Southern Gaming & Destinations January 2012 by Gaming and Destinations

2012 Best of Southern Gaming Awards! Don’t Delay…Vote Today! PAGE

VOLUME 14  |  ISSUE 1 |  JANUARY 2012

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2012

HOT HAPPENINGS: TOP EVENTS IN 2012 PAGE 26 GET THE MAGAZINE!

RICH RIVALRIES:

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Chantal Sutherland: HORSES AND HOLLYWOOD

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INSIDE this ISSUE

On the Cover:

SUTHERLAND: 14 CHANTAL Horses and Hollywood

Feature Articles:

OF SOUTHERN GAMING: 10 BEST Readers’ Choice Awards Voting Ballot SUPER BOWL XLVI: 20 All Eyes on Indy HOT HAPPENINGS: 26 Top Events in 2012 RICH RIVALRIES: 32 Contenders at Combat TOURNAMENT TIME: 38 Live Poker Thrives with Online on Hold CLOCKING IN THE CASH: 48 Time is Money

C H A N TA L S U T H E R L A N D : Horses and Hollywood | 14

Tips & Columns:

18 HORSERACING: Place Betting VIDEO POKER: 24 Casino Hosts CRAPS: 36 Place vs. Pass & Come Betting CASINO COMPS: 42 Using the Host System CASINO Q&A: 46 With John Grochowski BLACKJACK: 56 Progressive Betting SLOTS: 60 False Concepts GOLF: 62 Great Getaways CASINO BETS: 64 The Best and the Worst

S U P E R B O W L X LV I : All Eyes on Indy | 20

HOT HAPPENINGS : Top Events in 2012 | 26

Highlights & Hot Spots: CITY: 30 SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER Margaritaville Mixes It Up HARD ROCKIN’ ROBYN: 44 Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi

Director of Entertainment

DIAMONDJACKS.COM: 52 Web Revamp is Real Deal for Guests SILVER SLIPPER CASINO: 54 Blue Bayou Restaurant & Jubilee Buffet A NEW CHIEF FOR CHOCTAW: 58 Pearl River Resort

TOURNAMENT TIME : Live Poker Thrives with Online on Hold | 38

Vol um e 14 I ssu e 1

FROM the EDITOR 4

Happy New Year! As the leading gaming authority of the South, we are excited to embark on our 14th year of publishing Southern Gaming and Destinations magazine. Since 1999 our goal has been to provide an outlet for gamblers of the South to read about premium regional properties, as well as learn insightful tips and strategies for casino games and horseracing handicapping. In addition, we have produced some amazing events, including May’s Phil Hellmuth, Robert Williamson III and Denny Crum’s Celebrity Derby Poker Championship, the Casino Cook-off last September in Biloxi, as well as our first Super Cigar Smoke-out at Horseshoe Casino in Southern Indiana. Also, The Comps Club™ continues to grow with great new discounts and special offers for our members at the hottest gaming venues. We are having fun producing our magazine and events and look forward to the excitement the coming year will bring. As always, we thank you for supporting us. Be sure to let us know how we can continue to grow and provide you with information to make your gambling adventures successful. This issue marks our 10th Annual Best of Southern Gaming Readers’ Choice Awards. These awards give you, the gambler, the opportunity to voice your opinions about who’s hot and who’s not in categories ranging from pools to poker and shopping to slots. Be sure to fill out the ballot on page 10, or online at SouthernGaming.com/2012Awards, and you might win a VIP trip to New Orleans! Good luck, and be sure to spread the word! This cover features Chantal Sutherland from HBO’s upcoming mini-series, Luck. Directed by Michael Mann, this series marks yet another project that has given HBO top honors in the short film category. The network has had tremendous success with previous hits such as The Sopranos, Deadwood, Big Love, Boardwalk Empire and a slew of others. We look forward to Luck following in the same footsteps. On page 14, we take a look at the rise of horseracing on the big screen, what happens behind the scenes of Luck and why we feel it will be another winner for HBO. We also look into the lives of female jockeys, such as Chantal Sutherland, and what it takes to make it in the Sport of Kings. Also in this issue are articles on Top Sports Rivalries, Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, Big Events in 2012 and an array of great tips from the world’s leading gambling authors. Don’t miss the highlights on Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana, Silver Slipper Casino and other industry leaders including Robyn Smith, Director of Entertainment at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Thank you for continuing to support Southern Gaming and Destinations. Be sure to keep spreading the word about The Comps Club™ to your friends.

Publisher Bisig Impact Group Chief Executive Officer Larry Bisig President & Creative Director Chip Dumstorf General Manager G. Douglas Dreisbach Marketing Coordinator & Managing Editor Courtney Bisig Accounting Peggy Harris Copy Editor Jan Urey Contributing Authors Linda Boyd Julian Brunt Eric Floyd Phil Hellmuth, Jr. Brittany Nance Jennifer Newell Donecia Pea Rudi Schiffer Frank Scoblete Jean Scott Henry Tamburin Jeremy White Colby Wollitz Letters to the editor, address changes and other correspondence should be sent to: Southern Gaming and Destinations 640 South Fourth Street Louisville, KY 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 ever-growing 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. ON THE COVER: Jockey Chantal Sutherland stars in HBO’s upcoming short series LUCK, putting the spotlight on horseracing-Page 10. Southern Gaming and Destinations is produced bimonthly by Bisig Impact Group of Louisville, Kentucky. Copyright 2004 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

Remember, if you can’t be good, be lucky!

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.

G. Douglas Dreisbach General Manager

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

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on the Web ... Southern Southern Gaming Magazine is THE gaming authority of the South, and our website proves it by offering a wide variety of resources for the gamers of the South. Gaming-related news is posted daily, along with lotto results, sports odds, weather, concerts and more! Be sure to check out the new digital version of Southern Gaming and Destinations Magazine by visiting SouthernGaming.com.

Hoosier Park Racing & Casino Opens Winner’s Circle

Harlow’s Casino Resort & Hotel Announces Expansion Last month, Harlow’s Casino Resort & Hotel held a ceremony to break ground for a series of improvements and new amenities being added to the property. Harlow’s will also be remodeling some of the areas that were impacted by the severe flooding last spring. Just a short drive from Tunica, Harlow’s Casino Resort & Hotel is already home to hundreds of loyal customers, who are sure to be amazed by the plans to improve several amenities such as a new buffet, steakhouse, spa facility, fitness center, event center and more. General Manager Reggie Fullwood explained that this expansion will only strengthen Harlow’s regional competitiveness. The Harlow’s team looks forward to making the already great experience even better for their guests. Construction on the new event space is expected to begin early this year, with other renovations to follow. For more information, call 1-866-534-5825 or visit HarlowsCasino.com.

Winner’s Circle Pub, Grille & OTB is Hoosier Park’s newest entertainment hot spot in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, located at 20 N. Pennsylvania Street. This exciting new venture includes an American grille, a contemporary pub and a Las Vegas-style horseracing media lounge. The Grille at the Winner’s Circle has an expansive menu of American fare, complemented by the beauty of the sport of kings. The Pub is a hip entertainment area in downtown where people gather to sip handcrafted beers and signature cocktails. The Pub’s media screens make it easy to stay caught up on the racing action. Of course, if you really want to concentrate on the ponies without distraction, you should head to the Las Vegas-style OTB lounge—the centerpiece of the Winner’s Circle. This beautiful lounge offers an enormous media wall full of flat screen monitors that brings national horseracing alive right in front of you. Sit back and enjoy the action or use one of the personal betting stations, each equipped with a lamp and monitor. Hoosier Park ’s impeccable service and renowned guest rewards program can now be found right in the heart of Indianapolis. The Winner’s Circle is the perfect place for horseracing fanatics who enjoy a bold and exciting atmosphere. Hoosier Park Racing & Casino has done it again, and you will not be disappointed! For more information, visit HoosierPark.com

WANT MORE? Southern Gaming’s Got It! Don’t forget to visit SouthernGaming.com for the latest gaming news, hot giveaways, gossip, entertainment and great tips. Don’t miss out... stay connected at SouthernGaming.com!

So u thern G aming and De s t in a t io n s

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Concert Calendar

Here are some of the best upcoming concerts at your favorite casinos in the South. Visit SouthernGaming.com and use our Concert Connection Calendar to find concerts near you. You can search by location or date, and even buy your tickets!

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13 John Pinette IP Casino Resort & Spa 1-888-946-2847 IPBiloxi.com 13-14 Bueller Indiana Live! Casino 1-877-386-4463 IndianaLiveCasino.com 14 Katt Williams IP Casino Resort & Spa 1-888-946-2847 IPBiloxi.com

38 Special

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256 HardRockBiloxi.com 14 Glen Campbell DiamondJacks Casino Resort Bossier City 318-678-7695 DiamondJacks.com 20 Kenny G Beau Rivage Casino Resort & Spa (Biloxi) 1-888-566-7469 BeauRivage.com 20 Evanescence IP Casino Resort & Spa 1-888-946-2847 IPBiloxi.com 21 Tanya Tucker Paragon Casino Resort 1-800-946-1946 ParagonCasinoResort.com 21 Craig Ferguson IP Casino Resort & Spa 1-888-946-2847 IPBiloxi.com 27 Pointer Sisters Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256 HardRockBiloxi.com

28 John Michael Montgomery IP Casino Resort & Spa 1-888-946-2847 IPBiloxi.com 28 Loretta Lynn Belterra Casino Resort 1-888-BELTERRA BelterraCasino.com

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18 Kellie Pickler IP Casino Resort & Spa 1-888-946-2847 IPBiloxi.com 18 B. B. King Paragon Casino Resort 1-800-946-1946 ParagonCasinoResort.com 18 Kansas Belterra Casino Resort 1-888-BELTERRA BelterraCasino.com 25 Ronnie Dunn Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256 HardRockBiloxi.com

MARCH: 2 Vince Gill Beau Rivage Casino Resort & Spa (Biloxi) 1-888-566-7469 BeauRivage.com 3 REO Speedwagon IP Casino Resort & Spa 1-888-946-2847 IPBiloxi.com 9 Blackberry Smoke Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256 HardRockBiloxi.com 10 Lonestar Belterra Casino Resort 1-888-BELTERRA BelterraCasino.com 10 Cheech & Chong Beau Rivage Casino Resort & Spa (Biloxi) 1-888-566-7469 BeauRivage.com

Want more? Southern Gaming’s Got It! Visit SouthernGaming.com for all your gaming needs. Vol um e 14 I ssu e 1

FACTS and FU N

1. In the last 10 years, how many times has the AFC prevailed over the NFC to win the Super Bowl Championship? A) Three B) Five C) Six D) Eight 2. Which pro golfer is the only person to have received six Masters’ Green Jackets?

A) B) C) D)

Jack Nicklaus Arnold Palmer Tiger Woods Phil Mickelson

A) B) C) D)

Michael Mizrachi Jennifer Leigh Mike Matusow Annie Duke

A) 137 B) 25 C) 102 D) 86

Dollars (in millions) spent to build Lucas Oil Stadium, home of Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis.

2 9

97,553

Voters, combined, in the 2010 & 2011 Best of Southern Gaming Readers’ Choice Awards

3 8

6 4

7 3

So u thern G aming and De s t in a t io n s

1 5

The Sudoku Puzzle Up to the challenge?

Complete the grid so that each column, row and block of nine squares includes numbers 1 through 9 only once. Answers on page 59

G A M E C O U R TES Y O F S U D O K U TO D AY. C O M

Years in a row the NFC has won the Super Bowl coin toss

720

"Did You Know" answers, below left

2012 marks this anniversary of the Belmont Stakes in horseracing

Vince Lombardi Trophy Preakness Woodlawn Vase U.S. Open Championship Trophy Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy

Got a joke or fun fact? E-mail it to jokes@southerngaming.com for your chance to win casino coupons from The Comps ClubTM!

144

5. What is the most valuable trophy in American athletic competition? A) B) C) D)

Why couldn’t the pony sing?

By the Numbers

4. How many luxury suites will be filled in Lucas Oil Stadium for this year’s Super Bowl?

Riddle of the Month:

The answer is listed on the bottom left corner of this page.

3. Which of the following is not one of the faces of DeepStacks Live?

Riddle of the Month Answer: He was feeling a little hoarse!

"Did You Know" Answers: 1. C-Six 2. A- Jack Nicklaus 3. D- Annie Duke 4. A-137 5. B- Preakness Woodlawn Vase

Did You Know?

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NEW ORLEANS

2012

Southern Gaming Awards

WIN A TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS! Dear Southern Gaming and Destinations Magazine Reader,

Bourbon Street

As we begin the new year, we are excited to continue bringing you the very best in gambling news, property highlights and most of all comps and special offers from your favorite Southern casinos. But first, we need to hear from you! What are YOUR favorite properties in the South? Which casinos would you like to see highlighted in Southern Gaming more often? We need to know, which is why we are thrilled to once again present you with the voting ballots for the 2012 Best of Southern Gaming Readers’ Choice Awards. Over the last several years, we have received hundreds of thousands of votes, and we look forward to more great feedback this year! Have you found a new restaurant that tops your vote in last year’s awards? Which casino renovations are you most impressed by? Mail us your printed ballot or log on to SouthernGaming.com/2012Awards to submit your ballot online.

Jackson Square

To give you an incentive to vote, Southern Gaming is giving away another amazing prize package- a trip to New Orleans! Enjoy three days and two nights in the world-class Harrah’s New Orleans or a premium partner hotel, a $200 gas allowance for your travel, a $250 credit at Besh Steakhouse and a romantic dinner for two at the French Quarter’s Cafe Giovanni! Don’t delay…vote today! Let us know which properties are your favorites and you just might be the lucky winner of the New Orleans getaway package! Good luck!

Courtney Bisig Managing Editor

New Orleans Skyline

Entrants must be 21 years or older to win. One entry per person. Duplicate entries will result in disqualification. All entries must be received or postmarked by February 29, 2012. Grand Prize winner assumes responsibility for necessary taxes associated with the value of the prize. Rooms subject to availability and some blackout dates may apply. *Photos courtesy of New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Subscribe to Southern Gaming today and get hundreds of dollars in casino coupons and special offers, great gambling tips, property reviews, giveaways and more! All for just $29! Call 1-877-582-9478 or visit SouthernGaming.com today!

It’s as easy as 1-2-3!

aminG award hern G S out

VOTE! MAIL! WIN a 3-Day/ 2-night vacation to New Orleans! Pick your favorite Southern properties from each category below, answer a few questions, mail it in and you will be entered into a contest to win a 3-Day/2-Night vacation for two to New Orleans! Good luck!

2012 S

s! lean r o W to ne p i r t Win a

*One vote per person…duplicate entries will result in disqualification of participation in contest. *Faxes and copies of this ballot will not be accepted. *All fields are required. Mark N/A if not applicable. If you do not have an e-mail address please include phone number. *All entries must be postmarked by February 29, 2012 to be counted and eligible for giveaway.

2012

First Name: ____________________________________ Last Name: _______________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City: _____________________________________________________ State: ________________________ Zip: __________________ E-mail: ___________________________________________ Phone Number: _____________________ Date of Birth: ______________ Do you subscribe to Southern Gaming and Destinations? ❏ Yes ❏ No ❏ Yes ❏ No If yes, are you a member of The Comps Club®? Would you like more information on The Comps Club® Casino Coupon Program…the $29 membership that provides hundreds of dollars per year worth of coupons and special offers to gaming properties? ❏ Yes ❏ No What games do you like to play the most? (Check all that apply) Blackjack Craps Slots/Video Poker What kind of comps do you typically receive from casinos? None...they are stingy

Free Buffet

Poker

Pari-mutuel (Horses)

Match Play offers

Free Rooms

Other:__________________

Whatever I want...I'm a high roller!

Please circle your favorite gaming region below.

Indiana ★ Tunica/ North MS (Lula) ★ Vicksburg, MS ★ Shreveport/ Bossier City, LA ★ Standalone Mid-South (Pearl River, Bok Homa & Others not in casino towns) ★ Gulf Coast ★ Florida

Category: 1.

Best Overall Property:

Your Favorite:

Region:

_____________________________________________

___________________________

Best New Casino/ Casino Renovation:

_____________________________________________

___________________________

Best Racetrack / Racino Facility:

_____________________________________________

___________________________

(Horse Racing / Greyhound Racing)

Best Suites:

_____________________________________________

___________________________

5. 6.

Best Rooms: Best Casino Floor:

_____________________________________________ _____________________________________________

___________________________ ___________________________

Best Poker Room:

_____________________________________________

___________________________

Best Restaurant:

_____________________________________________

___________________________

Best Buffet:

_____________________________________________

___________________________

10. Best Amenities:

_____________________________________________

___________________________

11. Best Golf Course:

_____________________________________________

___________________________

(Game variety/ options)

(Include name of restaurant and property):

(Spa, Pool, Shopping, etc)

12. Best Entertainment:

_____________________________________________

___________________________

13. Best Entertainment Venue:

_____________________________________________

___________________________

14. Best Nightlife:

_____________________________________________

___________________________

15. Best Theme:

_____________________________________________

___________________________

16. Best Casino Personnel:

_____________________________________________

___________________________

17. Best Customer Service:

_____________________________________________

___________________________

18. Best Advertising:

_____________________________________________

___________________________

19. Best Players Club:

_____________________________________________

___________________________

20. Best Slot Machine Game:

_____________________________________________

___________________________

(Night club, lounge, etc)

(Dealers, Slot Attendants, Hosts, Waitresses, etc)

(Radio, television, billboards, etc)

VOTE for your chance to WIN a 3-day/2-night vacation to New Orleans!

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2012

Call 1-877-582-9478 or visit SouthernGaming.com today!

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A T

chantal sutherland HORSES AND HOLLYWOOD BY G . DOUGLAS DR E IS B A C H

What once was a mainstay for Hollywood celebrities and gamblers alike looking to cash in on a few pari-mutuel tickets, today the racetracks of America have become something much different. Live horseracing, known to many as “The Sport of Kings,” has certainly seen better days. The sport is being challenged by competition from more entertainment options and gambling outlets (including casinos and poker rooms in 38 states), lotteries, online gambling, as well as online wagering platforms allowing horseplayers to wager from anywhere. In the late 1950s, horseracing was the number two sport in America, falling just behind baseball. Now, the racetracks seem more desolate than ever except on major racing days. Many tracks are left to rely heavily on revenue from adjoining casinos, referred to as “racinos,” to supplement purses. And tracks without that revenue source are feeling the effects from nearby casinos, many in neighboring states.

C H A N TA L S U T H E R L A N D is a Canadian jockey who has starred in two hit television series.

