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Lottery News Card Room Action Casino Entertainment T.J’s Blackjack Corner $250,000 Game Show in Tucson Reel Reviews by Kevin Cummings www.arizonaplayer.com
Vol. 18 No. 11 • November 2010
THE VALLEY’S HOTTEST LAS VEGAS STYLE CASINO CELEBRATES ITS ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY! cover story on page 8
WWW.ARIZONAPLAYER.COM
Contents
PO Box 33393 • Phoenix Arizona 85067 • 602-373-8728 • azplayer@cox.net
Contributing Photography Cindy Esquer Tina Holt Production Assistants J. Russell King Charlie Scheeler David Ramsey John Olson Lita Sorensen Melody Walcott Graphic Design CommuniGraphics Editor Phil Scudella
Contributing Writers Linda Boyd Kevin Cummings Cindy Esquer Kelly Hawke Tina Holt T.J. Jorgensen Marianne Minneci Brian Mulligan David Ramsey Lita Sorensen Melody Walcott Shanna Wolfe
Special thanks to: The Public Relations, Marketing Departments and Management at Gila River Casinos for their help with this November issue of Arizona Player.
The Arizona Player is published the first weekend of each month. All claims or guarantees are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. All comments and views of contributing writers are their own and do not reflect official policy of the Arizona Player which assumes no liability for any advertisement not supplied camera ready by the advertiser. Reproduction or use in whole or in part without written consent from the publisher and Copyright owners is prohibited.
Vol. 18 No. 11 • November 2010
Gaming News $250,000 Game Show & Butterfly Winner
4
Entertainment
6
Cover Story Wild Horse Pass “Celebrates its one year Anniversary”
8
Gaming News Fright Night at the Castle
10
Card Room Action
12
Lottery News & Draws
14
Gaming News Trio of Winners in Parker & Charity Poker Tournaments
16
Gaming News Holiday Magic is in the Air & Millionaire Raffle is Back
18
Boyd’s Eye View Linda Boyd “Use It or Lose It”
20
TJ’s Blackjack Corner T.J. Jorgensen “Making Money Last Longer”
22
Woman’s Point of View Marianne Minneci
24
Reel Reviews Kevin Cummings Slot Machine reviews
26
Horsin’ Around Brian Mulligan “The Agony of Defeat"
27
David at the Snack Rar David Ramsey “Movie Reviews”
28
Bingo Directory of Games
29
Astrology, Jokes of the Month, & Casino Directory
30
ARIZONA PLAYER November 2010 3
gaming news Bob Eubanks coming to Tucson! Legendary game show host Bob Eubanks - original host of the popular “The Newlywed Game” is bringing some of America’s classic game shows to Sol Casinos in Tucson. Sol Casinos has introduced the “$250K Game Show Spectacular”, going on now at southern Arizona’s premier casino. This month-long promotion began on November 1, and ends on November 28, with a Game Show Grand Finale starring the affable Eubanks - an American television and radio personality who ushered in “The Newlywed Game’’ in 1966 at age 28. He was the youngest person to host a game show at the time and has hosted a number of game shows, including “Card
4 ARIZONA PLAYER November 2010
Butterflies prove to be Lucky! Sharks” during his long television career. Club Sol members can swipe their card daily for a chance to win $250K. Other prizes include free play, casino merchandise, bonus points, and bonus entry tickets into the weekly Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday drawings. All drawing winners will win a $250K Game Show Party Pack and earn a spot in the $250K Weekly Floor promotion. The weekly floor promotion will take place at Casino Del Sol’s Paradiso Bar and Lounge every Sunday at 7pm. The $250K Game Show Spectacular Grand Finale, with host Bob Eubanks, takes place at 5pm Sunday, November 28. The Grand Prize winner can win anywhere from $5,000 to $250,000! The Pascua Yaqui Tribe is a federally recognized tribe with more than 17,000 enrolled members. The reservation is located in southwest metropolitan Tucson. The Tribe owns and operates two casinos: Casino of the Sun and Casino Del Sol and is the future home to the 215 room Casino Del Sol Hotel and Convention Center. For more information - visit www.solcasinos.com
Robert G. and his wife knew something was in the air when they spotted three butterflies alight one beside each other in their garden on a recent Sunday morning. They were planning on heading out of town, but changed their minds when they saw the butterflies, believing them to be a ‘good omen.’ Frequent slot players—they were feeling lucky, so they went to Cliff Castle Casino-Hotel instead, to play on the “Triple Double Butterfly Seven” slot machines. Before too long and with only $60 they had allotted for gambling - they hit the jackpot, and hit it big, winning over $72,000! The couple said that most likely they will “pay some bills” and they also plan to put some money away. Cliff Castle Casino Hotel, voted the #1 casino in Arizona for eleven consecutive years is located just east of I-17 at exit 289 in Camp Verde. For more information - call the Castle Club at 928-567-7999 or visit www.cliffcastlecasino.net.
ENTERTAINMENT
Apache Gold Casino Resort 5 miles East of Globe on Hwy 70 1-800-APACHE-3 Apache Legends BBQ in the Pavilion: free live weekend entertainment with bands like: Grey Wolf, Blue Tattoo and AZ Rhythm BlueWater Resort and Casino 11300 Resort Dr., Parker 1-888-243-3360 The Dig Lounge: live bands, Tues-Sun Nov 17-20, Daemine Nov 24-27, “Vegas Road Show” Dec 1-4, Randy Richards Dec 8-11, Pilot Dec 15-18, Swift Kick Dec 22-25, The Mix Casino Arizona 101 at McKellips, Scottsdale 480-850-7734 In the Showroom: Nov 21, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr (2 shows) Tues-Sun, “Showstoppers Live Holiday Spectacular” A musical tribute to Elvis, Natalie Cole, The Four Tops, Whitney Houston and comic Sammy King Pima Lounge: Live entertainment and dancing nightly The Arizona Room Piano Lounge has free entertainment nightly Casino Del Sol 5655 W. Valencia Rd., Tucson 520-838-6506 AVA Amphitheater concert & event schedule: FREE live entertainment at The Paradiso Bar on weekends Nov 18, The Beach Toys (Beach Boys Tribute) Nov 19, Los Nawdy Dawgs Nov 20, Se Salen
6 ARIZONA PLAYER November 2010
Nov 25, Dog N Butterfly (Heart Tribute) Nov 26, IMAS Nov 27, Los Gallegos Cliff Castle Casino I-17 at exit 289 in Camp Verde 1-800-381-SLOT Stargazer Pavilion: Call for updated schedule Dragonfly Lounge: Free entertainment on weekends Desert Diamond Casino Hotel 7350 South Nogales Hwy, Tucson Toll Free 1-866-DDC-WINS Monsoon Night Club: Live bands or DJs Thurs-Sun Desert Diamond Casino 1100 W. Pima Mine Rd., Tucson 520-294-7777 or1-866-DDC-WINS Diamond Center: call for updated concert schedule Fort McDowell Casino N of Shea off Hwy 87, Fountain Hills 1-800-THE-FORT Lucky 7 Saloon: Free live entertainment Fri – Sun featuring bands like: Cowboy Floyd, The Realtones, Furious George and The Chris Lukert Band Harrah’s Ak-Chin Resort and Casino 15406 Maricopa Rd., Maricopa 480-802-5000 Oasis Lounge: Free entertainment on weekends with bands like Cold Shott & the Hurricane Horns, AZ Diamond,
BeatleMania Live!
