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Hints, Tips, And Advice On Your Favorite Casino Games! A Monthly Publication Created By Slot Machine Game Designers. The Arizona Gaming Guide is a free monthly magazine for people who enjoy visiting casinos and playing casino games. The magazine discusses Slot Machines, Video Slots, Reel Slots, Electronic Table Games like: Blackjack, Roulette, and Craps. Packed with in-depth features, advice, hints, tips, secrets, and so much more! A SNEAK PEEK AT 2016’S BRAND NEW SLOTS FROM THE G2E TRADE SHOW IN LAS VEGAS HOW TO WIN BIG PLAYING TRIPLE DOUBLE POKER Just how good can this extremely volatile video poker be? Read about the game, the strategy, and tips. BUCKY’S & YAVAPAI CASINOS HAVE FOOD SPECIALS They have daily specials for Veterans, Seniors, and Ladies, plus Taco Tuesdays all month long. 5 WAYS TO HELP SNAP OUT OF A COLD STREAK Sami gives us her input on some techniques she uses regularly when she encounters a cold streak.
Citation preview
22 A SNEAK PEEK AT 2016’S BRAND
NEW SLOTS FROM THE G2E
TRADE SHOW IN LAS VEGAS
04 EDITOR’S NOTE
06 PLAYERS TALK
10 TABLE GAMES
14 NEW SLOTS
18 WINNING WAYS
20 DINING
22 FEATURE STORY
26 TRIBAL NEWS
28 GAMING NEWS
34 LAUGHLIN, NEVADA
38 CASINO ENTERTAINMENT
40 CASINO BINGO
42 SAMI’S SMACKDOWN
43 FUN FACTS
44 FUN & GAMES
46 CASINO DIRECTORY
IN EVERY ISSUE
azgamingguide.com | November 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 03
HOW TO WIN BIG PLAYING
TRIPLE DOUBLE POKER
Just how good can this extremely
volatile video poker be? Read about
the game, the strategy, and tips.
5 WAYS TO HELP SNAP
OUT OF A COLD STREAK
Sami gives us her input on some
techniques she uses regularly when
she encounters a cold streak.
42 18
Contents NOVEMBER
BUCKY’S & YAVAPAI CASI-
NOS HAVE FOOD SPECIALS
They have daily specials for Veter-
ans, Seniors, and Ladies, plus Taco
Tuesdays all month long.
20
he Global Gaming Expo (G2E) of 2015 was held in Las Vegas last month,
and all the members of the Gaming Guide staff were able to make the trip
to experience the new games. The G2E show provides the opportunity for
casino game manufacturers to showcase all of their existing and future products
to the gaming industry. We’ve selected several of our team’s favorites to feature in
our extensive show review as a sneak peek of what’s to come. As always, the new
technology in the games is astounding! The future slot floor is upon us and it’s
filled with revolutionary ideas that will change the common perception of the slot
machine forever. We really hope you enjoy reading about the new games we de-
cided to discuss and are just as excited as we are to have the opportunity to play
them in 2016!
In this issue, you’ll also find plenty of reasons to make your next trip to any casino
a success. We’ve got the lowdown on a ton of new slots and those coming soon,
plenty of tips for you to incorporate into casino visits, and much more! Please visit
our Facebook at: facebook .com/ArizonaGamingGuide , become part of our com-
munity and share your thoughts and experiences with others who also love the
same casino games you do. You can sign up for our e-newsletter and find current
and back issues of AZ Gaming Guide on our website at AZGamingGuide.com . Let
me know what you think of this issue and have fun!
Alexandra Lang
Editor-in-Chief
Alexandra
VOLUME 07 • ISSUE 11
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Elizabeth Torma
PUBLISHER
Chris Höft
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Alexandra Lang
ART DIRECTOR
Melanie Mueller
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Al Moe
Lee Allen
Mark Novak
Melody Hudson
Lana Hartmann
Samantha Becker
Rodric J. Hurdle-Bradford
ADVERTISING SALES
Elizabeth Torma
Nina Consiglio
MAILING INFORMATION
Arizona Gaming Guide
P.O. Box 20636
Mesa, Arizona 85277
INTERNET INFORMATION
www.azgamingguide.com
www.facebook.com/ArizonaGamingGuide
Copyright © 2015 The Arizona Gaming Guide.
All rights reserved.
The Arizona Gaming Guide (AGG) presents casino industry and
gaming related facts and editorial opinions. AGG accepts no
responsibility and no liability for any actions of readers based on
articles and/or advertisements presented within. Information
contained within is not guaranteed to be correct. All pictures,
images, logos, trademarks and trade names, etc. are the sole
property of their respective owners. Intended for single use. Sale
and/or distribution without written consent is not permitted.
You must be 21 or older to gamble. Please play responsibly.
Help is available at 1.800.NEXT.STEP or problemgambling.az.gov.
EDITOR’S NOTE
Your Authority On Everything Gaming
Arizona’s State Gaming Regulatory Agency:
Arizona Department of Gaming
1110 W. Washington Street, Suite 450, Phoenix, 85007
1.602.771.4263 or azgaming.gov
Tribal Gaming Funded Problem Gambling Resource:
Office of Problem Gambling
1.800.NEXT.STEP or 1.800.639.8783
1110 W. Washington Street, Suite 450, Phoenix, 85007
1.602.542.8998 or problemgambling.az.gov
04 Arizona Gaming Guide | November 2015 | azgamingguide.com
“Like” us on Facebook because
we “Like” you too!
www.facebook.com/ArizonaGamingGuide
SNEAK PEEK INTO 2016 Exciting New Games Coming Our Way
T
PLAYERS TALK
06 Arizona Gaming Guide | November 2015 | azgamingguide.com
Q: Dear Editor, the machines are so brutal. They just don’t
even let me play. The money I come to the casino with disap-
pears right away. It’s no fun knowing that almost every single
time you go you will lose. Does it have to be that brutal all the
time? I put in a $100 bill and immediately start to see it go
down. I think about all the ways in which I could have spent
that $100 or other things I could have done for fun. Even the
bonuses seem to be happening less and less frequently as
well. Things have changed, a lot, at the casinos. I’m not sure
what’s happening? I know there’s nothing you can do about
it, I would just like to know your opinion. Maybe I should
start talking to the managers at the casinos and tell them how
I feel—which is the way all my friends and family feel as
well—not happy. It’s no fun to lose all the time!!
Melinda Cunningham Rowles—Peoria, AZ
A: Melinda, our magazine is not only enjoyed by casino visi-
tors, but by many casino executives as well. We communicate
about the contents of our magazine with Marketing Directors,
Slot Directors, Slot Club Supervisors, and even General Manag-
ers, all the time! So, rest assured, your letter will be read (and
discussed) by all the right people.
Ever since we started the Arizona Gaming Guide , seven years
ago, we have received thousands (literally) of hand-written
letters and e-mails from disgruntled casino visitors who want
the casinos to loosen their slot machines, because no matter
what amount of money they bring to the casino they just don’t
feel as though they have a chance!
The economy is suffering and people are spending their money
very carefully. Casino visits or the frequency of those visits has-
n’t changed, but the amount of money people are willing to
bring with them to the casinos has. People are spending a lot
less time at the casinos and bringing significantly less money.
Slot manufacturers need to start designing less volatile games
with lower number of average spins it takes to get into the bo-
nuses. And, perhaps the casinos need to consider increasing
their payback percentages just a wee bit. If one or both of these
things do not happen then you, and many others like yourself,
will start spending your entertainment dollars in other ways.
That’s a fact.
and get a $25 gift or gas card if we decide to print your question! Do you have a question for our staff of casino gaming industry professionals and slot experts? Write us with your questions
and comments in any area of gaming and we will make every attempt to publish a response in upcoming issues. Space is
limited so we are unable to print every letter or e-mail we receive. Please include your name and mailing address with all
correspondence. Mail to: Arizona Gaming Guide PO BOX 20636 Mesa, AZ 85277 or E-mail to: [email protected].
