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Lottery News Card Room Action Casino Entertainment Fort’s Birthday Bash is Back New AZ State Poker Champion Thunder Valley Rally in Camp Verde www.arizonaplayer.com
Vol. 18 No. 9 • September 2010
casino del sol hotel & convention center
Expansion Opening
11/11/11 Cover Story on page 8
Tucson’s Place to Play .COM ENTERPRISE OF THE PASCUA YAQUI TRIBE
WWW.ARIZONAPLAYER.COM
PO Box 33393 • Phoenix Arizona 85067 • 602-373-8728 • azplayer@cox.net
Contributing Photography Contributing Writers Cindy Esquer Linda Boyd J. Russell King Cindy Esquer Production Assistants Steve Neely Kelly Hawke Charlie Scheeler David Ramsey T.J. Jorgensen John Olson Lita Sorensen Marianne Minneci Melody Walcott Brian Mulligan Graphic Design Steve Neely CommuniGraphics David Ramsey Stephanie Riley Lita Sorensen Melody Walcott Shanna Wolfe Special thanks to: Editor Phil Scudella
Steve Neely and his marketing team at Sol Casinos and also to Kelly Sheehan and the professionals at SMP Communications for their extraordinary help on this September issue. 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.
Contents
Vol. 18 No. 9 • September 2010
Gaming News Charity Bike Rally in Camp Verde & Paul Anka Concert
4
Entertainment
6
Cover Story Sol Casino’s Expansion “A recipe for Success”
8
Gaming News Ted Goldstein – The 2010 State Poker Champ
10
Card Room Action
12
Gaming News The Fort’s Birthday Bash is Back!
14
Boyd’s Eye View Linda Boyd “My Crystal Ball”
16
TJ’s Blackjack Corner T.J. Jorgensen “Get Free Stuff Playing Blackjack”
18
Gaming News Record Breaking Year for The Arizona Lottery
20
Lottery News & Draws
22
Gaming News More Lottery Winners
24
Horsin’ Around Brian Mulligan “Clues From Some Classic Stakes”
26
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 September 2010 3
gaming news CHARITY BIKE RALLY IN CAMP VERDE The premier Northern Arizona Bike Event of the season is back at Cliff Castle Casino-Hotel in Camp Verde. This yearly event benefits the Yavapai Big Brothers / Big Sisters—a donor-and-volunteersupported group that is the nation’s leading Big Brother Big Sister agency in the number of children matched per capita. The organization serves over 1,000 youth in an area that encompasses 20 communities and 65 schools throughout Yavapai County and Sedona. Feel the Thunder at the 10th Annual Thunder Valley Rally, September 18 & 19 with cash and prize giveaways that include two 2010 Victory Cross Roads motorcycles. There is also a charity
4 ARIZONA PLAYER September 2010
poker run, a bike show and live music during the Battle of the Bands competition. Say you want more? There’s FREE live music in the Stargazer Pavilion by special guests Led Zepagain on Saturday, 6:30pm-8pm and The Unauthorized Rolling Stones on Sunday, 3:30pm-5pm. Also, don’t miss the second annual Battle of the Bands at Stargazer, featuring bands from Flagstaff to Phoenix on Saturday, 2pm-6pm, and Sunday, 11am3pm. Special evening performances in the Casino’s Dragonfly Lounge from 8-10pm by Led Zepagain on Friday evening, September 17, and by the Unauthorized Rolling Stones on Saturday night with no cover charge. Benefit Ride registration is on Saturday, Sept 18, from 7-10am - Bike Show registration is from 1-5pm on Saturday and 10am-1pm on Sunday It’s a weekend loaded with fun, food, spirits, contests, entertainment, vendors and lots more! For complete details, visit or call the Castle Club at (928) 567-7999 Cliff Castle Casino-Hotel is located just east of I-17 at exit 289 in Camp Verde
Singing Legend Coming to Valley Paul Anka has been wowing audiences since the late fifties. His incredible library of music includes some of the most well-known songs in American history. From his first hit “Diana,” to “This is It” a song he penned for Michael Jackson’s ill-fated comeback tour - Anka has proven his talents as a singer and songwriter again and again over the past six decades. The legendary crooner makes a rare Arizona appearance and will perform at Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino on Sunday, October 24 at 7:30pm. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at WinGilaRiver.com, by phone at 877.840.0457 or by visiting the Gift Shop at Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino. Ask about a special discount for Players Card members. Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino is located at the Wild Horse Pass exit on I-10 in Chandler.
