Arizona Gaming Guide Magazine - August 2017 - 09:08

AUGUST

Contents IN EVERY ISSUE 04 EDITOR’S NOTE 06 PLAYERS TALK 10 NEW SLOTS 16 TABLE GAMES 20 FEATURE STORY 22 WINNING WAYS 24 ARIZONA LOTTERY 26 TOURNEVENT 27 GAMING NEWS 30 LAUGHLIN, NEVADA 32 CASINO ENTERTAINMENT 34 SAMI’S SMACKDOWN

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36 FUN & GAMES 38 CASINO DIRECTORY

13TH ANNUAL ARIZONA STATE POKER CHAMPIONSHIP AT TALKING STICK RESORT!

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This exciting new slot brings the circus to life with big wins! Play it now at Desert Diamond Sahuarita.

Play exclusively at Desert Diamond Casinos to enter the qualifying slot tournaments and compete to win!

Let’s get ready for football season with the return of the Arizona Cardinals Scratchers game!

MARVELS OF MYSTERY SLOTS BY EVERI

2017 TOURNEVENT OF CHAMPIONS ARRIVES

ARIZONA CARDINALS NEW SCRATCHERS GAMES

azgamingguide.com | August 2017 | Arizona Gaming Guide

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EDITOR’S NOTE

AUGUST IS HOPPING! So Much To Do...So Little Time...

Your Authority On Everything Gaming VOLUME 09 • ISSUE 08 MANAGING DIRECTOR Elizabeth Torma liz@azgamingguide.com

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s the humidity has slowly risen and the Monsoon storms have made their dusty entrance into the Valley of the Sun, the action in the casinos all around the state has whipped me into a frenzied state! Talking Stick Resort is hosting the Arizona State Championship this month, Desert Diamond Casinos hosts the 2017 TournEvent of Champions qualifying slot tournaments, live Craps will soon be seen in table games sections of casino floors around the state, Desert Diamond West Valley Casino will expand into a casino resort, Gila River Casinos introduces a new player’s club experience called THE Card, we welcome a new columnist TJ Jorgensen who will focus on the game of Blackjack, and there are a ton of new slots to play!

Thanks to our readers for always providing us with feedback about our magazine.

We appreciate you and are grateful for your loyalty. Please don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know what you think and keep all of your questions rolling in. We get a lot of them, both handwritten and emailed, so it may take a while to get back to all of you, but we do love reading them, and responding. And, while we select some for publication by committee, we are working on being able to share all of them with all of you! Stay tuned! Please visit our Facebook at: 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 e-newsletter and find current and back issues of the Arizona Gaming Guide on our website at AZGamingGuide.com. Let me know what you think of this issue and have fun!

Thank You!

Alexandra

Alexandra Lang Editor-in-Chief editor@azgamingguide.com

“Like” us on Facebook because

we “Like” you too!

PUBLISHER Chris Höft chris@azgamingguide.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alexandra Lang editor@azgamingguide.com ART DIRECTOR Melanie Mueller CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Al Moe Matt Probst Mark Novak TJ Jorgensen Megan Conner Lana Hartmann Samantha Becker ADVERTISING SALES Elizabeth Torma liz@azgamingguide.com Nina Consiglio nina@azgamingguide.com MAILING INFORMATION Arizona Gaming Guide P.O. Box 20636 Mesa, Arizona 85277 INTERNET INFORMATION www.azgamingguide.com www.facebook.com/ArizonaGamingGuide Copyright © 2017 The Arizona Gaming Guide.

All rights reserved.

The Arizona Gaming Guide (AGG) presents casino industry and gaming related facts and editorial opinions. AGG accepts no responsibility and no liability for any actions of readers based on articles and/or advertisements presented within. Information contained within is not guaranteed to be correct. All pictures, images, logos, trademarks and trade names, etc. are the sole property of their respective owners. Intended for single use. Sale and/or distribution in any form without consent is not permitted.

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

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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: Does inserting your player’s card into a machine and removing it without playing any money in that casino reduce your average play and reduce any future offers you might get?

Michael Demko–Mesa, AZ A: Michael, we have been getting this question quite a lot into our inbox and our mailbox recently so we feel it is appropriate to provide an answer not just to you, but to all our readers as well.

The short, no frills, lacking any fun answer is … yes.

If our readers are interested in the why, please keep reading!

Otherwise please have a look at the advertisements provided by our sponsors on the following pages and enjoy the rest of the magazine!

So, back to the long, in-depth, fun answer!

In most modern casinos, as soon as you insert your player’s club card into any electronic device, the casino’s accounting system will record the event. This event is also noted in your account.

The recognition of your card will happen anywhere within the casino and not just at a table game or a slot machine. This means if you pay for an item in the gift shop with your comps, pick up a promotional item, visit the buffet, check in to your hotel room and present your player’s card, the casino accounting system takes note of the activity.

Now, the good news is, having entered your card into a slot or at a table game, you can begin earning points, access your comps, participate in a promotion, and so on, which is what you want to have happen anyway.

However, all of those conveniences and features are a double edged sword. Once recognized, without any activity (i.e. money spent) the casino’s accounting system will dutifully, and rightfully so, record a $0 spent at the end of the accounting day if no money was wagered on the card.

Even if you are awarded free play and insert your card to use it, but cash out your winnings, resulting in no earned points, the casino accounting system will enter a $0 for amount spent.

If we change perspectives for a moment and take a look at the situation from the casino marketing and the slot department (those areas of the casino tasked with making the most money for the property), we’ll observe a hypothetical player who across (let’s just make this up) six visits in one year spent $200, then $200, then $200, then $0, then another $0, and finally yet another $0. After one visit, the player’s daily average spend was $200. After the second visit, the daily average spend is still $200 ($200 + $200 = $400, $400 / 2 = $200). Then the third visit keeps the daily average the same at $200 ($200 + $200 + $200 = $600, $600 / 3 = $200). However, after the fourth visit, the average fell dramatically to $150 ($200 + $200 + $200 + $0 = $600, $600 / 4 = $150)! If you then add the fifth trip with no play, the average drops even further to $120 ($200 + $200 + $200 + $0 + $0 = $600, $600 / 5 = $120). Adding the sixth trip with no play, now the average drops to another new low of $100!

Incidentally, after the sixth trip, the average of $100 brought the account’s average play to half the amount spent by this player when they did decide to play. Remember, the player was consistently spending $200 before the “abuse” started that is!

The only “fair” way for a casino to evaluate the “loyalty” or the “value” of their guests is to keep track of how much they spend every time they visit. The best measure of this type of data is to take an average.

As the Director of Marketing and the Director of Slots, what would you do with this account? Keep giving the same offers as were presented after the first three trips? Lower the offers because the last three trips netted $0 from the player? Increase the offers in the hopes the player will spend money? (I don’t think the casino will let this happen!) Better yet, what should the casino do if this pattern continues? What if every other trip is always a zero, or every now and then there are multiple visits generating $0 in revenue for the casino, as in our example?

As a businessman, I’d offer less in incentives back to my client.

Otherwise, I’m spending more money trying to keep a customer, who doesn’t seem to be spending money anymore, coming back rather than less. And, I’m pretty confident a casino executive can find plenty of other places to spend extra money in order to entice new customers to visit their property.

and get a $25 gift or gas card if we decide to print your question!

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

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PLAYERS TALK

Continued from page 6

A player’s daily spend will always matter, especially if it is $0.

Pretending each time you “abused” the casino you just ran in to get a bite to eat (for free or using comps), you played off your $20 in free play on a $5 slot by pressing the button four times ($20 = four spins on a $5 slot) and then cashed out your winnings, you picked up the free toaster from the promotions booth, and then left, you just took the casino for one meal (valued at $15), $20 in free play (that’s $35 already), and walked out with a toaster valued at $15 (for a total of $50) and gave the casino $0.