Q: Dear AGG, I’ve been reading your magazine for years now
and I’ve gotten some great advice, picked up a trick here and
there, and learned quite a bit of industry information. You
always talk about “bringing the right bankroll to the casino”
but you don’t go too much into detail about that. Would you
tell me what kind of bankroll you suggest for me being a vid-
eo poker player. Thank you. My wife plays slots and also en-
joys your magazine. You have a really great section on all the
new slots coming out. Would you please include more new
video poker and video keno games in the future?
Jack Hajduk—Phoenix, AZ
A: Jack, thank you for the kind words about our magazine. We
appreciate having you as a fan and we will definitely include
more write-ups on new video poker and video keno games!
Thank you for the suggestion. When people ask me how much
money they should bring to the casino, I tell them my general
rule of thumb: If I intend on playing a nickel machine (max bet
$0.25), then I plan on bringing $20 for every hour of desired
play time. Then, I just multiply this amount by the denomina-
tion of the machine. So, if I intend on playing a quarter machine
(max bet $1.25), then I plan on bringing $100 for every hour of
play time, $200/hour for a fifty cent machine (max bet $2.50),
$400/hour for a dollar machine (max bet $5.00), and so on. This
is advice I give casual and recreational players.
If you want to play the games at the level of a dedicated profes-
sional video poker player, you need to come to the casino with a
large enough bankroll to survive long enough to win. For a seri-
ous attempt at walking away with a significant win playing
video poker, you must be financially prepared to lose half the
value of a Royal Flush during a play session. For example, this
means coming to the casino with $100 if playing nickels (Royal
Flush is $200), $500 if playing quarters (Royal Flush is $1,000),
and $2,000 if playing a dollar machine (Royal Flush is $4,000).
Remember, your bankroll should be a predetermined amount of
money you can afford to lose.
Q: I don’t think it’s fair when casinos set their machines so
fast and I don’t have the option to change the speed on the
game. I play video poker and video keno and sometimes the
machines are so fast it’s no fun – not to mention I’m losing my
Continued on page 8
money so quickly. I know that’s the reason the casinos set the
games so fast. It’s not enough the games are so tight they’re
already programmed to take your money now they have to
take it even faster – ridiculous! How can we get them to slow
things down? Any advice?
Jenny J. Dover—Glendale, AZ
A: Jenny, casinos set up their machines with their own purposes
in mind and, yes, those purposes tend to involve their bottom
line. They are a business after all. If the machine is set at a light-
ning-quick pace, players are burning through their bankroll
much quicker and the casino is making more money. Something
you may or may not be aware of is that the speed of the video
keno games can be controlled using the speed button on any
one of the video poker games on a multigame machine usually.
However, if there is no speed button on the video poker games,
then there is nothing you can do to change the speed yourself.
Luckily, speed settings on video slots can be controlled by a slot
attendant as the function does not require re-initialization, or a
RAM clear, of the game. Just like slot attendants can turn the
key and enter the menu for the history of the last several games
played, they are also able to control other aspects of the game
such as the speed and even the volume.
In fact, just recently, I was at a casino playing a video slot game
whose volume was incredibly loud and distorted. I called over a
slot attendant and politely asked her to turn down the volume.
Without any hesitation, she obliged knowing that in having
done that she made me and all the other players around me
happy. You are the customer and the casinos understand that.
As long as you are not requesting something that is unreasona-
ble, in more cases than not, they are willing to be accommodat-
ing. All you have to do is ask.
Q: I just got home from the casino and had a Straight Flush
dealt to me with four to the Royal. I wasn’t sure what to do. I
ended up keeping the Straight Flush because I didn’t want to
lose 250 credits but now I’m regretting my decision. Should I
have dropped the 9 and held only the 10, J, Q, and K in the
hopes of getting the A?
Tammy Lopez—Tucson, AZ
A: Tammy, your play was the correct one when using optimal
strategy. Although it may be very tempting to risk the Straight
Flush for the Royal, you should never drop a dealt Straight
Flush. Not knowing what may have happened is the most diffi-
cult part, but just forget about it and be happy with the win
because it could have turned out to be nothing at all! $
PLAYERS TALK
08 Arizona Gaming Guide | November 2015 | azgamingguide.com
Continued from page 6
TABLE GAMES
10 Arizona Gaming Guide | November 2015 | azgamingguide.com
Writer Al Moe has worked in the casino industry for many years.
He has lived and worked in Las Vegas, Reno, and Lake Tahoe. He
also attended the University of Nevada, Reno. He is an avid writer
and blogger, author of “Vegas and the Mob"—available at Amazon.
He is also the proud father of four beautiful girls.
Match the Dealer
A side bet is often available if one or both of the player’s first
two cards match the dealer’s up card. The six-deck game offers
4-for-1 on a non-suited match and 9-for-1 on a suited match. The
eight-deck game pays 3-for-1 on a non-suited match and 12-for-
1 on a suited match. $
Approximate House Edge When The Dealer:
• Stands on soft 17 (six deck): 0.37%
• Stands on soft 17 (eight deck): 0.38%
• Hits on soft 17 (six deck): 0.78%
• Hits on soft 17 (eight deck): 0.80%
• Hits on soft 17, with redoubling (six deck): 0.42%
• Hits on soft 17, with redoubling (eight deck): 0.45%
Changes To Approximate House Edge When The Dealer:
• Hits on soft 17 with no surrender: +0.018%
• Stands on soft 17 with no surrender: +0.006%
• Hits or stands on soft 17 no draws on split Aces: +0.28%
• Hits on soft 17, redoubling, no draws on split Aces: +0.029%
By Al Moe
panish 21 is found at several Arizona casinos and is a
favorite of players in many other states as well. The
game is played on a standard blackjack table and you
still try to make 21, but there are a few things that will leave you
scratching your head, like being allowed to double down on any
number of cards, or using surrender options.
To accommodate a slew of crazy rules, Spanish 21 games use
special decks consisting of just 48 cards. The only cards not in
use out of the regular decks (6-deck shoes are used) are the four
Tens. That does give the house a higher advantage, so the game
allows lots of great trade-offs. At most casinos, the house edge is
close to the same as the odds found on standard blackjack
games. If you play the bonus religiously, heaven help you. No,
I’m kidding, it’s not that bad. In fact, the side bet is a lot of fun
and only runs about 3% in the house’s favor.
Cool Rules
At Spanish 21, the casino chooses whether the dealer will hit or
stand on a soft 17. Probably, they will stand. In addition, either
six or eight Spanish decks will be used. You may even be able to
redouble-down up to three times. Other things you’ll find are
even better:
• A player blackjack beats a dealer blackjack
• A player 21 always wins
• Re-splitting of aces is allowed
• Double after a split is allowed
• Double on any number of cards is allowed, even after
splitting aces
• Hit after splitting aces is allowed
• Double Down Rescue – player surrenders after doubling
(loses original bet only)
• Late surrender is allowed
Bonuses
If that wasn’t enough, there are bonuses for big hands:
• Five-card 21 pays 3-for-2, a six-card 21 pays 2-for-1, and a
seven or more card 21 pays 3-for-1
• 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 pays 3-for-2 if mixed suits, 2-for-1 if all the
same suit (spades pays 3-for-1)
• Suited 7-7-7 and a dealer 7-up card pays $1000 on bets up to
$24, $5000 for bets over $24
S
HOW TO PLAY SPANISH 21 Not A Bad Bet With Nearly The Same Odds As Most Blackjack Games
14 Arizona Gaming Guide | November 2015 | azgamingguide.com
By Lana Hartmann
NEW SLOTS
ncredible Technologies’ latest slot concept, Money Rain, boasts
an unprecedented 25,000 ways to win with Scatter Ways. Mon-
ey Rain takes the theme of “money” and flips it on its head, literal-
ly! The innovative reel mechanic featured in Money Rain showcases
the colorful money symbols folding in half and flipping, similar to
the numbers flipping on a digital clock! The new slot is ready for
play at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino.
