Arizona Gaming Guide Magazine - July 2018 - 10:07

JULY

Contents IN EVERY ISSUE 04 EDITOR’S NOTE 06 PLAYERS TALK 08 NEW SLOTS

14 TABLE GAMES 18 TOURNEVENT 20 FEATURE STORY 22 ARIZONA LOTTERY 24 WINNING WAYS 26 GAMING NEWS 30 LAUGHLIN, NEVADA 32 CASINO ENTERTAINMENT 34 SAMI’S SMACKDOWN

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36 FUN & GAMES 38 CASINO DIRECTORY

14TH ANNUAL AZ STATE POKER CHAMPIONSHIP—THE ARENA AT TALKING STICK RESORT

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This traditional-style, 3 reel, 9 line mechanical game, has bonus action and progressive opportunities!

Writer TJ Jorgensen has been keeping track of player standings at the final tables at local casinos.

Arizona Lottery Bingo & Crossword Scratchers now have second-chance drawing for monthly cash prizes.

EASY RICHES AT DESERT DIAMOND CASINO

LOCAL BLACKJACK TOURNAMENT RANKINGS

ARIZONA LOTTERY EXPANDS SCRATCHERS

azgamingguide.com | July 2018 | Arizona Gaming Guide

03

EDITOR’S NOTE

POKER CHAMPIONSHIP At Talking Stick Resort

Your Authority On Everything Gaming VOLUME 10 • ISSUE 07 MANAGING DIRECTOR & VIDEO POKER GURU Elizabeth Torma liz@azgamingguide.com

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e’ve got a great issue this month for poker fans, table games players, slot players, and Arizona Lottery fans here in Arizona. Check out the feature story on the 14th Annual Arizona State Poker Championship held at The Arena in Talking Stick Resort!

Also, there are new slots at Desert Diamond Casino in Tucson, Arizona and new IGT slots coming to casino floors soon! There’s an update on the National TournEvent of Champions Slot Tournament in the TournEvent section. Al Moe gives us Blackjack insights into the house edge, and TJ Jorgensen writes about the success of players at local Blackjack tournaments in the Table Games section. Mark Novak updates us on his efforts to calculate the bonus pulls to hit on one of his favorite slots in Winning Ways. In Gaming News, we report on new promotions at Bucky’s & Yavapai Casinos in Prescott, Arizona, present a statement from the American Gaming Association on sports betting, report on how Gila River Gaming Enterprises gives their forfeited and self-excluded jackpots to charity, and present the Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino 2018 Caesars Award of Excellence Winners. You’ll probably recognize a few of the employees’ names!

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

CELEBRATING

10 YEARS! A big “THANK YOU!” to our fans, advertisers, and business partners!

PUBLISHER & SLOT GURU 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 AZGamingGuide.com Facebook.com/ArizonaGamingGuide Copyright © 2018 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. AGG is not liable for claims made in advertisements. All pictures, images, logos, trademarks and trade names, etc. are the sole property of their respective owners. Intended for single use only. Reproduction in part or in whole in any form without consent is not permitted. Sale and/or distribution in any form without consent is not permitted. For more information, visit our website at AZGamingGuide.com/index_files/legal_disclaimer.html.

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 Tribal Gaming Funded Problem Gambling Resource: Division 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

04 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2018 | azgamingguide.com

PLAYERS TALK

Q: My friend asked if she could have my free play since I’m not going to be able to use it this month. I’ve given her my pin number and let her do it before, but now I’m not so sure if I should be doing that! First of all, can I get into trouble? Second of all, I’m just wondering if doing that can mess something up with my account? I would really appreciate an answer from you, because I don’t feel comfortable approaching the player’s club about this.

Diana Benson—Gilbert A: Diana, you can’t get into trouble by letting your friend use your free play. The casino does not have free play police waiting to pounce in situations like these. First of all, it would be very difficult for them to determine that the person whose card is in the machine is not the person who’s downloading the free play. Second of all, the casinos already know they are vulnerable to these situations. Therefore, the casinos who do not want this happening take precautions by requiring players to visit the player’s club and show their identification before free play money is loaded onto their account for use.

Having said that, even though you won’t be hauled off to jail or banned from the casino altogether, there are other consequences to giving someone else your free play. The casino may ask your friend to surrender your player’s card. But, more importantly, if your friend is only downloading your free play, but not playing with your card and earning points, then she could be seriously affecting your status. Remember that this free play is a gift to you based on your time and money spent at the casino. If your friend is not playing with your card or if your friend’s betting style is different than yours, you could notice a change in your monthly free play as a result. So, if you do decide to do this be aware that, yes, it may affect your player’s account and future offers as a result.

Q: Which slots tend to pay back more—the ones that usually have one line and the symbols are 7s and bars or the ones with lots of lines and picture symbols? If I bet the exact same amount, which machine will let me play longer?

Beatrisa L.—Paradise Valley A: Beatrisa, pay back percentages, in most situations, are not determined by the type of slot machine but rather the denomination. The mechanical reel slot machines with the 7s and bars are referred to as “steppers” and tend to be offered in 25¢, 50¢, $1, $2, and $5 denominations (and on up). The video reel slot machines are predominantly offered in 1¢, 2¢, and 5¢ denominations. Since casinos are willing to reward players that are pre-

pared to play higher denomination machines, the steppers are installed at slightly higher pay back percentages than the 1¢ and 2¢ video reel slots.