Accepting this situation as hypothetical, what we should actually use to calculate an average is not just a $0 but a negative number of dollars! The casino spent money on your visit and you returned $0. So, let’s run the numbers again.

Visit #1: Spent $200 Used $0 comps/free play/gifts Visit #2: Spent $200 Used $50 Visit #3: Spent $200 Used $50 Visit #4: Spent $0 Used $50 Visit #5: Spent $0 Used $50 Visit #6: Spent $0 Used $50

Total = $200 Total = $150 Total = $150 Total = -$50 Total = -$50 Total = -$50

Taking into account what you spent and received from the casino and averaging that across the six visits, your daily average value to the casino is now only $58.33 (200 + 150 + 150 - 50 - 50 50 = $350, $350 / 6 = $58.33). So, to summarize, an apparent $200 daily spend player is actually a less than $60 daily spend player!

Try not to spend $0 during a casino visit while taking advantage of one or multiple offers. Realize that $0 is averaged in and will affect your offers and other casino benefits! Especially when you consider that you are decreasing your visit from $0 to a negative number in having used one or more offers!

Q: It is my understanding that the [Arizona Department Of Gaming (ADOG)] must inspect the payout percentage for each machine initially placed in service and any subsequent changes to that percentage. Can a payout percentage for an individual machine, or for all machines at once, be changed from a central location in the casino? Many players have noted that during busy times e.g., holidays, special events, weekends, that slots do not pay. If so, does the [ADOG] perform surprise inspections to ensure the payout percentages are legitimate? Are the results of these inspections available to the public?

Gary Wilburn—Tucson, AZ A: These are great questions and also very common and legitimate concerns among casino visitors! In Arizona, payout percentages cannot be changed for individual or groups of machines from a central location. Such technology is referred to as “server based” slot machines and was an interesting advance-

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ment about 10 years ago which never really caught on. However, we feel compelled to inform our readers that Nevada did add server based gaming to their gaming regulations as did several other states. So, in theory, some casinos may have server based slots allowing denomination changes, min and max bet changes, and even payback percentage changes from a central location. If you are concerned about this when visiting a casino outside of Arizona, just ask a slot attendant if there are any server based slots on the casino floor and where they are located.

The ADOG does perform surprise and routine inspections at all the casinos in Arizona. They check for many things during those inspections, including if the payback percentage is still the same for a slot machine. Here is a detailed quote from the ADOG’s website pertaining to casino investigations and inspections: The Tribal Investigations and Inspections Section monitors Compact compliance by conducting onsite inspections of casino operations and investigating suspected Compact violations and criminal activity. The presence of the section’s Special Agents in casinos offers the opportunity to detect potential problems and to work with Tribal Gaming Offices and casino officials to correct deficiencies. The Section is comprised of Special Agents, all of whom have previous experience working as law enforcement officers and have full-authority Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training certification. The agents also assist other sections within the ADOG and other law enforcement agencies with conducting off reservation illegal gambling investigations.

The Department inspects machine software, electronic monitoring systems and casino records to ensure correct operation and disbursement of required payout percentages. All gaming software and electronic slot monitoring systems are tested by an independent testing lab before the machines can even be shipped to Arizona. The independent lab confirms the games are uncorrupted and meet Arizona’s strict gaming standards. After the machines are in play, the ADOG randomly inspects gaming devices at each of Arizona’s Indian gaming facilities on a regular basis. The ADOG conducts on-site inspections and reviews casino records to ensure the software operating in casino slot machines is identical to the software design that was tested and certified by the independent testing lab. The Department’s Machine Compliance Technicians randomly select and test machines during unannounced spot checks at 8 to 10 casinos each month.

So, there you have it. The ADOG works together with the casinos in Arizona to ensure the highest standards in casino gaming. In fact, Arizona’s casino gaming regulations and regulatory system serves as a model for many other gaming jurisdictions in this country and around the world. However, there are some pieces of information regarding tribal gaming within Arizona which are not shared with the public. This is because of state law and the individual Tribal-State gaming compacts. As a result, casino inspections, including those performed on machines, and other investigations are not made public. $

NEW SLOTS

Marvels Of Mystery Now At Desert Diamond Casino Sahuarita

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tep right up to Desert Diamond Casino Sahuarita to experience Marvels of Mystery. Everi’s festive 40 line, 5 reel video slot brings the circus to life with the Fire Breather, Knife Thrower, Escape Artist and Sword Swallower symbols appearing across the reels. The Free Spin Bonus is triggered when three Free Spin symbols land on reels 3, 4, and 5, and ten spins are awarded. During the bonus, wilds are saved on the reels until they’re part of a winning combination.

When three Bonus symbols land on reels 1, 3, and 5, the player is awarded five picks to uncover additional credit awards or Featured Show tickets. If the tickets are revealed, the player is taken to a second pick screen where additional credits can be won. Progressive prizes join the fun when, at max bet, 3, 4 or 5 Marvels of Mystery symbols land scattered on the reels. The top progressive prize can be won when players land five Marvels of Mystery symbols.

For more info on the latest slots at Desert Diamond Casinos, visit their website at DDCAZ.com, call 1.866.DDC.WINS (1.866.332.9461), or follow them on Facebook (/ddcaz), Twitter (@DiamondCasinos), and Instagram (@DiamondCasinos). For more information about this game and other exciting Everi slots, visit their website at Everi.com. $

Lucky Honeycomb Now At Blue Water Resort & Casino

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ook for the Lucky Honeycomb Twin Fever on the casino floor at Blue Water Resort & Casino. The dual-screen attract mode puts users out in the field with honeybees, working to collect pots of gold.

During regular play, Wild symbols appear on reels 2 through 5 but show up on all reels during the Lucky Honeycomb Feature. During this feature, Wild and Scatter symbols stopping at the same position become a Scatter Wild symbol and 1 or 2 bees bring the Wild symbol into play. Similar to Konami’s other Twin Fever game— Dragon’s Law Twin Fever, also available at Blue Water Resort & Casino—players will have double the fun and potentially double the wins!

Plus, Blue Water Resort & Casino also installed two more Konami games, Chili Chili Fire and Lamp of Destiny. All of the brand new penny slot machines have a minimum bet of 45 cents and have a maximum bet of $4.50.

Don’t forget about Blue Water Resort & Casino’s Lucky Local’s Slot Tournament every Friday through August 25. Players who earn 50 base points on their THEClub card qualify for the tournaments held every half hour from 2 to 6pm and can win up to $500! For more information about these games and other exciting Konami slots, visit their website at KonamiGaming.com. For more information about Blue Water Resort & Casino, visit their website at BlueWaterFun.com. $

10 Arizona Gaming Guide | August 2017 | azgamingguide.com

NEW SLOTS

Lock It Link At Talking Stick Resort

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he Lock it Link games series available at Talking Stick Resort is a thrilling new series built around an engaging new game mechanic that has proven to be a huge hit with players everywhere. The Lock it Link feature is a free spins bonus where adjacent special symbols on the reels will be linked together and locked in place. Beginning with 3 free spins, the spins are reset every time a heart appears on the screen and is locked and linked with the other hearts. Players win credits for each locked and linked Heart symbol that appears on screen. However, each time another Heart symbol is locked and linked, it adds credits to all the other Heart symbols as well. Heart symbols which aren't locked and linked don’t add credits.

