2011 Casino Slot Guide! PAGE
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Volume 13 | Issue 2 | March 2011
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What's Hot in Slots
Top Machines of 2011 Page 16
Slot Floors of the South
Indiana, Mississippi, Louisiana and more! Page 30
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Attack From Mars
Casino Invasion PAge 10
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Vol um e 13  I ss ue 2  
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INSIDE This ISSUE
Cover:
From Mars: Casino Invasion 10 Attack What’s Hot in Slots: 16 Top Slot Machines of 2011
Feature Articles:
it Your Way: The Latest Trends in the Slot Industry 24 Have Slot Floors of the South: 30 Top Properties to Spin and Win Living the M Life: 36 With MGM Resorts History of Gambling: 48 1931-Today
W h at ' s H o t i n S l o t s : Top Slot Machines of 2011 | 16
Tips & Columns:
Tips for Gamblers: The IRS’ interest in your gambling 14 Tax Video Poker: 22 Not-So-Ugly Deuces Wild Slot Machines: 28 Payback Percentages & Hit Frequency Slot Superstitions: 34 How Our Readers Win Horseracing: 40 Straight from the Horse’s Mouth Blackjack: 44 Don’t Make these Mistakes Golf: 52 Success on the Putting Green Craps: 54 The One Bet Solution Baseball: 60 Betting Early Season Poker: 64 Powerful Hands in Seven-Card Stud
Slot Flors of the South: Top Properties to Spin & Win | 30
Living the M Life: with MGM Resorts | 36
Highlights & Hot Spots
Power of Promotion: Dreams Fulfilled at Seminole Coconut 42 The Creek Casino in Florida
Derby Poker Championship: A Pro-Celebrity Charity Poker Tournament 46 2011 Visit Arkansas: 56 Winning by Nature Property Profile: 58 IP Casino Resort & Spa, Biloxi, Mississippi
History of Gambling: 1931-Today | 48 Vol um e 13 I ssu e 2
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FROM the EDITOR
What do Monopoly, “The Price is Right,” “Lord of the Rings” and Hugh Hefner all have in common? They are all slot machines that are taking casinos by storm! According to a study by the American Gaming Association, approximately 59 percent of American gamers consider slot machines their favorite casino games. Today’s machines have certainly come a long way since the Liberty Bell was invented by Charles Fey in 1899. Casino patrons today enjoy the ultimate gaming experience when they sit down to test their luck. With a combination of extreme imagination and the latest technology, today’s games feature amazing graphics, sound systems and options for players to start from where they left off from their previous casino visit. The slot floors have become somewhat of an elaborate arcade that give players a chance of winning money while being entertained by 3-D graphics and virtual worlds beyond imagination. We dedicate this issue to focus on the latest and greatest machines as well as some of our favorites that we encourage you to try. With the popularity of slot machines increasing, we can only assume there will continue to be strides in making the machines more exciting for players. There is an old saying that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. This somewhat rings true with slot players as well. Some patrons stick to their favorite machines. If you are stuck in this pattern, give one of the new games a shot … you might be surprised at what you find! We hope you enjoy the articles about the new games and that you will consider giving some of them a try on your next casino visit. Slot enthusiast John Grochowski gives his top slot picks as well as what you will see at the casinos this year. So, be sure to check out his article covering the latest slot trends on page 24 as well as his feature on page 10 focusing on the amazing technology you can expect to come from slot manufacturer WMS Gaming. Grochowski possesses an array of knowledge about slot machines and gambling in general, and we are excited to have him on board. We also want to welcome one of the most knowledgeable people in the world on slot machines, Jean Scott. She is often referred to as “The Queen of Comps” or “The Frugal Gambler” and is featured regularly on television shows and in magazines that focus on casinos, slot machines or other gaming related subjects. In this issue, she focuses on taxes and how gamblers can make the most out of their situation. She covers some myths about taxes as well as some suggestions on how to keep track of your wins and losses. If you have questions about how taxes can apply to your gambling cash flow, check out her article on page 14. In addition to the heavy focus on slot machines in this issue, you will also find columns from our all-star lineup of some of the best gambling experts in the world. We hope you benefit from their knowledge and have a better chance of winning on your next gambling adventure! If you can’t be good … be lucky!
G. Douglas Dreisbach General Manager
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Publisher Bisig Impact Group Chief Executive Officer Larry Bisig President & Creative Director Chip Dumstorf General Manager G. Douglas Dreisbach Marketing Coordinator Courtney Bisig Accounting Peggy Harris Copy Editor Sara Havens Contributing Authors Dan Bebe Linda Boyd Eric Floyd Phil Hellmuth, Jr. John Grochowski Henry Tamburin Frank Scoblete Rudi Schiffer Jean Scott Elaine Stevens Jeremy White Colby Wolitz 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: Industry leader WMS reveals Attack From Mars slot game in 2011. 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 Opinions of columnists are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, nor does Southern Gaming and Destinations assume liability for claims of advertisers. POSTMASTER: Send 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.
Best New Bytes: Here are a couple of stories we posted on SouthernGaming.com: Gold Strike Casino Resort Completes Multi-Million Dollar Transformation
A completely reconfigured state-of-the-art gaming floor and contemporary customdesigned flooring are just two pieces to the multi-million-dollar property transformation puzzle at MGM Resorts International’s Gold Strike Casino Resort. The resort has recently unveiled the upgraded 50,000-squarefoot casino and Stage 2 Bar. The newly remodeled casino marks the end of a fouryear resort transformation for Gold Strike. Modern improvements have also been made on the 1,200 guest rooms and suites, convention center, dining amenities and hotel lobby. George P. Corchis Jr., MGM Resorts International’s president and chief operating officer of regional operations, is excited to share this new renovation with the rest of the region. Corchis looks forward to a boost
in the local economy and a positive impact on Tunica tourism through the resort’s largest remodeling project to date. In addition to more comfortable seating and relaxed a t mo sp her e, t he c a sin o h a s als o brought the newest, most high-tech gaming machines to the floor. With 53 table games and 1,236 slot machines, every guest can find their favorite gaming model. For guests taking a break from gambling, there are more than 50 LCD televisions located throughout the property and an enormous outdoor LED display at the resort entrance. Stage 2 Bar has also been upgraded. Located on the ground floor of the casino, they host live entertainment four times a week. Along with the Stage 2 Bar and immaculate new casino floor, this multi-year renovation has led Gold Strike to upgrade every aspect of the guest experience. Whether coming for a business occasion or for personal entertainment, Gold Strike Casino Resort has upheld its value as one of Tunica’s premier resorts.
Want More? Southern Gaming’s Got It!
Phantom EFX to Release ‘Battle Slots’
Phantom EFX has announced their newest game, “Battle Slots,” for PC, Xbox LIVE Arcade and Playstation network. “Battle Slots” is a quest-based title that provides players with a map of the world, allowing them to choose their own path to complete their journey. Gamers will take on opponents as they overcome challenges that unlock new spells, lucrative slot symbols and powerful new enemies. Each duel gives gamers a chance to level up characters and slot machine features. There's a surprise is around every corner, forcing players to develop new survival techniques to defeat the unexpected circumstances present. Gamers earn money and experience in each battle, enabling them to purchase new slot symbols and take advantage of higher powers such as spells and attack methods. Each spin of the slot machine will reveal bonus points and experience — helping gamers fight their way to victory! “Battle Slots” is set to be released later this year. For more info, visit PhantomEFX.com!
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 !
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Concert Calendar March:
11 Travis Tritt Beau Rivage Resort & Casino 1-888-566-7469 BeauRivage.com 11 Foreigner IP Casino Resort Spa Biloxi 1-888-946-2847 IPBiloxi.com 11 Blackberry Smoke Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256 HardRockBiloxi.com 11 Lynyrd Skynyrd Paragon Casino Resort 1-800-946-1946 ParagonCasinoResort.com 11-12 Avery Michaels & Exit 209 Paragon Casino Resort 1-800-946-1946 ParagonCasinoResort.com 12 Travis Tritt Gold Strike Casino Resort (Tunica) 1-662-357-1111 GoldStrikeMississippi.com 12 Lady Antebellum Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256 HardRockBiloxi.com 12 .38 Special Belterra Casino Resort & Spa 1-888-BELTERRA BelterraCasino.com 18 Liza Minnelli Beau Rivage Resort & Casino 1-888-566-7469 BeauRivage.com 18 Paul Revere & The Raiders Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256 HardRockBiloxi.com 18 REO Speedwagon IP Casino Resort Spa Biloxi 1-888-946-2847 IPBiloxi.com 18-19 Area Code Paragon Casino Resort 1-800-946-1946 ParagonCasinoResort.com
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!
19 Kellie Pickler IP Casino Resort Spa Biloxi 1-888-946-2847 IPBiloxi.com 19 OneRepublic Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256 HardRockBiloxi.com 19 Patti LaBelle Wind Creek Casino & Hotel 1-800-826-9121 WindCreekCasino.com 25 KC and the Sunshine Band Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256 HardRockBiloxi.com 25 Rickey Smiley IP Casino Resort Spa Biloxi 1-888-946-2847 IPBiloxi.com 25-26 Cypress City Paragon Casino Resort 1-800-946-1946 ParagonCasinoResort.com 26 Natalie Cole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256 HardRockBiloxi.com 26 Loretta Lynn Paragon Casino Resort 1-800-946-1946 ParagonCasinoResort.com
April: 1 Rodney Atkins Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256 HardRockBiloxi.com 2 The Pointer Sisters Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256 HardRockBiloxi.com 8 Loretta Lynn IP Casino Resort Spa Biloxi 1-888-946-2847 IPBiloxi.com 8 Keith Sweat Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256 HardRockBiloxi.com
8-9 Fat Boy South Paragon Casino Resort 1-800-946-1946 ParagonCasinoResort.com 8-10 Lord of the Dance Beau Rivage Resort & Casino 1-888-566-7469 BeauRivage.com 9 Avant IP Casino Resort Spa Biloxi 1-888-946-2847 IPBiloxi.com 9 Air Supply Gold Strike Casino Resort (Tunica) 1-662-357-1111 GoldStrikeMississippi.com 9 Josh Turner Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256 HardRockBiloxi.com 14 Aaron Lewis Horseshoe Casino Southern Indiana 1-888-766-2648 Horseshoe-Indiana.com 15 Chicago Beau Rivage Resort & Casino 1-888-566-7469 BeauRivage.com 15 Loverboy Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256 HardRockBiloxi.com 16 Aaron Lewis Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256 HardRockBiloxi.com 16 Ronnie Dunn Belterra Casino Resort & Spa 1-888-BELTERRA BelterraCasino.com 21 Sara Bareilles Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256 HardRockBiloxi.com 23 Tony Bennett Beau Rivage Resort & Casino 1-888-566-7469 BeauRivage.com
Want more? Southern Gaming’s Got It! Visit SouthernGaming.com for all your gaming needs. Vol um e 13 I ssu e 2
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Facts and Fun Stuff
Did You Know? 1. The slot machine was invented by Charles Fey in what U.S. city?
A) Las Vegas, Nevada B) San Francisco, California C) Belleview, Florida D) San Diego, California
2. Which of the following was not one of the first five symbols to be used on a slot machine? A) Clubs B) Liberty Bell C) Spades D) Horseshoe 3. Slot machines account for _____ of the annual gaming profits in the United States? A) 73% B) over 45% C) 30% D) over 60%
A) Phil Hellmuth Jr. B) Ron White C) Oscar Nunez D) All of the Above
A) IMS B) Aristocrat C) WMS D) Bally
Riddle of the Month Answer: Ace of Diamonds, King of Hearts, Two of Spades.
Revenue, in billions, accounted for by Indiana casinos in 2010
110 59 Percentage of gamers who say slot machines are their favorite casino game
830,000 "Did You Know" answers, below left
7 3
There are more than this many slot machines in the United States alone
2 8
5
6 8 2 4
The Sudoku Puzzle
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4
Up to the challenge?
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1
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G A M E C O U R TES Y O F S U D O K U TO D AY. C O M
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By the Numbers
Number of players in the 2010 Derby Poker Championship
5. Which manufacturer is soon to be releasing their Yahtzee and Pirate Battle-themed slot machines?
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Got a joke or fun fact? E-mail it to jokes@southerngaming.com for your chance to win casino coupons from The Comps ClubTM!
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4. Which celebrities participated in the 2010 Derby Poker Championship?
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Three playing cards in a row. Can you name them with these clues? There is a two to the right of a king. A diamond will be found to the left of a spade. An ace is to the left of a heart. A heart is to the left of a spade. Now, identify all three cards. The answer is listed on the bottom left corner of this page.
6 "Did You Know" Answers: 1.B-San Francisco, 2. A-Clubs, 3. D-Over 60%, 4. D-All of the above, 5. C-WMS
Riddle of the Month:
3
9
Complete the grid so that each column, row and block of nine squares includes numbers 1 through 9 only once. Answers on page 50
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Attack from Mars Casino Invasion By John Grochowski
The Martians are coming! They’re after the Earth’s monumental treasures, and a few women for good measure. Can you stop them? Perhaps you can — with a chicken or a pig. Or maybe you don’t want to stop them. Maybe you’d rather join the invaders. Take your pick when you play WMS Gaming’s new sci-fi slot machine epic, Attack From Mars/Revenge From Mars. It’s on WMS’ Sensory Immersion platform, which means the game comes with a special chair with Bose speakers in the back, bringing 3-D sound and motion effects. On top of that, players can continue to interact with Attack From Mars/Revenge From Mars away from t he casino t hrough WMS’ new Players Life site, playerslife.com. There’s more good stuff to come, including a designer’s blog entry about the game and the ability for players to earn computer wallpaper a nd r i ng tone s wh i le playing. Sensory Immersion has been an enormous success for WMS, starting with the action game “Top Gun,” based on the Tom Cruise motion picture hit. That was followed by the “Wizard of Oz” games, featuring more storyline than action, and is one of the most popular games WMS has ever produced. “I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun to have a Sensory Immersion that was kind of humorous?’” says Ben Gomez, senior principal game designer at WMS. “And I thought with the pinball games Attack From Mars and Revenge From Mars, it was very funny. There were jokes in it, and people were laughing as they played. I wanted to bring 10
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that feeling to a slot machine, where not only you were you playing a slot machine, but you were caught up in this campy B-movie, and you find yourself laughing at certain sequences through the game.” Ah yes, pinball. WMS has its roots in the old Williams pinball company. In the mid-1990s, the parent company WMS Industries owned the Bally trade name in regards to pinball games. It was under the Bally name in 1995 that the company brought out the pinball game Attack From Mars. “Attack From Mars from our pinball days is one of our best known brands, so from that perspective, we really put a lot of work and effort into this game,” says Allon Englman, vice president of game design at WMS. “It was really a labor of love for the company.” Gomez was with the company when the Attack From Mars rolled out. “The pinball Attack From Mars was sort of a campy, based off of the B-movies where Martians are invading, and it was from the perspective of humans trying to save the Earth. Then they did another one, Revenge From Mars, where the Martians were going to take revenge on the humans,” he says. “I thought
it would be cool to have both ideas in one game — playing from the human’s perspective or from the Martians perspective. We thought it would be kind of cool to just say, ‘Hey, I want to change my luck, I want to play as a Martian now,’ without having to cash out or completely go to a new game.” The Martians are little green men, and sometimes you’ll see them in their flying saucers. Other times, they’ll come to Earth in towering robot-like travel machines with long metal legs and four long metal arms. The Martian is in control inside a transparent dome at the top of the robot. Animation both on your main screen and in a screen above ties the otherworldly experience all together. The flexibility of the Sensory Immersion platform means that WMS can offer different graphics and sounds depending on whether you want to play as a defending human in Attack From Mars or as an avenging Martian in Revenge From Mars. “Basically, with the lighting effect and the sound, it almost looks like the game is changing, with color, visuals and sound,” Gomez explains. “It feels like you’re playing a completely different game. All of a sudden when you switch over to being a Martian, there’s a lot of Martian talk. When you switch back to being a human, you hear a lot more human. It’s an interesting way of using the Sensory Immersion — telling a story and setting the mood.” Much of the interplanetary fun comes in four bonus events. When playing Attack From Mars, there are two events in which you play as a defender of the Earth, while the two events in Revenge From Mars have you playing as a Martian invader. The Attack From Mars bonuses are called “There Goes the Universe” and “Duck, It’s Chicken.” In “There Goes the Universe,” you’re trying to save monuments of the world from the invading Martians. A 3-D globe spins and pinpoints landmarks such as Paris’ Eiffel Tower or the Great Wall of China. You choose missiles to try to shoot the Martians out of the sky and save the monument. And if you fail … “the Martians have an abduction ray,” Gomez says. "If you don’t shoot them out of the sky, they abduct the monument and take off, and the bonus ends. What’s interesting is every time you save a monument, the globe rotates to a new location. So it could be Vegas, it could be Stonehenge ... the more locations you save, you get tiered jackpots at the end. During the whole process, the bonusing changes depending what location you’re in. So if you’re in New York City, you’re going to hear some of Sammy Davis-like, old-style music. In Paris, you’re going to hear French music. And there a lot of funny things from the inhabitants depending on your location and what the Martians are doing.” In the “Duck, It’s Chicken” bonus, you could be called on to save the world with a farm animal. This one is a free-spin bonus round, but instead of being told up front you have a specific number of free spins, it’s free form. You keep spinning as long as you’re winning. Each time you get a losing spin, the Martians
Attack From Mars bonuses include "There Goes the Universe" and "Duck, Itâs Chicken." on the top box start coming closer, trying to reach the county line below. But don’t fret. You have a chance to hold them off. “Think of the old retro video game Space Invaders,” Gomez says. “Every time you get a losing spin, these Martians advance down on the top box. As long as you continue to win on the free spins, it’ll keep the Martians at bay so they don’t advance. And when you do get a win, there’s a farmer who’s rigged a tractor to catapult farm animals at the Martians. You push the fire button, and out of the tractor the catapult will shoot a pig, a duck, a chicken. “So when he shoots a pig, he’ll knock over a Martian out of the row and you’ll get an extra award — like a multiplier, a number of reels wild, a credit amount and a certain symbol wild. So every time you win, you get a chance to shoot the Martians, prevent them from advancing, and enhance your line win. Once they advance over the county line, they invade and the bonus is over.”