Regarding your second question, since the pulls to hit (number of spins between wins) is usually slightly higher in steppers than in videos (which means you will have more losing spins in a row) the machine that will let you “play longer,” generally speaking, is the video slot. However, please be aware that this is an enormous generality. There are many other factors that need to be considered. A 25¢ denomination stepper and a 25¢ denomination video reel may be set at the exact same pay back percentage with very similar pulls to hits. In this situation, the only thing you can rely on is your luck and timing!

Q: When I transfer free play money on to my machine there is some message that comes up briefly that says EFT in process or something like that. What does that mean?

Jaime—Eloy A: EFT stands for Electronic Funds Transfer. This is like making an electronic transfer of money to or from your bank account (or wiring money). These messages tend to be displayed on a screen somewhere on the slot machine during a transfer as an alert to players.

Q: I know it’s going to vary from game to game, but in your experience designing slot machines, what is the average number of spins it takes to get into the bonus?

Eduardo Nunez—Peoria A: You are correct about the average number of spins it takes to get into the bonus varying! This is something game designers constantly wrestle with. A decade ago, the prevailing theory was that the bonus should happen frequently and pay enough to keep the player interested. Recently, more and more bonuses are being designed with extreme volatility. As a result, the pays are much higher and also much lower. Consequently, the average win of bonuses, in general, has increased to allow for the heightened volatility. This generally means the average number of spins to win a bonus has increased as well.

In our experience, bonus pulls to hit (the average number of spins to trigger a bonus) was around 40 to 150 a decade ago.

Currently, typical bonus pulls to hit are around 75 to 300. We suggest players track the number of spins between bonuses and compute their own average pulls to hit. Check out this month’s Winning Ways section (page 24) for more on this topic! $

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.

06 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2018 | azgamingguide.com

NEW SLOTS

Easy Riches Now At Desert Diamond Casino Tucson

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isit Desert Diamond Casino Tucson for your chance to get rich with Easy Riches from Everi! This traditional-style, 3 reel, 9 line mechanical game, has bonus action and progressive opportunities. Players will experience the easy riches with multipliers—when two or more multipliers land on a pay line they’ll multiply together and multiply the winning combination. The maximum total multiplier for any winning combination is times 30! The riches don’t stop there; when three Easy Riches symbols land on pay line 9 at max bet, players will be awarded the top level progressive jackpot.

Winning has never been this easy at Desert Diamond Casino Tucson! For more information on their latest slots, visit DDCAZ.com, call 866.DDC.WINS (1.866.332.9461), or follow them on Facebook (/ddcaz), Twitter (@DiamondCasinos), and Instagram (@DiamondCasinos). $

08 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2018 | azgamingguide.com

NEW SLOTS

Coming Soon

Mystery Of The Congo

By IGT

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ake room for IGT’s Mystery of the Congo Video Slots. Housed on the stunning CrystalDual 27 gaming machine, this 4x4 reel, 100 credit minimum bet game features the all-new Mammoth Reels.

The Mammoth Reel game family features two game interfaces, massive vertical reels that extend into the top screen, and 100 pay lines of action. During the base game, stacks of wild symbols move from the main reels to the Mammoth Reels and expand to fill the reels. Random wheel spins can award up to 16x multipliers in the base game and 25x multipliers in the bonus.

The free games bonus can be triggered through a wheel spin or when five scattered bonus symbols land on the reels. During the bonus, the wheel spins before every game, and the free game continues until both rings of the wheel align with 5x, guaranteeing players a 25x multiplier on their final free games.

For more information about this exciting new game, visit IGT.com. $

10 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2018 | azgamingguide.com

Coming Soon

NEW SLOTS

Scarab

By IGT

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layers will go wild for IGT’s Scarab Video Slots and its “Wild Stays Charges Then Pays” feature. When a Scarab symbol lands anywhere on the reels, it turns that reel symbol gold. As players continue to wager and spin, they’ll collect additional Scarab and gold symbols. After the tenth spin, all gold symbols are transformed into wild symbols for the chance to win big.

The free games bonus is triggered by three or more pyramid symbols and players can select their bonus play volatility by choosing between 15 free games with five random wilds, 10 free games with seven random wilds or 5 free games with ten random wilds.

For more information about Scarab and other new games by IGT, visit IGT.com. $

azgamingguide.com | July 2018 | Arizona Gaming Guide

11

TABLE GAMES

By Al Moe

A DECEPTIVELY SMALL HOUSE EDGE How Casinos Maintain A Respectable Hold With Blackjack

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lackjack’s tiny house edge can be deceptive. So, let me explain how the casino maintains a respectable hold with a very small house edge.

The drop on a blackjack game is the cash that players trade for chips. The hold is the total gross revenue made at the same table. Sometimes the total represents a loss, not a win. But over the course of days, weeks and months, that total averages about 15%.

So, how does a game where gamblers play at about a 2% disadvantage manage to win so much? And, how can the casino do so well when many players use Basic Strategy to play at an even lower .6% disadvantage?

Don’t worry; nobody’s cheating. It’s a mixture of bankroll size and time. The bankroll issue comes into play twice. Remember, the casinos’ bankroll is unlimited, so they can afford to take any size wagers over and over again, win or lose. They also have many tables to even-out the bumps. Players have limited bankrolls and often play until they are out of cash and unable to continue playing (and in those cases, losing).