The Doo Wah Riders and others Harrah’s Event Center: Call for updated schedule or go to harrahsakchin.com Hon-Dah Resort and Casino Highways 260 and 73, Pinetop 1-800-WAY-UP-HIGH In the Timbers Lounge: Mon, Comedy Club - no cover Tues-Sat, live bands: Nov 16-20, Tony Marques Nov 23-27, Copper Hollow New Year’s Eve, Billy’s Gone In the Conference Center: New Year’s Eve, The Classic Rock Rebels Lone Butte Casino 202 loop at the Kyrene exit – Chandler, 1-800-WIN-GILA Free live entertainment in the Cascades Lounge with bands like: The Hamptons, The Chris Lukert Band, Rhythm Edition, Martin Zimmerman, The Swing Tips and JJ’s Band Every Thursday – Season 4 of “Lucky Break” singing competition (thru Dec 16) Mazatzal Hotel & Casino ½-mile South of Payson on Hwy 87 1-800-777-PLAY www.777play.com New Year’s Eve Party with Todd Luxton’s Tribute to Elvis Paradise Casino 450 Quechan Drive, Yuma 1-888-777-4946 In the Event Center: call for updated schedule Sharky’s Bar & Bites: Live Entertainment every weekend with bands like Slick Nickel and Crucial Vibrations
Quechan Casino Resort 525 Algodones Rd, Winterhaven CA (5 mi W of Yuma) 1-877-783-2426 In the PIPA Event Center: Dec 2, Travis Tritt Sidewinders: Live entertainment on weekends Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino I-10 at Wild Horse Pass exit Chandler 1-800-WIN-GILA In the Ovations LIVE! Showroom: Nov 19, RAGE IN THE CAGE (cage fights) Nov 20, John Bonham’s Marilyn McCoo Led Zeppelin +Billy Davis Jr Experience Nov 26 & Dec 3, Comedy Line-Up Dec 8, The Smashing Pumpkins w/ OK GO Dec 11, Comic Rob Schneider Dec 14, Neon Trees w/ Paper Tongues The Encore Lounge: live entertainment on weekends with bands like: The Swing Tips, Michael Chain, The Chris Lukert Band, Tyrone D & the Ledge, The Hamptons, Route 66, and JJs Band Talking Stick Resort Loop 101 and Indian Bend Road Scottsdale 480-850-7777 Talking Stick Resort Showroom: Nov 26, Comic Brad Garrett Dec 1-5, BeatleMania Live “Degree 270” Lounge: live entertainment, dancing nightly and a spectacular view of the city.
cover story
The Valley’s hottest Las Vegas Style Casino Celebrates its one year anniversary!
Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino recently celebrated its one year anniversary on October 30th, 2010. As part of the evening’s festivities, the Valley’s only Las Vegas style casino commemorated the day with nationally renowned band Boogie Knights as they played many groovy 70’s covers in the popular Ovation’s LIVE! Showroom. Guests danced the night away and lounged on purple velvet couches complimented by glittering disco balls and lava lamp décor as they participated in the Valley’s hottest event, Feel the Fever. Complimentary cake and punch were enjoyed by casino guests as one lucky winner won a drawing for a cool $10,000. Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino opened its doors to the public on October 30, 2009. The $200 million project includes a 100,000 square foot casino with over 1,000 slot machines and 71 table games. There is a dedicated non-smoking area, 12,000 square feet of banquet space, 5 lounges, an 800 space parking garage, along with a 1,400 seat Ovations LIVE! Showroom, plus a 10-story hotel with 242 rooms, 8 delicious dining options and Chandler’s first night club AiRIA. Gila River Casinos is continuing to offer more excitement as the fall season and the holidays quickly approach. Don’t want to cook this holiday season? Looking for an exciting place to celebrate Thanksgiving this year? Run Wild at Wild Horse Pass with delicious Thanksgiving dining options including special holiday menus at Café 24/7 for $13.95 per person from 11am to 8pm and at Shula’s Steakhouse from 3pm to 8pm for $49.95 person.
8 ARIZONA PLAYER November 2010
Visit Gila River Casinos today to dance, stay, and play. With entertainment awaiting you at every corner, there is something for everyone at Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino, Lone Butte Casino, and Vee Quiva Casino.
Why stop there? Try your hand at the Valley’s hottest slots at the Gila River Casinos with over 2,000 of your favorite machines and over 120 table games including blackjack at all Gila River Casinos, plus live poker and poker tournaments at both Vee Quiva Casino and Wild Horse Pass Hotel &Casino.
And if you’re looking for something new and different - stop by Lone Butte Casino for B.A.D. Bingo (Bingo After Dark) with a live DJ, music, a killer light show and drink specials or swing over to Vee Quiva Casino (starting November 27) for “Bingo Eclipse”, take your choice – both locations feature the best late night bingo in the Valley! And sign up today for your free Players Club Card and you could win up to $1,000 in FREE Bonus Play! Dancing more your speed? Listen to the rhythmic beats of popular DJ’s at AiRIA nightclub inside Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino, the only place to see and be seen in Chandler. After a long day of play, relax in Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casinos 242 room hotel with well appointed rooms and upgraded amenities. Gila River Casinos is the only place in town to experience a Vegas style casino.
Come see why, Is This Your Lucky Day?
gaming news FRIGHT NIGHT AT THE CASTLE Cliff Castle Casino-Hotel’s “Fright Night at the Castle” Halloween party on October 30 was a screaming success! A total of $7,500 in cash prizes for best costumes in 5 categories was given away, including Most Creative, Scariest, Best Look-ALike, Funniest and Best Group Costume. Costume contestants showed off their costumes and guests danced to live music at the Dragonfly Lounge and also took part in the $1,500 Great Pumpkin Cash Drawing, and “Hot Seats” promotion Tickets sold out 2 days in advance for this event, which took place from 9pm-1am. A total of 200 participants took part in the costume contest and it was quite a an eye opening scene with a parade of players
10 ARIZONA PLAYER November 2010
in Costumes around the casino floor throughout the night. “As party’s go, this was a success,” said Tony Averitt, Director of Marketing. “Cliff Castle Casino-Hotel continues to offer entertainment and activities that attract people from all over Arizona. Our upcoming ‘Party’s at the Castle’ New Year’s Eve Event will be one of the biggest parties of the season in the Verde Valley area.” Cliff Castle Casino-Hotel - Voted the #1 casino in Arizona for eleven consecutive years, is located just east of I-17 at exit 289 in Camp Verde. For more information please call the Castle Club at 928-567-7999 or visit www.cliffcastlecasino.net
CARD ROOM ACTION Apache Gold Casino 800-272-2433 Dealing blackjack, daily at 10am
BlueWater Casino 1-888-243-3360
Dealing blackjack daily 9am-3am Coming Soon – Grand Re-Opening of the Poker Room
Bucky’s Casino 928-771-6779
Mon, 10am & 6pm, Hold Em, $30 - winners advance to “free roll” Tues, 6pm, Ladies Only Texas Hold Em Shootouts - $10 buy-in Wed, 6pm, Bounty No-Limit Hold Em Tournament - $60 buy-i3 Sat 10am, Hold Em, $30 buy-in, Pays 3 places, winners advance to “free roll” “Aces Cracked” wins $50 - Mon 11am1pm & 7pm-3am, Tues & Thurs 7pm3am & Wed 8am-4pm Progressive “Aces Cracked” Sat 11am11pm - Starts at $50, increases till hit High Hand: Mon – Fri, see poker room for details FREE Sunday buffet for seated players NFL Splash pots $25 - $100 – see poker room for selected TV games Dealing blackjack 24/7, “Blackjack Shootout” Tues at 7pm - $20 entry New blackjack “Happy Hour” Mon-Thurs – 8-9am, 3-4pm and 9-10pm, ask pit for details “Bonus 21” - Win a bonus of up to $75 in chips when you hit a “21” on 6, 7 or 8 cards!