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From defending the Earth, you can choose to go on the attack if you switch to Revenge From Mars. Again, there are two main bonus events — “Mars Kneads Women” and “Abduction Makes Me Hungry. “Mars Kneads Women” is where the Martian in the robot comes into play. The Martian in his big, mechanical, robot-like travel suit lands in the city, and women scatter for places to hide. As the invader, it’s your job to seek out the women.
It’s all meant to evoke a B-movie feel, from the days of campy science fiction, bug-eyed, green-skinned aliens and dodgy special effects. Most of all, it’s supposed to be fun. “It’s kind of a retro-style, sci-fi B-movie where things were kind of hokey and funny,” Gomez says, noting that science fiction is a popular genre for WMS, with “Star Trek,” “Men In Black” and “Time Machine” among its recent hits. “It’s one of those themes players really respond to,” he says.
“You’re trying to take women back It’s an attraction WMS hopes to to Mars,” Gomez says. “All of enhance through Players Life. a sudden, there are hot dog “In the game, you have a trophy carts, trash cans, taxis and case,” Gomez says. “In There vans, and you have to Goes the Universe, if pick an item. The you save enough robot disintegrates locations, you’ll that item, and get a bronze there’s a woman t r o p h y. E a c h hiding behind bonus has a it. Depending on bron z e , si l ve r Play as a human or a martian in attack from mars. what woman you and gold trophy. find, it determines They’re all taskwhat score you’re going driven. So if you achieve to get. We have a level a task in each of those like blue hair, redhead, bonuses, you’ ll get a blonde and brunette. If trophy. If you get all gold you find a woman, the in all bonuses, then you Martian puts out one of get the final gold trophy. its mechanical hands and What those gold trophies picks her up, and then do for you in Players Life, she gets transferred to is once you get a gold the top box into a holding trophy in a bonus and tube. During the whole you go to Players Life, it’ll process, they’re saying allow you to download funny phrases and there’s the wallpaper for your music — we licensed music computer of that bonus. from Poison, ‘Nothin’ But When you get gold in a Good Time.’ You’re all the bonuses, you trying to abduct as many Playerâs Life from WMS allows gamers to save their will have the ability to women as you can, and the games for a later date. go to Players Life and more women, the higher download the actual the score is.” screen as wallpaper. That leaves “Abducting Makes Me Hungry.” Battling earthlings When you get the ultimate goal, we’ll allow you to download a and chasing women makes a Martian a little starved, doesn’t ring tone of the bonus music.” it? So you’re the Martian, in your flying saucer, hovering over a One final thing to watch for: a cow. city with a doughnut shop, ice cream store, pet store, gas station “WMS would always put cows in their pinball machines,” Gomez and other shops. explains. “They would always hide a cow in their glasswork. There “You’re supposed to pick a store you want to abduct food from,” are cows in this game.” Gomez explains. “Say you pick the ice cream store — the Martian Anything for udder-worldly entertainment. hovers over it and starts sucking up items from the store. The more he abducts, the higher the credits go. While he’s doing that, he’s saying funny things. And if he finds a bad item, a bad ice Syndicated gaming columnist John Grochowski has been covering the casino industry for 17 years in pop or whatever, the Martian gets an upset stomach and leaves his weekly column distributed to newspapers and the scene. And you kind of hear some toilet humor — a lot of websites. He is also the author of six books, including “The Slot Machine Answer Book” and “The Video burping and expelling of Martian gas. The moment the Martians Poker Answer Book.” You can find him online at www. get sick, the bonus is over.” casinoanswerman.com. This column is an excerpt from “The Slot Machine Answer Book.”
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(800) 526-7223 • hoosierpark.com * Recognition in nine Southern Gaming and nine Midwest Gaming & Travel categories. Loosest slot claim based on state reported data. Must be 21 years or older to enter casino. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-9-WITH-IT.
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Tax Tips for Gamblers By Jean S cott
Do you believe any of the following statements? • I can lump together all my wins and losses for the year, and, if I have a net loss, I don’t need to put wins or losses on my income tax returns. After all, I didn’t have any gambling income. • The IRS can’t “catch” me, even if I win a lot of money gambling, as long as it’s done slowly over a considerable period of time in different gambling venues and I get no official forms like a W-2G or 1099. • Federal and state tax agencies know most gamblers lose over the long term, so they aren’t very interested in auditing them. • If I do get a few W-2Gs, I can just count that total as my gambling income for the year and be safe in an IRS audit. • If I gamble online, the IRS doesn’t get any records of this, so I don’t have to report any of my winnings. • If I gamble on a cruise ship in waters three miles from U.S. soil, I don’t need to report my winnings. • If I play poker only in home games, I do not have to report my winnings. • Winnings from illegal gambling are not taxable. If you believe any of these, you may get in trouble with the IRS — because NONE of them are true! Before we go any further, let me emphasize: The purpose of this article is not to moralize or judge, whether you do or don’t report your gambling figures. However, as casinos spring up around the country and, as a result, more and more people gamble, the IRS is becoming progressively more interested in this area of potential under-reporting. If you report any W-2Gs, or don’t include them when you’ve been issued them, it’s becoming more likely you’ll be asked by the IRS to provide more details of your gambling. OK, you say, “What do I need to know that might keep me from getting into a tangle with the IRS?” First, IRS publications clearly state that gambling winnings are income and must be reported. The instruction booklets that come with tax forms list gambling winnings as one type of income to be put under “Other Income.” This means gambling winnings from legal, or even illegal, sources anywhere in the world — lotteries, raffles, drawings, prizes, racetracks, bingo games and casino games — whether they’re on Native American reservations, cruise ships, the Internet or in another country. It means all gambling winnings, whether you get a W-2G, a 1099, or no paperwork at all. This is important to remember. Second, by winnings, the IRS is not talking about one net winor-loss figure at the end of the tax year, but win/loss figures for 14
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individual gambling sessions. They say you cannot net out your gambling for the year. You must add up all the winning sessions and all the losing sessions separately. To emphasize this, the IRS puts this in the instructions that come with your tax forms: You cannot reduce your gambling winnings by your gambling losses and report the difference. Third, the IRS clearly states that you must have good records. From IRS publication 529: You must keep an accurate diary or similar record of your losses and winnings. And from one tax case came this official ruling: Entries to your diary or log must be made when the gambling activity takes place. Your records may be determined to be inadequate if a handwriting expert testifies many of the entries were made at the same time. Although these three concepts are clear and easy to understand, while trying to put them to work on your individual return, you will soon discover that the IRS offers surprisingly few details to guide gamblers through the tax maze in which they will find themselves. Furthermore, what the IRS does say is often general, vague, open to individual interpretation and even contradictory. In fact, the IRS has even ended up confusing itself. Therefore, you can’t call one IRS phone number and get the final and absolute answer to your questions on gambling; calling and talking to 10 different IRS representatives might give you up to 10 varying pieces of advice. Two auditors sitting next to each other in the same office could hear the same information and come up with entirely different results. This is why many gamblers need to turn to a professional tax preparer. However, you need to be sure this person is knowledgeable about gambling issues. Many have had little or no experience in this area and, even if they are experts in other fields, have been known to give clients unwise advice that later got them in the crosshairs of the IRS. Jean Scott has written five books in the “Frugal Gambler” series, including “Tax Help for Gamblers” with Marissa Chien, and is both a professional tax preparer and a gambler herself. This book discusses W-2Gs, Social Security numbers, online gaming, live poker, comps, noncitizen gamblers, IRS audits, professional vs. recreational gamblers, table games and machines, tournaments, and tax-withholding — almost any subject that might face a gambler filling out their federal return. Plus there is a chapter at the end discussing state taxes, with a chart listing how each of the 50 states handles gambling wins/losses. All her products can be ordered at www.queenofcomps.com. The tax book and “Frugal Video Poker” are also available as e-Books at www.shoplva.com/collections/ebooks.
Me Tarzan. You play.
It’s jungle meets jackpots! Tarzan® Lord of the Jungle™ brings you bold graphics, big wins, and amazing bonus features that’ll make you go wild. Look for Tarzan on your favorite slot floor today – because when it comes to fun, this game doesn’t monkey around. It’s not just a game. It’s an Aristocrat game.
aristocratgaming.com
Tarzan® is a registered trademark of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. and used by permission. ©1983-2011. All rights reserved. ©2011 Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited. All rights reserved.
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What's Hot in Slots? Top New Slot Machines in 2011 By John Grochowski
Since their invention in 1899 by Charles Fey of San Francisco, the slot machines have come a long way to become the majority of gamers’ favorite casino game. The glitz and glamour keeps on coming as manufacturers come up with unique themes and creative features that keep players coming back for more time and time again. The latest technology allows imagination to become reality, with 3-D graphics and sound systems like you’ve never seen before. Gamers are engulfed into a whole new world when they hit the slots, whether it is becoming a pirate battling with cannons or Tarzan swinging through the jungle. The options are endless with bonus features and unexpected occurrences around every corner in the gamer’s virtual world. Slot enthusiasts continue to be pleasantly surprised with manufacturers’ ability to come up with bigger and better slots games year after year. This year is no exception, as several new slot machines are coming on the market. Here is a sneak peak at what 2011 has to offer:
Yahtzee: WMS Gaming One of the most recognizable games of all time is now available as a premium video slot! Available this month, the unique storage mechanic in this new premium slot allows players to save up bonus triggers to use when they want — they can initiate the bonus each time they collect a trigger, or save up five bonus chips for a chance at progressive awards. Yahtzee gives even minimum-bet players a chance at the eight progressive prizes. On top of that, the Yahtzee Wild Multiplier can augment base wins by up to 36x! 16
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Pirate Battle: WMS Gaming Available in April, WMS considers Pirate Battle to be the first truly competitive slot experience. WMS’ Metascreen Portal Application Family debuts with Pirate Battle, a 2-vs.-2 competition Community Gaming theme available exclusively in banks of four BLUEBIRD xD cabinets with special 32-inch overhead monitors. These monitors join to form a massive, singular screen on which a bonus cannon battle randomly occurs, in which red and blue teams, denoted by emotive lighting at the EGM level, compete for credit and jackpot awards in two different Team Compete to Win bonuses.
The Price Is Right— The Ultimate Show: WMS Gaming The longest-running game show in U.S. television history is getting a serious facelift in this all-new slot experience. When one of the Local Area Progressive bonuses triggers, you’ll feel like you’re in the game show as experience design elements choose one lucky player to enter a bonus round. Play your favorite games straight from the show, with four unique progressive bonuses that award free spins, cash prizes and more. On top of the exciting slot action, you can track your bonus accomplishments through your unique Player’s Life username for a personalized gaming experience like you’ve never seen!
The Godfather: WMS Gaming The first multi-level progressive that allows you to win your way up progressive levels! WMS is proud to bring the excitement and drama of The Godfather to the casino floor for the first time! Sonny Corleone will talk you through the Free Spins Challenge, where completing Sonny’s missions will yield additional credit awards and a continuation of this free spin-based bonus. On top of that, players triggering the multi-level progressive can wager portions of their progressive win for a chance to move up the prize levels, working their way up the Family until they receive the one offer they can’t refuse. Vol um e 13 I ssue 2
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Tarzan— Lord of the Jungle: Aristocrat Technologies Are you ready to swing with the Lord of the Jungle? Aristocrat’s newest game, Tarzan Lord of the Jungle, brings the myth and fantasy of the famous tale to life with dazzling graphics, stereo sound, seven high-hit frequency bonus features and a four-level progressive with a jungle-sized top jackpot of $250,000! The big screen style action stretches top to bottom on Aristocrat’s incredible VERVE HD monitor. The 31.5-inch portrait monitor dramatically showcases Tarzan Lord of the Jungle’s GEN7X capabilities in high definition (1920 x 1080) graphics, 3-D panoramic digital audio and player-adjustable sound, and the amazing Nteractiv LCD Programmable button technology. This exciting game hosts five bonuses, each of which provides the player with more opportunities to win Special Wilds, multiplied winnings and much more. Tarzan Lord of the Jungle is a fast-paced penny video slot, configured as a 30 line + 20 credit ante bet game with a 50-credit minimum bet and a 150-credit maximum bet.
Gazellions & Fortune Fantasy: Aristocrat Technologies Are you ready to increase the power of your casino floor by giving players a chance to play four games at once with Gazellions and Fortune Fantasy? Gazellions and Fortune Fantasy are the latest penny video slot games from Aristocrat, and powered by Aristocrat’s exclusive Reel Power technology, these unique games create more opportunities for players to win as they play up to four sets of reels! Gazellions and Fortune Fantasy award both traditional free game features as well as Aristocrat’s exciting new Super Free Game Feature. The player collects free games via a Free Games Meter, which increases by one each time two Gazelle or Insect symbols appear in an active game. The Free Games Meter is easily found above each of the four sets of reels. The Super Free Games Feature is won when three trigger symbols appear horizontally on an active game. This feature is played out on all four sets of reels as specified on the Free Game Meter of the game that triggered the feature. During the Super Free Games, when two or three triggering symbols appear, an additional one or five extra Super Free Games are awarded respectively. The more traditional free games are awarded when three trigger symbols appear in any combination on an active game. This awards the specified free game meter amount for that game only.
