GREAT GAMES

Wu Dragon

By IGT

The casino floor is being enhanced with the rich, colorful graphics of IGT’s Wu Dragon. As part of the base game, wild golden comet symbols are scattered across the 4x5 reel matrix. If a wild symbol hits a top symbol that looks like a red and white frame, the wild expands to surround the frame.

Players can also place a side bet to keep the top frames in place until any of them are hit by the fire wheel wild symbol. If a hit occurs, all the top frames turn to wilds allowing for spectacular wins.

Wu Dragon also features a scatter trigger bonus to win 10, 20, or 50 free games and a progressive jackpot level that could be won at any time during game play. This game has a 100 credit cost to cover with real-time 3D effects like heat haze, motion blur, or ripple distortions along with rich graphics that are sure to keep players entertained.

Wu Dragon is available on IGT’s all new PeakSlant32 cabinet. For more information, visit IGT.com. $

Mystery Link Lucky Lotus

By IGT

Fans of Wheel of Fortune games will be sure to enjoy the latest theme, Wheel of Fortune Mystery Link Lucky Lotus on IGT’s brand new PeakSlant49 with Wheel cabinet.

This game takes players on an exciting ride, including a lock and respin feature with multiple wheel spins, a free games bonus with stacked wilds, and an engaging art package with rich colors and symbols.

In this 3x5 reel game, the mystery link feature is triggered when six or more colored pointers land on the screen with either a jackpot name on it or a color-coded question mark. Each of the five colors relates to a pointer on the five-pointer wheel. When the mystery link is triggered, the number of pointers awarded lights up on the wheel and the player is prompted to spin it. When it stops, the question marks fill in with money values from the corresponding wheel pointer colors. For added excitement, the player then begins their three respins, and each time a pointer symbol lands, the respins reset to three. If all 15 reel positions are filled in at the end of the respins, the digital wheel flips over to reveal a jackpot-only wheel where players are guaranteed to win one of the five jackpots. For more information, visit IGT.com. $

Triple Double Gems

By Everi

The new Triple Double Gems and Triple Double Patriot slots by Everi are linkable progressive games with proven math models featuring frequent and lucrative multiplier action.

Each symbol has a multiplier version, including progressive triggering wild symbols, that combine to award a large range of thrilling wins. Players will appreciate both themes’ enhanced multiplier features and bet options with available player selectable denominations. The Triple Double Series is available on the Player Classiccabinet with the Skyline top box that combines the traditional look and feel of the Player Classic with a vintage-inspired bezel for a thrilling reinvention of the classic mechanical cabinet.

For more information about these exciting slots and other new products by Everi, visit their website at Everi.com. $

Raging Stampede

By Everi

The new Raging Stampede game, a 10 reel, 60 line video slot by Everi, brings players up close and personal with fiery buffaloes showcasing unique features and bonuses with lots of opportunities to win big!

Players landing a fiery buffalo on reel 5 trigger the Raging Blast feature turning all buffaloes to fiery wilds for that spin for a chance for bigger wins while the Raging Stacks feature adds stacks of buffalo symbols to all 10 reels, possibly awarding a jackpot.

Raging Stampede is available on Everi’s new Empire Flex cabinet that features a 49-inch flexed display with eye-popping 4K content, flexible integrated light bars, and a larger enhanced glass button deck.

For more information about this exciting slot and other new products by Everi, visit their website at Everi.com. $

Buffalo Link

By Aristocrat

From the creators of Lightning Link and Dragon Link comes the next evolution of slot floor excitement – Buffalo Link. Housed on Aristocrat’s all-new Mars Portrait cabinet, Buffalo Link combines the thrill and functionality of Lighting Link and Dragon Link with the theme and features of the gaming industry’s most recognized slot brand – Buffalo.

Voted as one of G2E 2019’s most anticipated games, Buffalo Link introduces the player-favorite Hold & Spin functionality and five denomination sets to the Buffalo brand. Staying true to the legacy of Buffalo, Buffalo Link retains its classic Free Games feature along with exciting, new enhancements.

With 2x and 3x wild multipliers now available on reel 5, players will be looking for those signature base game Buffalo wins. Unique to Buffalo Link is a new mystery must-hit-by bonus, awarding either Free Games or the Hold & Spin bonus feature, bringing players an added chase on their bonus pursuit.

Buffalo Link introduces a Single-Site Linked progressive (SSP) with a multi-denomination functionality to the Buffalo brand. With Buffalo Link’ s Hold & Spin feature, players have an opportunity to win the SSP grand jackpot, a stand-alone Major jackpot, and two static Major and Mini bonuses scaled by denomination.

Look for Buffalo Link on your favorite casino floor soon. In the meantime, you can find Lightning Link at the following casinos in Arizona: Bucky’s Casino, BlueWater Resort & Casino, Casino Arizona, Desert Diamond Casino (Tucson & Sahuarita), Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, Hon-Dah Resort Casino, Mazatzal Casino, Paradise Casino, Quechan Casino, and Talking Stick Resort

You can find where to play exciting slot games by Aristocrat on their website at aristocrat-us.com/where-to-play. $

PROBABILITY IS CONSTANT

Examining The Real Truth At The Tables

Have you ever wondered how you could be such a great blackjack player and still lose regularly? Well, for most players, the best solution is to improve their play. For a few others, it might be to sit back and think about what might be going wrong!

