June 2015 by Arizona Player

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Gaming•Entertainment•Travel www.arizonaplayer.com

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Card Room Action Casino Entertainment Blackjack Corner – “Lady Luck” Horsin’ Around - Triple Crown Winner! WSOP Main Event Seat Winner at Harrah’s REEL REVIEWS - “Shadow Prince” by BALLY Vol. 23 No. 6 • June 2015

COVER STORY ON PAGE 8

WWW.ARIZONAPLAYER.COM

Contents

Gaming•Entertainment•Travel PO Box 33393 • Phoenix Arizona 85067 • 602-373-8728 • azplayer@cox.net Editor Phil Scudella Production Assistants John Olson Graphic Design CommuniGraphics

Contributing Photography Rachel Brockway Kevin Cummings Melody Hudson David Ramsey Melissa Rowberry Satara Williams SMP Communications Corporation

Special Thanks to: The Staff and Management at BlueWater Resort & Casino and the terrific effort that SMP Communications Corp. did getting this June issue together.

Contributing Writers Linda Boyd Rachel Brockway Kevin Cummings Cindy Esquer Melody Hudson TJ Jorgensen Brian Mulligan David Ramsey Aimee Rose Satara Williams

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.

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Vol. 23 No. 6 • June 2015

Gaming News Father’s Day Menus at Scottsdale Casinos

Cover Story ”BlueWater Resort & Casino with More Comps, Rewards and Choices

TJ's Blackjack Corner TJ Jorgensen “Lady Luck”

Boyd’s Eye View of Video Poker Linda Boyd “FAQ – Part III”

Horsin' Around Brian Mulligan “HISTORIC”

Card Room Action Table Game Action Around the State

Reel Reviews Kevin Cummings “Shadow Prince” by Bally

Entertainment Casino Entertainment State-wide

Travel “The Less Traveled and Scenic Route to Laughlin”

Gaming News “Cholla Prime Steakhouse Awarded” & WSOP Winner at Harrah’s 26 David at the Snack Bar David Ramsey Movie & DVD reviews

Bingo Directory Complete List of Bingo Games at Arizona Casinos

Jokes of the Month, Astrology, & Casino Directory

gaming news

Delicious Father’s Day Meal Deals at Scottsdale casinos!

skewer or warm spinach salad. A pan-seared ribeye will serve as the main course followed by a blackout cake. Prix Fixe $29

Arizona Room Patio Grill The Southwestern Cantina has guests covered this Father’s Day, serving an appetizing black bean hummus and sirloin lobster tail topped with a mushroom bordelaise under fajita vegetables & Chocolate Chipotle cake. $22

Salt River Café Treat your loved one to an order of Chinese pork ribs with a side of steamed jasmine rice and chow mein or fried rice with a pork egg roll. A blackout cake and soda are also included in the meal – Just $9.50

Bingo Hall Try their classic Philly French dip w/ french fries, coleslaw or potato salad plus dessert for only $7.50 Now here’s some fabulous choices at Talking Stick Resort Celebrate Dad’s big day with a variety of great meals as Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort are pulling out all the stops -- offering breakfast, lunch and dinner specials on Sunday June 21. Check out these terrific choices at Casino Arizona

Willows Restaurant Start the day with a hearty helping of strawberry French toast from 6-11 a.m. and costs only $7.95! The dinner special will pick up where breakfast leaves off, from 11am till 9pm. It includes; choice of soup or salad and a main course featuring blackened ribeye with herbed butter, tobacco onions, broccoli almandine and roasted red potatoes. A blackout cake will take center stage as dessert. Prix Fixe $21.95

Wandering Horse Buffet Here you will find a variety of international cuisines on Father’s Day! The special menu available from 9am until 7pm, will feature roasted garlic herb crusted strip loin, braised bone in duck, littleneck clams and mussels, grilled lamb chops, veal chorizo stuffed pork roulade, a wide selection of pastries and a champagne toast. All attendees will be served on a first come, first served basis – So go early! Adults $37.95; children (5-12) $16.95

Blue Coyote Café This special menu is served from 11am-11pm. Select soup or salad, followed by a full rack of smoked baby back ribs, loaded potato salad and cowboy beans, while banana chocolate jumbo éclairs will serve as dessert. $21.95

Eagles Buffet at Casino Arizona

ARENA Poker Room

The eatery, which is located on the casino floor, will host a champagne brunch from 10am till 3pm. An enormous selection of dishes will be up for grabs including lobster benedict eggs, omelets made to order, pancakes, French toast and a waffle station with traditional toppings. From 10am until 9pm, savor slow roasted smoked prime rib, honey glazed ham, chicken wings, beef lasagna, seafood platters, ice cream stations and so much more! Adults $29.95; children 5-12 $11.95

If dad enjoys poker he will love the Dad’s Day menu in in the poker room served from 11am-11pm – His dining experience begins with a Caesar salad followed by a carved NY strip loin. The meal includes mashed potatoes, with burgundy mushroom sauce and steamed broccoli, plus a brownie sundae for dessert, all this for just $12 Casino Arizona, located in Scottsdale at the Loop 101 Freeway and McKellips Rd. offers more than 100,000 square feet devoted to gaming and entertainment. Visit www.casinoarizona.com for information. Talking Stick Resort, a AAA Four Diamond Rated Resort is located in Scottsdale, just east of the Loop 101 on Indian Bend Rd. The property offers culturally rich experiences and luxury accommodations throughout its 496 deluxe rooms, casino, 11 restaurants and lounges, world-class spa, 650-seat showroom, grand ballroom, cultural center and over 100,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor meeting space. Visit www. talkingstickresort.com for more information.

Cholla Prime Steakhouse & Lounge Visit the property’s “hidden gem” and start the meal with a grilled shrimp

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Cover story

The Perfect Getaway

BlueWater Resort and Casino is vacationland for all seasons. Located on the shores of the Colorado River, BlueWater is a popular river sports mecca during the summer with a 100+ slip marina in which you will find Wakeboard Island, a 2-tower cable system ‘skate park’ on the water, set up to accommodate every skill level while challenging even the most seasoned wakeboarders. Vacationers can dock their boat alongside The River Edge Cantina and enjoy great food and their favorite libations. Children are welcome and families are encouraged to relax on their patio casual dining area. Each of BlueWater Resort and Casino’s 200 hotel rooms overlooks the Colorado River and the patios and balconies provide a perfect perch to watch amazing desert sunsets before a night of gaming and entertainment. The BlueWater staff will help you plan a customized golf outing for your group. During the spring and fall, golfers flock to the resort to spend their days on the links of Emerald Canyon Golf Club and evenings enjoying a host of gambling and dining offerings. Summer at BlueWater Resort and Casino is an adventure for the entire family because you have so many choices; on the water boating and jet skiing, or on land bumping over the terrain on an ATV discovering out of the way areas along the Colorado River. Then add to that night-time concerts outdoors at the amphitheater right on the banks of the river. Check their website at www.bluewaterfun.com to see upcoming show bookings for the outdoor amphitheater and the show room in the main casino building.

In addition, kids and adults of all ages can enjoy the BlueWater Cinemas & Arcade adjacent to the casino with the latest Hollywood releases and arcade games of all kinds to entertain the entire family BlueWater Resort is indeed, the place to be for some lasting summertime memories. With that being said, keep in mind that winters along the Colorado River in Parker are mild and consequently this area is known as a winter visitor gathering spot with dozens of RV parks within a short drive of the casino and free busing from Lake Havasu City and other La Paz routes. 8 ARIZONA PLAYER June 2015

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If you’re looking for a place to hang out indoors, the main casino you’ll find The Dig Lounge, The Atrium Bar, the Bluewater Grill Café and Buffet, plus The Deli for quick bites along with the best fine dining in the Parker area The River Willow Steakhouse. There is also excitement coming soon as the sky lights up at night along the Colorado River for BlueWater’s annual Independence Day Fireworks show will be held Friday, July 3rd at 9pm. The Colorado River Indian Tribes will also host a fireworks show the following day at Manataba Park in Parker on Saturday, July 4th - fireworks start at dusk.

Cover story

More Comps... More Rewards... More Choices...