Casino Arizona 101 & McKellips 480850-7777 Dealing blackjack 24/7 $ 5,000 “Wild Wednesdays” Blackjack Tournament every other Wed, 7pm $ 100 buy-in
Casino Del Sol 520-838-6565
Mon-Fri, 10 am, $300 added, No-Limit Hold Em, $13 buy-in, $5 re-buys Mon 7pm & Sat noon – NLHE Football Poker League - $1,500 Guaranteed - $35 buy-in, $6 entry fee Sun & Tues at 7 pm – FREE Poker League, NLHE - $1,350 Guaranteed Wed, 7pm, NLHE, $1,500 Prize Pool (w/50 players) $35 buy-in, $5 re-buys $10 add-on Thurs, 7pm, $3,000 Guaranteed NLHE, $85 buy-in Sat, 9am, $200 added Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, $ 5 buy-in w/$5 re-buys $5 add-on + $15 entry fee Sun, 11 am $1,500 NLHE, $20 buy-in, $5 re-buys Sat & Sun Football drawings – see poker room for details
Cliff Castle Casino 928-567-7952
Mon, Wed & Fri, 10am, No-Limit Texas Hold Em Shoot-outs, $25 buy-in Tues & Thurs, 10am, Limit Hold Em Shoot-outs, $25 buy-in Wed, 7pm, No-Limit Hold Em, $60 buy-in w/$20 re-buy Sat, Noon, $1,000 added No Limit Hold Em, $80 buy-in, no re-buys Sun, 10am, Omaha shoot-out, $25 buy-in 1st place winners in the $25 Shootouts qualify for Free Roll Shootout the last Sunday of each month Aces Cracked WINS $100 rack – Mon-Fri, See poker Room for details Also dealing blackjack 24/7
Cocopah Casino 800-237-5687
Dealing blackjack, Fri & Sat, 10am-3am; Sun-Thurs, 10am-2am 12 ARIZONA PLAYER November 2010
Desert Diamond Casino Nogales Hwy 520-342-1810
500 Added Morning Hold Em Tournaments – Mon & Thurs at 9:30am, $30 buy-in w/$5 sc Tues, 7pm, $100 added per table Hold-Em, $ 75 buy-in, with one $60 re-buy Wed, 7pm, $10,000 guaranteed* Hold-Em, $ 110 buy-in, no re-buys (*w/100 players) Sun, Noon, $5,000 guaranteed* Hold-Em, $ 50 buy-in, $15 re-buys- (*w/ 50 players) Also dealing blackjack 24/7 $
Desert Diamond Casino, I-19 866-332-9467 Dealing blackjack 24/7
Fort McDowell Casino 480-789-1424
MEGA Stack Bounty Tournament, Sun at Noon & Fri 7pm, $120 buy-in, $50 Bounties – no re-buys “Bounty” Tournaments, Mon-Sat at Noon, also Tues, Wed, Thurs & Sun at 7 pm, $30 buy-in, $5 bounties, BONUS, with 1 – 3 hours of live play before tournaments, Bounties increase to $10 $20 and $50 (Tournaments are NLHE except Wed, Omaha Hi-Lo) Mon, 7pm, $1,500 Guaranteed NLHE Tournament - $10 buy-in, $10 add-on & $10 re-buys Sat, 7pm, $2,500 Guaranteed NLHE Tournament - $10 buy-in, $10 add-on & $10 re-buys “Pocket Aces always win” - In live games - lose with Pocket Aces – you win the same amount as the winner (except river raises) “Play More = Cash More” Play live for 5 hours = $20 cash bonus, 7 hours = $40, 10 hours = $80 “Spin the Wheel” with Quads or better win up to $400 cash Also dealing blackjack 24/7
Lone Butte Casino 800-946-4452
Dealing blackjack 24/7 – with $5 games
Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino 480-802-5138
Mon, Wed, Thurs - $500 Guaranteed NoLimit Hold-Em, $25 buy-in + $10 re-buys Tues, 3pm & 7pm - $500 Guaranteed Omaha H/L, $10 buy-in, $10 re-buys Wed, 7pm- $500 Guaranteed Omaha H/L, $ 10 buy-in, $10 re-buys Thurs, 7pm - $500 Guaranteed NLHE, $10 buy-in, $10 re-buys Fri, 3pm - $500 Guaranteed NLHE, $10 buy-in + $5 re-buys Fri, 7pm & Sat Noon, $750 Guaranteed NLHE, $40 buy-in - no re-buys Sat, 5pm, NLHE, $20 buy-in - $750 Guaranteed Sun, Noon - $500 Guaranteed NLHE, $10 buy-in, unlimited $5 re-buys Sun, 5pm - $500 Guaranteed Limit Omaha H/L, $10 buy-in, $10 re-buys & a $10 add-on $ 50 Daily Splash pots on ALL tables, on the hour Mon – Fri, 9am – 4pm & Sat & Sun 6-8am Sun & Mon NFL $50 Splash Pots – 2 tables for a touchdown, 1 table for a field goal Progressive High Hand, daily 5pm-5am – and “Aces Cracked” pays $50 - see poker room for details Daily, Royal Flush pays $200 and Straight Flush pays $100 Also dealing blackjack 24/7
Hon-Dah Casino 1-800-929-8744
Mon, 6pm, 50/50, Hold Em & Omaha Hi-Lo, $25 buy-in + one $25 add-on Tues, 2pm – Mid, “Aces Cracked” pays $80 (first 5) Wed, 6pm, No-limit Hold Em, $40 buy-in, no re-buys Thurs, 6pm, Omaha Hi-Lo, $40 buy-in, no re-buys Sat, 4pm, No-limit Hold Em, $30 buy-in, $ 10 re-buys + $10 add-on Sun, 4pm, Crazy Pineapple $30 buy-in, $ 10 re-buys + $10 add-on
Mazatzal Hotel & Casino 800-777-7529
Live Poker daily - see poker room for details Sun, 1pm, NLHE Tournament, $25 buyin, no re-buys - $50 added per table Wed & Sun, 6pm, NLHE Bounty Tournament, $50 buy-in High Hands - win up to $500 Dealing blackjack 10am-1am Blackjack tournament, Mon, 6pm, $40 buy-in
Paradise Casino 888-777-4946 Dealing Blackjack 5pm-1am
Quechan Casino & Resort 1-877-QUECHAN
Sat & Sun at 1pm, No Limit Hold Em, $35 buy-in w/$5 re-buys Mon & Thurs at 1pm – No-Limit Hold Em Tournament Tues & Fridays, Omaha 4/8 or 8/16 Kill NFL Sunday Splash Pots! See poker room for details Live the Ultimate Football Fan Dream – Win 2 tickets to the “BIG GAME” Earn an entry for every 2 hours of live play now thru Jan 22, 2011 – Drawing in the poker room on Jan 23 Special room rates for poker players. Dealing blackjack 24/7
Talking Stick Resort 480-850-7777
Mon - Fri, 11am, No-Limit Hold Em, $60 buy-in Tues & Wed, 7pm, No-Limit Hold Em, $ 115 buy-in + $15 s/c Dec 4, 10am - $40,000 “Big Stack” Tournament - $300 buy-in + $30 s/c Dec 12, 9am – $40,000 Guaranteed Super Bounty Big Stack Tournament w/ $100 Bounties - $200 buy-in + $25 s/c Dec 5, 9am – Jack & Jill Couples Championship - $100 buy-in per couple + $15 s/c Nov 20, 9am – 8th Annual Thanksgiving Charity Tournament - $50 buy-in ($25 goes to the food bank) Nov 27 & Dec 18, 10am – $20,000 NoLimit Hold Em Tournament -$125 buy-in + $25 s/c Dec 11, Toy Drive No-Limit Hold Em Tournament – Entry fee $10 new unwrapped toy & $25 s/c Mon-Fri – $100 Hourly “Splash Pots” 6am-10am & Noon Mon-Fri, 3am-9am “Aces Cracked” Win $ 100 rack Also dealing blackjack 24/7 $ 5,000 “Wild Wednesdays” Blackjack Tournament every other Wed, 7pm $ 100 buy-in
Vee Quiva Casino 800-946-4452 – Ext 1042
