Southern Gaming and Destinations November/December 2014

CHRISTMAS IN THE SOUTH: NO SNOW, BUT HOT TIMES

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 Vol. 16, Issue 6 SOUTHERNGAMING.COM

HOLIDAY

GIFT GUIDE Naughty or nice, your favorite gamers are sure to swoon over these stocking stuffers PAGE 11

PLAYING IN THE OUTERBANKS PAGE 16

AMERICA’S GOT

TERRY FATOR HOW A NON-DRINKING, NON-GAMING VENTRILOQUIST BECAME KING OF THE STRIP PAGE 6

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LETTER

from the Publisher

UP FRONT with G. DOUGLAS

PUBLISHER

Bisig Impact Group CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Larry Bisig PRESIDENT & CREATIVE DIRECTOR

where the once casino capital of the South, Tunica, is watching the decline of revenue as more competition opens regularly in neighboring states. The first casino in Tunica opened in 1992, and the gambling revenue peaked in 2006, with almost $1.2 billion, resulting in $47.3 million in tax revenue. In 2013, the casinos collectively took in about $700 million, earning just $28.3 million in taxes.

Times are tough, and there is no light in sight.

As we wrap up our 16th year of publishing, it is hard not to notice the changing landscape of the gaming industry. While state governments turn to alternative revenue-generating options, the topic in state capitals that continues to come up is expanded gambling. And states that have established facilities are finding themselves facing declining tax revenues as increased competition from neighboring states continues to grow.

Look at New Jersey. Atlantic City is getting hit hard with increased competition from Philadelphia, Maryland and New York. Revenue in the once-booming beach town has been down more than 40 percent over the past six years, resulting in four casinos closing this year (The Atlantic Club, Showboat, Revel and Trump Taj Mahal), leaving 8,000 people unemployed and the state looking to recoup millions of dollars in lost revenue.

Atlantic City used to enjoy somewhat of a monopoly on East Coast gambling. In 2006 there were 27 casinos and racetracks in the region covering the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Today, there are 55 with more on the horizon of opening.

The state has recently allowed Internet-based poker sites and tried to allow sports betting at the casinos in efforts of generating revenues; however, neither has produced the numbers that were expected.

A similar problem is happening in Mississippi, 2

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In July, Harrah’s Casino Tunica closed its doors after 18 years of operation as one of the leading properties in Tunica. The resort had it all. A premium golf course, lavish spa, great restaurants, two hotels and more. If that facility couldn’t attract customers from the competition, who can? While the customers from the Caesarsowned property are being well taken care of at Horseshoe and Tunica Roadhouse, also owned by Caesars, Southern Gamers are continuously being reminded about the new “shiny nickel” down the road and are exploring those options.

Some might say that as casinos close, it will help the properties that are staying open. Some might say that the competition is good for the industry.

Time will tell how the story will end. But the silver lining in it all is that there are more gaming options than ever for you to explore, and we encourage you to visit them. We also encourage you to go back to that casino you haven’t been to in a long time. These places are built for YOU, and you deserve to enjoy the amenities they offer and the services they provide.

If you haven’t already, make sure to check out The Comps Club today! Get thousands in casino coupons and comps for just $29 plus all six issues of Southern Gaming and Destinations. For more information, visit TheCompsClub.com or call us at 1-877-582-9478.

If you can’t be good, be lucky!

Chip Dumstorf GENERAL MANAGER

G. Douglas Dreisbach MANAGING EDITOR

Joseph Grove ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Lauren Reisdorf ACCOUNTING

Peggy Harris CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS

James Bickers Linda Boyd Beth D’Addono John Grochowski Phil Hellmuth, Jr. Cindy Lamb Wayne Allyn Root Frank Scoblete Henry Tamburin Letters to the editor, address changes and other correspondence should be sent to: SOUTHERN GAMING AND DESTINATIONS

640 South Fourth Street Louisville, Kentucky 40202 (502) 583-0333 Fax (502) 583-6487 e-mail: editor@southerngaming.com The goal of this publication is to help drive awareness of the evergrowing popularity of the gaming industry and to assist the gamer in enjoying their gaming experience to the fullest.

Southern Gaming and Destinations is published for those who seek the best in gaming and in life, and is produced bimonthly by Bisig Impact Group of Louisville, Kentucky.

Copyright 2014 by Bisig Impact Group. All Rights Reserved. This publication is printed by Publisher’s Printing Co., Inc. of Shepherdsville, Kentucky. Postage is paid in Lebanon Junction, Kentucky.

Opinions of columnists are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, nor does Southern Gaming and Destinations assume liability for claims of advertisers.

POSTMASTER: Send

G. Douglas Dreisbach

GENER AL M ANAGER

address changes to Southern Gaming and Destinations, 640 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202.

November/December 2014

ON THE COVER

TIPS & COLUMNS

6

31 Craps

Giving Las Vegas a Hand Ventriloquist Terry Fator, winner of America’s Got Talent, is always elbow-deep into song and comedy— and even some tenderness—at The Mirage.

Do you play the 7 precepts?

32 Blackjack Stay away from these games.

33 Video Poker Enquiring minds want to know.

34 Poker

FEATURE ARTICLES

Advanced Hold ’em on the flop.

11 Ho-Ho-Hold ’em

HIGHLIGHTS & HOTSPOTS 9 Strip Teases A sampling of the coolest things to do/see/eat during your desert lay-over in Las Vegas

22 Southern Lights True, there probably won’t be snow, but where else can you head out to ooh-and-ahh at holiday fireworks on Christmas?

25 Hit the Holidays

The holidays are here. Not sure what to get the special gamer in your life?

Our annual gift guide comes to the rescue. More or less.

Enjoy Cajun flair in Lake Charles, La.

36 Arkansas Six ways to enjoy the Natural State, from one end to the other.

16 Way Out(er) There

The Outer Banks brings spectacular get-aways to your back yard.

CONTENTS

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26 Coming to a Casino Near You

The latest and greatest in slots just debuted at G2E in Las Vegas.

28 Sports Books of Las Vegas

Sure, you can watch games at home.

But is someone going to place your wagers and bring you drinkies? We didn’t think so. Here’s where to stay and play.

40 Going All-in with Tips

Hey, brother, can you spare a chip?

How to spread the wealth, one percent (or 20) at a time.

Find us on Facebook

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@SouthernGaming SOUTH E R NGAM I NG.COM

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FACTS & FUN

CINNAMON BUN HOT BUTTERED RUM Serves: 4 Prep Time: 15 minutes Ingredients Spiced Simple Syrup: 1 cinnamon stick 4 cloves 1/2 lemon 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup water Cinnamon Butter: 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, room temperature 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 6 ounces rum 16 ounces boiling water

DID YOU KNOW

1 2 3

IN PSYCHIATRY, WHAT IS THE FEAR OF VENTRILOQUIST DUMMIES CALLED? A. Verbophobia B. Automatonophobia C. Chromophobia D. Mechanophobia

WHERE WAS THE FIRST MAJOR GAMBLING CENTER IN THE UNITED STATES? A. New Orleans B. Las Vegas C. Chicago D. New York

Cook until sugar has melted, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature before straining.

Syrup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Cinnamon Butter: In a small bowl mash together butter, brown sugar and ground cinnamon, and mix until all the ingredients are evenly incorporated.

Divide batter between 4 mugs; pour 1 1/2 ounces of rum into each mug, followed by 1 teaspoon spiced simple syrup.

Pour 6 ounces boiling water into each mug and stir until butter is dissolved.

Serve hot garnished with cinnamon sticks.

44 ||

S SO OU UTT H E ER RN NG GA AM M IIN NG G..C CO M

4 5

WHICH YEAR MARKED THE FIRST RECORDED USAGE OF VALET PARKING? A. 1930 B. 1954 C. 1960

WHICH CITY HAS THE MOST HOTEL ROOMS OF ANY CITY IN THE WORLD? A. Manhattan B. Bangkok C. Dubai D. Las Vegas

WHICH TWO CARDS ARE REFERRED TO AS THE KISSING KINGS? A. The King of Hearts and the King of Clubs B. The King of Clubs and the King of Diamonds C. The King of Spades and the King of Clubs D. The King of Diamonds and the King of Hearts

D. 1972

Directions Spiced Simple Syrup: Combine cinnamon, cloves, lemon, sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently.

?

1. B-Automatonophobia, 2. A-New Orleans, 3. C-1060, 4. D-Las Vegas, 5. B- The King of Clubs and the King of Diamonds

Cinnamon buns are a favorite breakfast treat for people across the globe, but who knew they could make such a delicious cocktail! With a few simple ingredients and 15 minutes of your time, you can heat up even the coldest get-to gether with cinnamon sweetness.

88 Ventriloquist dummies in the Vent Haven museum in Kentucky.

700

Parts commonly used to make professional ventriloquist dummies, with 44 of them in the eyes and eyelids alone.

$40 61,000 billion People in the air over the United States at any given time, on any given day.

Sum of all tips given each year to service staff in the United States.

ls Band ie n a D e li r The Cha ER 15 B NOVEM 8:00pm Tickets

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T H E B O O K O F AC T S

Terry performs with Walter T. Airdale, a country singer running for president because “as a dummy I think I’ll fit right in.”

Photo Courtesy of Joesph Grove.

Look Who’s Talking W I T H FA I T H I N G OD A N D H I S OW N TA L E N T, T E R RY FAT OR H A S CL I M BE D T O T H E T OP B Y BE I N G A N Y T H I N G B U T S O M E ON E E L SE ’ S P U P PE T by

I

MET UP WITH TERRY Fator on the next to last day of August in the parking lot of an airport in northern Kentucky. For a late summer day, the heat and haze were taking it easy.

Unlike most mornings this time of year, you couldn’t see the air, and you could touch something that had sat outdoors overnight without bringing back a wet hand.

But August is August, and the South is the South, even if you’re at the northern most chain-link fence of it, and when you’ve been bouncing around inside small, regional jets since three in the morning, among the last things you want is to clamber into the back of a black car with black leather seats to discover the air 6|

SOUTHERNGAMING.COM

JOSEPH GROVE

conditioner is out. Especially when you’ve got about an hours’ ride ahead of you.

More so when the person who just climbed in first has a recorder and a notebook full of questions, most of which you’ve probably answered a gazillion times.

Such was the life of Terry Fator when he touched down for his Saturday night show at Belterra Casino Resort and Spa, just a piece down the interstate and across a bridge into Indiana.

It had been seven years and well over a $100 million since Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne and David Hasselhoff—and a sizable chunk of the American population, by the way—anointed him the winner of the second season of America’s Got Talent.

I was glad the A/C was out. How would

a marquee Las Vegas performer react to the driver of the car, who was making his second trip to the rear of the Lincoln to push the same impotent buttons and turn the same useless knobs? It was worth the prospect of an uncomfortable drive in order to see how this small-town Texan would treat one of his own now that his days of dust and obsequiousness were an estate, an entourage and a hot, young wife behind him.

“I’m sure sorry,” the old driver said. Again.

And in a tone that was kind and almost enthusiastically so, Fator said simply, “It’s okay.” As if to say, don’t worry about it.

De nada. Metaphorically at least, no sweat. And so we headed out of the parking lot, pointing south across the

highway, the windows down, and hot, fast gulps of August air so loud in the cabin they almost overpowered my recorder and drowned out the story of a humble guy made good. Damn good, in fact.

My first question was why was the headliner of The Mirage, one of the premier properties in a town full of premier properties, here in the heartland, where the crowds were small fractions of those that sell out his staged show.

“I do it for the fans,” he said. “I love my fans. I have a lot of fans who are never going to be able to come to Vegas, so first of all, I do it for them. And I do because it’s nice to get away.”

Another reason, he said, was that it gives him time to do something new. Fator, who owns several companies, has published books and DVDs, does voiceovers for Mickey Mouse cartoons and is currently pitching a number of TV specials and series, says he has incredible energy. The new show is yet another outlet for his creativity.

Terry may be the voice and conscience of his puppets, but wife Taylor sometimes plays a similar role with her Vegas star husband. Photo Courtesy of Joseph Grove.