Without a doubt, horseracing needs a jolt of adrenaline to bring the level of interest back to what it once was. Winning a quick hand of blackjack or a roll of the dice doesn’t hold a candle to the thrill one gets from successfully handicapping a field of thoroughbreds, especially when your picks cross the finish line first and you take your ticket to the window to claim your winnings. Even if you don’t win, you have two thrilling minutes to imagine your investment crossing the line in first place. However, unless you are basing your wagers on names, numbers or colors, horseracing requires analysis of multiple variables, from past performances and bloodlines to track conditions and distance of the race. It not only requires your financial investment, but also the consideration 14

Southern G aming an d De s t in a t io n s

and discipline to pick your spots to cash in. Maybe that’s what makes it so magical, but maybe that’s what also makes it so difficult to market and attract the masses the way it once did. It seems over the past decade, one friend of horseracing has been media companies and their production of mainstream movies and mini-series. These films have captured the thrill and excitement from not only a fan and gambler’s perspective, but also the stories that take place behind-the-scenes every day on the backsides of tracks across the country and throughout the world. While there have been countless horseracing films dating back

P H O T O CRE D I T: ST E VE SCH A P I RO /H BO P HOTO CRED I T: G U SMA NO CESA RETTI / H BO

H O L LY W O O D AC T O R DU S T I N HO F F M A N will play a horse owner in HBO’s Luck.

portrayed as in this film. What started as a shaky racing career blossomed into a unique late-running style that captured the Kent uc k y D erby, t he Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes holding record times and margins of win. The popularity of of the 1973 superhorse was enormous, and he packed the seats of every racetrack at which he competed. The interest lied heavily on people wanting to “say they saw him run” and not on having a lot of wagering interest on t he heav y favorite. But, regardless of the reason, people were in the stands watching and wagering on the races.

In addition to the big screen, television has also played a big role in telling the story of the thoroughbred industry. Animal Planet launched a reality show called Jockeys that followed several top jocks both on and off the track, showing a behind the scenes look at what really happens in the locker rooms. One of the featured female jockeys on the show was Chantal Sutherland. Sutherland not only rides, but also has branched out into C H A N TA L S U T H E R L A N D other endeavors, including discusses scenes on the set of HBO’s Luck. modeling, appearances at casinos and a jewelry to the 1930s, the most recent big sweep of the big screen began line found at CaldwellSutherland.com. A Canadian by birth, with Seabiscuit (2003), starring Jeff Bridges and Tobey Maguire. Sutherland began riding when she was 23 years old. She saw The movie brought to life the story of the 1933 racehorse that greener pastures in the United States and made a run for the captured the hearts of America, and looked at the relationships California racing circuit. that existed between the owner, trainer and jockey with the odds-defying horse. The film grossed nearly $150 million and “In high school, I worked on a farm galloping thoroughbreds showed that the public still had a spark for horseracing. In and always wanted to be a professional athlete. I wanted to play addition, the book Seabiscuit: An American Legend, written by field hockey for Canada, but was cut from the World Cup team Laura Hillenbrand, was a great read that captured the magic of because I was just not good enough and too small,” commented the entire storyline of the famous horse. Sutherland. “Then one summer, I decided I wanted be a jockey and pursued it and fell in love with the industry.” Then in 2010, Walt Disney Pictures produced an in-depth look at one of the most popular horses in history in the movie Once she started riding professionally, Chantal was enthralled Secretariat, starring Diane Lane, John Malkovich and Margo with the travel and the people she met along the way. “I had no Martindale. The story of the super horse of the ’70s known as “Big idea the culture that existed when I started. I was motivated Red” has been told time and again, but none as magnificently by people like Angel Cordero and the lifestyle of traveling to Vol um e 14 I ssue 1

places like Dubai.” In the show, one of the main storylines was Sutherland, and then boyfriend and jockey, Mike Smith, and their relationship on and off the track. In the series, they broke up causing tension between the two. Then, in the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Classic race at Churchill Downs, the story continued when Sutherland was riding 14-1 Game on Dude and leading the race coming down the stretch. Unfortunately for Chantal, the 14-1 Drosselmeyer, ridden by none other than her ex, Mike Smith, came out of nowhere to pass her and win the $5 million race in an exciting finish. “It was probably t he biggest moment of my career,” commented Sutherland about the race. “I was so proud about how he [Game on Dude] ran that day. I know he got beat, but he tried so hard. However, my biggest goal is to be in the Kentucky Derby one day, so I am holding out for that!”

the fans see when they wager on the horses isn’t exactly the whole picture. Jockeys are athletes who have to adhere to a strict workout regimen and diet. “It’s hard work being a jockey, especially being a female. I work hard to stay in shape by running every day and working with a trainer. I have to be careful because the more I train, the more muscle I put on and the heavier I get. But I have to put on muscle to compete with the guys because they are strong.” When it comes to the popularity of horseracing and keeping the public aware of the sport, Sutherland feels the perception and education of the public need to change. “Marketing has to continue to be strong and embrace social media and good concepts to attract the younger market. The Breeders’ Cup did a really good job with that and I think it should be done more throughout the year. We also need to have better coverage and camera angles for watching the races. People need to be able to see what it’s like to be a jockey on the horse, like NASCAR does with the drivers giving the fans the perspective from inside the car. If they could do that, I think it would help the market a lot.”

Jockeys was popular, but not popular enough for the network to pick it up again. That obstacle didn’t stop Chantal from pursuing other endeavors. Her latest project is an upcoming HBO Series, Luck, premiering January 29, 2012. The Chantal also feels there is an network has a winning track record education void when it comes to of great short series with shows like today’s novice horseplayers. “When Sopranos, Entourage, Deadwood and people get to the racetrack for the Boardwalk Empire, just to name a first time, they look at the program few. Forecasts show Luck will live and think they are reading Japanese J O C K E Y C H A N TA L S U T H E R L A N D up to HBO’s high expectations. It is hoping for a resurgence in the horse or some other language. It’s hard to features top actors, including Dustin racing industry. grasp all the information for a race Hoffman (an owner who gets jailed and what it all means. In Canada, for some mix-ups he encountered at the racetracks have girls going around teaching people how the track) and Nick Nolte (an old washed-up trainer who spots to bet and how to read a race program,” explained Sutherland. a diamond in the rough with a promising horse). “If we can simplify the process for people and make those first racetrack experiences easier, I think they will enjoy it more and The addition of top jockeys, like Gary Stevens and Sutherland, be more inclined to come back.” make the series spot-on. “Luck is going to blow your mind. The camera angles are unbelievable, with the focus on the horses In addition to being a jockey, Chantal has ventured into other breathing and close-ups of their eyes and galloping at full pace. areas including a jewelry line, modeling and making appearances They did an amazing job capturing the moment of the race,” at casinos such as Southpoint Casino in Las Vegas. “I know I Chantal added. “The cameras were right in my face when I was am not going to be a jockey forever, so I like to get my name out riding. It even seems fake it looks so real. They also did a really there with other projects. It not only helps me and my career, but great job capturing the sub-cultures of the racetrack, so I think I also think it helps horseracing by getting involved with some of it will be another big hit for HBO.” these other projects,” she commented. “While these shows and As in other productions, the storyline is intriguing as it follows projects are a lot of work, I feel they are ultimately very beneficial the owner and trainer of an aspiring thoroughbred’s quest for for the industry.” the winner’s circle and some of the antics that transpire along So, with the added boost of Hollywood sharing the excitement of the way. HBO is known for top-quality filming, and we don’t horseracing, we will see if the real life drama is enough to bring expect them to stray from that with Luck. the time-tested Sport of Kings back to its throne and capture Hopefully shows such as these will help horseracing fans and the hearts and passion of mainstream America. If so, it will be novices alike understand the ins and outs of the sport. What an awesome ride! 16

Southern G aming an d De s t in a t io n s

HORSERACING

The definition of a successful PLACE wager as it pertains to thoroughbred racing is as follows: A straight wager involving selection of a runner that finishes in at least second position. During a period of about three years it was not uncommon to find yours truly in the local off track betting facility three to four times a week. The formulas in each of these sessions typically mirrored each other. With a standard bankroll of about $50$100, I would attempt to double my stake before going bankrupt. The word “grinder” is an overused name when it comes to gamblers, but it was my profile during this period of excess. More often than not, the strategy implemented to achieve my doubling goal was the PLACE wager. While I have shaved the time spent with my nose buried in the Racing Form by at least 90%, I still routinely revert to this methodology when frequenting the hippodrome.

Eric Vaughn Floyd is a turf writer for various gaming publications and consultant to several nationwide media outlets in regard to the Triple Crown. Excerpts from his gambling memoir, The Backstretch (My First Decade Playing the Game), can be viewed at LULU.com.

Horseracing: Place Betting

Many traditionalists, who have dedicated their existence to the Sport of Kings, adamantly proclaim there is only one Straight Wager worth making. On one occasion, when I risked $20 to PLACE on a 5/2 shot, an old mentor of mine pulled me aside and said, “Son, a gentleman always puts it on the nose.” In layman’s terms he was explaining that I was embarrassing myself by betting to PLACE on such a short-priced racer. But after 16 years of playing the ponies, I have drafted only one indisputable law—any bet that nets a profit may be deemed successful and any wager that lightens the wallet can be filed under “failure.” What’s the use of saving face if you have to live on pork and beans? I’m certainly not risking greenbacks on ponies to enhance my social standing. I fire wads to accumulate scratch, and now I’ll explain why tucking a PLACE bet into the arsenal can assist any player do just that. First of all, never let anyone tell you that a PLACE bet is cowardly or weak. Anyone who says this also has countless tales of long shot equines they’ve backed being nosed at the wire. Just let them know if a few PLACE dollars had accompanied their courageous WIN flutter, they wouldn’t have to acquire a payday advance every other week. This brings up the first and foremost use of a PLACE bet—tangible insurance against a losing WIN bet. We have all landed on the wrong side of a photo finish or backed a runner that received a horrible trip. One of the most prosperous punters I’ve met always accompanied a sizable WIN bet with an equally financed PLACE bet,

and it was uncanny how many times this prudent planning kept my man in the game. Naturally this fellow caught his fair share of winners, as well, and reaped the additional reward procured by seeking second money.

Eric Floyd

Some PLACE haters will argue that the payouts are not worth fighting for since the total mutual pool is split between two entrants and thus becomes diluted. It’s true that in theory a horse’s WIN price should always be higher than the PLACE dividend, because victors aren’t required to share the handle assigned to them. But as with most axioms, this one has a loophole. When referencing heavy favorites it might behoove a player to ease off the throttle and bet PLACE due to an interesting dynamic that often manifests in the mind of handicappers. When the public determines a thoroughbred “can’t lose,” they either levy funds to WIN or SHOW (straight wager where a runner must finish in at least third position), and usually omit any consideration of PLACE. The 2008 Preakness Stakes is an example of this principal. After Big Brown’s romp in the Kentucky Derby, bettors sent him away from the Preakness starting gate at odds of 1/5. This freak of a colt didn’t disappoint his backers, and when the mutual prices were posted many were surprised to see these payouts: WIN $2.40 – PLACE $2.60 – SHOW $2.40. Now this twenty-cent increment may not seem significant, but if you taught any investor how to net an additional 10% profit by facing less risk, you’d have a new best friend. In the case of a coupled entry, where both horses rate as contenders, a PLACE wager must always be considered. When an owner or syndicate enters two or more runners in a contest, their interests may be coupled so multiple portions of a purse are not monopolized by a single entity. Bettors choosing to back an entry get two horses for the price of one, and if either runs first or second a PLACE bet is cashed, but here’s the catch. If both halves of an entry fill in the top two spots of a race, the PLACE pool, which is usually divided between a duo of runners, remains intact and PLACE bettors receive what essentially amounts to a WIN payout. Successfully recognizing when to make what bet is as critical as is handicapping. Remember, within thoroughbred racing there is a time and PLACE for everything!

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super bowl XLVI ALL EYES ON INDY!

PH O TO CRED I T: 2012 I ND I A NA PO L I S SU PER BO W L H O ST CO MMI TTEE

BY JERE M Y W HIT E

I N DI A N A P O L I S , I N DI A N A is the home of Super Bowl XLVI. Super Bowl Sunday is so sacred it’s surprising the United States government hasn’t declared it a national holiday. It attracts attention from around the globe, despite the fact that the rest of the world doesn’t play “American” football. This year, that attention will be focused on one of the nation’s best sports towns—Indianapolis, Indiana. As the host city of Super Bowl XLVI, which is slated for February 5, 2012, Indianapolis finds itself in somewhat familiar shoes. It has served as the home of many major events over the years, ranging from the Indy 500 to the men’s and women’s NCAA Final Four to the Pan-Am Games. It is a city accustomed to rolling out the red carpet to the sporting world, which means the 2012 Super Bowl is in good hands. While it’s too early to guess which two teams will square off for the NFL championship, this much is clear—Indianapolis will be the big winner. It has been estimated that past Super Bowls have had an economic impact from $125–$400 million on their 20

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host cities’ local economies. In fact, according to the NFL, the average Super Bowl attendee spends four nights in a hotel in the host city and spends nearly $2,000 during that stay. Hence the amount of pomp and circumstance that’s now associated with the big game. More than just a gridiron battle, today’s Super Bowls pack a week’s worth of major entertainment into the pre-game schedule, ranging from concerts to food tastings and everything in between. The Super Bowl has become a moneymaking, celebratory, entertainment event of global proportions, so much so that many football purists now insist the integrity of the championship game is harmed by the amount of static that surrounds it. “I just want to watch football,” says Todd Dansby, a longtime football fanatic from Cincinnati, Ohio. Dansby has attended two Super Bowls in the last 10 years thanks to a corporate connection. “It’s easy to get caught up in all the other stuff that’s going on—all the sideshows that surround the Super Bowl. That’s fine if that’s

P H O T O CRE D I T: F RA N K MI CE L O T TA /F O X SP O RT S

really enjoyed the surrounding festivities when Super Bowl XLI was held at Dolphin Stadium in 2007, and Super Bowl XLIV was staged at Miami Gardens in 2010.

F OX S P O R T S N E T W O R K will air Super Bowl XLVI on February 5, 2012. DON’T HAVE A TICKET? DON’T WORRY! If you don’t have a ticket for the big game, here’s a list of three fun public events not mentioned in the article. All are scheduled to take place in Indianapolis during Super Bowl week: •

Pepsi Super Bowl Fan Jam – A live concert

•

Pepsi Musica Super Bowl Fan Jam – a Latino

•

performance at the Indiana State Fairgrounds on February 2, 2012. The show will air nationally on VH1. This year’s performers are still being selected. Past performers include Maroon 5, Mary J. Blige and Rhianna. musical celebration on February 1 at the Convention Center. Admission is free with an NFL Experience ticket.

Tazon Latino VI – a flag football game between former NFL players and Hispanic celebrities at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 2. Admission is free with an NFL Experience ticket.

what you’re into. I mean, there’s cool stuff for kids and a lot of things to see and do. It’s a really festive atmosphere, and the NFL has done a great job of gaining more exposure and broadening its fan base and interest in the Super Bowl by staging all the concerts, food booths and everything else.” But, Dansby says that isn’t what makes him want to come back for more when he gets the chance. “For me, it’s about the football. There’s a real rush of energy and excitement at kickoff, when the fans are electric and the players are feeling on top of the world and you know that the [crap] is going to hit the fan as soon as that kicker gets his foot on the ball. The place just explodes and there’s no feeling quite like it.” The festival of fun that accompanies the game enhances the overall experience and allows even those who can’t get a ticket the chance to experience the grandiosity of the NFL’s most important event. That’s the case for Anna Powell, a college student in Miami. Powell has never gotten into the big game, but says she

“The Colts played in both of those Super Bowls, so what I remember the most is all the blue and white Peyton Manning jerseys,” joked Powell during an interview. “In ’07, I was still in high school and my dad took me, my brother and a couple of our friends down a couple of times throughout the week to take part in the events. It’s really fun to see how your city transforms and puts its best foot forward for the rest of the world. In Miami, you’re used to seeing tourists. But not like what you get during Super Bowl week. There are people everywhere!”

Powell had turned 21 by the time Super Bowl XLIV had come back to Miami, so that brought a new level of fun for her, as most surrounding festivities are bound to include food and wine tastings galore to show off local delicacies. Clearly, the Super Bowl is a big deal, and the peripheral events surrounding the big game are pretty big deals in their own right. And, in recent years, much has also been made about the venues that house the Super Bowl. Last year, the brand new and strikingly gargantuan Cowboys Stadium in North Texas raised the bar of expectations for what a Super Bowl stadium should offer to fans. This year, Super Bowl XLVI will have a seating capacity of 70,000 at Lucas Oil Stadium. The $720-million venue, home of the Indianapolis Colts, was named the nation’s best new sports venue in the nation in 2008 by the Sports Business Journal. The stadium, which covers 1.8 million square feet, features a retractable roof that allows the venue to house several different types of events, from basketball games to conventions. But its primary purpose—football—is what makes it an ideal Super Bowl site. “It’s a great stadium, a remarkable improvement over the (RCA) Dome,” says Wallace Clayton, a Colts fan who lives in Indianapolis. Clayton says he was a Chicago Bears fan for many years, but when the Colts relocated to Indianapolis from Baltimore after the 1983 season, he finally had a hometown team for which to cheer. “The fans around here are really proud of what was accomplished with this stadium. It’s the kind of place the Colts and their fans deserve, and it’ll be a great place for the Super Bowl. I only wish I could afford a ticket!” As Clayton alludes, fans were quick to embrace Lucas Oil Stadium when it opened, which makes it fitting that this year will be one of the most accessible and fan-friendly Super Bowls in history. For starters, the NFL has announced that, for the first time ever, it will allow more than 5,000 fans to attend Super Bowl Media Day on January 31. As thousands of media members from around the globe interview players and coaches on the field, these fans will be allowed to sit in the stands and soak it all in. Spectators will even be given a Media Day gift bag that will include a radio allowing them to listen to player interviews on Vol um e 14 I ssue 1

options. Indiana Live! features 233,000 square feet of space, a state-of-the-art poker room and more than 2,000 high-tech slot and electronic table games. A new-age spin on your classic Vegasstyle casino, there is no doubt why Indiana Live! was voted Best Casino Overall & Best Casino Floor in 2011. The excitement of another gaming venue is closer than you think, just off I-69 in Anderson, Indiana, at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino. Enjoy some exhilarating gambling action with the convenient single-level casino floor and a fantastic player rewards program. Don’t want to leave the Super Bowl City? Then check out Hoosier Park’s newest addition in downtown Indianapolis— the Winner’s Circle Pub, Grille & OTB! Opened last month, this is Hoosier Park’s newest dining and entertainment hotspot that includes an American grille, modern pub and a chic racewagering lounge. Inside the OTB you’ll find more than 25 flatscreen televisions bringing you horseracing action from across the nation. Guests are happy to find the same amazing customer service and personalized betting stations they have come to know and love at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino in Anderson. Check out HoosierPark.com for all of the Super Bowl festivities at both locations—you are guaranteed a thrilling time!