Sun - Thurs, 11am, No-Limit Hold Em, $ 1,000 Guaranteed - $30 buy-in Wednesdays at 7:30pm, No-Limit Hold Em Tournaments, $15 buy-in, $10 re-buys Pro Football “Splash Pots” Sundays & Mondays – any team scores a TD – 3 tables are each splashed $100 – 1 table $100 for a FG and 1 table $200 for a Safety “ACES CRACKED” wins a rack – daily from 6am - max 10 per day Big Money Royals, Any Royal Flush wins $ 500. Progressive Rolling Cash Fever drawings during live play every other hour - 24/7 Also dealing blackjack 24/7 – with $5 games
Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino 800-946-4452 ext 7375
Mon & Thurs Noon, No Limit Hold Em, $ 30 buy-in, no re-buys Tues at 7:30pm, No-Limit Freeze Out - $50 entry fee – no re-buys Wed at 7:30pm, No-Limit Bounty Tournament, $10 0 buy-in $ 100 Pro & College football “Splash pots” Selected TV games Snap & Spin, “Aces Cracked” Mon-Sat 2pm-6pm, 9pm-Mid, Mid-5am, & Sun 9pmMid, win up to $1,000 in cash, “Aces & Faces Cracked” 2am – 9am Sat & Sun mornings, $800 per hour up for grabs! Big Hand – Big Money, win $50 - $250 5-6am, 6-7:30am & 7:30-9:30am Big Money Royals - Any Royal Flush wins $200 FREE ROLL Tournaments every Saturday at 10am – Log 16 hours “Live” play weekly to qualify Also dealing blackjack 24/7 – with $5 games PREFERRED LAUGHLIN POKER ROOM
Harrah’s Resort Casino 702-298-8529
Sat, Sun, Mon & Tues at 10am - No Limit Hold Em, $40 buy-in w/ $5 Bonus buy Wed & Thurs, 10am, NLHE “Bounty” Tournament, $50 buy-in w/$5 Bonus buy Fri, 10am, Wed & Thurs 7pm, NLHE, $60 buy-in w/$5 Bonus buy Sun, Mon & Tues, 7pm, NLHE, $40 buy-in w/$5 Bonus buy Fri at 7pm, NLHE, $100 buy-in w/ $50 add-on Sat at 2pm, Monster Stack Texas Hold Em, $160 buy in, no re buys Sat at 7pm, NLHE, $60 buy-in, w/ optional $5 Bonus buy Sun at 2pm, “Bounty” NLHE, $70 Buy-in w/$5 Bonus buy Plus all kinds of promotions; 80k in 80 days – guaranteed to pay out $1,000 a day with drawings and splash pots - see poker room for details on all these promotions
CARD ROOM MANAGERS Please send updates to azplayer@cox.net
lottery news
THE PICK Date
“Bank It Baby” is in the Bank Ralph Murrieta purchases Scratchers tickets several times a week. He’s been playing “Bank It Baby” since it was first introduced and happens to be the first to win the game’s $100,000 top prize. On his way to work, Ralph stopped and purchased his ticket. Instead of scratching it at the store, he scratched it in his car, but didn’t really take the time to study it as he didn’t
want to be late for work. While he was stopped at a traffic light, he began to study the ticket, did a double take, and pulled over to take a better look. He checked the ticket three times and then started to yell with excitement - No one stopped, but some people did look at him a little strangely. After a while, he calmed down enough to drive. When Ralph got to work, he immediately told his supervisor what had happened. His boss told him to leave and redeem the ticket immediately. However, before he left, Ralph took time to call his wife to tell her the great news. Naturally, she didn’t believe him, so here was his plan – First thing he would do when got home was to show her the deposit slip and the check stub - then take her out to dinner to celebrate the huge win and then the two of them would take their time deciding how to best use the winnings.
Winner Loves His Crossword Scratchers
30 Years of winnings!
Crossword Scratchers from the Arizona Lottery are extremely popular and their players are extremely loyal. A recent $100,000 winner on Crazy for Crossword, who requested that he remain anonymous, enjoys all of the various types of Crossword Scratchers. Our winner, who has been playing Crossword games for about two years, hadn’t really had any big wins on it, but enjoyed the game. Now he has an even bigger reason to enjoy it. Only purchasing Scratchers tickets once a week, our winner’s pattern is that he usually buys ten tickets at a time. He doesn’t always make his purchases from the same store, but always in the same area of town. As happens with most winners, after he scratched the ticket and saw the $100,000 amount, he rechecked the ticket a few times. Then, he had his wife check it, and they both kept looking at it trying to figure out what mistake they might have made. He checked the ticket late Friday, so that meant he and his wife had the entire weekend to worry about whether or not it was real – And It was! No final decisions have been made as to how the $100,000 is going to be used. Everyone in the family has a different opinion. Our winner’s daughter wants him to add a swimming pool to their backyard, and his wife would like to make a down payment on a new house, but our winner will make the ultimate decision.
When the winner of a recent “The Pick” jackpot entered the lobby of the Arizona Lottery to redeem his ticket, he already knew that he was going to take his winnings as an annuity instead of the cash option. The winner, who wanted to remain anonymous, bought only one Quick Pick for the drawing worth $1.7 million. He had stopped at an AM/PM in Tempe grab a soda and paid for it with loose change that he dumped onto the counter and realized there was quite a bit of change left over, so he bought a Quick Pick on The Pick. It was a spur of the moment decision that really paid off. The very next day while at the store, he remembered his ticket and had the clerk scan it. At first, neither he nor the clerk knew what happened, because the machine was printing out a long slip of paper, which was the claim form. After checking the ticket against a printout of winning numbers, the clerk, who seemed more excited than the winner, told him he had hit the jackpot - But the winner didn’t want anyone to know he had a winning ticket. And he remained very low key at the Lottery office till they showed him the amount he would receive every year for 30 years - Then his face really lit up. He has no plans to tell anyone about his win except for his immediate family. His plan is to invest the money for the future, including a college fund for his children, and take a small portion of his first check to pay off bills.