Shoot to fill the entire screen with locked and linked Heart symbols. During the free games bonus, players are awarded 6 free spins and a 5X multiplier for all wins. To retrigger the free games, look for three of the bonus symbols scattered on screen. Plus, the four progressive prizes are available as wins during the free games as well. Each Lock it Link game also includes a variety of other exciting game features and a unique theme that make each game in the series a new adventure. Plus, Talking Stick Resort also installed Dragon Fury and Pharaoh’s Fury by Konami, Ultimate X Bonus Streak Poker, Wild Fury, Star Rise, Baywatch 3D, and Wheel of Fortune Gold Spin Triple Gold by IGT, and finally Toro Treasure and Rumble Thunder by Ainsworth. For more information about Lock it Link, visit ScientificGames.com. For more information about Talking Stick Resort, visit TalkingStickResort.com.$

azgamingguide.com | August 2017 | Arizona Gaming Guide

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NEW SLOTS

Coming Soon

The Simpsons

By Scientific Games

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cientific Games Corporation recently announced the launch of The Simpsons, a new wide area progressive slot game featuring beloved characters and settings from the record-breaking popular animated television series of the same name. The Simpsons slot game is showcased on the groundbreaking and immersive Gamescape cabinet. The Simpsons boasts six bonus games centered on popular characters from The Simpsons television series including the Donut Wheel Bonus, Moe’s Pranks A Lot, Apu’s Scrat-Cha-Pa-Looza, Krusty’s It’s Cobblering Time, Wiggum-A-Role and Homer’s Monorail Madness. The Simpsons is played on a captivating base game with multiple features including symbol cloning, a mystery symbol, and character respin features. Players also have the option to make an additional bet for a chance to increase the bonus feature prizes. The Simpsons is showcased on the revolutionary Gamescape cabinet, which is designed to envelop players in the gaming experience with three vivid HD displays, a 40-inch top screen, and an ergonomic 10.4-inch tablet multi-touch button panel display, all integrated for coordinated game play graphics that give players the sensation of being immersed in the world of Homer and friends. The extra wide display allows for the game’s bonus features to expand the game array up to 24 reels, giving players more excitement and more ways to win. The Simpsons slot also integrates an industry-first gesture control element utilizing motion sensor technology to allow the player to physically interact with the game in some of the bonus features. For more information about this game and other exciting Scientific Games slots, visit ScientificGames.com. $

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TABLE GAMES

By Al Moe

PLAYING LIVE CRAPS IN ARIZONA That’s Right! Live Craps Will Be Available Soon!

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f you love playing craps in Nevada, the good news is that although it won’t happen overnight, live craps is now legal in Arizona and will be coming to at least a few casinos in the Phoenix Valley in the future.

You will have to be patient though. Training new dealers and implementing management systems will take time.

Experienced players know there’s a lot going on at a craps game, but if you haven’t had the pleasure of playing at a real craps table you might not know that training to become a proficient craps dealer takes a long time. Years even.

It’s not just the weeks and weeks of schooling, or the months of getting comfortable with the bets on the game, it’s learning how to handle a dozen players on each side of the table and then managing not just their current wagers, but anticipating what they will do next. Of course, that’s for the casinos to figure out.

What about the players?

Simple Rules for Playing Craps Craps is one of the most exciting casino games ever invented, and a live game with a hot shooter can turn a dull casino into a wild party, all by itself. Players shout, scream for their numbers, yell out their bets, and have a great time, and nobody tells them to settle down! The fun is infectious. And, it’s not hard to play.

Each round of play starts with a new shooter. To shoot the dice, a player must make a wager on either the Pass or the Don’t Pass Line. Then they choose two dice, lob them down the table and the fun begins.

Most shooters play the Pass Line, and on the comeout roll, a 7 or 11 wins. A roll of 2, 3, or 12 is called craps, and loses. Any other total, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, becomes the point, and the inside dealers mark the number with a big plastic disc.

Then, the shooter must roll the point again to win their Pass Line wager. If they roll a 7 (a seven-out) before repeating the point, every wager on the Pass Line loses.

Wagers on the Pass and Don’t Pass Lines always pay even money (1 to 1). However, the house allows players to take odds on the point, based on the true odds of the number rolling before 7.

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Because of this, Line wagers with odds have the lowest house edge in the casino.

Most casinos offer double odds, so with a $10 wager you’ll take $20 odds on a point of 4 or 10 to win $40, and $20 odds on 5 and 9 to win $30. You’ll take $25 odds on 6 or 8 for a payoff of $30.

Some casinos now offer 3-4-5 odds, so you take 3x your line wager on 4 and 10, 4x your line wager on 5 and 9, and 5x your wager on 6 and 8. This makes every Pass Line winner a payout of 7x the flat wager.

Don’t worry, the dealers will help you with your odds and other bets like the Come Line, Field, Place Bets, Hardways, and the Horn. Take it one bet at a time, it’s pretty easy to learn, and well worth the effort!

Stay tuned! We’ll let you know as soon as the first craps table goes live in Arizona. $

Writer Al Moe has worked in the casino industry for many years.

He has lived and worked in Las Vegas, Reno, and Lake Tahoe. He also attended the University of Nevada, Reno. He is an avid writer and blogger, author of “Vegas and the Mob"—available at Amazon.

He is also the proud father of four beautiful girls.

TABLE GAMES

By TJ Jorgensen

BASIC BLACKJACK STRATEGY Straightforward Advice To Maximize Your Returns

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aving played Blackjack for many years in our casinos in Phoenix, I have yet to see a single player play perfect basic strategy even though you can get a strategy chart from the pit boss in many of the casinos!

Recently I have seen players double a nine against a dealer up card of an ace, split tens, stand on ace-four, stand on twelve against a ten … you name it I have seen it! The funny thing is these same players (after they have lost all their money) blame the dealer for being "hot", when in fact it was their poor play that caused them to lose.

One of the most misplayed hands that I have seen lately are those involving an ace. I don't know how many times I have seen players stand with the hand of ace-six (soft seventeen).

Here is a fun fact, the hand of seventeen is a losing hand in the long run against every single dealer up card except a six, that's why you never stand on ace-six, you either double or split.

Another bad play I have seen players make lately is standing on sixteen vs a dealer up card of a seven. Sixteen is a 12 to 5 underdog to win against a dealer up card if you hit it, considerably less if you stand. Here is one more fun fact, you can only play "stupid" for so long before it catches up with you.

If you want a decent shot at walking out a winner, learn basic strategy. If you play perfect basic strategy here in the Phoenix casinos you will be at about a .06% disadvantage at most Blackjack games. If you rely on hunches, gut feelings, or prayer to play your hands you could be around a 10% disadvantage, a big difference!

pened" category.

There are three types of Blackjack players: those that make things happen, those that watch things happen, and those that wonder what happened. If you don't play perfect basic strategy you will eventually fall into the "wonder what happened" category.

If you are planning a trip to your local casino, you can perform a quick Google search for “Blackjack Basic Strategy Card” and print a color basic strategy chart. With chart in hand, refer to the table when each hand is dealt, look at the chart and play the hand correctly. Not only will you give yourself the best chance of winning but the other players at your table will appreciate your text book play. $

I was playing one night and this gentleman had no clue how to play and was getting beat up pretty bad. I had the pit boss give him a basic strategy chart so he could look at his hand, the dealer’s up card, find it on the chart and make the correct play, and yes they will let you have the chart at the table. Much to my surprise, the guy still played his hunches, prayed, and lost, what a shock. He eventually fell into the "wonder what hap-

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If I double down on eleven against a dealer’s up card of a ten seven times in a row, and lose all seven times, when it comes up again I will still double down. That's how much faith I have in basic strategy and math probabilities, you should too.

Writer TJ Jorgensen has been a professional Blackjack player for over 20 years. He is well known for his tournament play and has beaten some of the top tournament players in the world. He has also won the World Series Of Blackjack. His book, “Beating The Casino At Their Own Game” is available by email at: tj21pro@gmail.com.