I N DI A N A L I V E ! C A S I N O ( T O P ) and Hoosier Park Racing & Casino (bottom) are both located near Indianapolis the NFL Network. They’ll also have access to concessions and merchandise stands. Additionally, Super Bowl Tours will run from January 23 to February 7. On these tours, fans will have access to stadium grounds and will get the opportunity to see firsthand the type of preparation that goes into staging the event. And let’s not forget Super Bowl Village, a family-friendly experience not to be missed. Two stages will feature live entertainment over 10 days. During this time, more than 80 local, regional and national acts will perform. For those who are a little more daring, a four-line zip line will run down Indianapolis’ Capitol Avenue. At 80-feet tall and nearly 650-feet long, it’s sure to give NFL fans an adrenaline rush. Then there are events such as the NFL Experience (which features kids’ football clinics, displays, autograph sessions, memorabilia and games), Super Bowl Saturday Night and Taste of the NFL (a food and wine event featuring at least one restaurant station from each NFL city with an NFL player seated at each station). It seems there’s truly something for everyone at the Super Bowl— including gaming. Just a short drive from Indianapolis, gaming enthusiasts can briefly escape the Super Bowl’s sensory overload and enjoy some relaxation and gambling at two of Indiana’s premier gaming destinations. Indiana Live! Casino is the closest casino to Indianapolis. The winner of nine first-place Southern Gaming Magazine Readers’ Choice Awards in 2011, this property is best known for its superior casino floor, casino theme and fabulous dining 22

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For those looking to bunk in downtown Indianapolis, that’s not a problem, either. More than 7,000 hotel rooms, 200 restaurants and 50 major attractions are within walking distance of Lucas Oil Stadium. Furthermore, many of the hotels, Circle Centre Mall and the nearby convention center are connected by skywalks, making it easy to get around on foot regardless of the winter weather conditions. At the time of this writing, the question on every football fan’s mind was this—who will be in this year’s Super Bowl? The NFC appeared to be anything but lopsided with eight teams in playoff contention. Meanwhile, the AFC was equally balanced with nine teams seemingly in the hunt for a playoff spot. That parity, says longtime NFL fan Grant Collins, is what makes the league special. “It’s like that every year lately,” he says. “There’s always a team that appears to be the best, like Green Bay this year or New England in a lot of recent seasons, but you never know what will happen. The Pats [Patriots] went undefeated one season and then lost the Super Bowl to the Giants. It’s anybody’s game until the end.” Collins says he saw numerous Indianapolis Colts games in the RCA Dome in years past, but he hasn’t been to Lucas Oil Stadium. “One of these days,” he says. “But not for the Super Bowl—too expensive! I heard it’s really impressive though.” Indianapolis is, indeed, banking on impressing the world with Lucas Oil Stadium and a litany of world-class entertainment during the week of the Super Bowl. Take that bet at the casino if you can get it—it’s a pretty safe one. Jeremy White is a freelance writer and editor living in southern Indiana. He regularly covers gaming, sports, food and business for a variety of regional and national publications. He has a degree in creative writing and journalism and frequently visits Las Vegas, as well as local Kentuckiana gaming facilities.t

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VIDEO POKER

Recently I attended the Global Gaming Expo (G2E), headquartered for the first time in its 11-year history at the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas. I’ve participated in all but one G2E and can tell you more than the venue has changed in this mercurial business. The way management views and categorizes their player base is also evolving. That’s not always good for patrons, e s p e c i all y r e c r e a t io n al gamblers. But you can do several things to improve your odds by knowing the latest trends.

Linda Boyd, a long-time table game player before turning to video poker, writes for Southern Gaming, Midwest Gaming and Travel and Arizona Player. Look for her article in the 2011 Edition of American Casino Guide. Her book, The Video Poker Edge, includes free removable pay schedules and free strategy cards for the most popular games. Amazon, Square One Publishers and bookstores are sending the second edition with a 2010 publishing date. Kindle edition now available.

Video Poker: Casino Hosts

Job descriptions for casino hosts are being redefined and, as a result, there are major differences in how comps are awarded from place to place. In the old days you had to be a whale (very high roller) to rate a personal assistant from the casino. Later anybody was eligible to have a staff member greet them with a smile and invite them to join the player’s club and frequent players need not be high rollers to rate free rooms, food and other perks. How about now? Apply the same common sense advice regarding tipping, thank you notes and polite behavior as in the past. In addition to these standards, here are some new tips for working with a casino host. 1. Remaining Balance: You can’t get blood from a turnip. If the casino requires that you use your earned comp balance before your host can offer anything gratis (several casinos have this policy), then there’s no point in getting upset with your host. Instead, find out if the casino has this policy, and if so use your comps on things that can’t be awarded by a host, for example gas or gift shop purchases. Once you have a zero balance, your host will be able to pick up your room and meal charges. I expect to see more casinos making you use your existing comps before a host can help. 2. Discretionary Comps: These are comps beyond those earned on your slot club card and are at the host’s discretion. Of course you’d rather use those that aren’t deducted from your balance, saving the earned ones for a rainy day. Many don’t know about this type of comp or are too intimidated to ask. Use It or Lose It: Discretionary comps are usually good for only the current visit and don’t accumulate like the earned ones on your slot card. If you receive one, make sure you check the expiration date. No Assigned Host: Years ago it was advantageous to have your own host. They’d invite you to special events, offer show tickets, and arrange for transportation to and from the airport and other perks. Now you can ask any

host on duty for a comp based on recent play. If you are not receiving anything extra by being a hosted player, then you may want to go hostless. 3. Average Daily Theo (ADT): Casinos are getting more adept at Linda Boyd using statistical data to determine comp limits. It’s important to focus on the word “limits,” as you want to get the maximum allowed without being denied a request (going over the limit). (I will say you shouldn’t be too embarrassed if your host can’t give you a comp, as it’s rarely personal.) ADT is the current rule for marketing offers including bounceback cash, free rooms and show tickets, as well as determining how much to request from a casino host. Here’s how it’s done. The casino multiplies their theoretical edge as a decimal by your average coin-in per visit to determine your theoretical worth to the casino. For example, your daily average coin-in is $5,000 and the expected return (ER) for the devices you play is 95%. The casino will use this data to determine that you are worth around $250 per day to the casino (5% of $5000 = .05x $5,000=$250). The casino will have an internal figure, say 20% of your theo, for a discretionary comping maximum. In this case 20% of $250 = $50, so you’d be offered up to $50 comps, provided you ask. In addition, you’ll receive marketing offers in the mail based on this ADT. Often your host will tell you the percentage of theo they use for comping. 4. Video Poker Games: If you play a game with a high expected return (ER), like 10/7Double Bonus (10/7DB, ER 100.1725%), then the house edge is zero and your host may not offer comps. It’s still better than playing a slot that may have an ER of 90%, giving the house a 10% edge. You may not even need or want a host if you play only games with a player’s edge and have strong skills. 5. Home Casino: If you want a casino host to show you the ropes and offer extra comps (beyond marketing offers), you should relegate most of your play to the same casino. First, you’ll want to carefully consider which casino best meets your requirements and then focus on fewer but longer visits. Make sure you ask for a definition of their “day” for maximizing your ADT. For example, one casino can define a day from 12:00 a.m. to noon, while another will have an entirely different definition. If you play a short time outside of their definition, then you’ll cut your ADT in half causing a major reduction in offers.

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hot happenings TOP SPORTING & GAMING EVENTS IN 2012 BY ERI C FLOY D

of its last two years and the epicenter of Super Sunday 2012 will be in Indianapolis, Indiana. Lucas Oil Stadium (home of the Indianapolis Colts) will host its first Super Bowl and, while a handful of loyal fans will be awarded an opportunity to watch their favorite team hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy, countless others will have a major financial stake in which way the pigskin bounces. I’ve often said professional football is harder to predict than Nessie’s next appearance, but if you are dependent on trends, here are a few that may interest you. The underdog has covered in seven of the last 10 Super Bowls, the total (or over/under) has gone under in six of the last 10 Super Bowls, the AFC has won six out of the last 10 Super Bowls and (believe it or not) the NFC has won the coin toss a staggering 14 years in a row!

M A R K YO U R C A L E N DA R S for the hottest events in 2012! As has been widely publicized, the Mayan calendar expires on December 21, 2012. Naturally some debate will continue between advocates and detractors of this timetable, but instead of fretting whether or not a solar flare will eradicate our planet, I suggest we all put our energy into savoring the present age. Achieving this goal is relative depending on point of view but, if you are thumbing through Southern Gaming, then I assume you’re a player. Exciting individuals need to know when and where the action is going to take place! On New Year’s Day each of us received a clean slate, and whether your mind will forever affix the word “success” or “failure” to 2011 now remains irrelevant. It’s time to plot a course, and the forthcoming chronology is a sound foundation on which to build any personal almanac and, if wagering be the intent, I say a majority of these contests bear serious consideration.

February 5th, 2012—Super Bowl XLVI – The NFL Championship attracted more than 100 million viewers each 26

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February 26th, 2012— Daytona 500 – NASCAR zealots

refer to their season’s inaugural dash as the “Great American Race” and every driver competing on the Sprint Cup Circuit is keenly aware that the Daytona 500’s checkered flag represents Stock Car Auto Racing’s holy grail. Unlike other major sports that wait until season’s end to stage their most prestigious event, NASCAR comes out swinging and the upcoming 54th edition of Daytona International Speedway’s crown jewel will feature 43 cars traveling at upwards of 200 mph while separated by mere inches. Like most competitions, the Daytona 500 will become more interesting if you let a few bucks ride on the outcome. So here’s a snippet of advice. There are only four restrictor plate races on the Sprint Cup schedule and the Daytona 500 is one of them. Restrictor plates are devices installed at the intake of an engine to limit its power, thus leveling the playing field. So don’t be hesitant to back an outsider in this year’s event

March 13th – April 2nd, 2012— NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament – This upcoming version of the men’s college basketball championship tournament will

that a prudent strategy is to invest in those already proven inside Augusta National’s arena.

PH O TO CRED I T: NA SCA R

May 5th, 2012—The 13 8 t h K e n t u c k y Derby – Underneath

the storied Twin Spires of Churchill Downs in L ou is v i l le, Kent uck y, on the first Saturday in May, America’s foremost thoroughbred horse race will be contested. Known as the “Run for the Roses” and “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports,” the Kentucky Derby will no doubt carr y a f u l l 20-horse field. But beyond the mint juleps, exquisite T H E DAY T O N A 5 0 0 hats and playing of “My Old will return to Daytona International Speedway on February 26th. Kentucky Home,” there will be something more to feature 68 schools, but only one team will ultimately cut down celebrate. The first three-year-old equine that manages to the nets at the 2012 Final Four at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome navigate this race’s assigned distance of a mile and a quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana. Typically referred to as March will not only etch their name alongside former champions like Madness, there is no question that the combined public and Whirlaway (1941) and Citation (1948), but will also be the only private wagering handle on all 67 games will reach a hard-torunner that retains a chance to end the 34-year Triple Crown describe proportion. drought. Filling out brackets remains a time-honored tradition in March The past three Kentucky Derby champions have rewarded their and, instead of risking a tangible stake, it might behoove you backers with returns for a $2 mutual win wager as follows: to locate one of the many tournament “free rolls” that exist 2011 Animal Kingdom ($43.80), 2010 Super Saver ($18.00), online. However, if you insist on breaking out the Benjamins, 2009 Mine That Bird ($103.20). With the recent influx of longlet’s consider a couple of helpful statistics. Upsets become much shot victors in marquee races across thoroughbred racing’s more prevalent in match-ups involving the 5th and 12th seeds. landscape, I suggest handicappers continue to dig deep into past And, from 2001 through 2010, #5 seeds have but a 57.5% success performances to locate the pony destined to plunder racing’s rate on the money line and are 19-21 ATS (against the spread). premier acquisition. From 2001 to 2010, first round games involving #2 seeds have May 19th, 2012—The 137th Preakness Stakes – gone under the total 65% of the time and only half of all #2 seeds Often called the middle jewel of the Triple Crown Series, the advancing to the second round managed to cover. Preakness Stakes is run annually on the third Saturday in May April 4th – 7th, 2012— The Masters – Four major at Pimlico Racecourse in Baltimore, Maryland. Contested at championships exist inside the realm of professional golf and, 1-3/16 miles, the Preakness is a half-furlong shorter than the while winning the U.S Open, British Open or PGA Championship Kentucky Derby and typically gives several equines that failed would elate any player, a uniquely exclusive distinction comes to produce in Louisville a second chance to prove their worth. with the title of Masters Champion. The Masters Tournament is The Preakness field is limited to 14 starters and the conqueror a four-day event held annually during the first full week of April of “Old Hilltop’s” marquee race not only receives a blanket of at the privately managed Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Black-Eyed Susans (Maryland’s state flower), but also a replica Georgia. Individuals who conquer the Masters are awarded the of the Woodlawn Vase that remains the most valuable trophy in coveted green jacket, and it is customary for the previous year’s American athletic competition. champion to present the jacket to the latest victor. The Preakness historically runs closer to form than the Kentucky Legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus has six green jackets and won Derby and has produced some short-priced winners three of the tournament in three different decades, a notable feat that the past four years (2010 Lookin’ at Lucky $6.80, 2009 Rachel most likely will never be equaled. There are a variety of ways to Alexandra $5.60, 2008 Big Brown $2.40), though the Dale book action on the Masters, but whether you choose an overall Romans-trained Shackleford scored at odds of 12-1 and paid champion flutter or head-to-head proposition bet, remember $27.20 in 2011. Six of the last seven Kentucky Derby champions Vol um e 14 I ssue 1

failed to duplicate their turn of foot at Pimlico, which is a stark contrast to the 75% ratio of Derby/Preakness doubles, turned in from 1997 to 2004.

$1 million. (The One Drop Foundation is a charity established by Cirque de Soleil founder, Guy Laliberte, aiming to provide the

June 9th, 2012— The 144th Belmont Stakes – The final leg of

Also known as “The Test of Champions,” the Belmont Stakes presents handicappers with the formidable chore of figuring a 1-½ mile route, something they are usually unaccustomed to doing. The simplest and most effective advice I can offer players wagering the Belmont is to search for equines bred to handle the distance that will be on or near the early lead. In recent years the Belmont has produced some lucrative payouts (2011 Ruler On Ice $51.50, 2010 Drosselmeyer $28.00, 2009 Summer Bird $25.40, 2008 Da’ Tara $79.00). So, unless confidence abounds, tread lightly at the mutual windows.

July 1st, 2012—The World Series of Poker Presents: The Big One for One Drop – The World

Series of Poker is comprised of well over 50 tournaments and has been held annually in Las Vegas, Nevada, since 1970. Now produced by Harrah’s Entertainment, the WSOP originated as a seven-man game organized by Benny Binion (founder of the Horseshoe Casino). But this event has grown exponentially over the last four decades, and now holds the distinction of the world’s richest gaming competition with $192 million dollars in total payouts. The WSOP’s Main Event costs $10,000 to enter and is contested inside the parameters of No-Limit Texas Hold ’Em. In 2011 German-born Pius Hienz won the Main Event title by outlasting 6,865 players and received $8.7 million along with the champion’s bracelet, which is synonymous with the tournament as a whole. In 2012 the WSOP will return to the Rio All-Suite Casino & Hotel, where it has been held since 2005. Included in the upcoming format will be the inaugural “The Big One for One Drop” tournament, which requires an unprecedented buy-in of 28

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T H E BI G O N E F O R O N E D R O P will be presented by the WSOP on July 1, 2012. entire human race with clean water.) Participants in this tourney agree to donate $111,111 of their entry fee to the prescribed cause and provide a field of at least 22 players entered. The first ever solid platinum WSOP bracelet will be on the line.

July 10th, 2012— The Major League Baseball AllStar Game – With a history dating back nearly half a century

further than any of the four major sports, baseball continues to be our national pastime. Founded in 1869, Major League Baseball first staged its All-Star Game at Comiskey Park (home of the Chicago White Sox) in 1933. And, while the American League won the game by a score of 4-2, the grand tradition that mobilized that summer far outweighed any consequences rendered by the scoreboard. The MLB All-Star Game is about seeing the diamond’s finest swing the stick and enables our nation to come together and celebrate a very special piece of Americana. The 83rd MLB All-Star Game will be played at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. This will mark the third time the midsummer classic has invaded the BBQ Capital of the World. And, though the All-Star Game has primarily been an exhibition game throughout its history, home-field advantage in the World Series has hinged on this match’s outcome. The American League has dominated the midsummer classic since 1988, going 18-5-1 and, while the National League is currently riding a two-game winning streak, I wouldn’t bet the farm that they will turn the trifecta in 2012.

July 27th - August 12th, 2012— Games of the XXX Olympiad – The world’s most time honored athletic

competition reconvenes this year for the third time in London, England, which also hosted the modern Olympics in 1908 and 1948. Athletes from 139 nations are expected to compete in the 2012 Summer Games featuring 26 sports including four of my personal favorites: equestrian, badminton, field hockey and women’s boxing. Organizers estimate that eight million tickets

P H O T O CRED I T: W SO P

thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown dates back to 1867 and was originally run at Jerome Park in the Bronx, New York. This racetrack was the idea of stock market speculator Leonard Jerome, who received project financing from his good friend, August Belmont, for whom the Belmont Stakes is named. After Jerome Park closed in 1890, the elmont Stakes was contested at nearby Morris Park Racecourse until Belmont Park opened in 1905. Belmont Park is the only American Racetrack with a 1-½ mile circumference and is nicknamed “Big Sandy” due to its slow, deep running surface. Horseracing’s most legendary occurrence transpired at Belmont Park on June 9, 1973, when Secretariat rolled four rivals by 31 lengths in a world-record time of 2:24 to become the Sport of Kings’ ninth Triple Crown Champion.

and, even if the books favor them, don’t hesitate to risk a sawbuck or two on our friends from across the pond.

PH O TO CREDI T: BE N O I T P H O T O

November 2nd – 3rd, 2012— Th e 29t h Br e e de r s’ C u p Wo r l d Th o rou g h b r e d Championships— Summing up

the Breeders’ Cup with mere words is practically impossible, but here goes: two days, 15 races, $25.5 million dollars in purses and some of the largest mutual payouts found anywhere. Earlier we touched upon poker’s World Series and, while this event is the pinnacle for rounders, thoroughbred racing fiends find an equaled euphoria inside the Breeders’ Cup. The 29th edition of the World Thoroughbred Championships will be held at Santa Anita Racecourse in Arcadia, California, but this showcase S A N TA A N I TA R A C EC O U R S E I N A R C A DI A , C A was originally staged at Hollywood Park will host the 29th Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships. in 1984 thanks in large part to a racing philanthropist named John R. Gaines. will be available for the Summer Games with high-end pricing Aside from Hollywood Park and Santa hovering around 2000 pounds for choice seating at the opening Anita Racecourse, the Breeders’ Cup has successfully invaded ceremonies. Aqueduct Racecourse, Churchill Downs, Gulfstream Park, Belmont Park, Woodbine Racecourse, Arlington Racecourse, Several well-known London venues will be used to house the Monmouth Park and Lone Star Park. 2012 Olympics including: Wembley Stadium, the Wimbledon All England Club, Lord’s Cricket Ground, the O2 Arena and the Excel Centre. The Royal Mint will manufacture 4,700 medals for the games and each will include a depiction of an individual sport, Nike (the Greek Goddess of Victory) and the London Games logo. So far, 44 major companies have partnered with London’s Olympic effort to help fund the games raising proceeds of 700 million pounds.