14 ARIZONA PLAYER November 2010
Numbers
October
01-06-21-22-24-28 06-11-18-24-29-36 02-03-09-18-21-33 01-07-15-24-31-41 02-08-10-16-26-34 04-17-24-30-39-42 02-07-12-15-29-39 02-09-11-15-23-32 13-16-18-21-33-38
02 06 09 13 16 20 23 27 30
October
01 02 04 05 06 07 08 09 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 25 26 27 28 29 30
POWERBALL Numbers
12-20-30-36-47 14-26-37-41-46 02-06-32-42-49 12-22-32-34-46 11-12-15-16-28 07-17-20-39-59 02-07-16-20-46 20-24-25-53-59 01-07-27-36-49
PICK 3 CASH 4 4-4-4 6-8-9 1-8-0 1-4-3 3-6-8 5-5-6 1-3-5 6-7-2 6-0-6 9-0-7 1-6-2 0-5-6 1-5-1 4-6-6 3-4-1 1-7-7 1-1-4 5-7-8 2-7-2 0-5-8 1-7-2 5-5-7 4-9-2 3-4-6 7-9-6 2-3-6
05-13-15-25 03-13-16-19 07-11-15-19 07-13-18-23 12-13-17-23 10-15-17-20 13-15-21-23 02-16-18-26 03-07-13-19 09-15-17-23 08-15-17-19 07-19-23-26 03-05-13-20 06-14-18-25 02-12-18-21 06-08-09-15 07-12-17-23 02-07-08-21 05-07-12-19 04-11-16-18 01-12-17-26 15-19-23-24 04-23-25-26 01-05-13-16 06-11-13-22 10-14-16-23
PB PP
25 24 35 2 11 17 34 15 39
4 5 3 4 2 3 4 5 5
PICK 5 06-08-15-25-29 09-12-19-29-33 19-22-28-30-32 05-09-30-32-37 03-10-13-14-17 04-06-11-31-35 03-15-16-28-39 14-18-21-27-32 09-20-28-30-39 03-10-11-23-31 01-07-10-22-26 11-16-28-33-39 11-12-16-31-32 01-12-24-26-28 08-13-24-28-38 03-11-12-19-35 11-23-27-28-37 11-13-21-24-39 07-19-20-24-26 03-12-15-23-33 01-03-7-17-35 01-06-12-14-38 03-16-17-26-37 03-08-13-21-26 04-10-28-36-39 01-11-21-23-36
Octoaber
MEGA MILLIONS
MB
MP
01 05 08 12 15 19 22 26 29
03-08-21-28-52 10-19-24-37-44 24-29-37-48-50 10-31-36-37-43 09-10-13-31-50 02-09-14-37-42 02-07-18-32-53 15-21-30-31-32 04-19-26-28-39
43 27 19 15 10 41 18 26 14
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
In Phoenix catch the winning numbers first on ABC Channel 15 at 10:25 nightly. You can also call the Lottery Hotline at (480) 829-PICK (7425) in Phoenix or (520) 325-9141 in Tucson. For outlying areas in Arizona call 1-800-499-3798. Visit our website at arizonalottery.com or see a participating Lottery retailer for the winning numbers.
gaming news Trio of jackpots hit in Parker BlueWater Resort & Casino had 3 jackpot winners in just a matter of a few hours in early October! First, on Sunday night October 10, a “Red Hot Jackpots” was hit by Judith Allen a transplant from Colorado now living in Lake Havasu City. Judith was playing the “Double Sizzling Sevens” and took home a little over $11,272 – “Red Hot Jackpots” is a two cent multi-level progressive reel slot machine. Robin Prodotti, VIPclub Supervisor said “Judith Allen and her husband Roger were so excited! They use to be snowbirds from Colorado, last year they became full time residents and are now regulars at the BlueWater Resort & Casino.”
Judith Allen and her husband Roger stand proudly next to the Red Hot Jackpots machine that hit big for them
16 ARIZONA PLAYER November 2010
Shortly after 1 am in the wee hours of Monday - October 11, the WMS Monopoly one cent Wide Area Progessive hit for over $182,000 by a regular visitor from Mesa, Arizona! Monopoly is a very popular WMS Gaming machine and BlueWater players love to play this game.
Ripley, California residents, Pedro Perez and his wife, next to the winning Double Diamond machine Later that same day, Pedro Perez and his wife from Ripley, California were visiting the casino to celebrate their 30th Wedding Anniversary. While playing the “Double Diamond” five cent progressive machine Pedro hit the jackpot for $63,971.50! Quite the anniversary gift for his wife! BlueWater Resort & Casino in Parker, is an enterprise of the Colorado River Indian Tribes For reservations or information, call 1-888-2433360 or visit www.bluewaterfun.com
Holiday Charity Poker Tournaments Every year there are some great ways to help others who are less fortunate and at the same time, an opportunity to stuff your holiday stockings with some pretty serious cash too. On Saturday November 20, starting at 9am, it’s the 8th Annual Thanksgiving Charity No-Limit Hold Em Tournament at Casino Arizona Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale. There is a $12,500 Guaranteed prize pool, the tournament is limited to 400 entries and 40 places are paid. Buy-in is $50 with $25 donated to charity from every entry. So please “Play a Hand to Lend a Hand” Then on December 11th at 9am, Its the th 8 Annual Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Christmas Toy Drive & No-Limit Hold Em Tournament. Here is your chance to do something special during this Holiday Season by providing toys for kids who otherwise might not receive one for Christmas. This Charity Tournament has a $12,500 Guaranteed prize pool. Buy-In is a $10 value (or more) new unwrapped toy plus a $25 service fee. 40 places will be paid and this tournament is limited to 400 entries. For more information call the poker room at Casino Arizona Talking Stick Resort at 480-850-7777
gaming news Holiday Magic is in the Air
The Millionaire Raffle is Back
Get ready for HonDah Resort Casino’s best Holiday Promotion ever! “Holiday Magic” started November 1 and will continue until December 23, with drawings three times a day, Monday-Thursday, at 11am, 4 and 8pm. Monday through Wednesday is for Moolah, but every Thursday, Moolah turns into CASH! Players who love to stay out late will love this - Night owls will be randomly selected to win “Midnight Moolah” Tuesday-Friday, and for those players who like to start the week by winning - there are two drawings for CASH every Sunday! And don’t forget the upcoming Slot Tournaments -- the Thomas T, Saturday, Nov. 13, starting at 1pm and Holiday Magic on Saturday, Dec. 11, at 1pm. Both tournaments require a $25 Buy-in, with a $2,000 1st-Place CASH Prize. One might think that would be incentive enough to spend some time in this winter wonderland…But there’s even more…Head up to Pinetop on Thursday, December 23, because Hon-Dah will be giving away a 2010 Toyota Tundra 4x4 Truck - What a terrific Holiday gift from your friends at Hon-Dah Casino! Hon-Dah Resort Casino and Conference Center in located in the beautiful White Mountains just 3 miles south of Pinetop. See the Players Club for more information or call 928-369-7330.