The time issue also favors the casino because the casino can take wagers all day and all night on multiple tables full of players.

An individual player can only get so many hands in before they have to leave. The more tables and the more players, the more the casino wins.

The casino wins with that tiny .6% edge because they have that edge hand after hand after hand. If every player were limited to just a single hand each day, the hold would be much smaller for the casino. Since players make multiple wagers, each at a disadvantage, the hold increases as a function of time.

The Art of Illusion If you are wondering why it seems like the dealer makes more hands than you do, it’s because they do. One “expert” blackjack author said it’s like a jar filled with 1000 marbles where you win if you pick a green marble and lose on red marbles.

With 497 green marbles and 503 red marbles, you will lose six more than you win after 1000 hands. That equals a .6% house edge. But that’s a percentage example, so don’t lose your marbles.

14 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2018 | azgamingguide.com

The reality is that over the course of 100 hands you’ll win 43 times, push 8 times, and lose 49 times. After 1000 hands you will lose 60 more hands than the dealer! That’s the bad news.

The good news is that you make up for most of that loss by getting paid 3 for 2 on each blackjack (you’ll get about 48 blackjacks in 1000 hands). The rest you’ll get by splitting pairs and by doubling down at the correct time with the correct cards.

So, the lesson today is, don’t be afraid to aggressively double down and split pairs. In fact, what you should be afraid of is not splitting and doubling down enough. You have to do those things correctly every time, or you are doomed to failure at blackjack, and it won’t be because the house has an unfair advantage.

Taking advantage of every possible option at any table game is always good policy. Splits and double downs are mandatory for blackjack survival. $

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. His book, “Vegas and the Mob," is available online at Amazon.com. He is also the proud father of four beautiful girls.

TABLE GAMES

By TJ Jorgensen

BLACKJACK TOURNAMENT RANKINGS Casino Arizona’s Tuesday & Wednesday 2018 Final Table Results

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or the year of 2018, I have been keeping track of players that have made the final table of Casino Arizona's Tuesday at noon and the first Wednesday of the month blackjack Tournaments. Since it is mostly the same players that play these tournaments, I thought it would be fun to rank them.

The Tuesday and Wednesday Tournaments have three first round sessions with five or six tables. The tables normally have six players. This means there are about 30 to 36 players per round. Everyone starts with $5,000 in play chips and plays 21 hands. The betting limits are $25 to $2,500. The player at each table with the most chips after 21 hands advances to the semifinal. Players that don't advance have an opportunity to re-buy for the next session. For players that don't make it to the semifinal there are usually wild card drawings, so even if a player fails to win their table they still have a chance of advancing.

There are normally three tables of six players each in the semi finals. All players again start with $5,000 in chips, and at the end of 21 hands the top two players with the most chips advance to the final. The final is the money round. All six players that make the final will get paid. The total prize money is based on the number of entries. The final six players have a choice of three options: 1. Chop and Go, the prize money is divided into six equal parts and given to the players. 2. Chop and Play, the prize money is divided into seven equal parts, all six players take an equal share, then play an additional 11 hands. The player with the most chips at the end of 11 hands gets the 7th equal part. 3. The third option is to play 21 hands and the prize money is given for 1st through 6th place.

By the end of the year, in ranking the players, we will gain some insight to the question "How much luck and skill is involved in blackjack tournaments?" Since this year’s tournaments represent a very small sample, I don't think we’ll draw any definite conclusions. However, I personally think the skill players will finish ahead of the luck players.

If, for example, a skilled player gets in the money 1 in 5 tries (or 27% of the time) and an unskilled player or beginner gets in the money by luck alone 5% of the time, could you then rank that player’s skill between 5-27%? Would you say for that player tournament blackjack is 23% skill and 77% luck?

In light of all this, to rank the players, I gave each player that makes the final one point. Since a player is about five times as unlikely to win a tournament as opposed to just making the final, I decided that if a player wins the tournament, or wins the Chop and Go, they receive an additional three points, or a total of four points for that tournament. The results, to date, are listed below. If you have any questions or comments you can e-mail me at TJ21PRO@GMail.com You can also get weekly updates on my website at FreeWebs.com/TJsBlackjackCorner/. $ RANK POINTS NAME (First names only—identifier as needed) 1

17

TJ (That’s me!)

2

12

Andrea

3

8

Dennis, Brent

4

7

Mike, Arion, Russ, John M

5

6

Joe, Victor

To put this all in perspective, a typical tournament that has six players seated at a table for the first round, and advances the player with the most chips to the semi-final, the odds of making the semi-final by luck alone are 6 to 1. In the semi-final, if the top two chip counts advance to the championship round, the odds of making the final by luck alone are 18 to 1, or about 5%.

6

5

Gary

7

4

Bill Y, Bob Z, Marshal, Rockin’ Bob, Robert S

8

3

Brian, Artillo, Corry, Francheska, Larry, Joe Cool, Rodney, Terry, Nancy, Naomi, Gary Mus

9

2

Michael, Michelle, Robert M

As of the date of this column, there have been 27 Tuesday and Wednesday tournaments so far this year. In theory, if a player played all of the tournaments this year, based on luck alone, they should have made the final once. The odds of winning the Chop and Play, or winning the tournament based on luck alone, are about 100 to 1. In theory, if a player has played all of the tournaments to date, they would be about a 3 to 1 underdog to have won a tournament.