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Blazing Hot Tournament: Bally Technologies Blazing Hot Tournament provides community-based, tournament-paced action to players. This game features a 20- or 40-line base game (up to 300 credits per bet) and a wildly exciting bonus round during which you can win up to 1,000,000 credits! To be eligible for the fast-paced Tournament Bonus Feature, you must make an additional ante wager of 20 credits for the 40-line version, or 10 credits for the 20-line version. When the tournament bonus round is randomly triggered, a large LCD display above each game switches from attract mode to tournament mode with exciting sound effects. You and the other players at the game can then engage in friendly and spirited competition as you vie for the top spot to achieve the highest payouts possible. One of the most exciting things about Blazing Hot Tournament is the thermometerlike “Tournament Prize Meter” displayed on the right side of the screen. When the tournament mode is triggered, this meter serves two purposes — first, it determines eligibility to participate in the tournament. You must tap the “Spin” button to keep moving upward. Second, the higher the meter goes, the more money you will win in the tournament round. Blazing Hot Tournament delivers tournament-paced action like you’ve never seen in a slot machine!
Cash Wizard: Bally Technologies Cash Wizard will take you to a new dimension of dynamic graphics, enchanting animation, exciting bonus features, the excitement of a vibrant mystery wheel, and the chance to win one of three progressive jackpots! The amazingly interactive, videogame-like quality of this breakthrough game is sure to charm you as you play to win free games, credits and a spin of the mystery wheel. Aside from its rich, immersive and visually stunning palette of remarkable on-screen animations and special effects, what really sets Cash Wizard apart is its unique Wizard Bonus, an ante bet that triggers two additional bonus features: “Wizard Wild” and “Wizard Mystery Wheel.” In the “Wizard Wild” feature, the Cash Wizard flies through the air and awards you lucrative wild symbols. The Mystery Wheel rewards you with credits, free games or one of three exciting progressive jackpots. During the Free Games bonus, which is triggered in the “Wizard Mystery Wheel” feature or by three scattered Free Games symbols on reels two, three and four, you’ll be serenaded by “It’s Magic,” the popular song from the 1970s. Vol um e 13 I ssue 2
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Vegas Hits: Bally Technologies Vegas Hits delivers double the wheel-spinning excitement and twice the interactive fun with two spectacular bonus wheels. This action-packed game puts you in control with U-Spin touch-screen technology that lets you physically control the wheel spin by touching the screen and moving your hand left or right, fast or slow, and then letting go. Spin the bottom wheel for bonus spins and enhanced wilds. Spin the top wheel for colossal cash payouts. Plus, 16 unique bonus games make sure the fun never stops. From free games, to credits, to spins on the Money Wheel, this game offers the same fast-paced action and non-stop excitement of the Entertainment Capital of the World itself!
Ultra Hit Progressive: WMS Gaming Ultra Hit Progressive is a mystery-triggered, multi-level progressive that adds a second bonus opportunity on top of your favorite slot themes (both video and mechanical). Compatible with almost any WMS video or mechanical slot, the first theme in the Ultra Hit Progressive family, Jackpot Explosion, will have lava filling the sides of your reels and your top box as jackpot levels increase. Excitement intensifies at the bank level as the progressive trigger nears until the volcano dramatically erupts, awarding one lucky player one of four progressive awards. It’s an additional way to win on top of your favorite video and mechanical slots! Available nationwide in April.
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Video Poker
Not-So-Ugly Deuces Wild By L inda B oyd
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 her free strategy cards for the most popular games. The second edition with a 2010 publishing date is being sent by Amazon, Square One Publishers and book stores. Kindle edition now available.
Frequently gamblers say they love to play “deuces wild” video poker. Every time I hear this remark, I wonder which game they’re talking about. There are so many versions, some good and others simply awful. In fact, those with a huge house advantage are lumped together and called “coyote ugly” deuces. You’ll find I only write strategy cards (free in the back of my book, “The Video Poker Edge”) for games I recommend.
Understanding Table 1.1: You will need to understand both the ER and variance figures before deciding whether or not you want to play any video poker game. An ER of 100 percent is called even money, meaning both you and the house have an equal chance of winning; if the ER is higher, you have the advantage, lower, and the house does. NSUD has close to even odds and slot club points, comps and bounceback cash may give the edge to the player.
I n J a n u a r y 2 0 0 9 , I w r o t e t i p s f o r I ll i n o i s D e u c e s (www.southerngaming.com, video poker archives), easy to find and often available on progressives. Not-So-Ugly Deuces (NSUD) is another great choice and can be found in many Southern and Midwest casinos as well as throughout Nevada. Of course, you’ll have to spend a few minutes checking out the pay schedule to make sure you’ve found the right game. Take Table 1.1 along with you and match it to the pay schedule on the device.
This game has a fairly low variance (25.78027) — good for players because there’s less risk to your bankroll than more volatile games. To put the variance in perspective, Loose Deuces (full pay version) has a variance of 70.39312.
Not-So-Ugly Deuces (NSUD): You may think you can use the same strategy for all deuces wild games, but that would be a big mistake. For example, if you’re dealt two pair, a frequent hand (once every 2.1 hands) in some games, you hold both pairs and in others just one. The correct hold depends entirely on the pay schedule, never on hunches. This particular deuces game can sometimes, although rarely, be found in a progressive royal version. Table 1.1: Pay Schedules for Not-So-Ugly Deuces Wild Winning Hand | 5-Coin Bet
Coins Returned
Royal Flush
4000
Four Deuces
1000
Royal with Deuces (Wild Royal)
125
5 of a Kind
80
Straight Flush
50
4 of a Kind
20
Full House
20
Flush
15
Straight
10
3 of a Kind
5
Expected Return (ER)*
99.9131%
Variance**
25.78027
*ER refers to the theoretical long-term results, assuming accurate play. **Variance represents the likelihood that short-term results will vary from long-term expectations. The higher the variance, the greater the probability of deviations from the theoretical ER, thus there’s more risk to your bankroll. 22
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Tips for NSUD: Strategy for all video poker games is based solely on the payout for a winning hand relative to the probability of receiving the hand. In other words, the amount of coins returned for the winner compared with the odds of achieving the hand. Since there are 2,598,960 possible dealt hands for all games using a deck of 52 cards, you must rely on practice with tutorial software and strategy cards for a specific game to be sure of computer correct holds. I used Dean Zamzow’s computer perfect software, WinPoker, to write my strategy cards as well as to write and check these tips. 1. Carefully check the pay schedule on the machine and match it with Table 1.1. The casino’s pay table will not include the game’s ER, variance or the game name NSUD. (Removable pay schedules from my book or elsewhere should be brought to the casino with you so you’ll know the ER before deciding whether or not you want to play.) 2. Dealt two pair, hold both pair. The exception to this rule is if you are dealt three to a natural royal flush, then you hold for the royal. 3. Dealt 5 of a kind, hold all cards, no exceptions. (In some deuces games, like Loose Deuces, you hold just the three deuces. In other deuces games, like Full Pay Deuces Wild, you sometimes hold just the three deuces and sometimes you hold all cards. It depends on the probability of backing into a wild royal.) 4. Dealt any wild royal, hold all cards. This is correct even if you are dealt either three deuces or four to a natural royal. 5. Dealt a flush or a straight with four to a natural or wild royal, always hold four to the royal. Final Thoughts: Most players don’t play computer-perfect video poker or even close to it. That’s why casinos can offer some games with excellent theoretical returns. If you want to play error free or just decrease the number of mistakes, then you should practice using tutorial software and with an accurate strategy card. I recommend Dean Zamzow’s award-winning tutorial software, WinPoker, for home practice. Go to www.videopokerpractice.com.
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have it your way Latest trends in the slot industry By John Grochowski
down to the button panels. The new iDeck button panel replaces traditional buttons with images on a video screen. One physical button remains. Bally developers figured players would still like to push a physical button to start the reels spinning. The iDeck comes with a suite of U-Win bonus applications --randomly occurring bonus events come up randomly right on the panel where the buttons used to be. It can be a spin of the wheel, the rub of a magic lamp, touching items to reveal bonus rewards. Bonuses on the iDeck can run separately from the main game --a wheel spin, for example, can bring a bonus to the button panel of any Bally base game equipped with the iDeck. Or bonuses on the panel can be integrated into the main game. When it comes to playing the slots, what do you look for? Do you like to just watch the reels spin, or do you want to make choices that influence the outcome? Do you want to push the buttons and let ‘em roll, or do you want to interact via the touchscreen? Do you want to play on your own, of do you want a full-out community experience? Well, have it your way. The biggest trend in electronic gaming today is to give the players what they want. Slot manufacturers such as WMS Gaming and Bally Technologies know that not every player is the same, so they try to give us choice among the ways we play. Sometimes that choice even comes at one machine, such as WMS’ Star Trek and Lord of the Rings games, where you can unlock bonus and graphics packages, then choose which unlocked version to play. Within that larger overall trend of letting you have it your way, there are several smaller trends, all with the goal of adding entertainment and keeping us coming back for more.
Hands-On Experience Touchscreens have been with us for more than a decade, but now game designers are really strutting their stuff, using the touch screen for much more than picking icons to select bonuses. At Bally, games are a tactile experience from the main screen right 24
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One game where the touch panel is an important part of the main game is Betty Boop’s Love Meter. In the How Hot Are You bonus, images of hands appear on the panel. You place your hands on the iDeck outlines, and the outlines change colors a la the mood ring fad of the 1970s. Then a meter in the top box rises, from lovable to romantic to sexy to wild to smokin’ and beyond. The higher it rises, the hotter your bonus. Touch really comes into play in Bally’s U-Spin games. When you go into a bonus event, an image of a wheel appears on the screen, mirroring a physical wheel on top of the machine. You touch the on-screen wheel to spin --- but this is no touch-and-go experience. Keep your finger on the wheel, and move it up or down to move the wheel in either direction. Drag your finger and the wheel fast and let go, and you get a long, fast spin. Go slow, take it easy, and the wheel spins slowly. And while your virtual wheel spins on screen, the top box wheel spins at the same speed, showing the same numbers. It’s a cool piece of technology, one that proved immediately popular. Cash Spin, the first game in the U-Spin series, rolled out in April, and within seven months had more than 1,200 games on casino floors as it proved its allure to players and operators. With a hit game in the field, Bally is exploring what else U-Spin can do, giving different looks to the wheel. Vegas Hits brings two wheels to the game, stacked high on its Digital Tower cabinet. On the wheels, you can win bonus credits and multipliers.
And then there’s Golden Pharoah, a game with a wide-area progressive jackpot and a different kind of U-Spin. This time, you get a side view of a wheel, and instead of spinning up and down you’re spinning left to right or right to left. Golden Pharoah also includes another innovative new feature, the Directional Wild. When a compass-like wild symbol turns up on the video reels, a pointer rotates around the symbol. When it stops, it indicates a direction, and all symbols in the indicated path turn wild, leading to extra wins. Aruze Gaming goes a different direction with its hands-on play in Paradise Fishing, where you get the full feel of landing a big fish through a joy stick that represents the old fishing pole. With six machines under three 60-inch high definition LCD games showing scenes from the deep sea or coral reef, the game looks beautiful. The community style bonuses are reminiscent of WMS’ Reel ’Em In: Compete to Win. But the hook here is the controller using Aruze’s Reel Feel technology. Grab hold, and raise or lower your worm. And when that marlin strikes, you can really feel it. The fish struggles and fights while you try to land it --- and sometimes it gets away.
Choose Your Volatility Some players like frequent small wins. Others scoff at the little ’uns, wanting a better shot at a big jackpot even if it means long losing streaks. And there are those who stake out the middle ground, looking for machines that have a reasonable shot at a big jackpot, and a moderate amount of small hits to keep them going. We’re starting to see games that let the player choose. A new slot manufacturer, Incredible Technologies, made its casino debut in 2010 with Magic Touch game themes including Money, Fish Store and Cars. The player is asked, “How would you like to win?” The player then can touch the screen to choose “Often,” “Steady” or “Big.” An animated top hat called the “Prize Guy” appears on screen to explain it all. No matter what the player’s choice, game play and graphics remain the same. In Money, for example, you collect coins during regular play. Each coin adds to the jackpot, with a dollar coin adding more than a quarter and a quarter more than a nickel. When five coins are collected, the bonus event starts. You can win it all, or part, with the rest staying on the meter for next time. What chances is the volatility. Depending on your choice, you’ll get frequent small hits, or more losing spins with a better chance at a big win, or something in between. Bally is also going the choose your volatility route with Hot Pick, a U-Spin game. The choice comes not for the full game, but in a bonus event. “In Hot Pick, we’re enabling players to choose their own volatility,” said Laura Olson-Reyes, Bally’s director of corporate communications. “If they want a lot of time on device and frequent small wins, they can choose that, or if they like to bet more for the opportunity for bigger wins, they have the
opportunity to choose that too.” The “choose your volatility” feature applies to the frequency of the bonus event as well as the prizes available on the bonus wheel. There are six levels of volatility available, represented by different symbols. When you go to choose, you can touch a single bar for the lowest volatility, with the most frequent bonus events and the lowest totals on the wheel. Touch a Wild symbol instead, and watch the numbers on the wheel change as the game shifts into the highest volatility level. Or you can choose 5-bar or various 7 symbols to pick a level in between. Do you want a lot of chances to spin the wheel, or do you want the chance at a really big jackpot when the wheel comes up? You get to choose.
Playing Together Playing the slots has long been a solitary experience. Just you and the machine. It still can be, if that’s the experience you want. But if you want a table-like experience of winning together, cheering for a common goal, or a little competition, that’s there, too. WMS Gaming has been at the forefront of the segment ever since it introduced its Community Gaming line with Monopoly Big Event. Since then it has taken Community Gaming from a pure we’re-all-in-this-together experience a la craps, to a competitive experience. In Reel ’Em In: Compete to Win, all eligible players to go to the big screen for a fishing bonus together, but the players get points for their own fish as they catch them, rather than compiling points together. The player who lands the fish worth the most total points wins the fishing derby and gets an extra bonus. Now Community Gaming is a launching point toward Collaborative Gaming, WMS’ new line in which players take actions that affect each others’ bonuses. First up is Monopoly Bigger Event Big Money Spin, a game that not only takes the “Playing Together” trend up another level, but also is a “Hands On” experience. In a bonus trip around the Monopoly game board, players take turns rolling the dice, touching them on the screen, dragging and letting’ em fly. Land on Boardwalk, and you’re a hero. Or in Community Chest and Chance bonuses, players take turns touching the screen to flip over a card and reveal a bonus amount. Your neighbors are rooting for you to flip over a big-money card, and you’re doing the same for them. WMS also is rolling out a line of Portal Applications that can be layered onto any base game. No matter what the theme, a casino will be able to add on bonus events such as Meta Screen, which is designed for competitive community play. The initial Meta Screen theme is Pirate Battle, with some players on the bank grouped as the Red Team, exchanging cannon fire with the Blue Team. The bigger bonus goes to the winning team. Every slotmaker is getting involved in the community trend. At International Game Technology, The Dark Knight lets players compete as Batman and the Joker in a race through Gotham City.