PAT LYONS Of Southern California 2016 Arizona State Poker Champion

13th Annual Arizona State Poker Tournament At Talking Stick Resort!

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his August, poker players of all skill levels from across the State and Country will converge on The ARENA Poker Room at Talking Stick Resort for the 13th Annual Arizona State Poker Championship. Kicking off on Friday, Aug. 11, the No Limit Hold’em tournament will feature a prize pool of more than $1 million dollars.

“The Arizona State Poker Championship is the signature tournament in our poker room,” said Tom Young, Director of Poker for Talking Stick Resort. Since its inception in 2004, the tourna-

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ment has continuously grown in size and popularity. In recent years we have grown to more than 1500 players, and I only expect that number to increase.”

Upon entry, players will receive $16,000 in tournament chips with their $1,100 buy-in. They can also buy an additional $10,000 in chips for $30. Tournament play will be broken into three days beginning at 9am on Friday, Aug. 11, Saturday, Aug. 12, and Sunday, Aug. 13.

Four hundred and seventy seats will be sold daily. When that player count is reached, the remaining seats sold will be alternates, and up to 130 players will be accepted. Players eliminated during the first three days will also have the option to rejoin the game the same day—up until the first break at 11:15am—or the following morning at 9am.

The semi-final tables will begin at 9am on Monday, Aug. 14 and will continue until 10 players are left. The remaining 10 players will be in the finals starting at 10am on Tuesday, Aug. 15 and continue until a new champion is crowned. The winner will receive $196,750, a Rolex and a trophy, while second and third place will receive $143,000 and a trophy and $110,000 and a trophy, respectively.

In addition to the top three jackpot winners, payouts will be given to the top 110 players though final prize amounts will be based on the number of entrants. The payout structure for the top 10 winners is as follows: 1st—$196,750, 2nd—$143,000, 3rd —$110,000, 4th—$86,900, 5th—$66,000, 6th—$52,250, 7th—$41,250, 8th—$33,000, 9th—$25,300, and 10th—$19,250.

In September, the poker room will introduce a new tournament, The ARENA Poker Room Seniors Poker Open. Launching on Saturday, Sept. 16 with play through Monday, Sept. 18, the NoLimit Texas Hold’em tournament will be held for poker lovers 50 years of age and older. For a $570 buy-in, players will get 12,000 tournament chips to compete for a prize pool of $64,5000.

Prizes are based on 150 entries.

Four-time World Series of Poker champion, Tom Schneider will emcee the five-day tournament. He will open each day of play, then serve as the announcer for the final table. This marks the fourth time Schneider has acted as emcee for the event. He is the ideal emcee as he is not only a Phoenix resident, but also often competes at The ARENA Poker Room.

Last year, Pat Lyons (pictured on the Left) of Northern California left with the title of 2016 Arizona State Poker Champion.

Lyons, who competed against more than 1,500 professional and amateur players, beat his opponents with a Two Pair (Aces and Jacks). While Lyons was a leisure player, many professional players have participated in the tournament over the years including Karina Jett, Kenna James and Dennis Phillips.

“That’s the beauty of this tournament,” said Young. It brings together so many people of different ages and skills levels, and in the end it is anyone’s game. You don’t have to be a professional to take home the title.”

Beyond the poker action and prizes, The ARENA Poker Room will keep participants full and energetic by offering a special menu 11am to 11pm each day. Among the array of dishes available for $9 include Fish Tacos, BBQ Pork Sliders, Portabella Mushroom Burger and much more. And players won’t need to juggle their cards and their tacos; the daily schedule of play will feature one one-hour dinner break on Aug. 11, 12 and 13 from 5:45-6:45pm.

For more details about the 13th annual Arizona State Poker Championship, The ARENA Poker Room Seniors Poker Open and other tournaments visit TalkingStickResort.com or call 480.

850.7734. All participants must submit their buy-in during the signup process. Must be 21 or older to participate. $

Registration for The Arizona State Poker Championship is currently underway in The ARENA Poker Room. The non-smoking poker room is the largest in the state with nearly 50 tables. It maintains a full schedule of games and tournaments throughout the year. Among the types of poker played include Omaha, Texas Hold’em and 7-Card Stud, while various No Limit Hold’em tournaments run daily. azgamingguide.com | August 2017 | Arizona Gaming Guide

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WINNING WAYS

By Mark Novak

PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR OFFERS Why You Should Closely Monitor Your Offers & The Offers Of Others!

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ack in June, my wife received an offer in the mail for free play and the ability to earn more free play based on how many points are earned across several days at a casino which will not be named.

I was intrigued by what the offer entailed so I went ahead and opened it. Upon earning 4,500 points, $150 in additional free play would be awarded. Upon earning 6,500 points, $250 in additional free play would be awarded. Upon earning 11,000 points, $500 in additional free play would be awarded.

While this looked appealing on the surface, I noticed right away I would then be able to discern what this casino thought was a reasonable percentage to “give back” in free play to a patron.

Taking the number of points and multiplying it by the number of dollars it takes to earn one point (let’s say that it takes $5) you quickly generate the total amounts wagered in order to earn the extra free play. For the 4,500 point level it takes $22,500 (4500 x $5 = $22,500) worth of wagering to earn $150 in free play. That’s a 0.67% rate of return ($150 / $22500 = 0.00666667, which can be converted into a percentage by multiplying by 100). For the 6,500 point level it takes $32,500 worth of wagering to earn $250 in free play, which is a 0.77% rate of return. For the last level of 11,000 points it takes $55,000 worth of wagering to earn $500 in free play, which is a 0.91% rate of return.

Having run those numbers, I was no longer so sure how appealing this offer was!

A day later, my offer from the same casino arrived. Now, I was really interested to see what point levels would earn how much free play. My wife plays differently than I do at that property, but she does play on my card from time to time, so while our accounts aren’t exactly equal there are similar behaviors. And, we both hold the same status, the top level, on the player’s club card there.

In any event, I was shocked to see the following information: Earn 650 points and receive $50 in free play Earn 1,000 points and receive $85 in free play Earn 1,625 points and receive $200 in free play Wow! This was really interesting! Now I had the ability to make a comparison between our offers beyond “her offer is for $20 and my offer is for $15” which doesn’t allow you to look behind

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the casino’s curtain and attempt to ascertain their methods.

Off I went, crunching numbers again doing calculations on my offer. For the 650 point level it takes $3,250 worth of wagering to earn $50 in free play, which is a 1.54% rate of return (more than twice my wife’s offer!). For the 1,000 point level it takes $5,000 worth of wagering to earn $85 in free play, which is a 1.7% rate of return (again, more than twice my wife’s offer!). For the 1,625 point level it takes $8,125 worth of wagering to earn $200 in free play, which is a 2.46% rate of return (again, far more than twice my wife’s offer!). Well, this certainly doesn’t make a lot of sense!

To complicate the matter even further, a good friend of ours received their offer at the same casino the following day. This friend also has the top player’s club level, and plays somewhere between my wife and I. Now I had access to a third set of data! Would it be like my offer, my wife’s, or different again? The offer read: Earn 2,000 points and receive $150 in free play Earn 3,000 points and receive $250 in free play Earn 5,000 points and receive $575 in free play Yikes! This was confusing! This was nuts! I immediately saw that this friend was able to earn less points and get more free play, proportionally, than my wife’s. What is going on here?

Ok, off to crunch the numbers again and this is what I observed.