“I was 100-percent positive. There’s wasn’t a shred of doubt that I wasn’t going to win,” he said. I just figured that the way people feel about ventriloquists and “The show is completely different,” he said. puppeteering, I was going to get on two “It gives my fans—and I wouldn’t be here or three episodes and that was it. I was without them—a look behind the scenes going to be off. Never even in my wildest of what it was like going from a small imagination did I ever town in Texas to winning think it would end up like it America’s Got Talent.”

“I DON’T did. That happens to other THINK HEIDI people. It doesn’t happen COMING TOGETHER to me. I’m this janitor, for (KLUM) KNOWS “I am a Christian. I believe crying out loud.”

ANYTHING in God. I believe God did it,” Fator said about his win on the talent show and the subsequent five year, $100 million contract with The Mirage, Las Vegas.

ABOUT TALENT. I REALLY DON’T. I REALLY DON’T THINK HOWIE MANDEL DOES EITHER. HE’S A COMEDIAN.”

The conf luence of circumstances were improbable, he said, and it’s not the obligatory awshucks humility of a guy whose core demographic is the Everyman and Everywoman from Heartland, USA. Instead, the details round out one of those stories that seem more the stuff of inspirational TV movies than biographies of multi-multi-million dollar Vegas performers.

Obstacle No. 1: He was a ventriloquist.

(One of his stage jokes: What does a ventriloquist use for birth control? The fact that he’s a ventriloquist.)

Even to get to compete, he had to overcome preliminary try-outs with producers. After the first one, he went home and waited by the phone. And waited. A lmost a year later, the show called and wanted him to come back for another round.

He nearly got sent home again. The producers thought he was faking it.

“They had me come to do part of my act like right in front of them, up close, to make sure that there wasn’t some trick to making the puppet talk and sing like that without moving my mouth at all.”

To his surprise, he continued to advance.

While other contestants went home between shows, he stayed in town,

sequestered in his hotel room, practicing.

And getting by with a little help from his friends. Before his final performance, Simon Cowell called to ask what song he had planned. No, Cowell said. Scrap it.

Use this one instead.

Even the timing was right in terms of the history of the show. In the early days, it had little budget to accommodate hightech performances, and the contest was much more about the performers doing their comparatively simple acts on a stage and hoping for the best from the judges.

Now, Fator says, not only are the acts more about technology, the makeup of the judges panel is different, and the show puts more emphasis on them and their interactions with the acts. For his season, “the exact judges that needed to be there were on there,” he said.

“The judges now. Howard Stern, watching him, he knows talent. He really knows talent. I think Mel B does, too. I don’t think Heidi (Klum) knows anything about talent. I really don’t. I really don’t think Howie Mandel does either. He’s a comedian. To listen to some of things he says, to watch some of the people he puts through that he says should go though, I really don’t think he does. So you have two out of four judges that know nothing about talent, and it’s a million dollar talent show!” he said.

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THE SIMPLE LIFE

Now, things have settled down. He has arrived in a way very few every get to arrive. Though he supports a large professional team (about 30 people) out of his contract with The Mirage, he is doubtless one of the city’s wealthiest men.

Fator created a unique show to take on the road. With re-enactments, special songs and multi-media, he tells an inspirational—and sometimes tear-jerking— story of how he went from being a janitor, performing to an audience of one, to an audience of millions. Photo Courtesy of Joseph Grove.

FATOR: EVERYMAN

Rags to riches. Never give up. Work hard.

Believe in yourself. All these and other clichés is what it takes to make a star of yourself in a world of wanna-bes. Winning the show when he was in his early 40s, he’s another overnight success that was decades in the making. (He says he started working on his act when many children are working on getting out of diapers.)

spending 20 years on the road, all told 11 months a year, coming home to spend time with his then-wife, Melinda. Two anecdotes mark his low points.

The first was when he performed at a Dallas stadium. One six-year-old boy showed up to watch him. During the performance, the stagehands began folding the chairs.

But despite his success, he retains a humility of a joe who might as well be your neighbor. The guy you’d see on the weekends in his front yard, waving a garden hose and telling you to come by for a beer later on.

The second—even worse for him—was when he auditioned for producers of three Vegas properties, just a few months before he began his America’s Got Talent trek.

All three of them said he would never make it in Vegas.

Part of that is because of the low times, the times when he should have quit. Wanted to quit. Was about to quit.

“Now, it’s one of these sweet moments, when you look back and say, see, you could have made some money off me.”

He says he is a lot more normal than people believe. While he recognizes he has a very unique gift, ultimately he’s no different than a stand-out maintenance person.

But it was not long after he won the contest and had come into success in Las Vegas that he arrived at a breaking point.

Melinda had filed for divorce—twice, in Dallas and in Nevada—and Fator said he was battling four other lawsuits at the time.

“We have a guy who works on our house and he is spectacular at what he does, but the only applause he gets is when we say, my god, you did such a good job,” Fator said. “He is just as talented as I am at what he does, but there’s no audience there to cheer to them on. It sounds silly, but it’s totally the same thing. I don’t feel that I’m superior to any one of them.”

Fator worked hard in his own way, 8|

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“I came this close to walking away from it all. I sent an email to my entire staff and my attorneys that said, you know what, I don’t know how much more I can take,” Seriously. “We were working so hard, and we weren’t seeing a penny. My ex-wife had frozen my accounts so I couldn’t buy a house. I couldn’t even buy a car.”

After the two years of divorce “hell” he suffered, he quickly married stage assistant Taylor Makakoa, whom he began seeing after the divorce was initiated. She is half his age. She is stunning. When the two of them are together, it would be easier to assume she is the one with her name in lights. But riding in the back of the limousine with both of them, I never got the vibe that theirs was a match made in the bank lobby. (They have no prenup, however, citing the importance of trust that their religious commitment to marriage and each other is sacred.)

They share a two-acre estate in Las Vegas.

They walk their six dogs and lounge around the pool with them. Taylor’s mom—who once worked three jobs in order to take care of her children—has space there, too, and manages the staff and contractors. More often, Terry gets out of bed before Taylor does. She’ll text him when she’s awake. He brings her breakfast. They make the 15 minute drive to The Mirage. It’s a leisurely prep until 10 minutes before curtain, when he gets dressed and Taylor does his make-up. At five minutes before, he does his PSP—his pre-show pee.

“I have this very boring, this very incredibly boring life, but I love it,” he said. “I was on the road for more than 20 years. To have roots. To have a place... it’s like a paradise.”

As a child, he saw on TV a Vegas marquee with Frank Sinatra’s name on it. He knew that Elvis Presley had played the Vegas Hilton too.

“From the time I was young, I wanted to be a Vegas performer, because I felt that was the pinnacle of success,” he said.

“In my mind, if you wanted to be a really successful entertainer, you went to Las Vegas.”

He did go, and he did become. Welcome home, Terry Fator.

LEAVING (FOR) LAS VEGAS

STRIP TEASES: A sampling of the coolest things to do/see/eat during your desert lay-over in Las Vegas

ZOMBIE BURLESQUE

V Theater / vtheater.com Who knew that the popularity of “Walking Dead” and “World War Z” would whet the world’s appetite (if you’ll pardon the pun) for zombie thongs and pasties? Not this guy, who jettisoned hopes of catching Cirque de Soleil’s “Zumanity” as soon as I saw the Zombie show billboard. —JG

RESTAURANTS N9NE

Steakhouse, Palms Casino Resort / palms.com A great meal around, but when dessert came, my inner 25-yearold kid trumped all sense of reason: Some More S’mores were on the menu, and I just had to have them. They featured the perfect size strawberry and orange marshmallows, and the option of white chocolate on the graham cracker made me a proud member of the Clean Plate Club for the rest of the meal. —RH NINE FINE IRISHMEN Rod Stewart may be 69, but decades of hard living and harder rocking have managed little to emasculate his musical powers.

Photo courtesty of Denise Truscello.

A

FEW OF THE SOUTHERN GAMING CREW recently passed through Las Vegas with some extra time and spare cash. When we weren’t at the tables, we played and ate.

Here’s some of what we liked.

New York, New York Hotel and Casino ninefineirishmen.com The inside of the restaurant resembles a traditional Irish pub, and the outdoor patio sits on the Strip allowing for great peoplewatching while enjoying great food and beer for reasonable prices.

The portions here are big so sharing is recommend as two can get out of here with food and couple of beers each for less than $60. —G. Douglas Dreisbach

SHOWS

OLD HOMESTEAD STEAKHOUSE

BRITNEY SPEARS: PIECE OF ME REVIEW

While Caesars is home to many great restaurants, we were fortunate to enjoy a decadent meal at located directly across from The Coliseum entrance making for a great pre-concert dining option. Names and designed after the famous restaurant in New York, the attention to detail from everything from the wine list to presentation was spot on. –GDD

Planet Hollywood ($65-$525) planethollywoodresort.com My memories of Spears’ music and its effect on me are vivid still today. And as I prepared for my first live Britney concert, in Las Vegas, I was nervous: Would her show live up to my expectations? Fortunately, it did, matching in energy and sexiness to her controversial performances at the VMAs in 2000 and 2001. —Robin Hendrich ROD STEWART: THE HITS

Caesars Palace Colosseum ($49-$250) caesarspalace.com/shows Stewart is one of those rare artists who, charting one great song after another over the decades, becomes part of his listeners’ lives without their ever realizing it. That fact occurred to me as I sat in his short but intense show at Caesars Palace. His oeuvre is deep and solid, and even decades after their release, many of his records still have the power to send listeners to their feet to rock, or to sucker-punch the wind out of them. —Joseph Grove

Caesars Palace / theoldhomesteadsteakhouse.com

OTHER GOOD STUFF • The Linq, a collage of bars, restaurants, shops, casinos and more, located on the Strip between Flamingo and Oshea’s Casino.

• High Roller, the world’s tallest observation wheel.

• The Stratosphere Hotel and Casino, providing the tallest view of any structure west of the Mississippi, as well as the Sky Jump and other thrill rides. Afraid of heights? Hmmm.

Maybe not the best place for you.

Find more Las Vegas: Quick Delights and Sights of Sin City at southerngaming.com.

SOUTHERNGAMING.COM

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A GUIDE FOR SOMETHING DISTINCTLY GAME-ESQUE Casinos have always had something distinctly holiday-esque about them.

The jolly reds and mistletoe greens of felt tabletops lay like the skirt of a Christmas tree below the silver and golds of gaming hardware. The ceaseless symphonies of the slots are the sleigh bells and church peels of a festive casino winner wonderland.

And of course, right behind the spirit and tradition of the Season is the hope of all gamers, young and old alike, that Santa—whether wearing a bulging red suit and fur collar or the taut black vest and bow tie of a dealer—will put a little swag in their stockings.

Want to play Santa to your favorite gamer? This year’s Gaming Gift Guide has been meticulously curated by our team of elven interns to help you do just that. And if that favorite gamer happens to be yourself, well, Rudolph, we’ll still let you play in our reindeer casino games.