ENTERTAINMENT
Apache Gold Casino Resort 5 miles East of Globe on Hwy 70 1-800-APACHE-3 Events & concerts in the Pavilion: Call for summer schedule Apache Legends BBQ in the Pavilion features free live entertainment on weekends: BlueWater Resort and Casino 11300 Resort Dr., Parker 1-888-243-3360 At the Amphitheater: Call for updated schedule The Dig Lounge: live bands, TuesSun, featuring Sept 14-19, The Reel Band Sept 21-26, Drama Sept 28 – Oct 3, T.J. Weaver Oct 6-9, Hemlock Bay Band Oct 13-16, Swift Kick Oct 20-23, Walker Williams Oct 27-30, Pilot Casino Arizona 101 at McKellips, Scottsdale 480-850-7734 In the Showroom: Tues-Sun, “Showstoppers Live” A musical tribute to Elvis, Reba, Temptations and more Pima Lounge: Live entertainment and dancing nightly featuring top local groups The Arizona Room Piano Lounge with free entertainment nightly Unauthorized Rolling Stones
Casino Del Sol 5655 W. Valencia Rd., Tucson 520-838-6506 AVA Amphitheater concert & event schedule: Sept 17&18, Tejano Music Showcase Sept 19, Fiestas 2010 Oct 2, Rob Zombie & Alice Cooper Oct 9, Gabriel Iglesias Oct 16, WFF Mixed Martial Arts Oct 23, Ana Gabriel Oct 29-31, Bluegrass Festival FREE live entertainment at The Paradiso Bar on weekends plus Free Tribute concerts every Thursday Cliff Castle Casino I-17 at exit 289 in Camp Verde 1-800-381-SLOT Stargazer Pavilion: Sept 17 & 18, Thunder Valley Rally Concerts w/Unauthorized Rolling Stones 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 at 8pm Desert Diamond Casino 1100 W. Pima Mine Rd., Tucson 520-294-7777 or1-866-DDC-WINS Concerts & Events in the Diamond Center: call for updated schedule Fort McDowell Casino N of Shea off Hwy 87, Fountain Hills 1-800-THE-FORT Concerts & Special Events: Oct 1, Scott Stapp of Creed Oct 2, Gregg Rolie of Santana Lucky 7 Saloon: Free live entertainment Fri – Sun featuring bands like: Cowboy Floyd, The Realtones, Furious George and The Chris Lukert Band New updates at fortmcdowellcasino.com
6 ARIZONA PLAYER September 2010
Harrah’s Ak-Chin Resort and Casino 15406 Maricopa Rd., Maricopa 480-802-5000 Oasis Lounge: Free entertainment on weekends 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 Lone Butte Casino 202 loop at the Kyrene exit – Chandler, 1-800-WIN-GILA Free live entertainment Fri & Sat in the Cascades Lounge with bands like: Marty and the Party, Otis & the Beat, Rhythm Edition, Capital Down and Powerdrive Thursday nights – Season 4 of the “Lucky Break” singing competition is back for 18 weeks Mazatzal Hotel & Casino 1/2-mile South of Payson on Hwy 87 1-800-777-PLAY www.777play.com Tribute Bands every month: Sept 24, “Hotel California” - A Tribute to the Eagles, Oct 30, “Rock Lobster” An 80s Retro Tribute 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 Clay Walker
Rick Springfield Quechan Casino Resort 525 Algodones Rd, Winterhaven CA (5 mi W of Yuma) 1-877-783-2426 In the PIPA Event Center: Call for updated schedule 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: Sept 25, Clay Walker The Encore Lounge: live entertainment on weekends w/bands like: Marty & the Party, Ronnie Dye, Pima Express, Tyrone D & the Ledge, The Hamptons, Marlin Zimmerman, Rhythm Edition, Str8Up Band, Route 66, Bob Villa, Aztex and JJs Band Talking Stick Resort Loop 101 and Indian Bend Road Scottsdale 480-850-7777 COMING SOON - Talking Stick Resort Showroom! Oct 4, Rick Springfield Oct 24, Average White Band Nov 14, Robert Cray Opening in September, “Degree 270” 14th floor lounge w/live entertainment, dancing nightly & a spectacular view of the city.
cover story casino del sol hotel & convention center
Expansion Opening
11/11/11
IT’S A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS W
elcome to the new Casino Del Sol Hotel and Convention Center, the Pascua Yaqui’s soon-to-be jewel in the desert on the southwest side of Tucson. Completion of the 215-room hotel, one adjacent to the exquisite casino, is expected on 11/11/11. “This expansion further strengthens the Pascua Yaqui Tribe’s entertainment and hospitality endeavors,” said Sol Casinos CEO Wendell Long. “With this expansion, Sol Casinos will expand its hospitality and entertainment abilities and be the first choice for corporate groups hosting business events. The new hotel and convention center will not only create jobs for hundreds of people, but will be a tremendous asset to the community.” The 161,000 square-foot facility will feature: 215 rooms, including 10 suites and 15 junior suites; a convention area capable of holding up to 2,000 people; a fine-dining steakhouse; a buffet area built for a capacity of 250 people; a fully-equipped spa and exercise facility and an arcade room. And it’s the perfect complement to AVA Amphitheater when it comes to big-time, fun-to-watch events. Where AVA season ends, the Convention Center venues begin.
8 ARIZONA PLAYER August 2010
AND SOL CASINOS HAS FOUND IT
How do you improve on a Southern Arizona gem? Just make it better, of course. And Sol Casinos did, which will help the local economy in some form or fashion. “While tourism is not in the best shape with the sagging economy and people traveling less, I believe the new hotel being built by the Pascua Yaquis fills a niche that has (not) been here for a long time,’’ said Jonathan Walker, president & CEO of Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We only have one casino/hotel in southern Arizona and this new product will give us more diversity in that market. New product in a market always creates new interest and any publicity of new products is good for the whole region. The uniqueness of this new hotel/casino will help the entire community.’’ Sol Casino’s newest creation will soon become the ideal spot to have a “staycation” after a big night at a high-profile concert, a night of fine dining, a big night at the casino or a heart-stopping sporting event. “It’s a venue that will provide plenty of entertainment throughout the year,” Long said. “We’re very proud of it. And we’re expecting those who come and see it to
be a part of it will be excited to have it in Tucson and Southern Arizona.” The Pascua Yaqui Tribe is a federally recognized tribe with over 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. Non-gaming enterprises include the Anselmo Valencia Amphitheater, a 5,000-seat open-air concert venue, and the Del Sol Marketplace, which includes a gas station and car wash, convenience store, and smoke shop. For more information, visit www.solcasinos.com.
gaming news Ted Goldstein – 2010 State Poker Champ After a grueling three days of high intensity Texas Hold Em in easily the biggest single poker tournament in Arizona, a 24 year old Scottsdale resident took home the cherished trophy, a custom made ring and the most sought after part of the top prize just over $336,000 in cash! The Arizona State Poker Championship was held at Casino Arizona’s Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale. The entry fee for this event was $1,050 or you could win an entry in one of the $100 single table satellite shoot-outs - where the last player remaining at that table wins a $1,050 entry into the tournament The final table made up of the 10 best poker players in this event happened at 9pm on Monday night August 16th. Many spectators watching, most of which had been knocked out of the tournament had predicted that we would crown a new State Champion by midnight at the latest. These guesses were way….way off. I got the straight scoop from Poker Room Director Kent Odekirk and Tournament Coordinator Dave Smith, who both reiterated that I just might be here to see a beautiful Arizona sunrise. To my surprise as 4am rolled around, just two players were left - Ted Goldstein with about 15 million chips and Jon Alder with maybe 4 million chips. With a few people sleeping soundly in chairs around me just after 4am, it seemed like another ho-hum hand of not seeing a flop, when Goldstein limped in to match the big blind – Alder raises to 1 million and Ted calls. Hey we get to see a flop! The dealers flop was rather un-exciting,
7, 8 and 10. I was thinking both would check, BIG SURPRISE Alter goes all-In – Ted checked his cards, studied the flop several times, and then called. Jon showed a 4 and a king off-suit – Goldstein flipped over his cards, a queen and an 8 of spades. This put Ted in the driver’s seat with a pair. Jon was bluffing and needed at least a queen to win or hoped to catch runner-runner and play the board for a straight to split the pot. That never happened and Ted finally showed some emotion after being declared the champion. Here is the breakdown for the Final Table of the 2010 Arizona State Poker Championship. There were a total of 975 entries and the top 100 got paid. Last year a woman made the final table, this year the top woman finisher came in 33rd place. The tournament came off without a glitch, thanks to the efforts of Kent Odekirk, Dave Smith and their entire staff – A job well done!