Players are hoping to land four or more yellow transforming sym-
bols during the main game to unlock the Money Reel - a smaller 6th
reel that is locked during game play. Once unlocked, the Money
Reel spins to decide which uniform symbol will replace the mystery
symbols for some high paying scatter symbol wins! Three or more
rain cloud scatters trigger the Free Spin Bonus where the Money
Reel is active but only includes the top four replacement symbols.
The removal of the low paying scatter symbols creates opportunities
for downpours of thundering wins. For more information on this
game and other exciting new products by ITS, visit their website at
ITSGames.com.
I
Money Rain Ready For Play At Harrah’s Ak-Chin
The Flintstones Ready For Play At Vee Quiva
ake a trip to the town of Bedrock, and come play this slot right out
of history at Vee Quiva Casino! The sights, sounds, and of course
all of your favorite characters from The Flintstones television se-
ries make their debut on WMS’ Gamefield xD cabinet in this fresh take on
the prehistoric wheel!
Featuring a 42” horizontal screen over a vertical 32” screen with a me-
chanical wheel, the 5x4 base game of The Flintstones theme features both
a Flintstones and a Rubbles array. It only takes one character symbol
landing on the 5th reel to activate one of the following bonuses: Watch as
Bamm Bamm bangs symbols to turn them Wild in the Bamm Bamm Bo-
nus, as Dino jumps on Fred and licks him for additional credits in the
Dino Bonus, and as reels stretch up to 10 symbols high as Wild reels and
multipliers are potentially added in The Flintstones mystery feature. Pick
the cutest baby to double your credit prize in the Pebbles Beautiful Baby
Contest, or pick bowling balls for credits in the Bedrock Bowling Feature.
Wilma? WILMAAAAAAAAAAA! Hurry up, Wilma, and head over to
WMS.com to learn more about this and other exciting new WMS slots. $
T
azgamingguide.com | November 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 15
The Big Bang Theory Ready For Play At Vee Quiva
ur whole universe was in a hot dense state, then just recently Vee
Quiva Casino installed brand new The Big Bang Theory slot ma-
chines by Aristocrat and things have never been the same! The
game has a multi-game base game where players can play up to four reel
sets. One of ten mystery bonuses can be triggered within the base game at
any time with any bet. Additionally, three scatters trigger The Big Bang
Theory Bonus Wheel, which awards one of six games: Large Leonard Hofstadter
Collision Feature, with free Mega symbol spins with player-selected volatil-
ity; Dr. Sheldon Cooper Roommate Agreement Feature, with eight free Reel
Power spins; Penny Friendship Paradigm Feature, with five free scatter pay
spins awarded on 4x4 reel set; Howard Wolowitz Mystic Warlords Of Ka’a
Feature, where the player selects cards to reveal multipliers and credits; Raj
Koothrappali Scavenger Vortex Feature, where the player selects scavenger
objects to reveal credits or Win All; The Big Bang Theory Progressive Fea-
ture, where the player selects symbols to win credits or progressive jackpot
prize. Be sure to visit Aristocrat.com.au for more information about this
and other great Aristocrat slot machines. $
NEW SLOTS
O
The Jetsons Ready For Play At Wild Horse Pass
eel nostalgic for the future! Meet George Jetson, his boy Elroy,
daughter Judy, and Jane, his wife, in one of the latest slots from
WMS Gaming, The Jetsons slots! Featuring the sights, sounds, and
characters from the classic TV show, this slot will leave you feeling nostal-
gic for the future.
Watch Rosie vacuum up low-paying symbols and replace them with Wilds
in the Rosie Feature, or spin the wheel for one of five character-themed bo-
nuses. Pick for credits in the Spacely Space Sprockets Bonus, pick clouds to
help George Jetson make it home while avoiding the cops in the High
Speed Hijinks Bonus, or enjoy free spins with up to two reels Wild in the
Wild-O-Matic Bonuses! But that is not all; the whole Jetsons family is repre-
sented in The Jetsons Family Free Spins, where all wins may be multiplied
up to 10x!
So hop in your space cars and hurry to WMS.com to learn more about The
Jetson slots. As Mr. Spacely would say, “No hurry, any time in the next five
minutes is fine!” $
F
16 Arizona Gaming Guide | November 2015 | azgamingguide.com
NEW SLOTS
layers will go “Crazy” for the new Britney Spears Slot Game! Named
one of the most anticipated games of the year, the Britney Spears Slot
Game makes players feel like they are in the front row of an exclusive
Britney Spears concert, thanks to the towering Arc Double cabinet that sweeps up and
over players with two 42” curved, portrait, hi-def, touch-screen LCD monitors
for a totally new, completely immersive, gaming experience. Arc Double’s
pulse-pounding 5.1 stereo surround sound and iChair technology are the per-
fect way to hear Britney Spears’ most popular top-charting hits that bring the
game to concert-level life, including “Hit Me Baby One More Time,” “Toxic,”
“3,” “Oops I Did It Again,” and “Crazy.”
Britney Spears is feature-rich, with two base game features – “Equalizer” and
“Oops I Did It Again Re-spin” – and four bonus features: “Crazy Feature
Gateway,” “Oops I Did It Again Free Games,” “Toxic Picks” and the “Hit Me
Baby One More Time Wheel.” Britney Spears has a single-site progressive
jackpot with a $10,000 start-up jackpot. It is a 60 line game with a 50 credit
minimum bet and 250 or 500 credit max bet. For more information about this
game or any other Aristocrat games, visit Aristocrat.com.au. $
P
Britney Spears Ready For Play At Harrah’s Ak-Chin
18 Arizona Gaming Guide | November 2015 | azgamingguide.com
WINNING WAYS By Lana Hartmann
have a love-hate relationship with the Video poker game
Triple Double Bonus Poker. It’s kind of like over-indulging
in a scrumptious European-style chocolate butter cream
cake or going on that rollercoaster ride with your kids a second
time (even though your stomach is still in your throat from the
first time around)!
Triple Double Bonus Poker is a brutal, but extremely rewarding,
Video Poker game. With a bet of five credits, a winning combi-
nation of four Aces with a kicker (any single 2, 3, or 4) pays
4,000 credits! This is equivalent to $1,000 playing a quarter de-
nomination machine—the exact same win as the Royal Flush.
You can expect this substantial win to happen quite frequently;
on average about once in every 14,000 hands! What’s exciting
about this win is that it happens much more frequently than the
coveted Royal Flush, which players will see once in every 45,000
hands approximately.
And, not only do the Aces pay much more than usual, but the
four 2s, 3s, or 4s with a kicker also pay a much higher bonused
win of 2,000 credits than other standard Video Poker games.
You won’t need to wait that long for this win either, because
one of these sweet four-of-a-kind combinations will appear
about once in every 5,800 games, on average.
At this point, I’m sure you’re asking yourself, “Where’s the
catch?” Well, there is a catch and boy it is not pretty! To be able
to pay higher rewards for winning combinations that happen
less often, the pays for the winning combinations that happen
very often are significantly reduced. In this game, you are not
rewarded twice your bet back with a two pair as you are with
Video Poker games like Bonus Poker and Jacks or Better, but
rather just your bet back. Furthermore the three-of-a-kind wins,
which occur in nearly 8% of your hands, are reduced to twice
your bet back rather than three times your bet like on most oth-
er Video Poker games. This is brutal!
To ride out the ups and downs of this highly volatile game,
players must come prepared with the appropriate bankroll to
weather out any storms. If you are a person who gets easily
frustrated, this is not the game for you. Sit back, have patience,
know your bankroll will have high and low swings while you
wait for the big payoffs.
I
TRIPLE DOUBLE BONUS POKER Just How Good Is This Extremely Volatile Video Poker Game?
HINTS & TIPS
1. Just like with Double Bonus Poker and Double Double Bonus
Poker, you always want to sacrifice a dealt full-house that has
three aces for the chance of getting four Aces. Hold the three
Aces and discard the pair if the pair is a 5 through King. If the
pair is a kicker (2, 3, or 4), then hold a kicker along with the
three Aces. The strategy is different in this situation when play-
ing Double Double Bonus Poker where only the three Aces
would be held without the kicker to maximize an Ace coming
back on the draw.