10

1

Pat, Bruce, Carl, Shawn, Tony, John SD, George, Mike, Styles, Rick, Mike, Eddy, Andy, Jamie

16 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2018 | azgamingguide.com

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.

TOURNEVENT

By Lana Hartmann

TOURNEVENT OF CHAMPIONS Participate In The National Slot Tournament & Be The $1 Mil. Winner!

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ondering just what the 2018 TournEvent of Champions is? Wondering how you can participate in a simple, exciting, no skill required slot tournament?

Want to win $1,000,000 and other cash prizes? Look no further than this article as we break down everything you need to know to compete in this annual contest to find the country’s best slot player!

Where Can I Participate In Arizona?

August 24—Desert Diamond Casino In Sahuarita August 25—Desert Diamond Casino In Glendale August 26—Desert Diamond Casino In Tucson TBD—Casino Arizona In Scottsdale Where Can I Participate In Nevada?

July 14—Club Cal Nevada In Reno Where Can I Participate In New Mexico?

September 2—Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino In Santa Fe Where Can I Find Out More Information?

1. Visit the official website at TournEventofChampions.com and follow the tournament on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Flickr.

2. Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment at their website DDCAZ.com and their Player’s Club.

3. Casino Arizona at their website CasinoArizona.com and their Player’s Club 2018 Championship Finale Wednesday, October 10, 2018 Wynn/Encore Las Vegas XS Night Club 2018 Grand Prize $1,000,000 2018 Championship Event Prize Package Each winning casino representative will receive $800 in airfare to Las Vegas for themselves and a guest, ground transfers in Las Vegas, three nights of luxury hotel accommodations at the Wynn/Encore Las Vegas, $500 for food and beverage purchases, individual casino medal, individual casino jersey and, of course most importantly, a seat at the championship event!

18 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2018 | azgamingguide.com

2018 Championship Payout (for top 5 places)* Place Prize 1 $1,000,000 2 $150,000 3 $50,000 4 $25,000 5 $10,000

* The final prize structure will be published by Everi no later than October 10, 2018. All participants in the Championship Finale are awarded a cash prize no less than $500.

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oker lovers from around the Southwest will converge on Talking Stick Resort this summer to participate in the Valley’s biggest, and arguably the State’s biggest, tournament of the year, the Arizona State Poker Championship.

Held in the resort’s famed ARENA Poker Room, the tournament will kick off on Friday, August 10, 2018 with an estimated prize pool of $1.1 million.

Players of all skill levels participate in the tournament, from professional to novice. Upon entry, they will receive $16,000 in tournament chips with their $1,100 buy-in. Should a player have interest in stacking the deck and starting with even more chips, they have the option to purchase an additional staff appreciation bonus of $10,000 for $30. However, the bonus must be purchased prior to players receiving their first hand.

“There is nothing like the energy that comes each year with the Arizona State Poker Championship,” said Tom Young, Director of Poker for The ARENA Poker Room at Talking Stick Resort.

“The sheer number of players and massive prize pool creates a sense of excitement that you just don’t experience anywhere else.”

The tournament is held over the course of four days with the first three days considered day ones. During those initial day one days, 475 seats will be sold. When the player count is reached, the remaining seats sold will be alternates and 130 alternate players will be accepted. Those players eliminated during the first days of play have the option to rejoin the game the same day - up until the first break at 11:15am or the following

20 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2018 | azgamingguide.com

morning.

The Arizona State Poker Championship will commence at 9am each day with the semi-finals on Monday, August 13, 2018. The remaining players will return at 10am the following day on Tuesday, August 14, 2018 and play will continue until a new champion is crowned. The winner will take home $159,000, a Rolex and a trophy, while second and third place will receive trophies and $119,350 and $88,000, respectively.

Beyond the top three places, The ARENA Poker Room will give payouts to the top 110 players though the final prize amounts will be based on the number of entrants. The following is the payout structure for the top 10 winners: First—$159,500, Second—$119,350, Third—$88,000, Fourth—$67,100, Fifth— $49,500, Sixth—$41,800, Seventh—$34,100, Eighth—$25,300, Ninth—$19,800, Tenth—$15,400.

Four-time World Series of Poker champion, Tom Schneider, will emcee the five-day tournament. He will open each day of play, then will serve as the announcer for the final table. This marks the fifth time Schneider has acted as the master of ceremonies for the event. His vast knowledge of poker, loud, colorful jackets and entertaining sense of humor, make this Phoenix resident an ideal emcee for the event. Further, he is a regular player in The ARENA Poker Room.

naments 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.

For more details about the 14th annual Arizona State Poker Championship, The ARENA Poker Room Seniors Poker Open

Last year, Talking Stick Resort welcomed a record-breaking crowd. Nearly 1,700 players participated, competing for a share of more than $1.6 million. A new victor was named after 6.5 hours of play at the final table; Rellie Sigua, 38, from Daily City outside of San Francisco. He travelled to Scottsdale strictly to participate in the championship.