Ted Goldstein, Jon Alter Manuel Luevano Brian D. Fanzo Drew Heide Steven Doebler Ryan Hughes Derek Walters Sam Wright Brian Olsson
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336,368 167,700 $ 83,313 $ 49,988 $ 30,638 $ 17,738 $ 12,900 $ 10,750 $ 8,869 $ 7,364
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10 ARIZONA PLAYER September 2010
WEDDINGS • REUNIONS
THEME PARTIES
CARD ROOM ACTION Apache Gold Casino 800-272-2433
Poker Room opens daily at 6pm Dealing blackjack, daily at 10am
BlueWater Casino 1-888-243-3360
Dealing blackjack daily 9am-3am
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 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 480-850-7777
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 Morning Poker league, No-Limit Hold Em, $13 buy-in, $5 re-buys or free entry Mon 7pm & Sat noon – NLHE Fall Football Poker League - $1,500 Guaranteed - $35 buy-in, $6 entry fee Sun & Tues at 7 pm – FREE Poker League, NLHE - $1,225 Guaranteed Wed, 7pm, NLHE, $1,500 Prize Pool (w/50 players) $35 buy-in, $5 re-buys $10 add-on -$10 bounties 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 Special Events: Oct 7-9, Mega Bounty & “Monster Stack” $240 entry free - $10,000 Guaranteed prize pool w/ $100 bounties 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 12 ARIZONA PLAYER September 2010
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
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 Tournament, 1pm, Sun $ 115 buy-in, $5,000 in additional chips with an optional $15 Dealer add-on – no re-buys “Bounty” Tournaments, Mon-Sat at 1pm, also Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri & Sun at 7 pm, $30 buy-in, $5 bounties, BONUS, with 1 – 3 hours of live play before tournaments, Bounties increase to $20, $40 and $60 (Tournaments are NLHE except Wed, Omaha Hi-Lo) Tues, 7pm, $3,000 Guaranteed NLHE Tournament - $3 buy-in* Sat, 7pm, $5,000 Guaranteed NLHE Tournament - $5 buy-in* “Pocket Aces always win” - In live games - lose with Pocket Aces – you win the same amount as the winner (except river raises) “Poker Hot Seat” 20 random draws each day – Win up to $10,000 – See poker room for details *To enter, you must play in a live game at least 1 hour before tournament Also dealing blackjack 24/7
Lone Butte Casino 800-946-4452
Dealing blackjack 24/7
Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino 480-802-5138
Mon, Wed, Thurs - $500 Guaranteed No-Limit 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, $750 Guaranteed NLHE, $20 buy-in – w/$10 add-on 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
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Hon-Dah Casino 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 88-777-4946
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, $ 130 buy-in Mon-Fri – $100 “Splash Pots” at 7am, 8am,9am, 10am & Noon Mon-Fri, 3am-9am “Aces Cracked” Win $ 100 rack Sat & Sun, 3am-9am “Monte Carlo Days” 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, $10 buy-in, $10 rebuys & $20 add-on at the break “D-backs Splash Pots” Two tables are each splashed $100 when the D-Backs score! (TV games) Pro Football “Splash Pots” are back! 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
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 “Splash Happy pots” Sun, Tues, Wed, Fri & Sat between 8am-1pm Snap & Spin, “Aces Cracked” Mon-Sat 2pm-6pm, 9pm-Mid, Mid-5am, & Sun 9pmMid, win up to $1,000 in cash, JUST ADDED: “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 PREFERRED LAUGHLIN POKER ROOM
Harrah’s Resort Casino 702-298-852
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, $50 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, $120 buy-in, w/ optional $10 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 – also Free Roll Tournaments on the 1st & 3rd Monday (15 hours to qualify) to win a seat in the Laughlin WSOP invitational – with a chance to win a seat in the WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas – see poker room for details on all these promotions
CARD ROOM MANAGERS Please send updates to azplayer@cox.net
gaming news THE BIRTHDAY BASH IS BACK!
The first weekend in October, Fort McDowell Casino will be celebrating 26 years of excellence in gaming with live performances and exciting giveaways. The festivities kicks off on Friday, October 1st, with an intimate acoustic performance by Scott Stapp, lead singer of the popular rock group, Creed. His voice became widely recognized and acclaimed through songs such as “With Arms Wide Open” and “Higher.” Stapp says of his current tour, “I’m stripping down all the Creed hits, as well as my solo material, in a manner that fans have never heard before but have long been screaming for. ”The show starts at 8pm - tickets are $30 for general admission, but if you want to get up-close and personal - premium seating is only $50. And leave it to the Fort to follow one exclusive performance with another. On Saturday, October 2, take a trip back to the psychedelic years. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Gregg Rolie, best known as the original singer
14 ARIZONA PLAYER September 2010
of Santana, will be taking the stage with his hit songs. You may recognize his voice from the charttopping songs Black Magic Woman and Evil Ways. The keyboardist/organist/vocalist was also one of the founding members of the band Journey. This is a performance you won’t want to miss. All tickets are $25 general admission. Both performances will take place outside, so you can enjoy the beautiful fall weather along with the entertainment. Tickets can be purchased in advance for both concerts at the Fort McDowell Casino gift shop, or at ticketmaster.com. They’re selling fast, so you may want to grab some now to be sure you and your friends are a part of all the action! Along with enjoying some hits on the Fort’s weekend celebration, you could also hit it BIG. Yes...you could hit the jackpot on one of their interactive slot machines, clean up at the poker table, or score a huge BINGO win. And because it’s their Birthday Bash weekend - Fort McDowell is giving you even more exciting ways to win. The Fort’s ongoing promotion, Random Riches, will be having “Birthday Bash Bonus” cash giveaways.