September 25th – 30th—The Ryder Cup – The Ryder

Cup Matches are a biennial golf competition jointly administered by the PGA of America and PGA European Tour involving 12man squads from the U.S. and Europe. Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Illinois, will host the 39th Ryder Cup and, while the event will generate a plethora of revenue, its participants receive no compensation for their efforts. Match play is the Ryder Cup’s theme with each of the 28 matches being worth one point (sides halve a point in the case of a tie). Rules of the event state that the defending champion (in this case Europe) need only accumulate 14 points in order to retain the Ryder Cup, whereas America must win the event outright (netting at least 14-1/2 points) for the trophy to remain stateside. The Ryder Cup’s first two days consist of four fourball (better ball) matches and four foursome (alternate shot) matches. Day three is arguably the most entertaining aspect of this international clash with 12 head-to-head duels. The U.S. dominated the early Ryder Cups, but the tide has turned as of late with Europe winning six of the last eight decisions. I predict Europe will again best America, not because they harbor the better golfers, but because they care more about the event as a whole. This makes Europe a solid bet

Due to the pronounced purse structure of the World Thoroughbred Championships, prominent connections from the globe’s four corners routinely converge on the host site. Therefore expect highly competitive fields in each Breeders’ Cup race and know going in that you are about to embark on handicapping’s toughest challenge. Patience and money management are the two keys for success in keeping one’s Breeders’ Cup ledger in the black. Pick your spots carefully and be sure to play the exotics, which routinely reward life-changing payouts. These 12 feature events will undoubtedly possess a cornucopia of dramatic sequences, but the buck doesn’t stop there. Be sure to tune in for some other terrific episodes of sport in 2012 including: the Australian Open (January), Champions League Final (May), Indy 500 (May), Wimbledon (June), Stanley Cup Finals (June), Hambletonian (August), Travers Stakes at Saratoga Racecourse (August), MLB’s World Series (October) and the many college bowl games starting in mid-December. In closing I would like to wish all the readers of Southern Gaming and Destinations a very happy and prosperous New Year. May all your wagers be winning ones!

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Shreveport-Bossier City: MARGARITAVILLE MIXES IT UP BY D ON E C IA P E A

The Shreveport-Bossier City area has long been touted as a Sportsman’s Paradise for its vast array of wildlife, park and lake areas. However, for at least the last two decades, the area also has transformed into a lively hub of exciting southern gaming available through its many riverboat casinos scattered along both sides of the Red River. That hub is about to get bigger with the coming of one of the country’s premier casino resorts. Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville Casino Resort, which is currently lighting up the Las Vegas strip and soon to join the Biloxi shoreline, will make Bossier City the home of its third locale with a grand opening slated for spring 2013. The casino resort will be located in Bossier City’s bustling outdoor Louisiana Boardwalk shopping center, a popular tourist attraction, and located right next door to center’s anchor store, the Bass Pro Shop.

Donecia Pea is a veteran journalist who covered Shreveport-Bossier City area’s entertainment scene for a decade as a former entertainment editor at The Shreveport Times. She is currently a freelance writer and serves as a public relations assistant for the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau. She can be reached at dpea@sbctb.org.

Somewhere bar, to be located in the center of the casino floor. The next level of the resort will include a 450-foot Margaritaville restaurant, able to seat up to 350 people, with a fine dining menu that includes everything from fresh seafood straight from the Gulf of Mexico to fine steaks and wines. In keeping with the island theme, the unique seating will showcase a variety of boat styles as opposed to traditional seating and booths.

Besides the gaming and restaurants, one of the casino resort’s most anticipated structures will be its two-story event complex, which includes a 400-room hotel and open event space that can accommodate up to 1,000 guests for everything from art exhibits and boat shows to banquets. The ground floor of the center will serve as the go-to nightclub spot to catch of some of the hottest live local, regional and national music acts. In what is sure J I M M Y BU F F E T ’S M A R G A R I TAV I L L E to be a jaw-dropping attraction, The goal of a Margaritaville Casino Resort is slated to open in spring 2013. each night Margaritaville’s famous, experience is to feel carefree and man-made volcano structure will just have fun, officials say. “We rumble and erupt with smoke and lava, shooting out a sacrificial maiden want you to have the same experience you’d have if you would get who will slide down the luge into a margarita blender-like structure on a cruise ship to go to the islands, lie around on the beach and sip to kick off the entertainment. Of course, to add to the cruise-like on margaritas. It’s a very laidback, fun atmosphere,” said co-manager atmosphere, Margaritaville will also include a pool deck area with a William Trotter II of Lafayette-based Bossier Casino Venture, which is swim-up bar, which will connect to the second-level restaurant and developing the $195-million casino project. dining area. Guests can relax and unwind in the spa or work it all off “When you walk into Margaritaville, we want it to be a place where in the fitness center, both of which will overlook the pool area. you’re going to forget about what you left behind - the bills, the kids, Finding all of those features in one place sounds too good to be true, the mortgage, everything... It’s going to be lavishly landscaped just right? Think again! Construction is set to begin this month, and while like if you were on the islands.” And as with any trip to the islands, some casino owners have raised concerns about the casino joining an there’s plenty of excitement in store for a Margaritaville adventurer. already-crowded field of properties, Trotter couldn’t be more excited Trotter said they want to introduce the area to a whole new concept about what the addition of Margaritaville will mean to the area’s of entertainment, food and gaming. casino offerings. The fun will start with the casino, which will include 30,000 square “Our market studies show that we’re going to grow the market 13 feet of open gaming space on an entire, single level floor featuring percent and as the saying goes, a rising tide raises all the votes,” everything from 1, 275 of the newest, most popular slot machines to Trotter said. “We’re not going to kill any boat or racetrack- we’re going 38 table games, including all-time favorites like Baccarat. to bring new people to the market. We’re going to bring in new, fun Libations will flow from Margaritaville’s popular It’s Five O’clock entertainment.” 30

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rich rivalries CONTENDERS AT COMBAT BY JERE M Y W HIT E

Sports represent more than mere entertainment to Americans. They constitute a celebration of athletic excellence and a structured environment allowing the competitive juices to flow. But they are at their best when entertainment and drama intersect via a big-time rivalry, when personal ambitions collide and polarized fans take a sporting match up from run-of-themill to historic proportions. The best competitions to watch are those where each side is equally talented, with thousands of fans betting on the team or individual who has captured their heart in games past. Every sport has a major rivalry, from tennis to distance running. They’re all worthy of attention, and we could write an entire article on each one. But, hey, this is a magazine and there are space restraints! So we handpicked a few of our favorites for you:

Magic vs. Bird - They couldn’t be more different. Earvin

“Magic” Johnson was a flashy, high-gloss player who led a fast-paced team fans and sportswriters aptly referred to as “Showtime.” Larry Bird, routinely referred to as the “Hick from French Lick,” was a small-town boy who played in a minor college basketball program. Yet this hard-working kid from southern Indiana was so determined and so talented that he took that noname program—Indiana State University—to the 1979 NCAA Championship game.

PHOTO CR EDIT: GE T TY IM AGE S

That outing, one of the most storied in college basketball history, wasn’t the first time Bird and Magic met on the court. But it was the first time they went tête-à-tête when the stakes were high, and the match up spawned an intense personal rivalry that was unlike anything else the world of basketball has ever seen. In fact, to this day it remains arguably the most interesting and dramatic rivalry in sports history.

M AGI C J O H N S O N A N D L A R R Y BI R D also represent the Celtics vs. Lakers rivalry. 32

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Bird and Magic hit the professional ranks at a time when the National Basketball Association (NBA) badly needed a facelift. Together, they ushered in what many call the league’s golden era. Their play lifted the NBA’s profile and invigorated fans.

Bird grew up in French Lick (where he was a standout baseball player, as well as an All-State basketball star at Springs Valley High School), just a little more than an hour’s drive from Southern Gaming’s office in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. So we knew we had to make a trip to the French Lick Casino Resort to hear what people there had to say about the tiny town’s most famous product.

Both men have on numerous occasions credited the other for being an inspiration and a driving force that elevated their games. Magic has said the only player he ever feared was Larry Bird. Bird has said that Magic brought out the best in him and always challenged him to play at the very highest level. Who was the better player? That’s for you to decide.

Celtics vs. Lakers - In the world of professional basketball,

there’s no team rivalry quite like the one between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. While it hit a fever pitch during the Bird-Johnson years, the two juggernauts were already foes before those two entered the league. And they remain bitter oncourt enemies to this day. The East Coast Celtics have won a record 17 NBA championships. But their West Coast counterparts aren’t far behind—the Lakers lay claim to 16 titles. The fact that these two franchises have combined for 33 championships is particularly staggering when you realize that the NBA was formed in 1946, meaning Boston and Los Angeles have combined to win more than half of the league’s 65 titles. “It’s mind boggling,” says Keller Watts, an avid NBA fan we spotted at the Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin, Illinois. Watts was wearing a white Antoine Walker Boston Celtics jersey, so we approached him to see if he was willing to talk a little basketball. “I played against him a few times in Chicago back in the day, before he went off to ball at the University of Kentucky,” Watts explains of the Walker jersey. When asked about the CelticsLakers rivalry, Watts said it was hands-down the best in the NBA.

MUHAMMAD ALI AND JOE FR A ZIER represent the most recognizable rivalry in boxing. “All the great players both teams have had over the years, all the great teams they’ve put on the court, all the times they’ve met in the Finals … it’s just crazy,” says Watts. When told the aforementioned statistic that the two teams have collected more than half of the overall titles in NBA history, Watts was amazed. “I didn’t know that,” he said. “That’s just insane. I mean, when you break it down, it’s almost like one of those two is winning it every other season.” It’s true that both franchises epitomize excellence. But Boston has to be given the upper hand historically. First there are the record 17 championships. But when one looks at how the clubs have fared head to head, the Celtics have a 153-121 advantage over the Lakers. Taking it a step further, Boston has really shined when it matters most—head-to-head meetings in the NBA Finals. Boston and Los Angeles have squared off in the Finals a record 12 times, and the Celtics have emerged victorious in nine of those series. In fact, through 1984, the Celts’ were 8-0 against the Lakers in the Finals. Talk about owning your adversary! Since then, however, the Lakers have won three of the last four Finals, making the rivalry much less one-sided than it had previously been. Watts says he vividly recalls watching the rivalry hit its peak in the Bird-Johnson era. “Those were some of the best NBA Finals ever,” he claims. “I mean, look at all the great players. Lakers were Showtime, baby. They had Magic, (James) Worthy, (Byron) Scott and, of course, Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar). The Celtics were old school, blue collar. They ran the half-court with Larry, (Robert) Parish, (Danny) Ainge, (Kevin) McHale. “The matches were huge then. They were so even. I remember watching the Celtics win in 1984. I was nine years old. It’s the first NBA Finals I can remember watching. Then the next year Vol um e 14 I ssue 1

P H O T O CRED I T: G ETTY I MA G ES

“No question about it, one of the all-time best players,” says Rita Tillett, an Indianapolis resident who recently visited the casino and the opulent West Baden Springs Hotel for the first time in two decades. “I wasn’t really a big basketball fan, per se, but I did watch, and enjoyed watching, Larry Bird play against Magic Johnson.”

they were back at it again, and this time the Lakers took it to the Celtics. It was just always back and forth.” While those may have been the most exciting days of this historic rivalry, older fans might remember watching Red Auerbach coach players like Bob Cousy and Bill Russell over Elgin Baylor and the Lakers in the 1959 Finals (it’s important to note that the Lakers were based in Minneapolis at that time). The franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1960, after winning five titles in Minnesota. Or they might recall the Celtics winning the Finals in 1969 despite being large underdogs to the Lakers, who had Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain and the aforementioned Baylor in the lineup. The youngest current fans will forever talk about the 2010 Finals, which the Lakers won 4-3 behind an MVP performance from Kobe Bryant. As Watts said previously, the number of great players these two teams have put on the court over the years is dazzling. That’s why there will never be a better rivalry in the NBA.

Ali vs. Frazier - Muhammad Ali is known simply as the

“Greatest of All Time.” The kid from Louisville, Kentucky, grew up not only to become the best-known boxer in history, but one of the world’s most recognized and beloved icons. But every great boxer has to have a worthy, fearsome opponent in order for a meaningful rivalry to truly develop. For Ali, that nemesis was Joe Frazier. Smokin’ Joe, who passed away in 2011, was the first man to give Ali a taste of his own medicine. When the two touched gloves for the first time at Madison Square Garden on March 8, 1971, it was billed as the Fight of the Century. Frazier was 26-0 with 34

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23 knockouts. Ali was 31-0 with 25 knockouts. Frazier was the undisputed heavyweight champion, and Ali was looking to steal Smokin’ Joe’s thunder. The fight, a classic that truly lived up to its billing, went 15 rounds and ended with Frazier scoring victory with a unanimous decision. The pair went on to battle two more times, including the famous “Thrilla in Manila” in 1975. Ali won the final two fights, after which he proclaimed Frazier was the second best boxer in history, behind himself.

Alabama vs. Auburn - In the South, football is king. That

is particularly true in Alabama, where the state’s two premier BCS programs, Alabama and Auburn, have one of the bitterest rivalries in all of sports. The Crimson Tide has a slight 40-36-1 edge over the Auburn Tigers historically, which isn’t enough to claim superiority by any means. When these two teams go head to head, you can bet there’s going to be bad blood. That’s what the fans live for. The annual match up between the two is referred to as the Iron Bowl. This is because the game was played for many years at a neutral site in Birmingham, a city known for its role in the iron industry. After playing 47 games in Birmingham, the series is now a home-and-home endeavor. Auburn hosts in oddnumbered years, while Alabama gets home-field advantage in even-numbered years. Wherever the Iron Bowl is held each year, you can be sure that fans of the other team will show up to make sure they are just as widely represented. These two teams first faced one another in 1893. The rivalry

PH O TO CRED I T: G ETTY I MA G ES

A L A B A M A A N D A U BU R N F OO T B A L L have one of the bittersweet rivalries in all of sports.

was so bitter that it was halted for 40 years from 1907-1947. In fact, it took the involvement of state congress to get the two enemies back on the playing field. First, the Alabama House of Representatives passed a resolution that urged the schools to renew the series, but both universities largely ignored it. As a result, Alabama’s congress finally had to resort to threatening to withhold funding in the 1940s to get the series back on track. Since that time the state has been a disjointed union in which family, friends and co-workers are split in their loyalties CivilWar style. Combined, the two programs share a culture of winning, even if they share little else. Alabama has an all-time record of 808-31943 (that’s a .709 win percentage), 26 conference titles (including 22 SEC championships … the Crimson Tide have been in the Southeastern Conference since 1932) and 13 national titles. Auburn, on the other hand, sports an all-time record of 712400-47 (a .635 win percentage), 11 conference titles (seven SEC championships, the university has been in the league since 1932, like Alabama) and two national championships. Auburn has had 66 All-American players over the years. Alabama has had 47. No wonder the stakes are so high when the two teams go at it!

UNC vs. Duke - Speaking of bad blood. In the world of college

basketball, rivalries run deep. But there is none more competitive than the one between the University of North Carolina and Duke University. Their respective campuses are just eight miles apart—and their historical pedigrees are even closer. North Carolina is number three in all-time victories (2,033), while Duke is fourth (1,944). UNC has been to 18 Final Fours (first in the nation); Duke has made 15 (third all-time). North Carolina has 5 NCAA Championships (third all-time); Duke has four (fifth overall). Anyway you slice it, these are a pair of historic heavyweights. And the atmosphere reflects that when the two teams tip off. David Dixon, a Chicago resident and Duke fan who lived in the Raleigh-Durham era for a number of years, says he attended seven UNC-Duke games during that time. “The Duke vs. UNC rivalry is like nothing I have ever experienced,” he says. “The intensity is unreal. And it is the loudest noise level I have ever experienced. I’ve been to over 100 rock concerts, too, and it is nothing compared to the rivalry games. When you enter the state of North Carolina, you are essentially asked to make a decision on team loyalty right then and there.” The two teams had their first meeting in 1920 and have played 232 times since then. Currently, UNC holds a 131-101 advantage over Duke in the series. This year, they meet for regular season games on February 8 at UNC and again on March 3 at Duke. At press time for this article, both teams were undoubtedly ranked in the top eight.

McEnroe vs. Borg - The one-on-one nature of tennis spawns numerous rivalries. Pick any era in tennis, including the current (Federer vs. Nadal), and a big-time rivalry quickly comes to mind.

But we’re partial to the one between American John McEnroe and Swede Bjorn Borg. The two squared off 14 times in a threeyear period between 1978 and 1981—each man won seven times. Borg won 11 grand slam events during his career, including a remarkable five consecutive Wimbledon championships. His other six titles all came in the French Open. McEnroe, meanwhile, claimed a total of 17 grand slam titles (seven singles, nine doubles and one mixed doubles) in his career. The two couldn’t have been more different on the court. Borg was levelheaded and collected. McEnroe was boisterous and highly temperamental. But they brought out the best in one another and squared off for some of the most intense, dramatic matches of their day. The 1980 Wimbeldon Final might well be the most celebrated. It came down to the wire, with Borg eventually outlasting his opponent to win a 20-minute long tiebreaker that had the sporting world on the edge of its collective seat.

Tiger vs. Mickelson - Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson

have been golf rivals for many years. While Mickelson is five years older than Tiger (Mickelson is 41, Tiger is 36), both have incredibly seasoned experiences that wow golf fanatics year after year. When Woods came on tour in 1996, Mickelson had nine PGA Tour wins, but had yet to win a major. Tiger beat him to it a year later when he won the 1997 Masters in Augusta. Two more Green Jacket wins came in 2001 and 2002 for Woods, a sight that must have ignited a spark inside of Phil Mickelson, who finished third both years. Two years later, Mickelson won the 2004 Masters Tournament— his first major. This seemed to be Mickelson’s big year, coming close to winning several other majors after that Masters and always placing before Tiger Woods. I guess it was time he got even with Mr. Woods, huh? Since then, both competitors have won several other major tournaments. While they’ve had their ups and downs (Tiger’s more publicly than he would have liked), both men will be forever remembered as phenomenal athletes in the game of golf. They will always be rivals on the green, but the two continue to respect each other’s talents and consider each other to be friends aside from the game. Great teams come and go, but these tremendous rivalries will be remembered long beyond the end of their athletic careers. Great rivals always seem to come from the most famed teams and organizations in the world. This can only mean that while they are at battle with each other for top honors in their sport, they most certainly have respect for the athletic abilities their rivals are equipped with. Try as they might to defeat the other, each of these individuals and teams connects with the other in a passion for the game. Jeremy White is a freelance writer and editor living in Indiana. He regularly covers gaming, sports, food and business for a variety of regional and national publications. He has a degree in creative writing and journalism and frequently visits Las Vegas, as well as local Kentuckiana gaming facilities.

Vol um e 14 I ssue 1

There are many heated debates in the world of craps, some actually involving intelligent examinations of the game’s math and patterns, others involving idiotic notions. There is a tendency on the part of almost all gamblers to want to establish some rhyme, reason or predictability to randomness, which is just what the typical craps game is all about—random throws by countless random shooters. In such a game, all arguments are defeated by simply realizing that what happened in the immediate past has no influence on what will happen in the immediate future.

Frank Scoblete’s newest books are Slots Conquest: How to Beat the Slot Machines, featuring advantage-play slots; and Casino Craps: Shoot to Win, which comes with a DVD showing unedited, controlled throws. Cutting Edge Craps: Advanced Strategies for Serious Players and Beat Blackjack Now are available from Amazon.com, your favorite bookstore or by mail by calling 1-800-944-0406.