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LAS VEGAS STRIP FLIGHT Make your gamer’s trip to Las Vegas one to remember with an exhilarating 10-minute helicopter ride over the Las Vegas Strip. He’ll enjoy fabulous views of the dazzling sights lights from a state-of-the-art, six-seater ECO-star helicopter. Hotel pickup and drop-off is included, as well as a Champagne toast prior to the flight. Choose from multiple departure times, allowing you to easily fit the tour into his busy Las Vegas schedule. Night and day tours start from $89. viator.com

BLUE POKER CHIP CUFFLINKS

WATERLOO DOG POKER WOVEN BLANKET

Who says cufflinks are out of style? They may be a little more work than the standard button-and-hole set-up, but few things shout fancy AND schmancy than a gamer who flings the dice with this kind of bling on his wrists. $28.99. cuff-daddy.com

Talk about sweet dreams! What better way for your special gamer to cuddle up warm and cozy on a cold winter’s night than tucked into this blanket version of the venerable man cave classic. $64.99. cafepress.com

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POKER CHIP CHEESE CUTTING BOARD We love this one so much we won’t even make a “who cut the cheese” joke! This laser-engraved board is made from rich and vibrant bamboo and features a dual level swivel design. A special compartment beneath the upper level houses the cheese carving tools for clever, compact and easy storage. Best of all? It can be personalized for special gift delivery. $34.95. hansonellis.com

STAR SPANGLED EAGLE FLAG SLOT MACHINE BANK Save for a rainy day? Nah. Save for a trip to the slots! This is a full-action casino style slot machine and savings bank. It looks great anywhere and keeps your saved money separate from the jackpot money. Realistic game play with working handle and wide-spinning reels. $61.97. pokergamingproducts.com

CARNIVAL CASINO CRUISE If you’ve just gambled on a river boat, you ain’t seen nothing till you spend anywhere from three to seven days or longer on the open waters with nothing but you, the waves and the chips falling where they may. Carnival is just one cruise line with ships that feature gaming floors for their passengers, and depending on the season, rates can become very affordable. Five-day Western Carribean cruises starting at just under $500 for two people. carnival.com

SHOT GLASS ROULETTE Place your bets and take your chances—no matter what number the ball lands on, everyone wins in this fun drinking game of chance! Set includes spinning roulette wheel, two balls, and 16 numbered glass shot glasses, each holding 1 oz. $20.95. homewetbar.com

MEN’S MICROFIBER CASINO-STYLE BOXER SHORTS Designed for the man who likes to keep his, er, dice comfortable, these fashionable undergarments provide the security of briefs and extended coverage of a boxer. Microfiber technology keeps em breathing when things get hot—on or off the table. Various styles starting at $19.95. freegun.com

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PERRELET TURBINE POKER WATCH

EXOTIC CAR RENTAL

Let’s face it. Only the whales can afford to tool up to their favorite Vegas casino in a Lambo or Ferrari. Your favorite gamer may not have upward of half a million dollars to lay down for a car that lays down serious rubber, but with a gift certificate to Las Vegas Exotic Rentals, you can hand him the keys to the exotic car of his dreams. Rental periods can be as short as nine hours, with full days ranging from as low as $425 for a Lotus Elise to $1,995 for a black-and-silver Rolls Royce ghost. $425 and up. vegasexoticrentals.com

Perrelet has taken to playing the game of exploring the many possibilities afforded by its famous double-rotor watches in their Turbine version. The unique mechanized motion can reveal multiple views of cards. In one, it shows two full suits, three of a kind and a pair of sevens as well as a trip of kings and pair of sevens. The special Turbine Poker series feature 44 mm cases in DLC treated steel. See them in action at turbineperrelet. com (and look for their NSFW exotic watches, too). $4,382. luxoryofwatches.com

WINE SUITCASE

HARLEY-DAVIDSON 3-IN-1 POKER TABLETOP Rev up her gambling engine with this Harley-Davidson licensed tabletop. Get your cards and chips and be ready to play home versions of three classic casino games: craps, blackjack and poker. Includes a durable and convenient shoulder bag for easy storage and transport. Bring your own tattoos and leather pants. $179.99. xtreme-game-room.com

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If you like wine and are one of those who are a bit, shall we say, particular about your regions and vintages, why not take your own stash on the road? Enter the VinGardeValise, s’il vous plait. This hardshell suitcase features high-density foam cocoons for your favorite bottles, four spinner wheels for easy movement as well as integration with luggage locators. Weighs only 43 pounds when loaded with a full case of wine. Tough enough that even the surliest of baggage handlers won’t be able to spill a drop. $229.99. vingardevalise.com

JACK DANIEL’S POKER SET Being unlucky is one thing. Being thirsty is a whole ‘nuther story. With this fusion of poker and America’s most popular whisky brand, two of gaming’s best friends combine to help you avoid both maladies. It features a heavy-duty felt-lined leatherette case emblazoned with the classic Jack Daniel’s logo, along with 300 foil-printed quality Old No. 7® poker chips, a dealer button, two decks of cards and five throwing dice. $79.99. kotulas.com

LEG BLADDER There is nothing worse—trust us here—than being in the middle of a hot streak at the table only to be called away by Mother Nature. Sooner or later, it is in fact true: You gotta go when you gotta go. UNLESS, that is, you strap on a urinary leg bag system from Catheze. The medicalgrade equipment is designed for maximum storage with maximum comfort, with sizes available across the male and female spectrums.

Go ahead. Order that next cocktail. catheze.com

SKIP HOP SLOT MACHINE FOR TODDLERS To both our disappointment and amazements, this one doesn’t actually exist. The New York-based toy maker lent its logo and design for an April Fool’s joke that strikes a little too close for comfort: You know as well as we do that if this pint-sized one-armed bandit really were on the shelves of the local Toys R Us, some people—not our readers, of course—would be wrapping it up for their nephew’s thirdbirthday party. Cha-ching! Priceless. skiphop.com

JAMES BOND’S CASINO ROYALE BAR STOOL Sure, it may be a bit cumbersome to lug to your gamer’s favorite casino bar, but wouldn’t it be fun to order his shaken-not-stirred martini from one of 007’s stools from the 2006 movie “Casino Royale”? These stools—made especially for the movie and taken straight from the set—will be the star of any home game room. The stool has been painted gold and has a leaf patterned cream cover on the seat. Measures 50” high. $1,709. propstore.com

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W H E R E T O G E T AW AY

The Sanderling Resort in Duck, N.C., is one of myriad Outer Banks locations where vacationers can enjoy sun, surf and restoration.

Photo courtesy of Sanderslings Resort.

Head Out to the Outer Banks T H E AQ UAT IC H AV E N I N N OR T H C A ROL I N A OF F E R S S O M E T H I N G F OR WAT E R S P OR T S M A N A N D L A N DL U BBE R S A L I K E . by

T

O A FIRST TIME visitor, the dearth of Southern culture in the Outer Banks in North Carolina is surprising. For generations, local families have survived by harvesting the sea, creating a population of entrepreneurs who tend to think outside the box. Even the local accent is unique to the region. Known as a high-tide brogue, it borrows inflection from the area’s Irish and English roots, with nothing Deep South about it.

Still fueled to a large degree by fishing, the local economy is even more dependent on tourism. Essentially a strip of laid-back beach towns connected by bridges, the Outer Banks, or OBX for short, is home to about 60,000 residents year-round. During 16 |

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B E T H D ’A D D O N O

the late spring, summer and into fall, OBX attracts as many as 500,000 visitors drawn by stunning wide beaches, stellar fishing, a shallow coastline dotted with historic wrecks and a picturesque string of quaint villages.

Most sun worshippers stay in the oversized McMansions that line the beaches, six, seven and eight-bedroom abodes that can easily host a multi-gen family gathering or getaway of multiple couples. The size and diversity of the housing stock coupled with competitive rates—you can rent a six bedroom beachfront house with a ton of amenities from about $4,000 in high season, less than half that after Labor Day—makes OBX a worthwhile destination for a longer beach getaway.

Some real estate companies will stock your fridge for you, and you can even hire a personal chef to take care of the cookery while you’re on vacation.

FIND YOUR OBX

How do you know which town on this scenic 200-mile spit of islands fits your M.O.? In general, the busiest and most commercial towns are in the Northern Beaches, places like swanky Duck (so dogfriendly there isn’t even a leash law), Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills and Kitty Hawk.

That’s where you’ll find a concentration of bars and restaurants, family fun activities and shopping. Farther south is quaint Roanoke Island, with its pedestrianfriendly downtown and Elizabethan

A Roanoke settlement of more than 100 people simply vanished in 1587. The mystery is told in “The Lost Colony,” America’s longest-running dramatic musical. Photo courtesy of Outerbanks.org.

gardens. If you yearn for solitude and pristine nature, Hatteras is even quieter still, with vast stretches of land devoted to sand dunes and sea oats, the perfect place to unplug and commune with nature.

ISLANDS APART

The islands’ past is defined by mystery.

The first group of outsiders, who came to this narrow stretch of land some 30 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, was a ragtag contingent of 117 men, women and children. They came ashore on Roanoke Island in July 1587, intent on founding the first permanent settlement in the Americas. Three years later, when a supply ship returned to the spot, the settlement had vanished without a trace.

This mystery is entertainingly recounted in The Lost Colony, America’s longest running dramatic musical. Performed seasonally in an open-air waterfront theater set at the edge of Roanoke Sound, the family-friendly show spotlights more than 200 actors, technicians and

designers on a stage three times larger than most Broadway venues. The theater is adjacent to Roanoke Island’s Festival Park, an interactive family attraction that includes costumed interpreters and the Elizabeth II, a representation of one of the original ships.

BY AIR AND BY SEA

Famous for being the site of the first controlled-power f light, The Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kitty Hawk is a must-see. Besides the chance to climb to the top of Big Kill Devil Hill, kids and history lovers will appreciate the full-scale reproduction of the 1903 Powered Flyer, an ideal place for a group photo. There is also a great little museum filled with remarkable photos. Turns out, Orville was quite the shutterbug.

Despite its history of enterprising maritime ventures, the Outer Banks is also part of a treacherous coastline that stretches south from the Chesapeake. Frequent

severe weather, strong currents and navigational challenges presented by rocky shoals earned the area the nickname The Graveyard of the Atlantic, with conditions responsible for some 3,000 shipwrecks from Kitty Hawk south to Ocracoke.

Besides being the watery home to the most German U-boats sunk off any state coast in America, ships from colonial days through the Civil War and both World Wars are buried in the watery depths.

If you aren’t planning on diving the wrecks—which draw intrepid divers from all over the world—visit the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras to learn more. The perilous waters are also the reason the Outer Banks is home to five striking lighthouses, beacons of navigation that are fun to climb and offer stunning panoramic views.

INDY EATS

From simple f ish houses to upscale dining, the towns of the Outer Banks SOUTHERNGAMING.COM

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THE SEAFOOD ALONE—ESPECIALLY THE CRUSTACEAN CATCH OF THE CRABBERS—MERITS A TRIP TO THE OUTER BANKS REGION. and fishing charters thrive here, making OBX a paradise for catching, and eating, local seafood.

It’s also one of the best places for kite boarding. A cross between surfing and flying that definitely isn’t for the heightaverse, this sport has really taken off in Hatteras and a few others spots along the Outer Banks. Even if you’re not inclined to give it a go, watching the colorful kite sails carrying surfers airborne is lyrically entertaining.

Birders flock to Hatteras, where they might spy nearly 400 species of birds in places like the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, a magnet for migrating species, shorebird nesting areas and wading bird rookeries.

Photo courtesy of Outerbanks.org.

dish authentic eats. For breakfast, Stack ’em High Pancakes and So Forth in Kill Devil Hills is a family-owned fave since 1981. Belgian waffles topped with chocolate chips, coco loco French toast combines chocolate with coconut and the signature five-stack of ‘cakes, is light and best served with bacon and real maple syrup. For lunch, stop at O’Neal’s Sea Harvest in Wanchese. Also family owned, the O’Neals operate a seafood business, bringing in fresh catch daily, including soft shells when they’re in season. Locals in the know buy their fish here and order lunch, too: Shrimp, scallop, oyster or soft shell po’boys, grilled fresh tuna and shrimp salads and crab cakes. Seating is inside or outside on the deck.

You won’t f ind a better f ine dining experience than at Kimball’s Kitchen in the stunning Sanderling Resort in Kitty Hawk. Charming and romantic, this restaurant offers glorious views of the Currituck Sound and its inspiring sunsets.

But it’s chef John Lawrence’s cuisine that earns the real oohs and aahs. Lawrence, whose resume includes stints at Tides Inn, 18 |

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along with the Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans, focuses on pristine local seafood, hand-cut pasta and aged steaks accompanied by house-made béarnaise or a killer bacon Vidalia onion steak sauce.

Don’t miss the duck fat roasted potatoes or the lobster Mac ’n‘ cheese. An impressive craft cocktail program keeps company with a fine line up of local beers and well selected New and Old World wines. A spendy treat, to be sure, but the cuisine sets the bar high.

BACK TO NATURE

Cross the three-mile bridge over Oregon Inlet to Hatteras Island, a 42-mile-long arc of sand that at its most distant point is just 25 miles from the mainland.

Made up of seven small villages, about 85 percent of the island is made up of unspoiled Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Once a small commercial fishing village, Hatteras evolved into a major Gulf Stream sport fishing destination, with blue marlin in particular a tantalizing catch. Family-owned seafood businesses

At the end of the day, though, it’s all about the pristine beaches. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, you can drive for miles along a twolane coastal highway with only rolling sand dunes and sea birds for company.