On your next visit be sure and join the BlueWater players club. Every new THE club Members receive $10 Free Slot Play, 2 spins on the $100-or-Nothing slot and a 2 for 1 Lunch at the Grill. BlueWater’s Player Club is one of the most liberal in the country. They appreciate every patron’s loyalty and make sure to recognize that loyalty with coupons for food, beverages, hotel rooms and gaming play. BlueWater boast the most current and popular

gaming machine titles with over 500 slot machines, an intimate poker room, bingo, blackjack and carnival games tables. Don’t forget to register for your personalized player portal at mybluewaterrewards.com – The casino’s wish is that each guest has the greatest entertainment and gaming experience ever and if for some reason they miss that goal you can tell them your concerns through the Bluewater

Rewards online portal and they promise to respond to you personally. That is part of their service guarantee! BlueWater Resort & Casino in Parker, Arizona is an enterprise of the Colorado River Indian Tribes. The Colorado River Indian Tribes are proudly celebrating 150 years on the Colorado River. For more information or to make a reservation call 1-888-243-3360

ARIZONA PLAYER June 2015 9

TJ’s Blackjack corner

Will Luck Be Your Lady Tonight?

henever you walk into a Casino you always have to ask yourself “Will luck be my lady tonight?” All of the games in the casino are negative expectation events, which means if you play long enough you will lose. The only way that you can walk out a winner is if Lady Luck is with you, hit something early, and are smart enough to walk out a winner before the Casino’s edge has time to have its effect. For example, if slot machines are your game and they offer an 87% payback, you can expect to lose $13 for every $100 you put in play, in the “long run”. Notice I used the term “long run”. This means that in the “short run” you may start out hitting a couple of jackpots and get ahead, but if you play long enough, you will start approaching the “long-run” expected outcome of losing $13 for every $100. This is why you hear players say, “I was ahead but walked out behind” The longer you play, the more likely it is that you will walk out a loser. If you are lucky enough to get ahead during your playing session, to avoid walking out a loser, take your original investment and part of your winnings and put them in your pocket. You can play with the rest, but if you lose it, have enough self-discipline not to get back into your profit. by TJ Jorgensen

by TJ Jorgensen

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Hopefully understanding long run probabilities and now knowing that the longer you play the more likely it is that you will lose, helps you to walk out a winner. If you are playing for entertainment (which, unless you are a pro is the only reason you should be playing) always set a limit that you can afford to lose and stick to it. If you lack self-discipline leave your ATM and credit cards at home. Don’t chase lost money with more money, it is always financially disastrous. There is a reason that there are no professional slot machine players. It’s because you cannot overcome the house advantage, the casino will eventually have the edge. You might wonder “what is the best game to play.” The Casino game with the lowest negative expectation for the player is Blackjack. If a player puts in the time to learn basic strategy and plays it perfectly, the casino will have about a 1/2 percent or .52% advantage depending on the rules and number of decks used. This means in the long run the player can expect to lose 52 cents for every $100 put in play. However a blackjack player can mathematically overcome the house advantage by learning a card counting and betting strategy to turn the tables on the casino. This is the only way that in the long run you can expect to always be a winner, month after month, year after year. It is no longer a question of if you will win, just when.

In my book “Playing Winning Blackjack” I teach you how to over-come the house advantage by counting cards and using a playing and betting strategy based on your true count. There are 41 variations from basic strategy, the one most used is when you are dealt a 16 vs a dealer up card of a ten. When counting cards there is a point that the correct play is to stand in this situation. I win on average about seven out of every twelve times I play. To be more than a recreational player, learning to count cards is the only way to overcome the casino edge. Then you, not the Casino will have a slight edge. T.J. Jorgensen has been a professional Blackjack player for over 20 years. He is well known for his live tournament play. He has competed against, and beaten, some of the top tournament players in the world and has won the prestigious World Series of Blackjack. To contact TJ Jorgensen with questions or information on his books, send an e-mail to; tj4justice1@msn.com

A BOYD’S EYE VIEW OF VIDEO POKER

Video Poker FAQ: Part III Here’s the third and final part of recently asked video poker technical questions.

by Linda Boyd What does the term “full pay” (FP) version mean? FP refers to the best version of a game available and that may be an ER greater than, less than or equal to 100%. On rare occasions you’ll find a better than FP version of your game. Be warned that just because the FP game is available in some casinos doesn’t mean you’ll find it in every one. Years ago, before Dean Zamzow’s WinPoker software came out, both players and casinos guessed at the game’s ER. Sometimes you could find a game that, played correctly, would return over 100% plus any additional perks offered by the casino. However, without the software you would not be able to practice and learn computer-perfect play. Now smart players understand they need to learn the game at home before venturing into a casino and some (not many) play close to perfect as a result; a miniscule few play 100% according to Zamzow! What is a random number generator (RNG) and are they the same for VP and slots? You don’t really need to know the exact workings of an RNG in order to be a skilled VP player. In fact the way the RNG functions changes with each new generation of devices as the technology improves. My book, “The Video Poker Edge” goes into detail of how they work if you’re interested. It is important to understand that “randomness” means something slightly different for VP and slots. Both are arbitrary and you will not be able to find a pattern to use as a predictor of future hands for video poker or slots. However, a key difference between the two is that with VP each of the virtual cards has an equal chance of being dealt or drawn and that is not the case with slots. In other words, if you are playing a VP game and you are dealt three tens, then you can mathematically determine the probability of drawing the fourth ten. However, if you’re playing slots some symbols may appear with greater frequency than others and that’s why continuously “getting close” has no real meaning. If two video poker games have the same ER and game name, could there still be differences? Even if two games are identical, including the game-name, one could be better for you than the other. That’s because casinos offer incentives that impact the game’s ER. Variables to consider are cash value of slot club points (including multiple point promotions), current promos and the casino’s comping policies. Make sure the game you play allows you to receive slot club points, since some casinos exclude video poker or the full pay version of a game. Usually exclusions from points and promos are indicated on signage on or near the machines. Each player will put their own personal weight on these differences between casinos. The important thing is to make sure you have all the information and make an informed decision as to what’s best for you. Sometimes policies change so you must remain current on the benefits offered and their value to you.

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How can a casino offer a positive play and still stay in business? In the distant past casinos were not certain as to the game’s ER but they are now. That’s because the game manufacturers send them the theoretical return, assuming computer-perfect play. However, management teams grossly overestimate the skills of their players. Of course the actual return data is available for management to see on every device since those stats are kept and it’s significantly lower than the game’s ER. So if the game has an ER of 99.1660% the real house advantage will be higher than 0.8340% (the theoretical house advantage) but will vary between players. More important, for the casino’s bottom line is that they only need to offer a few good plays, while the majority of the games available will have a significantly larger house advantage. Sometimes food comps are the only difference between two VP games with exact pay schedules at two different casinos. If the casino owns the food outlet, it’s of value to the player but costs the casino very little. An example is offering a free buffet to frequent players rather than wasting food that has to be tossed at the end of the day. Harrah’s honcho Gary Love had it right when he challenged HET employees to find ways to reward players at little or no extra cost to the casino. Casino brass knows that players bring friends and family along with them before they gravitate to their favorite game. So even if somebody sticks with FP games there is no way of knowing how much profit is being made from others who go with the informed gambler. They do know that a full casino is always better than an empty one.

Linda Boyd – a long-time table game player before turning to video poker, also writes for “Southern Gaming & “Midwest Gaming and Travel” her book, “The Video Poker Edge”, includes free removable pay schedules and strategy cards for the most popular games. Look for her story in “American Casino Guide” (ACG) and her YouTube videos, also with ACG. Her radio shows will soon be available on iTunes. The Second Edition of her book is available in both paperback and kindle at 877-900-BOOK, amazon.com, bookstores or Square One Publishers. www.squareonepublishers.com

HORSIN’ AROUND

I S TOR IC

by Brian Mulligan

he drought is over, the Witch is dead, and Long Live the King as in the 37th year after Affirmed swept the Triple Crown, American Pharoah matched that glorious feat on Saturday June 6th and he did it his way in the Belmont Stakes. American Pharoah is now one of 12 that have won the Triple Crown. He didn’t break great, but still made the lead and he tow-roped his field all the way home. He went :24.06, :48.83, 1:13.41, 1:37.41 for the mile and he got the final time of 1 and a half miles in 2:26.65 He rated kindly on a loosely contested lead, edged away to have a 3 length lead at the top of the lane before extending to win by 5 and a half-lengths. The way he finished is what sets him apart from last year’s Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist. That runner tracked similar splits but he did not finish nearly as fast, as the final time of the Belmont last year was 2:28.52. He earned the same 105 Beyer Speed Figure that he did in winning the Arkansas Derby and the Kentucky Derby. The way he repulsed challenges is one thing that made the viewing of the race fascinating. Materiality, the 3rd choice that eventually finished last, challenged in the turn, and the winner just shrugged him off. Mubtaahij took a shot at him but he could not get within striking distance while Frosted, who completed the exacta, made his final run at American Pharoah and the colt just took out using another gear. American Pharoah’s final time was a fifth of a second faster than Affirmed ran. It was the 4th largest Belmont Stakes winning margin trailing Secretariat (31 lengths), Count Fleet (25 lengths) and Citation (8 lengths) and those 3 runners also won the Triple Crown. For trainer Bob Baffert, the win was ever so sweet. This was his 4th trainee that came to the Belmont with a chance to win the Triple Crown

and Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998) and War Emblem (2002) all came away without the glory. Watching this horse train going into the Belmont suggests he was going to thrive. The best advertisers call it the ‘It Factor’ and American Pharoah sure has “it” as he glided over the ground in his workouts coming to the Belmont. Similar to when a dynamic person enters an arena and takes over the room, horses are the same way. The style they show, the way they strut, the way they are not even aware of anything other than their own being, is exactly the way American Pharoah moves. What’s next for American Pharoah? First off, his trainer was extremely happy the way the horse looked Sunday before shipping to Churchill Downs, Baffert: “This horse today, for a horse who ran a mile and a half, looked pretty darn good.” The runner will stay at Churchill for a couple of weeks to wind down before heading to his home base in Southern California. Owner Ahmet Zayat indicated American Pharoah will race through the year. The Haskell at Monmouth is a possibility, as is the Jim Dandy at Saratoga. The Travers would also be a logical thought with the Pacific Classic at Del Mar a local goal. Zayat sold the breeding rights for American Pharoah to Coolmore, who will likely send him off to stud in 2016. His ultimate goal is the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which will be run at Keeneland on Halloween. Brian Mulligan was the Daily Racing Form’s main West Coast line-maker for nearly two decades writing under the non de plume of “SWEEP.” He continues to contribute to the Daily Racing Form writing “A Closer Look” analysis.

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CARD ROOM ACTION Apache Gold Casino 800-272-2438

Globe, AZ Dealing blackjack, and poker daily at noon NLHE Tournaments - Saturdays at 2pm Buy-in $25 w/one $5 add-on

Arena Poker Room at Talking Stick Resort 480-850-7777

Scottsdale, AZ IT’S BACK! The 11th Annual Arizona State Poker Championship (August 14 - 18) Over $ 1,000,000 in prize money! Buy-in $1,100 or win a seat in single table shoot-outs ($130) or Double table shoot-outs ($240) any time 10 players sign up to play 24/7. You can also win a seat in a satellite tournament, July 5, 12, 19, 26 or Aug 9 & 13 - Buy in $140 - 1 seat awarded for every 10 entries Mon - Fri, 11:15 am - NLHE Tournament $ 125 buy-in Mon - Thurs, 7:15pm - NLHE, $145 buy-in Sat, June 13, July 11, Aug8, 11:15 am “Super Bounty” NLHE - $240 buy-in w/$100 Bounties Sat, June 21 & Aug 22, 11:15am - NLHE $ 200 buy-in Sat, June 27 & July 25 at 11:15 am - Last Saturday NLHE - $160 buy-in Sun, June 21 & Sat Aug 22– NLHE Weekend Tournaments - $200 buy-in Sat, July4, Aug 1, Sept 5 11:15am - “Big Stack” NLHE - $345 buy-in Sun, Aug 23, 11:15am - Omaha Hi-Lo Tournament - $150 buy-in Sun, June 14 & Aug 30, Oct 25, 11:15am Jack & Jill NLHE Tournament - $110 buy-in per couple

Sat, June 20, July 18, Oct 24, 11:15am - $ 500 NLHE “Big Stack” Tournament - $500 buy-in Sun, June 28, Oct 18, 11:15am - Ladies NLHE Tournament - $110 buy-in Food Specials; Daily $4 breakfast or Steak & eggs for $6.75 (2 am - Noon) also $16 Prime Rib Dinner (5-11pm on Mondays) Also dealing blackjack 24/7

Bluewater Resort & Casino 888-243-3360 Ext#7649

Parker, AZ Poker Room opens at 4pm daily except 2pm on Sun & Wed Tues at 7pm, NLHE Tournament - $35 buy-in, w/one $20 re-buy, $5 Bounties

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Thurs at 7pm, NLHE - $40 buy-in, w/one $20 re-buy, $5 Bounties + High Hand of the Tournament Fri, 8pm - NLHE Tournament - $35 buy-in w/a $ 20 re-buy Sat, 8pm - “Big Stack” NLHE Tournament $ 100 buy-in, no re-buys Sun & Wed - Spreading 2-8 Omaha Wed, all day - Straight Flush $50 (Hold-Em) Max 3 per day Fri, all day - 4 of a kind $50 (Hold Em) Max 3/day Daily-“Aces Cracked” pays $40 and Royal Flush pays $200 Also dealing blackjack daily at 9am

Bucky’s Casino 928-551-5305

Prescott, AZ Northern AZ Poker Championship on Sunday, August 30 - $10,000 1st Place* Qualify on these Sundays Aug 2, 9, 16 & 23 at 2pm $125 buy-in (Limited to 50 players per week) top 10 each week are seeded into the finals on Aug 30 - (*bases on 200 entries) Mon - Fri, 10am - NLHE Shootouts $25 entry Mon - Thurs, 6pm NLHE $50 buy-in (top 3-5 cash) top 5 earn points for Player of Month (3 places $300, $200 & $100) Sat, Noon - DEEP STACK Tournament - $100 buy-in Last Sunday of the Month - Omaha Hi/Lo at Noon - $100 added per table $80 buy-in Every Mon & Wed - Spreading Omaha Hi/Lo “Aces Cracked” Wins a Rack! ($100) every day - all day, no limits in any Texas Hold Em game Dealing blackjack 24/7 - Now playing; Player Power Poker, Texas Shoot Out and High Card Flush w/bonus jackpot

Casino Arizona 480-850-7777

Scottsdale, AZ Blackjack Tournaments: Tues, noon $1,000 added “Break at Noon” $ 50 buy-in Fri, 2:30am - The “Great Late” Tournament, $ 25 buy-in Dealing blackjack 24/7

Casino Del Sol 520-838-6565

Tucson, AZ Mon - Fri, 10 am - $800 Guaranteed (with 30 players) NLHE, $10 buy-in w/$5 chip-up, plus 2 - $10 add-ons Sun & Wed, 7pm - $800 guaranteed NLHE, $15 buy-in/Opt $15 add-on

Thurs, 7pm - $5,000 deep stack NLHE, $100 buy-in no re-buys Sun 11am - $1,500 Guaranteed NLHE, $45 buy-in - no re-buys Sat, 9am - $200 added Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, $15 buy-in, $5 re-buys + $5 add-on Mon 7pm & Sat noon - $1,000 NLHE - $35 buy-in - no re-buys with opt $5 chip-up New “$30 Splash Pots” Tues & Thurs (up to 3 times per hour) 12:30pm - 4:30pm - see poker room for details New “High Hand” Wed, Fri & Sat (12:30 11:30pm) & Sun (12:30 - 5pm) every hour & ½ - win $50 to $200 ALL NEW! “Hot Poker Spot” Not available at any other casino - a side bet on all Hold-em tables. $1 side bet - Win up to $1,000! Dealing Blackjack 24/7 JUST ADDED: These New Games featuring; High Card Flush, IN Bet and WAR Blackjack

Cliff Castle Casino Hotel 928-567-7952

Camp Verde, AZ Come Visit our all new Poker Room! Mon-Fri, 10am - NLHE Shoot-out, $30 buy-in, w/no re-buys Wed, 7pm - NLHE Tournament $60 buy-in Wed, 8pm - Mid “$100 Splash pots each hour Thurs, 6:30pm - NLHE Tournament $20 buy-in - Max 2 tables - re-enter first 10 minutes Fri, 7pm - NLHE Shoot-outs, $ 150 added per table of 10 - $25 buy-in - no re-buys (re-enter first 15 min) Sat, Noon - $100 added per table of 10– NLHE $50 buy-in (optional $5 dealer appreciation add-on) All Week - Royal Flush pays $100 “Aces Cracked” Sun - Fri, Win $100 –max 4 per day Saturdays - $50 High hand each hour from open till midnight

Wednesdays - 8pm-Mid “$100 Splash Pots” / $ 50 each if 2 tables Also dealing blackjack - 9am - 2am (MonThurs) 9am - 4am (Fri & Sat)

Cocopah Casino 800-237-5687

Somerton, AZ Dealing blackjack daily at 10am

Desert Diamond Casino Hotel 520-342-1810

Tucson, AZ Mon & Thurs at 9:30 am, plus Tues & Wed at 7pm $500 added NLHE - $35 buy-in no re-buys Daily - Any Royal Flush $200 Hold Em, $100

Omaha, Straight Flush $100 Hold Em, $50 Omaha Special Poker Room menu at ½ off regular prices