The annual Arizona Lottery Millionaire Raffle will launched on November 1st with more than $3 million in cash prizes, including a $1 million grand prize. A special Early Bird drawing for a total of twenty $5,000 prizes will take place on November 30. Players who purchase a Millionaire Raffle ticket prior to the Early Bird deadline will receive a FREE Powerball ticket and will also remain eligible for all of the 1,147 final cash prizes. Millionaire Raffle is one of our most popular seasonal games,” said Jeff Hatch-Miller, executive director of the Arizona Lottery. “With only 300,000 tickets available, we expect to sell out quickly and encourage players to get their ticket early so they don’t miss their chance to win.” Tickets for the Arizona Lottery’s fifth Millionaire Raffle are $20 each and can be purchased at any local Arizona Lottery retailer. Just 300,000 tickets will be sold, providing players with some of the best odds to win the $1,000,000 grand prize! The tickets will be sold in sequential order and sales will stop once the final ticket has been sold. In addition to the $1,000,000 Grand Prize and the 20 Early Bird prizes of $5,000, the Millionaire Raffle will also award: 6 prizes of $100,000 – 40 prizes of $10,000 – 750 prizes of $1,000 and 350 prizes of $500 Here are Key Millionaire Raffle dates: Nov. 30, 2010 at 2pm - Early Bird prize draw Jan. 6, 2011 at 2pm - Final prize draw Arizona Lottery players must be 21 years or older to purchase or redeem tickets. Overall odds vary by game. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, these materials may be made available in an alternate format. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-NEXT STEP. Please Play Responsibly
18 ARIZONA PLAYER November 2010
A BOYD’S EYE VIEW OF VIDEO POKER
Use It or Lose It
here are lots of interpretations of this old adage, some slightly salacious. In the case of video poker comps and cash, however, by there’s a definite literary meaning and it makes Linda Boyd perfect sense. That’s because ownership of casinos are changing faster than you can say “no business loans available”. Also, each casino operation has its own conditions and limitations regarding both cash and comps - What can this mean to players? Lost slot club points, for one. The euphemism used is purged, which translates to “make free of something unwanted”; in this case your valuable cash and comps disappear. Really it’s a misnomer since I can’t think of a single reason why players wouldn’t want their earned cash and comps. I had to learn the hard way to either “use it or lose it”.
heck of a time collecting. I had to move heaven and earth, to retrieve my money from one of these casinos. If you’re dealing with Native American casinos you can breathe a sigh of relief over ownership changes. But if you’re dealing with commercial casinos, especially in Nevada, you should keep your eye on the ball. If you read something about a sale or financial problems then make sure you cash in your points and use your comps before its too late.
One personal experience that stands out happened several years ago at a casino in Laughlin. They were changing the carpet which interfered with the computer system. I was assured that all of my points were being stored in the computer. I never received any of these points and several contacts with management did no good. The lesson to be learned is to make sure you keep track of your earned points and follow up when the device isn’t counting them. Casino staff wants to keep you playing so they will invariably tell you not to worry.
Comps:
Computer Glitches:
Cash:
Casinos in most jurisdictions have to either pay the cash owed or be able to demonstrate that players were duly notified of their purging policy. In the past most allowed a 12-month window of inactivity, but now some changed to six months. This means if you have no play on your account for six months your cash points may disappear. Also, with little warning, the amount paid for points could be radically adjusted. This is a category that is very clear--casinos do not have to honor comps from their predecessor when they change hands. In Arizona, some casinos only give discretionary comps (at the discretion of a casino host, but within parameters set up by the management team). My advice is to use them as you go rather than to attempt to stockpile.
Free Play:
Some Arizona casinos will hand you the bounceback cash when you go to the slot club with your mailed coupon. This is far and away a better deal than Ownership of some Nevada casinos change more often than some people Nevada casinos that make you download the free play on to a video poker or change underwear. Be aware that the new owners do not have to honor the slot machine. Worse yet, some Nevada casinos won’t even let you use it on some comp obligations of their predecessor and may or may not have to pay the or all video poker machines. Be aware that this cash or free play must be used slot cash due, depending on the laws in the jurisdiction in which the casino is within the specified dates on your coupon or you lose it. (As an aside, I find it located. Even if you’re entitled to the cash because the purge was sudden or telling that food comps can be downloaded at casino kiosks and so can promoplayers weren’t notified within the time requirement mandates, you’ll have a tion entries.
Ownership Changes:
continued on page 29
20 ARIZONA PLAYER November 2010
Last Longer TJ’s Blackjack corner
Making Your Money Last Longer
DBL = Double, OH = Otherwise Hit Player’s hand Action vs. Dealers up card 5-8 Hit 9 DBL vs. 3-6, OH 10 DBL vs. 2-9, OH 11 DBL 12 Stand vs. 4-6, OH 13-16 Stand vs. 2-6, OH 17+ Stand (except see 9+9) A+A Always split A+2, A+3 DBL vs. 5-6, OH A+4, A+5 DBL vs. 4-6, OH A+6 DBL vs. 3-6, OH A+7 DBL vs. 2-6, Stand vs. 7-8, OH A+8 A+9 Stand 2+2 Split vs. 2-7, OH 3+3 Split vs. 2-7, OH 4+4 Split vs. 5 & 6, OH 5+5 Double vs. 2-9, OH 6+6 Split vs. 2-6, OH 7+7 Split vs. 2-7, OH 8+8 Split 9+9 Stand (except Split vs. 2-6, 8-9) 10+10 Always Stand
22 ARIZONA PLAYER November 2010
o matter what size of bankroll you take to the casino, it is always more fun to win than it is to lose. If you agree with this statement read on because this is for you. People lose because they let the casino take their money from them. They do this by playing the wrong games that have to big of “house” edge, they are under-capitalized (their bets are too large for the amount of money they have in their pocket) or even worse they are playing the games incorrectly. Gamblers as a general rule want something for nothing, they want to win but aren’t willing to put in the time to learn “how” to win. I want you to make an investment - an investment in yourself. Learn to play the game correctly. If you are reading my column you probably already know that the game of blackjack has the lowest “house edge” of all the casino games offered at most of the Arizona Casinos. However to get the house advantage down to around -.63, you must play perfect basic strategy, and that will require some studying. Here is a simple basic strategy chart that will work for most Arizona Casino Blackjack games; The way I see most gamblers playing blackjack is by hunches or gut feelings. To approach the game in this manner gives the house about a 10% advantage. In other words you will lose on average $10 for every $100 played. By learning and playing perfect basic strategy you can reduce the amount lost on average down to $1.26 for every $100 played. By playing this way think how much longer your money will last.