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The game is on IGT’s Center Stage platform, with a giant 108-inch screen over the bank of machine, and the effect is spectacular. “It brings in a lot of clips, a lot of people from the movie, so it brings that familiarity with it,” said public relations representative Shelle Murach. “It has great sound and great action on it as well.” Atronic’s first entry into community gaming plays off its success with its Deal or No Deal slots. In Deal or No Deal Join ’N’ Play. TV host Howie Mandel joins in the fun for the first time in Atronic’s series of games based on the hit game show. It’s a community-style game, with five 45-inch LCD screens overhead for the big suitcase bonus event. As you play, you collect suitcases, with 18 cases bringing eligibility for the community bonus. The more you bet from a minimum of 50 cents to a maximum of $2.50, the more reels are activated with qualifier cases. A sixth reel can multiply cases collected on any spin. “What we’re trying to do with the community game is not give a lot of those win-below-bets,” product manager Mike Brennan said. “We want the excitement of those five of a kind wins. The hit frequency is a little less but you’re getting some substantial wins. “It’s an 11-minute timed event community bonus, and it’s designed to be an inclusive event. Almost everyone will qualify who’s playing at a decent pace”
That's Entertainment Practically since the advent of video slots, we’ve seen tie-ins with movies and TV shows. That trend continues. IGT is making the most of film licenses with plenty of clips and movie-related bonuses on Ghostbusters and Hangover. Hangover, based on the hit comedy, is a multilevel progressive, with levels named after movie characters Alan, Phil, Stu and Doug. Movie scenes help introduce the bonus events. In Stu’s Game, movie dentist Stu notices he’s missing a tooth. Then the player starts selecting teeth on a grid to collect bonuses. “It’s very, very fun,” March said. “You’ve got all this iconic stuff from the movie like the tiger, the chicken, the tooth. And you’ve got a lot of music.” WMS, which has had success after success with its Wizard of Oz Sensory Immersion games, goes back to the Emerald City with The Great and Powerful Oz. This time, Sensory Immersion --with its chairs equipped with Bose speakers for 3-D sound and special effects --- is combined with Community Gaming and Transmissive Reels, where video images are transmitted on the glass in front of the mechanical reels. You choose a character --- you can play as Dorothy, the Tin Man, Cowardly Lion or Scarecrow as you journey to meet the Great and Powerful Oz. In the community bonus, during which each player gets seven free spins, the wizard appears on the screen over the banks ahead and awards enhancements to the reels. The enhancements may be for all, or they may be for the individual player. If you’re playing as Dorothy, you’ll want to hear the great and powerful one boom out, “I WILL GRANT YOU RUBY SLIPPERS WILD!” 26
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The Godfather figures to be a player favorite, with six progressive levels, each accompanied by an image of a character from the movie. WMS touts it as the first multilevel progressive that allows you to win your way up the progressive levels. There are two base games. One is based on the Godfather’s family --- the 243-waysto-win My Daughters Wedding . The other is based on his work --- the 25-line Corleone’s Office.
A Little Something Different There’s a certain amount of follow-the-leader among slotmakers, just as there is in any industry. Success in Community Gaming begets more community gaming, and if Choose Your Volatility catches on, we’ll see more manufacturers offering players a chance to choose their volatility. But at the same time, manufacturers want to differentiate their products. They don’t want you just to choose a slot machine. They want you to choose THEIR slot machine. Aristocrat Technologies was the first to bring us Reel Power games where you bet on reels rather than traditional paylines and have 243 ways to win. Now it plays with the reels in its first Mega Pay games, More Hearts and More Chilli. Both start with two sets of five reels --- like having two video slot games on the screen at once. When the player has collected enough hearts or peppers, the view expands to three sets, and the fifth reel is wild on each set. Collect more bonus symbols, and a fourth screen pops up, this time the fourth AND fifth reels are wild, meaning any three of a kind connection on the first three reels becomes a big five of a kind pay. The next Mega Pay games in line, Gazillions and Fortune Fantasy, start the player off with four sets of five spinning reels. But this time, when one set goes into a free-spin bonus event, it takes over the screen so there is only one set of reels on display. Another new play dynamic is called Remix, which shuffles reels or symbols around to create new combinations. The Remix line starts with One is Don Quixote, one is Dragon Emperor. On Don Quixote, symbols shuffle around the screen, and fall back into different positions. A windmill on the third reel brings additional respins. Dragon Emperor, meanwhile, is a Reel Power version. Instead of symbols shuffling, the reels shuffle and land on the screen in a new order.
Bringing it all Back Home Who says the slot experience has to stay in the casino? Lord of the Rings, already in the field, lets players continue the fun at home, and WMS says that’s just the beginning. As in the first Adaptive Gaming venture, Star Trek, players create identities and can log back in to pick up where they left off next time they play. Through Players Life (www.playerslife.com), they can continue the journey at home, playing casual, not-for-money games with a chance to unlock the next set of bonus events once they are back in the casino. In the pipeline are Alice, Clue, Battleship and a real eye-catcher, Aladdin. You’ll believe you can really fly that magic carpet in this Sensory Immersion game. All will have some kind of extra interaction among players, with game designers, collecting extra bonuses. It’s one more chance for game designers to let you have it your way.
Over time, there has been little change in the actual payback percentages on the various denominations of traditional machines. The traditional penny machines return about 85 percent; nickel machines about 88 percent; the 25-cent machines return about 90 percent; the 50-cent machines a little over 90 percent; the $1 machines return about 91-92 percent; and the $5 machines return about 94-95 percent. Some venues are more generous than others. Below, understand what the casinos are really saying when they advertise their payback percentages.
Slot Machines:
Frank Scoblete’s newest books are “Slots Conquest: How to Beat the Slot Machines” featuring advantage-play slots that give the players the edge; “Casino Craps: Shoot to Win” that comes with a DVD showing unedited controlled throws; “Cutting Edge Craps: Advanced Strategies for Serious Players”; and “Beat Blackjack Now: The Easiest Way to Get the Edge.” All books are available at bookstores, from Amazon. com or by calling 1-800-944-0406. If you would you like a free month's subscription to Frank Scoblete’s private site and/or a free brochure, e-mail fscobe@optonline.net or call 1-800-944-0406.
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Payback Percentages & Hit Frequeny
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Payback Percentage: You might have seen advertisements in some casino venues stating that their machines return 98 percent of the money being played. The casinos make such a payback look as if it is a great thing. In reality, what the casino is saying actually is, “You put in $100, and we’ll give you back $98.” Of course, this is the expected value over time — a $2 loss for every $100 played. Naturally, the first $100 you put in might win you thousands or lose you every penny. But over time, the expected value in real life will be the expected value programmed into the machine. There’s no escaping it — reel life and real life ultimately even out. Given the number of machines casinos have and the number of decisions those machines give out, the casinos are on top in a very short period of time — and the money just rolls in. So how is the machine going to pay out this money? How does it know to keep $2 per $100 wagered? If we take a strictly random coin toss of heads and tails, the odds are 50/50 that you’ll hit whatever side of the coin on which you are betting. In a fair game where the casino has no edge and you have no edge, a $100 bet will win you $100 or lose you $100. Over enough time, the expectation is for you and the casino to be even. But what if the casino decides to pay you $96 for your wins but still take the $100 from you when you lose? Well, the casino now has a 2 percent edge over you. For $100 wagered, you win one ($96) and lose one ($100), so the $200 you bet returns $196 — a 98 percent return on the money you played. The casino is now keeping $2 per every $100 you wager. Obviously inside that slot machine’s payback programming are thousands of combinations appearing and disappearing constantly, but all of them combined follow the basic concept of a random coin toss, where the casino will pay back less than it takes in. That’s how the casino makes its profit. There is no way to change this, short of taking a sledgehammer to the machine and walloping it, which means over time, slot players must lose. Even advantageplay machines win money for the casinos because
the machine is only in a player-favorable mode for a small percentage of the time. The rest of the time, the house has its nice fat edge. That’s why advantage slot players must only play these machines at those times when the machine is in that positive mode. To do otherwise is to be playing a losing game.
Frank Scoblete
How do the casinos know that the programming will work itself out? Go back to the coin toss. Heads and tails will each appear half the time. The casino cannot lose when the machine is played over an extended period of time. And don’t just think of one machine as a 50/50 coin toss that short-changes on the wins; think of hundreds of thousands of them, each churning out decisions every few seconds. The casino is in the long run in a rather short period of time due to the total number of machines slot players are playing. The casinos must win, and they certainly do win — a lot. The same principle applies to the linked-progressive machines. The linked machines either each have an individual RNG that will signal the main jackpot computer that the jackpot line has been hit, or all the machines are being run by a central RNG. In reality, it does not matter how the machines are set up; the paybacks will follow the programming in terms of what the casino gives and what the casino takes — and naturally what the casino takes will far outweigh what it gives. Hit Frequency: Not all slot machine decisions return money to the player. In fact, most slot players have been trained to expect long stretches of play without any returns at all. A return on a slot machine is called a “hit,” as in “I didn’t hit anything” or “I was hitting like crazy all night.” The hit frequency is how often a player gets some kind of a return. It is not, as some would think, how often a player wins. A return of two coins for three coins played is considered a hit, but it is obviously not a win. Most slot machines have hit frequencies between 9 percent and about 25 percent, which means that a player will get a hit, on average, 9-25 times out of 100 spins. Some of these hits will be for marginal returns, and fewer will be for decent or big wins. In an informal study of slot players, I discovered that a slight majority want to be in on major hits, meaning bigger wins, instead of having frequent hits, and therefore they tend to prefer machines with lower hit frequencies but bigger payouts. I had thought it would be just the opposite — steady hits and less waiting time instead of infrequent larger hits with much longer waiting times. The reality did not correspond to my intuition.
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There’s a reason
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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.
We told you there’s a reason.
Voted Best Rooms & Best Customer Service
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slot floors of the south Top Properties to Spin and Win
Slot machines are America’s favorite casino game. With a wide variety of gaming themes and new technology popping up around every corner, it’s no wonder the casinos of the South try their hardest to stay on top of the slot trends, offering guests the highest quality machines year in and year out. While a slot floor at any casino is busting with players, these Southern casino hotels are notorious for having a selection of slots that is bigger and better than what most can only imagine. With excellent customer service and surrounding amenities as an added bonus, these slot floors keep guests spinnin’ all year long.
Hoosier Park Racing & Casino — Anderson, Indiana | 2,000 Slots Hoosier Park’s spacious, single-level casino floor features 2,000 of the loosest slots and hottest e-table games in the Midwest with denominations ranging from a penny to $100. Designed with the ultimate in player comfort in mind, the casino features a well-planned layout, allowing easy movement throughout the multiple gaming areas. High-stakes slots can be found in the exclusive High Limit gaming area, along with entertainment at the Center Stage, which entertains the entire casino floor. With 1,233 reel machines, 466 video reels and hundreds of other slot options, the slot floor energy is busting at the seams. With the loosest slots in Indiana, Hoosier Park is second to none when it comes to giving guests more for every dollar they play. Hoosier Park Racing & Casino continues to maintain the loosest slots ranking calculated by the Indiana Gaming Commission, and it is something that places Hoosier Park apart from the rest of the Indiana casinos. 30
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Hoo s i e r Pa r k R ac i n g & C a s i n o Indiana Live! Casino — Shelbyville, Indiana | 2,000 Slots Indiana Live! Casino is a Las Vegas-style gaming establishment that creates a winning atmosphere by offering the newest-themed slot machines and electronic games. During any given year, up to 400 slot machines may be removed and replaced, which helps guarantee that Indiana Live! Casino always has the most popular games that offer the latest in technology. Since the amount of play a particular machine gets is a big factor in determining whether machines will be replaced, patrons play a big role in the arrival of new machines. The casino recently added to its extensive lineup of gaming opportunities by unveiling four new penny machines — More Hearts, More Chilli, Don Quixote, and Dragon
surrounding the slot floor offering a wide range of cuisine. With the comfortable slot floor environment and high tech gaming opportunities, it is easy to see why customers come to try their hand at the jackpots at Indiana Live! Casino. In 2010, more than 25,000 winners shared over $63.5 million dollars.
IP Casino Resort Spa — Biloxi, Mississippi | 1,900 Slots IP has an elegantly carpeted, well-lit casino with acoustically pleasant gaming salons on the first and second floors of the resort. The IP Casino offers more than 1,900 slot games, from penny to $100 denominations. All the newest themes can be found in this casino, such as Monopoly Big Money Spin, Great and Powerful OZ from WMS, Wheel of Fortune from IGT and Hot Shots from Bally.
I n di a n a l i v e !
IP’s slots are looser than market average … winning “loosest slots” voted on by the local Coast Observer Covey Awards in 2009 and 2010. The casino also features IP Rewards Express Kiosks, where players get the most from their memberships and are entered into several promotions and giveaways each month exclusive to loyal customers of the property. From entries to prizes and giveaways to comps and bonus offers, the kiosk gets so much action, the slots are jealous! IP’s award-winning player program is one of the most valuable rewards program on the coast, with four distinct levels of membership.
Beau Rivage Resort & Casino — Biloxi, Mississippi | 2,100 Slots
Beau Rivage boasts 2,100 of the hottest, newest and most in-demand slot games available! With more than 300 progressives, along with classic reels and video slots, the slot floor is booming with excitement 24 hours a day. Guests can enjoy many familiar names such as Blazing 7s, Double Diamonds, Foxworthy, Slotto Popcorn, Monte Carlo Cash Wheel, Top Dollar, Triple Stars and Cleopatra II. Beau Rivage has listened to the customers and added a variety of new penny machines to the property, including two separate slot banks set up with a grand prize of brand new cars! The newest technology has been added to the slot floor, and guests are sure to be entertained by the entertainment acts at Beau Rivage Theatre in between gaming sessions. Customer feedback is of great value at the casino, which is constantly adding new games H a r d R o c k h o t e l & C a s i n o and systems that make it easier for guests to have the ultimate gaming experience. At Beau Rivage, every Emporer. Last May, Indiana Live! Casino opened a new slot area machine is equipped with the EZ Pay system 100% coinless — in the back half of the casino that includes popular machines like making cashing out faster and easier than ever! The Amazing Race, Elvis Rockin’ The Charts, Jewelly, Red Hot Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Biloxi — Jackpots, Sex And The City, and Stargate SG-1. Customer service is a high priority at Indiana Live! Casino, as confirmed by the “Best Customer Service” awards received in 2009 and 2010 from the readers of Southern Gaming. This service can also be found in the three convenient restaurants
Biloxi, Mississippi | 1,600 Slots
Home to the largest jackpot in Mississippi, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Biloxi has a unique slot floor with a wide variety of both games and rock memorabilia for even the most elite slot enthusiasts. With more than 1,200 slot and video poker Vol um e 13 I ssue 2
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come as the casino grows by leaps and bounds. Bok Homa was the first casino in Mississippi to have the Bally V-2022, Bally’s newest machine. Bok Homa Casino features denominations from a penny to $100. The two wonderful slot floors at Silver Star and Bok Homa show only a glimpse of the fun Pearl River Resort Casinos have to offer.
Gold Strike Casino Resort — Tunica, Mississippi | 1,600 Slots Gold Strike Casino Resort has recently undergone a multi-million-dollar renovation, which included an upgrade of the 50,000-square-foot casino floor. The stylish new casino layout allows for a more comfortable gaming experience, with enlarged walkways and more space between slot machines. The relaxed setting is also coupled with the latest slot technology and most popular games as voted on by guests. Gold Strike’s slot floor is home to more than 1,400 of your favorite video poker, reel, video and progressive machines. More penny machines have also been added, along with the chance to win a 2011 Cadillac on a special slot machine bank with the car on display. More than 50 LCD televisions line the walls of the property, creating added entertainment for slot enthusiasts. With a variety of classic games and brand new slots, Gold Strike will keep you spinnin’!
Go l d S t r i k e machines, the casino offers the greatest variety of classic games to the latest and greatest reel and video slot machines. So, whether you are a classic rocker or a top 40, there is something on the gaming floor for you. For VIP comfort, guests can enjoy the newly renovated High Limit room where you can play Top Dollar Multi-Play, Pinball, Triple Stars, Triple Red Hot 7’s, Wheel of Fortune and more! If penny slots are your game, enjoy a penny bank of slots where the top reward is a Custom Bourget Motor Cycle airbrushed with images of rock legends such as John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison. Hard Rock Biloxi was recently voted for the second year in a row Best Hotel and Casino above all Hard Rock Hotel and Casino properties in the world. Come find out why!