W HERE TO FIND THEM THE LOST COLONY

(252) 473-6000 | thelostcolony.org ROANOKE ISLAND FESTIVAL PARK

(252) 475-1500 | roanokeisland.com WRIGHT BROTHERS NATIONAL MEMORIAL

(252) 473-2111 | nps.gov/wrbr GRAVEYARD OF THE ATLANTIC MUSEUM

(252) 986-2995 | graveyardoftheatlantic.com STACK ’EM HIGH AND SO FORTH PANCAKES

(252) 261-8221 | stackemhigh.com O’NEAL’S SEA HARVEST

(252) 473-4535 | onealsseaharvest.com SANDERLING RESORT

(866) 860-3979 | sanderling-resort.com

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IP CASINO RESORT SPA | BILOXI, MS The Charlie Daniels Band | November 15 The Texas Tenors | December 29

DELTA DOWNS RACETRACK CASINO & HOTEL | VINTON, LA $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot Race | November 22 Warrant | December 31

EVANGELINE DOWNS RACETRACK & CASINO | OPELOUSAS, LA Diamond Rio | November 28 Wayne Toups | December 31

SAM’S TOWN HOTEL & CASINO | SHREVEPORT, LA Thunder from Down Under | November 28 Rockin’ Dopsie | December 31

SAM’S TOWN HOTEL & GAMBLING HALL | TUNICA, MS Let It Slide | December 31 I 900 Band | December 31

AMELIA BELLE CASINO | AMELIA, LA Great Cajun cuisine at The Cajun Buffet.

A spacious riverboat casino on Louisiana’s Bayou.

And, as always, all your favorite slots and table games!

TREASURE CHEST CASINO | KENNER, LA Treasure Fest | October 11 Shrimp Boil on the Lake | November 7

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The Gaylord Opryland Hotel is known across the United States if not the world for its awe-inspiring celebration of Christmas.

THE

HOLIDAYS,

DIXIE-STYLE THE TEMPERATE , balmy South might

not conjure snowy images of Courier & Ives, but at least visions of palm trees and mistletoe, seashells and fireworks may dance in your head. The holiday feast may swap the Christmas goose with sea bass, shrimp and grits, or fried chicken.

Colorful peacocks and graceful magnolias don’t replace turtledoves and a Douglas Fir, but could be a dandy traditional ornamentation all the same.

In other words, the South—as is true with so many things—does the holidays in its own way. From Arkansas to the Atlantic Ocean, from the Ohio to the Gulf, and the Blue Ridge to the beaches, our favorite neck of the woods is putting 22

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The South may not have snow this Christmas, but it’s always a winter wonderland in the heart.

Here are a few of the places that show it best. by

C I N DY L A M B

on a spectacular show for you. Here are a few suggestions to consider. Look, book and enjoy the cordial and charismatic Southern-style Christmas!

Actors Theatre of Louisville “A Christmas Carol” Louisville, Ky. / Nov. 25–Dec. 23 (502) 584-1205 / actorstheatre.org

Scrooge, Tiny Tim, the Christmas ghost, and even the Christmas goose will be there. The word-renowned Actors Theatre of Louisville is a celebrated hallmark of the holiday season with its rich production of the Charles Dickens classic, “A Christmas Carol.” This magical evening has been a family tradition for locals and guests to the River City for nearly four decades.

The 2014 production will set design, wardrobe and music that has never been seen or heard before, So, if you’ve enjoyed the comfort and splendor of the Pamela Brown Auditorium over the years, there is something new in store.

It was reviewed last year by WFPL’s Erin Keane as “ … solid acting paired with lovely music, a liberal dose of humor and the cozy familiarity of a timeless redemption story well-told” Bring a date, bring your family. The historic Main Street district should be alive with lights, dining, horse drawn carriages, shopping and pubs for an evening of holiday memories

Alabama Christmas on the Water Gulf Shores, Ala. / Dec. 12-13 alabamacoastalchristmas.com

Eat, drink and take part in the Merry Market at the Orange Beach Events Center at the Wharf. Something for everyone waits at this festive outpouring of music, food, dance, and activities.

Literally, the highlight of the evening is the 29th Annual Christmas Lighted Boat Parade will be held on Saturday, December 13t at 5:30 pm beginning at Lulu’s at Homeport Marina. When the sun goes down, the boats come out and it’s a majestic sight. The parade will travel east down the Intracoastal Waterway Canal and pass The Wharf (public viewing area), around Bear Point, along the south end of Ono Island, west to Perdido Pass, north into Terry Cove Harbor, south to bridge, and end in Orange Beach.

Arkansas Trail of Holiday Lights Arkansas / Thanksgiving through Christmas / Arkansas.com

Arkansas is open for the holidays! The week of Thanksgiving through the Christmas holiday, back roads, mountaintops, and waterways are hanging lights to mistletoe throughout 60 communities. It’s one of the most collaborative efforts to create a route of Christmas cheer from the Ozarks to the Delta and all are invited.

Rivage – BR Prime, Jai, and Stalla. Meet your friends for drinks before the show or hitting the floor at Eight75 and toast you good luck in advance From Dec. 2 – 28, experience “Santa & Friends” in the 1,500 seat state-ofthe-art Beau Rivage Theatre, which has presented artists such as LeeAnn Rimes, Tony Bennett, Blue Man Group as well as comedians and elaborate dance productions.

Owned and operated by MGM Resorts, the Beau Rivage is a contemporary palace unto itself rising high above the shoreline and surrounded by the charm and dazzle of Biloxi.

Biltmore House Estate Asheville, N.C. / Thanksgiving - New Year’s Day / (800) 411-3812 / biltmore.com

When your backyard is 8,000 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains, there is never a moment without something to capture your imagination or inspiration. The historic architecture and landscape of the Vanderbilt family estate is a worldclass destination, offering guided tours, a winery, shopping, gourmet dining, and endless halls and houses to explore. View the opulence of the family’s legacy in “A

Christmas Past” – a display of ornaments, music, and other treasures of the era.

Packages from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day make it easy to choose the perfect feast, tours, and rooms at the inn.

From the solace of Christmas Candlelight or the fireworks of the New Year’s Eve Celebration, the elegance of the Biltmore will be an unforgettable holiday journey.

Festival of the Bonfires Lutcher, La. / Dec. 12-14 festivalofthebonfires.org

“Joyeux Noel!” You can’t imagine the rising flames into the teal blue skies of a Louisiana winter until you get close to the Festival of the Bonfires. The entire weekend is filled with music, food, carnival rides, Santa’s Very Merry Forest, classic car show and more that leads up to a spectacular Christmas Eve ritual of 120 bonfires create a trail of light along the Mississippi levee.

Christmas on Caddo Fireworks Shreveport-Bossier, La. (318) 995-7139

Welcome to beautiful Lake Caddo in “Louisiana’s Other Side,” ShreveportBossier in the northwestern quadrant

The Beau Rivage, in Biloxi, Miss., pulls out all the stops for its annual celebration, including festive decorations and special meals from award-winning Chef Joseph Friel.

The map goes from the River Valley to the Timberlands and into the Ozarks, and Delta regions of The Natural State.

Eureka Springs, Ft. Smith, Pine Bluff, Newport and the road winds on. Keep an eye peeled for Razorback ornaments!

Beau Rivage Biloxi, Miss. / Through Christmas (228) 386-7111 / beaurivage.com

Go for the Gulf! Trade the snowy days of winter for the sand and shore view from this luxury high-rise resort in prime Mississippi real estate. The halls will be decked and the decks will be shuffled in this coveted holiday destination for gaming, dining, entertainment, rejuvenation, and shopping.

Aw ard-winning Chef Joseph Friel and his talented crew bring southern charm with a global palette to the restaurants at Beau SOUTH E R NGAM I NG.COM

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Graceland Christmas Memphis, Tenn. / Through Christmas (901) 332-3322 / graceland.com

The magic of The King will set your Christmas aglow with rock ‘n’ roll, traditional lights and attractions, and grand tours of mansion halls decked Elvis style.

Start by witnessing the Lighting Ceremony on Nov. 21 at 6:30 p.m. as they flip the switch that officially lights the entire Memphis property for the season.

Nothing says old-fashioned Christmas like jingle bells, lovely weather and a sleigh ride together with you.

of the state. This year is the 20th annual fireworks and festival at Earl Williamson Park in Oil City, part of the Caddo Parish.

Shimmering firelight on the water will put you in the holiday spirit, along with much bang and boom! This event provides activities for families with arts and crafts interactive tents, as well pictures with St. Nick himself. Bring a date and enjoy the brilliant lakeside display as the sun sets on a warm Louisiana Christmas night.

Christmas at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Light Show South Concord, NC / Nov 21–Dec. 30 (704) 455-3200 Charolttemoterspeedway.com

Fuel your family with the holiday spirit.

One of the newest annual events added to the world famous speedway’s calendar, this unique holiday event offers a threemile drive-through holiday light park, with decorations and activities throughout the speedway grounds. Guests will enjoy visiting the Christmas village, including photos with Santa, marshmallow roasting pits, games, and prizes. Catch any of the ten movie nights featuring holiday classics such as “A Christmas Story,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and “Polar Express” on the track’s giant HDTV. Visions of sugarplums and checkered flags will dance in your head!

Gaylord Opryland – Country Christmas Nashville / Through Christmas (615) 889-1000 / marriott.com

This Marriot resort becomes a village unto itself this time of year. Whether you 24 |

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attend ICE! featuring ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes, or take part in old-fashioned horse-drawn carriage tours, Delta Riverboat, and Treasures for the Holidays—these are only a few of the attractions included in a selection of Christmas packages.

This year, the Arctic Plunge Snow Tubing and Glacier Glide Ice Skating make their holiday debut so there is totally something for everyone when Music City strikes up the band and turns on the lights for a charming and entertaining Christmas.

Goldstrike Casino Tunica, Miss. / Through Christmas (662) 357-1111 / goldstrikemississippi.com

Send your Christmas cards before you head to Mississippi, then you can play cards for Christmas-Four Card Poker, Let It Ride, and the newest game, Mississippi Stud to name a few. From dice to slots, blackjack, to baccarat, the games are plentiful at this southern MGM resort casino oasis.

Dazzling entertainment includes the annual Holiday Ice Spectacular running from Dec. 10-21 in the enchanting Millennium Theatre; and its live rock, blues, country at the fully-stocked bar and nightclub Stage2.

Enjoy fine dining and diverse menus in four in-house restaurants from breakfast at midnight to a formal steak dinner. Just an hour’s drive into Memphis you will find historic Beale Street, the Peabody Hotel, Graceland, and all that is the gateway to the Deep South a long the Mississippi River.

Experience a Graceland Christmas Nov. 21–Jan. 8 (Elvis’ birthday) is a trip back in time, viewing the Presley family holiday decorations indoors and on the exterior, from the red velvet drapes, Christmas artifacts and heirlooms, a lifesize Nativity scene, Santa and his sleigh, and hundreds of blue lights marking the winding driveway.

Visit Graceland and see how much Elvis and Santa have in common.

The Greenbrier (855) 453-4858 / Greenbier.com

The Greenbrier is the perfect locale for a holiday getaway! The resort features extensive holiday decorations each year, from wreaths to garlands, to decorated Christmas trees and extravagant holiday lights and more.

Each year guests of the resort can experience the spectacular 60 days of holiday cheer at The Greenbrier from November through New Years. Travelers can give thanks at the property’s distinct dining venues, discover the hidden 5th Avenue Greenbrier shopping mall and see tree lightings every Saturday in December.

At the Christmas Shop, guests can meet Mrs. Claus and take part in the “Ribbons & Bows” Mini-Seminar to learn how to make gift-wrapping extra special. During the holiday season, guests can also enjoy holiday culinary demonstrations, ice skating, listening and joining in with Carolers, taking photographs with Santa Claus, meeting Queen Elsa from Frozen and seeing The Nutcracker Ballet onproperty December 27-28. Other activities will include a Christmas Eve Wine Tasting, a Christmas Eve Gingerbread Ball, WVU Puppet Mobile Christmas Show, a New Year’s Eve Gala and New Year’s Day Brunch.