Arizona casinos offer very liberal rules, and a quality Basic Strategy player is at less than a 1% disadvantage. Players who know enough to let the dealer take the first chance of busting against a small up card and to split pairs and double down correctly play at about a 2% disadvantage to the house.

Still, casinos hold (win) about 15% on their blackjack tables. Why that happens is tied to questions about losing and gaming probability that I get asked often. The answer, beyond improving your play, has to do with your hours of play, the amount you wager, and the ratio of your bet size to your bankroll.

If you start the evening with $500 and play on a $25 minimum table, you’ve only got 20 units to play with. A couple of bad double downs and a hot dealer will wipe you out. Will your next session be better? Perhaps, but there’s no guarantee.

The Gambler’s Fallacy is that when something hasn’t happened for a long time (like a winning session), it is more likely to occur in the future. Unfortunately, it’s not more likely to occur quickly. For blackjack, it takes thousands of hands before your 1% average loss per hand is steady. But don’t worry; you might win tomorrow!

What The Computer Says

Computer simulations show that a blackjack player is likely to see wide swings in their first few thousand hands. As the simulation passes about 12,000 hands, the average player is most likely to be within 200 units of where they started – but only if they don’t go broke first. That’s another reason the house does so well. They never go broke! So, again, keep your average bet size low enough that you have 100 units instead of 20. Ideally, that “unit” would be a bet size, not a chip size.

Even for card counters with a 10-1 bet-spread, there’s still a 5% chance of going broke with a 2,000 unit bankroll!

As long as you are playing a good solid game of blackjack un-

affected by outside influences like sleep deprivation and playing scared, you’ll do fine. Eventually, your results will resemble more of a straight line on a graph instead of a series of wild peaks and valleys.

To get to the earlier noted 12,000 blackjack hands (at 60 hands per hour), you’ll have to play about 200 hours. That won’t get you a sudden run of great cards; it will only confirm that where you are is where you’ll be as long as you keep playing at your current skill level. So let that inspire you to improve your game!

Are Side Bets Sinister?

No, side bets aren’t sinister. Just costly. A big part of the fun for many players is the dream of hitting the jackpot, whether at a slot machine or on a gaming table. Just keep in mind that the odds against hitting a big jackpot are high, and those side bet wagers will increase the house edge against you significantly.

What have you learned over the course of playing thousands of hands of blackjack? We’d love to hear your stories and your experiences. Send us an email to Editor@AZGamingGuide.com with the word “Blackjack” in the subject line. $

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.

BLACKJACK ETIQUETTE

Be Nice...Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You

lackjack etiquette, by definition, is an unwritten code of common courtesies for blackjack players. Gamblers, as a general rule, are extremely superstitious. And, if there is B a sudden change in their luck for the worse, any new element will get the blame.

There are no mathematical statistics to back up any claims by players that a certain event will change the flow of cards from good to bad. However, if you want to avoid being blamed for the bad luck of others, follow these simple practices and you will always be a welcome addition to any blackjack game.

Ask Permission When Entering A Game In Progress

Ask the other players seated at the table if they mind if you join. This is the polite way to enter a game. That way if the cards turn for the worse the other players can only blame themselves. If players have been winning prior to your arrival, and you fail to ask permission, be ready for some nasty glares and evil looks if the cards turn bad. The other players may not say anything but, trust me, they are not thinking happy thoughts about you. If you sit down and the very first hand the dealer receives blackjack, I would hate to be you. With the addition of a new player mid-shoe, the other players will blame you if the flow of cards changes for the worse.

Don't Split Tens Without Asking First

There are very few things that you can do as a blackjack player that will draw such an adverse reaction from the other players at the table as splitting a pair of 10s. If you feel the need to do so, ask the other players if they mind. That way, if you get their consent and it does cause them to lose, at least they all won't join together and form a lynch mob on your behalf.

Don't Be Rude

If you have the desire to smoke at the table at least ask the other players if they mind. I was playing a few months ago with a delightful elderly gentleman who was wheelchair-bound and required oxygen. A new player was guilty of one of the rudest and most inconsiderate acts I have ever witnessed in some 30 years. He sat down beside the elderly gentleman and lit up a cigarette. It was obvious that the man required pure oxygen to sustain life and this idiot was just blowing smoke in his face. I thought the man was going to die right there. Use some common sense. Be kind to others. The Golden Rule. Please!

Tip The Dealer

Blackjack dealers are paid a minimum hourly wage, so the majority of their income is from tips. If you have a winning session, take care of the dealer. They will be much more friendly the next time you see them.

Playing Two Hands At Once

If there is a spot open next to your seat and you decide to play two hands, it is always polite to ask the other players if they mind. Again, this is a good idea in case the dealer turns up a blackjack after you add the additional hand. If you play two hands, continue playing two until the end of the shoe. If you go back and forth between one and two you will be blamed for changing the cards if they turn ugly.

If you adhere to these common sense courtesies when you play blackjack it will create a friendly atmosphere at your table and that always makes the game more enjoyable! Send us an email at Editor@AZGamingGuide.com with the word “Blackjack” in the subject line if you have something to add about etiquette at the blackjack table. $ 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 books are available online at: Amazon.com and FreeWebs.com/TJsBlackjackCorner.