2. What do you do when dealt two Aces and two kickers? Well,
you definitely don’t hold for the full house! However, is it ad-
vantageous to hold the two Aces with a kicker? No! When dealt
only one or two Aces, never hold a kicker. Only hold a kicker
when dealt three (or four Aces—it’s happened to me several
times)!
3. What happens when you’re dealt three kicker cards with an-
other kicker card (for example, three 2s with a 3)? This situation
is the same as the Aces situation. Hold the kicker along with the
three 2s. A Double Double Bonus Poker player would frown at
this situation, and rightfully so, as the correct strategy for that
game would be to drop the kicker to increase the chances for the
fourth deuce! And, of course, you’d never hold just two 2s with
a kicker! Good luck and enjoy the ride! $
20 Arizona Gaming Guide | November 2015 | azgamingguide.com
CASINO DINING
GREAT FOOD & FUN IN THE PINES Bucky’s & Yavapai Casinos Offer Amazing Daily Food Specials
ucky’s and Yavapai Casinos, located in beautiful Pres-
cott, Arizona surrounded by clear skies and cool pines,
are offering their patrons some amazing food specials
this month. Players can enjoy non-stop action and BIG-WIN
payouts on any one of their 525 exciting slots along with some
delicious, low-priced food items starting at just $1.99! For more
information about Bucky’s and Yavapai Casinos and their men-
us, visit their website at Buckyscasino.com.
Veteran’s Appreciation Day
Visit Bucky’s (7am-10pm) or Yavapai Cantina (7am-11pm) on
Mondays, show your GRC Veteran’s Commemorative Card to
your server and receive 50% off any menu item! This offer is for
dine-in only and cannot be combined with any other food dis-
count or coupon.
Senior’s Day Special Breakfast Menu
Visit Prescott on a Tuesday and be treated to a scrumptious (and
unbelievably economical) breakfast for just $1.99! Choose be-
tween one of the following three choices: Lite Breakfast (2 eggs,
choice of side and bread), Lite Pancake Breakfast (2 eggs, 1 pan-
cake, bacon or sausage) or Breakfast Sandwich (choice of meat
with egg on an English muffin). Add just one more dollar and
for $2.99 you can enjoy a 5 oz Grilled Pork Chop served with 2
eggs, hash browns, and choice of bread. This special is valid for
all Gold Rush Club members who are 55 years of age or older.
Dine-in only.
Ladies Day
On Thursdays between 11am and 4pm, ladies will have a diffi-
cult time picking which menu item to order for just $2.99! Op-
tions include a mouthwatering Chicken Mediterranean Salad
with grilled chicken breast julienned with artichoke hearts, ol-
ives, tomatoes and sliced onions over spring mix lettuce served
with a Balsamic Vinaigrette, a very filling Shrimp Caesar Salad
with sautéed baby shrimp over lettuce greens tossed in Caesar
Dressing and covered with shredded parmesan cheese and
croutons, or a delicious Tuna Fish Wrap with freshly made tuna
fish in a tomato basil tortilla with sliced tomato and shredded
lettuce which includes a choice of a side. The ladies lunch spe-
cial is for Gold Rush Club members and dine-in only.
Taco Tuesday
Available from 11am-10pm at Bucky’s Café and 11am-11pm at
Yavapai Cantina on Tuesdays, all Gold Rush Club members can
enjoy Two Beef Tacos (choice of crispy or soft tortillas, served
with rice and beans) or Two Chicken Tacos (choice of crispy or
soft tortillas, served with rice and beans) for just $2! Other de-
lectable daily specials such as the Calamari Po Boy, the Pastrami
Burger, and the Honey Mustard Crispy Chicken Wrap are just
$4.99 on select days! $
B
By Mark Novak
azgamingguide.com | October 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 25
22 Arizona Gaming Guide | November 2015 | azgamingguide.com
By Mark Novak
he only way to truly get a glimpse into the future of
casino gaming is to visit the Global Gaming Expo
(G2E) every year. For four days during the last part of
September and early part of October this year, every-
one remotely connected to the gaming industry converged at the
Sands Expo & Convention Center for an amazing experience
known as “The Show.”
This year, the show featured nearly a quarter of a million square
feet of exhibit space where slot machine manufacturers and a
whole host of other companies showcased their innovations to
tens of thousands of attendees, including me and my fellow
team members. And, as always, we are excited to present a
sneak peek of the exciting new games coming our way in 2016!
T
azgamingguide.com | November 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 23
ARISTOCRAT
Aristocrat will continue to bring entertaining, player-favorite
brands to the casino floors with exciting new themes like Game
of Thrones (based on the popular HBO fantasy drama depicting
battling kings and dragons), Downton Abbey (a PBS drama set
against the historic events of early 20th century England), Ted
(based on the movie about a loveable bear), Dumb and Dumber
(based off another comedy from 1994 starring Jim Carrey and
Jeff Daniels), A Christmas Story (a hilarious depiction of the
1983 Christmas movie classic), and Man of Steel (the latest in-
carnation of Aristocrat’s licensed series based on the recent Su-
perman films). These themes join the existing line up of exciting
games that have recently hit the market including Sons of Anar-
chy Slot Game, The Big Bang Theory Slot Game, The Big Bang Theory
Bazinga Slot Game and the Britney Spears Slot Game.
Complementing the licensed themes is Aristocrat’s core propri-
etary linked products including Lightening Link , their first
player-selectable denomination linked quick-hitting progressive
designed for core players. Quick-hitting it is as the jackpot fea-
ture is triggered once in every 100 spins, on average and the top
jackpot is hit once in every 25 days, on average! Additionally,
the industry’s best performing game, Buffalo, is launching on
the new fleet of hardware with Buffalo Grand available on Arc
Double cabinet and Buffalo Stampede on the Behemoth cabinet.
ARUZE GAMING
Revolutionizing the Electronic Table Game is the new Virtual
Roulette game by Aruze. This HD projection roulette concept delivers
a super-realistic wheel display
and an exciting side game con-
ducted in vivid color. Part of
the G-Station series, the high
resolution LCD player inter-
face enhances player interac-
tion with active scene changes
depending on game play and
the information accessed. New
features include player interac-
tion in shooting the ball and a
thrilling Progressive Jackpot side game. This exciting new table
game can go from 8 stations to 50 stations!
If the ball drops into a Jackpot Spot, the Jackpot Chance is trig-
gered and starts after the roulette game result is displayed. Each
player that entered the Jackpot Chance wins the indicated prize
corresponding to the pocket the ball drops into. One prize is
won from among the following prizes: a fixed credit prize or
one of three Progressive levels. The player has the option to
view the classic roulette screen or they can really take things to
the next level and use the strategy screen to check out the roll
history and determine what bet they feel comfortable with!
Aruze is focused on innovation and their product line is always
growing! Their new offerings this year feature the Cube-X cabi-
net which is designed, according to the company, to be aestheti-
cally and ergonomically pleasing to millennials (those born be-
tween the years of 1980 and 2000). The innovative Cube-X has a
high definition video and LCD touch panel with brighter light-
ing and a much faster processor. This new cabinet is being used
to expand the “Ultra Stack” series of games that have been
wildly popular with players. Also included in the Cube-X is a
new “X” series of games in which free game wins are multiplied
by 2x to 10x! Titles include: Tokyo Rose X, Kabuki Master X, and
Dragon’s Fortune X.
New video slots on the Cube-X include: Extreme Phoenix and Ex-
treme Dragon which are both 243-ways-to-win games featuring the
Extreme Progressive. Special reels comprised exclusively of Picture,
Feature, and Wild symbols are used during the 10 Free Games.
And, the Wild symbols bring a chance to trigger the Jackpot
Feature with 4 Progressive levels.
24 Arizona Gaming Guide | November 2015 | azgamingguide.com
INTERBLOCK
This year at G2E, luxury gaming manufacturer Interblock cele-
brated their 25th anniversary. The company raised the bar even
higher by showcasing an impressive new product portfolio that
is current, evolutionary and revolutionary! The show felt a new
energy with Interblock’s new Pulse Arena, a completely cus-
tomizable electronic table game that can be configured with a
small number of play stations or an entire arena involving any
of Interblock’s games in a specifically themed setting.