Beyond the exciting poker action and cash prizes, The ARENA Poker Room will keep players full and alert with a comprehensive food menu. Served from 11am to 11pm over the course of the championship, it will feature a wide variety of items such as: Steamed Dim-Sum Plate with steamed shrimp dumplings, pork siu mai, pork bbq bun and spicy Saigon sauce; Hot Chicken Melt Open Face Sandwich with pulled chicken, onions, peppers, mushrooms and Provolone cheese on Texas toast; Fresh Fruit & Berries Plate with cantaloupe, pineapple, honeydew, watermelon, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and honey yogurt; and much more.

and other tournaments, visit TalkingStickResort.com or call 1.480.850.7734. All participants must submit their buy-in during the signup process. Must be 21 or older to participate.

To reserve a room at Talking Stick Resort during the tournament, call 1.480.270-5555 and use the booking ID #16411. $

Players won’t need to juggle their cards and forks, because the daily schedule of play will include a one-hour dinner break from 5:45 to 6:45pm on August 10th, 11th and 12th. Additionally, players in the championship will have an opportunity for the ultimate break, an overnight stay at Talking Stick Resort. From August 6 to 15, 2018, they can reserve a room for the special tournament rate of $89 plus a $25 service fee.

Registration for the championship begins July 1, 2018. The nonsmoking ARENA poker room is the largest in the state with nearly 50 tables. It maintains a full schedule of games and tour-

azgamingguide.com | July 2018 | Arizona Gaming Guide

21

ARIZONA LOTTERY

By Megan Conner

AZ LOTTERY ADDS 2ND CHANCE GAME Classic Crossword & Bingo Games Now Feature Second-Chance!

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ust in time for summer, the Arizona Lottery is kicking off a new secondchance promotion for its most popular category of games: Bingo and Crossword. Players will now have an additional chance to win monthly cash prizes on non-winning Bingo and Crossword Scratchers tickets – yet another reason to enjoy these entertaining games cherished by players for so long.

“The Arizona Lottery has worked to reinvigorate its Scratchers tickets for the past few years, and we wanted to bring a new level of excitement into our players’ favorite games,” said Gregg Edgar, Executive Director of the Arizona Lottery. “By adding this second-chance opportunity, our dedicated Bingo and Crossword players will experience even more exciting ways to win with these classics.”

Drawings will be held monthly starting in August, with $10,000 in prizes awarded each month. In addition to the monthly drawings, quarterly drawings will also be held giving players the chance to win $5,000 or more. This highly-anticipated promotion will continue through 2019 offering more than $150,000 in second-chance cash prizes for Arizona Lottery players.

The Arizona Lottery currently offers several Crossword and Bingo games ranging from $2 to $20, and will introduce more games throughout the promotion. Players can enter their non-winning tickets via the internet or by scanning their tickets using the Arizona Lottery Players Club app.

The Bingo and Crossword second-chance promotion begins in July 2018.

Players can win cash prizes by purchasing a ticket at any of the 3,000+ Arizona Lottery retailers. For more information please visit ArizonaLottery.com. $ Scratchers is a registered service mark of the California Lottery.

22 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2018 | azgamingguide.com

WINNING WAYS

By Mark Novak

WHEN WILL THE BONUS HIT? PART II A Simple “How-To” Step-By-Step Approach For Every Slot Player

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ast month I described my first play session on Aristocrat’s Pompeii slot machine. If you recall, my average pulls to hit for the bonus was calculated to be 77. I went back to the same casino and played the exact same machine for a second time and kept track of how many spins passed until I triggered the bonus.

My new set of data was quite interesting! I hit the bonus after the following number of spins: 245, 311, 17, 124, 189, and 45.

Wow, that was very different than my first experience! I had to wait for the bonus quite a while in the beginning!

For this session the average bonus pulls to hit is 155 (245 + 311 + 17 + 124 + 189 + 45 = 931, divided by the 6 bonuses, equals 155).

That’s twice as much as the average I calculated during the first session. But, now let’s combine the data sets and get an updated

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average pulls to hit for Aristocrat’s Pompeii free games bonus.

My previous data set was 89 + 87 + 30 + 26 + 64 + 117 + 128 = 541 (see the June 2018 issue’s Winning Ways section). Now let’s add the new data set to that total. 541 + 245 + 311 + 17 + 124 + 189 + 45 = 1,472. There were 7 bonuses in the first data set and 6 in the new data set for a total of 13 bonuses. Dividing our updated total (1,472) by our new total bonuses of 13 results in an average of 113 pulls to hit for the bonus (1,472 / 13 = 113). That’s quite a jump from 77 from the first data set.

At this point, I’m not willing to provide an estimate for the average pulls to hit of the free games bonus in Aristocrat’s Pompeii because 11 bonuses is just not enough data to provide any sort of accuracy. We’ll need at least 100 bonuses to get a better average. So, I’ll keep playing and update you next month! $

GAMING NEWS

AGA Outlines Sports Betting Priorities To Congress. Committed To Shutting Down Vast Illegal Market.

AZ Nonprofits Can Win Big! 1 Year Of Forfeited Self-Excluded Jackpots From Gila River Hotels & Casinos.

In a letter to federal lawmakers on May 22, American Gaming Association (AGA) President and CEO Geoff Freeman reiterated the gaming industry’s top priorities in the evolving debate on how to create a successful legal sports betting market in the United States. “Following [the] momentous U.S. Supreme Court decision ending the federal sports betting ban [in May], the casino gaming industry is dedicated to building the world’s most secure and successful sports betting system. As legal, regulated sport betting expands across the country, AGA and the gaming industry will work with all stakeholders who share our commitment to eliminating the vast illegal gaming market.”