Dealing blackjack 24/7 with new progressive side bet and 3 card poker side bet

Desert Diamond I-19 Casino 1-866-332-9467 Sahuarita, AZ Dealing blackjack 24/7

Fort McDowell Casino 480-789-4284

Fountain Hills, AZ Mon-Fri at Noon NLHE - $30 buy-in - $20 add-on - No-rebuys Mon at 7pm, Omaha High/Low - $5 buy in w/$5 re-buys - plus at the break $5 -$20 add-on Tues,Thurs & Sun at 7pm - NLHE - $5 buy-in Fri, 7pm, NLHE - $60 buy-in w/one $10 dealer add-on for additional $5,000 in chips Sat at Noon & 4pm - NLHE - $5 buy-in Sat at 7pm, NLHE Deep Stack tournament $ 50 buy-in w/opt $30 add-on Sun, Noon & Wed at 7pm - NLHE - $10 buy-in, $ 5 re-buys & Double $20 add-on at the break Sun, June 14, July 19, Aug 16 & Sept 20, 10am - Ladies NLHE Poker Tournament - $60 Buy-in Plus Opt $10 Dealer Appreciation “Aces Cracked” 24/7 win $100 during first 2 hours of live play, $200 during 3rd hour, 4th hour and after pays $400 “Easy way Jackpot” Aces full of tens beaten by Quads or better wins Jackpot! “High Hand Spin” - with 4 of a kind or better win up to $599 & each live table is splashed with amount

Dealing blackjack 24/7, w/Free bet blackjack, also split Aces up to 4 times & hit more than once and Double Down after first hit!

Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino 480-802-5138

Maricopa, AZ Tues, 7:30pm - Limit Omaha Hi/Lo -$60 buy-in no re-buys or add-ons Wed, 7;30pm - LADIES ONLY - NLHE, $30 buy-in w/1 $15 re-buy Thurs, 7:30pm - NLHE, $20 Buy-in plus three $ 10 re-buys & two $10 add-ons Fri, 7:30pm - $1,000 Guaranteed NLHE, $60 buy-in w/three $10 re-buys & one $20 add-on at break

Sat, 12:30pm - NLHE $ 50 added per table $ 50 buy-in

Sun 12:30pm - NLHE - $15 buy-in w/two $10 add-ons at the break (Maricopa residents have FREE entry) Aces Cracked - Black aces $100, Red Aces $ 50 & Mixed $25 (Bonus mid-9am=double) Mon-Sun, all-day “Pick-Em 50-25-25” Two cards are picked at beginning of the day

(& Posted) any player matching those hold cards and winning the hand wins $50, the table is splashed $25 and there is a $25 hot seat drawing. Mon-Sun (9am-6:30pm) $20 - 40 Splash pots every ½ hour depending on type of live game All-Day Everyday - “Steel Wheel Bonus” for Omaha & Stud - Win $50 - $200 per suit Daily 7pm - 1am, “Hourly Trips High Hand” $ 50 per hour Hold’em & Mixed Also dealing blackjack 24/7 - including “Push the bet”

Hon-Dah Casino 928-369-7555

Pinetop, AZ Open Mon-Fri at 4pm - Sat & Sun at 2pm, “early bird” tournament chips available daily Mon, 6pm - High Hand Hold Em - $40 buy-in no re-buys Tues, 6pm - NLHE “Speed Shoot-Out” $15 buy-in (no re-buys) $2 chip-up Wed, 6pm - NLHE, Double Stack $25 buy-in (4,000 chips) $25 add-on (8,000 chips) Thurs, 6pm - Omaha Hi-Lo - $40 buy-in, no re-buys Fri, 6pm - NLHE - “$25 Bounty” Tournament, $ 45 buy-in w/$10 re-buys and $10 add-on Sat, 4pm - NLHE, $30 buy-in, $10 re-buys + $ 10 add-on Sun, 4pm, Crazy Pineapple $30 buy-in, $10 re-buys + $10 add-on Sun - Thurs - $50 Aces Cracked (Hold Em) 7pm-close Fri & Sat - $100 High Hand (Hold Em)

Lone Butte Casino 800-946-4452

Chandler, AZ Dealing blackjack 24/7 - Linked Progressive Jackpots for “Crazy 4 Poker” & Ultimate Texas Hold EM starts at $10,000 and grows at all 3 Gila River Casinos!

Mazatzal Hotel & Casino 800-777-7529

Payson, AZ Live poker Wed –Sun at 10am, High Hands, win up to $250 Wed & Sun at 6pm NLHE Tournament, $50 buy-in no-re buys Sat at 3pm, NLHE Tournament, $25 buy-in - no re-buys Aces cracked “wins a rack” various times daily - Max 3 per day (see poker room for details) Dealing blackjack 10am to 1am, with $3 games daily till 3pm Mon - 6pm, Blackjack Tournament $40 buy-in w/two $25 re-buys Bonus Blackjack get dealt a 6, 7 or 8 card “21” win up to $200

Quechan Casino Resort 1-877-783-2426

Winterhaven, CA Open Wed-Sun at 10am, and Mon, Tues at 5pm - spreading 4/8 Hold Em with a kill, 4/8 Omaha hi-low split with a kill also 3-6 & 4-8 limit Texas Hold-Em, plus 1-3 & 2-5 No Limit Texas Hold Em Sat, 1pm $ 2,500 Guaranteed NLHE Tournaments $60 buy-in Sun, 1pm NLHE Tournament $40 buy-in Thurs, 7pm NLHE Deep Stack - $80 buy-in Dealing blackjack 24/7 - Special room rates for poker players

Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort 928-856-7244

Flagstaff, AZ Live Poker daily - call for games & tournaments - also dealing blackjack 24/7

Vee Quiva Hotel & Casino 800-946-4452 Ext#1507

CARD ROOM ACTION

Laveen, AZ Wed, 7:30pm, **NLHE “Freeze Out”$40 buy - in w / opt $10 S taff fee at the break for added chips

Sat, 11:15 am, (weekly except 1st Sat) **NLHE “Freeze Out”$40 buy-in w/Opt $ 10 Staff fee (before 1st hand) $20 add-on at break

1st Saturday of each month at 12:15pm “Super Stack” NLHE ($110 buy-in for $ 10,000 in chips) Optional $20 Staff fee (before your first hand) for add’l $5,000 in chips , also $20 add - on at the break for additional $8,000 in chips Sun 11:15 am, **NLHE “Freeze Out”$30 buy - in w /O pt $10 S taff fee ( before play ) & $20 add-on at the break Big Money Royals, Any Royal Flush wins $ 200 - Plus if Royal is flopped - you spin the wheel to win up to $300 more ! “ACES CRACKED” spins the wheel - win up $300 ( see poker room for details ) **Tournaments allow “Early Bird Chips” for live play before tournament - 1 st & 2nd place at final table qualify for the “Tournament of Champions” FREE ROLL each quarter - Next one is Aug 29th. Dealing blackjack 24/7 - Friday Afternoon Blackjack Tournament at 4pm - $30 buy-in (registration starts at 2pm) Linked Progressive Jackpots for “Crazy 4 Poker” & ULTIMATE Texas Hold EM starts at $10,000 and grows daily at all 3 Casinos! PAI GOW Progressive Jackpot is growing again !

Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino 800946-4452 Ext #7375

Chandler,AZ Mon & Thurs Noon - NLHE, $30 buy-in, no re-buys - $150 added per table Tues & Wed, 7:30pm - NLHE Freeze Out - $50 entry fee w/$10 optional add-on - $1,000 added to prize pool

Sun, 3:30pm, NLHE - $30 buy- in, $5 dealer add-on, $20 add-at the break & bonus chips for play before tournament

“Aces Cracked” Win a Rack - Sun 11pm until Fri at 6pm “Rolling Cash Fever” Drawing every other hour 24/7, $100 min, increases by $100 if not hit - must go at 11pm on Mondays Big Money Royals - Any Royal Flush wins $ 200 & a spin - any straight flush gets to spin the wheel - win up to $1,000 NEW! “Super Jackpot” Quad 10s or better beaten wins jackpot that increases $1,000 per day thru June & $500 per day starting July 1! Food specials: ½ price poker room menu Also dealing blackjack 24/7 - including “Push your bet” Linked Progressive Jackpots for “Crazy 4 Poker” & Ultimate Texas Hold Em starts at $10,000 and grows at all 3 Gila River Casinos! PAI GOW Progressive Jackpot is growing again!