Pearl River Resort — Mississippi | Over 3,300 Slots Combined Pearl River Resort encompasses more than just one magnificent casino. Silverstar Hotel & Casino has more than 87,000 square feet of gaming space. The casino features more than 2,600 slot machines including reel and video slots, video poker and video Keno in addition to a high-denomination slot area. Guest can enjoy popular games like Wizard of Oz, Deal or No Deal, Sex and the City and Wheel of Fortune. The new Bok Homa Casino has more than just its grand opening to brag about — with 18,000 square feet of gaming space and 768 games. It is home to hundreds of the newest technology slot machines, with more to 32
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Belterra Casino Resort & Spa — Florence, Indiana | 1,500 Slots
Right in the heart of Indiana, Belterra Casino Resort & Spa adds new machines to the gaming floor every week. The casino is home to over 700 penny slots, multi-denomination games and machines exclusive to Belterra such as the feature slot game Rockin Olives™. There is also a high limit slot area where players can bet up to $180 per spin on the most cutting-edge slot machines in the industry. Based on their average bets and how long they play at certain slot machines, guests have a chance to win Choice comps for exciting benefits as part of Belterra’s mychoice players loyalty program. With endless machine choices and promotions, it is one of the hottest Indiana location to spin and win!
Grand Victoria Casino & Resort— Rising Sun, Indiana | 1,300 Slots Grand Victoria Casino & Resort is a leader in providing guests with the newest in slots and variety of machines. The over 1,300 slot machines are 100% coin-free, using a ticket-in, ticket-out system to make switching to a different machine hassle-free. Grand Victoria’s goal is to keep their guests satisfied, which is why they recently made the entire first floor of machines into a smoke-free environment. All of the friendly slot staff are trained to educate players on the newest machines to keep every visit as exciting as the last! Loyal customers are satisfied as their requests are always welcome-Grand Victoria is now adding an array of slots, such as additional Ruby Slippers machines, to the slot floor upon request of Indiana’s slot enthusiasts.
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Discover the area’s best gaming destination with over 54,000 square-feet of non-stop action, 494 rooms of complete luxury, first-class dining and great live music. Plus, we offer a full-service RV park and a spectacular championship golf course. Not to mention some of the greatest Hollywood memorabilia this side of tinsel town. So come and enjoy a little star treatment.
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Slot Superstitions Southern Gaming reached out to our readers, asking what made them feel lucky when playing the slot machines. The answers poured in, from superstitious moves and sayings to bringing a certain object along for good luck. Below are some of the answers we received from our loyal Southern Gaming fans!
“LORD please give us all some of the money we have been feeding these monsters!” — Sherrell P. “When I’ve had a pretty good day at the slots, I wind up the day at a $5 machine and put a $100 bill in the machine (I don’t play these limit machines until the very last). I play maximum bets for 10 pulls. Then win, lose or draw, I call it a day! My theory here is that it gives me a chance to hit a “home run” since my luck seems to be running good. And I’m not going to lose more than $100. It’s worked out more than once!” — Rich P. - Weeki Wachee, FL “In reality, let’s face it. Casinos are there to make money, not lose money. In my biggest dream, we all hope we will be the big winner, but until then, we must just have fun! So what I take with me when I go to play is a wish and a prayer.” — Gary B. & Addie C. “I won a huge jackpot years ago on a machine where my winnings came in the form of bananas on my screen. Ever since then, when I head to the slots, I chant ‘banana’ as I hit the button for good luck. It may not always work, but it’s habit, and I just can’t seem to let go of the superstition.” — Emily B. “Most of the time, I look for the number on machines and I try to pick one with one of my family’s birthdates on it. Sometimes it works out pretty good.” — Lois S. “Sometimes my friend and I step out of the chair and go in circles three times, then hit the draw button. Also, Hi to Low betting in sequence. Works for me.” — Nancy S. “The good ol’ fingers crossed trick worked when I was younger, why not now?” — George D. - Atlanta, GA
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To take par t in more fun surveys and giveaways...find us on Facebook! Look for Southern Gam i ng an d Des t i nat i o ns Magazine!
“When playing the slots, I never hit the same button twice. I will pull the handle one time, push repeat; puts $3/5 or whatever the next. Don’t know why, but I come out with more winnings that way.” — Carol B. - Greenville, OH “I guess I really don’t have any special moves, but it is fun to watch other people. Sometimes I will just stand back and watch some of the moves other people will make — very fun to watch. I think the longest I have sat at any one machine is about 12 hours — if you find one that just lets you keep winning, even if it’s just a few dollars at a time.” — Jim G. “Every time I go to the casino, specifically the slot machines, I bring along a bag of ‘lucky pennies’ saved by my greatgrandmother. They have brought me good luck on numerous occasions!” — Madison C. - Cincinnati, OH “I always visit the slot machines with a friend, and we take turns on the different machines. We make a pact to each put the same amount of money in, play separate games, but split the money. That way if either of us hits a jackpot, we both win. It doubles the chances of hitting it big, and we only lose half the money.” — Rachel K. - Nashville, TN
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living the M life MGM rolls out its new and improved player’s club ByJeremy W hite
The gaming business today is as competitive as any other industry in the world. The race to get players through the door is relentless, and the time-honored equation of supply vs. demand ensures that those who rest on their laurels will get left behind. Nevada has 260 casinos, and each one finds itself in a tug-of-war to make its playing floor the busiest in the nation. Even in other gaming states, the options are far more greater than they used to be. For example, there are 30 casinos in Mississippi, 14 in Louisiana and Iowa and 13 in Indiana and Missouri.
“What we really wanted to do was build a program that gave us a good way to keep in touch with our customers, to market to them and to provide them with rewards and incentives.”
“We had a player’s club for many years, but it admittedly hadn’t taken the highest priority over things like making new, world-class buildings in Las Vegas,” Voeller says. “Over the years, we weren’t keeping up with the competition. The fact of the matter is that things had just simply gotten more competitive over the years. What we really wanted to do was build a program that gave us a good way to keep in touch with our customers, to market to them and to provide them with rewards and incentives.”
MGM believes it has found that program. After a trial period in its non-Vegas properties this past summer, the company As a result of t he dog-eat-dog officially launched its new program, M environment, casino properties have Life, in January. It presents a step forward —Scott Voeller, MGM had to become expert marketers. for MGM’s customer relations, and the Resorts International Sometimes, the difference between company says M Life is built around a repeat customer and a one-time the premise that things like ease of use, visitor isn’t the level of the play, the transparency and award customization quality of the restaurants or the décor of the hotel — it’s the are primary motivators with today’s players. Additionally, player’s club. MGM is quick to point out that M Life is far more than a run-of-the-mill player’s club — it is a loyalty program When executives at MGM Resorts International took a hard designed to encourage repeat, lasting relationships with look at their rewards program recently, the deficiencies gaming enthusiasts. were apparent. Not that the program was totally ineffective, says Scott Voeller, the company’s vice president of brand “Two major pieces of the program are the simplicity and strategy and advertising. But it lacked the teeth it needed to transparency, along with the tiers,” says Voeller. “We’ve be truly encompassing on an elite level, and it was Voeller’s structured it so that the more you play, the higher the job to change that. reward.” 36
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When designing M Life, Voeller says MGM went straight to the customer base. The only way to win a war, after all, is in the trenches. By surveying players to find out what drives them and what they look for in a loyalty program, MGM was able to put its finger on the pulse of today’s motivating factors. After analyzing the feedback from gamers, t he company was armed with the knowledge it needed to build a winner. The first step was to integrate the program across all MGM properties. Today’s world is smaller than ever. And just because a player lives M a n da l ay B ay within a short drive of, is one of 15 resort casinos that provide special access to M Life members. say, Tunica, doesn’t mean that frequent trips to Las Vegas aren’t also in the mix. With that in mind, one loyalty program and player’s card serves all 15 MGM properties, including two in Mississippi and one in Detroit. The program is structured with four levels — Sapphire, Pearl, Gold and Platinum. Each tier comes with its own benefits, ranging from special hotel offers to pre-sale access to entertainment tickets, priority reservations, upgrades, VIP services and more. Most importantly, the rewards accelerate as the pace of play increases. In other words, the more a player plays, the more they earn. “As we built the program, a lot of work was done in the analytical area,” Voeller says. “We really wanted to get behind the thinking of our players and learn how we could market to them the services they want without overwhelming them with offers they wouldn’t find attractive.
M L i f e P l ay e r BE n e f i t s include selecting the song list for the fountains at The Bellagio.
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Those tests, says Voeller, were “re a l ly a l l ab out listening to what t he customers were saying. With technology, things are always improving.” Since the full program launch in January, the preliminary results have been encouraging for MGM. “The customer response has been fantastic in all areas,” says Voeller. “It’s a little early to tell the number of customers that have reengaged with our club, but we’re seeing members reengage by the thousands.” In fact, Voeller says, “the tier progressions have moved better and faster than we ever anticipated in our models.” T h at c a n b e p a r t i a l ly attributed to the fact that E a c h T i e r o f t h e L oya lt y p r og r a m MGM has focused not just on has its own special benefits. monetary measures, but on service benefits — something about a boxing event we had going on. But we’d never want often overlooked by many rewards programs. For example, to bother you about the opera. That’s a pretty simplistic comps can be redeemed for unique benefits such as picking example, but that type of blanket marketing is more the songs for the Bellagio fountain show for the day, prevalent than you’d think in this industry. There’s a lot of swimming with sharks at Mandalay Bay, or cooking with mass marketing out there. All of our offers are based on the a celebrity chef. information we have about you and your preferences.” “The service benefits are really important,” Voeller adds. MGM gave its program a dedicated website, Mlife.com, “We found that people are interested in unique privileges which makes it easy for users to log in and manage their and special access to things like pre-sales on tickets.” accounts. It also designed the program in such a way to Then there’s the aforementioned integration across all allow for express comps. By leveraging today’s sophisticated MGM properties, which Voeller believes is perhaps the technology, comps can be tracked in real-time using biggest benefit. kiosks. “In the Southern region, for example, you now have seamless “Express comps was a huge opportunity for us,” Voeller access to all of the MGM properties. We’re now giving (the explains. “All you have to do is go to a kiosk and take care players in the South) a really simple and easy way to earn of your comps yourself. There’s no more having to go to a their way to Las Vegas. Everything is exactly the same across player’s desk and asking someone if you have any comps all properties, and that’s a very important key.” available to use. This was a really big enhancement to the For more information on M Life, visit MLife.com program.” After a test phase in the satellite markets this summer, all aspects of the program were analyzed before the full rollout in Las Vegas. Voeller says the tests in the regional markets led to minor changes, such as tweaks of the website log-in process and making the kiosks more intuitive.
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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. Recent assignments have ranged from covering U.S. egg exports to profiling National Football League hopefuls at the NFL's annual scouting combine. He has a degree in creative writing and journalism and frequently visits Las Vegas as well as local Kentuckiana gaming facilities.
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horseracing
Every genre of gaming has its own specialized jargon that players eventually become fluent in with the passage of time. Poker enthusiasts who engage in Texas Hold ’em have a nickname for practically every set of whole cards, and within a session, it is not surprising to see “Big Slick” (Ace/King), Dolly Parton (Nine/Five), a canine (King/ Nine), some “Ducks” (Pair of Twos) and the “Hooks” (Pair of Jacks) rear their head upon the felt. When it comes to the “Sport of Kings,” the gross amount of slang used is enough to make one’s head spin, and the unfortunate news for the novice is this: An adequate knowledge of this verbiage is required to intelligently participate. So it’s best to take some notes.
Eric Vaughn Floyd is a turf writer for various gaming publications and consultant to several nationwide media outlets in regards to the Triple Crown. Excerpts from his gambling memoir, “The Backstretch (My First Decade Playing the Game),” can be viewed at LULU.com.
Horseracing: Straight from the Horse's Mouth
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Though unbelievably complex, thoroughbred racing’s core language is fascinating to study and in line with my duty to educate any soul who has recently become smitten with betting equines. I would like to offer the following “beginner’s glossary” for you to use next time you’re at the track. These terms lay the foundation for an entirely new vocabulary, and, though not comprehensive, the list will equip one to navigate the sometimes treacherous trek from the paddock to the teller. Pari-Mutuel Wagering — In casino games, the player squares off against the house, but inside the world of horseracing, war is waged among the patrons themselves. A racetrack doesn’t put money stored in its coffers up against the bettors, it simply books wagers on a race, then skims a percentage off the top (usually about 20 percent ...ouch!) before offering the final odds. The word Pari-Mutuel has French roots and implies “the settling of a debt among us.” For me personally, the term boils down to either emptying or filling a fellow horseplayer’s wallet.
device usually located within the infield that provides bettors with the race number, post time, current odds and payouts of selected exotic wagers. Odds on Favorite — A thoroughbred listed on the tote board at less than even money.
Eric Floyd
Maiden — A thoroughbred that has never won a race. Maidens typically compete against one another in either Maiden Claiming or Maiden Special Weight races. Claiming Races — These are the most common races, and the nomenclature simply means that every entry in the fray is for sale to a licensed trainer. “Claims” for horses must be turned in at least 10 minutes before post time, and the purchased animals are received “AS IS” upon conclusion of the race. (It is, unfortunately, possible to claim a dead racehorse.) Bull Ring — Any racing complex where the oval is less than a mile in circumference. Class — This is perhaps the most difficult term in racing to get one’s mind around. In a nutshell, a horse’s class refers to its quality as demonstrated in competition. Hence a “lower class” equine will exhibit a shortage of willingness. Lasix — While running at top speed, there are certain occasions where the vessels in a thoroughbred’s lungs will burst, causing the animal to “bleed.” Lasix is a medication that helps prevent this undesirable occurrence, and its first-time usage is a powerful handicapping angle many players consider.
Handicapping — The imperfect science of assessing a thoroughbred’s “form” through an infinite variety of both scientific and abstract calculations.
Workout(s) — Any number of exercise sessions a thoroughbred participates in leading up to a start. Workouts are listed in bold underneath a horse’s running lines in the Daily Racing Form or track program.
Paddock — The area where entrants are saddled and jockeys unite with their mounts. There is usually a walking ring in close proximity where the horses are initially paraded in front of an eager public.
Furlong — An eighth of a mile. Furlongs are used to communicate any race or workout under a mile. (Example: A six-furlong race equals ¾ of a mile.)
Post Parade — This pre-race ritual takes place on the main track and requires all participating runners to line up and canter in front of the main grandstand while being introduced over the public address system. Post Time — The designated juncture when a race is scheduled to begin. Chalk — Refers to the race favorite, the horse who has taken the most money, or equine the public fancies to triumph. Tote Board — A rather large electronic display
Gelding — A castrated horse. Thoroughbreds with unruly temperaments are sometimes gelded so they become easier to condition. Rank — A horse that cannot be rated or throttled down. These equines sprint straight to the lead and exhaust themselves in an untimely manner. If you are interested in learning more horseracing terminology, I highly recommend Tom Ainslie’s “Thoroughbred Racing Encyclopedia” or his exceptionally well-written “Guide to Thoroughbred Racing,” available in major bookstores and Amazon.com.