There is also a San Diego Stay Giveaway drawing on Sunday October 3rd at 7pm - they’re giving away cash along with a San Diego trip for two. But that’s not all...there will also be a “Spooky” Slot Tournament on Sunday from 3-6pm, with a finals round at 7:30pm, where you could win a trip for two to your choice of Salem, MA or Savannah, GA! Who wouldn’t want to help celebrate by winning cash and prizes? And bring along your sweet tooth because they’re also giving away free Birthday cake! Head over to the Fort, October 1st, 2nd & 3rd for a weekend you will never forget. For details, plus other exciting events and promotions that are happening every single day, go to: fortmcdowellcasino.com Fort McDowell Casino is located on Hwy 87 – just 2 miles north of Shea Blvd. Call 1-800-THEFORT.
A BOYD’S EYE VIEW OF VIDEO POKER
by Linda Boyd
My Crystal Ball
here are a few people in Nevada casinos that love to ask what they should do on Full Pay Deuces Wild (FPDW) after their dealt hand. If they have an inside 4-straight and nothing else going on, of course I tell them to hold the four cards. I could make a side bet that they’re going to come up with nothing, since that’s how it goes when anybody asks you what to do. Incidentally, it’s the correct play for this game--just check WinPoker software if you don’t believe me. www.videopokerpractice.com It’s difficult for most to understand that when you’re dealt a dog hand you’re most-likely to lose regardless of what you hold. Still, you should go with the best odds, often counterintuitive, but always trust the software over anybody’s guess. Even if the person is a math whiz, computer perfect tutorial programs will trump the human brain every time. Bottom line is I dislike being asked how to play a hand, even though I probably know the best odds or I wouldn’t be playing the game. What’s the reason? I’ve invariably left my crystal ball at home whenever I venture into a casino. Seriously, nobody can tell you which cards will pop up on the draw; the best they can do is tell you the hold cards with the best odds over the long run.
R andom Number Generator (RNG):
when you’re dealt three Aces in say Double Double Bonus, you’d hold all three. Admittedly, this is an extreme example, but it emphasizes the need to use probabilities rather than possibilities during play. Be aware that there are many counterintuitive correct holds, so practicing on tutorial software (www.videopokerpractice.com) and using strategy cards (free in the back of my book, The Video Poker Edge, will make you a smarter player.
Behind the Eight Ball:
If you select the computer correct holds you will get more chances to “get lucky”
Refers to an internal component of a video poker machine that, through the use of a computer chip, produces unpredictable combinations of numbers, each represents a specific virtual card. Outside the world of quantum physics true randomization is not possible; however, it’s close enough so that you can not base future hands on past results. Nevada and Arizona both have legislation requiring an RNG on all video poker devices, a good thing for smart players.
Playing the Odds:
People who say they know the cards that will be dealt or what you will draw are simply mistaken. Sure, they may guess correctly from time-to-time, just like people will choose the correct numbers on a roulette wheel at times. The best you can do is to hold the cards that give you the greatest odds of winning over time. All casino games, including video poker, have a component of luck. If you select the computer correct holds you will get more chances to “get lucky”.
Possibility versus Probability:
For those who are mathematically challenged this is a difficult concept to understand. In games of chance anything is possible, but probabilities, an exact science, determine the likelihood of an event. For example, it’s possible to hold a single Ace and draw a royal flush, but it’s not probable. That’s why,
There have been many occasions when other players have asked me what to hold after a hand is dealt. Often they expect me to be able to know which cards they will draw. Nobody can do this. The best anyone can do is indicating the holds that will be mathematically accurate. In the long run you will do better in video poker, blackjack, hold’em or any other casino game with a skill component by playing statistically correct. In the short run luck is always going to be a factor. That’s why the WSOP always has some unknown players at the final table.
Final Thoughts:
I don’t have a crystal ball, nor does anyone else. If somebody says they know which cards will be dealt or drawn then it’s best to disregard their advice. I’ve heard lots of weird theories about “cycles” or “times when the video poker machines are hitting”, but nothing scientific to back up these odd claims. Part of the problem is many people have great true stories about how they threw the entire hand away and got a royal flush. The reason it makes such a terrific story is its improbability and the fact that they beat the overwhelming odds against such an event. Instead of relying on hunches, superstitions and crystal balls, invest in video poker tutorial software and books. You’re still going to be frustrated when your ship doesn’t come in, but you’ll play longer on your bankroll over time. Linda Boyd ,a 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 by calling 877-900-book, at bookstores, amazon. com or www.squareonepublishers.com
TJ’s Blackjack corner
by TJ Jorgensen
How to Get Free Stuff Playing Blackjack
f you have ever wondered how to get free stuff from playing blackjack - I will explain that by showing your “Players Card” when you buy in - will accomplish that task. Thanks to the Michael Thompson Director of games at Wild Horse Pass, the elusive formula can finally be revealed. The factors that are in a players control at the blackjack table are average bet, length of play and type of game . These factors - along with some house control factors, creates a “theoretical win”. The math creating the “theoretical win” is what the casino should win from the player. For example a player that plays perfect basic strategy at the blackjack table should lose fifty two cents for every one hundred dollars played. From the “theoretical win”, the casino creates a “comp amount”. This amount is discretionary and is an amount that the casino feels best recognizes good player loyalty. Patron’s are not entitled to its value like cash rewards from slots, where available, but is generally what the casino will “comp” up too. So, you may ask, why “game type.” Certain games have large bonus payouts. This requires
the house to have a higher edge. Patrons playing those games will generate a higher comp value. Now, one other factor plays into a casino comp decision and that’s “quick loss” factor. Patron’s who lose a large amount of money in a quick period of time, will not generate a high comp value even though they are extremely valuable to the casino and deserve to get those comps. Casino Management will make a judgment call as to the patrons value and comp accordingly. This is the standard formula throughout the industry for table games. Like the game of “Life”, being polite and courteous goes a long way towards getting what you want. Casinos want to recognize all players. Those with tight budgets are no exception. Most important, secure a Player’s Card where ever you play, and always play within your means. After playing for what you think is a reasonable amount of time, ask if you can get a comp. Most likely you will and that’s a win for you and the casino. So what kind of comps can you get? I was recently offered one of the twenty three suites that Wild Horse Pass has to offer. This huge suite included flat screen TV’s, two bathrooms, a full size refrigerator, a bar, a lounge area, and a Jacuzzi. What does it take to get a comp for one of these suites? If you play on average of $250 per hand for a period of six hours, you too can get one for free. Even though this sounds like a lot of money, if you are a perfect strategy player it really isn’t all that much, and if you are a card counter like me it usually costs the casino to comp you.