Once you have basic strategy mastered you can learn the “Ace- five” Count and reduce the casino “edge” to almost an even gamble. This is a very simple count that assigns a value of -1 to aces and a count of +1 to 5s. You count the aces and fives as they are dealt to get a plus or minus value. Your bet size for the upcoming hand depends on whether you have a positive or negative count. If you want to learn this strategy you can go to my web site and click on the “Ace five” count. Here is my web address www.freewebs.com/tjsblackjackcorner (all small letters.) Since I am a card counter I have a mathematical advantage over the Casino each time I sit down to play, so I expect to win in the long run. Recently slipped into a local Phoenix casino and played for about an hour. I was shocked to see the poor level of play at my table, like splitting 10s, standing on 13 vs. the dealers up card of a 10. During that hour - one player lost $400, another lost $250, and another lost $300. I left $475 ahead. One player asked how I was able to win while they all lost. I replied, I took the time to learn how to play the game correctly. Until next time I hope you play winning blackjack. T.J. Jorgensen has been a professional Blackjack player for over 20 years. He is well known for his live tournament play, both locally and internationally. He has competed against, and beaten, some of the top tournament players in the world. He is the author of the book, "Beating the Casino at Their Own Game," available through his web site www.freewebs.com/tjsblackjackcorner or by e-mail TJ4justice1@msn.com
FROM A WOMAN’S POINT OF VIEW
A Little Bit of History
e all play the game, but do you know how the game of poker came to be. Recently I became curious about the origins of the game that I spend so much of my time playing, so I did some research and I was slightly disapby Marianne Minneci pointed to find out that no one is really certain of its start. Most theories are speculative. It seems that the beginning of cards as we know them today was first recorded by a Swiss Monk named John of Rheinfelden. John recorded a card game played in 1377 with a deck of 52 cards that ranged from 1-10 in value. This seems to be the best evidence that 1377 was the first year where history documents a card game being played with a deck of 52 cards. Card suits came later and were invented by the French somewhere around 1480. Prior to 1377 it is recorded that the Chinese participated in actual card games around 950. Even though the Chinese were probably the first to play games with cards, the deck did not consist of 52 cards. The game the Chinese played was actually closer to dominos than poker. The first game I read about that was similar to modern day poker was from India called “Teen Patti”. The game had betting rounds similar to poker as we know it and was played with 52 cards. It also used a number of poker phrases and had hand rankings similar to modern poker. Then we arrive at the old English game of “Brag”. It had betting rules and card rankings similar to what we now have. There were three different variations that were played using 3, 4 or 5 cards dealt to each player. Most importantly, the game was said to involve bluffing. Around 1850, the age of the Riverboat gambler was born. They were the early pioneers of Poker. Various forms of poker were played, including 3 Card Monte and early versions of stud poker. It is believed the name “Poker” came from the French card game “Poque” or the the German “Poche”. It is also said that because of the number of cheats and pickpockets who played cards, the slang word for stealing, which was “Poke” could have been the source. First games of poker were often described as “The Cheating Game” or “The Lying Game”. As for the modern game of Texas Hold-em Poker, it was thought to have surfaced around the 1920’s. I found this story kind of a witness to man’s
resourcefulness. It is said that because the game of Stud Poker could not accommodate all the Texas ranchers that wanted to play, Texas-Hold-em evolved. Because the playing cards would run out before all the players had been dealt in, they came up with a way to use less cards. Saying that it was invented in Texas because of the name seems like a reasonable deduction. The overall popularity of Texas-Hold-em did not surge until recent years when it became the game of choice for the World Series of Poker and later the World Poker Tour. Along with the history of Poker, we might also consider the origin of the poker chip. When gambling became widespread in the 18th century, people used various types of coins or things of value for wagering. Later substitutes like pieces of ivory, bones or clay were used. They were a good solution for a while, but soon some gamblers game up with creative ways to forge substitutes. To solve this problem gambling establishments began to offer a large plate (check) with a printed value. In the early part of the 20th Century, the chip as we know it today evolved. In the beginning chip value was determined by size rather than color. Again, the problem of forgery surfaced, so casinos responded by creating a specific design that was hard to replicate so the chips were unique to their venue. Later independent manufacturers produced standard chips using clay or cheap ivory. Manufacturers now use a high-pressure technique combined with a mix of composite materials. To hinder forgery it’s common practice for casinos to include microchips in their chips. Today’s standard chip is 39 millimeters in diameter with a weight ranging from 8.5 grams to 20.5 grams. Another thing about poker is how often poker jargon comes up in our everyday life. One of the earliest phrases I recall as a child is “He’s a Card”, my grandmother’s favorite sayings when referring to someone whom she found amusing. Years later I figured out that the phrase must be making reference to the joker in a deck of cards. Other poker terms or phrases we use without thinking are; beats me, blue chip, call one’s bluff, pass the buck, when the chips are down, ace up your sleeve, house of cards. Plus we have all-in, cash-in, up the ante, stack-up, poker face, wild card and others. I hope you find this little bit of history interesting. Until next time, “Have a Lucky Month”. Write me at azpokerlady@cox.net
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24 ARIZONA PLAYER November 2010
REEL REVIEWS by Kevin Cummings
26 ARIZONA PLAYER November 2010
HORSIN’ AROUND
The A gon y O f D efe at
he Breeders’ Cup started with a fight and ended in a brawl, as Zenyatta finished less than a head short of infamy. Blame it by Brian on emerging star Blame, who got first run on the Mulligan “Silky Sullivan” type and just held it together. Here’s wishing that the know-it-all pundits that dismissed Zenyatta as one of the greatest, because she was basically a synthetic wonder, eat their words, but that probably won’t happen. I went to my local track for the race, and the collective groan of “Ohhhh” by most of the crowd when she failed to get up, spoke volumes about how much she has meant to the public. More on her action in a bit, but let’s get to how it all started.
FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS Back in the 1960s, Gillette sponsored the Friday Night Fight series from Madison Square Garden in New York, and some of the great names of the sport, Rocky Marciano, Sugar Ray Robinson, Archie Moore and Willie Pep, were featured. But none of them were more spontaneous than the newest pugilist on the scene, Calvin Borel. Borel went absolutely postal after the running of the first Breeders’ Cup race of the year, the Marathon on a cloudy day at Churchill Downs. He had reason to be mad. Javier Castellano bulled his way under Prince Will I Am between foes, nearly forcing Martin Garcia to fall from his mount, while Garcia’s runner; Romp then impeded Borel’s charge, A. U. Minor. As soon as the riders were on the ground near the weight station, Borel started to tell Castellano exactly how he felt, but then started to pummel the New York-based rider, before being restrained by men around the circle, including his brother, Cecil. Minutes later, the stewards took action, disqualifying Prince Will I Am and moving A. U. Minor to third. It was an unprecedented moment before an
international TV audience, but things like this happen often, when jockeys put their lives on the line. The winner of the Marathon, Eldaafer, came off a near 2-month layoff to turn the hat trick, after winning an allowance race and a Grade 3 at Keeneland. His fledgling 30-year-old trainer, Diane Alvarado, recently went out on her own and obviously has done a stellar job with the gelding - The recap of the other Friday races continues, with a Flay-vorful story. The winner of the Juveniles Fillies Turf, More Than Real, is owned by none other than celebrity chef Bobby Flay. She got a great trip under Garrett Gomez, who was tossed from a mount Thursday, to cash by a cozy 2 lengths and pay a healthy 13-1. Speed held up well in the Juvenile Fillies, as a pair that pressed the lead all the way, dueled to the end with 4-1 Awesome Feather just holding sway to exacta player R Heat Lightning. Awesome ran her record to 6-for-6, and got a perfect 3-hole trip to win going away. Midday tried to successfully defend her title in the Filly and Mare Turf, but eventually fell to shocker Shared Account, who paid $94 and won in real game style. Life at Ten was a perfect example as to why you have to watch horses on the track before the race. She did not warm up well, with choppy strides for the Ladies Classic, and her rider, Johnny Velazquez, was “miked” during the post parade and warm-up and told TV analyst Jerry Bailey the filly was not acting properly. When all was said and done, Life and Ten walked out of the gate and was never a factor, as Unrivaled Belle got a great ride from Kent Desormeaux. On Saturday, we saw a future meteor in the Juvenile. The name is nothing special, but the horse surely is, as Uncle Mo destroyed his rivals in the Juvenile, coasting to the wire to win by daylight. The question now is will he be able to get the Classic distance in the Kentucky Derby. Mo’s sire, Indian Charlie, won the 9-furlong Santa Anita Derby, and was third in the Kentucky
continued on page 29
ARIZONA PLAYER November 2010 27
DAVID AT THE SNACK BAR Due Date «««
Peter’s wife is scheduled to have their baby in a couple days. He is on his way home from a business trip when through a misunderstanding he is kicked off the plane and stranded hundreds of miles away from by home without any money or identification. David Ramsey Unable to rent a car or buy a bus or train ticket he reluctantly accepts a ride from an aspiring actor, Ethan. Their personalities clash immediately making the trip a comedy of errors. Reminiscent of “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” this film lacks most of the heart and humor of that film. While the humor is uneven it does have the funniest and most unexpected scene I have seen in years and there are enough other laughs to warrant a matinee.