TRAVEL TIPS

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HIT THE HOLIDAYS: Lake Charles, Louisiana

F YO U A R E L O OK I N G for some Cajun f lair, warm personalities, trendy night spots and more this holiday season, be sure to plan a visit to Lake Charles in Southwest Louisiana. The town is decorated for the season, and special events include Mistletoe & Moss Holiday Market, Nov. 20-22, and the Holiday House market held during the Christmas Under the Oaks Festival in Sulphur, Dec. 5-6. The festival is the only place around where it “snows” every year and features a lighted-balloon street parade called The Light Up. Plus, it’s no secret that casinos are always a sure bet for the holidays, with seasonal decorations, promotions and menu offerings. Don’t miss Delta Downs Racetrack, Casino & Hotel in Vinton, where you can enjoy live Thoroughbred racing and off-track betting

options, slot machines, restaurants and entertainment. The Isle of Capri Casino & Hotel in Westlake features concerts, gaming action, restaurants and more and the luxurious L’Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles has a spa, an immaculate Pete Dyedesigned golf course, shops, a full Vegas-style casino, entertainment and dining options. Finally, the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino is scheduled to open in December and will feature restaurants, a golf course, retail shops, a spa and full casino options.

If you haven’t been to Lake Charles, or haven’t been in awhile, be sure to check it out. It’s becoming a major attraction for Southern gamers and travelers alike.

For more information on events and attractions, go to VisitLakeCharles.org or call 1-800-456-SWLA.

GAMING TRENDS

SLOT TRENDS: A look at the greatest slots at G2E by

E

JOHN GROCHOWSKI

ACH YEAR IN THE EARLY FALL, casino professionals

and their suppliers gather in Las Vegas for the Global Gaming Expo, part conference with high-level seminars and discussions, and part trade show.

The biggest, brightest, glitziest booths belong to the slotmakers, with their games that scream “Play me!” while table games developers occupy quieter corners.

New games always mean new features, new ways to play and new intrigue to keep you coming back for more. Let’s take a stroll through the aisles of G2E to check out some games and trends you should watch for in the coming year.

1. Slot games are getting “edgy”: That’s the word WMS Gaming Vice President of Game Development Phil Gelber used in describing his company’s new “Mad Men” and “Austin Powers” slots.

With Mad Men based on the hit AMC series, the Roger Sterling bonus invites you to have a drink—touch a glass of some nice brown liquid on the screen and perhaps add wild symbols for bonus spins. Using video from the show, you’ll then get a line from Sterling—after one pick Sterling said, “When God closes a door, he opens a dress.”

One Austin Powers bonus event involved two yellow spinning wheels placed strategically on the blonde Fembot’s person—you can imagine where.

“It’s an edgy game,” Gelber said. “There are a lot of funny scenes from the movie, a little on the edgy side.”

Nor is WMS the only manufacturer with an edge Aristocrat Technologies has “Ted,” based on the movie tale of a somewhat uncouth teddy bear come to life. On the slot machine Ted throws beer bottles, stands up to thrust against the edge of the reels – all in keeping with the humor and adult spirit of the movie.

2. Manufacturers have given a nod to reel slot players: Video slots dominate today’s casino floors, and fans of mechanical reels have felt a little left out. This year, several gamemakers moved to address that. International Game Technology is rolling out its new S3000 cabinet for reel-spinning games, and it really brightens up floor. Each machine has more than 600 LEDs that not only command attention when the machine is idle, but which can be integrated into gameplay. The top box has a touch screen that can be used for bonus play, and the LEDs and screens at neighboring 26

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machines can be integrated into one big light and sound show that’s certain to command attention.

Some old favorites such as Double Diamond are being moved onto the S3000, but IGT says there will be 24 new games along with 30 legacy games coming to the cabinet in the coming year.

3. Superheroes are here to stay: In the last few years, we’ve seen Spider-Man, Batman in both Dark Knight and TV-Adam West versions, and Superman. Next up is Wonder Woman from Bally Technologies, which brought 1970s TV series star Lynda Carter to the expo to sign autographs and promote the game.

Bally has one game based on the series’ first season, which was set during World War II, and one based on the second season, which fastforwards the characters into the 1970s. You’ll see Carter’s Wonder Woman/Diana Prince in 1940s garb and Lyle Waggoner’s Col. Steve Trevor in his military uniform on one machine, while the dress and imagery of the slot machine are updated on the second. And as you’d expect, theme music, animation and video play a big part in the fun.

4. More 3-D coming: IGT has had success with its 3-D effects, no special glasses required, on its MLD system (multi-layer display). GTech joined the 3-D parade last year with Sphinx 3-D, with some really spectacular effects. Now GTech is rolling out four more 3-D games in the first quarter of 2015, including Bejeweled 3-D. The effects are spectacular. Coins practically jump off the screen during a big payoff—you’ll want to reach out and grab them. And during the Magic Castle Bonus, you’ll really feel like you’re in the castle.

It takes longer for new table games to hit casino floors, so it might be a while before any of the new games shown at G2E to get to you. Many are blackjack side bets, such as Let It Ride Blackjack from Bally Technologies. It’s an optional bet on regular blackjack tables, and you win if your first two cards are a pair, two cards of the same suit, or a straight with two consecutive cards. The “let it ride” part is what comes next. You can either collect your winnings, or let it ride by adding them to your blackjack bet. If the dealer has a blackjack, you can’t let it ride. Just collect the side bet winnings.

John Grochowski is an internationally renowned gaming expert, syndicated columnist and author.

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O F F T H E C A S I N O F LO O R

The MGM Grand Hotel sports book recently upgraded to 47 plasma big screens, still anchored by three 16-foot-by-12-foot big screens.

Get a Sporting Chance T H E T OP S P OR T S BO OK S I N L A S V E G A S by

I

T’S HARD NOT TO HAVE A good time in Las Vegas when you’re in the middle of betting, televisions and drink service. And no place brings those elements together like a sports book. Fortunately for fans of the experience, many places along the Strip provide excellent ones for your wagering pleasure.

In the end, picking a favorite becomes more about personal taste than about something absolute. We locals quickly acclimate to the presence of sport betting. While most are recreational, some are professional gamblers and others refrain completely.

Regardless of your sport betting acumen you will likely place the occasional wager while in Vegas. The question is where?

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W AY N E A L LY N R O O T

Las Vegas is full of places to play a parlay card on the NFL, lay down a few dollars on the ponies or try and beat down your friends March Madness bracket. As with many things in this city, the choices seem endless, and while most sports books in Las Vegas have something to recommend, there are those that stand above the rest.

Hopefully these sports books will meet your wishful combination of luck and fun.

LAS VEGAS SUPERBOOK

Formerly the LV Hilton, the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook definitely lives up to its name. It’s one of the largest race and sports books in town, offering something for every gambler.

The SuperBook encompasses 30,000

square feet and offers more than 300 seats.

There are 60 viewing monitors, including 28 large screens and one mammoth 15’ x 20’ screen showing all of the biggest games and races. The SuperBook also is the place to go if you want interesting proposition bets. bets. Gamblers are kept up-to-date on the latest scores and sports news by a 75-foot sports ticker running across the room. For the high rollers, there is a VIP section with plush leather armchairs, four 15-inch LCD screens and one big-screen TV. The Westgate Las Vegas Superbook is also one of the most convenient in town, with special parking right outside the door and an entrance off Joe W. Brown Drive behind the hotel. For those searching for refreshments after a long day of betting, the Eighth Pole Bar located next to the

center-Strip hotel-casino, the Bellagio sports book is open and inviting but much more intimate than some of the monstrous sports books elsewhere in Las Vegas.

Think 21st-century understated elegance, not late-’80s style garishness. Service is impeccable. In addition to naming your favorite brand of vodka, you can also order premium beers such as Sam Adams.

Instead of coffee, you can order espresso or cappuccino if you are so inclined—all for the price of a waitress tip. By the way, the orange juice in that screwdriver? Freshly squeezed. For high rollers, the Bellagio has some of the highest betting limits in town. And you won’t forget you’re in an upscale property: During slow periods, one TV is sometimes tuned to a cable financial channel. And in addition to an electronic scroll featuring updated sports scores, there’s also a stock market ticker.

You know you’re among high-rollers when some of the screens at a sports book, such as the Bellagio, occasional tune to financial news networks.

SuperBook offers not only drinks but five TVs and two larger flat screens so you don’t miss a minute of the action. The SuperBook Deli, which also borders the sports book, offers sandwiches, salads, snacks and breakfast food.

WYNN HOTEL

The Wynn hotel is one of Las Vegas’ most luxurious resorts and the sports book at the property is probably the most upscale place in town to place a bet or watch a game. The sports book features dark wood décor and there are plush leather swiveling armchairs with drink holders and desks. Gamblers can watch the action on one of 52 TVs that are 50 inches or larger—and there are three 20-foot-by-20-foot big screens.

The book also offers the usual straight bets, money lines and totals wagers, as well as propositions and futures on all major sporting events. An adjacent bar features TVs and plenty of seating including plush banquettes. The sports book at Wynn is also located adjacent to the Zoozcrackers deli for those who want to grab a bite to eat while watching the game. Allegro restaurant offering classic Italian meals for dinner is also located close to the sports book.

CAESARS PALACE

Every now and then a glossy national magazine will run a feature titled

something like, “The 50 things Americans ‘must do’ in their lifetime.” Almost invariably, the following item will appear on the list: “Watch a major sporting event at the Caesars Palace sports book on the Las Vegas Strip.” In typical Las Vegas hyperbole, Caesars hails itself as the “Home of Champions,” and the resort’s sports book lives up to the billing.

Located in the heart of the Strip, amid all the action, the Caesars race and sports book was built (and later remodeled) in the tradition of the cavernous Las Vegas “mega book ”—and Caesars shows imitators how to do it right. The book’s setting is pleasantly dark and atmospheric. There are plenty of seats with individual TV monitors for horse players, and race and sports fans alike can follow the action on several monstrous TV screens and an ample number of smaller monitors.

For high rollers, Caesars has some of the highest betting limits in town. And for those who loves the parlay cards, the book offers daily cards just about every day of the year.

BELLAGIO

Welcome to the Bellagio race and sports book, perhaps the most luxurious place in the world to make your bets and follow the action. As Bob Weir once put it, “This must be heaven; tonight I crossed the line.” Tucked into a corner of the upscale

MGM GRAND HOTEL

The MGM Grand promotes itself as “Maximum Vegas” and the resort strives to offer the ultimate Vegas experience whether it’s shows, dining, nightclubs or gambling. The result -- the mammoth 5,300-square-foot MGM Grand race and sports book with Vegas’ only skyboxes. To handle the constantly expanding casino, the race and sports book operations merged in 2006, and in the process, MGM added a new look with an almost theaterin-the-round feel. The sports book is in a circular shape and surrounds the poker room on the main casino floor near the Stage Deli restaurant. The race and sports book recently upgraded to 47 plasma big screens, still anchored by three 16-foot-by12-foot big screens, and continues to offer six electronic display boards. A unique feature in the new race and sports book is the availability of skyboxes for guests, which range from 300 to 325 square feet and can seat eight to 10 guests.

LAGASSE’S STADIUM AT THE PALAZZO

Lagasse’s Stadium at The Palazzo powered

by CG Technology features luxurious seating with plenty of pillows to sink into and watch your favorite game. In fact, there’s not a bad seat in the house. Each of the more than 100 television screens are strategically placed so that everyone has a view of their favorite sporting event.

A highlight of this sports-viewing mecca comes in the form of a large, 9-foot-bySOUTHERNGAMING.COM

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carrels for serious watching and betting.

An ATM is located nearby. Good grub is at hand in the Golden Nugget’s race and sports book. The Grille is located within the book itself and serves up burgers, sandwiches and other finger food.

WAYNE’S BETTING TIPS

Gamers in these seats enjoy their sports on a 9’x16’ projector screen.

16-foot projection screen, complete with stadium-style seating. Long couches, with plenty of room for all, line the tiered viewing area. Lagasse’s Stadium also offers CG Technology’s mobile sports wagering application, which allows guests to place bets on sports from anywhere in the state of Nevada.