With Pulse , Interblock also unveiled its first branded electronic
table game: Marilyn Monroe Roulette . The branding has added
a deeper dimension of glamour to Interblock’s Diamond line of
games for an even more meaningful luxury experience. The fun
continues with a new version of Interblock’s classic Blackjack
game, featuring enhanced game play, efficiency and player ex-
perience. The new generation of Organic Blackjack is now faster
with more interactivity and more anticipation!
Next is the revolutionary new Diamond StarBar, Interblock’s
first multi-game/multi-play product which allows players to
easily toggle between games. StarBar is an innovative new bar-
top way for players to enjoy the entire spectrum of Interblock
games. Interblock also showcased their new, fully-automated
Diamond Big Wheel game at G2E. The Big Six mechanical wheel spins
automatically at pre-set intervals and up to 150 games can be
spun per hour. The transparent wheel can even be connected to
multiple, modular Diamond Play Stations!
EVERI
Since acquiring Global Cash Access (producer of most of the
ATMs that can be found in the casinos) and Multimedia Games
shortly after last year’s G2E, the entire Everi team has been fo-
cused on further elevating the entertainment experience with
their innovative games. Everi’s booth at G2E this year featured
over 140 games, including more than 70 new unique titles and
an all-new gaming cabinet, the Core HDX, representing the
company’s most diverse product lineup at G2E ever!
The Core HDX is a sleek and sophisticated gaming device fea-
turing dual widescreen 23” monitors with 1080p HD capability,
integrated touchscreens and a premium 3-way sound system.
The Core HDX includes game-controlled lighting, ergonomic
controls and an integrated LCD button panel. Exclusive titles for
the new Cord HDX platform include Twin Dragon, Quad Burst
Tiger Strike, Jackpot Inferno and Bonus Attack.
TournEvent, the award-winning solution that has completely re-
invented slot tournaments, once again returned to the G2E
show floor with an exciting new feature set which includes up-
dated graphics, new audio-visual effects, new titles and themed
bonus events. And, the TournEvent o f Champions Tour Bus
once again rolled onto the G2E show floor as well! The search
for 2015’s best slot tournament player reached its exciting con-
clusion on the evening of September 30 at the Wynn Las Vegas
Resort where 182 finalists competed for a share of over $1.4 mil-
lion in cash prizes, including a $1 million top prize! Watch for
TournEvent of Champions in AZ casinos again in 2016!
INTERNATIONAL GAME TECHNOLOGY (IGT)
IGT will continue its tradition of bringing pop culture’s hottest
brands to the casino floors with the introduction of several new
licensed slot themes. IGT partnered with Warner Bros. and the
number one brand in entertainment news to bring TMZ Video
Slots to life. This interactive theme is housed on the CrystalCore
cabinet and introduces never-before-seen camera-based “photo
booth” technology that integrates a player’s image on the game
screen and in several engaging bonus events.
Inspired by one of Netflix’s most-watched programs, IGT also
unveiled House o f Cards Power and Money Video Slots and House
of Cards Welcome to Washington Video Slots at this year’s show.
Other must-play licensed titles from IGT included: The Dark
Knight Trilogy Video Slots, Super Heroes and Villains, Breaking Bad
Video Slots, The Ellen DeGeneres Show Have a Little Fun Today
Video Slots, and a fourth game to the James Cameron’s Avatar
Video Slots series, James Cameron’s Avatar The Sacred Bond
Video Slots. Also watch for new titles such as Da Vinci Dia-
monds DualPlay, Age of Aurora, Mammoth Reels and Bubble Craze
on the new CrystalDual cabinet!
IGT has also taken the video poker experience to the next level
with the introduction of the Ultimate X Poker with Power Deals
Tournament Game that enables operators to host spirited video poker
tournament games. The Company also introduced a series of
new video poker titles such as the Super Hand Poker game and
the Super Draw 6 Card Poker game, an innovative game that
gives players the chance to win a six-of-a-kind poker hand!
azgamingguide.com | November 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 25
SCIENTIFIC GAMES
The new Scientific Games company is made up of four compa-
nies which they acquired through mergers over the past two
years: Bally Technologies, WMS Gaming, SHFL Entertainment,
and Barcrest. Along with individual WMS and Bally cabinets,
the company also unveiled its first combined cabinet called the
TwinStar. This ultra-cool new cabinet features a 40% larger play-
er interaction area and new version of the highly-popular iDeck
button panel. Housed in this cabinet will be legacy games from
the former WMS and Bally which include Zeus and Gold Fish ,
Quick Hit and Hot Blooded.
Also heading up Scientific Games’ lineup of new games this
year is the largest collection of licensed brands the gaming in-
dustry has ever seen—a total of 19 licensed themes! Monty Py-
thon and the Holy Grail will have players giggling during the hilari-
ous bonus rounds. And, for those players who enjoy singing
along to classic tunes as they play their favorite slots, Scientific
Games does not disappoint! Take a trip down memory lane
with Michael Jackson Icon, Margaritaville featuring the music of
Jimmy Buffet, or Cher Live with hits like “Believe” and “Turn
Back Time.”
Playboy Don’t Stop The Party features Pitbull with an assortment of
Playboy Playmates. Caddyshack (the 1980 comedy starring Bill
Murray, Chevy Chase, Ted Knight and Rodney Dangerfield)
contains seven bonus events which include clips from the mov-
ie’s most memorable moments. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
has exciting base game and bonus features and also includes
many of the famous songs that will keep players singing along!
Existing branded names we’ve all come to know and love have
been taken to the next level. Watch for new game titles such as
The Wizard of Oz: Not in Kansas Anymore, Titanic Hear of the
Ocean, Friends I’ll Be There For You, Cheers, Elvis Lives and Iron
Man, a very exciting new game that has seven reels where two reels
are wild on every spin and the wild reels change position on
every game! And, Scientific Games just recently announced a
new partnership with Twentieth Century Fox to create a
themed slot machine based on the longest running scripted TV
series, The Simpsons! The slot theme will star Homer and
Marge Simpson and many other iconic characters from the
show. Of course, all these licensed brands were also accompa-
nied by scores of proprietary brands from Scientific Games as
well! 2016 will surely be an entertaining year with tons of new
titles for us slot enthusiasts! $
26 Arizona Gaming Guide | November 2015 | azgamingguide.com
TRIBAL NEWS
hen life gives you acorns --- make stew. Chef Nephi
Craig (Apache/Navajo), the founder of the Native
American Culinary Association, takes life one acorn
at a time in his mission to “restore and reinvent the largely-
forgotten cuisine of our forebearers,” relying on Nature’s abun-
dance of indigenous foods that represent a culture defined by
diversity, history, and resiliency.
“Food is powerful and everything goes back to our roots for
me,” says the Executive Chef at the White Mountain Apache
tribe’s Sunrise Park Resort. Craig, and other Native chefs of like
mind, will join forces to present a Native Foods Festival & Sym-
posium, November 12-13, at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Muse-
um in Tucson.
The two-day celebration of, by, and for food producers will
offer a chance to taste traditional and innovative preparations of
foodstuffs that have sustained Native peoples for generations.
“It’s a gathering of food people of all levels to support and grow
networks and relationships across Native communities,” he
says. “There’s a very strong theme of health, resilience, and re-
covery as we continue to preserve and develop our foodways
for posterity. We’re not stuck in a certain time period, i.e., how
it was done in the olden days, Native foodways are very fluid
and reflective of who we are.”
Craig will be joined in cooking demonstrations and tastings by
other chefs like James Beard, Award winner Lois Ellen Frank
(Kiowa), owner of Red Mesa Cuisine restaurant in Santa Fe, and
Loretta Barret Oden (Citizen Potawatomi Nation) who found
fame as owner of New Mexico’s Corn Dance Café, first restau-
rant in the country to showcase indigenous foods of America.