Gila River Hotels & Casinos is currently accepting applications from Arizona nonprofit organizations to be eligible to receive a year’s worth of forfeited self-excluded gaming jackpots. “Gila River Hotels & Casinos is proud to be a longstanding philanthropic partner with the state of Arizona,” said Kenneth Manuel, CEO of Gila River Hotels & Casinos. “It is our privilege to provide these funds to such deserving nonprofit organizations that benefit the lives of Arizonans.”

Below are the priorities the gaming industry will pursue: Empower State Regulation: More than 40 states and 260 jurisdictions have proven to be effective gaming regulators. AGA will be a resource to state policymakers and regulators as they consider sports betting legalization, and combat any attempts by the federal government to neuter state regulatory power.

Place Consumers First: AGA encourages all stakeholders to understand the intricacies of the illegal marketplace and why consumers turn to it. AGA will promote strong consumer protections – which the illegal market fails to offer – and consumer-centric conveniences such as intrastate mobile wagering.

Gila River distributes the combined total of its forfeited selfexcluded jackpots from the most recent fiscal year to Arizona nonprofit organizations. Gila River is currently in the fourth quarter of its fiscal year and has yet to tally the total of its annual forfeited jackpots. All Arizona based 501c3 status nonprofit organizations recognized by the IRS are eligible to apply to receive these funds. This also includes 501c3 nonprofit organizations located on the Gila River Indian Community.

To receive consideration for receipt of forfeited jackpot funds, organizations must complete an online application available at WinGilaRiver.com/Request and submit the required paperwork. Gila River’s corporate finance department will handle the distribution of funds from forfeited jackpots in accordance with standard operating procedure. These funds become available on an intermittent basis and amounts and distribution times will vary. $

Strengthen Game Integrity: Rigorous sports betting regulation strengthens game integrity, a primary aim shared by the gaming industry and sporting bodies. New technologies make it possible to track legal wagering and identify suspicious activities. The gaming industry supports establishing a national data repository to share any suspicious betting information with law enforcement, gaming regulators and sporting bodies.

Promote Responsible Gaming & Responsible Advertising: The gaming industry encourages effective responsible gaming programs in all jurisdictions that enact regulated sports betting. To this end, the gaming industry will voluntarily pursue the creation of a self-regulatory model to guide sports betting advertising.

Encourage Contracts Over Statutes: Sports betting can benefit sporting bodies and gaming companies alike. The gaming industry supports strong contracts between these parties to address issues such as data and the value of other activities.

The gaming industry will vigorously oppose efforts to use federal or state legislation to set basic business terms. $

26 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2018 | azgamingguide.com

Tempe Couple Ties Knot At Gila River Hotels & Casinos The love story for Tempe residents Douglas Ray and Kristie Obra’s first began at Gila River Hotels & Casinos – Wild Horse Pass and now they tied the knot where it all began!

“Ever since our first weekend together there, it has been a special place for us. What better way to have fun together than to have a great cocktail from our favorite bartender and sit together at Wild Horse Pass,” said Kristie Obra. The wedding ceremony was the first of its kind to be held at Wild Horse Pass. The celebration was an intimate ceremony with 100 of their closest friends and family and casino spectators. $

22 Arizona Gaming Guide | May 2018 | azgamingguide.com

GAMING NEWS

Bucky’s & Yavapai Casinos In Prescott Offering More To Their Guests This July!

Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino Honors 2018 Caesars Award of Excellence Winners

This month, the Blackjack Pit at Bucky’s Casino in Prescott, Arizona is offering a brand new promotion called Monsoon Madness. On Sundays in July and August, from 2-10pm, Gold Rush Club members can win up to $200 in chip prizes in drawings held every 30 minutes. A bonus drawing day is scheduled for August 8. Non-members are also eligible to participate in the drawings but will receive only $100 in chip prizes, so sign up for the Gold Rush Club right away! For more details, please see the Blackjack area at the casino.

Employees Recognized For Outstanding Service & Leadership Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino is pleased to announce its 2018 Caesars Award of Excellence recipients, a distinction given to employees who consistently provide best-in-class service to guests, coworkers and the community, all while serving as role models and demonstrating an exemplary commitment to the Harrah’s brand.

Fridays at both casinos, Gold Rush Club members are eligible for Hot Seat drawings of up to $250 cash each hour. There will be a $500 cash drawing on the last Friday of the month. Make sure to participate in the Smokin’ Hot promotion where Gold Rush Club Members can earn entries for $300 Home Depot grill certificate drawings each Saturday in July and a weekly Omaha Steak certificate for every 250 points earned.

July Entertainment: July 04—Southern Flight (7-11pm Bucky’s Casino) July 06—Jackson Hatfield (7-11pm Yavapai Casino) July 13—Daryl Dasher (7-11pm Bucky’s Casino) July 20—Southern Flight (7-11pm Yavapai Casino) July 27—Blaine Long Duo (7-11pm Bucky’s Casino) For more information, visit Bucky’s and Yavapai Casinos’ website at BuckysCasino.com or call 1.800.756.8744. $

“I know that I’m speaking for the entire Harrah’s team when I say that we are extremely proud of these individuals and their accomplishments,” said Robert Livingston, General Manager at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino. “The Caesars Award of Excellence is one of the highest honors our employees can achieve.”