CARD ROOM MANAGERS Please send updates to azplayer@cox.net

ARIZONA PLAYER June 2015 17

Reel Reviews by Kevin Cumming

entertainment Apache Gold Casino Resort

Casino Del Sol

Cliff Castle Casino Hotel

The POINT Sports Bar & Grill:

Paradiso Bar:

Stargazer Pavilion:

(5 miles East of Globe on Hwy 70) 1-800-272-2438

Big screens to watch your favorite teams and lots more!

Outdoor Stage:

June 20 - Apache Reggae Jam2 featuring; J.Boog, Stick Figures and Black Bottom Lighters July 3 - FREE, Eastern Arizona’s biggest Fireworks show at dusk, followed by a FREE concert with country star Marty Stuart

5655 W. Valencia Rd. Tucson 520-838-6506 Free entertainment, Live bands weekends; Tribute bands on Thursdays

I-17 at exit 289 in Camp Verde 1-800-381-SLOT June 27 - The Beach Boys

Beach Boys

AVA Amphitheater:

June 20 - TEJANO Father’s Day Concert featuring A.J. Castillo w/Albert Zamora and Conjunto Romo

Kenny Chesney

BlueWater Resort and Casino 11300 Resort Dr., Parker 1-888-243-3360

BlueWater Showroom:

June 20, 7pm - MMA-Cage Rage 9

River’s Edge Cantina:

Sunday evenings - Live Reggae music

Dig Lounge:

Deejays at 5pm - Oldies on Sun & Mon and Sports on the big screens

Outdoors:

July 3 - FREE Fireworks show at 9pm Wakeboard Island is now OPEN!

Casino Arizona

101 at McKellips, Scottsdale 480-850-7734

Showroom:

June 12 - Strange Days (Doors Tribute Band) June 26 - BONFIRE (AC/DC Tribute) July 3 - The Rising (Bruce Springsteen Tribute) July 10 - Pick Your Poison (Tribute to POISON) July 24 - Iron Maidens (Tribute Band) July 31 - Doobies Inc. (Tribute to the Doobie Brothers)

Arizona Room Patio Grill:

Mon - Redneck Rockstars (8pm) Tues– Latin Fire (dance lessons 6-8pm) Wed - Country dance instruction w/Laina Lee, (6-8pm) Daisy Train at 8pm Thurs - Country dance instruction w/Laina Lee (6-8pm) Tommy Ash Band at 8pm

Bingo Hall:

Fri & Sat at Midnight, L-8 Nite Bingo! Music, light show & dancing w/host Corina & DJ Kenji!

20 ARIZONA PLAYER June 2015

July 3 - 21st Birthday Celebration featuring a Kenny Chesney Concert! PLUS Fireworks Extravaganza at 8:30pm July 4 - Calibre 50 w/Banda Carnaval July 10 - Comedy of Cheech and Chong & WAR July 18 - Intocable w/Cardenales, HNOS, Vega and Invasores July 24 - Espinoza Paz Aug 9 - Fall Out Boy Aug 12 - JUANES Aug 21 - Peter Frampton & Cheap Trick Aug 26 - “Weird Al” Yankovic Sept 2 - TOTO w/special guest YES Sept 4 - Chayanne Sept 23 - Ricky Martin (One World Tour)

Conference Center:

June 28 - Comedy of Bill Burr Aug 6 - Comedy of SNL legends Kevin Nealon & Norm McDonald

Oasis Pool Bar:

July 6 - The Soak Pool Party - 1-6pm w/ DJ Blade fun contests and prizes (18 and over event)

July 25 - Happy Together Tour w/The Turtles, Mark Lindsay, The Grass Roots, The Buckinghams and The Cowsills

Dragonfly Lounge

live music on weekends featuring: June 19 & 20 - Uproot (Reggae) June 26 & 27 - Rhythm Edition July 3 & 4 - Mike Reeves Band July 10 & 11 - Stateline July 17 & 18 - Apache Spirit July 31 - Kill Babylon Coalition

Desert Diamond Casino Hotel 7350 South Nogales Hwy, Tucson 1-866-332-9467

Monsoon Night Club:

Live bands or DJ on weekends Fridays - “Dance Fusion” w/ DJ Blade Saturdays - “Noches Caliente” Hottest Tex Mex & Tejano music w/ Los Gallegos, Angel Norteno or Los Centenarios

entertainment

Desert Diamond Casino I -19

Gin Blossoms

1100 West Pima Mine Road, Sahuarita 1-866-332-9467

Harrah’s Ak-Chin Resort and Casino 15406 Maricopa Rd., Maricopa 480-802-5000

THE LOUNGE:

Diamond Center:

Weekends in The Lounge starting at 8pm (no cover) June 19 - Marshall Tucker Band June 27 - JT Hodges July 3 - Micky Dolenz (founding member of The Monkees) Aug 7 - Jo Dee Messina

June 27 - REO Speeswagon July 11 - Natalia Jimenez July 24 - Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo

Jo Dee Messina

DL Hughley Aug 1 - DL Hughley Aug 22 - Three Dog Night Sept 5 - Comedian & Impressionist Frank Caliendo

Sports Bar:

Mon - Fri 5pm -2am, Sat & Sun 10am-2am w/Sports on big screens, Karaoke Wednesdays, DJ nightly, plus DJ or live bands on Fri & Sat nights

Fort McDowell Casino

N of Shea off Hwy 87, Fountain Hills 1-800-THE-FORT

OUTDOORS:

July 3 - Circle of Friends Tour w/Gin Blossoms, Fastball and the Rembrants - PLUS Amazing Fireworks show after the concert July 4 - Fabulous 4th at the FORT featuring “Britains’s

Finest (Beatles Tribute) plus Kenny Metcalf as Elton John and Damage Inc (Tribute to Metallica) followed by area’s biggest Fireworks show!

Lucky 7 Saloon:

Free entertainment weekends w/ Mogollon Band featuring Duane Moore

Bingo Hall:

1st Saturday of each month - Late Night Lunar Bingo w/ music & giveaways Updates: fortmcdowellcasino.com

ARIZONA PLAYER June 2015 21

entertainment

Aug 8 - The Wailers Sunday -Thursday: Noon-4pm & 5-8pm w/bands; Yesterday once more, Notes from Neptune, Van & Melanie, John Eric Duo, Thaddeus Rose, Joe Costello Project, Al Ortiz, John Eric Duo, XO Band, Vinny Dijohn, Stan & Miguel Trio or The Walkens Friday & Saturday: 8pm - Quantum, John Eric Band, Doo Wah Riders, New Wave Order, Rock Lobster or The Walkens POOLSIDE: Margarita Sundays are back every week from 2-6pm - Music, great food and drink specials. $10 cover charge per adult in includes a free drink! Updates: harrahsakchin.com

Hon-Dah Resort and Casino

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Kool & The Gang

Highways 260 and 73, Pinetop 1-800-WAY-UP-HIGH

Fri & Sat (9:30pm- 1:30am) Featuring; AZ Tex Band, Shining Star, Andrea & Gemini or The Walkens

Free entertainment Monday is Comedy Night Tues-Sat, Live bands June 9-13 - The Johnny Ray Band June 16-20 - Lil’ Elmo & the Cosmos June 23-27 - Kid-N-Nic July 7-11 - Ronny & The Classics July 14-18 - House of Steel July 28-Aug 1 - Justin Wright & High Octane Aug 4-8 - Affinity Aug 11-15 - Clark County Band Aug 18-22 - Barrio Latino

Saturday: Talia 5-9pm Sunday: (10am-3pm) live Jazz brunch Buffet

Lone Butte Casino

Event Center:

Timbers Lounge:

202 loop at the Kyrene exit - Chandler, 1-800-WIN-GILA

Cascades Lounge:

Mon, Tues & Fri (4-8pm) Featuring; Marty & the Party or Thaddeus Rose Wed & Thurs (6-10pm) featuring; Smooth Groove, XO Band or Str8Up

22 ARIZONA PLAYER June 2015

Verona Chophouse:

Lone Butte Event Center: (opening in September) Sept 19 - Kool & The Gang

Paradise Casino

450 Quechan Drive, Yuma 1-888-777- 4946

Sharky’s Bar & Bites:

Live bands or DJ Rudy on weekends

Bingo Hall:

Quechan Casino Resort

Mazatzal Hotel & Casino

PIPA Event Center:

11pm Fri & Sat - B.A.D BINGO w/DJ “Rockin’ Rob” music, light show, bingo & giveaways

1/2-mile S. of Payson on Hwy 87 1-800-777-PLAY www.777play.com July 3 - Country Star Mark Wills w/ opening act Bonfire

Apache Spirits Lounge:

Entertainment nightly Thurs - Sat (live bands, Deejays and Sporting Events)