MIRAGE HOTEL

When it debuted in 1989, The Mirage was the first major hotel-casino to open in Las Vegas since the early 1970s, and an appropriate amount of fanfare greeted its arrival. A rainforest, an active volcano, rare white tigers—in all, a dolphin tank full of superlatives. It’s no surprise that the race and sports book ref lects the resort’s lofty designs. Even now, after a major remodeling in 2014, the book lives up to the hype. Situated in the center of the Strip, this is the epitome of a “destination” sports book. Built in the megabook tradition, an expansive race area sits adjacent to a more compact but still ample-sized sports book. As in most books of its kind, horseplayers get their own individual TV monitors, while large screens dominate both the race and sports sections. Betting lines that originate here at The Mirage are disseminated to an allstar collection of satellite sports books. A perk that accompanies dealing with such a heavy hitter in the Las Vegas market is the wide selection of betting options. At The Mirage you’ll find all the usual suspects, plus halftime and first-half lines, lots of money lines and match-up propositions, as well as special one-of-a-kind wagers that pop up with regularity.

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THE VENETIAN HOTEL, CANTOR GAMING

The Venetian Race & Sports Book operated by CG Technology spans 10,000 square feet. It’s a plush, comfortable place to make bets and watch games. The décor is sleek and contemporary, boasting marble floors and flashy red accents. Guests can also bet on most major sporting events from football and basketball to baseball, boxing and hockey. Parlays, teasers and futures are all available. One highlight of the facility is the 100-foot-long, highdefinition 4 mm black video screen that is dedicated to multiple games and races. It’s capable of showing up to 34 independent events simultaneously. The Venetian Race & Sports Book also boasts the most carrels of any CG Technology book to date. Cocktail waitresses are available for drink service and hungry bettors will find the casual Noodle Asia restaurant right next door.

GOLDEN NUGGET, DOWNTOWN

The Golden Nugget’s race and sports book is a superb example of a wagering establishment. It’s a study in design and technology. Decorated in fine dark woods and sports-related art on the walls, it’s very attractive and inviting. With a number of leather circular booths and couches, it has a clubby, living room-like feel. It also has a fantastic display of plasma screens and electronic billboards stretching across its walls. On the right hand wall, there are banks of individual 60-inch televisions with grouped screens simulating giant screen displays. It’s impressive. The book offers a full range of sports event betting opportunities. There are 45 single screen

Manage your money. This is without a doubt the most important aspect of betting on sports and possibly the most neglected. So, how much should you bet a game? The key to proper money management is to be sure not to bet more than you can afford to lose. Most people with an understanding of football gambling bet between 3 percent and 5 percent of their bankroll, increasing when they win and reducing when they lose.

Bet on underdogs. In the longrun, it’s easier to win betting on the underdog. Most people prefer to bet on the “better” team, the one that will probably win the game. So underdogs tend to be slightly undervalued—except by the sharps and wise guys. There is probably no better bet in sports than playing an underdog at home.

Don’t chase bets. There is no worse way to mismanage your bankroll than to chase your bets after a losing day.

The dangerous practice of trying to immediately win back your losses and the biggest mistake that amateur bettors make is they increase their bets when they are losing. Remember that there will be losing days so don’t make it a disaster.

Remember: There is no Santa Claus. Or Tooth Fairy or sports betting locks. Bet accordingly and manage your money wisely. If someone tells you differently, avoid them at all costs!

Games can do a turn around in one play, some for you and other scenarios that go against you.

Shop for the right numbers. There are many great Las Vegas Sports books. Don’t be lazy. Do not bet a bad number. Chances are that in Vegas, you’re next door to another sports book that may have +3.5 instead of +3 and with the final score of 27 to 24, you win by the half point.

For more of Wayne’s tips, go to winningedge.com.

PLAYER STRATEGY by

FRANK SCOBLETE

C

CRAPS: The 7 Precepts of Craps

RAPS IS A GAME DOMINATED by the number 7. On the come-out roll the 7 is a winner for “right side” bettors (that is, players who are betting on the Pass Line) and a loser for “wrong or darkside” bettors (“Don’t Pass” bettors). Once a point is established “right side” bettors lose if the 7 appears and the “darksiders” win if the 7 appears.

Frank Scoblete is a bestselling casino gambling writer. His newest book is Confessions of a Wayward Catholic. Frank’s books are available on amazon.com and Kindle, in bookstores or mail order. Call 1.800.944.0406 or visit frankscoblete.com.

In honor of this powerful number are seven important pieces of information – my seven precepts – that are absolutely necessary for craps players to know before placing their hard-earned money on the layout.

PRECEPT #1:

The math dictates the game Too many craps players think they can ignore the math of craps. This idea is silly; in fact, it is downright ploppyish. A smart player knows the math of the game, which explains exactly what he should and shouldn’t bet. If you don’t know the math, don’t play the game.

Dice superstitions are just superstitions, nothing more.

There are a lot of dice superstitions but there is no possibility of these superstitions being fact.

The game is random. Sometimes you will see the 7 appear when the dice leave the table (about 16.67 percent of the time according to the math) and sometimes you won’t. Nor can “darksiders” increase the appearance percentage of the 7. Yes, the 7 makes its appearance 16.67 percent of the time—over time.

PRECEPT #6:

Trend betting is a fool’s errand.

In a random game of craps there is no way to predict what sequences of numbers are about to come up. A streak of one number or another does not mean such a streak will continue. Or that it won’t. Those individuals who like to “chart” numbers to find out what is hot or what will be hot are wasting their time. Individuals who sell trend-betting systems are to be ignored because they know nothing about the random nature of the game.

Yes, I have been at tables where shooters have shot the lights out of the game. I have also been at horrifying tables where everyone crashed and burned. In fact, what occurred on those tables are merely past events and have no predictive value.

So as you cheer like crazy for the shooter who has rolled number after number, keep in mind that the 7 always has a 16.67 percent chance of showing up. In terms of hot and cold tables, the past is dead.

PRECEPT #3:

Psychic sight is blindness in the casino.

Some players believe they can find hot tables psychically by tuning into the vibrations of the game. They call this their psychic sight, and it is another form of nonsense. Yes, sometimes a selfproclaimed psychic player will hit on a hot table just as all the other non-psychic players hit upon it. The psychic’s chances player of finding a hot table are no better or worse than anyone else’s.

PRECEPT #4:

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PRECEPT #5:

There is no such thing as a hot table or a cold table.

PRECEPT #2:

“FOLLOW THESE SEVEN PRECEPTS AND CRAPS BECOMES A CLOSE GAME BETWEEN YOU AND THE CASINO.”

of these individuals are pushing bets that have higher house edges than the lowest house-edge bets at craps, they are spitting into the wind. A $10 pass line bet will lose you 14 cents on average.

A $10 bet on the hard 6 or 8 will lose you 91 cents.

That’s a big difference. Thus, the Pass Line; Don’t Pass; the Come and the Don’t Come are the best bets on the table—unquestionably.

The best bets at craps follow the house-edge percentages.

Forget whatever bets experienced players tell you to make. Forget what dice gurus tell you. If any

PRECEPT #7:

The best way to tip the dealers is to make Hardway bets for them.

Why make a bad bet for the dealers when you wouldn’t make a bad bet for yourself? The best bets for the players are the best bets for the dealers. These are Pass Line and Don’t Pass, and I would add the placing of the 6 and 8 as well.

When you place the 6 and/or 8 make sure you tell the dealer that you control the bet. That way if the bet wins, the dealer gets to keep the win but the original bet remains and can win for the dealer again (and again). Some casinos will not allow you to control a bet. If so, just put the dealer bet on top of yours and give the dealer the win on his portion of the bet.

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PLAYER STRATEGY

W

BLACKJACK: Games to Avoid HAT DETERMINES IF A blackjack

game is “good” or “bad” for average players is the house edge, which is a percentage that indicates how much a casino stands to win from players based on the total amount bet. Naturally, the higher the house edge, the more the casino will earn, and the more players stand to lose; therefore, bad blackjack games have a higher house edge than good blackjack games. Generally, blackjack games that have a 0.5 percent or less house edge against a basic strategy player are considered good games, and those with greater than 0.5 percent are bad games that should be avoided.

So what determines this house edge? Three variables: 1) the number of decks of cards being used, 2) the playing rules and 3) the payoff for an untied blackjack. Casino bosses can fiddle around with these variables to obtain whatever house edge they desire.

1. The house edge increases when more decks of cards are used (assuming all else is equal).

2. Some playing rules will decrease the house edge (e.g., being able to double down after pair splitting) while others will increase it (e.g., dealer must hit soft 17).

3. When the casino pays less than 3 to 2 for an untied blackjack, the house edge increases, and when it pays more than 3 to 2 the house edge decreases (the latter rarely occurs; the former is, unfortunately, very prevalent).

The first step to being a smart blackjack player is to avoid playing the bad games listed below.

BLACKJACK PAYS 6 TO 5 (OR WORSE, EVEN MONEY).

Unfortunately, the despicable 6-5 games are everywhere. Most of the time, the casino will use a single deck of cards in a 6-5 game (the single deck is the casino’s come-on, although be aware that some casinos offer 6-5 multi-deck games). Paying only 6 to 5 on an untied blackjack increases the house edge a shameful 1.4 percent.

And be forewarned: Casino bosses often set the betting limits low on 6-5 games to attract less sophisticated players with limited bankrolls. Do not be tempted by their chicanery: Avoid playing 32 |

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by

H E N R Y TA M B U R I N

any single- and multiple-deck games where an untied blackjack doesn’t pay the traditional 3-2.

CARDS ARE DEALT FROM A CONTINUOUS SHUFFLING MACHINE (CSM).

A CSM is a combination shuffler and dealing device that usually holds 4 to 6 decks of cards.

After a round (or two) is completed, the dealer will place the just-played cards (i.e., discards) back into the CSM, where an elevator system randomly inserts each discard into the unplayed cards that are stacked vertically, making it possible that a card played in one round could appear in the next).

With a CSM, there is no downtime for manual shuffles, and every hand dealt from a CSM is like being dealt cards from a freshly shuffled pack, or shoe. So what does this all mean for the average player? Basically, the casino is dealing a faster game because there is no downtime for manual shuffles, or for exchanging the just-used six decks of cards for another freshly shuffled six decks. Therefore, the dealer can, on average, deal out about 20 percent more hands per hour using a CSM. This will, in turn, increase the player’s expected hourly loss by 20 percent (remember the house still has an edge against a basic strategy player, even though it’s small). So fast is not good if you are an average player; therefore, avoid playing any blackjack game that uses a CSM. SIX- OR EIGHT-DECK GAME WHERE THE DEALER HITS SOFT 17.

This is a tough rule to avoid because so many casinos are switching to “dealer hitting soft 17 (h17) rather than standing on soft 17 (s17). In an h17 game, the house edge increases about 0.2 percent compared to an s17 game, even though the dealer busts more often. So why does the house edge go up? Because when the dealer doesn’t bust, he will wind up with a 17 or better total enough times compared to an h17 game that he will beat the player more often. My advice is to scout the casino floor and scan the table layout to determine if the casino rules are s17 or h17 (it will say it on the layout). Many casinos have a mix of s17 and h17 tables, so it pays to scout around.

The next time you play blackjack, surprise the casino bosses and do not play any bad blackjack games. You and your bankroll will be happy you did.

Henry Tamburin is the author of Blackjack: Take The Money & Run, editor of Blackjack Insider Newsletter and lead instructor for the Golden Touch Blackjack Course (goldentouchblackjack.com).

To receive his free Casino Gambling Catalog, call 888-353-3234 or visit smartgaming.com.

“THE FIRST STEP TO BECOMING A GOOD BLACKJACK PLAYER IS TO AVOID BAD BLACKJACK GAMES.”

FOR MORE FREE TIPS, VISIT SOUTHERNGAMING.COM

PLAYER STRATEGY by

LI N DA B OY D

VIDEO POKER: Enquiring Minds Want to Know

I

RECENTLY CORRESPONDED with a reader who, after sharing her playing styles, asked me about kinds of jacks, progressive machines and various types of hands and games. Here is how I answered her.

Linda Boyd was a long-time table-game player before turning to video poker You can see her videos on YouTube and American Casino Guide’s website.

Her book “The Video Poker Edge” includes removable pay schedules and strategy cards for the most popular games.

“YOU WILL ANGER SOME PLAYERS BY PLAYING A SINGLE LINE ON A 50- OR 100LINE NICKEL DEVICE, BUT IT MAY BE YOUR BEST BET.”