CRAPS

Craps: Place vs. Pass/ Come Betting

However, there is one area where debate has actual merit and that is concerning the question: Is it better to use Pass Line and Come Betting with Odds or is it better to Place your bets directly on the box numbers? The arguments for directly placing your numbers go like this: • You can choose which numbers you want to bet on; • You can call your bets off or remove your bets whenever you feel like it; • On the placing of the 6 and 8, the house edge is almost as low as on a Pass or Come bet, and • On the buying of the 4 and 10 at $25 and $50 paying a $1 or $2 commission on wins only, the house edge is actually less than the house edge for Pass and Come betting. In Place betting there is no doubt that you can choose which numbers you wish to bet on. When you use the Pass Line and Come bets, you cannot choose your own numbers. Yes, in Place betting you can take your bets down at any time, whereas in Pass Line and Come betting once these bets are on a number they must stay there until they either win or lose. But now the sticky areas must be considered. While the placing of the 6 and 8 has a low house edge of only 1.52%, and the buying of the 4 and 10 as indicated above has an even lower house edge of 1.3%, these percentages can mislead players into thinking such bets are actually almost as good as or even better than using the Pass Line and Come bets, which have a 1.41% house edge. Let’s take a closer look at the situation. If the minimum bet at the table is $10 and I bet this on the Pass Line or Come, my expected loss is 14 cents. The player who wishes to place the 6 or 8 must do so in multiples of $6, so he would have to bet $12 and his expected loss is 18 cents. I would rather lose 14 cents than 18 cents.

Now, those buy bets of the 4 and 10 are excellent bets with a very low house edge. But first you must buy them at $25 or $50 to get that low edge; if you bet lower than $25 the edge is higher; if you bet higher than $50 the Frank Scoblete edge is also higher. Still, you have to be able to afford such bets and the majority of players just can’t afford to bet that high. Second, if you wish to bet $25 or $50 on a combination of the Pass with Odds or the Come with Odds, you can do it in such a way that this $25 or $50 gives you a far better return for your money or rather a far lower loss for your money. Let us say we are at a 5X Odds game. This will make it easy for me to show the math. Bet $10 on the Pass or Come and back it with $15 or $40. If the odds are $15, then you are betting a total of $25. If the odds are $40, you are betting a total of $50. And what is your expected loss using the Pass and Come this way? The loss is still 14 cents on both $25 and $50. What is the expected loss of buying the 4 or 10 for $25 or $50 paying the vig only on wins? It is 33 cents and 65 cents, respectively. I’d still rather lose 14 cents. You can reduce the hit of the casino by removing or calling off your Place bets, but you would have to call these bets off a host of times to bring your expected loss down to 14 cents per bet over time. I have never seen or read articles by anyone who ever claimed to take down his or her bets often enough to bring the expected loss down this much. All other Place bets, such as the 5 and 9 or placing but not buying the 4 and 10, are in the realm of the ridiculous. With edges of 4% for the 5 or 9 and 6.67% for the 4 or 10, you are asking to be degutted at the table. The expected loss for a $25 place bet on the 5 or 9 is $1; the expected loss on a normal Place bet on the 4 or 10 is $1.67. I’d still rather lose 14 cents using the Pass Line and Come bets with odds. There is one way to significantly reduce the hit of random rollers on your total bankroll—use the Captain’s 5-Count which I write about in my recent book Casino Craps: Shoot to Win! In the argument over which bets are better, Place or Pass/Come, I have to throw my vote with the Pass/Come advocates.

For more free craps tips, visit southerngaming.com/craps

tournament time LIVE POKER THRIVES WITH ONLINE ON HOLD BY JENN IFE R N E W E LL

Everything grows in stages. Call them chapters, phases, spurts, or steps, but they are all parts of development. The game of poker had those stages, from Amarillo Slim garnering attention from his appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” to Chris Moneymaker taking a small online poker satellite and transforming it into $2.5 million at the World Series of Poker. And poker continues to grow. Black Friday, as a momentous as it was in the online poker world, was also part of said growth. On the surface, it looked like an enormous setback when the United States Department of Justice handed down indictments and charges pertaining to the biggest online poker websites in the world. The industry was left gasping for air.

But there were players who realized that there was another viable option. Live poker sure didn’t have the panache or ease of online poker - the convenience of transferring money electronically, the ability to play in one’s pajamas while tending to other obligations. But it was doable. For those choosing to enter the live poker arena, there were many adjustments to make. First, there was getting dressed to play poker in public. Then, they had to choose their buy-ins and limits and adjust their hourly rate possibilities for single-table play and much fewer hands per hour. Players had to brush up on player tells, reconfigure their game to maximize profits against fewer opponents, figure in expenses of food/drink, and simply modify their behaviors to meld in with the rest of the live players. Live poker has been on the incline for decades. It moved out of the back rooms of bars and into the casinos becoming one of the bases for card rooms to spring up where casinos were forbidden, 38

Southern G aming an d De s t in a t io n s

T H E W S O P $ 10 , 0 0 0 BU Y- I N Main Event is the biggest poker tournament in the world. and it transformed from a kitchen table game to a strategicallybased game of skill that captured the interest of young and old, male and female. Cash games took a big step in their growth when casinos realized that the demand was great. In addition, casino management also realized that bodies in the seats of a poker room can translate into other business for the establishment, whether in the area of food and beverage, paid hotel accommodations, other casino game play, and even recommendations to friends. Casinos and card rooms that became player favorites - or wanted to move in that direction - began offering tournaments. At a time when companies like the World Poker Tour could make a casino famous by attracting players from around the world and advertising through international television broadcasts and

PH O TO CRED I T: 20 1 1 WS OP

Some players immediately began preparing for a move to an online poker-friendly country like Canada. The majority of online poker players merely threw their hands up, though, as their favorite pastime and leisure activity was ripped from their laptops.

HPT General Manager Jen Mastrud told Southern Gaming that the expansion has been consistent but never easy. “There were a lot of bumps in the road, but there’s been a lot of great luck to stay in the right place at the right time. Our course was set that way. And we’ve been very fortunate that it’s just been uphill.”

P H O T O CRE D I T: H E A RT L A N D P O KE R T O U R

Long before most larger and more established companies realized that the majority of players wanted the big poker and television experience without the cost of, say, a Bellagio event, HPT developed a business model that catered to those people. They also brought attention and business to casinos across America that didn’t have six figures to buy into a multi-year deal. Black Friday also brought more players to the HPT tables. Mastrud noted, “That changed our demographic significantly to a younger crowd. A lot of the Internet players started coming to our events.”

T H E 2 0 11 H E A R T L A N D P O K E R T O U R awarded more than $30 million. other media, some like Bellagio and Foxwoods benefitted greatly. The boom years in poker brought big business to casinos who participated in World Poker Tour and other large tour stops. But an economic downturn in the United States - and in many other parts of the world - caused a slight decline in that trend. In 2009 and 2010, there were fewer players willing to put up a $10,000 or $15,000 buy-in to play a WPT event. The public demand for smaller buy-ins resulted in changes. By 2010, lower buy-ins on the World Poker Tour were becoming more prevalent, and their tenth season featured many in the $3,000 to $5,000 range. The Borgata Poker Open in Atlantic City was $3,300. As this article goes to press, the WPT is set to host a $3,500 event in Jacksonville, Florida. While there are still a handful of $10K buy-ins - and even the $25K World Championship - on the schedule, the lower ones are becoming the norm. It took larger tours like the WPT quite a few years to meet the public demand for more affordable tournaments. Meanwhile, other tours picked up the slack. Enter the Heartland Poker Tour. In 2005, Greg Lang and Todd Anderson created the company for players in the heartland of America, those who didn’t live in Las Vegas or Los Angeles but had a passion for the game and wanted their chance at poker fame and fortune. There were hundreds of thousands of people who wanted the poker experience of the WPT without the expensive travel and hefty tournament buy-ins. The duo persuaded three casinos in Minnesota (Northern Lights Casino, Jackpot Junction Casino, and Grand Casino Mille Lacs) and one in Wisconsin (St. Croix Casino) to play host to the new poker tour in mid-2005, and three more Minnesotan establishments signed on to complete the first season. They bought time on three television stations in Fargo, North Dakota, and then a regional Chicago sports channel offered a television deal. HPT sold their first sponsorship as well, and the tour grew from there.

Now, the HPT receives invitations to bring their tournaments to casinos and card rooms all across the country. In addition, HPT is the only televised poker tour that is profitable, as they do not pay for broadcasts. What started as a regional local television show now reaches hundreds of millions of household in the United States alone. In one of the biggest developments in HPT history, the company was taken under the wing of Epic Poker and Federated Sports + Gaming in 2011, giving them a larger forum and greater opportunities to expand in the future. Mastrud talked about what is in store for 2012, which will be HPT’s eighth season. “We’re getting requests to go into markets that we never dreamed we’d be in, like Florida. Contracts are in motion all over the country,” she said of the yet-to-be-released schedule. And as to keeping the “heartland” feel to the tour, she responded, “People consider themselves in the heartland of the nation no matter where they live.” The atmosphere surrounding the tournaments, as well as their affordability and availability, keep players coming back for more. But it’s more than the cost. “We have a very non-intimidating environment,” Mastrud said. “For us, it’s all about having a good time, and the shot at a lot of money on national TV as well.” All of the HPT keep in mind that the focus is the players and their experience at each event. It’s the reason that former World Series of Poker November Niner Darvin Moon is the tour’s ambassador. And with players like Annie Duke, Joe Sebok, Kathy Liebert, and many others now attending the events, players are flocking to the tournaments in bigger numbers. Get in on the action at HPTPoker.com. Another piece of the live poker pie, one that has grown out of the last decade of poker’s popularity, was the plethora of training tools. Seminars, online training videos, and lessons for all levels of play became a lucrative industry, and players saw the potential to improve their game. Most of the training websites, however, were garnered toward online poker play, and those available for live poker training tended to be more expensive. DeepStacks brought something new to that arena. DeepStacks University offered the online training courses, but the company quickly branched out to DeepStacks Live, a seminar that offered Vol um e 14 I ssue 1

big names like Mike Matusow and Michael Mizrachi as part of the teaching experience. The other big draw was that it traveled to casinos around the country where other companies chose not to venture.

Torina, “and I wanted to play with those pros but couldn’t afford a $10,000 buy-in. We’re fusing the affordable buy-ins with the expectation of a professional tournament circuit, along with TV coverage and the promise of playing with some of the biggest names in poker.” Find out more about these events at DeepStacks. com.

PH O TO CRED I T: W J MED I A MA RKETI NG

When Chris Torina formed the company, it was a moonlighting project while he maintained his day job as a law enforcement officer in Florida. During his years as an undercover narcotics detective and SWAT officer, he also fell in love with poker. Leaning on his background as an instructor, he devised a program to offer live training camps, and he left his career to begin a new one in poker more than four years ago.

Other businesses have a lso reaped the benefits of providing reasonable tournament buy-ins and convenient locations for the masses. The World Series of Poker Circuit Tour is currently in its eighth season with a schedule that runs from 2011 to 2012, and each stop on the tour boasts numerous low buy-in tournaments as well as a $1,600 buy-in Main Event Championship. New Orleans, St. Louis, and now Bossier City, Louisiana, bring the chance to win a WSOP ring and seats to the WSOP proper in Las Vegas to various locations around the United States.

Torina started with a few friends and the poker training foundation, not to mention confidence in his product. “I knew it would stand on its T H R E E F A C E S O F DE E P S TAC K S L I V E own,” he said. “We were doing included Lily Mizrachi, John Racener and Mike events in places like Portland instead of Vegas or Atlantic City “The Mouth” Matusow by design because we needed to get the brand out to the masses.” From the largest casinos to the smaller card rooms, managers Over time, they accumulated a player base of several thousand players, but it was DeepStacks Live that grew the brand into something more successful and different from what other companies offered. “We act as a larger poker experience in a box, with pros, camps, one-on-one training, tournaments, VIP events, and meet-and-greet sessions with the pros. DeepStacks is the leader in this industry because we do everything, and we have a lot of star power.” In 2011, DeepStacks Live hosted more than 20 events - making more than 75 in the company’s short history - though they purposely slowed down in the latter half of the year to prepare for the debut of the DeepStacks Poker Tour in 2012. Several stops were held in 2011 in order to test the viability of a tour that included all of the aforementioned items, along with a poker tournament hosted by the casino to bring it all together, and it worked. And with broadcast distribution now in the works, the 2012 tour is set to kick off in February in Niagara Falls. The tour stops will differ from events like HPT because DeepStacks will offer a week’s worth of activities at the casinos. Preliminary event buy-ins will range from $225 to $550, and DeepStacks Live will roll in later in the week with the opportunity to meet the pros and participate in charity or VIP events. The training course will be offered on the Friday of that particular week, leading up to the Main Event on the weekend, wherein the buy-in will never exceed $1,500. “I used to get cold sweats watching poker on TV,” admitted 40

Southern G aming an d De s t in a t io n s

are learning that the poker room can be a lucrative part of their business if marketed correctly. More players than ever seek seats at the tables, and expanding offerings to those customers can be beneficial in many ways.

While the current state of the world economy demands affordable poker action, Black Friday brought an entirely new generation of poker players to the live tables. Businesses who are tuned in to the poker industry know what players want, and companies like HPT and DeepStacks are at the front of the line to deliver. Casinos are also beginning to see the possibilities that can stem from alliances with online gaming should the U.S. government choose to legislate the industry. MGM and Caesars are only two of the larger companies who are now actively pursuing the proper legislation and weighing in on the issue of the future. Black Friday was the catalyst to a new era of poker, presently in the live sector, and online in the future. Companies that view the state of the industry as a stepping stone to further growth will be able to cash in, just like the players who compete at the tables. Jennifer Newell has been a writer in the poker industry for more than six years. From her home in Los Angeles or on frequent trips to Las Vegas, she writes for Epic Poker, PokerStars blog, Woman Poker Player and PokerPages.com. In her spare time, she attempts to learn to cook and tracks it on her blog, AYearInCulinaryCuriosity.com.

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“How much should I play before I first contact a casino host?” This is a frequent question I get and, unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Each casino has its own parameters for its host system. However, it sometimes helps, for general guidelines, to divide casinos into three general categories.

Jean Scott is the author of five books in the “Frugal Gambler” series, tackling all sorts of gambling subjects in a simple style that will help a person more easily learn how to lose less and win more in a casino. She puts particular emphasis on video poker and the comp system, with More Frugal Gambling covering the subject of comps more thoroughly than any other book on the market today. All her products can be ordered at http://queenofcomps.com/. You can read her blog at http://jscott.lvablog.com/

COMPS

Casino Comps: Using the Casino Host System

Top-level casinos – These are usually the largest and/or classiest casinos, with luxury hotels attached and many extra amenities. They’re often the newest— although some are classic veterans. A general guideline may be that a dollar-machine player may want to wait until he has played two to three hours and a $5 player perhaps a half hour before approaching a host. A couple, who plays only quarters, but from morning to night, may want to consider doing so after one day of such heavy play.

hosts are often very busy and can’t always respond to pages immediately—so you can continue playing during a possibly long wait time. Second, if a host sees you actually playing, she may write you an immediate comp based on the level of the machine you are playing, without bothering to go to a computer to check your past play record. This is why I suggest that when you are meeting a new host at a machine, you do so when you are playing at the highest denomination you ever choose in that casino. Don’t try to pull a fast one here and play for several hours on quarters and then move to a $5 machine and slow-play until the host arrives; you will get nothing but a “hustler” reputation if she does check the computer. However, if you have been switching back and forth between quarter and dollar play, for example, then ask for a comp while you are playing at a dollar machine. This may score you a higher-level comp, i.e., a meal for two in a better restaurant instead of the buffet or perhaps expensive show tickets. For room comp requests, a host will almost always check the computer first.

Mid-level casinos – These are what you have if you can’t place a casino in either a “top” or “bottom” category. Because there are so many of them, the range of comp benefits, thus the range of betting requirements, is broad. Off-strip in Vegas and on riverboat casinos, both with a strong local market, comp requirements are usually based on a longer-term history of play, while casinos with a fly-in market give out comps on a trip basis. However, regular dollar players, even those playing only a couple of hours a day, will find that they’re often warmly welcomed by the hosts in most mid-level casinos, and heavy quarter players usually will also be surprised at the number of benefits they can receive.

When the host arrives, you stop playing, smile, and introduce yourself like you would do to anyone. You should not feel like you are in an inferior position or that the host is a “god.” Remember, comps aren’t charity; you earn them as a reward from the casino for putting your hard-earned money at risk. The casino has put the expense of giving out comps into its marketing budget so they expect to give them out. They hire the hosts to do just that.

Low-level casinos – These are usually the older and/or smaller casinos in a jurisdiction; they often look “tired,” if not actually rundown and shabby. They sometimes don’t offer any hotel accommodations. Many don’t even have a host system, but if they do, you can approach a host after an hour or two of quarter play or a few minutes at the dollar machines.

There’s a very simple way to avoid the bugaboo, which almost everyone fears, of being turned down. First, remember a host hates to say “no” too. Use language in your interaction with a host that doesn’t require a yes-or-no answer:

Okay, you have played for a while in a casino and start wondering if you’ve played enough for any kind of a comp. How do you hook up with a host at this time? You might go to the players club desk and ask to speak to a host; usually one can be paged and will meet you right there at the booth.

• “I was wondering how many hours I need to play at the quarter level to get my room comped.”

However, the best way, in my opinion, is to stay at your machine and tell a floor employee that you would like to speak to a host as soon as possible. Having a host meet you at your machine has several advantages. First,

“But I’m afraid I will ask for more comps than I have earned, and then I will feel so embarrassed when the host says no.”

• “How much longer would I need to play to get a comp to the buffet?”

• “Can you evaluate my play and let me know what comps I’m entitled to?” These non-questions should not make you experience any sort of discomfort and they make the host’s job much easier too. An added bonus is that you will get valuable information that will help you in the future to know better what the requirements are at that casino for various kinds of comps.

For more free tips, visit southerngaming.com

There’s a reason

Winners

Play

here.

At Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, we strive to bring you the most rocking experience in Biloxi. Slots, table games, special drawings— we’ve got it all. We also offer a wide variety of restaurants for every palate: everything from casual dining at Hard Rock Cafe to fine dining at Ruth’s Chris Steak House. And no Hard Rock Casino would be complete without bringing you the best in music and entertainment. Dance the night away at The Ledge, rock the night away at Road House Live or with all of today’s top performers at Hard Rock Live.

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hard rockin’ robyn HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO BILOXI DIRECTOR OF ENTERTAINMENT

Music is the heartbeat of the Hard Rock brand. Hard Rock properties are known for having the best in live entertainment, showcasing the hottest names in every genre. With international tour dates scheduled years in advance, it isn’t easy to catch up with today’s top artists to book a showing. But for Robyn Smith, Director of Entertainment at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi, it’s all in a day’s work.

SG: It seems like every day is different, especially when the acts come in. What do you like about the position and what are some of the highlights of the job?

RS: It’s fast-paced and things

are always changing with the new acts coming on board. The fun part is the strategy that goes into getting your casino buy at the right time. For instance, with Lady Antebellum, we landed them before they started winning every award they were nominated for. It’s fun having amazing relationships with the agents who help guide you in the right direction with inside knowledge. I also love working with so many delightful artists who love the Hard Rock.

In 2011, the International Enter ta i nment Buyers Association named Smith Casino Buyer of the Year. Filled with excitement, Robyn sat down to tell us how she keeps the rockin’ Hard Rock entertainment alive in Biloxi! S OU T H E R N G A M I N G : How long have you been in the entertainment industry, specifically in the casino world and with Hard Rock?