For the 2,000 point level it takes $10,000 worth of wagering to earn $150 in free play, which is a 1.50% rate of return (more than twice my wife’s offer and close to my offer!). For the 3,000 point level it takes $15,000 worth of wagering to earn $250 in free play, which is a 1.67% rate of return (again, more than twice my wife’s offer and close to my offer!). For the 5,000 point level it takes $25,000 worth of wagering to earn $575 in free play, which is a 2.3% rate of return (again, more than twice my wife’s offer but not close to my offer, in fact less than mine!).

I ran these numbers in multiple ways, performing some simple mathematical comparisons and I concluded this casino doesn’t know what it is doing with this particular offer, and perhaps, any offer. My analysis proved that nothing matched up between any of the three offers at all. I hope our readers take this lesson to heart, when the casino provides you with data in an offer and you have a chance to compare them, do so. If you don’t like what you see, remember that before deciding to play there! $

ARIZONA LOTTERY

By Megan Conner

ARE YOU READY FOR FOOTBALL? Arizona Lottery Kicks Off Second Season Of Cardinals Scratchers Ticket!

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ast year, the Arizona Lottery partnered with the Arizona Cardinals to launch their first-ever Cardinals Scratchers ticket and the ticket instantly became a fan favorite. This year, the Arizona Lottery and the Arizona Cardinals are bringing back the popular ticket and it’s better than ever!

As football season kicks off, players have a chance to combine the comradery of Cardinals football with the excitement of the Arizona Lottery. As the Arizona Lottery and the Arizona Cardinals continue their long-standing partnership, players can score even better cash prizes than last year, as well as autographed Cardinals memorabilia and other second-chance prizes. Not only does this popular Scratchers ticket offer players some fun all season long, it also supports Arizona Lottery beneficiaries and the state of Arizona.

Players and football fans alike can score their ticket for $10, and this year the top prize has doubled giving players the chance to win $100,000. For those who just miss the field goal and don’t win a cash prize, they can enter their non-winning tickets for second-chance prizes! These exciting prizes include autographed Cardinals memorabilia, Cardinals season tickets, Cardinals home game tickets and an exclusive trip to attend an away game.

The Arizona Lottery will host a launch party to kick off the exclusive and highly anticipated Cardinals Scratchers ticket. Players and football fans can help celebrate the launch of the ticket with fun promotions, interactions with special guests and the chance to win the ticket’s $100,000 grand prize! All details and information on the launch event will be on the Arizona Lottery’s website!

Kick off for the Cardinals Scratchers ticket is August 1, 2017. Keep an eye on the Arizona Lottery social media channels for season event updates and the chance to win exclusive contests. Players can purchase their tickets at Arizona Lottery retailers for $10.

For more information on the Cardinals Scratchers ticket, more on all of their games, and for more on the Arizona Lottery, please visit their website at ArizonaLottery.com. $

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TOURNEVENT OF CHAMPIONS

TOURNEVENT OF CHAMPIONS 2017 Are You Ready To Play At Desert Diamond Casinos? We Are!

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veri’s Money Man will be in Arizona this month at three of Desert Diamond Casinos’ properties looking to grant slot players a chance to be a millionaire!

Get ready to compete in the 2017 TournEvent of Champions at all three Desert Diamond Casinos (Tucson, Sahuarita, and Glendale) where participants will have the chance to be one of the 153 players in the final. Each winning casino representative will receive $800 in airfare to Las Vegas for themselves and a guest, ground transfers in Las Vegas, four nights of hotel accommodations, credits for food and beverage purchases and, most importantly, a seat at the championship event. ed to the qualifying tournament on Friday, August 27.

The Million Dollar Event will take place on October 4, 2017, at XS in the Wynn/Encore Las Vegas Resort where all local event winners will compete for a share of $1.3 million in cash prizes, including a $1 million top prize. The top prize will be paid as an annuity.

Desert Diamond Casino Sahuarita Diamond Rewards members can qualify for the Viva Slots Vegas Tournaments every week in August. Finalists will be invited to the qualifying tournament on Friday, August 18.

Desert Diamond Casino Tucson Diamond Rewards members can qualify for the Viva Slots Vegas Tournaments every week in August. Finalists will be invited to the qualifying tournament on Saturday, August 19.

Desert Diamond Casino West Valley (Glendale, AZ) Diamond Rewards members can qualify for the Viva Slots Vegas Tournaments every week in August. Finalists will be invit-

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Three prizes will be awarded at each qualifying tournament.

The 1st place prize includes cash, a trip to the 2017 TournEvent of Champions in Las Vegas, and a cruise. The 2nd place prize includes cash and a trip to the 2017 TournEvent of Champions in Las Vegas. The 3rd place prize is cash.

So, Arizona will send a total of six representatives (two from each Desert Diamond Casino) to the Million Dollar Event in Las Vegas for the 2017 TournEvent of Champions!

To find out more about the 2017 TournEvent of Champions and to see a list of participating casinos nationwide, visit Everi’s website at TournEventOfChampions.com or follow the tournament on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Flickr. For more information about participating in a TournEvent of Champions event, we urge readers to contact the respective casino’s player’s clubs for more details including times, eligibility, and any additional qualifying information. $

GAMING NEWS

Major Expansion Announced For West Valley Casino—$400 Million Desert Diamond Casino West Valley To Break Ground Before End Of Year The Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise recently announced that it will break ground before the end of the year on a major expansion to its Desert Diamond Casino—West Valley near Glendale. Construction is expected to last 20 months. Once it is complete, the facility will have expanded into a full-scale casino and resort with a larger gaming floor, five restaurants, bars, Class III games, table games and other amenities. The existing casino will remain open throughout the construction.

The Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise first opened the doors of Desert Diamond Casino—West Valley in December 2015 and has experienced strong success. That interim facility employs nearly 600 people and currently offers guests 1,089 Class II gaming devices on a 35,000 square-foot gaming floor.

The expansion will offer a multitude of new entertainment options to guests. The full-scale property will occupy over one million square-feet, including five restaurants and 75,000

square-feet of casino floor with 1,089 Class III slots, live poker, blackjack, and bingo. Once completed, the fully built-out casino will create over 3,000 new jobs in the West Valley. Andy Asselin, CEO of the Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise said, “We are very excited to move forward with a world-class resort and casino that will offer a wide range of new amenities to our guests and create opportunity for the West Valley. This has been a long time coming, and we will continue to work with the community to ensure that construction proceeds smoothly.” Edward Manuel, Chairman of the Tohono O’odham Nation said, “With this announcement, we are moving forward with our promise to create new jobs and positive economic opportunity for members of the Tohono O’odham Nation, the West Valley and all the citizens of Arizona. This beautiful new facility will be a positive economic engine for decades to come.” For more information visit DDCAZ.com. $

azgamingguide.com | August 2017 | Arizona Gaming Guide

27

GAMING NEWS

Gila River Hotels & Casinos Launches New “THE Card” Loyalty Program At All Three Properties & Announces “$1 Million Pick THE Card” Promotion

Gila River Gaming Enterprises, Inc., operator of the Gila River Casinos three Phoenix-area properties—Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino, Lone Butte Casino and Vee Quiva Hotel & Casino—recently announced the launch of THE Card by Gila River Hotels & Casinos. “At Gila River Hotels & Casinos we are known for exceeding our guests’ expectations in all aspects of our hotel and casino experience, and our loyalty program is no different,” said Kenneth Manuel, CEO of Gila River Gaming Enterprises, Inc. “Now with THE Card, our Players Club members can accumulate points even faster, making it easier to earn incredible rewards.” THE Card features Emerald, Ruby, Gold and Platinum tiers that offer exciting perks and benefits. The more points guests earn, the higher their status and access to exclusive perks. Now with THE Card, guests will be able to: Earn same-day cash back and free play, Win Gila River Casino comps at more than 30 convenient locations at all

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three of the Gila River properties, Score tickets to watch the Arizona Diamondbacks and concerts at Gila River Arena, Enjoy convenient Players Club account management – including online access or on the new Gila River Casinos app. THE Card is not property-specific. All the points guests earn with THE Card count toward their rewards status, and can be used across any of the three Gila River properties. To celebrate the launch of THE Card, Gila River Hotels & Casinos will kick off a new promotion during the months of July and August called $1,000,000 Pick THE Card. Each night, 16 Players Club members will be selected to play $1,000,000 Pick THE Card— securing a shot at winning up to $1 million and other incredible prizes. The contest will be played every Monday night at Vee Quiva Hotel & Casino, every Tuesday night at Lone Butte Casino and every Wednesday night at Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino. Learn more at THECardByGilaRiverCasinos.com. $

LAUGHLIN, NEVADA

By Lana Hartmann

GOLDEN NUGGET LAUGHLIN Casino Offers Many Options For Players This Summer

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he Golden Nugget Laughlin has plenty of promotions, specials, and all of your favorite casino games from slots, to video poker, to a long list of table games to choose from. So what are you waiting for? Plan your Laughlin getaway to the Golden Nugget right now!