The 2018 winners are: Inspire Our Best: Nicole Vavages – Dunkin Donuts Inspire Our Best: Roberto Reyes – Stewarding Superior Guest Service: Vivian Zeller – Beverage Superior Guest Service: John Michael Lopez – Slots Superior Internal Service: Patty Petric – Finance Superior Internal Service: Michael Rangel – Beverage Innovation: Russell Miller – Slots Community Service: Keith McGlaughlin – I.T. Reyes, Miller and McGlaughlin are all residents of Maricopa. Vavages is a resident of Chandler. Rangel and Zeller are residents of Casa Grande. Petric is a resident of Glendale. Lopez is a resident of Phoenix.

Each of the eight award winners will be honored at a celebration banquet with a commemorative gift and a dedicated parking space for the entire year. They are also now eligible for the Regional Caesars Award of Excellence and ultimately the companywide Caesars Award of Excellence. For more information, please visit HarrahsAkChin.com. $

28 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2018 | azgamingguide.com

LAUGHLIN, NEVADA

By Elizabeth Schueren

OVER $60,000 IS UP FOR GRABS In Golden Nugget Laughlin’s Hot Summer Tournaments & Promotions!

G

et in on the hot gaming action at Golden Nugget Laughlin this July, where they are giving away over $60,000 cash!

Win a share of $25,000 in their Royal Riches Video Poker Tournament July 19-21 where first place wins $7,500 and all entrants win cash. The entry fee for Golden Nugget Laughlin’s Royal Riches Video Poker Tournament is $50.

Plus, play in one or both of Golden Nugget Laughlin’s $55,000 Summer Blackjack Tournament Series upcoming $10,000 blackjack tournaments July 27-28 or August 24-25 for the chance to win $5,000 cash and a guaranteed seat at the final table of the $25,000 finale tournament. The entry fee for each of the $10,000 tournaments is $25.

If you weren’t one of the three lucky winners of the $10,000 tournaments in Golden Nugget Laughlin’s Summer Blackjack

Tournament Series, you can still secure a spot at the final table of the finale while playing in the $25,000 finale blackjack tournament September 21-23. The entry fee is $50 and first place wins $12,500.

Every Saturday in July, Golden Nugget Laughlin is giving away a share of $5,000 in their $45,000 Cash Giveaway. In three drawings, five winners will receive a share of $1,000 cash every hour from 7-8pm and 5 winners will receive a share of $3,000 cash at 9pm.

Drawing tickets for Golden Nugget Laughlin’s $45,000 Cash Giveaway can be earned by playing slots or table games Thursday through Saturday.

For more information about Golden Nugget Laughlin’s upcoming promotions or to book a stay at Golden Nugget Laughlin, visit GoldenNuggetLaughlin.com or call 1.800.237.1739. $

Download The New Golden Nugget App Now At The Apple Store And Google Play!

Logging into the Golden Nugget Mobile App is simple – simply enter your 24K Select Club account number and PIN, and select a home Golden Nugget property. If you do not have a PIN number yet, please visit the 24K Select Club booth at Golden Nugget Laughlin to create one.

Golden Nugget’s app allows 24K Select Club members to log into their accounts from their mobile devices. Check Comp Dollars, Tier Credits and Slot Points balances, and Tier Level status instantly. View mail offers including gaming, hotel, dining and golf rewards across all Golden Nugget Casinos. Receive Golden Nugget mobile-only bonus offers, and enjoy one-touch access to promotion and event details.

30 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2018 | azgamingguide.com

CASINO ENTERTAINMENT

Editor’s Pick

Lord Of The Dance Desert Diamond Casino—Sahuarita October 27

Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment welcomes Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games to the Diamond Center on Saturday, October 27, 2018. Lord of the Dance premiered at the magnificent Coliseum in London two decades ago; in 2014, Michael Flatley transformed the show making it even more thrilling than the original. Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games, with music composed by Gerard Fahy, premiered at the iconic London Palladium in September 2014 to mark the 20th anniversary since Michael Flatley became an international sensation.

The show has since gone on to enjoy successful runs in the West End, Broadway, the United States, Canada, Ireland, Germany, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico.

Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games continues to thrill audiences around the globe with its intoxicating mix of dance and music that fuses the traditional with the contemporary in a classic tale that showcases the exceptional talent of the cast.

The show features cutting edge technology including a giant Radiant flat screen that spans the width of the stage, special effects lighting, dancing robots, and world champion acrobats.

Treena Parvello, Director of Public Relations and Communications for the Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise, said, “On October 27 the Diamond Center will be transformed into a magical display of some of the most talented entertainers in the world! Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment is excited to bring Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games to Southern Arizona!” $ Other exciting shows at Desert Diamond Casino include: Christopher Cross—July 20 Gary Owen—July 28 Air Supply—August 3 Ultimate 70s Tour—August 18

32 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2018 | azgamingguide.com

SAMI’S SMACKDOWN

By Sami Becker

I’M LEAVING! I See How Hot It’s Getting—I’m Going To The Casinos Out Of Town!

T

rust me, this is not a rant about the hot Arizona summers. But a girl of a certain age needs a little relief sometimes. Or maybe that’s just my convenient excuse to get out of town! I already told my husband to give our RV a spring checkup last month so it and me are ready to hit the road!