R O BY N S M I T H is the Director of Entertainment at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Robyn Smith: I started in gaming in 1994 when I first got a taste of the casino world. Two years later, I became a part of the Greg Thompson production cast as the company manager, a performer and choreographer. After that, in late 1999, I joined the management side, and eventually went to the corporate regional office for Caesar’s as the Director of Entertainment for the entire mid-south region. 44

Southern G aming an d De s t in a t io n s

SG: Bands are known for having pretty outlandish requests. What are some of the more common requests you see act after act and what are some of the more outlandish ones?

RS: When I first started looking for artists, there wasn’t anything

health-conscious out there—it was fried food, burgers, pizza, booze, etc. Now, those same acts are requesting vegan meals, organic products, diet sodas and water. As far as things that are out there, we have one act that we love, but they’re pretty serious about this one request and base their entire stay on the floral arrangement we put in their dressing room.

H A R D R OC K L I V E R EC E N T LY E X PA N DE D to include almost 2,200 seats and a new lighting system. SG: Who are some of your favorite artists to work with and why?

RS: I have several ‘favorites’ but have to start with Stevie Nicks.

I’ve always loved her music, and it was the last concert I ever purchased a ticket for. It was my goal as a talent buyer to get a date with her and not only did we land a date, but we actually had her stay here for a week! A lot of the country acts are also really easy to work with because they’re so low-key. SG: How do artists feel about playing casino venues that typically seat less people and are a little more intimate? Do they tend to try out new songs, or is it usually like a regular show line-up?

RS: Artists love the Hard Rock brand. Our DNA is our music;

it’s what we were built on. Artists feel welcomed when they come here. Every act has said it was amazing to play this venue because they could see everyone and really connect and feel the audience’s energy. That gets lost in bigger venues. Artists ask to come back after they perform here, which is why we typically re-book a year in advance for our biggest acts. SG: You’ve won best casino entertainment with us multiple times. How does your team decide what works and what doesn’t with your audience, with the casino having such a wide range of demographics?

RS: The General Manager and I have been working together

since 1999, so we know what works and what doesn’t. Time of year is also important for many of the acts and we take that into consideration. We have worked for many years to develop a formula and a strategy that works. We make sure that within a month’s time, we have something for everybody.

SG: There really isn’t a bad seat in the house with the amazing sound system and atmosphere for up-close and personal performances. What else makes the venue so great?

RS: For this property, specifically, we work to get acts that are

popular to the South. When people come here they know they are going to have a great experience because it’s not a 10,000+seat arena. Our state-of-the-art lighting package was icing on the cake in our recent expansion, which made us just shy of 2,200 seats including floor and balcony seating. It’s like taking a full arena experience and compressing it down so it’s all around you. SG: You recently received the honor of Casino Buyer of the Year for 2011 for your work as the Entertainment Director at Hard Rock. What makes this work so special to you?

RS: There are so many amazing talent buyers out there. We were

the smallest property to be nominated, and I was honored to be listed among the other nominees. I think one thing that helped me win was the relationships I have formed with the agents. I have been working with the same agents since 1999 and we have such great relationships not only professionally, but also personally, as they have become my friends. SG: What can entertainment enthusiasts of the South expect from Hard Rock in 2012?

RS: We are excited to have booked Kelly Clarkson for Valentine’s Day. She is on fire right now with her new single and new album. Michael Grimm is a local talent who won “America’s Got Talent,” and we and snagged him while he is selling like wildfire. It’s very neat to have a local talent make it big and for us to be able to support that. As far as some of the really big things we are working on, stay tuned. July 7 will be our fifth anniversary, so we promise to wow guests during that celebration. Vol um e 14 I ssue 1

Q. I have always considered a 1-for-1 payoff to be no payoff at all. If I wager three coins on a Jacks or Better video poker machine and get back three coins for my pair of Jacks, I merely am getting the return of the money that I have bet amd the house has put up nothing on the wager. There should be nothing less than a 2-for1 payoff. How does one get this changed—if at all possible?

Syndicated gaming columnist John Grochowski has been covering the casino industry for 17 years in his weekly column distributed to newspapers and websites. He is also the author of six books, including “The Slot Machine Answer Book” and “The Video Poker Answer Book”. You can find him online at CasinoAnswerMan.com.

Q&A

Casino Q&A: With John Grochowski

A. A 1-for-1 payoff on the minimum winning hands is video poker’s equivalent of a push in blackjack—and many times I’ve sat with a 17 against a dealer’s Ace and been grateful to get a push when the dealer turned up a 6. From ties in baccarat to split hands in pai-gow poker, pushes are enough a part of the fabric of gaming that I don’t see 1-for-1 payoffs as a problem. That aside, video poker games that had no payoffs of less than 2-for-1 would be unplayable. The pay table would have to be kept in balance—a casino that offers 7-5 Jacks or Better, paying 96.2 percent to experts, isn’t suddenly going to start paying 120 percent by raising payoffs on high pairs to 2-for-1 without making some adjustments. The most likely adjustment is that Jacks and Queens would become zero-pay hands, and the name of the game would change to Kings or Better. That would drastically reduce the number of paying hands and make results more volatile—either you’d win handily or lose very rapidly. The 1-for-1 payoffs are the most common paying hands on the machine, and they keep you going until something better comes along. They are important to the player— too important to give up for a belief that a bet ought to be met with more than a push. Q. My brother-in-law is a big craps guy, and he chooses where to play by how much he can take in odds. If one casino has 3x, 4x, 5x odds and the other has 10x odds, he’ll go for the 10x. If all I can afford are double or triple odds, is there any advantage to me to play at a 10x odds table? A. If you’re only going to be taking double or triple odds, then the mere existence of 10x odds makes no difference in the house edge against you. You’d be just as well off at a triple odds table most of the time. However, if you’re increasing wagers during a hot streak, the best place to increase them is on the free odds, which give no edge to the house. Keep your pass and come bets at table minimum, and up the odds. There

is a potential benefit to you of having room for growth in your odds bet if you can’t afford max odds at the start of play. Q. I can’t abide going bust in blackjack! So to make me feel John Grochowski bet ter (I never go bust), several years ago I started staying on 12 and above. I feel good about myself and win on almost half my sessions. Is this wise? A. Blackjack players tend to have selective memories. A bust when we hit 12 against a dealer’s 2 sticks with us—never mind that more than twice as often, we don’t bust. In the long run, a never-bust strategy will do some damage to your bankroll. Playing basic strategy in a sixdeck game in which the dealer stands on all 17s, pairs may be re-split and doubling after splits is permitted can leave you facing a house edge of just one-half of 1 percent—a few tenths of a percent more or less depending on house rules. The never-bust player faces about a 3.9 percent house edge—8 times or so the basic strategy player’s disadvantage. Let’s take an example that some players think is a close call on a hit/stand decision—a hard 16, with the dealer showing a 7. It’s not really a close call at all. Hands such as 12 vs. 4 and 16 vs. 10 are MUCH closer. A hard 16 is just a bad hand, and you hit against a dealer’s 2 through 6 in order to cut your losses. If you stand on the 16 against a 7, you will lose all hands in which the dealer’s down card is a 10, Jack, Queen, King or Ace for a total of 17 or 18. That’s about 38 percent of all hands. In another 23 percent, the dealer’s down card will be 2, 3 or 4 for a total of 9, 10 or 11, leaving the dealer in strong position for a one-card draw for a total of 17 or better. And even if the down card is a 5 through 9, the dealer can draw again. The end result is that the dealer will make 17 or better 74 percent of the time when starting with a 7. You’re better off taking your own 38 percent chance to improve the 16 without busting than to concede the hand the 74 percent of the time the dealer makes 17 or better. So it is with any hand from 12 to 16 against a dealer’s 7 or better. In the long run, your best play is to hit.

For more free tips, visit southerngaming.com

A T

clocking the cash TIME IS MONEY BY JO HN GR OC HOW S K I

How much time it takes to play a hand or spin the reels is a factor just as is the house edge. That doesn’t mean time is destiny. We can counter the effects of time and the house edge and get a better run for our money. We can learn basic strategy at blackjack or the video poker games we choose. Even on the slots, we can slow down and learn to savor the bonus rounds and free spins. The costs per hour we’re about to calculate won’t match your results every time you play. Winning streaks and big wins happen in every game, no matter what speed of play and house edge say our average results should be. It’s those big wins that keep us coming back. Nonetheless, time may be money on the tables, but it’s more like time and a half on the slots, where many players turn up the speed. A slot player who’s determined to keep the reels spinning can crank it up to 1,000 plays per hour. And you can slow the games down, but for calculations here, we’ll use 50 hands an hour at blackjack, 500 on reel slots and video poker, and 300 on video slots. Let’s take one hour, combine it with the house edges on the most popular casino games and take into account the speed of play. Then we’ll rank the games by average cost per hour. On table games, let’s assume a $5 wager—if you’re a $100-a-hand high roller, multiply the average cost per hour by 20. These figures are strictly for game play. They do not include comps, free play or any other players club rewards you might earn. The comps wizards among you might figure you get enough extras that it can make up that half-percent edge the house gets against experts at 9-6 Jacks or Better. Here, we’re just talking cash at the machine. There are so many variations in video poker that performing this little exercise could fill a book. We’ll take the basic game of Jacks or Better and look at what changing pay tables and denominations do to that game. Pay table and coin denomination 48

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changes will have a similar effect on any video poker game you choose. Basic strategy blackjack, full table: $1.25: Let’s assume a nofrills, six-deck game with a house edge of about 0.5% against a basic strategy player. At about 50 hands per hour, you risk $250. Even if you’re not counting cards, finding tables with the best rules combination can take the house edge below 0.5% and cut the cost to under a buck an hour. Fewer decks are better, but a single-deck game where blackjacks pay only 6-5 will almost always have a higher house edge than a six-deck game where blackjacks pay 3-2. It’s better for the player if the dealer stands on all 17s, and you want the option to double down on any first two cards, to double down after splitting pairs, and to re-split pairs multiple times. It’s good if the casino allows you to re-split Aces, and surrender is a nice option to have in your arsenal when you attack the game. Quarter 9-6 Jacks or Better video poker, one coin: $2: With expert play, 9-6 Jacks returns 99.5% to the player, assuming a maximum coins, five-coin bet. With fewer than five coins wagered, that return drops to 98.4%. At 500 hands an hour, $125 is wagered, with the average loss being 1.6% of that. One-coin play is not the recommended method for video poker. It’s a way to conserve money for a short-bankrolled player, but your royal flushes will pay only $62.50 instead of the $1,000 you’d get on five-coin play, and your payback percentage is lower than if you bet the max. You’ll lose less per hour, but also have fewer winning sessions. Craps, pass or don’t pass: $2.10: We’ll assume 100 rolls per hour here. The house edge of 1.41% on pass and 1.4% on don’t pass are fairly low, and it requires an average of 3.4 rolls to decide the wagers. Using Frank Scoblete’s Five Count system can reduce the cost per hour dramatically. The odds have no house edge, so they lower the house edge on your pass-odds combination. If by taking odds you are able to reduce your line bet, you reduce your cost per hour. But if the odds are an extra bet, the cost per

hour remains the same as if you were taking no odds at all. The average loss per hour here assumes one $5 bet on the table at all times. Not many craps players actually bet that way. If we assume a $5 pass or don’t pass bet along with two $5 come or don’t come bets, the average loss edges closer to $6 an hour. Quarter 9-6 Jacks or Better video poker, five coins: $3.125: At 500 hands an hour on a quarter machine we risk $625. Note that even though we risk five times as much money as when we bet only one coin, the cost is only a little more than 1.5 times as high. That’s because the overall house edge with expert play drops to 0.5%. On the fifth coin, we actually have an edge. The cost per hour goes up to $8 if you bet only four coins instead of five. Betting four coins a hand on video poker is on the list of things you should never do in a casino. It maximizes the house take, without giving you the big payoff leap on royal flushes that comes with betting the fifth coin. Quarter 8-5 Jacks or Better video poker, one coin: $4.88: In the 8-5” version, full houses pay only 8-for-1, flushes pay 5-for1, and we lose about 2% of our payback compared with the 9-6 game. The risk when wagering one coin per hand is $125, and we lose about 3.9% of that. To reduce your cost per hour, watch the pay tables. The house edge increases by a little over a percent for each unit the payback on full houses or flushes are reduced. That’s enough of a difference that the cost per hour is higher on 8-5 Jacks with one coin wagered than on the 9-6 game with a five-coin bet. Basic strategy blackjack, one-on-one: $6.25: You’ll play about

250 hands per hour, giving the house edge more chance to work against you. Seek out full tables. Don’t worry about other players’ mistakes; they’ll help you as often as they hurt you. In the long run, they won’t cost you money. Playing alone will. Average blackjack player, full table: $6.25: If you don’t know your basic strategy or don’t stick to it or if you play by hunch, the house edge climbs to about 2.5% percent. Reducing your cost per hour is easy. Learn basic strategy and stick to it. Dollar 9-6 Jacks or Better video poker, one coin: $8: Video poker payoffs do not vary with coin denomination; they vary according to the pay table. The cost on a dollar video poker game is four times that of the same pay table played with quarters. Three Card Poker, play against the dealer: $8.50: House edge is 3.4% of the ante, or 2% of total action, including the additional bets we make. That’s one of the best among table games. To minimize your cost per hour, stick to the basics—bet with Queen-6-4 or better and fold lesser hands. The bottom line can vary depending on which ante-bet bonus pay table is used. Winning hands pay even money, but in the original version, players also get a 5-1 bonus if they have a straight flush, 4-1 on three of a kind and even money on a straight. Most casinos use that bonus pay table. A few have reduced pay tables that increase the house edge slightly, to as much as 4.3% of one bet or 2.6% of total action. That bonus pay table, paying 3-1 on straight flushes 2-1 on three of a kind and 1-1 on straights, would increase the cost per hour to about $11. Let It Ride, $8.75: We’ll figure that our starting point is three $5 wagers. That leaves the same basic $5 risk as in other examples. The overall house edge with expert strategy is 3.5% of one bet, or 2.8% of the total action when you take into account hands in Vol um e 14 I ssue 1

which we leave more than one bet on the table. With a house edge of 3.5% of one wager and $250 hands per hour, that leaves an $8.75 average loss. Roulette, $10.52: Roulette has one of the highest house edges on the tables, at 5.26%. It also moves more slowly than other table games, so the cost here is based on 40 spins of the wheel per hour. The house edge is the same on every bet on a double-zero wheel except the five-number bet on 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3. There, the house edge climbs to 7.89%. If you were to bet $5 a spin on that combination, the cost per hour would climb to $15.78. Quarter reel-spinning slot, one coin: $11.25: At 500 spins an hour, average risk becomes $125. The house keeps from 6-9% on quarter slots. If you bet only one coin, you’ll get a lower percentage because the payoff on the top jackpot awards a higher percentage to max-coins bettors. There’s room for variation depending on the individual machine, but let’s assume a 93% payback with max coins played that drops to a 91% return with fewer coins wagered. Penny video slot machine, 20 lines, one coin per line: $12: If you’re playing a 100-line game, it’s going to cost more than 20 cents a spin to cover all the lines. There’s a trend toward forced minimum bets that are higher than 20 cents. For a low-cost option, we’ll use 20-line games at a penny per line. In most casinos, the lowest coin denominations also bring the lowest percentage payoffs, so dollars pay a higher percentage than quarters, which pay more than nickels, which pay more than pennies. We’ll use an 85-percent return for pennies. Some casinos offer higher payback percentages, some lower, but pennies tend to pay less than 90 percent. To lower your cost per hour, play fewer pay lines or slow down the game. Dollar 9-6 Jacks or Better, five coins: $12.50: Four times the wager, four times the cost as the quarter version. It’s still a strong percentage play, with a 99.5% return to those who learn to play at expert level. Quarter 8-5 Jacks or Better video poker, five coins: $16.88: With expert play, we lose 2.7% of our wagers, more than five times as much as on 9-6 Jacks or better. Take a look around the casino before you play to see if there are better games available. If not, slow down your play. Three Card Poker, Pair Plus, $18.25: This is pay table dependent, and commonly you’ll get 40-1 on a three-card straight flush, 30-1 on three of a kind, 6-1 on straights and 3-1 on flushes. On that pay table, the house edge is 7.3%, and the average loss per hour is $18.25. Dollar 8-5 Jacks or Better video poker, one coin: $19.50: Four times the cost of quarter 8-5 Jacks or Better, with an average investment of $2,500 per hour. To those who think the “9-6” 50

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and “8-5” designations don’t make any difference in whether you win or lose, well, they do. Quarter reel-spinning slot, three coins: $26.75: This is a better payback percentage than quarter games with one coin played, but it’s still a higher cost per hour with total wagers of $375. When players used to feed coins in by hand for every pull, casinos figured spins per hour at about 240. If you want to slow down your play and lower your cost, that’s one way to do it—if you still can find a machine with a coin head. Nickel video slot machine, 15 lines, one coin per line: $30: Same 400 spins per hour as on penny video slots, fewer pay lines, but a higher bet coin denomination puts the average wagers per hour at $300. Figure on about 10% as the cost of play. One way to reduce your cost is to take your time on the bonus rounds. While you’re playing the bonus round you have a chance to win without making any further investment. Average blackjack player, one-on-one: $31.25: Learning basic strategy is an important skill; so is knowing enough to play at the slower table unless you’re a card counter who has an edge on the game. Speed favors whoever has the edge, usually the house. Dollar reel-spinning slot, one coin: $35: Risk is $500 at a dollar for each of 500 spins. We’ll assume an overall payback of 95% with max coins played, but only 93% with one coin wagered. Slow down; stretch your dollar. Dollar 8-5 Jacks or Better video poker, five coins: $67.50: The risk is $2,500 an hour. At 97.3%, we get a better payback percentage than on dollar slots, but a five-coin maximum bet instead of three coins on the reel-spinners leaves the cost per hour nearly as high. Craps, any 7: $83.35: Let’s take a really bad craps bet to contrast with the pass and don’t pass wagers. On those, we lose only $2.10 per hour. But here, the house edge is much higher, at 16.67%, and bets are decided on every roll instead of once every 3.4 rolls. Smart bettors stay away from one-roll propositions. The kings and queens of cash back are slot players, and, on any close cost call between a table game and a slot game, some of the difference will be made up in the cash back awarded to slot players. Through player rewards cards, time is money in slot players’ favor, too. Syndicated gaming columnist John Grochowski has been covering the casino industry for 17 years in his weekly column distributed to newspapers and web sites. He is also the author of six books, including “The Slot Machine Answer Book” and “The Video Poker Answer Book.” You can find him online at CasinoAnswerMan.com.