First, you say you sometimes play three lines and two credits per line. Although you are playing six coins per game, the fact that you aren’t playing max coins (that’s just five in a single-line game) means you will only receive a return of 250 coins per coin bet on a royal flush. Since you sometimes play a single hand with a max bet of five (some have higher max bets on a single hand), and assuming the pay schedules are the same (see tables 1 and 2 below), you should stick with single hand max bet over the three-hand two-coin bet.

That’s because you’ll get a return of 800 coins per coin bet on a royal instead of just 250 per coin bet with less than max coins wagered. The same is true for selecting a max-coin nickel device over a single line quarter machine. Specifically, choose 9/6 JOB max coin nickels over single coin 9/6 JOB quarters.

The nickel single hand one line, six credits per hand with a multiplier is only okay if the device you are playing is a single-line machine, meaning

you have a max bet. Be aware that both 50-play and 100-play devices give you an 800/1 return on a royal with max bets per line, regardless of the number of lines. Three-, five- and 10-play devices require that you play both max coins and max lines to get the max return on a royal. So check the pay schedules on all the devices within the casino and select the highest ER available for the single line nickels. You will anger some players by playing a single line on a 50- or 100-line nickel device, but it may be your best bet.

You state that you like to play Bonus Poker (BP) and Jacks or Better (JOB) since you’ve noticed you can play longer on those two games. You’re correct that both BP and JOB are low-variance games, since both return even money for a frequent hand, two pair. It’s important to find what’s known as a “full pay” version of the game, however, since those shorting payouts on winning hands give diminished returns. I advise you to play only 8/5 BP or 9/6 JOB and to make sure you’ve practiced beforehand on tutorial software so you know the basic game strategy. If jacks or better is not available in a full pay version, your ER is indicated in the table below.

TABLE 1 9/6 JOB PAY SCHEDULE

Hand/5-Coin Bet

9/6

9/5

8/6

8/5

Royal Flush

4000

4000

4000

4000

4 of a Kind

125

125

125

125

Flush

30

25

30

25

Straight Flush Full House

250 45

250 45

250 40

250 40

Straight

20

20

20

20

Two Pair

10

10

10

10

Three of a Kind Pair of Jacks or Better

Expected Return Variance

15

15

15

15

5

5

5

5

99.5439%

98.4498%

98.3927%

97.2984%

19.51468

19.49564

19.34012

19.32326

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PLAYER STRATEGY

POKER: Advanced Hold ’em on the Flop

A

DVANCED HOLD ’EM ON THE flop is really all about reading other players.

If you read your opponent as weak and think you might be able to take the pot away from him, then do it! If you have flopped a big hand and you feel that betting will drive out your opponent when what you want to do is keep him in the pot, then go ahead and trap your opponent by checking on the flop. Use your reading ability on the flop to determine what you can and cannot do. You may have flopped top pair, but if you read that your opponent has you beat, just fold your hand, having lost the minimum number of bets. If you read your opponent as being weak before the flop and you are making a steal on him, then make sure that you follow through on your steal attempt, unless you then have a strong read that he has hit the flop well.

Again, advanced Hold ‘em on the flop is about reading your opponents.

I know I keep mentioning reading the opposition, and I can’t teach you how to be intuitive. I can, however, tell you that a lot of the information going into my reads comes from working hard at studying my opponents, both when I’m in a hand with them and when I’m out. Intuition springs from a combination of matters that you can understand and explain, and others that you can’t. In that discussion of no-limit and pot-limit Hold ‘em I talk about the game I play while I’m at the poker table. The object is to try to determine someone’s exact two hole cards in a hand. Through practicing guessing at what my

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opponent’s cards are, even when I’m out of a hand, I increase my own reading abilities.

Suppose that you have K-K before the flop and two opponents are also in the pot. If the flop come down A-7-2, the advanced player makes his money by knowing what to do, on the strength of his read of his opponents. Does either of your opponents, or do both of them, hold an ace, a set of sevens, or a set of twos? How does the betting on the flop come down? Are your opponents capable of raising on the flop with just a pair of sevens or worse? If it does come bet and raised to you in this spot, will you three0bet it or fold?

Odds are that you probably have to fold in this case, but what does intuition tell you to do?

I have played with advanced players who have bet out 8-8 on the end with a board of A-Q-75-3, simply because they thought they had the best hand, and they proved to be right! In fact, their bet was called on the end by someone who couldn’t beat the 8-8! How did they know that the 8-8 was the best hand? How could they possibly have value-bet their hand in this case? Perhaps they knew that their opponent would never check a Q or an A to them. In advanced Hold ’em play on the flop, anything goes! As you try different things, you will find that the basic top 1p strategy is a pretty good way to play Hold ’em, with a twist, that is, some well-timed intermediate and advanced moves along the way. The jackal lives in the advanced , wild, dangerous realm all the time, and it’s very difficult to win when you play this way time in and time out.

by

PHIL HELLMUTH, JR.

Phil Hellmuth Jr. is a 13time World Series of Poker Champion, leading all other poker players in the world.

He is the author of two New York Times bestsellers, and his latest book, “Deal Me In,” also is widely popular. Visit phillhellmuth.com to check out his clothing line, blog and exclusive gaming tips.

“INTUITION SPRINGS FROM A COMBINATION OF MATTERS THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND AND EXPLAIN, AND OTHERS THAT YOU CAN’T.”

FOR MORE FREE TIPS, VISIT SOUTHERNGAMING.COM

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O N T H E R O A D AG A I N

Arkansas: From Oaklawn to Southland T R AV E LI N G T H E N AT U R A L S TAT E ?

E NJOY TH E S E S IX W I N N I N G VI E WS A LO N G T H E WAY

The Crystal Bridges Museum of American art features state-of-the-art (no pun intended) galleries as well as a park for visitors.

Shown here is Jim Dine’s larger-than-life Pinocchio-like “Walking to Boras.”

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A M I NG A N D R ACI NG

destinations make great weekend getaways. There’s the thrill you get when you play and win, which seems to instantly melt away the stress from the past week.

Then there’s the abundance of food, which is delicious and filling while hitting the spot.

When it’s time to leave, you gather your winnings and head home, but sometimes it doesn’t feel like the getaway was long enough. What you need is the excitement gaming provides paired with the relaxation of a scenic destination, a chance to explore the area attractions on a relaxing journey, rather than just a quick getaway.

Arkansas is a great place to spend some time off the beaten path while also getting your fill of gaming and racing. The state is home to two first-rate gaming and racing 36 |

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facilities, Oaklawn Racing and Gaming in Hot Springs, and Southland Park Gaming and Racing in West Memphis.

In addition to the two facilities, Arkansas also boasts Southern comfort food, thriving downtowns, scenic byways, fascinating history, unusual museums and quaint towns. Start and end with racing and gaming, but guarantee a win with these views along the drive between Oaklawn and Southland.

Stop #1 OAKLAWN AND HOT SPRINGS

Kick off your trip with a visit to Oaklawn, which was named Southern Gaming and Destinations Reader’s Choice for Best Racetrack/Racino facility in the MidSouth for 2014. Grab a bite at two new dining experiences: Silks Bar and Grill, and The Bistro.

While you’re in Hot Springs, stroll along Bathhouse Row and pamper yourself with a luxurious spa treatment. Stop by the “jug fountains” downtown and taste water straight from the hot underground springs, and if you want to be a true tourist, pick up some bottles and take a sample of the refreshing water home as a souvenir to serve at your next get-together.

Make time to visit the numerous area lakes and take in the picturesque view of the town from atop the Hot Springs Mountain Tower. Grab a meal at one of the local restaurants along Central Avenue downtown to complete your Hot Springs experience.

Stop #2 FORT SMITH

Enjoy a bit of well-preserved Wild West spirit in Fort Smith, the place where federal marshals once rode out of the

which contains 425 windows with over 6,000 square feet of glass. Round out your trip with a relaxing trolley or carriage ride as you savor one last glimpse of the town.

Stop #5 LITTLE ROCK

Pick up the pace in Little Rock, Arkansas’s capital city, which contains the greatest concent rat ion of restau ra nts a nd entertainment in the state. Eat and drink your fill at neighborhood restaurants and breweries with specialties from barbecue to fine dining and everything in between.

Spend time at the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum, where you can walk into replicas of the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room. Check out the eclectic River Market and South Main Street districts downtown, and explore what the local vendors have to offer. Enjoy a quiet stroll with a spectacular light show after dark on one of the three lighted bridges across the city.

The Bourbon Street Steakhouse gives a taste of awesome to visitors of Southland Park.

United States and into Indian Territory.

Explore sites that commemorate and preserve the Trail of Tears, Civil War and Butterfield Overland Mail Company route history.

Enjoy the nightlife and dining in the state’s second largest city at one of the many local joints downtown, and enjoy a nostalgic visit to a 1920s replica pharmacy with a working soda fountain and ice cream floats and sundaes, an experience guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.

To complete your trip, enjoy a scenic train ride through the foothills of the Boston Mountains and through a 1,700-foot tunnel in vintage passenger cars dating back to the early 1900s.

Stop #3 BENTONVILLE

Venture off the main road on scenic Highway 71 north of Fort Smith and experience the breathtaking views of the Ozark Mountains with plenty of charming stops along the way.

Spend some time in Bentonville, a city with a small-town feel that includes the

international headquarters of Walmart, and learn about Walmart history in a museum that is housed in founder Sam Walton’s original variety store.

Walk the halls of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, a premier art institution with state-of-the-art galleries and a surrounding park. Brush up on your history at some of the more than 140 Civil War sites in the area. Take a walk in the town square and enjoy the beautiful gardens and quaint shops as you wrap up your visit.

Stop #4 EUREKA SPRINGS

Eureka Springs, also known as the “Little Switzerland of the Ozarks,” is a secluded and peaceful town with winding mountainside streets that has a flair like no other town.

Enjoy block after block of distinctive shops, boutiques, fine art galleries, craft emporiums, spas and museums. Soak up live jazz and blues music at one of the town’s many local restaurants and bars as you savor regional cuisine. Visit the beautiful 48-foot Thorncrown Chapel,

Hike to the top of Pinnacle Mountain to experience a panoramic view more than a thousand feet above the Arkansas River Valley. Wrap up your stay with a visit to the Old Mill in North Little Rock, an authentic reproduction of an 1880s grist mill made famous by its appearance in the opening sequence of “Gone with the Wind.”

Stop #6 SOUTHLAND AND WEST MEMPHIS

Conclude your vacation with more gaming at Southland in West Memphis. Enjoy non-stop action in the new gaming facility opening in late 2014, which will include a 41,000-square-foot gaming center expansion with 500 new games, bringing its total to 1,950.

Experience the dramatic live greyhound wracing, as well as simulcast Thoroughbred and greyhound races from premier tracks around the world. While you’re there, relish the delicious dining at Bourbon Street Steakhouse and Grill or eat your fill at the World Market Buffet.

Sure, everyone loves a good gaming destination. But part of any great trip also is how you get where you’re going.

Arkansas beauty ensure the payoff of the journey is as rewarding in its own way as any royal flush.

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SOU THERN GAMING’S

PREFERRED HOT SPOTS Whether you’re a frequent jet-setter or simply a casual traveler, Southern Gaming and Destinations strives to recommend highquality establishments to our readers. We feel this array of our preferred casinos, racetracks, racinos, hotels and restaurants will deliver the best in accommodations, entertainment and gaming.

We encourage you to consider any of these incredible properties when planning your next getaway.