The question is, where do I go first? The way I see it, there are two trips I can make to get away from the heat of the city. The first takes me East, the second takes me North.

On the Eastern trip, I’ll first go to Mazatzal Hotel & Casino in Payson. They are RV friendly, have a great casino, the best games, and a friendly staff! Then, I can head up to Hon-Dah Casino Resort & Conference Center in Show-Low. With over 800 hot slots, a ton of amenities, a gorgeous setting, I know I’ll find some luck there! I will finish off my loop by coming back

34 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2018 | azgamingguide.com

through Globe and visiting Apache Gold Casino Resort and Apache Sky Casino.

My Northern trip will take me to Bucky’s and Yavapai Casinos in the cool Prescott pines. Then, I can head back to the I-17 and visit Cliff Castle Casino Hotel in Camp Verde. Finally, I’ll end my trip North at Twin Arrows Casino Resort just outside of Flagstaff. That trip will allow me to visit four separate casinos all with great amenities, different atmospheres and lots of fun and luck to be had! $

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

CHINESE HOROSCOPE—Year Of The Dog Pray for good luck on these dates in July 2018: 2, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 16, 18, 22, 27, and 31. The best days to travel in July 2018: 2, 3, 5, 6, 11, 14, 16, 21, 22, and 28. The best days to meet a friend or relative in July 2018: 2, 9, 10, 11, 18, 21, 24, 26, and 27. Overlap on: 2 and 11!

Dates for Year Of The Dog: 02/14/34-02/03/35, 02/02/46-01/21/47, 02/18/58-02/07/59, 02/06/70-01/26/71, 01/25/82-02/12/83, 02/10/94-01/30/95.

WORD SEARCH

SUDOKU

To Celebrate National Hot Dog Day On July 18, Find: BASEBALL, BUN, CHEESE, CHILI, COOKED, CORN DOG, DOG, GARLIC, GERMAN, GRILLED, HOT, HOT DOG, KETCHUP, MAYONNAISE, MUSTARD, ONIONS, PAPRIKA, PIG IN A BLANKET, RELISH, SALT, SAUERKRAUT, SAUSAGE, STEAMED, STREET FOOD. Words appear in any direction. (Solution on page 38)

Each of the columns, rows, and 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: Hard.

(Solution on page 38)

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36 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2018 | azgamingguide.com

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azgamingguide.com | July 2018 | Arizona Gaming Guide

37

888-243-3360 534

Y

Y

1500 E. Hwy. 69

Prescott

800-756-8744 314

05. Casino Arizona

101 & McKellips

Scottsdale

480-850-7777 920

Y

Y

06. Casino Del Sol

5655 W. Valencia Rd.

Tucson

855-765-7829 1,004

Y

Y

08. Casino Of The Sun

5405 W Valencia Rd

Tucson

855-765-7829

7406 S. Camino De Oeste

Tucson

855-765-7829 285

I-17, Exit 289

Camp Verde

800-381-7568 656

09. Cliff Castle Casino & Hotel 10. Cocopah Resort Casino

15318 S. Ave. B

Somerton

800-237-5687 502

Tucson

866-332-9467 1,108

12. Desert Diamond Casino-Sah.

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

Hwy. 87 & Ft. McDowell Rd.

16. Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino

480-802-5000 1,118

777 Hwy. 260

Pinetop

800-929-8744 829

1077 S. Kyrene Rd.

Chandler

800-946-4452 841

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

Payson

800-777-7529 368

Yuma

888-777-4946 487

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

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Y

Y

Scottsdale

480-850-7777 813

Y

Flagstaff

855-946-8946 1,084

Y

Y

Y

6443 Komatke Ln.

Laveen

800-946-4452 962

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd.

Chandler

800-946-4452 1,024

Y

Y

Y

Y

1505 E. Hwy. 69

Prescott

800-756-8744 238

27. Yavapai Casino

Y Y

Y

Y

Y Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y Y

Y

Y

Y

Y Y

Y

Y

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azgamingguide.com

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Word Search Solution R H O P T U D H C C T O E R K N D O B G U

E T C L E

L U O L M E S A C I C H

I A O A A S U L I M T E K

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H K E E T E A A I Y A L I S S T R

G O D R E U A D S A B S H C S G E U L G M E E D G O N N A L B A N A S G R P A P N O I N E E T F

T O H S D R G A R N T I A L M R

I S E I G I P O O D O O D

Sudoku Solution 3

9

1

5

8

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6

7

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38 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2018 | azgamingguide.com

Y

Y

Y

Sources: AZ Dept. of Gaming—Current Tribal Gaming Status as of 06/01/18 & direct inquiries at press time. Not responsible for incorrect information. Contact editor@azgamingguide.com to make updates.

Use the QR codes for our website & Facebook Page!

Y

Y Y

I-40, Exit 219

25. Vee Quiva Casino

Y

Y

101 & Indian Bend

24. Twin Arrows Navajo Casino 26. Wild Horse Pass Casino

Y

Y

Fort McDowell 800-843-3678 884 Maricopa

18. Lone Butte Casino

Y

58

15406 N. Maricopa Rd.

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

866-332-9467

Y

8

7350 S. Nogales Hwy.

11. Desert Diamond Casino-Tuc.

Y

Y

04. Bucky’s Casino

07. Casino Del Sol Marketplace

Y

Smoke-Free Area

800-272-2438 303

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

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