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diamondjacks.com WEB REVAMP IS REAL DEAL FOR GUESTS BY BRI T TAN Y N AN C E

easier to join in the fun and start testing your skills on the casino f loor. The newly redesigned layout is easier to navigate with sections designated for gaming, hotel information, rewards club benefits, exciting promotions and upcoming live entertainment. When you step onto the casino floor, you’ll find the friendliest games in town and, as the saying goes, the sky’s the limit. Players may choose from an exciting variety of table games, with every thing from Blackjack to roulette, and count less slot machine options. As a DI A M O N D J AC K S C A S I N O & R E S O R T S prospective guest, the gaming are located in Bossier City, LA and Bicksburg, MS. portion of the web site is a great area to check out before going If you’re looking for a reason to venture from home during up against the dealers. Slot and the winter months, here’s the perfect excuse—a trip to a table game selections are highlighted in this section, along with DiamondJacks Casino. With first-class locations in Bossier a list of contact information for each casino host. A printable City, Louisiana, and Vicksburg, Mississippi, it may take more credit application can be accessed here, as well, and there is an than one visit to soak up all that these incredible hotspots have exclusive page dedicated to those lucky gamers who cashed in as to offer. Exceptionally accommodating personnel greet guests big winners. Who knows, if you play your cards right, you could upon arrival, providing optimum customer service, and a be the next face featured on this page. refreshing, lively atmosphere awaits players on the casino floor. With over 500 stately rooms at the Bossier City resort and 122 A winning combination of southern hospitality and high-quality in Vicksburg, you’re guaranteed a comfortable, relaxing stay. If entertainment makes it easy to see why DiamondJacks Casino & you’re heading to Bossier City, you’ll want to take advantage of Resorts are the premier gaming destinations in the mid-south. the full-service spa after working up a sweat in the fitness center, After claiming seven of Southern Gaming’s Readers’ Choice or you could skip the workout to indulge in a little luxury with Awards for 2011, DiamondJacks has certainly been on a hot streak. a visit to the Ambalo Jewelry Store. Booking a room is only a Now, with the launch of a more user-friendly web site, it’s even click away, as another benefit of the web site’s design is the online 52

Southern G aming an d De s t in a t io n s

reservation capability. Now, Bossier City guests can conveniently schedule accommodations online. The Vicksburg property will soon acquire the same helpful feature. After a day playing poker, guests are sure to work up quite an appetite. Whether you’re looking for an intimate atmosphere accompanied by signature dishes or a more casual buffet-style meal, the award-winning dining choices are guaranteed to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters. Voted 2011 Best Restaurant by Southern Gaming readers, DJ’s Steakhouse is an excellent choice for those seeking the ultimate fine-dining experience. Bossier City’s executive chef, Gunter Kilian, prepares all succulent steak, fresh seafood and mouth-watering prime rib and each is truly incomparable. The Legends Buffet offers fantastic fare, as well, with guest favorites including oven-baked pizza, Chinese stirfry and tasty pasta creations. Best of all, the menus for both DJ’s Steakhouse and Legends Buffet are available online, so hungry guests can peruse all the delectable dishes before sitting down. Want to check out a show or concert for some post-dinner entertainment? Each month noteworthy artists hit the stage at DiamondJacks. This past November, superstar Eddie Money performed in Bossier City and country crooner Glen Campbell is set to perform on January 14, 2012. All upcoming live acts are posted in the entertainment section of the web site and, as an additional benefit, event tickets and gift certificates can be purchased online directly from the web site. The online promotions feature is another useful resource for avid gamers. The calendar in this section serves as a guide for all the promotions going on during a particular month. Click on any promotion and a printable calendar will appear with a detailed description of each said month’s promotions. For example, every Friday in November was “$25,000 Shop til ya drop Friday.” Gift card drawings were held every hour from 7–10 pm, with five winners at 7, 8 and 9 pm respectively and six winners at 10 pm. Players who won 10 points or those who had one hour of table play earned one drawing entry. All of the promotions are listed online so you can read the rules and choose which one best fits your gaming desires. In a culture where accessibility is essential and technology reigns supreme, it’s easier than ever to keep up with current events. In an effort to ensure prospective guests are always up-to-date, the redesigned DiamondJacks web site can now be conveniently viewed on smart phones and tablets—perfect for on-the-go gaming enthusiasts.

Luxurious hotel amenities, top-notch casino games and the finest dining—it doesn’t get any better than DiamondJacks Casinos! What are you waiting for? Get in the gaming spirit and come join the fun! Check out the new website at DiamondJacks.com !

Brittany Nance is a recent graduate of the University of Georgia, with a degree in advertising. A Louisville native, she is living back in the bluegrass state, and plans to obtain a masters degree next fall.

Vol um e 14 I ssue 1

silver slipper casino BLUE BAYOU RESTAURANT & JUBILEE BUFFET BY JU LIAN B R UN T

S I LV E R S L I P P E R C A S I N O is nestled in the southern Mississippi coastline. The Silver Slipper Casino is nestled in the southern Mississippi coastline among South Beach Boulevard, Bayou Caddy and the Mississippi Sound. But it’s not a lonely location by any means. If you arrive just before 4 pm, you’ll notice a lively crowd, but you’ll also see a line forming in the rear of the casino filled with eager faces anxious to dine at the Jubilee Buffet—one of the South’s premiere casino-dining establishments.

The Asian station, trimmed in stained wood and warmly colored tiles, offers great stir-fried entrees with bright green and yellow peppers and spicy red onions. The sweet-and-sour chicken is fragrant and highlighted with scallions and sesame seeds. The steamed wontons look to be fresh from a sidewalk stall in an Asian market and are complete with a green garnish that is the sort of extra touch you will find frequently at the Jubilee Buffet.

The buffet is divided smartly into themed serving stations, so that even when crowded the lines are evenly dispersed. The salad bar, with stone accents and tile panels, is decorated with a floral hat that is the centerpiece of the buffet. It allows access to all four sides and offers everything fresh and healthy a salad lover might want.

The offerings with a Southern flair are comfort food with the greens and fresh vegetables you’d expect, but there are fried fish and hushpuppies, too. A brisket waits to be carved and there are BBQ ribs, sausage and chicken hot off the grill. Next in line is a fresh-baked pizza and then seemingly endless trays of crab legs. For those who crave Mexican food, there are

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always the fixings for tacos and even cornhusk-wrapped tamales. And, if you’re thinking of something from Italy, you’ll find scrumptious cooked-to-order pastas and sauces. This buffet’s weekly specials change from French to Greek to German and lots in between. The holiday selections feature root-beer-glazed ham and a steamship round of beef, as well as the traditional turkey with all the trimmings. The Silver Slipper has made itself remarkable in many ways but Food and Beverage Director David Pipkin understands that the quality of the service has to match the quality of the food served. Chances are you won’t find him in his third floor office. He’ll be watching from the sidelines, ensuring things go the way they should and, if there is a stumble, he’s going to make it right. David grew up in this business working the front of the house. So he leaves the cooking to his cadre of chefs and kitchen professionals and concentrates on upholding the high standards on which he insists. That’s why the Jubilee Buffet serves 40,000 happy guests a month and as many as 800 for Sunday brunch.

T H E J U BI L E E BU F F E T offers themed serving stations surrounding the centerpiece salad bar.

If you’re looking for a fine-dining restaurant, Chef Sean Daigle, who’s worked at Commanders Palace and Mr. B’s Bistro in New Orleans, invites you to the Blue Bayou Bar & Grill. Not only will you find elegant tables and a menu that stands up to any in New Orleans, you’ll find a beautiful view of the Mississippi Sound and the Gulf of Mexico, as well. This restaurant was intended to offer the solid menu that old Las Vegas was famous for—elegantly prepared foods in serving sizes to please any appetite. David Pipkin knows the leftovers you carry home are a great marketing tool. You’ll be thinking of the Blue Bayou the next day when you enjoy his food again. The king crab legs are served with clarified butter, a cloth ensconced wedge of lemon, and huge green beans that are nothing short of sensational. Select a bottle of wine from the 85-strong wine list, 25 of which are available by the glass, and you’ll think you’re the luckiest person in bayou country. The prime rib is thick cut, perfectly cooked and comes with a cheesebaked potato that is almost a meal in itself. Try this with a red wine and you’ll be home free. The Eggplant Mason is stacked high with lump crabmeat and graced with a Béarnaise sauce. The Lollipop Lamb Chops are supposed to be a starter; but, presented on a bed of mushroom couscous, they’re a full meal for one. The Caprese Salad is bright with fresh red tomatoes, thick slices of buffalo mozzarella and green basil leaves; and, as every dish served in this house, it is elegantly plated. You just can’t slip out the door without trying the Double-Chocolate Fudge Brownies, even if you have to split it with a friend. David Pipkin and his staff of culinary professionals have accomplished a rare balance in these Silver Slipper restaurants.

T H E BL U E B AYO U B A R & G R I L L offers a delicious Eggplant Mason. Quality is their standard—quality ingredients, masterfully cooked food and impeccable service. David jokes that the Slipper is at the end of the road; so to speak, but it’s at the top of the list of casino choices for culinary adventures. For more information on at Silver Slipper Casino, call 1-866-775-4773 or visit SilverSlipper-MS.com. Julian Brunt is a culinary writer and photographer who contributes a weekly food article to the Sun Herald News Paper in Biloxi, Mississippi, Beach Blvd Magazine and several other regional magazines. His restaurant reviews can be found in the Mississippi Newcomers and Visitors Guide and he recently published a cookbook, The Biloxi Seafood Cookbook in conjunction with the Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum. Mr. Brunt’s Southern roots are more than three hundred years old.

Vol um e 14 I ssue 1

BLACKJACK

The intent of a progressive betting system is to vary the size of your bets in a predetermined manner, according to whether or not you won the previous bet. Many recreational players use them when they play blackjack. I’ll focus on one of the most famous and widely used progressive bet ting systems—the Martingale, or double-up, system.

Henry Tamburin is the editor of Blackjack Insider Newsletter (www.bjinsider.com), lead instructor for the Golden Touch Blackjack Course (www.goldentouchblackjack.com), and host of www.smartgaming.com. For a FREE three-month subscription to his blackjack newsletter, go to www.bjinsider.com/freetrial. To receive his FREE Casino Gambling Catalog, call 1-888-353-3234 or visit www.smartgaming.com.

Blackjack: Progressive Betting

Using the Martingale betting system, you double your previous bet after every loss until you finally win a hand, at which point you will be ahead by one betting unit. For example, suppose you wager $10 and the results of the next three hands are loss, loss, and win (L-L-W). You would have lost $10 on the first hand, $20 on the second hand, and won $40 on the third hand. You wind up with a net win of $10, which is the goal of the progression, to win an amount equal to your starting wager. Progressive bettors will tell you, if you just follow the betting system and leave the table after a win, you always walk away with a profit. The downfall of the Martingale occurs when you experience a sequence of losses. Progressive bettors will always counter with “the chance that this will happen is slim.” How sure are they, though? With the help of blackjack mathematician and author Donald Schlessinger (Blackjack Attack), we analyzed the math of progressive betting. This is what we found. You have about a 52-percent chance of losing a hand in blackjack (excluding ties). The chance you will lose, say, 10 consecutive (resolved) hands is 0.145 percent, meaning you will average one sequence of 10 losing hands (excluding ties) in about every 692 sequences of 10 hands, and so, this losing streak will occur about once in every seven hours of play (assuming you play 100 resolved hands per hour). And you don’t know when that string of 10 consecutive losses will occur in the seven hours (of course, it may not occur at all). The math says that you have roughly a 12-percent chance of losing 10 in a row in the first hour; a 24-percent in the first two hours; and a whopping 51-percent chance after only five hours (i.e., you are the favorite to have had at least one losing streak of 10 resolved hands!). Sadly, for Martingale bettors, a streak of 10 consecutive losses is not such a rare event after all. What about all those frequent winning sessions that Martingale players (and system sellers) always tout about this system? The fact is this—although most players will walk away a small winner most of the time, the money you will lose in that one catastrophic losing session will more than completely wipe out all the money

you will win in your more frequent winning sessions. In the long run, your wins and losses will add up to the casino’s edge, and the amount of money you will lose using the Martingale betting system will be close to Henry Tamburin the casino’s theoretical edge in the game times the total amount of money that you wagered—the same as it is for every other player who plays blackjack (except card counters). In other words, mathematically speaking, you can’t and you won’t gain the advantage over the casino using a Martingale betting system. There is another more practical issue with the Martingale that also dooms most players who use it, and it’s this—on an extended losing streak, you may not be able to double-up your bets because you will bump up against the maximum betting limit imposed by casinos. For example, suppose you are a $5 bettor and you lose eight (resolved) hands in a row. Your losses at this point total $1,275 (gulp!). Assuming you have the bankroll (and the guts) to double-up again, your next wager according to the Martingale is $1,280, which exceeds the $1,000 table-betting limit that you’ll find in most casinos on low-limit tables. Unfortunately, there is no way for the progressive bettor to bet enough to recoup his losses when this occurs (other than to move to a higherlimit table). My suggestion if you are a progressive bettor is to learn Speed Count, which will alert you when the edge shifts in your favor. Speed Count is easy to learn and it’s ideal for recreational players. You just count the small cards (2-6) and then at the end of the round you subtract the number of hands played. It’s that simple. Using Speed Count, you’ll know when the edge is in your favor and that’s when you should bet more (or use your progressive betting system). Progressive betting systems alone will not reduce the house edge against you when you play blackjack. Give speed counting a try instead. Speed Count will not only reduce the house edge, it will swing the edge in your favor. It’s a no-brainer. You can get the details about Speed Count in the book Beat Blackjack Now! by Frank Scoblete. There is also an instructional DVD on Speed Count if you want to see Speed Count being used under casino-simulated conditions (seeing is believing... for details go to www.goldentouchblackjack.com).

For more free blackjack tips, visit southerngaming.com/blackjack

“I LIKE TO PLAY WHERE THEY HAVE REAL TABLE GAMES, REAL ODDS AND REAL ACTION.”

WWW.PEARLRIVERRESORT.COM

A DEVELOPMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS

a new chief for choctaw PEARL RIVER RESORT PHILADELPHIA, MISSISSIPPI BY RUDI S C HIFFE R

P E A R L R I V E R R E S O R T I N C HOC TAW, M I S S I S S I P P I includes two hotels and the phenomenal Arena entertainment facility. Unity, financial stability and accountability are the top priorities for Phyliss J. Anderson, the first female chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaws (MBCI). Anderson took office in a historic inauguration ceremony on October 4, 2011, and now faces an exciting, yet challenging, four-year term as tribal leader of the MBCI and Chairman of the Choctaw Resort Development Enterprise (CRDE) Board. The Choctaw tribe is the only federally recognized tribe in Mississippi with its government headquarters located in the east central Mississippi community of Pearl River. Anderson’s hopes for the tribe are high. Her goals are really simple and achievable through a spirit of cooperation and teamwork. “We must unite as one people and with one shared goal. That goal is to move our tribe forward, together,” said Anderson. “I am an advocate of unity and truly believe it is the vehicle to progress for our people.” 58

Southern G aming an d De s t in a t io n s

The chief, 50, has been very busy in her first few months in office with new appointments, a multitude of changes and many more to come. Her administration will have plenty on their collective plates as they oversee the large and dynamic operation of Pearl River Resort. The holdings include the Golden Moon Hotel & Casino, Silver Star Hotel & Casino across the road, the new Bok Homa Casino in Jones County near Hattiesburg, the nationally acclaimed Dancing Rabbit Golf Club with two 18-hole courses, and the Geyser Falls Water Theme Park, not to mention many independent industries and other tribal government programs that serve the needs of the 10,000+ member Tribe. A key change for the tribe was the swift appointment of veteran gaming executive Bryce Warren as president and CEO of Pearl River Resort. He made a positive impression working previously with the tribe as part of the Boyd Gaming management team and subsequently helping to open the Bok Homa Casino.

aside as Choctaws to share the future as proud Mississippians and patriotic Americans.” This statement drew loud applause from onlookers. “We must graduate our children from tribal schools, dispense the best care possible from the Choctaw Health Center and preserve the language and culture of the tribe. We must also expand the role the tribe has as an engine for economic growth in the state,” she said. “These goals are within our grasp but we must pursue them as one people.” While presenting a clear way forward for the tribe, she cautioned, “It will take time to regain our path…. Let’s pledge today to start our journey anew and put our differences aside.” What has Chief Anderson seen in the first few months of her administration? “There has been a real sense of cooperation and teamwork among our associates. I feel they are excited about what we have in the works, and I believe that our guests will be, too.” It is all through unity as a Choctaw tribe that Pearl River Resort, its administration and its guests will continue to thrive.

To make reservations at the beautiful Pearl River Resor t, please ca l l 1-866 - 4 4 -PEA R L or v isit www.PearlRiverResort.com.

Rudi Schiffer is a former Associated Press editor and feature writer who currently hosts the “Goodtimes” radio show for Mississippi Casinos. Known as “The Voice of Tunica,” he is also a columnist for Jackpot Magazine and contributes articles to CasinoCityTimes.com.

P H Y L I S S J . A N DE R S O N is the first female chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaws. “Our CRDE Board believes he [Warren] is the right person for the job and we fully support him as we look at ways to take our resort to the next level,” said Anderson. “With a new unity among the management team, tribal council and board members, we have a solid base of teamwork, professionalism, optimism and a general can-do attitude. This will make for some very impressive progress.” “The changes we’ve made, that I feel were overdue, have put us on a fast track to success. When the majority of these changes are in place, we will truly be able to move forward together.” Anderson, who has served two terms on the Tribal Council, and also was Secretary-Treasurer for the tribe, was inaugurated in the large arena at Golden Moon, where a standing-room-only crowd overflowed into the halls. She was sworn in by current MBCI Secretary-Treasurer Cyrus Ben, as is the custom of the Choctaw tribe and authorized by the Choctaw Tribal Constitution. During her address Anderson called upon the spirit of the great war chief, Pushamata, and the modern day chief, her mentor, the late Phillip Martin, who during his many terms lifted the tribe into the future and into the flourishing resort it is now. She praised these legendry ancestors and said, “It is now our duty to carry forward from what they achieved and put our differences

The Sudoku Puzzle Answers from page 8

G A ME CO U RTESY O F SU D O KU TO D AY. CO M

Vol um e 14 I ssue 1

This section, “Slot Concepts,” is taken from the chapter “Not Your Grandma’s Slots Anymore,” in the book written by Jean Scott call More Frugal Gambling. More Frugal Gambling is the sequel to Jean’s best-selling book The Frugal Gambler, which started off the 4-book Frugal Gambler series.

Jean Scott is the best-selling author of the Frugal Gambling seires of books, giving hundreds of thousands of details on how to make your money last longer in a casino. More Frugal Gambling covers in depth the subject of casino comps. You can learn all about her helpful products at QueenofComps.com.

SLOTS

Slots: False Concepts

More so than most gambling advice, many of the “insider tips on slots” you see are total bunk. Although much of this bad advice comes by mail in long letters with lots of bold type, I’ve seen too much of it in print by self-styled slot “experts.” The following is some of the more egregious slot advice I’ve read. “Try to find a machine that has had a lot of play, but hasn’t paid out, so you’ll be the one to get the jackpots, while the previous players have filled the slots full-just for you.” (The name of this author has been omitted to protect the guilty.)

“A slot will pay more if you pull the handle, rather than hit a button” or “you’ll win more if you feed coins rather than use credits.” These (and, in fact, their opposites) are very old myths that will not die, no matter how many times gambling writers tell people that it’s the random number generator inside the machine that dictates whether-and if so, how much-you win on any one spin. However, believing these two myths could save you money! It takes more time to pull handles and feed coins-and the less time you’re actually putting money into a machine, the less you will lose. [Author’s Note: Of course this information is not so useful today unless you can find the rare casino where slot machines still have handles and take coins!]

The truth of the matter is that there’s no generally accepted notion of machine placement according to payout percentages.