525 Algodones Rd Winterhaven CA (Yuma area) 1-877-783-2426 Call for updated schedule

Sidewinders Bar:

Free weekend entertainment w/bands; Str8up (May 8 & 9) Paloma (May 15 & 16) Checker’d Past (May 22 & 23) also DJ Anthony on weekends

Talking Stick Resort

Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort

Showroom:

Arrows Lounge:

Loop 101 and Indian Bend Road Scottsdale 480-850-7734 June 11 - Robin Trower July 11 - Keb’ Mo’ Sept 12 - Nils Lofgren Oct 4 - Zappa Plays Zappa (starring Dweezil Zappa)

Pool at Talking Stick Resort:

June 14 - Peter Frampton & Cheap Trick July 2 - 311 July 19 - Sublime w/Rome July 30 - The Steve Miller Band Sept 4 - YES w/TOTO Sept 20 - Lynyrd Skynyrd

Release Pool Party Events

(Sat & Sun afternoons) June 13 - Myon & Shane 54 June 14 - DJ Zhaldee June 20 - J Funk June 21 - Miss DJ Frankie M June 27 - Jessica Who June 28 - Danny Stern July 3 - Panda Funk presents Deorro July 4 - Erick Morillo July 11 - Adrian Lux July 12 - Benny Benassi July 18 - Havana Brown July 19 - David Carvalho July 20 - Nohesitation Aug 1 - Helena Aug 2 - Gareth Emery Aug 9 - Deejay Al Aug 15 - Nicky Romero Sept 7 - TonyG

Palo Verde Lounge: Live bands or DJ’s

Shadows Lounge:

Bands, singles & duos featuring classic sounds of Frank Sinatra and others

Degree 270 Lounge:

Fri & Sat, featuring the region’s best DJ’s

Orange Sky Restaurant & Lounge: Live jazz

entertainment

22181 Resort Blvd (I-40 @ exit 219 Flagstaff (928) 856-7200 Live Entertainment on weekends

Vee Quiva Hotel & Casino

The West Valley Casino 51st Ave, 4 miles South of Baseline Laveen 1-800-WIN-GILA

Event Center:

June 19 - DSB: An American Journey (Tribute to Journey) June 20 - Powerdrive June 26 - Los Humildes de Los Hermanos Ayala July 11 - Danny Serrano July 18 - Kevin Sterner & Strait Country (George Strait Tribute Band) July 24 - Banda Machos

Outdoor Patio:

Three Dog Night (Mon - Sat) 4pm-7pm & 9pm-1am , Featuring bands; Str8up, Primintion, Eagleheart, July 4 - American Hitmen & GI’s of Comedy Powerdrive, Andrea & Gemini, Reality Band, Latino July 10 - Creedence Clearwater Revisited Rebel Band , Silhoutte, Tyrone D & The Ledge, Walkens Unplugged, Marty & the Party, Chuck E Baby, July 11 - Boz Skaggs July 17 - Under the Sun Tour w/Sugar Ray, Uncle Soul Persuation or Yumi La Rosa Cracker, Eve 6 & Better than Ezra (Sun) 4pm-7pm, featuring; Mariachi Pasion, Yumi La July 18 - Mexican Comedian Jorge Falcom Rosa or Mariachi Rodriguez July 19 - One of the Nights (Eagles Tribute Band) Bingo Park: Aug 8 - Rodney Carrington Every Saturday at 11pm - BINGO ECLIPSE - Bingo, DJ Aug 14 - America music, light show & giveaways Aug 15 - Justin Shandor (The Ultimate Elvis Tribute) Aug 21 - Pat Benatar w/Neil Giraldo Aug 22 - WFF-MMA Fights Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino Aug 29 - SINBAD I-10 at Wild Horse Pass exit - Chandler The Lounge: 1-800-WIN-GILA Mid-day (Mon11am-3pm) featuring; DJ Danny Davis, Ovations LIVE! Showroom: Jukebox 6 or Route 66 June 12 - Mariachi Vargas 2015 Late night: featuring bands; Powerdrive, The June 13 - Hannibal Burgess Hamptons, Tik Tik Boom, Eagleheart, Andrea & June 19 - Tears for Fears w/Carina Round Gemini, Str8up, JJ’s Band, Chuck E Baby, Smooth June 20 - Air Supply Groove, Smokestack Lighting, Shining Star or Chaka June 21 - Don’t Look Back (Boston Tribute) & Friends June 26 - Three Dog Night CHROME NIGHT CLUB: June 27 - Intocable Fridays & Saturdays - Arizona’s Newest Hot Spot July 3 - Catch a Wave (Beach Boys Tribute) featuring DJ Medik

Make your Special event a Fun Filled party to reMeMber! Deejays with Years of On-Air Broadcast Experience will work with you to personalize your

• • • •

Wedding Reunion Theme Party Corporate Function

“Music and Emcee for Any Event“ taylored M uSic Phil Taylor

602.919.7700 ARIZONA PLAYER June 2015 23

travel The less Traveled (and scenic) Route to Laughlin By Ryan Malikowski Being a North Phoenix native I’ve always popped onto the US-60 and taken the standard route to get to Laughlin – through Wickenburg and Kingman However, this time I wanted to do something different. I wanted to visit places I have never seen before. I wanted to take the road less traveled. I’ve visited every casino inside Arizona except for I believe two...Blue Water Resort & Casino in Parker along the Colorado River and Spirit Mountain Casino in Mohave Valley, Arizona, located off the I-40, on Arizona Hwy 95 smack dab between Needles, California (home of easily the highest price gasoline almost anywhere) and Bullhead City, Arizona – just a stone’s throw across the river from Laughlin. I have had these casinos on my “to do” list for a while now, but I never really had the chance to make the journey. There was no better time to visit them than on Memorial Day weekend. While everybody else was heading up to camp in the high country or out on the lakes and rivers, I thought I’d try my luck at the casinos between Phoenix and Laughlin! Blue Water Casino is located along the Colorado River in Parker. Keep in mind it was Memorial Day weekend, the parking lot was packed with RV’s and trucks towing trailers and these fun lovers were now

unloading boats, jet skis and ATV’s, plus filling up coolers with ice and getting ready to head out for an adventure. We had the bell man help us with our luggage and we checked in at the Hotel desk on the casino floor. The first thing that caught our eye about Blue Water Resort was the casino. We were amazed! It featured many new games that are not offered at any other casinos in the state. It surprised me to see new games at a casino that was so far outside of the Phoenix metro area. We played slots we had only seen at a recent NIGA show. Also, one of the nice things about Blue Water is that we received $10 in free slot play when we signed up for BlueWater’s THE Card – their Players Club Card. We each got free play and a free breakfast buffet when we joined. The buffet was quite nice, featuring all of your breakfast favorites as well as cooked to order eggs and omelets. It was a great way to start off our road trip! Blue Water Resort hotel rooms are quite different because all rooms face the water watching folks having tons of fun along with spectacular views of sunsets on the Colorado River. Great stay – We will be back! You can call for more information at 1-888-243-3360

travel

A BLAST FROM THE PAST (for the time being) The next trip on the journey was to Spirit Mountain Casino. To get there from Blue Water, you have to make a quick drive north through Lake Havasu. I would definitely recommend stopping to see the London Bridge. It is absolutely amazing to see and imagine how it was brought over here brick by brick from London decades ago. Spirit Mountain is a quaint little casino that is a blast from the past. I was ABSOLUTELY ecstatic to see their collection of older machines which still had hoppers that pay in coins! These games are from the era when a 20 dollar bill got you more than an hour’s worth of playtime.

The volatility of these older slot machines is great and they have games from years ago...when a player really got a bang for their buck. Yes, there are pros and cons of being paid out in coins – first the thrill of hearing the REAL clink clank, that’s great - But I forgot how dirty my hands got from scooping up the coins into buckets. Fortunately Spirit Mountain Casino keeps a big bucket of hand wipes right by the cashier for easy clean up. I highly recommend taking the trip to Spirit Mountain to play these classic oldies! I promise you’ll enjoy it as much as I did. But hurry, the casino will be switching all of their machines to a ticket in/ticket out system. Spirit Mountain Casino will close for a total renovation on July 2nd, installing all the newest games available. This renovation will also include changing from a snack bar to the all-new Mesquite Grill that will take over the space in the sports bar as well for additional seating with an all new expanded menu! The reopening is set for mid-August – Call 1- 888-946-4452 for more details as that date nears. So visit soon, empty your coffee cans of coins, and bring them with to hit the final jackpots on these classic slots.