For more free horseracing tips, visit southerngaming.com/horseracing
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the power of promotion Dreams Fulfilled at Seminole Coconut Creek Casino in Florida By Rudi S chiffer
was just recently won by a Pompano Beach player whose dream was not to see the earth from above as he spurned the $200,000 trip and said “show me the money.” He happily took the alternative $110,000 cash prize. John Delacosta, 68, said he had a bad heart and grabbed the cash. Good move, John. The Space Travel Promotion worked for the casino, which more than doubled its attendance on drawing days, according to Bonner, a native of Texas and former Colorado casino executive. The “Dinners In The Sky” event was a lot closer to earth. Twenty-two participants were strapped into seats around a large table and hoisted by a crane 180 feet into the air where they dined with full service by staff cooks and waiters working from a platform in the center of the table. The Th e Di n n e r i n t h e S k y $500-a-plate dinner, paid by some and comped hoisted 22 guests, 180 feet in the air for a gourmet feast. to others, promoted the opening of a chef’s table at the casino’s Fresh Harvest restaurant. More Steve Bonner is the general manager of Seminole Casino than 160 liked the idea, which churned out a ton of publicity Coconut Creek near Pompano Beach on Florida’s east coast, and created a lot of laughs. Several adventurers flew in from but he claims to be in the “dream business.” Wild dreams, New York for the fun. that is! Another powerful promotion involved giving away 40 Mini The casino owners are happy with that position, as who else Coopers to lucky guests at Seminole Coconut Creek. The Mini would run a promotion to send a person into space, or perch a Coopers one-upped a previous monthly promotion where large dinner table with 22 guests in the sky hung from a crane, Coconut Creek gave away a car a day. Forty sounded about or give away 40 Mini Coopers and an oil well? A wild-eyed right for Bonner, who feels cars are the easiest and most direct dreamer like Steve Bonner is what it takes. way to touch players. “Times are tough, and that makes it even more important to give guests a dream to shoot for,” says Bonner, who joined the casino in 2000. Thus was born the “Extreme Dream Million Dollar Summer Space Travel” promotion this past year, which 42
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Everyone wants a car, but who wants an oil well? Who doesn’t? In a promotion that brought the casino into national focus, Seminole gave away an oil well. While not a gusher, two-tofive-barrels-a-day production is certainly not chopped liver.
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What does a barrel cost these days? Do the math. It’s great to own a well and brag about being a tycoon. J.R. Ewing, also known as Larry Hagman, who played the conniving Ewing on the hit TV show “Dallas,� was on hand for the promotion to give it some extra flair.
“We get calls all the time from people wondering what our next promotion will be,� he says. “We tell them if we have a blockbuster in the works, but we also tell them we have the busiest monthly promotion calendar and better results than any industry standards over the last several years.�
And then there were the Madoff watches. You remember Bernie, who bilked thousands out of millions? The casino bought a Madoff Rolex O.P. Submariner for $9,775 at auction for another promotion. This piece of infamous history also drew guests and media attention — all good for the casino. As Bernie passes his time in jail for more than 100 years, his property is doing good. The casino also bought a second Madoff watch for $35,000 for a future promotion. Look for Bonner on the television hit series “Pawn Stars� where he’ll attempt to pawn the watch in Las Vegas.
When Bonner arrived at Coconut Creek, there was little in the way of amenities — no restaurants and few other things players tend to demand. “We set out a platform that there should always be something happening in the casino, and now we do more in one month than some casinos do in a year,� he says.
And for additional impact, consider the “Cruisin’ With the Creek� promotion where 50 players who earned the most points on their players’ cards won five-night Royal Caribbean cruises, and the three highest point-getters split $17,500 in cash to boot. Dare we mention lesser-impact promotions, such as giveaway bobble heads of Bonner, including a bigger-than-life model; or the recent “Roller Derby� on the casino’s all-new roller derby track outside the casino; and how about the bull’s-eye painted on the casino roof with a free drawing of $1 million if any space debris hits it from U.S spy satellites? What does this zany approach to marketing mean to the Seminole Casino? It means a lot of feet coming through the door and national publicity you couldn’t buy any other way. It all ends up on the bottom line. Bonner says that not only is it a lot of fun for the players and a great awareness builder, but a good longterm investment.
The casino has grown over the years with multiple restaurants and entertainment areas that are able to support the uncommon promos, which have shown some real results. Self-promotion is what the biz is all about, but honorable charity work is not to be overlooked. Just recently, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek offered an event that was not a promotion per se, but one with a little more heart in it. Bonner invited 15 of 32 Chilean miners who survived a long underground cave-in ordeal to visit Coconut Creek. The event, “Heroes and Miracles,� invited guests to share the luck of the 15 luckiest people in the world at an evening with them. Tickets were $100, and all the proceeds were given to charity. For more information about Seminole Casino Coconut Creek Casino, visit SeminoleCoconutCreekCasino.com or call 1-866-222-7466! 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.
Vol um e 13  I ssue 2  
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Blackjack
After a 40-plus career as a blackjack player, I’ve witnessed a plethora of mistakes made by players when they play blackjack. The list is long, but below you’ll find some of the most frequent mistakes. Increasing their bets because they are due to win I see players doing this almost every time I play blackjack. The player loses several consecutive hands, so he makes a big bet because “he is due to win.” The fact that you’ve lost several consecutive hands has no bearing on the chance of winning the next hand. Therefore, players should not be using the results of previous hands as an indicator of how much to bet on future hands.
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: Don't Make These Mistakes
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Taking insurance and even money Both are sucker bets. The insurance bet has nothing to do with your hand. It’s a side bet where you are making a bet that the dealer has a 10 in the hole (and thus a blackjack). The payoff is 2 to 1, but the odds the dealer has blackjack are greater than 2 to 1, which make it a poor bet. Even money is the same as insurance except the casino offers even money when a player has a blackjack and the dealer has an Ace showing. The vast majority of players will take the even-money payoff (meaning they’ll accept a 1-1 payoff on their blackjack before the dealer checks this hole card for a blackjack). Unfortunately, the dealer will most likely not have a blackjack, and the player will lose out on the 3-2 payoff when he takes the even money. Bottom line: You’ll win more money in the long run if you always decline the insurance and even-money proposition bets. Watching players make side bets Nowadays, there are plenty of side bets available to players when they play blackjack (e.g., Super Sevens, Royal Match, Pair Square, etc.). Most only require a $1 wager, and when you win the side bet, the payoff is usually greater than the usual even-money payoff (that’s the come-on for these bets). However, these side bets have relatively high house edges. They’ve been added to the game of blackjack so casinos can generate more revenue from the game. You’ll save a lot of money in the long run if you discipline yourself to avoid these side bets. Not splitting 8s against dealer 10 If I got a penny every time I saw a player not split 8s against a 10, I’d be a millionaire. There’s no question that holding a pair of 8s against a 10 is a lousy hand. You are going to lose money on this hand no matter how you play it. However, in the long run, you will lose less money when you split the 8s rather than standing or hitting. Think of it this way: Starting with two hands of 8 is better than starting with one hand of 16. When you are dealt the pair of 8s and the dealer shows a 10, make the correct mathematical play and split!
Not hitting a 12 against dealer 10 If I got a penny every time someone said, “I never hit 12 against a 2 because I always bust,” I’d be a billionaire. A 12 against a dealer’s 10 is another lousy hand. Again, you’ll lose money Henry Tamburin whether you hit or stand. But just like the case of 8s against a 10, when you hold 12 against a 10, you will lose less money in the long run if you hit. Doubling for less I’ve seen many players doubling for less, meaning they double for less money than their original bet. The players who double for less do so when they are unsure about their chances of winning the hand. It just so happens that you have the edge on all double-downs (according to the basic playing strategy); therefore, doubling for less will lower your profit potential on the hand. When you are dealt a double-down hand, you should always double for the full amount. Using a Progressive Betting System I’ve seen all types of betting progressions used by players. Some increase their bets following a win, others following a loss. Betting progressions do not alter your odds of winning. Mathematicians have proved this countless times. If anything, you’ll lose more money when you use a betting progression (because you’ll be betting more money against a house edge). Using betting progressions may be fun, but they won’t make a winner at blackjack. Not using a basic strategy card The majority of blackjack players have no clue about how to play their hands. Some will ask their fellow players for help while others will ask the dealer. Actually, you don’t have to ask anyone, nor do you have to guess when you play blackjack, if you invest a couple bucks in a playing strategy card. You bring the card with you when you play blackjack and refer to it when you are not sure how to play a hand. The cards are legal. Don’t leave home without them. Not using a simple counting system Card counting is the only way to get the edge over the casinos at blackjack. In the past, learning a cardcounting system took a fair amount of time and effort, and most recreational players decided it wasn’t worth it. But nowadays, there are much simpler card-counting systems that can be learned by average players in the same amount of time it takes to learn the basic strategy. (The popular Speed Count can be learned in less than an hour.) Yet, many players shun learning even a simple counting system and instead prefer to continue to use their progressive betting systems and hunch decisionmaking. This is a shame.
For more free Blackjack tips, visit southerngaming.com/Blackjack
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Get in on the action! For more information and to purchase tickets, visit DerbyPokerChampionship.com or call 1-877-582-9478. *Discounts are available on VIP tickets for groups of 6 or more.
When it comes to the excitement and thrill of horseracing, you can’t beat the first Saturday of May in Louisville, Ky. In addition to the most exciting two minutes in sports, the Kentucky Derby, you will also find an array of celebrity parties, events and, of course, high-stakes poker! That’s right, legendary Hall of Fame Coach Denny Crum and poker professionals Phil Hellmuth Jr. and Robert Williamson III will team up to kick off the weekend in style with their Fourth Annual Derby Poker Championship, a pro-celebrity charity event held Thursday, May 5, at the Louisville Palace Theatre. Proceeds from the event directly benefit USA Harvest: Blessings in a Backpack and The Health & Climate Foundation. The evening will feature a celebrity Texas Hold ’em Tournament emceed by Hellmuth, who is considered by many to be the best poker player in the world. In addition, Crum, Williamson and an array of other poker pros and celebrities will play in the tournament and mingle with the crowd. “The chances of playing football with Peyton Manning or basketball with Michael Jordan are very rare,” says event producer G. Douglas Dreisbach. “However, at the Derby Poker Championship, you might find yourself playing cards with some of the best poker players in the world as well as some big-time celebrities.” In addition to the poker tournament, the event will also feature themed food and drink stations, music and other Derby-esque entertainment. “We cater to everyone — poker players and party goers — all while raising funds and awareness for our beneficiary charities,” Dreisbach says. “We will have drink stations set up representing bourbon, tequila, rum, vodka and wines, and they will all be paired with accompanying food stations. Plus, there will be a dance floor and other entertainment to keep the night going.” 46
Southern G aming an d De s t in a t io n s
The 2010 event drew 110 players and 200 spectators and raised almost $50,000 to split between the two charities. It was a star-studded evening with limousines lining the street in front of the Palace Theatre. In addition to the hosts of the event, several celebrities and poker pros played in the tournament or attended the event including comedian Ron White, best-selling author Nora Roberts, poker pros Chris “Jesus” Ferguson and Tiffany Michelle, actors Oscar Nunez, Jesse Spencer, Ken Davitian and Jennifer Elise Cox, and athletes like U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Corey Pavin, Paul Hornung, Warren Moon and Robby Albarado to name a few. The top 10 players won money, including the first place prize of $14,000 plus a $12,000 World Series of Poker Package donated by UltiamteBet.net. In addition to cash, the top 10 also walked away with a new pair of Oakley sunglasses, and the top two finishers also received a poker chip set that was donated by FullTilt.net. The grand champion of the 2010 tournament was Rich Muny, who is also the Kentucky State Director for the Poker Player’s Alliance. “We expect an even bigger turnout this year since last year was such a success,” Dreisbach says. “We hope everyone who attends the event or who plays in the tournament will have a great time that they talk about all weekend long.” The event is open to the public, and doors will open at 6:00 p.m. with the tournament starting at 7:00 p.m. Ticket prices range from $75-$225 based on different packages, and the buy-in for the Texas Hold ’em Tournament is $500 +$50 with $200 re-buys and add-ons for the first hour of play. For more information, to purchase tickets and to get up-to-date event information, visit www.derbypokerchampionship. com. Tickets may also be purchased at the event based on availability.
Photo Captions: 1. 110 players competed in the star-studded 2010 event. 2. Chris "Jesus" Ferguson (L) and Co-host Phil Hellmuth, Jr. 3. Corey Pavin - U.S. Ryder Cup captain and PGA professional 4. Jesse Spencer - Actor from House 5. Derby Poker Co-host Denny Crum - Hall of Fame basketball coach 6. Ron White - World renowned comedian 7. Derby Poker Co-hosts Robert Williamson III and Phil Hellmuth, Jr. 8. Oscar Nunez - Actor from The Office Vol um e 13 I ssue 2
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history of gambling part II: 1931-Today By Jeremy W hite
Note: This is the second installment of a two-part history of gaming in the United States. Part I, which ran in the January issue of Southern Gaming and Destinations, brought us up to 1931.
Photo Courtesy of Las Vegas News Bureau
Nevada, the legislature saw gambling, which already had strong roots in the West, as a plausible answer to the state’s fiduciary woes. When Nevada once again legalized gambling (it also allowed it from 1869 to 1910), it ushered in the modern-day era of casino gaming as we know it. And it served as a forerunner for gaming expansion in many states. For example, just two years after Nevada brought back gambling, four states legalized pari-mutuels: California, Ohio, Michigan and New Hampshire. In 1933, the Horse Racing Act in California helped influence a renaissance in the sport. Over the next seven years, an additional 20 states jumped on the bandwagon by making it legal to publicly race and bet on horses. It’s important to note that horse racing had previously suffered in many states due to corruption within the industry. In the 1930s, when 21 states took another look at horse racing, they did so with a discerning eye. If they were going to allow it back into the fold, they insisted, the industry was going to have to clean itself up.
Do w n t o w n L a s V eg a s in 1940 In the January issue of Southern Gaming and Destinations, we touched upon gambling’s ancient international roots and explored the ways gaming manifested itself in America’s early days up to 1931. That year, 1931, is an important one when discussing gaming in the United States. After the stock market crash of Oct. 29, 1929, the country plunged deeply into the throes of a devastating financial depression. Unemployment skyrocketed, and the economy contracted at a disturbing rate. The bleak times quickly dried up many of the illegal casinos that, up to that point, had been in operation in various American locales. By 1931, the country was desperate to turn around its fortunes. In 48
Southern G aming an d De s t in a t io n s
As states began to realize that legalized gaming in its various forms had the potential to raise significant capital for the coffers, they simultaneously understood that the remaining illicit operations were producing revenue without contributing to the tax base. Led by strong-willed politicians like Anton Cermak (Chicago) and Fiorella La Guardia (New York), governments across the nation began to get serious about driving illegal gaming parlors out of business. This forced an East-to-West exodus by mobsters who had been enjoying a comfortable living by operating underground casinos. Naturally, a substantial portion of these mob bosses fled to Las Vegas, where they could legally set up shop. By the end of the decade, 1939, Las Vegas boasted six full-fledged casinos and 16 saloons — an impressive number for what was a small city at the time. Still, the uncertainty of the economic times meant the
it, things were certainly changing. One thing that seldom changes, however, is the need for state legislatures to find new venues for raising capital without raising taxes at an alarming rate. Enter the state lottery.