Blending their talents, the trio of culinary craft masters will offer
presentations about traditional foods and health, traditional
agricultural practices, and the concept of food sovereignty. Ses-
sions will be held on the making of Hopi Piki bread and Yurok
roasted salmon, leading up to a tasting lunch featuring indige-
nous foods prepared by those same guest chefs.
For the true gourmand, a Friday the 13th multi-course dinner
will feature traditional ingredients from across the Americas.
Beautifully presented and plated, each of the nationally-known
chefs will discuss their dish before sharing their inspirations to
be paired with wine. To be held at the Museum’s Ocotillo Café,
the limited seating fundraiser event is a $150 experience.
Although food is a focal point, it’s not the only attraction. On
Saturday the 14th and Sunday the 15th, internationally-acclaimed
basket weaver Terrol Dew Johnson (Tohono O’odham), a weav-
er since the age of ten, will join top basket weavers from the U.S.
and Mexico in demonstrating (and selling) their art. Interesting-
ly enough, Johnson’s Tohono O’odham Community Action
group notes: “While the history of Tohono O’odham basketry
combines utility, ceremony, trade, and artistry, there is no word
in the Tohono language for art. Weavers have sought to blend
W
Words By Lee Allen
Images By Lois Ellen Frank & Mary Paganelli
CELEBRATING INDIGENOUS VITALITY Native Foods Festival & Symposium November 12-13
Che
f N
ephi
Cra
ig
TRIBAL NEWS
azgamingguide.com | November 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 27
beauty and usefulness, bringing together the material, spiritual,
and aesthetic worlds. In basketry, beauty and utility are joined
together. While some call it art, most basket weavers simply call
it life.” Dancing and singing categories have not been left out of
the program with performances by several groups including the
renowned Apache Crown Dancers.
Of the fund-raising feast, Craig says: “We plate artful dishes
similar to ‘the fine dining world’ because we are artful people,
but our style of cooking, the indigenous way, is not about ‘fine
dining’. It’s a journey, a quiet pursuit that places home and fam-
ily first. Cuisine is the articulation of culture, the poetry of mix-
ing senses and memories --- creating a recipe of the mind, spirit,
history, ingenuity, and deliciousness --- all before picking up a
knife.”
Chef Frank has spent more than a quarter of a century docu-
menting foods and lifeways of Native American tribes from the
Southwest. Her book, Foods of the Southwest Indian Nations,
won a James Beard Award in the Americana category, the first
Native American book to achieve that honor. A proponent of
gathering her own natural ingredients from the land, items like
prickly pear, yucca blossoms, purslane, and other wild greens,
she says: “Food is sacred. What you eat is a gift of a person’s
culture. Traditional cooking feeds the body wholesome food
that feeds the soul.”
Chef Oden likes to combine classic culinary techniques with
good old-fashioned American Indian cooking processes like
smoking and salting. A veteran of appearances on “Good Morn-
ing America” and “The Today Show,” the food historian says:
“Native food is much more than fry bread and Indian tacos…
our diversity of dishes also points to our diversity as a people. I
grew up in the kitchen watching my mother, grandmas, and
aunts cook. Most of what I know about food, I learned
firsthand. Now I want to promote the concept of healthy food
that Native people ate before the Europeans came.”
“Food is powerful,” says Craig who supervises an all-Apache
staff of 14 cooks and 14 waiters at his resort. “Native people are
emerging from a great interruption in their traditional food-
ways. Pre-contact, we were expert hunters, gatherers, fisher-
men, farmers, and cooks. Then came reservations with high-fat,
high-carbohydrate foods, and a turn from the most important
ingredient in Native cuisine --- healing. Native foods are not a
trend --- they are a way to recover our communities.”
Although not a part of this particular food festival, Navajo chef
Freddie Bitsoie is another big part of the move to redefine the
Native American cuisine and highlight indigenous heritage
through food. “You put ‘healthy’ in front of ‘cooking’ and it can
scare some people away, but Native dishes are not only deli-
cious, they’re also good for you,” says the Four Corners chef.
“The stereotype is that healthy cooking frequently ends up with
bland, boring, tasteless dishes is just not true. Native American
cooking results in delicious foods and when you add the unin-
tended health benefits, selling that concept gets even easier.” $
Che
f L
ois
Ell
en F
ran
k
Che
f L
orett
a B
arre
tt O
den
28 Arizona Gaming Guide | November 2015 | azgamingguide.com
GAMING NEWS
Gila River Gaming Enterprises just
recently announced that its Board of
Directors has named Joseph A. Mag-
liarditi as the company’s Chief Exec-
utive Officer. Magliarditi has over
twenty years of experience leading
complex gaming organizations and
growing the profitability and value
of companies in the gaming and hos-
pitality industry.
“Our search for a new leader to continue Gila River Casinos’
success has been focused and thorough,” said Pamela John-
son, Chairperson of the Board of Directors. “We established a
broad field of candidates and interviewed many individuals.
Each was carefully interviewed by the Board and Magliarditi
was our top choice.”
“Joseph came to our attention because of his proven leader-
ship experience and industry expertise, having a proven track
record of driving profitability and improving the guest experi-
ence. We were impressed by his emphasis on developing in-
ternal talent, his personal integrity and his deep rooted
knowledge of the role corporate culture plays in a company’s
success,” continued Ms. Johnson.
An accomplished senior gaming executive, Joseph most re-
cently served as President and Chief Executive Officer at the
Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Prior to joining Palms,
Magliarditi served as President and Chief Executive Officer at
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, as well as Executive
Vice President at Morgan’s Hotel Group. Magliarditi has also
been Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for
the M Resort and Vice President of Operations at Rio Hotel &
Casino.
“Gila River Gaming Enterprises has established itself as a
leader in the industry, as well as the Phoenix valley with a
great collection of three highly patronized, successful casi-
nos,” said Magliarditi. “The Enterprise has accomplished a
great deal through the efforts of their talented team members,
and I look forward to leading it to new levels of success. We
will continue to increase value for our guests and the Gila
River Indian Community.” $
Gila River Casinos Names New CEO
Talking Stick Resort, located in
Scottsdale, AZ just east of the Loop
101 on Indian Bend Road, kicked off
its 10th Annual Arizona State Ladies
Poker Championship on September
19. Hosted in The ARENA Poker
Room, the exciting two-day tourna-
ment drew nearly 200 contestants
from across the country to compete
for a share of the $40,000+ prize pool.
After an intense battle of wits and game play, Christine Burns
was crowned the lucky winner. The Colorado Springs native
claimed $11,739, a customized trophy and a state-of-the art
Rolex watch on September 20.
“This marked the 10-year anniversary for the Arizona State
Ladies’ Poker Championship so we’re thrilled to host a tour-
nament of such esteem,” said Tom Young, Director of The
ARENA Poker Room. “This year, 187 women entered into the
competition and we anticipate next year’s event will have an
even bigger crowd. More and more players are joining in on
the fun and we’re excited to provide opportunity to showcase
their skills.
The finals began at 10am. Eight hours later, Burns showcased
a pair of 3’s and 7’s and earned the winning title against her
competitor Kathleen Erbe. But Erbe didn’t go home empty
handed as she earned $9,088 for her second-place finish. Kath-
leen Toogood secured third place and took home $6,185.
All contestants paid a $300 buy-in and entered the competi-
tion with $12,000 in tournament chips. For more information
about the 10th Annual Arizona State Ladies Championship or
The ARENA Poker Room, visit TalkingStickResort.com or call
480.850.7734.
In addition to having one of the largest live poker rooms in
Arizona, TSR also offers its patrons a 300,000 square foot casi-
no, 11 restaurants and lounges, a world-class spa, 650-seat
showroom, 25,000 square foot ballroom, cultural center, and
more than 113,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting
space. $
TSR Crowns New Poker Champion
30 Arizona Gaming Guide | November 2015 | azgamingguide.com
GAMING NEWS
After six rounds of thrilling competition at The Wynn Las Ve-
gas’ XS Nightclub, Everi crowned its 2015 TournEvent of
Champions victor. Rita Kellerman beat out 181 other top tour-
nament slot players to claim the $1 million first-place prize and
champion’s ring.