The factors that are in a players control at the blackjack table are average bet, length of play and type of game .
18 ARIZONA PLAYER September 2010
I have also received free NASCAR tickets, $50 dinner comps, front row seats to concerts, and countless other cool things from doing nothing more than playing a winning game of blackjack. So the moral of the story is to get that Players Card and present it every time you buy in at the blackjack table. For all of you blackjack tournament players - there is going to be an invite only blackjack tournament at Wild Horse Pass on November 5th, 6th, and 7th with $11,000 in Prize money. There is no entry fee and the only way to get an invite to the tournament is to play table blackjack at Gila River and present your Players Card. I hope a lot of you will play enough blackjack at Gila River Casinos to join me in this sure to be fun filled event. It is a win/ win situation for players and the casino so I hope to see you there. 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
gaming news Record-Breaking Year for the Lottery! The Arizona Lottery closed out the 2010 fiscal year with a record-breaking $551 million in sales - the highest amount in the Lottery’s history and a 13.8 percent increase over the previous fiscal year. Nationally, the Arizona Lottery ranks No. 1 in the country in the percentage increase of overall lottery sales. As a result of 2010 lottery sales, the state of Arizona received nearly $142 million in net profits. These dollars will fund a wide variety of public projects and programs, including healthcare, wildlife, homeless programs, economic development and education in cities and towns throughout all 15 Arizona counties. “We are proud to report these record-breaking sales figures, particularly at a time in our state’s history when every dollar counts,” said Jeff Hatch-Miller, executive director of the Arizona Lottery. “Raising almost $142 million in revenue for the state bodes well for our future performance. The
Arizona Lottery’s Executive director Jeff Hatch-Miller
20 ARIZONA PLAYER September 2010
Arizona Lottery is committed to its mission of generating revenues that directly impact and improve the quality of life for all our citizens.” Don Cardon, Director of Arizona’s Department of Commerce, recently stated, “This support [of the Arizona Lottery] has proven critical in the current economy in order to continue the Arizona Commerce and Economic Development Commission’s wide array of economic development activities, including fostering economic sustainability programs in rural commercial districts, start-up funding for research and development institutes associated with Arizona’s university core competencies, securing loans to businesses expanding or relocating in Arizona, and developing the technology foundation that enables all businesses in Arizona to grow and prosper.” Mark Holleran, executive director of Central Arizona Shelter Services stated in support of the Arizona Lottery, “In an unprecedented time of declining resources and increasing need in our communities, the support from the Arizona Lottery played a vital role in allowing service providers to continue delivering critical emergency and transitional shelter and supportive services to thousands of homeless men, women and children throughout our state” In addition to revenue for the state, Lottery retailers large and small earned a sizeable $37 million in commissions. Director Hatch-Miller credits much of this year’s financial success to the continued success of the $100 Million Cash Spectacular instant
ticket and the introduction of new products such as the national drawing game, Mega Millions, as well as notable changes to Scratchers games that now offer bigger prizes, higher payouts and more winners. “The Arizona Lottery has been and continues to be a great partner to the Retail Food Industry in Arizona. Jeff and his team are constantly looking for ideas to drive sales and keep the Lottery games exciting,” writes Paul Bancroft-Turner, Marketing Coordinator for the Arizona Food Marketing Alliance. “Even in today’s tough economy, Lottery sales continue to grow and Arizona Food Retailers appreciate their effort.” Hatch-Miller said that the Arizona Lottery has begun working aggressively toward meeting next year’s revenue goals for programs established by the Arizona Legislature, and introducing new, innovative products, partnerships and industry technology that will continue to deliver sound results for Arizona Lottery beneficiaries throughout the state. To learn more, visit www.arizonalottery.com., www.Facebook.com/ArizonaLottery or www.Twitter.com/AZLottery The Arizona Lottery operates entirely from the revenue it generates through the sale of its products; it receives no General Fund dollars from the State. Proceeds from sales of Lottery tickets nearly $3 million per week - fund a variety of state programs. Since July 1981, the Arizona Lottery has paid out over $4.2 billion in prizes to players, more than $2.5 billion in net profit to the state, and almost $510 million in commissions to retailers.
lottery news
THE PICK Date
Double Play - Double Win Two Arizona Lottery players, Ayman Yehig and Dallas Comstock, purchased a couple of Double Play Scratchers tickets, and each won the top prize of $50,000. Although neither of them won anything on the additional game on the back of the ticket (this ticket offers additional chances to win when a player opens each strip located on the back of the ticket), they weren’t concerned since they had hit the “big one” on the front. Ayman Yehig, an accountant, stopped at a neighborhood store to get gas and a few items for home. On a whim, he decided to buy a ticket. He’d never played Double Play before, so he was excited about trying it. Ayman, who is working on his MBA, plans to celebrate his win by buying gifts for his children. His wife cautioned him not to get too carried away and reminded him to do something for himself.
Dallas Comstock also decided to play Double Play because it was a new game and, “It looked good in the machine.” He ended up buying two tickets. Neither one of these players believed they actually had a ticket worth $50,000. Dallas, really found it hard to believe – to the point that he used a magnifying glass to check and recheck the ticket. Dallas had his ticket checked at the store, as he had a number of other tickets he wanted checked. He made sure to tell the clerk, “You can’t cash this one,” referring, of course, to the Double Play. The lady behind him in line upon hearing what he had won, jokingly said, “I hate you!” Dallas is going to use his winnings to pay for his daughter’s wedding, pay off bills, and help a friend who owns an animal rescue.