From Spirit Mountain, it’s just a short drive of about 20 or so minutes thru Bullhead City before you find yourself in Laughlin! If you’ve never been there, Laughlin is a great spot for people who don’t like all the hustle and bustle, the bumper to bumper driving and elbow to elbow pedestrians loading the streets of Las Vegas. You’ll still see all the newest slots and table games including Craps and roulette – Indeed you will have a blast! Laughlin is mainly visited by Arizona and California locals, so the atmosphere is much more laid back yet still offers their players nationally known entertainers in a more relaxed setting. When traveling to Laughlin, I usually choose to stay at Harrah’s. Might as well earn those Total Rewards credits whenever you can! Harrah’s Laughlin has updated their casino a lot...with many new games and a GREAT new restaurant. Many of you are probably familiar with celebrity chef Guy Fieri. His newest restaurant, El Burro Borracho, is located just inside the main entrance at Harrah’s. The food here is awesome. The restaurant offers semi-upscale Mexican food that is packed with flavor. For dessert, you have to try the tres leches bread pudding. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! One of the great things about Laughlin is the close proximity of the casinos. Once the sun goes down, it is easy to walk, or you can use the water taxi pontoons from casino to casino to take in all that Laughlin has to offer. You will see plenty of new games, but also some of your old favorites. There is something for everybody here, and you will not be disappointed. If you are ever looking for a quick little weekend getaway, Laughlin may just be the ideal place for you. However, make sure you take the less traveled route through Parker and Lake Havasu, with eye pleasing scenery and a couple of casinos along the way to make the journey one to remember!

ARIZONA PLAYER June 2015 25

gaming news $10,000 WSOP Seat won at Harrah’s By Phil Scudella

If you ever dreamed of playing in the biggest poker tournament in the world – The 2015 World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas with an entry fee of $10,000, and you had the cash to enter – Well, You are in a very select minority. The average poker player normally doesn’t have that kind of money to get into a poker tournament like that to win a 1st place prize that would be life changing – About six million dollars! The average player would have to win an entry into a tournament like that in a satellite event with a much more affordable entry fee of around $350 to get to the WSOP Main Event at the Rio in Vegas. That dream might come true for one player who won a seat to the Main Event at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino on Sunday June 7th. Between March and the end of May, the poker room held low entry fee tournaments to win $1,500 & $1,000 seats to WSOP events in Las Vegas. During that period of time Harrah’s Ak-Chin handed out 24 seats to these events – Sixteen $1,000 seats and eight $1,500 event seats.

26 ARIZONA PLAYER June 2015

Then June rolled in and on Saturday June 6th, sixty seven poker players signed up for one of the 3 “day one” flights – each group of players had to make it thru to level 8 – at that point all players still standing after level 8 were seeded into Day 2 on Sunday June 7th. That number was of original players was reduced to 43. Those remaining poker hopefuls started at level 9 and played for less than 3 hours to get to the final table – Where those in that rarified air were guaranteed prize money and a chance for that $10,000 WSOP Main Event Seat. Here are the Final 10 and the order in which they finished; 10th Place – Kurt Simmons ($455) 9th Place – Buzz Hays ($637) 8th Place – Anthony Arroyo ($728) 7th Place – Andrew Ortiz ($819) 6th Place – Enrique Almarez ($910) 5th Place – Charles Benson ($1,001) 4th Place – Joe Shen ($1,153) 3rd Place – Darrell Parrent ($1,453) 2nd Place – Mark Babekov ($1,911) and the winner of the $10,000 WSOP Main Event seat was George Gadaev who also received $1,000 in cash for travel expences! Good Luck George, hope you make the final table so we can hear your story about how you got there! Join the fun at the new poker room at Harrah’s Ak-Chin in Maricopa, AZ – just a short 15 minute drive south of Chandler. The poker room is going to have a $1,500 Tournament of Champions FREE Roll on July 5th for all poker players that won a daily poker tournament in June! Call the poker room for details at 480-802-5138.

CHOLLA PRIME STEAKHOUSE AWARDED AGAIN! Casino Arizona, an enterprise of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (SRPMIC), is proud to announce that Cholla Prime Steakhouse & Lounge has received TripAdvisor’s “Certificate of Excellence” award. This marks the second consecutive year the property’s fine-dining restaurant has been honored with the accolade. “Cholla Prime Steakhouse & Lounge is Casino Arizona’s hidden gem so we’re thrilled TripAdvisor has recognized our commitment to the food and beverage industry,” said Ramon Martinez, director of public relations for Casino Arizona. A prominent travel website, TripAdvisor allows guests to post online reviews about establishments. Five years ago, the company began honoring venues—that have received consistent favorable remarks throughout the year—with the “Certificate of Excellence.” This year, the award celebrated an exclusive list of venues, with accommodations representing approximately 30 percent and restaurants epitomizing 52 percent of the 2015 winners. A staple in Scottsdale’s culinary community, Cholla Prime Steakhouse & Lounge joins the list as a 2015 fan favorite by online users. In addition to its flavorful steaks and cozy ambiance, the restaurant has been commended for its speedy service, accommodating staff and affordable prices. It has also received praise for its gourmet salads, exceptional poultry dishes and crowd-pleasing appetizers. Located in Scottsdale, at the Loop 101 Freeway and McKellips Road, Casino Arizona is independently owned and operated by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. Spanning more than 100,000 square feet, the property features an exciting gaming floor, entertainment venues and an assortment of dining options.

27 ARIZONA PLAYER June 2015

DAVID AT THE SNACK BAR

David’s Video Details

Jurassic World John Hammond›s dream has been realized and thriving as a fully functioning dinosaur theme park for over ten years. It›s twenty-two years after the events of «Jurassic Park» and the park is booming. Claire runs the park with precision but when her nephews come by to visit they get lost in the park just when David Ramsey the newest attraction escapes containment. Unfortunately for everyone on the island the latest dino is a genetically engineered killing machine. Claire has to enlist the aid of Owen, a dino wrangler that has made amazing advances with the Velociraptors. The cast is great, the effects are amazing and the action is edge-of-your-seat. As good as it is the story is basically a repeat of the original with bigger dinosaurs.

Kingsman: Secret Service A super-secret spy organization called the Kingsman is recruiting to replace an agent that died while on the trail of an evil super-genius. Each active agent sponsors their candidate and Harry›s is Eggsy, the rough around the edges son of a former agent. Only one candidate will become a Kingsman and while the training is intense it isn›t the focus of the film. Harry and his team find the man behind a horrific plot but it›s up to Eggsy to save the day. Good spy movies have both action and humor, as this one does. «Kingsman: The Secret Service» is a fun, edgy flick.

Run All Night

San Andreas Ray is a LAFD rescue helicopter pilot going thru a divorce with a daughter he driving back to college out of state. Unfortunately, he is called back to duty when an earthquake hits southern Nevada destroying the Hoover Dam. An earthquake expert at Cal Tech predicts larger ones are about to hit California. When Los Angeles is rocked by a huge quake Ray divers his rescue copter to rescue his soon to be ex-wife from the top of skyscraper. Then when they learn San Francisco has also experienced a killer quake they head there to rescue their daughter, who was on her way back to school. The effects are spectacular but the story is a weak soap opera. 28 ARIZONA PLAYER June 2015

Jimmy Conlon has been a loyal member of and hitman for Shawn Maguire›s crime family for years. He has taken to the bottle and is mostly treated with distain by everyone including the cops. He is estranged from his son, Mike, who wants nothing to do with his Dad›s lifestyle. Unfortunately, Mike witnesses Shawn›s son, Danny, killing someone. When Danny tries to take Mike out Jimmy kills him. Now he has to save himself and his son from Shawn›s wrath. They have to survive the night while taking the battle to Shawn. The action is intense but the plot is thin..

Jupiter Ascending

Jupiter Jones works as a housekeeper in Chicago until aliens try to kill her. She is rescued by a handsome alien warrior with flying boots and discovers that she is intergalactic royalty. She is the heir to the Earth that three powerful siblings are fighting over. Soon Jupiter is kidnapped by each of the siblings and is then rescued by the same warrior. Of course, she falls for her pointy eared guardian. The special effects are spectacular but the story is repetitive as the kidnap rescue cycle repeats itself at least three times. 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 his reviews on the CBS 5 Morning News every Friday between 5:30 and 6:30am and on ABC-15’s “Sonoran Living Live” every other Friday. Read more of his DVD reviews at WildAboutMovies.com. Contact him at David@TheSnackBar.net.

bingo

Bingo Games Statewide Apache Gold Casino - Globe

Noon (Wed, Thu & Sun) 7pm (Fri & Sat & 1st Mon)

BlueWater Casino - Parker

6:30pm (Mon-Wed) & 1:30pm (Sun)

Casino Arizona - Scottsdale

Paper & Electronic buy-ins; Matinee session daily at 1pm (Early birds at 12:30pm) Nightly session at 7pm (Early birds at 6:30) Late Night Bingo – Fri & Sat at Midnight (With music, light show & dancing!)