Kellerman, representing the Ho-Chunk Gaming-Wisconsin
Dells casino, survived two days of loud and intense competi-
tion. “I can’t believe I won,” said Kellerman. “It’s all so surreal
right now. This is the biggest thing that’s ever happened to me
except for getting married, of course.”
The 2015 TournEvent of Champions finals pitted 182 finalists
representing 99 casinos from all across the U.S. and Peru in a
high-energy battle for tournament slots supremacy that started
with qualifying rounds in April of this year.
Everi Crowns 2015 TournEvent of Champions $1 Million Winner
“Our casino partners do a
wonderful job at hosting
the TournEvent qualifiers
throughout the year,” said
Ram V. Chary, Everi Presi-
dent and CEO.
Now in its fourth year, the
TournEvent of Champions
has exploded in populari-
ty. Plans for the exciting
2016 TournEvent of Champions are already under way and
Everi expects the party to be even bigger. The $1 million grand
prize will be back in play and the five-year anniversary event is
slated to coincide, once again, with the Global Gaming Expo in
Las Vegas. For more information about Everi, visit Everi.com. $
azgamingguide.com | November 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 31
Iona Akelipa of Everett, Washington,
headed home with $100,000, year-long
bragging rights as the luckiest Three
Card Poker player in the country, and a
new wife after winning the Scientific
Games 2015 Shuffle Master Classic
Three Card Poker National Tournament on
Monday, September 28 at The Venetian
Las Vegas.
Akelipa promised his fiancée that if he
won the tournament, and the six-figure
payout, the two of them would be
headed to a wedding chapel. Both ex-
ploded with joy when Akelipa was
dealt a straight in the final hand at the
final table. “It was amazing,” he said.
“It’s been awesome. Everything was
first class. I have no words to describe it and now I’m getting married tonight!”
Scientific Games Corporation hosted the event in which qualifying players compet-
ed for a total prize purse of $250,000. The championship event was held to celebrate
the 20th anniversary of Three Card Poker, the most popular proprietary casino card
game in play today, as well as the Company’s legendary Shuffle Master poker table
games. Early this summer, a total of 87 players qualified for the tournament by
hitting classic poker hands on eight popular Shuffle Master table games. A total of
216 casinos across the U.S. participated in the promotion which included several in
Arizona. The qualifiers received $1,000 for travel and accommodations in Las Vegas
and a seat in the tournament. Tournament players came from three countries and
more than a dozen states, ranging in age from 24 to 82.
The top seven players were awarded a share of the $250,000 purse. The winners
were: Iona Akelipa of Everett, Washington, First Place $100,000; Lucas Kendall of
Fenton, Missouri, Second Place $50,000; Jose Luis Sorto of Corinth, Texas, Third
Place $30,000; Herman Auslander of Westminster, California, Fourth Place $25,000;
John Doychich of Shelby Township, Michigan, Fifth Place $20,000; Paul Erikson of
Sparks, Nevada, Sixth Place $15,000; Mary Leach of Huber Heights, Ohio, Seventh
Place $10,000.
“We are thrilled about the huge success of this event,” said Derik Mooberry, Scien-
tific Games Group Chief Executive, Gaming. “The feedback from hundreds of our
casino partners has been tremendous and players had a great time competing in
this national event. We congratulate the winners and wish everyone good luck the
next time they play Shuffle Master games.” $
Shuffle Master Classic Crowns $100,000 Winner
GAMING NEWS
azgamingguide.com | November 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 33
Aristocrat has inked a landmark deal with the Caesars Enter-
tainment Empire that places 200 premium lease games across
the Caesars’ gaming empire. The deal complements Aristo-
crat’s existing premium lease install base and is the single larg-
est Class III recurring revenue deal in Aristocrat’s more than 60
year history.
The installation marks the global debut of Aristocrat’s award-
winning Arc Double and Behemoth cabinets, as well as the
debut of the wildly popular Britney Spears Slot Game , which
hit Caesars’ casino floors in August. Additional popular titles
making a splash with players include The Big Bang Theory Slot
Game and Batman. Ted themed slot games will begin to roll out in
December.
“We are excited to partner with Aristocrat in the branded game
space. We are continually searching for ways to innovate the
gaming floor to deliver the best, most exciting experience for
our players. These titles resonate with our guests and provide a
premium gaming experience,” said Melissa Price, Caesars En-
tertainment Senior Vice President of Enterprise Gaming.
“Additionally, we are thrilled to be the first gaming company
to feature the Britney Spears Slot Game , launched in early Au-
gust. Britney’s highly successful resident show at Planet Holly-
wood has brought a lot of excitement to that property and we
have experienced that same level of enthusiasm for her slot
game on our casino floors across the country.”
Aristocrat Senior Vice President of Global Gaming Operations
Matt Wilson said, “It is an exciting opportunity to partner with
Caesars Entertainment in a rollout of this magnitude as our
products aim to create a total player experience. Caesars is in-
vesting in our industry-leading products, keeping their floors
fresh and their players engaged with cutting-edge games and
cabinets that deliver the world’s greatest gaming experience.”
Arc Double was named to Casino Journal’s 2014 Top 20 Most Inno-
vative Gaming Technology Products Awards and to Casino
Enterprise Management’s 2015 Top 10 Slot Floor Technology
Awards. Gaming action plays out on the Arc Double dual 42”
curved high-def LCD touch screens with upgraded graphic
capabilities and iChair that provides players a dynamic cine-
matic gaming experience.
Behemoth, named to Casino Enterprise Management’s 2015 Top 10
Slot Floor Technology Awards, is the world’s biggest slot ma-
Aristocrat Places 200 Premium Lease Games Across The Caesars’ Empire
chine with the industry’s largest 84” UHD LCD portrait moni-
tor and industry-leading ergonomics, all with a surprisingly
small footprint. The visual impact and upgraded graphic capa-
bilities of the monitor draws players in, while the first dual
bench with surround sound allows for couple or group play to
create a more social gaming experience for the player. For more
information these games and other exciting Aristocrat slots,
visit Aristocrat-us.com. $
GAMING NEWS By Paul Speirs
Aquarius Casino Resort
800.662.LUCK
aquariuscasinoresort.com.
1,250+ slots, no smoking slot area,
high limit slots area, blackjack, table
games, roulette, craps, keno, race/
sports book.
Avi Resort & Casino
(Fort Mojave Tribe)
800.430.0721
avicasino.com.
1,000+ slots, bingo, blackjack, table
games, craps, roulette, poker room,
keno, race/sports book, KidsQuest.
Colorado Belle Hotel Casino
877.460.0777
coloradobelle.com.
750+ slots, blackjack, table games,
craps, roulette, poker room, keno,
race/sports book. Build your own
amazing burger at Pint’s Brewery!
Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino
800.227.3849
riversideresort.com.
1,300+ slots, no smoking slot area,
high limit slots area, bingo, black-
jack, table games, craps, roulette,
poker room, keno, race/sports book.
Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall
800.634.3469
pioneerlaughlin.com
490 slots, blackjack, table games,
craps, roulette, sports book. Make
sure to check out the video poker &
reel slots!
Harrah’s Laughlin
800.447.8700
harrahslaughlin.com
900+ slots, no smoking slot area,
high limit slots area, blackjack, table
games, craps, roulette, poker room,
live keno, race/sports book.
Golden Nugget Laughlin
800.237.1739
goldennugget.com/laughlin
1,000+ slots, blackjack, table games,
craps, roulette, poker room, sports
book. Sign up for the player’s club
and spin for free play!
Edgewater Hotel Casino
800.677.4837
edgewater-casino.com.
750+ slots, no smoking slot area,
high limit slots area, blackjack, table
games, roulette, craps, race/sports
book. Great all-around casino!
We are not responsible for incorrect, missing, or outdated information. To inform us of
updates, please email [email protected]. The Nevada Gaming Control Board
publishes statistics on casino gaming activity in Nevada according to their state’s gaming
regulations. The most current data for Laughlin at press time is from three months prior.
*A negative hold percentage indicates that game overpaid during the stated month.