David’s Video Details Toy Story 3 «««« Andy is getting ready to go to college, his toys are preparing to say goodbye and wondering what is going to happen to them. Woody is sure they will stay together in the attic continuing to be Andy’s toys. Things don’t work out as planned and through a series of mishaps, they end up donated to a day care center and in a garbage dump while Woody frantically tries to save them all. This is the perfect ending to a terrific series of films.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World ««««
Unstoppable «««« After a mistake in the train yard a half-mile-long freight train takes off at full speed with no one onboard. To make matters worse there are deadly toxic materials aboard and it’s headed for a populated area where it will derail if it hits a curve without slowing down and could kill thousands. Nothing that the company tries works so it is up to an engineer and the conductor on another train on the same track to catch up with it and stop it. The action gets very intense and the suspense is edge-of-your-seat at times.
Scott is a normal guy with quirky friends who plays bass in a rock band. Then he falls for a girl he sees at a party but this is no ordinary girl. First she travels through his dream and then learns he has to defeat her seven evil exes if he wants to date her. This is a truly unique film - it is a romantic comedy with touches of the supernatural, video games and the graphic novel it was based on. Everything about this film is fun from the cast to the special effects..
The Expendables ««« Sly Stallone leads a group of mercenaries in an attempt to overthrow the corrupt government of a South American island country. There is a lot of action, bloody action, so leave the kids at home - the R rating is well deserved. When the action slows the plot is stupid but fortunately it doesn’t slow often or for very long. If you are craving a lot of fighting, explosions, and general mayhem, this is the movie for you. David Ramsey is the President and co-founder of the Phoenix Film Critics Society and a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (The Critics Choice Awards). Watch for him on the CBS 5 Morning News Friday just after 6am and on ABC-15’s “Sonoran Living Live” every other Friday at 11am - email David at David@ TheSnackBar.net.
28 ARIZONA PLAYER November 2010
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(602) 515-0230 continued from page 27
continued from page 20
Gift Redemption:If you notice they’re having a streak of bad luck. Derby, beaten by 2¾ lengths. His dam a gift give away advertised in your casino mailer, then find out what they’re offering as well as the requirements before planning your next visit. If it’s something you don’t want then you may want to re-schedule your next visit. The casino will be crowded for one thing. Also, do you want to spend time in a long line trying to get a gift you may not even want? Final Thoughts: There are a lot of players who deliberately let their slot club cash and comps build up so it’s available for future visits when
Saving your perks and casino cash is risky business since you could lose it all. It’s better to use it in smaller chunks than taking the chance of losing it altogether. Linda Boyd, long-time table game player before turning to video poker, also writes for “Southern Gaming” and “Midwest Gaming and Travel”Her book, “The Video Poker Edge”, includes free removable pay schedules and her free strategy cards for the most popular games. The Second Edition is now available at amazon. com, bookstores or Square One Publishers. Call Toll Free: 877-900BOOK or go to www.squareonepublishers.com
graduated at a mile, won at a mileand-a-16th on the grass and dropped a 5-route winner. History was made in the Mile, as Goldikova became the only horse ever to win three BC races. She took the Mile in 2008, with a 107 Beyer, and then built on that figure in last year’s score before posting the 106 Beyer Saturday. She is one of the ones. The big moment finally arrived, the crowd was on pins and needles, and they were treated to a brilliant Classic, and a very entertaining 2 days.
Take nothing away from Blame, as he is expertly handled by Al Stall, and has a right to get better. And Zenyatta may even get more respect in defeat. What a long, strange trip it’s been, and we’ll do it all over again next fall at Churchill on Nov. 4-5, so take a rest, recoup, but sharpen up those pencils for the next stars. Brian Mulligan was the main West Coast line-maker for 17 years for the Daily Racing Form writing under the non de plume of “SWEEP.” He continues to contribute to the Daily Racing Form writing “A Closer Look” analysis daily. ARIZONA PLAYER November 2010 29
ASTROLOGY & Joke Scorpio Oct 24 to Nov 22
Aquarius Jan 21 to Feb 19
Tauru*s April 21 to May 21
Sagittarius Nov 23 to Dec 21
Pisces Feb 20 to Mar 20
Gemini May 22 to June 21
Virgo Aug 24 to Sept 23
Capricorn Dec 22 to Jan 20
Nov 7–14 Nov 15–22 Nov 23–30 Dec 1–6 Nov 7–14 Nov 15–22 Nov 23–30 Dec 1–6 Nov 7–14 Nov 15–22 Nov 23–30 Dec 1–6
Stick to your guns Think positive Give it a try A week to remember Ship is coming in Wild adventure Give it a shot Nice trip ahead
Conservative play Big things coming! Family fun & Games Nice little win
Nov 7–14 Nov 15–22 Nov 23–30 Dec 1–6 Nov 7–14 Nov 15–22 Nov 23–30 Dec 1–6
Old pal returns Plan that special trip Exciting adventure Stick to your principals Nice profitable time Play that hunch Weekend of fun New special friend
Nov 7–14 Nov 15–22 Nov 23–30 Dec 1–6 Nov 7–14 Nov 15–22 Nov 23–30 Dec 1–6
Big surprise coming Cards flop favorably Not so crazy, was it Unexpected experience Play your favorites Cautious weekend It’s like a reunion Fun with family
Aries Mar 21 to April 20 Cancer June 22 to July 22
Nov 7–14 Nov 15–22 Nov 23–30 Dec 1–6
Lady Luck is smiling Double-Up, Then GO Big hit nearby Great time with old pal
Nov 7–14 Nov 15–22 Nov 23–30 Dec 1–6
Stick with your plan Good advice from pal Fun family trip You’ve waited for this
Leo July 23 to Aug 23
Nov 7–14 Nov 15–22 Nov 23–30 Dec 1–6 Nov 7–14 Nov 15–22 Nov 23–30 Dec 1–6
Risk pays off All you ever wanted Week of surprises Take the plunge
Change of fortune A needed trip is near Nice call from the past Crazy thing called luck
Libra Sept 24 to Oct 23
Nov 7–14 Nov 15–22 Nov 23–30 Dec 1–6
Terrific trip coming What a run of luck! New friend arrives Tide is changing
Joke of the Month The job is tougher than you think Court Reporters have a tough job, they try to keep a straight face while taking down information - here are things people actually said in court while the court reporters tried not to fall on the floor laughing. Attorney: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning? Witness: He said, ‘Where am I, Cathy?’ Attorney: And why did that upset you? Witness: My name is Susan!
Attorney: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact? Witness: Gucci sweats and Reeboks Attorney: Your youngest son, the 20-year-old, how old is he? Witness: He’s 20, much like your IQ. Attorney: So the date of conception was August 8th? Witness: Yes. Attorney: And what were you doing at that time? Witness: Getting laid Attorney: Can you describe the individual? Witness: He was about medium height and had a beard
CASINO DIRECTORY
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Attorney: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse? Witness: No. Attorney: Attorney: Was this a male or a Did you check for blood pressure? female? Witness: Unless the Circus Witness: No. Attorney: Did you was in town I’m going with male. check for breathing? Witness: No.. Attorney: Is your appearance here A ttorney: So, then it is possible that this morning pursuant to a deposition the patient was alive when you began notice which I sent to your attorney? the autopsy? Witness: No. Attorney: Witness: No, this is how I dress when How can you be so sure, Doctor? I go to work. Witness: Because his brain was Attorney: ALL your responses MUST sitting on my desk in a jar. Attorney: be oral, OK? What school did you go I see, but could the patient have still to? Witness: Oral... been alive, nevertheless? Witness: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law.
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