Photo Courtesy of L as Vegas N ews Bureau
While lotteries were wildly popular in America dating back to the country’s colonial times (in fact, the British used lottery proceeds to help fund colonization, and, later, Ben Franklin, John Hancock and George Washington would all sponsor lotteries), the last legal lottery was put to rest in 1894. That changed, however, in 1964 when New Hampshire became the first state to sponsor a lottery. Nearby New York quickly followed suit, as did New Jersey. The New Jersey lottery was particularly viable, which created a map of sorts for other states to follow. While lotteries brought legalized gaming to many states, the findings of the previously mentioned Cold War-era Senate Committee entrenched into the public’s mind the thought that casino gaming and crime went hand-in-hand. As a result, nearly half a century passed before another state followed Nevada’s lead and legalized casino gaming. The second state to take the plunge, New Jersey, legalized casinos in 1978, but only allowed them in Atlantic in 1966 City. Once a jewel of the Eastern seaboard, Atlantic City suddenly became a hotspot once again. But just because Las Vegas and Atlantic City were operating casinos with the blessing of their state governments, that doesn’t mean competition did not exist elsewhere. As we established in the first installment of this two-part series in January, the Mississippi Delta has a long and interesting gambling history. Hotels like the Tivoli, the Buena Vista, Pine Hills and the Edgewater Gulf all offered gambling that was illegal, yet often referred to today as “open.” These hotels offered slot machines, and it was no secret that hotel guests indulged in gaming while on these properties. Though local officials looked the other way, the general public began to take a less liberal view of the situation. As did a band of religious leaders, who in the 1950s formed the Biloxi Protestant Ministerial Association and subsequently made getting rid of the slot machines a top priority. Eventually the pitch reached a level that made further inaction on the part of local government officials impossible. As a result, they began to enforce Mississippi laws and rid area establishments of slot machines.
L a s V eg a s ' 4 Q u e e n s G a m i n g fledgling industry in Nevada had to work through growing pains before gambling became the mega-business we know today. In fact, it took a major war to help give gaming a boost. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, America responded swiftly with its entry into World War II. The U.S. involvement gave the Allied Forces an upper hand against German leader Adolf Hitler and his powerful army, and the course of history soon was changed as a result. Following WWII, which ended in 1945, America enjoyed a period of unprecedented prosperity. The influx of new money naturally found its way into the gaming world, and Las Vegas began to truly flourish. But as it grew, so did its reputation as a haven for organized crime. Moreover, the mobsters who ran Vegas casinos had never stopped conducting business as usual. As they found myriad ways to hide their revenues from the state and federal governments, legislators tasked with providing services to the public were disgruntled and decided it was time to clean up the mess. In the 1950s, the U.S. Senate investigated the casino industry in an attempt to gauge the extent to which mobsters were controlling and manipulating it. In fact, the Committee to Investigate Organized Crime in Interstate Commerce met regularly to discuss the issue. The committee determined that the industry was rampant with fraudulent practices, which brought gaming under fire from the public once again. During this time, California and a handful of other states had been considering legalizing casino gaming. As a result of the findings of the aforementioned committee, all four states (Arizona, Massachusetts and Montana were the others) opted not to allow casinos to open. In the 1960s, America found itself facing civil rights issues and a sexual revolution. As one popular song from the period aptly put
But nothing appears to be final with regards to American law and gaming, and that again proved to be the case in Mississippi when Congress passed the National Indian Gaming Act in 1988. Though it was a national law, Mississippi was quick to enter the game when the Silverstar Casino opened in 1994. Operated by the Choctaw Tribe in Neshoba County, the Silverstar brought legal casino gaming to Mississippi and opened the door for the state to pass measures that would lead to the expansion of the industry in Mississippi. In 1990, the state passed the Mississippi Gaming Control Act, which allowed dockside operations to offer gaming along the Gulf Coast and the Mississippi River. However, voters in each area would have to approve the gaming on a case-by-case basis. The public in two counties, Hancock and Harrison, were quick to do so. In 1992, Biloxi was home to the Isle of Capri casino, Vol um e 13 I ssue 2
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P hoto Courtesy of L as Vegas N ews Bureau
gaming say the measure would generate up to $42 billion in tax revenue over the next decade. To date, Congress has not passed a law that would legalize online poker, but there’s a chance New Jersey will soon become the first state to regulate Internet gaming. At press time for this article, the New Jersey legislature had sent Garden State Gov. Chris Christie a bill that would let the state’s casinos accept online bets. The New Jersey Senate passed the bill with a 34-2 vote. The Assembly passed it with a 63-11-3 vote, making it likely that Gov. Christie will sign the bill into law by the time you read this. If that occurs, New Jersey’s foray into legalized online gaming will be closely monitored by other states. Should it prove successful and provide New Jersey with muchneeded revenue, it’s a safe bet to assume that other states will take a look at following New Jersey’s lead.
Th e p r e s e n t- day L a s V eg a s
As a result of the continued expansion of legal casinos strip, taken from Mandalay Bay Resort. and gaming facilities in the United States since the early 1990s, as well as the National Indian Gaming Act of 1988, millions of Americans now live within a day’s drive of a legal gaming house. A possible move to allow online while Tunica opened Splash Casino. Since that time, dozens of gaming will make for an even more easily accessible gambling new casinos have opened in Mississippi. forum. Though competition between these properties is fierce, Meanwhile, other states have also put skin into the game. In the rate at which they’ve expanded suggests the public — and by Indiana, for example, there currently are 13 casinos that, in extension, government — is growing more tolerant of gambling 2010, accounted for roughly $2.8 billion in revenue and paid operations. With many states facing budget deficits, the question approximately $792 million in wagering taxes and another $81 of the day is not “How long will these establishments continue million in admission taxes. Indiana ranks third behind Nevada to flourish?” but, rather, “How many more states will legalize and New Jersey in terms of annual gaming revenue. casinos this decade?” Other states where casino gambling prominently figures into Like everything else, time will tell. the equation include: Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Missouri and Iowa. That said, Indian casinos can be found in many other Jeremy White is a freelance writer and editor living in states across the nation. Southern Indiana. He regularly covers gaming, sports, When Americans began to realize the power of the Internet in the 1990s, our country began an earnest fascination with the medium that can best be described as a media revolution. With limited regulation, online gaming sites proliferated — and there was no shortage of customers. Traditional casinos, of course, did not like seeing business go elsewhere. Lobbyists scrambled to get the collective ear of Congress, and in 2006, a federal ban on Internet gaming was put into place. A New York Times article from July 2010 says the law from 2006 was “inserted at the last minute into an unrelated bill in one of Congress’s last actions before Democrats took control.” The law has been controversial and the topic of heated debate in gaming circles. Far from shutting down the industry, the law simply drove Internet gambling sites offshore. The fact of the matter is that Internet gaming is growing despite the federal ban. This, coupled with a growing national deficit, is stirring a new debate centered on overturning the 2006 ban. Last summer, the House Financial Services Committee approved a bill that would legalize betting in online poker rooms. The thinking behind the bill appears to be that Uncle Sam may as well regulate and tax an industry that is obviously going to thrive regardless of laws designed to impede the progress of online gaming. With that in mind, proponents of legalizing online 50
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food and business for a variety of regional and national publications. Recent assignments have ranged from covering U.S. egg exports to profiling National Football League hopefuls at the NFL's annual scouting combine. He has a degree in creative writing and journalism and frequently visits Las Vegas as well as local Kentuckiana gaming facilities.
The Sudoku Puzzle
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Most of my putting lessons tend to follow the same pattern: the student comes in wanting me to look at their stroke and give them a magic answer as to why they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t putting well, and we end up doing a setup overhaul. (Keep in mind that set-up dictates what happens during the swing, so ultimately, we do change the stroke being made.) This column is a guide to how you should set-up for consistency in your putting.
Colby Wollitz is a PGA-certified teaching pro at The Players Club of Henderson in Kentucky.
Golf
Golf: Set-up for Success on the Putting Green
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The first step is to see what type of putter you are. Are you a straight-back and straight-thru putter, or are you more of an arc putter? Here is a quick drill to figure out what your natural putting stroke should be: First, hit three putts with your left hand only, paying attention to the path the putter travels. Next, do the same with your right hand only. Did your putter travel on an arc or straight-back and straight-thru?
are putting with a putter that is the correct length for you. If the ball drops into a position on the heel of the putter, then the putter is too long, and if it drops into a position on the toe of the putter, then the putter is way too short.
If you are a straight-back and straight-thru putter, follow the same steps as above, EXCEPT step back an extra inch after dropping the ball. After stepping back, you will need to bend slightly more at the waist in order to realign your eyes over the golf ball. This will help you get your arms and hands directly under your shoulders â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a Knowing the position much more conducive to proper set-up is a straight-back and straight-thru stroke.
only half the battle. It is your job to practice getting into this position until it becomes habit.
Now that we know what type of putting stroke fits you, we need a putter that fits that stroke. If you are a straightback or straight-thru putter, you are going to need a putter that is either face-balanced or centershafted. If you are an arc putter, then you will need a putter that has toe hang. To figure out what type of putter you have, simply balance the fulcrum of the putter on your finger. If the face points straight up to the sky, then you have a face-balanced putter. But if the toe of the putter falls toward the ground, then you have a toe-weighted putter. Next on the agenda is finding a putter that is the right length for you. To do this, for an arc putter, take your putter with your normal grip and hold the putter horizontal to the ground with your arms extended. Your stance width should be as if you were simply standing there casually talking. Next, pull the putter back toward you until your elbows touch your rib cage. From here, simply bend at the waist until the putter head is resting on the ground. Now, take a golf ball and drop it from the bridge of your nose (directly between your eyes). If the ball drops into a position in the middle of the putter face with the set-up that we just established, then you
Although this position may be different from your set-up in the past, it should still feel comfortable. Your weight should be balanced on the balls of your feet, and your shoulder and neck muscles should be relaxed. Now that we are in a good position over the golf ball, we need to find your ball position.
This next step will be made much easier if you have a friend or mirror placed behind you. To find the proper ball position for you, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first take your new set-up and have the ball placed directly in the middle of your stance. Now, look in the mirror, or ask your friend if your shoulders and forearms are lined up parallel to your target line. It may be easiest to check this with the shaft of another club. If you have a conventional grip, then chances are that a center ball position is right for you. If you find that your shoulders and forearms are lined up to the right of your target line (for right-handed golfers), then move the ball slightly forward in your stance until you reach parallel. Knowing the proper set-up is only half the battle. It is your job to practice getting into this position until it becomes habit. It is also a good idea to check your set-up periodically to prevent bad habits from forming. I recommend that you practice this position in a mirror to help build comfort and confidence before taking it to the course. If you set-up for success, you will find that you are able to start the ball on your intended line much more frequently, and thus become a better putter.
For more free Golf tips, visit southerngaming.com/golf
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In the world of detective fiction, it was the venerable Sherlock Holmes who had to be cured of his cocaine addiction in Nicholas Meyer’s fun book “The Seven Percent Solution.” Sigmund Freud gave him a hand, too. Not a bad team-up.
Frank Scoblete’s newest books are “Slots Conquest: How to Beat the Slot Machines” featuring advantage-play slots that give the players the edge; “Casino Craps: Shoot to Win” that comes with a DVD showing unedited controlled throws; “Cutting Edge Craps: Advanced Strategies for Serious Players”; and “Beat Blackjack Now: The Easiest Way to Get the Edge.” All books are available at bookstores, from Amazon.com or by calling 1-800-944-0406. If you would you like a free month's subscription to Frank Scoblete’s private site and/or a free brochure, e-mail fscobe@optonline.net or call 1-800-944-0406.
Craps
Craps: The One Bet Solution
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In craps, almost all players have their own form of addiction, which I call the m ul t ip l e - b e t s y n d r o m e or, in pseudo -Freudianpsychological terms, the “I need more action because I can’t get enough action so give me the following numbers” syndrome. This syndrome is so widespread in the craps world that almost all players suffer from it, but remarkably few of them even know they have the disease. It is that pernicious. Go to almost any craps table in the country, and once the shooter has established his point, try to find players who are only betting on one number. If a shooter rolls several numbers without a seven showing, you have a better chance of finding a snowball in hell than you do of finding a craps player who is only betting on one number. For some reason, craps players think that betting more numbers gives them a better chance to win. While this might seem to be true, our intuition in this matter is totally wrong, because you can win on one number, and then the seven shows its ugly face and it and all those other numbers the player bet get wiped off the layout in the blink of an eye. Every number you bet in a craps game means you are playing a distinct and separate game against the house. Your chances of winning playing so many games are almost nil in the long run and only slightly better in the short run. The more games you play against the house, the more decisions you face, and the more decisions you face, the better chance the house edge will grind or rip away at your bankroll. That’s the sad fact of math and the impact of enough time for that math to work itself out. The more bets you make, the less time it will take the casino to start carving up your winning dreams. Most craps players will shake their heads when reading the above paragraph and simply ask, “What the heck are you talking about?” OK, let us do a simple analogy. There are six players at the table all betting one number — let us say each has one Place bet on a different box number. How many games are being played against the house? No problem, there are six separate games taking place, one game for each player. Now what if instead of those six players making one bet apiece, you are making all six bets? How many games are you playing? Obviously, you are playing six games with each game giving the house an edge against the number you are on. You are giving the house a great shot of shooting you down.
So here comes the solution: What if you only make one bet? That’s right. What if you only make one bet — perhaps a Pass or Come bet with full odds, or a Place bet of the 6 or 8? Why not just play one game against the house Frank Scoblete as opposed to several games? Why not limit your potential losses from what your expectation is now playing multiple games to what your expectation would be if you only play one game against Lady Luck? I know this solution to the multiple-bet syndrome will strike craps players as crazy. They are used to playing many bets, and their systems are fine tuned for such betting … and, sadly, for the losses that eventually come from such betting. Craps players are used to steady action, just as Sherlock Holmes was used to his daily dose of cocaine. But the cocaine wasn’t good for him, and multiple bets are not good for players. If you play only one bet against the house, it’s your number against the seven — all other numbers are irrelevant. When they appear, they appear. Who cares? In reality, they do not exist for you. Right now numbers are appearing on craps tables all over the world. Does this mean a thing to you? If you are a darkside player, it is the seven against whatever number is the point or don’t come number. It’s one-on-one to the finish. I know that if you are a serious craps player, you might be shaking your head in disbelief that I would recommend such a betting scheme, or you are shaking your head and thinking, “Scoblete is not as dumb as he looks in his picture! This is a great idea.” The ups and downs will be somewhat more dramatic playing one game against the house, but over time, you will reduce your expected losses remarkably. If you are used to betting four numbers, playing four games, a single number will reduce your losses substantially. So why not try it? For the past year, I have been betting one number on all random shooters. I am not ahead on these shooters, but I am much better off than I would have been had I bet three numbers that had been my former protocol. On Golden Touch-controlled shooters with good axis control (see my book “Cutting Edge Craps: Advanced Strategies for Serious Players” for a full explanation of such betting), I bet the one or two numbers they are setting for and leave it at that. On these shooters, my results have been impressive. So give my one-number solution a try. Give it some time to get used to the flow of the game. And maybe drop me a line and let me know what you think.
For more free Craps tips, visit southerngaming.com/craps
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Visit Arkansas: Winning by Nature Beautiful by nature. Luxurious by nature. Exciting by nature. Hit the jackpot in Arkansas, The Natural State — with a wealth of attractions and activities surrounded by stunning scenic beauty almost everywhere you look, including top racing and electronic gaming sites in two locations. Southland Gaming and Racing in West Memphis features thrilling greyhound action as well as reel games, blackjack and video poker. Southland also has an exciting rewards program for loyal customers. The Southland Player Rewards Program allows you to earn valuable points to redeem for free play, racing and table vouchers, or you can choose to use them on a variety of dining options. Tasty food is offered at the World Market Buffet all week long from Tex-Mex Mondays to Sunday brunch. Grab a burger and fries, snacks and sodas at Quinn & Ella’s, or catch the “Early Bird Special” every Wednesday through Saturday from 5 to 7 p.m. at The Bourbon Street Steakhouse and Grill. Oaklawn Racing and Gaming in Hot Springs hosts some of America’s top thoroughbreds until April 16, 2011 — and penny games, blackjack, poker and video poker every day and every night all year long. Join the Oaklawn Winners Circle and earn valuable cash back and chances to win great prizes like cars, boats and gift certificates. Triple Winners Circle points are given every Monday. Earn just 10 points on Tuesday or Wednesday and enjoy the catfish buffet for only $1.99.