THEY MATCH! Allyson Lackey of Prescott purchases Scratchers tickets whenever the mood strikes her. Well, last month the mood “struck,” and she bought five $2 tickets and one $5 Match and Win. When Allyson scratched the Match and Win, she thought she had won $5,000 and was absolutely thrilled. She then went over all the numbers again to be sure she hadn’t made a mistake. That’s when she realized she’d missed a zero, and it was actually worth $50,000. Like most winners, she had a hard time believing it even after the ticket was scanned at the store. Her husband was away on a business trip, and Allyson wanted to see his face when she told him, so she waited until he returned. It was well worth the wait to see the look of shock on his face. After all, these wins always seem to happen to someone else. This win came at a good time for Allyson, as she plans to pay off bills and save the rest for her children’s college fund. She said, “It’s a wonderful win, because it takes the stress off of daily living, but doesn’t change your lifestyle.” 22 ARIZONA PLAYER September 2010
Joe Manzanares of Lake Havasu City was buying some Scratchers tickets to give to a friend for a birthday present. Since he purchases Scratchers on a regular basis, he decided to buy a few extra tickets for himself. (He didn’t mention whether or not he bought some of the Match and Win tickets for his friend.) He tends to purchase tickets in the $5 and up price range, as he feels the payouts are better. When he realized that his Match and Win ticket was a $50,000 winner, he was so excited that he made sure he told everyone he knew. All of his friends were excited for him. Joe, who works in sales, plans to pay off bills, but has not decided what he plans to do with the rest of his winnings. Both winners plan to continue playing Arizona Lottery Scratchers.
Numbers
August
12-14-30-32-43-44 06-25-27-35-38-42 03-04-11-20-25-36 10-15-20-25-35-37 01-08-23-31-34-40 02-28-31-35-36-41 01-05-13-15-30-35 01-02-06-15-17-28
04 07 11 14 18 21 25 28
August
02 03 04 05 06 07 09 10 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 20 21 23 24 25 26 27 28 30 31 August
POWERBALL Numbers
19-28-30-37-53 04-22-26-31-52 07-10-22-23-52 09-33-36-50-58 04-32-33-47-55 07-10-12-22-27 16-17-29-31-36 04-22-27-32-56
PICK 3 CASH 4 6-4-0 2-5-6 2-5-3 1-7-8 9-3-3 7-4-1 9-2-5 4-2-3 0-8-1 4-0-1 6-0-1 6-3-7 2-7-9 0-8-4 4-9-3 7-7-5 8-5-8 9-5-5 1-5-2 1-6-6 3-5-9 9-4-6 5-3-2 6-5-9 5-1-8 9-5-9
10-11-14-16 06-16-17-18 05-06-08-20 06-08-18-26 09-15-18-19 01-05-11-19 02-06-08-25 04-09-17-22 15-22-23-26 07-08-09-13 03-06-09-16 09-12-16-19 07-08-22-23 01-05-12-15 03-05-12-25 13-19-21-22 09-14-15-18 03-05-07-13 07-13-17-21 05-11-13-14 07-09-17-26 01-04-11-14 03-05-21-23 09-13-14-23 05-06-11-14 07-10-17-25
PB PP 36 4 30 5 29 2 31 2 39 3 26 2 23 3 13
4
PICK 5 01-05-24-28-34 02-21-22-26-32 08-09-10-24-30 01-06-16-18-37 05-06-12-35-38 05-17-24-30-31 10-16-22-23-30 12-14-16-18-36 13-19-25-38-39 16-19-20-29-35 01-02-08-09-22 01-13-19-25-31 05-13-15-22-28 02-15-35-36-39 02-07-20-26-35 01-05-16-28-37 09-12-32-34-39 04-10-13-29-32 09-19-28-33-34 04-08-12-26-34 14-17-19-28-37 02-17-33-37-38 16-17-20-30-38 12-19-27-29-33 04-21-22-31-38 01-02-08-16-25
MEGA MILLIONS
MB
MP
03 04-13-20-22-56 32 2 06 07-13-30-33-54 30 3 10 02-14-26-50-56 12 2 13 06-17-24-43-55 36 4 17 11-19-40-43-44 33 4 20 04-13-20-29-48 36 4 24 04-23-24-28-32 31 3 27 04-10-26-32-41 31 4 31 10-20-29-47-48 38 3 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 Christmas in July! The Scottsdale winners of the $1,200,000 The Pick jackpot of July 26, who chose to remain anonymous, plan to keep their win to themselves and surprise their children at Christmas. They plan to divide the winnings equally between their children; each will receive a nice check for their holiday gift. (That is, if the winners are able to keep their secret.) Even though they plan to say nothing, they do realize that they are going to have to be extremely careful not to “spill the beans.” The winning numbers were a compilation of their birthday dates, and they’ve been playing them for years. And yes, they only bought the one ticket with their one line of numbers. They purchased the ticket the same day as the drawing, and as always at the same store - Albertson’s, on N. Hayden Road in Scottsdale. The winner’s wife is the one who always checks the tickets in the newspaper the next day. Her husband happened to call her around mid-
24 ARIZONA PLAYER September 2010
“The Pick” Has a Loyal Following morning that day to tell her he had some news for her. She very calmly told him, “I have a surprise for you, too,” but refused to tell him what it was until he came home. After he got home and they had a chance to examine the ticket and calm down, they decided they’d better contact a long-time friend who was their financial advisor. They asked him so many questions that he finally asked, “How much did you win?” After he heard the amount, their questions began to make sense to him. The couple made a trial run to the Lottery office to clarify some questions about claiming the ticket, but didn’t validate it at that time. They did come back a little later to redeem the ticket and brought their financial advisor with them. As of now, the couple has not told their family and still plan to wait until Christmas to share their news. The winners, who never truly retired, still deals in investment properties.
