1-800-756-8744 or buckyscasino.com 307 Class III Slots, 10Poker & 7Blackjack Tables Casino Arizona 524 N. 92nd St, Scottsdale 1-480-850-7777 or casinoaz.com 900+ Class III Slots, Live Keno, 48 Table Games Casino del Sol 5655 W. Valencia Rd, Tucson 1-855-765-7829 or casinodelsol.com 966 Class III Slots, 694 Seat Bingo Hall, 16 Poker Tables, 19 Blackjack Tables Casino of the Sun 7406 S. Camino de Oeste, Tucson 1-855-765-7829 or casinodelsol.com 316 Class III Slots, 12 Class II Slots Cliff Castle Casino & Hotel 555 Middle Verde Rd, Camp Verde 1-800-381-7568 or cliffcastlecasinohotel.com 656 Class III Slots, 10 Poker & 8 Blackjack Tables Cocopah Resort Casino 15318 S. Avenue B, Somerton 1-800-237-5687 or cocopahresort.com 506 Class III Slots, 350 Seat Bingo Hall, 8 Blackjack Tables Desert Diamond Casino I —Tucson 7350 S. Nogales Highway, Tucson 1-520-294-7777 or desertdiamondcasino.com 1,080 Class III Slots, Live Keno, 270 Seat Bingo Hall, 17 Poker Tables, 19 Blackjack Tables Desert Diamond Casino II —Sahuarita 1100 W. Pima Mine Rd, Sahuarita 1-866-332-9467 or desertdiamondcasino.com 767 Class III Slots, 2 Poker & 8 Blackjack Tables Desert Diamond Casino—Why Highway 86, Why 1-866-332-9467 or desertdiamondcasino.com 66 Class III Slots Fort McDowell Casino Beeline Highway 87 and Fort McDowell Rd
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Casino Math Solutions
Sudoku Solution 8
9
3
2
4
5
7
1
6
6
2
1
7
8
9
5
4
3
5
4
7
3
6
1
8
9
2
1/6 x 1/6 = 1/36 = 2.78%
3
7
9
6
1
2
4
5
8
1/38 = 2.63%
4
1
8
5
3
7
6
2
9
2
5
6
8
9
4
3
7
1
9
8
2
4
7
6
1
3
5
1
6
4
9
5
3
2
8
7
7
3
5
1
2
8
9
6
4
4/52x3/51 = 12/2652 = 1/221 = 0.45% 6/36 = 1/6 = 16.67%
1/40 x 3 = 3/40 = 7.5%
30 Arizona Gaming Guide | May 2012 | azgamingguide.com
Source: Arizona Department of Gaming—Current Tribal Gaming Status as of 4/01/2012 & available casino info by press time.
Scan our QR Codes with your smartphone!
1/38 x 1/38 = 1/1444 = 0.07%
Do YOU have something to rant about? Write me at: sami@azgamingguide.com
1-800-843-3678 or fortmcdowellcasino.com 843 Class III Slots, 40 Class II Slots, Keno, 1,700 Seat Bingo Hall, 17 Poker & 11 Blackjack Tables Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino 15406 N. Maricopa Road, Maricopa 1-800-427-7247 or harrahsakchin.com 1,089 Class III Slots, Keno, 470 Seat Bingo Hall, 13 Poker Tables, 13 Blackjack & Table Games Hon-Dah Casino, Resort & Conference Center 777 Highway 260, Pinetop 1-800-929-8744 or hon-dah.com 802 Class III Slots, 3 Poker & 4 Blackjack Tables Lone Butte Casino 1077 S Kyrene Rd, Chandler 1-800-946-4452 or wingilariver.com 850 Class III Slots, 1,500 Seat Bingo Hall, 6 Poker & 16 Blackjack Tables Mazatzal Hotel & Casino Highway 87, Payson 1-800-777-7529 or 777play.com 407 Class III Slots, 12 Class II Slots, Keno, 280 Seat Bingo Hall, 3 Poker & 5 Blackjack Tables Paradise Casino 450 Quechan Drive, Yuma 1-888-777-4946 or paradise-casino.com 470 Class III Slots, 300 Seat Bingo Hall Quechan Casino 525 Algodones Road, Winterhaven, CA 1-877-783-2426 or playqcr.com 1,000+ Class III Slots featuring a High Limit Slot Room, 10 Poker Tables, 15 Table Games Spirit Mountain Casino 8555 Highway 95, Mohave Valley 1-928-346-2000 with 247 Class III Slots Talking Stick Resort 9700 E. Indian Bend Rd, Scottsdale 1-480-850-7777 or talkingstickresort.com 700+ Class III Slots, Live Keno, 52 Poker Tables, 50 Table Games Vee Quiva Casino 6443 N. Komatke Lane, Laveen 1-800-946-4452 or wingilariver.com 846 Class III Slots, 500 Seat Bingo Hall & Tables Wild Horse Pass Casino 5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd, Chandler 1-800-946-4452 or wingilariver.com 990 Class III Slots, 23Poker&37Blackjack Tables Yavapai Casino 1500 E. Highway 69, Prescott 1-800-756-8744 or buckyscasino.com 236 Class III Slots
1/100 x 1/100 = 1/10000 = 0.01%