For starters, guests can take advantage of a Stay and Play Getaway with rates as low as $42.99 per night. Call 1.800.950.7700 or just visit GoldenNugget.com/Laughlin for all of the details.

The Golden Nugget Laughlin is also offering Room and Concert packages for Laughlin’s hottest tickets! The lineup at the Laughlin Event Center includes: Billy Ray Cyrus on August 12, Air Supply on August 26, The Beach Boys on September 16, Montgomery Gentry on September 30, Paul Anka on October 21, Smokey Robinson on November 18, and Dwight Yoakam on December 2.

New patrons to the Golden Nugget’s 24 Karat Club (their player’s club card valid at the Laughlin property, as well as at Golden Nugget properties in Las Vegas, Nevada, Atlantic City, New Jersey, Biloxi, Mississippi, and Lake Charles, Louisiana) are invited to spin a traditional three reel slot machine for a chance to win up to $1,000 in free play on the spot!

On Thursdays and Fridays, the Golden Nugget in Laughlin is offering an additional 100 coin bonus to its members for any natural Four-Of-A-Kind! Each Thursday and Friday, a card of the day is displayed at the 24 Karat Select Club (where you can inquire about all the details of this, and any, promotion) and natural Four-Of-A-Kinds matching the card of the day are eligible for the 100 coin bonus.

Also, don’t forget about the 24 Karat Select Club’s Tier Upgrade Bonus! Bring in a valid competitor’s tiered card in your name and not only will that tier level be matched, but also upgraded an additional tier! The 24 Karat Select Club has four available tiers including: 24 Karat (0-3,999 credits), Premier (4,000-23,999 credits), Chairman (24,000-99,999 credits), and Elite (100,000 credits and above).

In addition, on Fridays, the table games department is hosting a Moonlight Madness Blackjack Tournament. So, sharpen those card playing skills and get ready to win!

From Monday through Wednesday, slot players have their

30 Arizona Gaming Guide | August 2017 | azgamingguide.com

chance at winning in the Spin-To-Win Daily Slot Tournament. A $10 entry fee guarantees you a play session anytime between 7am and 10pm with a $1,000 guaranteed prize daily!

The Golden Nugget Laughlin really has it all for the gaming enthusiast: regular and high-stakes casino classics like Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Three Card Poker, Pai Gow Poker, hundreds of slot machines in every imaginable denomination from the classic to the brand new! Plus, for patrons looking for an excellent race and sports book in Laughlin, the Golden Nugget’s race and sports book links to their sister property in Las Vegas, granting access to the most pari-mutuel tracks in Laughlin. This tropical-themed casino is a must see!

For more information about the Golden Nugget Laughlin, visit GoldenNugget.com/Laughlin or call 1.800.950.7700 for room reservations and 702.298.7111 for general information. $

CASINO ENTERTAINMENT

Comedian Bill Burr Desert Diamond Casino—Sahuarita December 2

Listings Apache Gold Casino—Globe, AZ—800.272.2438 The Point: Featuring Live Entertainment.

BlueWater Casino—Parker, AZ—888.243.3360 Events: Cage Rage 14—Sep. 9, SW Nautique Regatta—Sep. 15-16 Casino Arizona—Scottsdale, AZ—480.850.7777 The Arizona Room: Arizona Room Trivia—Tue. 7pm, Country Dance Instruction—Wed. 6pm, Live Music—Wed. 8pm The Showroom: Neon Circus (Brooks & Dunn Tribute)—Aug. 4-5, 4NR (Foreigner Tribute)—Aug. 11-12, Don’t Look Back (Boston Tribute) —Sep. 1-2, Kenny Cetera (Chicago Tribute)—Sep. 22-23

Professional funnyman, Bill Burr, is making a debut appearance at Desert Diamond Casino’s Diamond Center on Saturday, December 2, 2017. Tickets start at $35 and are on sale through Star Tickets and at Desert Diamond Casino’s Rewards Center. Doors open at 7pm and the show starts at 8pm.

Bill Burr is one of the top comedic voices of his generation, achieving success in television and film as well as the live stage. His Monday Morning Podcast is one of the most downloaded comedy podcasts on iTunes, producing more than 400 episodes since he started it in 2007. In addition to selling out theaters internationally with his live standup, Bill has recorded four comedy specials, including his most recent in 2014, I’m Sorry You Feel That Way, which premiered on Netflix.

Bill also has a hit animated Netflix series, F Is For Family, which features Bill, Laura Dern and Justin Long as the Murphy family. The second season premiered on Netflix on May 30, 2017. In film, Bill can be seen in the Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell film, Daddy’s Home, and he costars opposite Kevin Costner in the indie film, Black or White. Bill was also in the Paul Feig film, The Heat, alongside Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy, and in the Al Pacino and Christopher Walken film Stand Up Guys. Breaking Bad fans will remember Bill in his recurring role as “Kuby.”

Treena Parvello, Director of Public Relations and Communications for the Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise, said, “Bill Burr is a must-see act and Desert Diamond Casino is excited to introduce him to Southern Arizona fans on December 2! If you love Monday Morning Podcast, you can’t pass up seeing him in-person at the Diamond Center.”

Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment has three locations in Southern Arizona (Tucson, Sahuarita, and Why) and one in the West Valley. Additional information can be found at ddcaz.com or by calling 1.866.DDC.WINS. $

32 Arizona Gaming Guide | August 2017 | azgamingguide.com

Casino Del Sol—Tucson, AZ—520.838.6506 Paradiso Bar & Lounge: Thursday Tributes: Tumbling Dice (Linda Ronstadt Tribute)—Aug. 3, Chance Tinder (Elvis Tribute)— Aug. 10, 40oz to Freedom (Sublime Tribute)—Aug. 17, Soul On Fire (Bad Company Tribute)—Aug. 24, These Killers (The Killers Tribute) —Aug. 31 Friday Nights: DJ Obi-Wan Kenobi—Aug. 4, Blue Monsoon—Aug. 11, Pride Through Strife (Reggae, Ska, Alt. Rock)—Aug. 18, I.N.V.U.—Aug. 25 Saturday Nights: La Nueva Onda—Aug. 5, Relente—Aug. 12, Rich Berra Band (Variety, Top 40)—Aug. 19, Angel Norteno (Norteno)—Aug. 26 Events: Matchbox 20—Aug. 3, Gloria Trevi vs. Alejandra Guzman—Sep. 2, Flo Rida—Sep. 9, La Caliente 15th Anniversary Concert—Sep. 10, Fiestas Patrias—Sep. 17, Tejano Recognition Concert—Sep. 23, Oktoberbest—Oct. 21, Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias—Oct. 29, Toby Keith—Oct. 29, Golden Boy Boxing—Nov. 2, Rob Zombie—Nov. 9 Cliff Castle Casino—Camp Verde, AZ—800.381.7568 Dragonfly Nightclub: David Allen & Old Skool Logic (Classic, Country)–Aug. 4-5, Aravaipa (Variety)–Aug. 11-12, Abe Mac (NeoTraditional Country)–Aug. 18-19, Xs Band (Variety)–Aug. 25-26 Cocopah Resort Casino—Somerton, AZ—800.237.5687 Events: Bling Bling Karaoke—Fr & Sa, Urban Skies (Keith Urban Tribute)—Aug. 19, Big & Rich—Oct. 21 Desert Diamond Casino I—Tucson, AZ—866.332.9467 Monsoon Nightclub: Featuring Live Entertainment.