The odds on The Pick are better than ever and, as an added incentive, all of the money remains in Arizona. One recent winner of the $2,600,000 The Pick jackpot redeemed the winning ticket June 3, and requested to remain anonymous. He and his wife stated that they had been loyal players of the game for about twelve years. The winning ticket, purchased at the Valero Corner Store in Surprise, was a Quick Pick. The winner purchased six lines, as always, and then put the ticket away, planning to check the numbers the next morning. Since his wife usually got up early, she was the one who turned to the section of the newspaper that listed the winning numbers and checked the ticket. When she saw that the numbers matched, she was so stunned she couldn’t even talk. She woke up her husband and daughter, but it took several minutes for her to calm down enough so she could explain about the ticket.
Her daughter immediately went to the computer to check the numbers on the Lottery website. Then, although the numbers matched, she cautioned them not to get too excited until they knew precisely how many winners there were. They did not have the ticket scanned at a store. Instead, they called the Arizona Lottery Hotline and discovered there was only one winner. So, they checked it again before allowing themselves to get excited over their win. The winners took a few days to calm down and think things over by talking to a financial advisor. They decided to take the cash option of $1,460,013.60 before taxes. The first thing they thought was, “Now we can relax and enjoy our retirement without worry.” These big winners were originally from the East Coast, but they love living in the desert and with all of their family now relocated here - they now consider Arizona their home. As a side note, they don’t miss the snow one little bit.
HORSIN’ AROUND
by Brian Mulligan
Clues From Some Classic Stakes
in, lose or break even, bettors have to try to learn from defeats and successes and be able to project what will happen in future events and in the past several weeks, there was a ton of information to be gleaned from several stakes coast to coast. First off, let’s talk Horse of the Year and the performance of Rachel Alexandra against 4 rivals in the one and a quarter mile Personal Ensign. Two of those foes were Graded winners and the favorites were tooth and nail till the top of the lane as Life at Ten pushed Rachel from the get go. Rachel started to pull away late but the distance and the contested honest splits got to her. At the end, Persistently, trained by Shug McGaughey, who trained the “miss” that this race was named after, grinded out a win just wearing down the leader in the final 100 yards. It was a game effort by Rachel and she dueled with a classy horse but it does put a major question on her ability to go the classic mile and a quarter distance. And it has become apparent that she may not be the horse she once was at the top of her game. As far as the winner, she always showed ability and still has upside to her as she matures. Don’t be shocked if this upset was no fluke as Persistently continues to get better and if she shows in the Breeders’ Cup, she will be a player. In the Grade 1 $250,000 Ballerina at Saratoga this summer some of the fastest distaffers in the lane squared off at the demanding distance of 7 furlongs. Eight lined up and all but one had a Graded win in the resume. Rightly So, proved that she just invents ways to win. She cut out all the splits bringing her record to 7 for 11. This is the leader in the clubhouse, as she has never run a dull one, has been in the money in all 11 starts and will be one tough cookie this fall in the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs. In Saratoga’s Travers Stakes, otherwise known as the ‘Mid-Summer Derby’, 11 of the best sophomores in the land lined up to duke it out for the $600,000 first prize. Talk about wide open, the Travers was as contentious as it gets. With a minute to go post the chalk was at 4-1 in Trappe Shot with 7 of the remaining 10 between 5 and 9-1. When the smoke cleared after Miner’s Reserve finally gave up the lead, Fly Down and Afleet Express came to the wire virtually together and Express prevailed by the narrowest nose you will ever see. What does it tell us? Well, both came out of the Jim Dandy, which was won by Travers also ran A Little Warm. And this result just seems to reinforce the theory that there is no dominant sophomore in the land so far, but Lookin at Lucky is looking better every single day. Trappe Shot just never fired, Admiral Alex was in way too tough off just one win and First Dude ran as well as he could but just doesn’t want to go a classic distance. Ice Box didn’t pull up right but was just left with too much work to do anyway. 26 ARIZONA PLAYER September 2010
Friend or Foe tasted defeat for only the 2nd time in 5 outs and has some upside to him if he matures this fall. Afleet Again is just not this good while Super Saver could have been too close early and just could not out quicken these rivals. He may be best settling and making one run. The projected best runner out of this race with an eye to the future just may be Fly Down, who will be coming to the fall events relatively fresh and he had an edge of breaking his maiden over the Churchill Downs strip. Out West, older runners were showcased in the Pacific Classic and those that believe in the déjà vu thing, got paid. Richard’s Kid won the 2009 Classic under Mike Smith and was re-united with that Hall of Famer in a superbly timed ride to defend his title. Long-shot, Crowded House ran well at a big number in only his second race in the states. Bottom line, this was not the best Pacific Classic of all time. Looking to the BC Classic in the fall, the one thing Kid has in his favor is fact he has handled the conventional surfaces at Laurel and he’ll likely get a hotter pace to close into at Churchill. He’s not a new Kid, but there is now a legit Kid in town.
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 has probably handicapped more races than any man alive since he set lines on up to 15 tracks a day for all those years. Mulligan also led the other public handicappers in Los Angeles at every meet in SoCal at one time or another during his tenure there. He continues to contribute to the Daily Racing Form writing “A Closer Look” analysis daily.
DAVID AT THE SNACK BAR
The American «««
A hit man takes a few days off to get away only to be tracked down in Denmark. On the run he ends up in Italy where he takes one by more job. While there, David Ramsey he makes the mistake of falling for a local. There is some suspense, a little action, a little romance and lot of brooding. George Clooney and the supporting cast blunt the boredom but they don’t make the film move any faster or any less predictably.
David’s Video Details Iron Man 2 – «««« Iron Man has brought peace to Earth but now Tony Stark must face his toughest adversary: the Federal government. While Tony is facing off with the Senate a new villain appears from Russia with a suit of his own. Their initial battle is pretty spectacular. As with most super-hero movie sequels, things go bad for our hero and he must battle back, not only against the bad guys but himself as well. While not as good as the first one it is very close.
Prince of Persia THE SANDS OF TIME
««« Going The Distance ««« Erin and Garrett’s brief fling turns serious just at Erin is leaving New York to return home to San Francisco. She has been in the Big Apple on a publishing internship while he works for a local recording company. They decide to try a long distance relationship despite advice and horror stories from friends and relatives. This romantic comedy works largely due to the cast. There are some laughs and some romance. If you are looking for a romantic comedy this one is better than average.