Southl and Gaming & R acinG in West Memphis features greyhound action and table games.
After a day at the races, explore the legendary Spa City of Hot Springs — America’s oldest National Park. Famous for Bathhouse Row, this resort also features three great lakes. While in The Natural State, discover a world of unique excitement and affordable luxury. With a small geographic footprint and a diverse range of regions, Arkansas offers a lot of experiences with only short, scenic drives in between destinations. Fish for trout in rippling streams or bass in abundant lakes. Get a foursome together to travel the state from tee to tee on The Natural State Golf Trail. Or gather the girls for a getaway featuring spas, shopping and one of America’s oldest wine countries. Stay the night in a four-star hotel or a lodge atop the state’s highest peak; explore exciting cities and discover charming villages and country retreats — Arkansas overflows with thrilling adventures for families, couples and friends from all walks of life. From the Ozarks to the Delta, the Ouachitas, the Timberlands and central Arkansas, The Natural State is the perfect choice for your next vacation. Visit Arkansas.com or call 1-800-NATURAL for more information and order your free Vacation Planning Kit. 56
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IP casino resort & spa Biloxi, Mississippi
The Casino with Something for Everyone! By Elaine S tevens
be the case April 1 and 2 when the iconic Harry Connick Jr. performs only at IP! As one of the industry’s most versatile performers, Connick, like IP itself, gives back to the community. The Musicians Village Foundation created by Connick and Branford Marsalis focuses on music education in their hometown of New Orleans. Connick’s appearance at IP — considered by some to be an entertainment coup for Biloxi’s casino row — is not only indicative of the property’s clout in the Southeastern United States, but also the fact that the humanitarian missions of IP and Connick are synergistic. IP is contributing $150,000 to Connick’s t h i r t y-t w o foundation. What a spectacular way is one of two award-winning restaurants at IP. to end an eventful week in south Mississippi, which begins March 29 with the Mississippi Gulf Resort IP Casino Resort & Spa in Biloxi, Mississippi is many things Classic — another beneficiary of IP’s generosity to the tune of to many people in south Mississippi and beyond: a No. 1 $350,000, the largest cash sponsor for the nationally televised entertainment destination, home of two AAA Four Diamond golf tournament. restaurants, top notch promotions, a luxurious all-inclusive Don’t be fooled by the April powerhouse performances by resort, an architectural miracle post-Katrina, and a generous Connick, however, because March holds the key to incredible corporate neighbor. Here I outline how all of these aspects entertainment at IP as well. The magnificent lineup includes make IP shine to loyal patrons and beyond. Ronnie McDowell & The Jordanaires, George Lopez, Foreigner, Featuring the top performers in the country, IP has become REO Speedwagon, Kellie Pickler and Rickey Smiley. an entertainment source for visitors. Record sell-outs and Rare is the property that can garner one AAA Four Diamond standing-room-only crowds are not unusual for IP’s Studio Award fine dining restaurant, but to be able to win the honor A — which in itself is a theatrical wonder. That’s sure to 58
Southern G aming an d De s t in a t io n s
I P Do n at e s $ 3 m i l l i o n a n n u a l ly back to the community.
Q u e n c h i s t h e p o o l s i de c a f É amongst private cabanas on the pool deck. of two is akin to the Pulitzer of the culinary world! IP has achieved just that: the unforgettably romantic thirty-two and, more recently tien, an Asian-fusion phenomenon. Awardwinning culinary experts take great pride daily in creating, much like art, the flavors your taste buds will never forget. “The cuisine of both thirty-two and tien is a joy to prepare thanks to a staff of skilled chefs who are passionate about food,” explains Executive Chef Chris Poplin, an award-winner in his own right. “But it’s the service and extraordinary wine selection of IP’s fine-dining restaurants that are also integral to our winning such high honors.” Of course, if you would rather fill your pockets than your tummy, then IP Casino is the place for you. With more than $680 million paid out in jackpots since 2005, IP is happy to make winners smile. Unique giveaways and promotions have become an IP trademark. For example, March 2011 will feature the $30,000 Zydeco Slot Tournament and a $100,000 giveaway. The new IP Poker Room on the casino floor is always buzzing with tournaments and lots of winning hands. Modern luxury has taken on an innovative meaning at IP Casino Resort & Spa. Guests never have to leave — everything is in one location! The award-winning resort offers more than 1,000 rooms and suites that offer guests newly renovated, freshly appointed accommodations featuring ultra-comfortable bedding, warm décor, exceptional room service and beautiful vistas. The pool deck on the 11th floor of the parking structure is a tropical paradise, complete with
private cabanas, great service and the seasonal offerings of Quench, your own poolside café. Restaurants and bars abound throughout the resort, as does shopping, an arcade for children, meeting rooms and ballrooms for special events, nightlife in Chill Ultra Lounge, and the favorite of many IP visitors — Senses Spa & Salon, the epitome of relaxation and rejuvenation. The world-class facility sports a state-of-the-art gym overlooking Back Bay Biloxi along with the ultimate menu in massage therapies and facials, steam and dry saunas, peaceful lounging areas and, of course, skilled technicians to serve you. Complete cosmetology services are also available, including salon treatments, manicures and pedicures. IP Casino Resort & Spa has been noted as a transformational wonder since reopening post-Katrina. “There is nothing at the property that we haven’t changed,” says Jon Lucas, IP’s president and general manager. “We are proud of IP’s five-year evolution from a less-than-ordinary casino to the No. 1 resort destination of south Mississippi.” IP’s newsworthy progress has been reported worldwide since August 2005. Not only was it the first to reopen and regenerate gaming in Biloxi, but IP is noted as the only casino to donate more than $3 million annually back to the community. The corporate generosity of IP does not go unsung among numerous non-profits who thrive thanks to the philanthropy of IP — a total exceeding $15 million over five years benefiting the south Mississippi community as a whole. Entertaining guests with exquisite dining experiences and spas, as well as giving back to the community ensures that loyal guests and newcomers alike will continue to show their love for IP Casino Resort & Spa. With its great success and unsurpassed improvements over the last five years, it is no question that IP will remain the No. 1 resort destination of south Mississippi for years to come.
For reservations, call 1-888-946-2847 or visit IPBiloxi.com Vol um e 12 13 I ssue 6 2
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baseball
April is a tricky month for part-time sports bettors, but it is high time someone stepped into the spotlight and told the world … “Baseball ain’t so bad!” As March Madness comes to an end and the NBA season winds into the Playoffs (which does, conveniently, stretch into June), there can be a desire in many to put the pencils down, turn the television to CNN, and take a four-month hiatus from placing a wager. There are, however, a handful of methods to make money in baseball, and at no point in the season are those angles more easily exploited than at the beginning.
Dan Bebe is a renowned betting expert, sports broadcaster and professional handicapper for Pregame.com, where his plays are available for purchase. Dan’s daily sports betting podcast, “Today in Sports Betting,” is the fastest growing betting show on the Internet and can be found at PregamePodcasts.com. Learn more about the author at DanBebe.com.
Baseball: Betting Early Season
60
Baseball is an intricate game many overlook because it remains one of the few sports without a spread. Betting cards are packed with three-digit numbers, and instead of seeing “-4” and “+2.5,” we’re presented with figures like “-144” and “+108.” What’s a man to do? Don’t back down. It is unclear how baseball developed this mysterious reputation, but what is perfectly evident is that the betting populace needs to get over it. Moneylines are not reason for alarm, and the endless resources for statistics and trends are not entirely necessary. Baseball is beatable for two reasons, each beautiful in its simplicity. First, there are sportsbooks that offer “dime lines” on baseball games, which translates to a savings of $10 per bet. Sportsbooks that carry this fabled “dime line” are willing to eat a portion of their potential profits just to keep people from retiring for the summer, confident that bettors will fail to exploit that huge edge effectively. Little do they know, we have some tricks up our sleeves, and we will explore those momentarily — but first, a little background on “dime lines.” In spread-based sports, bettors are forced to lay juice on every play. Most people are aware that to place a straight wager on a game involving a spread, that bettor must pay a standard juice (usually “-110” or “11-to-win-10”). What many don’t realize is that to bet the moneyline on most spread sports — that is, to take a particular team to win the game regardless of spread — the cost to bet the favorite is often significantly more than $10 greater than the take on the underdog. Take, for example, a perfectly innocuous basketball game in the middle of the season. Basketball is, of course, a spread-based sport. For our purposes, that showdown will be a Houston Rockets home game against the New York Knicks. The Rockets were listed as 2.5-point favorites, and to play Houston on the moneyline, a bettor would have had to pay $135 to win $100. If that same bettor were to take the underdog Knicks, his
$100 wager would have only paid $115. Quick arithmetic reveals that the discrepancy between the favorite and underdog is $20. Conversely, a “dime line” indicates that the difference between favorite and underdog is just $10, allowing the Dan Bebe bettor to get significantly closer to even odds with the book. This trimming of the house edge is huge, and 99 percent of people have no idea it exists. The second reason to embrace the old stick-and-ball is that, in baseball, all a bettor has to do is pick a winner. Last-second free throws and the prevent defense can blow a cover, but in baseball, if a team wins, you win. If an underdog wins, you take home bonus dough. The next logical question becomes, “How do we pick a winner?” For the purposes of this transitional period in March and April, and to alleviate the stress associated with changing sports, we will isolate our focus on the early parts of the baseball season. There are many that will loudly preach backing the older, reliable teams, but those raving fools will lose. Instead, the two best means to get off to a hot start are to back under-the-radar teams that finished the previous season with momentum (but may have missed the playoffs because of a poor start), and to go against well-regarded veteran teams. Crazy? Perhaps these theories are not as wild as they sound. Teams like the Baltimore Orioles that played incredible baseball down the stretch are heading into 2011 brimming with confidence. Even better, most bettors will look at Baltimore’s record from 2010 and assume that the O’s are a mess, when the truth is quite the opposite. This is a team focused intently on getting off to a better start and competing with the big boppers in the American League East, the very teams you should be betting against. Baseball seasons are painfully long, with 162 games stretched over more than half a year, and not surprisingly, the older teams tend to take Spring Training a little less seriously. It takes those teams a few weeks to round into game shape, and bettors like you can make money playing against those cold muscles and tight ligaments. The frosting on the cake is that those veteran clubs are often the largest favorites on the board because of name recognition, which means that the underdog might only need to win 40 to 45 percent of the time for you to make a profit. So there you have it. Baseball offers the bettor superior odds in a beatable game. If that doesn’t appeal to you, go try your hand at roulette.
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18 Tennessee
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Vol um e 13 I ssue 2
63
In a nutshell, the key to winning money at Seven-Card Stud is to start with the best three-card starting hand. The most powerful starting hand in Seven-Card Stud is three aces, which I will be indicating as (A-A) A, followed by (K-K) K, (Q-Q) Q, (J-J) J, and so on; when you start with three of a kind in Stud, you are said, in poker slang, to be “rolled-up.”
Phil Hellmuth Jr. is an 11-time World Series of Poker Champion, leading all poker players in the world. His latest book, “Deal Me In,” is on the fast track for being another best-seller. His books, clothing line, blog, tips and more can be found at PhilHellmuth.com. This column is an excerpt from “Play Poker Like the Pros.”
Poker
Poker: Powerful Hands in Seven-Card Stud
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The next most powerful hand is a pair of concealed aces, such as (A-A) 5, followed by one concealed ace and one unconcealed ace, such as (A5) A. The reason that the concealed aces (or indeed any concealed pairs) are more powerful than the unconcealed aces is that the concealed pair is more deceptive: No one will think you have a hand as powerful as aces.
Next on my list of powerful hands is a pair of kings — first concealed, followed by unconcealed. Then we have a pair of queens, pair of jacks, pair of tens, and (A-K) Q suited (“suited” means that all three of your cards are in the same suit). Poker legend John Bonetti ranks (A-K) Q suited ahead of (J-J) 10. So our list of powerful starting hands begins with rolled-up trips (three of a kind), moves on to high pairs, and then moves on to high-suited connections like J♦-Q♦-K♦. All these are premium starting hands in Seven-Card Stud. The premium starting hands, then, are: 1. Three of a kind or “rolled-up” trips, beginning with (A-A) A 2. High pairs, concealed or unconcealed, starting with aces and moving down to jacks 3. High-suited connectors, such as (A♦-K♦) Q♦ Strong and medium strength starting hands are: 4. Medium-rank pairs like 8-8 through 10-10 and medium-suited connectors, such as 10♠-J♠-Q♠ 5. High suited semiconnectors, such as 10♥-J♥-K♥ Now that you understand what the most powerful Stud hands look like, let’s move on down the list and compare a couple of the more modest hands to help you think about which hands are more powerful. Which would you rather have, (10♣-J♣) Q♣ or (8♣-8♠) Q♦? That’s close, but give me (10♣-J♣) Q♣. If you understand why I prefer the first hand, you’ll have come a long way toward starting to think like a good Seven-Card Stud player, rather than remaining someone who has simply memorized a list of starting hands. The hand (10♣-J♣) Q♣ contains three overcards above the eights of the other hand. This means that if I hit a 10, jack or queen (and unless I see more sitting around the table), I will be a pretty strong favorite to win this hand. By contrast, the hand (8♣-8♠) Q♦ has an equal chance to catch one of three remaining
queens, and a chance to catch one of the two remaining eights to make trips. But take note that I’m comparing these two hands “in a vacuum,” not taking into account the visible queen in the hand with the concealed eights.
Phil Hellmuth, Jr.
The contrast between the two doesn’t end there, though. Although much of the strength of the hand (10♣-J♣) Q♣ does come from the high cards that make the high pairs, I could also catch cards that could make me a flush or a straight or even a straight flush. If I look around the table and don’t see many nines or kings (the cards that would give me an open-end straight draw), the hand’s potential grows stronger. It grows stronger still if I don’t see many eights or aces (the cards that would complete the straight if I caught a nine or a king). But what I’m really keeping my eyes open for are clubs (a flush beats a straight, after all). There are 10 clubs left in the deck after we take my three out of consideration. If no one else has a club for a door card, my chances of making a flush have improved. But if I see four other players who show a club, I can consider my chance of making a flush rather remote. All this might seem tedious or technical, but if you’re not prepared to analyze hands to this extent, you won’t ever be serious about Stud. Besides, it will take only a dozen seconds to assimilate all this information. Here’s another comparison for you. Which hand would you prefer — (5♥-6♥) 7♥ or (9♣-9♦) 10♠? If you’ve pondered categories 4 and 5 above, you already have your answer, because a medium pair like nines makes category four, but a low straight flush isn’t listed. I agree: Give me the pair of nines (9♣-9♦) 10♠, because the straight flush cards are all lower than the pair of nines. Most of the value in the hand (5♥-6♥) 7♥ comes from the potential for straight and flush, and although it looks pretty, the hand is still a long way from making a straight or a flush. How about (10♥-J♠) Q♦ versus (2-2) 7? I’ll take (10♥-J♠) Q♦, even though it’s not suited, because I could make a straight or a pair of 10s, jacks or queens; and even if none of that happens, I could still beat a measly pair of twos with some random event like hitting a three on fourth street and then another three on fifth street. Although you may feel that when it comes to getting good starting cards, you’re more or less at the mercy of Lady Luck, you should realize that you can make your starting hand seem a bit more powerful than it actually is through aggression, or weaken it through passivity. The hand that’s doing the betting always has the edge, because the other hand may fold rather than contest its bet.
For more free poker tips, visit southerngaming.com/poker
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