Desert Diamond Casino II—Sahuarita, AZ—866.332.9467 Sports Bar: Dub Sounds DJs—Fr & Sa Diamond Center: Tracy Lawrence—Aug. 2, Stylistics—Aug. 18, Blood Sweat & Tears—Aug. 26, Anjelah Johnson—Sep. 16, America—Sep. 23, Lauren Alaina— Sep. 29, Theresa Caputo—Oct. 6-7, Bill Burr—Dec. 2 Fort McDowell Casino—Fort McDowell, AZ—800.843.3678 Lucky 7 Saloon: Featuring Live Entertainment.

Harrah's Ak-Chin Casino—Maricopa, AZ—480.802.5000 Featured Entertainment: Grupo Vida with David Farias—Aug. 10 The Lounge: Stanley Serrano Trio—Aug. 1 & 8 & 22 & 29, Yesterday Once More—Aug. 2, Western Fusion Trio—Aug. 2, XO Duo— Aug. 3, The Carvin Jones Band—Aug. 4, Power Drive—Aug. 5, Swingtips—Aug. 9, 2 Shades of Blue—Aug. 9, The Petty Breakers—

Editor’s Pick Aug. 11, Furious George—Aug. 12, Miguel Melgoza Trio—Aug. 15, Bandstand Shows—Aug. 16, Chuck E Trio—Aug. 16, Clint Williams Duo—Aug. 17, The Stilletos—Aug. 18, Checker’d Past—Aug. 19, Route 66—Aug. 23, The Walkens Trio—Aug. 23 & 30, John Eric Duo—Aug. 24, Quantum—Aug. 25, The Walkens Band—Aug. 26, Silhouette—Aug. 30, Mike & Ted—Aug. 31 Hon-Dah Casino—Pinetop, AZ—800.929.8744 Timbers Lounge and Showroom: Affinity (Variety)—Aug. 1-5, Cat Daddy (Variety)—Aug. 8-12, Barrio Latino (Variety)—Aug. 15-19, Crossroad Station (Country)—Aug. 22-26 Events: Reba McEntire Tribute—Aug. 18, CCR Tribute—Sep. 1 Lone Butte Casino—Chandler, AZ—800.946.4452 Cascades Lounge: Marty & The Party—Mondays & Fridays, Thaddeus Rose—Tuesdays, Karaoke With DJ Rockin’ Rob—Thursdays, Chippendales—Aug. 18, Mexican Independence Day Show—Sep. 18 Mazatzal Casino—Payson, AZ—800.777.7529 Events: Official Rodeo Kickoff, Steak Fry & The Troubadour Experience (George Strait Tribute)—Aug. 15, Gunner & The Grizzly Boys—Aug. 17, Urban Skies (Keith Urban Tribute)—Aug. 18, The Charlie Daniels Band (Saluting Our Veterans Concert)—Oct. 7 Paradise Casino—Yuma, AZ—888.777.4946 Sharky’s: Featuring Live Entertainment.

Quechan Casino—Winterhaven, CA—877.783.2426 Events: Espinoza Paz—Sep. 22 Talking Stick Resort—Scottsdale, AZ—480.850.7777 Events: Don McLean—Aug. 5, John Waite—Aug. 11, Wynona & The Big Noise—Aug. 12, The Australian Pink Floyd Show—Aug. 24, Jerry Jeff Walker—Aug. 26, Aaron Lewis—Sep. 17, Engelbert Humperdinck—Sep. 22, Al Di Meola—Sep. 24, Marshall Tucker Band— Oct. 7, Olivia Newton John—Oct. 8, Jerry Jeff Walker—Nov. 10 Twin Arrows Navajo Casino—Flagstaff, AZ—855.946.8946 Events: Micky Cruz—Aug. 4-6, Buckit—Aug. 11-12, Wesley Michael Hayes—Aug. 18-19, Honest Soulz—Aug. 25-26 Vee Quiva Casino—Laveen, AZ—800.946.4452 VQ Live: The Walkens Unplugged—Aug 3 & 17 & 31, Soul Persuasion—Aug. 4, Latino Rebel Band—Aug. 4 & 25, Outside The Line— Aug. 5, Rhythm Edition—Aug. 5, Mariachi Rodriguez—Aug. 6 & 20, Chuck E Baby—Aug. 10 & 24, New Frequency Band—Aug. 11, Andrea & Gemini—Aug. 11 & 19, Eagleheart—Aug. 12, G Sueno Band—Aug. 12, Mariachi Luz Del Sur—Aug. 13, Soul Harmony— Aug. 18, Reality Band—Aug. 18, Smokestack Lightning—Aug. 19, Soundwave—Aug. 25, Priminition—Aug. 26, Rhythm Of The Sun— Aug. 26, Mariachi Juarez—Aug. 27 Wild Horse Pass Casino—Chandler, AZ—800.946.4452 Showroom: Ha-Ash—Aug. 12, WFF Live Mixed Martial Arts— Aug. 19, Color Me Badd—Sep. 8, Chef Robert Irvine Live—Sep. 22, Million Dollar Quartet: The Musical—Oct. 1

CASINO ENTERTAINMENT

Rodeo Week Mazatzal Hotel & Casino August 15—18 2017 Official World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo Kickoff— Tuesday, Aug. 15 Beginning with the 1884 August Doins in the Midtown Meadow, Payson has hosted The World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo and attracted such names as Arizona Charlie Meadows, Tom Mix, Tom Horn, Monty “Hawkeye” Henson and Tye Murray just to name a few. The influence that the Payson Rodeo has had on rodeo history in general is far reaching and it is no wonder why thousands flock to Payson each year to experience the strong rodeo heritage that lives there. The event will feature an Official Payson Pro Rodeo Committee Ceremony, and a “Ranch Style” steak dinner with ribeye steaks and all the fixin’s. After dinner, enjoy a special Rodeo Kickoff Concert with The Troubadour Experience, a tribute to George Strait.

Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 the day of the event.

Gunnar & The Grizzly Boys—Thursday, Aug. 17 Gunnar & The Grizzly Boys (GGB) have a name that rings true and a song that rang true, Standard American! And now they have an album of truly Good Rhythm. GGB have fashioned a style that leader Gunnar Nyblad describes as, “Country music with a Michigan root.” After years of honing their live show, GGB enters 2017 riding These Are The Good Times with the recent release of its second album, Good Rhythm. It’s the first since 2010 during the band’s first year together and is built on the success of Standard American, which has sold over 35,000 downloads, had 850,000 YouTube views and 700,000 Spotify streams. There’s an explosive energy at live Grizzly Boy shows, as evidenced by their appearances alongside some of country music’s biggest stars like Lady Antebellum, Big & Rich and Gretchen Wilson. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 the day of the event.