Casino Del Sol - Tucson

2:15 & 7:15pm (Daily) (Daily mini Sessions at noon & 1:30pm)

Cocopah Casino - Somerton (Yuma area) 1pm & 6pm (Daily)

Desert Diamond Casino - Tucson 2pm & 7pm (Daily)

Fort McDowell Casino - Fountain Hills

Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino - Maricopa

11:30am, 2:30pm, 3:30pm & 6:30pm (Wed - Sun)

Lone Butte Casino - Chandler

Noon & 6:30pm (Daily) 11:30pm - B.A.D. “Bingo After Dark” Party (Fri & Sat)

Mazatzal Casino - Payson

Noon (Mon-Thurs) 6:30pm (Tues & Thurs) (Double Payouts 1st Thurs & 3rd Tues)

Paradise Casino - Yuma 1:30 & 6pm (Daily)

Vee Quiva Casino - Laveen

Paper & Electronic buy-ins; Daily at Noon & 6pm (mini session at 5:30pm) Bingo Eclipse Party (Sat at 11pm) Monday – 50% off electronic pack* (early bird) Tues – Senior’s, 50% off electronic package* Wed – 5 free bonus packs*, Thurs - $500 Monitor bingo*, Fri – 5 free bonus packs & Free Herbie t-shirt w/ 3 Fireball tickets* Sat – 50% off electronic packs*, Sun – Second Chance Sunday* *see Bingo Park for details

*9am, 12:30pm & 6:30pm (Mon - Fri, *except Tues) 6:45am, 9am, 12:30pm, 6:30pm (Sat & Sun) Midnight (Fri & Sat) & Midnight (1st Sat - Lunar Bingo Party)

ARIZONA PLAYER June 2015 29

Joke page, ASTROLOGY, Casino directory Jokes of the Month NOT THAT PAINFUL

After suffering with various pains the town flirt 21 year old Cindy Springer made an appointment with the town’s new doctor, who was a dead ringer for the actor George Clooney. “Now Miss Springer” the doctor instructed, “I’m going to place my hand on your back, and I want you to say the number twenty-two” when I push.” The young lady took a deep breath and said “22” “OK – That’s good” said the doc, “now I’m going to place my hand on your stomach and when I press down say please say Twenty-Two.” Again the young woman repeated “Twenty…TOO” “Great” said the doctor and then he went behind the patient and replied “Now, I’m going to reach around with my right hand and when I squeeze your right breast – please once again say the number Twenty – two” As the physician began squeezing Cindy’s breast – she sighed and purred… One, two, three, four, five…

IS THAT YOUR FINAL ANSWER?

“Sweetheart” Billy said to his bride of 25 years as they lay in bed late one night watching the late show – “If I died – would you marry again?” Gillian though for a brief second shrugged her shoulders and replied “I guess so.” “Would you sleep in this bed?” asked Billy. “Well” his wife calmly said “ it’s the only bed in the house, so I guess we would have to.” Billy thought for a moment and then asked, “Would you let him drive my ’68 Shelby Cobra GT?” Gillian did not hesitate a second and said “Not a chance, he can’t drive a stick shift!”

Gemini May 22 to June 21

Virgo Aug 24 to Sept 23

Sagittarius Nov 23 to Dec 21

Pisces Feb 20 to Mar 20

Cancer June 22 to July 22

Libra Sept 24 to Oct 23

Capricorn Dec 22 to Jan 20

Scorpio Oct 24 to Nov 22

Aquarius Jan 21 to Feb 19

Taurus April 21 to May 21

Jun 7–14 Jun 15–22 Jun 23–30 Jul 1–7 Jun 7–14 Jun 15–22 Jun 23–30 Jul 1–7

Play to win always Lady luck is back Time to reflect You can do it!

Bigger than big Good times return More fun ahead Late night excitement

Leo July 23 to Aug 23

Jun 7–14 Jun 15–22 Jun 23–30 Jul 1–7

A necessary change Out of town jackpot Great week! Great idea – do it

Jun 7–14 Jun 15–22 Jun 23–30 Jul 1–7 Jun 7–14 Jun 15–22 Jun 23–30 Jul 1–7 Jun 7–14 Jun 15–22 Jun 23–30 Jul 1–7

CASINO DIRECTORY a

1. Apache Gold Hotel Resort Casino • (Globe) San Carlos Apache Tribe-slots bingo & blackjack & Entertainment (800) 272-2438 2. BlueWater Resort Casino • (Parker) Colorado River Indian Tribe-slots bingo blackjack poker & Entertainment (888) 243-3360 3. Bucky’s Casino • (Prescott) Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe-slots, poker & blackjack (800) 756-8744 3a. Yavapai Casino & Gaming Center • (Prescott) Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe-slots & Entertainment (800) 756-8744 30 ARIZONA PLAYER June 2015

What you needed You’ll be smiling Thank the stars Lucky weekend

Travel coming soon An old pal returns Take charge now! Good decision

Luck will triumph Believe it will happen Unexpected adventure Winning streak ahead

Jun 7–14 Jun 15–22 Jun 23–30 Jul 1–7 Jun 7–14 Jun 15–22 Jun 23–30 Jul 1–7 Jun 7–14 Jun 15–22 Jun 23–30 Jul 1–7

Plan of action necessary Times are changing Terrific run of luck Never expected this Deal yourself in Nice turn of events At last, a new pal You have a chance You needed this! You get the power Try – it will work Wild ride coming

4. Casino Arizona Talking Stick Resort • (Scottsdale) Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community-slots poker blackjack Keno & Entertainment (480) 850-7777 5. Casino Arizona @ 101 & McKellips • (Scottsdale) Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community-slots bingo blackjack Keno & Entertainment (480) 850-7777 6. Casino Del Sol Resort • (Tucson) Pascua Yaqui Tribe-slots bingo poker blackjack & Entertainment (800) 344-9435 7. Casino of the Sun • (Tucson) Pascua Yaqui Tribe-slots (520) 883-1700 8. Cliff Castle Casino Hotel • (Camp Verde) Yavapai-Apache Nation-slots blackjack poker & Entertainment (800) 381-7568 9. Cocopah Casino • (Yuma) Cocopah Tribe-slots bingo blackjack & Entertainment (800) 237-5687 10. Desert Diamond Casino Hotel • (Tucson) Tohono O’Odham Nation-Old Nogales Hwy slots keno bingo poker & Entertainment (520) 294-7777 10a. Desert Diamond - I-19 • (south of Tucson) slots blackjack & Entertainment (520) 294-7777 10b. Desert Diamond • (Why) Tohono O’Odham Nation-Slots 11. Fort McDowell Casino • (Fountain Hills) Fort McDowell-Yavapai Nation-slots keno bingo poker blackjack & Entertainment (480) 837-1424

Jun 7–14 Jun 15–22 Jun 23–30 Jul 1–7

Plan deserved trip Interesting invitation Week of surprises Very good deal ahead

Aries Mar 21 to April 20

Jun 7–14 Jun 15–22 Jun 23–30 Jul 1–7 Jun 7–14 Jun 15–22 Jun 23–30 Jul 1–7

A friend will help No giving up Really, Just do it! Take action soon

It will get better Nice trip and win Unexpected pleasure Fun time for all

12. Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino • (Chandler) Gila River Indian Community-slots keno blackjack poker & Entertainment (800) 946-4452 13. Gila River Vee Quiva Hotel & Casino • (Laveen) Gila River Indian Community-slots bingo blackjack poker & Entertainment (800) 946-4452 14. Gila River Lone Butte Casino • (Chandler) Gila River Indian Community-slots bingo blackjack & Entertainment (800) 946-4452 16. Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino (Maricopa) Ak-Chin Indian Community - slots keno poker bingo blackjack & Entertainment (480) 802-5000 17. Hon-Dah Resort-Casino • (Pinetop) White Mountain Apache Tribe - slots poker & Entertainment (800) 929-8744 18. Mazatzal Hotel Casino • (Payson) Tonto Apache Tribe - slots bingo poker blackjack & Entertainment (800) 777-7529 19. Paradise Casino • (Yuma) Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe - slots bingo.& Live Entertainment (888) 777-4946 19a Quechan Casino Resort • (Winterhaven, CA) Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe - slots table games poker & Entertainment 20. Spirit Mountain Casino • (Bullhead City) Fort Mohave Indian Tribe-slots (888) 837-4030 21. Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort • (Flagstaff) Navajo Nation - Slots, Table Games, Poker, Keno & Entertainment