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3 ARKANSAS ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & TOURISM 1-501-682-7777

1 GULF COAST BEAU RIVAGE RESORT & CASINO (BILOXI) 1-888-750-7111 FALLEN OAK GOLF COURSE (BILOXI) 1-877-805-4657 GOLDEN NUGGET (BILOXI) 1-800-777-7568 HALF SHELL OYSTER HOUSE (GULFPORT & BILOXI) 1-228-867-7001 HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO (BILOXI) 1-877-877-6256

THE FADED ROSE RESTAURANT (LITTLE ROCK) 1-501-663-9734 HOT SPRINGS VISITORS BUREAU 1-888-SPA-CITY

6 INDIANA BELTERRA CASINO RESORT (VEVAY) 1-888-BELTERRA

LOCA LUNA RESTAURANT (LITTLE ROCK) 1-501-663-4666

RISING STAR CASINO RESORT (RISING SUN) 1-800-472-6311

OAKLAWN PARK RACING & GAMING (HOT SPRINGS) 1-800-OAKLAWN

7 KENTUCKY

SOUTHLAND PARK GAMING & RACING (WEST MEMPHIS) 1-800-467-6182

21C MUSEUM HOTEL (LOUISVILLE) 1-877-217-6400

4 FLORIDA

BROWN HOTEL (LOUISVILLE) 1-502-583-1234

DERBY LANE RACE TRACK (ST. PETERSBURG) 1-727-812-3339

CHURCHILL DOWNS (LOUISVILLE) 1-800-283-3729

SHULA’S STEAK HOUSE (TAMPA) 1-813-286-4366

JACKS RESTAURANT & LOUNGE (LOUISVILLE) 1-502-897-9721

PALACE CASINO RESORT (BILOXI) 1-800-PALACE-9

MARDI GRAS CASINO & RACING (HALLANDALE) 1-877-55-SLOTS

GALT HOUSE HOTEL & SUITES (LOUISVILLE) 1-800-THE-GALT

THE SHED BBQ (OCEAN SPRINGS) 1-228-875-9590

SEMINOLE HARD ROCK CASINO & HOTEL (TAMPA & HOLLYWOOD) 1-866-388-4236

JEFF RUBY’S STEAKHOUSE (LOUISVILLE) 1-502-584-0102

IP CASINO RESORT SPA 1-888-946-2847 MARY MAHONEY’S FRENCH HOUSE RESTAURANT (BILOXI) 1-228-374-0163

SILVER SLIPPER CASINO (BAY ST. LOUIS) 1-866-775-4773

WATERMARK GRILLE (NAPLES) 1-239-596-1400

KEENELAND RACECOURSE (LEXINGTON) 1-800-456-3412

5 GEORGIA

LASSING POINTE GOLF COURSE (BOONE COUNTY) 1-859-384-2266

ECLIPSE DI LUNA (ATLANTA) 1-678-205-5862

NEVEL MEADE GOLF COURSE (LOUISVILLE) 1-502-228-9522

FELIX’S FISH CAMP GRILL (MOBILE) 1-251-626-6710

GARIBALDI CAFE (SAVANNAH) 1-912-232-7118

PAT’S STEAK HOUSE (LOUISVILLE) 1-502-896-9234

LUCY BUFFET’S LULU’S RESTAURANT (GULF SHORES) 1-251-967-5858

HAL’S THE STEAKHOUSE (ATLANTA) 1-404-261-0025

PORCINI ITALIAN RESTAURANT (LOUISVILLE) 1-502-894-8686

2 ALABAMA BAHAMA BOB’S BEACHSIDE CAFE (GULF SHORES) 1-251-948-2100

THE TRELLIS ROOM RESTAURANT (MOBILE) 1-251-338-5493

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ROCKS ON THE ROOF @ THE BOHEMIAN HOTEL (SAVANNAH) 1-912-721-3901

SOUTHERNGAMING.COM

SEELBACH HOTEL (LOUISVILLE) 1-502-585-3200

8 LOUISIANA CAFÉ GIOVANNI (NEW ORLEANS) 1-504-529-2154 DELTA DOWNS RACETRACK & CASINO (VINTON) 1-800-589-7441 PARAGON CASINO RESORT (MARKSVILLE) 1-800-946-1946

11 MISSOURI CIELO RESTAURANT & BAR (ST. LOUIS) 1-314-881-2105 LUMIÈRE PLACE CASINO & HOTELS (ST. LOUIS) 1-314-881-7777

SAM'S TOWN HOTEL & CASINO (SHREVEPORT) 1-877-429-0711

RIGAZZI’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT (ST. LOUIS-HILL DISTRICT) 1-314-772-4900

SHREVEPORT/ BOSSIER VISITOR’S BUREAU 1-888-45-VISIT

RIVER CITY CASINO (ST. LOUIS) 1-888-578-7289

9 TUNICA (MISSISSIPPI)

12 LAS VEGAS (NEVADA)

GOLD STRIKE CASINO RESORT 1-888-24-KSTAY HOLLYWOOD CASINO TUNICA 1-800-871-0711 THE HOLLYWOOD CAFE (OLD HWY 61) 1-662-363-1225 SAM’S TOWN HOTEL & GAMBLING HALL 1-800-456-0711

ARIA RESORT AND CASINO 1-866-359-7757 THE BELLAGIO 1-888-987-6667 CAESARS PALACE 1-800-HARRAHS FERRARO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT 1-702-364-5300 GOLDEN NUGGET 1-800-634-3454

10 MISSISSIPPI

GOLDEN GATE HOTEL & CASINO 1-800-426-1906

PEARL RIVER RESORT (PHILADELPHIA) 1-866-44-PEARL

HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO 1-800-473-7625

WANT COMPS? Well we’ve got

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‘em! The Comps Club by Southern Gaming is out annual subscription membership that delivers casino coupons and special offers right to your mailbox six times per year!

For just $29 you will receive six issues of Southern Gaming & Destinations AND six member coupon paks loaded with coupons.

Don’t delay, join today!

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Visit TheCompsClub.com or call 877-582-9478.

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17 TENNESSEE BOUND’RY (NASHVILLE) 1-615-321-3043 CHEROKEE VALLEY GOLF COURSE (MEMPHIS) 1-901-525-4653 FOLK’S FOLLY (MEMPHIS) 1-901-762-8200 GAYLORD SPRINGS GOLF LINKS (NASHVILLE) 1-615-458-1730

14 RENO (NEVADA) MGM GRAND 1-877-880-0880 MANDALAY BAY RESORT AND CASINO 1-877-632-7800 MIRAGE LAS VEGAS 1-800-627-6667 PALMS HOTEL 1-866-942-7777 PARIS LAS VEGAS 1-877-796-2096 THE VENETIAN 1-877-283-6423 WYNN LAS VEGAS 1-888-320-WYNN WILD WILD WEST HOTEL & CASINO 1-800-6-STATIONS’

13 LAUGHLIN (NEVADA) AQUARIUS CASINO RESORT 1-888-662-5824 GOLDEN NUGGET LAUGHLIN 1-800-950-7700 HARRAH’S LAUGHLIN CASINO AND HOTEL 1-800-427-7247

ATLANTIS CASINO RESORT 1-800-723-6500 CIRCUS CIRCUS RENO HOTEL & CASINO 1-800-648-5010 ELDORADO HOTEL & CASINO 1-800-879-8879 HYATT REGENCY RESORT SPA & CASINO (LAKE TAHOE) 1-800-233-1234 PEPPERMILL RESORT SPA CASINO 1-866-821-9996

15 OHIO BLUE ASH GOLF COURSE (CINCINNATI) 1-513-745-8577 ELKS RUN GOLF COURSE (CINCINNATI) 1-513-735-6600 JEFF RUBY’S STEAKHOUSE (CINCINNATI) 1-513-784-1200 MONTGOMERY INN BOATHOUSE (CINCINNATI) 1-513-791-3482

16 SOUTH CAROLINA AUNT CHILADA’S EASY STREET CAFÉ (HILTON HEAD) 1-843-785-7700 ARTHUR HILLS GOLF COURSE AT PALMETTO DUNES (HILTON HEAD) 1-866-380-1778 BLOODY POINT GOLF CLUB & RESORT (HILTON HEADDAFUSKIE ISLAND) 1-843-341-3030

HALF SHELL RESTAURANT (MEMPHIS) 1-901-682-3966 THE PEABODY HOTEL (MEMPHIS) 1-901-529-4000 RENDEZVOUS BARBECUE (MEMPHIS) 1-901-523-2746 VANDERBILT LEGENDS CLUB (BRENTWOOD) 1-615-790-1300

18 WEST VIRGINIA

CQ’S RESTAURANT (HILTON HEAD) 1-843-671-2779

HOLLYWOOD CASINO AT CHARLES TOWN RACES 1-800-795-7001

GOLDEN BEAR AT INDIGO RUN (HILTON HEAD) 1-843-689-2200

THE GREENBRIER (WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS) 1-800-453-4858

HARBOUR TOWN GOLF COURSE (HILTON HEAD) 1-843-363-4485

MARDI GRAS CASINO & RESORT 1-304-776-1000

HILTON HEAD NATIONAL (HILTON HEAD) 1-843-842-5900

MOUNTAINEER CASINO RACETRACK AND RESORT 1-800-489-8192

SALTY DOG CAFÉ (HILTON HEAD) 1-843-363-2198

WHEELING ISLAND HOTEL, CASINO & RACETRACK 1-304-232-5050

GOT A FAVORITE SPOT? LET US KNOW! We do our best to list some of our favorite places to gamble, stay, eat, drink and be merry. If you want to share a hidden gem, email us at editor@southerngaming.com or call 1-877-582-9478!

SOUTHERNGAMING.COM

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RULES OF THE ROAD

CHIPPING IN:

Are you spreading the wealth to the right people in the right way? by

JAMES BICKERS

O

VER THE COURSE OF ANY CASINO VISIT, gamers come into contact with many different people whose goal is to serve you and to make sure you have a great time. In our culture, it’s a given that diners tip their servers and bar patrons put a dollar or two in the jar on the counter. But what about all of the other people whose work has an impact on your gaming experience? Are there any hard and fast rules to help you know whom to tip, how much and when?

Unfortunately, the answer is no, according to Gary Thompson, the director of corporate communications for Caesars Entertainment.

“From our perspective, it’s entirely up to the guest to determine if the service he or she receives warrants a tip and, if so, how much,” he said. “However, it is quite common for a guest who has won a big bet at a table game or a slot machine jackpot, received good service in a bar or restaurant or valet parked a car to tip the attendant.”

VALETS AND BELLMEN/PORTERS

One gamer we talked to said valets should be tipped like any other hotel employee – that is, at whatever rate you are comfortable. “I would say at least a dollar per bag, with a minimum of $5, and $5 each for pickup and drop-off of your car at the valet,” he said.

More if you are a high-roller or otherwise being comped. A proper tip to a valet could be $1 or $100, for example, depending on just how lucky the gamer was on this particular outing.

AT THE TABLES

When you’re playing table games, there are two key people that you should consider tipping: the dealer and the person serving you drinks.

“If you’re playing at a table and the server brings you a free drink, tipping with a chip is perfectly acceptable,” said one player.

“Neither party wants you to waste time digging out cash, so if you play table games, keep a number of $1 chips handy.”

Tipping the dealer gets a bit more complicated. For most of the people we talked to, the basic plan is to toss the dealer a chip or two any time you rake a pot. Unless you’re playing high stakes, that means a dollar or two for each time you win.

You can also place a bet “for the dealer” in blackjack, for example, or a “two-way bet” in craps that splits any win with the dealer.

IN THE ROOM

One of the most overlooked tips are those that go to hotel housekeeping. Generally, good form is to leave $2-3 per night,

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Few guests think to tip the hotel maid when it comes to tipping. But doesn’t someone who cleans your bathroom each morning deserve a couple of bucks?

and up to $5 per night in swankier or hotels or if there are three or more people in your party. Be sure to leave the cash each morning, before you head out; waiting until checkout virtually ensures the people who picked up after you get nothing extra for handling your dirty towels.

OTHERS

The fact you’re doing business with the cashier in the cage means you’ve enjoyed at least some good fortune. Consider a $5 tip for her work in turning chips into cash, or more if you did especially well.

Don’t forget about slot attendants, whose tips have seen better days thanks to the proliferation of TITO (ticket-in ticket-out) technology. If you hit a nice score at a slot, be sure to thank the person who has served you.

Lastly, think of all the people doing the dirty work to make your gaming experience a good one. A frequent gamer we talked to told us about one night when he and some buddies were enjoying a few too many adult beverages and some pizza in a lounge area.

One of the guys in the group got sick, and it fell to one of the casino porters to clean it up.

They tipped that porter $30 for his trouble. Using money out of the sick friend’s wallet, of course.

January 22 – February 2 Voted Best Casino 2014

BEST OF TUNICA

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Must be 21 years or older to gamble or attend events. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-522-4700. ©2014, Caesars License Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

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