Urban Skies—The Keith Urban Experience—Friday, Aug. 18 Urban Skies pays tribute to one of the most exciting and exhilarating performers in music today. With millions of records sold, numerous #1 singles and countless packed arenas worldwide, Keith Urban has become a staple in the country music scene and is loved by fans and critics alike. His concerts resemble a rock-n-roll circus full of great music, amazing stage set-ups and on-stage excitement. Urban Skies is the next best thing to a Keith Urban show with seasoned musicians performing all the songs you know with the high energy excitement you’d expect from a Keith Urban concert. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 the day of the event.

For more information, please visit MazatzalCasino.com or call 1.800.777.PLAY (1.800.777.7529). $ Verify all details & age restrictions (generally 21 & over) for each event. Venues, times, dates, & ticket information are subject to change. Photos/images copyright of the individual artist(s), photographer(s), or venue(s). All Rights Reserved. We are not responsible for incorrect, missing, or outdated information.

azgamingguide.com | August 2017 | Arizona Gaming Guide

33

SAMI’S SMACKDOWN

By Sami Becker

I CAN’T STAND SLOTS THAT LOCK UP Betting $2 Per Spin, The Game Locks Up For A $200 Bonus Win, Why?

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ook, I don’t want anyone to get the wrong impression.

I’m grateful to call the casino gaming industry my home, and I feel fortunate that part of my job is to play slots.

After playing for two decades, I’ve found I really don’t like casinos who set their maximum wins on slots to $200 in order to have the slot appear to give a “jackpot” forcing me to wait until a slot attendant comes over and pays me. Which, by the way, can take up to one hour or longer! The casinos are in it to make money. They know what their average cut is based on how much money is wagered through the machines. Why would they interrupt a patron’s play who bets “big” (I consider a $2 bet on slots quite a lot) for a win which is only 100X my bet? 100X bet is a nice win, but let’s face it, it only buys me 100 more spins, right? It’s not like I won $2,000! Now that is a win worth celebrating, for me and the casino! In the time it takes to pay me $200, (let’s say it takes 10 minutes—which is very fast for most

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casinos) I could have wagered another $240 (1 spin every 5 seconds converts into 60 / 5 = 12 spins per minute, 12 x 10 = 120 spins, 120 spins x $2 = $240 wagered) of which the casino would rake in, on average, around 10%, or $24 ($240 x 10% = $24) over the long run. The casino could be making money back instead of wasting time paying me! Plus, aren't I more likely to walk out after being paid? When my machine locks up for a low amount and I have to wait for it to be unlocked, and then get paid, I’m annoyed! I thought casinos wanted me to be playing and happy, not waiting around upset! Let me know what you think! $

Do YOU have a RANT OR RAVE? If so, write me at: sami@azgamingguide.com or by mail at: “Sami” Arizona Gaming Guide PO BOX 20636 Mesa, AZ 85277. If I pick your topic for publication in a future issue, you’ll get a $25 gift card!

FUN & GAMES

WORD SEARCH To Celebrate Senior Citizens, Find: CITIZEN, EXPERIENCE, ELDERLY, GRANDFATHER, GRANDMOTHER, MATRIARCH, MATURE, PATRIARCH, PENSION, RETIRED, SENIOR, WISE. Words appear in any direction. (Solution on page 38)

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

(Solution on page 38)

4

3

7

4 2

7

8

8 6

5

2

2

9

2

8 1 6

4

9 5

9

2

6 1

2

8

4

36 Arizona Gaming Guide | August 2017 | azgamingguide.com

888-243-3360 538

Y

Y

1500 E. Hwy. 69

Prescott

800-756-8744 321

05. Casino Arizona

101 & McKellips

Scottsdale

480-850-7777 898

Y

Y

06. Casino Del Sol

5655 W. Valencia Rd.

Tucson

855-765-7829 1,027

Y

Y

08. Casino of the Sun

5405 W Valencia Rd

Tucson

855-765-7829

7406 S. Camino De Oeste

Tucson

855-765-7829 280

I-17, Exit 289

Camp Verde

800-381-7568 656

09. Cliff Castle Casino & Hotel 10. Cocopah Resort Casino 11. Desert Diamond Casino I

15318 S. Ave. B

Somerton

800-237-5687 510

Tucson

866-332-9467 1,016

I-19, Exit 80

Sahuarita

866-332-9467 563

13. Desert Diamond Casino-W.V.

101 & Northern Ave.

Glendale

866-332-9467 1,089

14. Desert Diamond Casino-Why

Hwy. 86, Milepost 55

Why

15. Fort McDowell Casino 16. Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino

Hwy. 87 & Ft. McDowell Rd.

480-802-5000 1,089

777 Hwy. 260

Pinetop

800-929-8744 824

1077 S. Kyrene Rd.

Chandler

800-946-4452 828

Hwy. 87, 1/4 mi. S. of Payson

Payson

800-777-7529 412

Yuma

888-777-4946 480

20. Paradise Casino

450 Quechan Dr.

21. Quechan Casino

I-8, Exit 166

Winterhaven, CA 877-783-2426 1,000+

22. Spirit Mountain Casino

8555 Hwy. 95

Mohave Valley 928-346-2000 250

23. Talking Stick Resort

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y Y

Y Y Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y Y

Y

Y Y

Scottsdale

480-850-7777 765

Y

Flagstaff

855-946-8946 1,091

Y

Y

6443 Komatke Ln.

Laveen

800-946-4452 921

Y

Y

5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd.

Chandler

800-946-4452 937

Y

1505 E. Hwy. 69

Prescott

800-756-8744 245

27. Yavapai Casino

Y

Y

Y

I-40, Exit 219

25. Vee Quiva Casino 26. Wild Horse Pass Casino

Y

101 & Indian Bend

24. Twin Arrows Navajo Casino

Y

Y Y

Fort McDowell 800-843-3678 906 Maricopa

18. Lone Butte Casino

Y

58

15406 N. Maricopa Rd.

17. Hon-Dah Casino 19. Mazatzal Hotel & Casino

866-332-9467

Y

11

7350 S. Nogales Hwy.

12. Desert Diamond Casino II

Y

Y

04. Bucky’s Casino

07. Casino Del Sol Marketplace

Y

Y

Y Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y Y

Y

Y

Sources: AZ Dept. of Gaming—Current Tribal Gaming Status as of 07/01/17 & direct inquiries at press time. Not responsible for incorrect information. Contact editor@azgamingguide.com to make updates.

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Word Search Solution N E Z I T I C R E H T O M D N A R G

S E N I O R

Y L R E D L E

E S I W

M A T E C N R I A R C H S I T O A N P

M A T U R E E I R E P X E H C P R D E A E N I R R I T E R

Sudoku Solution 6

4

8

9

3

2

7

5

1

3

9

5

7

4

1

8

6

2

2

1

7

8

6

5

9

4

3

8

7

3

6

1

9

4

2

5

1

5

9

2

8

4

3

7

6

4

6

2

5

7

3

1

9

8

7

8

4

3

2

6

5

1

9

9

2

1

4

5

8

6

3

7

5

3

6

1

9

7

2

8

4

G R A N D F A T H E R

38 Arizona Gaming Guide | August 2017 | azgamingguide.com

Smoke-Free Area

800-272-2438 306

Parker

Y

Spa

Dudleyville

11300 Resort Drive

Y

Arcade

Slots

Golf

Milepost 127 on Arizona 77

03. BlueWater Resort & Casino

Phone

Poker Room

800-272-2438 483

Table Games

Globe

Live Keno

City

RV Park

02. Apache Sky Casino

Location Hwy. 70, 5 mi. E. of Globe

Hotel

01. Apache Gold Casino Resort

Bingo

Casino

High Limit Area

CASINO DIRECTORY

Y Y Y