A young prince is framed for his father’s murder and must go on the run with a princess of a conquered country. He doesn’t know that he also has a stolen mystical knife that can turn reverse time. They need to avoid being captured while battling a villain who wants the knife. Lots of action and a good cast makes this worth watching.
Robin Hood – ««« An archer in King Richard’s army finds his way home impersonating a noble. Before long he is living the man’s life and leading the locals against Prince John. This is a different story than you are used to, it is gritty and lacks all the whimsy and fun of the original. David Ramsey is the President and co-founder of the PhoenixFilm Critics Society and a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (The Critics Choice Awards). Catch him on the CBS 5 Morning News every Friday at about 6:20am and on ABC-15’s “Sonoran Living Live” every other Friday. Visit David’s website at www.Thesnackbar.Net or contact him at david@thesnackbar.Net.
28 ARIZONA PLAYER September 2010
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29 ARIZONA PLAYER September 2010
Casino Games – Phx Area
BlueWater Casino • Parker 11300 Resort Dr Daily 6:30pm Casino Del Sol• Tucson 5655 W. Valencia Mini Sessions 11:30am & 1:30pm Matinee 2:15pm & Evening 7:15pm Cocopah Casino • Yuma 15136 South Ave B Somerton Daily 1 & 6pm Desert Diamond • Tucson 7350 S Nogales Hwy Daily: 1:30 & 7:15pm Mazatzal Casino• Payson Hwy 87 at mile post 251 Mon-Thurs 12:45pm Statewide Games Apache Gold Casino • Globe Mon & Tues 6:30pm 5mi E of Globe on Hwy 70 Paradise Casino • Yuma 450 Quechan Dr. Sun-Thurs noon; Daily at 1 & 6pm Fri & Sat 7pm
Fort McDowell Casino Fountain Hills Area Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri: 9am, 12:30pm, 6:30pm Tue: 12:30pm, 6:30pm Sat & Sun: 6:45 & 9am, 12:30 & 6:30pm, Fri & Sat @ Midnight Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino 15406 Maricopa Rd Daily 11:00am, 2:30 & 6:30pm Lone Butte Casino SanTan Loop202 & Kyrene Noon & 6:30pm Daily Vee Quiva Casino 51st Ave. 10 mi. S of I-10 Daily: 12:30 & 6:30pm
Bingo Halls - To get your games listed call 602-373-8728 or E-mail Phil Scudella atazplayer@cox.net
at 9:30am
ASTROLOGY & Joke Virgo Aug 24 to Sept 23
Sagittarius Nov 23 to Dec 21
Pisces Feb 20 to Mar 20
Gemini May 22 to June 21
Libra Sept 24 to Oct 23
Capricorn Dec 22 to Jan 20
Cancer June 22 to July 22
Scorpio Oct 24 to Nov 22
Aquarius Jan 21 to Feb 19
Taurus April 21 to May 21
Sept 7-14 Sept 15-22 Sept 23-30 Oct 1-6 Sept 7-14 Sept 15-22 Sept 23-30 Oct 1-6 Sept 7-14 Sept 15-22 Sept 23-30 Oct 1-6
Finally - the BIG one Persistence pays plenty Weekend to remember Way to start the month! Stick with convictions Old friend returns Another good decision Really exciting week
Believe - it will happen Stay late & play hard Kindness pays off Terrific fun week
Sept 7-14 Sept 15-22 Sept 23-30 Oct 1-6 Sept 7-14 Sept 15-22 Sept 23-30 Oct 1-6 Sept 7-14 Sept 15-22 Sept 23-30 Oct 1-6
You will be right Odd but happy ending A call from the past Things are looking up
Unplanned event Just in the nick of time Get tougher on decisions Terrific weekend ahead
Hunch works after lunch Great things coming Stay focused all week Unplanned trip a lot of fun
Sept 7-14 Sept 15-22 Sept 23-30 Oct 1-6
Comeback win Chills & thrills weekend Good advice from pal Plan that special trip
Aries Mar 21 to April 20
Sept 7-14 Sept 15-22 Sept 23-30 Oct 1-6 Sept 7-14 Sept 15-22 Sept 23-30 Oct 1-6
Every reason to believe Good luck happens on trip Lucky is your middle name Unavoidable trip will happen Huge comeback victory You bluff for big payoff Winning keeps coming Unexpected excitement
Sept 7-14 Sept 15-22 Sept 23-30 Oct 1-6 Sept 7-14 Sept 15-22 Sept 23-30 Oct 1-6
Eventful month coming Great things are near Lull before the storm Lots to be thankful for
Stand up for your rights Unplanned fun trip ahead Right place - right time Big changes are coming
Leo July 23 to Aug 23
Sept 7-14 Sept 15-22 Sept 23-30 Oct 1-6
Fine way to start week Pretty good choice Week of excitement Wow! You hit paydirt
Joke of the Month
First Time for everything A girl asks her boyfriend to come over Friday night to meet, and have dinner with her parents. Since this was such a big event, the girl tells her boyfriend that after dinner, she would like to go out and make love for the first time.
At the register, the pharmacist asked the young man if he’d like a 3-pack, 10-pack, or family pack. The boy took the family pack, gave the pharmacist a “High 5” and bolted out the door saying “I’ll be back in just a few days I’m sure”.
The boy is ecstatic; this would be his first time, so headed to the pharmacy to get some condoms. He tells the pharmacist it’s his first time, so the pharmacist talks with the boy for nearly an hour and covered everything about having safe sex.
That night, he rushed over to his girlfriend’s house. ‘Oh, I’m so excited for you to meet my parents!’ she said as they arrived at the dinner table where her parents were seated. The boy quickly offered to say grace and bowed his head.
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A minute passed, then five as he kept his head bowed. Ten minutes passed, and still he seemed deep in prayer. Finally, his girlfriend leaned over and whispered in his ear “I had no idea you were so religious.” The boy took a deep breath, turned his head, and whispered back, “And I had no idea your father was a pharmacist”
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