The fact is, what happened on the previous one spin or previous thousand spins makes not one whit of difference on a slot machine. Each spin is an independent event. Over the long term, the jackpot will hit a certain number of times, but you have the same odds of hitting it on the first spin after it’s been hit as you do if it hasn’t hit for several days. There’s no chip (or conscience!) in the software that says, “Well, we haven’t given out a jackpot for a while; let’s do it now!” A slot machine in regulated jurisdictions has to be random and random means just that-you can’t tell in advance what’s going to come up on any one spin. “When a progressive is much higher than usual, you have a better chance of winning.” No, no, no! You never have even a good chance of winning a progressive. It’s always a long shot! Your potential return does improve as the jackpot rises, but you’re fighting the same long odds on every spin whether the jackpot is at reset or at a “life-changing” level. A progressive (or any other kind of slot machine) is never “due.”

“Systems will help you beat the slots.” May I beat on this old drum that I have almost worn out: No system can make negative-expectation gamesand that includes almost all slot machines-turn you into a long-term winner. A few moneymanagement systems might help you lose less per session, mainly because you spend a lot of time doing everything but feeding the slot machine “beast.” But the majority of these schemes aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. The only people making money on them are the charlatans who are selling them. Don’t waste your money on them. “You can make an informed guess where the best-paying slots are located in any given casino.” I’ve read many varying opinions on this subject, even by respected authors, some of whom have interviewed slot managers. The advice for years has been to avoid the machines near the table games, the show and restaurant lines, and the casino entrance. Why? Because people tend to throw a few coins at them as they wait or pass by, so it doesn’t matter if they’re “tight.” But I’ve also read just the opposite: The loose machines are placed where a lot of people can see them hitting frequently-yes, near the table games, the showroom, the restaurants, on a raised platform, or at edge of high-traffic aisles. So they’ll stay to play the machines, because they think, “This casino must have loose slots-I saw a lot of hits.”

For more free slot tips, visit southerngaming.com/slots

Some players even believe that the machines are mixed in together evenly, so if they aren’t winning on one machine, they can move to the next one over, which is probably looser.

symbols on short-coin play and not get the big win that’s displayed so prominently in big numbers on the front of the machine. Sometimes psychological reasons override mathematical ones.

The truth of the matter is that there’s no generally accepted notion of machine placement according to payout percentages. Each slot manager has his own ideas, nowadays more likely taking into consideration casino traffic patterns and eye-appeal of the machines. A casino does sometimes move machines around after looking at past results, but this is usually based on how much play the machines get, not on the payback percentage. A machine set at a higher overall return to the player that gets played a lot will often make more money for the casino than a low player payback that doesn’t get as much play. But there’s no sure way for a player to know which is which.

“You can trust casino signage and advertising.” This is another concept that falls into the maybe-yes maybe-no category. For example, if you find, in a casino in a regulated jurisdiction, a carousel with a sign saying that the return for all the machines is 98% or higher, you can trust this information. Casinos are highly regulated and gaming inspectors test machines to see that this was true. However, remember that this 98% return is over the long term and does not assure you that you will not lose as much money in one short period as on any other machine. Similarly, if you see a sign on a machine claiming, “These machines paid back over 100% last week,” that too can be trusted as a fact. But again, it has no bearing on how anyone will do this week.

Be-Careful Slot Concepts Unlike the patently false slot concepts above, the following can be somewhat ambiguous. There might be a grain of truth in them, but you certainly can’t count on them to be absolutely true 100% of the time. That’s why I call them “be-careful” concepts. “You can usually assume that the better the paytables for video poker in a casino, the higher the payback from its slot machines.” Notice that I said “usually.” This isn’t always the case-and if true, certainly only in the long term, and only as a general guide. Obviously, this assumption isn’t at all useful in selecting specific machines. But it can come in handy for selecting a particular casino, especially when there are several in a row from which to choose. “The lower the denomination, the lower the percentage payback.” This is usually true. However, the more important consideration, especially if you have a limited bankroll, concerns money lost per hour, rather than the return percentage. Slot machines have ravenous appetites and they like to eat fast. Obviously, the lower the denomination, the less you’ll be feeding into the machine, thus the less you’ll lose per hour. “Always play max coins.” This is sometimes true and sometimes false; it all depends on the type of machine. John Robison has done a lot of groundbreaking work in this area, and it’s interesting to learn that often you aren’t getting as much for a second or third coin as it looks, even on non-proportional pay schedules. However, even John admits that it’s a psychological downer to line up the jackpot

A story an email correspondent told me illustrates a sign atop a machine that was entirely true, but misleading. My correspondent was playing a nine-line quarter machine under a sign claiming, “Guaranteed Winner Every Time.” Curious, he dropped his first nine coins into the slot and pulled the handle; the machine returned 15 coins. He dropped another nine coins in, and this time the machine returned two coins. When he asked a change person about the “short pay,” he was told that he’d “won” two coins. Even though he’d lost the other seven coins, the casino considered it a two-coin player win. Another misleading casino advertisement I saw recently read, “Triple your chances to win! We’ve set our progressive Double Diamonds to pay three times as many jackpots!” Well, in the first place, the casino did not “set” slot machines (neither return percentages or hit frequencies). Manufacturers set the machines at the factory. Technically, the casino ordered special game chips from the slot maker. Semantics aside, however, this casino had upped the number of jackpots, but to make up for it, they’d reduced the frequency of the smaller payouts. No matter what the ad said, you can be sure that the casino had put in a new chip that set the total return to a percentage similar to other slot machines of the same denomination. Thus, you would not win three times more on this machine than on any other one. Instead, what it means is that you would hit the top jackpots more often, but the drain in between them would probably break you before you could capitalize on the additional jackpot hits. Vol um e 14 I ssue 1

CASINO BETS

The Best Casino Bets Poker: Poker is a game of skill. The house has no advantage other than a small amount it rakes out of each winning pot. The players are competing against each other and skill is a big factor in determining the winner.

Bill Burton is the Guide to Casino Gambling for About.com. He writes for several national gaming publications and is also an instructor for Golden Touch Craps. This excerpt comes from his book 1000 Best Casino Gambling Secrets.

Casino Bets: The Best and the Worst

Sports Betting: Betting on sporting events is only legal in Nevada, but experienced handicappers can make money. The house collects only a small fee on losing bets. The odds makers set lines on how they believe the public will bet (not necessarily which team they think is better) in an attempt to balance winning bets against losing bets. Blackjack Card Counting: Learning to count cards can give the player a 1 to 2 percent edge over the casino. Card counting is a skill that takes time and practice to master. Counters must also learn how to disguise their skills at the table since they are not welcomed by casinos. Video Poker: Video poker is another game of skill that has a small house edge if you make the correct playing decisions. Some video poker games offer over 100 percent payback to players utilizing perfect mathematical strategy. Other video poker games have less than a one percent house edge when you play correctly. Craps Don’t Pass/Don’t Come: The don’t pass/don’t come bet in the game of craps is just slightly better than the pass line bet. The house edge is 1.40 percent. You can lower this to .59 percent by laying double odds. Most players however, like to bet with the shooter on the pass line.

Craps Place Six and Eight: Placing the six and eight at the craps table is one of the best bets in the game. The house edge is only 1.52 percent. The six and eight are rolled more frequently than any number other than the seven. The Worst Casino Bets: Caribbean Stud Side Bet: The side bet for the progressive jackpot in Caribbean stud varies a little by the size of the jackpot, but it rarely reaches the amount to make the bet worthwhile. The average house edge is about 26 percent. Live Keno: Keno is a game similar to the lottery. The house edge can run 25 percent or higher. The odds for drawing any number of spots doesn’t change. The house edge comes from the payout for the winning numbers. This varies from casino to casino. Big Six Wheel: The big six or wheel of fortunes is an old carnival game with equally bad odds. The house edge varies from 11 to 24 percent depending on the number of player bets. Blackjack Insurance: The insurance bet in blackjack is just another side bet that should be avoided. The house edge is around 8 percent. You are not really insuring anything. Blackjack Hunch Play: Deviating from blackjack basic strategy can make blackjack one of the worst games in the casino. A player can give up 20 percent or more playing hunches. Let It Ride Side Bet: The house edge for the side bet is based on the pay table, which varies from casino to casino. Even the best pay table has a high double-digit house edge that ranges from 13 to 36 percent.

Craps Pass Line/Come: The pass line and come bets in the game of craps offer a low house edge of 1.41 percent. You can lower it to less than one percent (.61) if you take double odds on your bet.

Craps Proposition: The proposition bets on the craps table are the bets on the hard ways and the one roll bets. These have a house edge that can reach as high as 16.7 percent.

Pai Gow Banker: A player may choose to act as the banker during the pai gow game. If a player banks the game, a 5 percent commission is charged on the net win. Setting the hands requires skill, but a good player can gain an advantage that will lower the house edge below one percent.

Roulette: The bets on the double zero American wheel have a house edge of 5.26 percent on all bets except the five number bet. The five number bet (0-00-1-2-3) is called the basket bet and has a house edge of 7.89 percent. The European wheel with a single zero has a lower house edge of 2.7 percent.

Baccarat Banker/Player: The baccarat banker bet requires you to pay a commission on winning bets. The house edge is 1.06 percent for the banker bet. The player bet is also a good bet with a house edge of only 1.24 percent.

Casino War Tie: There is a tie bet that can be made when playing casino war. You are betting that your card will tie the dealer’s. If you win, you get paid ten to one for your bet. It carries a high house edge of 18.65 percent.

For more free tips, visit southerngaming.com

With the holidays in the rear view mirror and spring approaching, the golf season is nearly upon us and it’s time to start thinking about some golf getaways. Whether you are looking to take a long golf vacation or a long weekend, you’ll find the perfect destination in this article. Here are my top 10 golf getaways.

Colby Wollitz is a PGA-certified teaching pro at The Players Club of Henderson in Kentucky. If you have any questions or would like to set up a lesson, please contact Colby at Golf Plus in Evansville 812-477-7529.

GOLF

Golf: Great Getaways

1. Kapalua Resorts, Maui, Hawaii Kapalua.com | 1-877-KAPALUA From the fantastic reviews to everything I’ve heard from people who have played golf at Kapalua in the winter, there is no better backdrop than the Pacific Ocean and the warm sunshine. (Not to mention a PGA-Tourcaliber golf course!) If I had the choice to spend a week anywhere in the middle of winter, Maui would be it. 2. Pinehurst Golf Resort, North Carolina PineHurst.com | 1-800-487-4653 About 45 minutes from my alma mater (Methodist University) is one of the greatest golfing experiences I have ever enjoyed. The Pinehurst Golf Resort has not only a world-class hotel, but also eight terrific golf courses with exceptional service. Pinehurst offers numerous golf packages that can fit anybody’s schedule. Here are a few courses just minutes from the Pinehurst Resort that I think are worth looking into: Pine Needles, Mid Pines and The Carolina. 3. Doral Golf Resort & Spa, Miami, Florida DoralResort.com | 1-800-713-6725 I have been fortunate enough to play a few of the Doral courses, and I will be the first to tell you that Miami in the winter is second to none—beautiful beaches, great food, world-class golf, and the 70-degree weather. What more do you want from a winter golf getaway? 4. Las Vegas, Nevada VisitLasVegas.com | 1-702-892-0711 The Las Vegas reputation speaks for itself. Casinos, golf, food, lodging, and did I mention casinos? If you decide to make Vegas your winter golf getaway and have an opening in your foursome, let me know and I will pack my bags for a week of golf and fun. 5. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina HiltonHeadIsland.org | 1-800-523-3373 With its high concentration of world-class courses, peaceful surroundings, beautiful ocean and marsh views, and incredible amenities, Hilton Head is one of my favorite places to visit. Home to 25 golf courses, including world famous Harbour Town Golf Links at

Sea Pines (which is in my top 10 favorite courses I have played), Hilton Head’s many options make it easy to book a tee time. Hilton Head Island is a great getaway for golf and relaxation. 6. Sea Island, Georgia SeaIsland.com | 1-877-537-8078 The Sea Island Golf Course was rated number one in the world by Golf Digest Index, and includes three astounding championship courses. Need I say more? 7. Scottsdale, Arizona ScottsdaleAZ.gov | 1-480-312-1111 Legacy Golf Resort, Phantom Horse, Wildfire and Club West are all great picks in this golfing Mecca. With more than 100 courses from which to choose, you’ll be sure to find a favorite. Arizona also provides terrific weather alongside its great history. Just spend a week here and you will be sure to see why many of the PGA Tour professionals call Arizona home in the winter. 8. Palm Springs, California VisitPalmSprings.com | 1-800-347-7746 Ever wonder why the PGA Tour begins its season with the West Coast swing? Make a trip to Palm Springs and you will soon find out. Ideal weather and great golf courses are just the start of what this winter getaway has to offer. 9. Gulf Coast of Mississippi GulfCoast.org/golf | 1-888-467-4853 Like Las Vegas, the Gulf Coast of Mississippi combines the lure of world-class casinos, dining, entertainment and enough golf courses to fill your itinerary. But, instead of a hot dry desert, you have the cool breezes from the Gulf of Mexico. Don’t miss the amazing Fallen Oak Golf Course designed by Tom Fazio or Grand Bear Golf Course designed by the legend himself. 10. Any Course You Want – AT HOME With the advancements in computers and technology, it is now possible to play golf right in your living room on a golf simulator! You can choose from some of the best courses in the world and save money on travel, food, lodging, plus save a lot of time. Simulator costs start around $400 and can go up into the thousands depending on the quality you are seeking. If you do not feel the need to own one, chances are you can find a local golf store that will rent one to you (in-house, of course) to play a quick round of golf. We have just invested in a simulator at our club that will allow us to give indoor lessons and allow members to play rounds of golf throughout the winter.

For more free golf tips, visit southerngaming.com/golf

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Southern Gaming’s Preferred Hot Spots

Southern Gaming and Destinations Magazine strives to recommend quality establishments located throughout the region to our readers. On this map, you will find an array of our preferred casinos, racetracks, racinos, hotels and restaurants we feel will deliver a quality experience and encourage you to consider them when you travel. WANT COMPS? If you are a qualified casino player, let us know! We will be happy to connect you with some of our preferred casino properties around the world! For more information, please email comps@southerngaming.com or call 1-877-582-9478.

1 Gulf Coast

Shula’s Steak House (Tampa)

Beau Rivage Resort & Casino (Biloxi)

1-813-286-4366

Fallen Oak Golf Course (Biloxi)

1-877-242-6464

Nevel Meade Golf Course (Louisville)

Miccosukee Resort & Gaming (Miami)

1-502-228-9522

Pat’s Steak House (Louisville)

Grand Biloxi Casino Resort Spa

Mardi Gras Casino & Racing (Hallandale)

Half Shell Oyster House (Gulfport & Biloxi)

Seminole’s (Coconut Creek, Hollywood & Tampa)

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi)

Watermark Grille (Naples)

1-888-750-7111

1-877-805-4657

1-877-55-SLOTS

1-800-WIN-2-WIN

1866-2CASINO

1-228-867-7001

1-877-877-6256

IP Casino Resort Spa

1-239-596-1400

5 Georgia

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1-304-232-5050

Vol um e 14 I ssue 1

This column will explain some advanced strategies used during Limit Hold ’Em, and are not to be tried in serious games by the beginning poker player. Playing suited connectors should be done with great caution. Tips such as these shouldn’t be used by anyone other than the top players, because most of them are highly “read-dependent.” In other words, when you’ve advanced to the stage of your poker career when you’re able to read your opponents well, then your chances of using this concept successfully will be greater.

Phil Hellmuth Jr. is an 11-time World Series of Poker champion leading all poker players in the world. He has two New York Times best-seller book —“Play Poker Like the Pros” and “Bad Beats and Lucky Draws”—both of which can be found at Amazon.com. Phil’s books, blog, tips and more can also be found at PhilHellmuth.com. Chat and play with him at UltimateBet.com and learn about his new cell phone game at HellmuthHoldem.com.

POKER

Texas Hold ’Em: Playing Suited Connectors

PLAYING SUITED CONNECTORS Now that we’re contemplating advanced play, we’ll add suited connectors to the mix of hands that you’ll sometimes play before the flop. Notice I said “sometimes.” There is very little advice about “always” or “never” when one reaches the advanced strategy concepts in Hold ’Em. Generally, in order to play suited connectors, you need to have multi-way action (at least three players in the pot). Generally, you don’t want to call three bets with these types of hands. Nor do you want to play these kinds of hands too often. The best time to consider playing suited connectors is when you decide to re-raise (three bet) someone you feel is weak, before the flop, in the hope that you’ll be taking the pot away from this player later in the hand. The problem with playing suited connectors is that they don’t win the pot very often. You might, for example, play 7♦-8♦ or 9♠-10♠ and hit a hand that will just get you into a lot of trouble. You might make top pair or second pair or even a flush and still lose a big pot. So, the best way to play these kinds of hands is very carefully! If you’re an advanced player, you understand that it’s very difficult to fold the 7♦-8♦ when the flop comes down 2-6-7. If you’re trying to play suited connectors, you have to learn how to fold them at the right time. This takes finesse, skill, and above all reading ability. SITUATIONS APPROPRIATE FOR PL AYING SUITED CONNECTORS Situation 1: One situation conducive to playing these hands is when someone has raised and two or three players have already called in front of me. Here I’m investing two bets with at least three other opponents. In this situation, I like to have at least 5-6 suited or higher. I don’t see much value in 2-3, 3-4, or 4-5 suited—the pairs, straights and flushes these hands might make are all too low. To show you what I mean, if I’m playing a hand like 3-4 suited, I’m hoping to make a straight. It’s not

that I object to making a flush, but mine would be the worst possible flush, and I could easily lose to a higher flush. So I’d rather make a straight, but unless I hit the hand absolutely perfectly with A-2-5, my straight is probably going to be on the low side of what’s available.

Phil Hellmuth Jr.

For example, if the flop comes 5-6-7, I have indeed made my straight, but I’m vulnerable to people who are playing higher suited connectors—8-9 just buries me, 7-8 gives my opponent top pair with an open-ended straight draw that can easily beat me, and both 5-6 and 6-7 leave me vulnerable to losing a full house. Someone with pocket eights will be in trouble, too. But if my suited connectors are a little higher, I’m not quite as vulnerable to losing a big pot. I’m not going to hit a suited connector hand too often anyway, and when I do hit it, I want to be reasonably sure I’m going to win with it. Playing suited connectors, I’m hoping to hit the flop pretty solidly. If I don’t, I just surrender my two previous bets on the flop and fold the hand. I’m also prepared to jam the flop to protect it if I think I’ve flopped the best hand. Situation 2: The second favorable situation arises when I have suited connectors in the blinds because I get in for a discount. In other words, calling two bets in the big blind amounts to calling just one bet, since it was I who posted the first bet in the blind. Situation 3: The third situation involves messing with other players’ heads and making myself more unpredictable in their eyes. In this situation, I’ll make three bets over the top of someone who I think is raising the pot with a weak hand in front of me. I may three-bet (re-raise) a jackal when I’m on the button with 5♦-6♦ to try to steal the pot from him. If I am able to take the pot away, by forcing everyone to fold, then I’ll just place my winning hand facedown. But, if I get caught bluffing, then I’m more than happy to show the whole table my hand and say, “Six high.” When the other players realize that I re-raised with 5♦-6♦ before the flop, then I can expect to receive a lot of extra action for a while! After I’ve shown down six high once or twice, then its time to play the top 10 hands only for a while, and wait for the players to give me their chips. They’ll still be thinking that I have nothing (six high!), but I’ll be showing them some real hands for a while. This pattern tends to keep many players off balance, and eventually they may decide they don’t want to mess with me.

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