Tropicana Laughlin
800.243.6846
troplaughlin.com
1,000+ slots, blackjack, table games,
craps, roulette, and a sports book.
Stop in for lunch at Carnegie’s or
the Poolside Café and enjoy the food!
Laughlin River Lodge
800.835.7904
laughlinriverlodge.com
1,000+ guest rooms and suites, over
30,000 square feet of the hottest
Vegas-style gaming, four restau-
rants, fast food options, & more!
Slots Hold % Tables Hold %
Loose $5 3.32 Craps 15.21
$1 4.95 Pai Gow Poker 18.68
Multi-Denom 5.74 Blackjack / 21 19.14
25¢ 5.98 Roulette 20.46
$25 7.39 Other Table Games 25.99
5¢ 8.74 Let It Ride 30.15
1¢ 10.88 Three Card Poker 32.79
Tight Megabucks 14.13
Other Hold %
Loose Sports Pools 0.82 Win Amount Dollars
Bingo 4.55 Slots 31.0 mil.
Live Keno 13.52 Tables 3.7 mil.
Tight Race Books 15.88 Other 0.2 mil.
Laughlin’s Gaming Statistics August 2015
LAUGHLIN, NEVADA Directory & Gaming Statistics
34 Arizona Gaming Guide | November 2015 | azgamingguide.com
ast month I answered some of the questions from read-
ers and I also mentioned a few upcoming events and
promotions. We have so much going on here at the Trop-
icana Laughlin that there is truly something for everyone. In
this issue, I wanted to share with you a little more about some
of the events we have planned for November.
TOBY KEITH—NOVEMBER 7TH
For this incredible concert, the Tropicana Laughlin has the best
deal in town! Our room and Ticket packages include two nights
on Friday and Saturday (Nov. 6 & 7) and two concert tickets.
The concert is at the Laughlin Event Center and $3 of each ticket
sold is going directly to the USO.
“People ask why we write so many songs about drinking and
partying,” says Toby Keith. “Well, when we’re writing, that’s
what we’re doing. We’re out on the road working, but we’re
festive. If we were stuck in a cabin for a week hunting or some-
thing, you might write about being away from the party. But
when you’re on the road, you’ve got this crowd and you’re pre-
senting a party to them, it’s really hard not to get caught up in
that and keep it fun. I like having a lot of that on my albums;
when they turn it on, I want them to smile.” You won’t want to
miss out on the party when Toby Keith comes to Laughlin!
VETERANS WEEKEND CELEBRATION
Join us in honoring those who have fought fearlessly for the
freedom we enjoy here in America! The yearly Veteran’s Day
L
By Joe Hagan
Director of Marketing, Tropicana Laughlin
Weekend celebration at the Tropicana Laughlin is fast ap-
proaching and we can’t wait to see the smiling faces of Veterans
and their families here at the Trop!
Special events over the weekend include:
Food Fests in Victory Plaza, named after the fallen heroes and
their victorious actions fighting for our country, we celebrate
their sacrifices with a feast & live entertainment outside under-
neath our new Trellis Bar. The Patriotic Pig Roast is on Nov. 7,
8, and 11 from 3-7pm for only $9.99 (Veterans eat free).
Block Parties in Victory Plaza on Nov. 6 from 7-11pm and Nov.
8-11 from 2:30-7pm will feature dancing under the moonlight
with some of the best entertainment on the Laughlin side of the
Colorado River.
First Annual Charity Poker Run Benefitting Veterans on Nov.
7th hosted by the Tropicana Laughlin, VFW Riders of the Colo-
rado River, and Men of Fire CH6. The entry fee is $30 per rider
which includes a Challenge Coin, a t-shirt, and a pig roast din-
ner.
United Blood Services Blood Drive will honor those who sacri-
fice for our country by sacrificing for those in medical need who
will benefit directly from your donation. The event takes place
on Nov. 7th from 9am-3pm in the Colorado Room.
Military Vehicle Display beginning on Nov. 6 and running
through Nov. 15. Guests will enjoy a heroic display of the many
vehicles that have fought and continue to aid in fighting for our
nation’s freedom.
PIGSKIN PARTY
As football season is upon us, the Tropicana Laughlin is the
place to be on game night! This Fall and Winter, we’re throwing
some mega football parties. Guests can watch all the games eve-
ry Sunday, Monday, and Thursday on multiple screens
TROPICANA LAUGHLIN There’s Something For Everyone Here
36 Arizona Gaming Guide | November 2015 | azgamingguide.com
LAUGHLIN, NEVADA
LAUGHLIN, NEVADA
azgamingguide.com | November 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 37
throughout the casino. During Big Board Sundays, Trop Ad-
vantage members draw for a square on the Big Board. At the
end of each quarter, a winning square will be awarded $25!
Guests that select a square on the Big Board will receive one
drawing ticket for the Big Game Day Lounge Drawing to be
held on Feb. 7, 2016! On Drawing Mondays, guests play to earn
entries. Drawings are held during televised game with a chance
at winning up to $150! All Trop Advantage members receive
one free ticket. Table Games Free Bets are your chance to earn
up to $25 in free bets! Drawings are held on Sundays, Mondays,
and Thursdays. Drink specials on game days include a variety
of beverages such as a 5-beer bucket for $15, $3 long necks, and
$2.50 draft beer. Plus, we’ve also got gourmet hot dogs for sale!
For information about the Tropicana Laughlin, their specials,
and a lot more, visit their website at TropLaughlin.com. $
Do you have a question for a Marketing Director? Have you
ever wondered about the people working behind the scenes?
Do you want to find out how it really works? We know you do
and here is your chance to find out!
Send your question in an email with “Ask Joe” in the subject to our
address at [email protected] and if Joe selects your question
to be answered in an upcoming issue, you’ll get a $25 gift card! (If
you prefer to send a letter, you may mail it to the following address:
“Ask Joe” Arizona Gaming Guide PO BOX 20636 Mesa, AZ 85277)
CASINO ENTERTAINMENT Listings
38 Arizona Gaming Guide | November 2015 | azgamingguide.com
Apache Gold Casino—Globe, AZ—800.272.2438
Events:
Veterans Fair & Rodeo—Nov. 5-8 (San Carlos Apache Tribe),
#11 Trailer Roping—Nov. 7, Big & Rich—Nov. 7,
BlueWater Casino—Parker, AZ—888.243.3360
Dig Lounge:
Featuring a variety of live bands, karaoke & DJs—Daily at 5pm
Events:
Chubby Checker—Nov. 21, Williams & Ree—Dec. 18 (Two Shows)
Casino Arizona—Scottsdale, AZ—480.850.7777
The Showroom:
Paradise City (Guns N’ Roses Tribute)—Nov. 6-7, Fan Halen (Van
Halen Tribute)—Nov. 20-21, Wanted (Bon Jovi Tribute)—Nov. 27-
28, Showstoppers Live! Holiday Spectacular—Dec. 2-23, Monday
Night Showroom Football—Mondays at 5pm
The Arizona Room:
Chad Freeman And Redline (Country)— Mon. 8pm, Arizona Room
Trivia—Tue. 7pm, , Country Dance Instruction (Learn to Dance)—
Wed. at 6pm, Daisy Train (Country)—Wed. 8pm, Latin Fire Dance
Nights (Learn to Dance)—Thu. at 6pm., Superhero Band—Fri. at
8:30pm
Casino Del Sol—Tucson, AZ—520.838.6506
Paradiso Bar & Lounge:
Featuring a variety of live bands & DJs on weekends
Cliff Castle Casino—Camp Verde, AZ—800.381.7568
Dragonfly Lounge:
Featuring a variety of live bands & DJs on weekends
Cocopah Resort Casino—Somerton, AZ—800.237.5687
Events:
Karaoke with Bling Bling/DJ Sosa—Th & Fr at 8pm
Desert Diamond Casino I—Tucson, AZ—866.332.9467
Monsoon Nightclub:
Dance Fusion with DJ Blade—Fridays
Noches Caliente—Saturdays the hottest Tex Mex and Tejano music!
Desert Diamond Casino II—Sahuarita, AZ—866.332.9467
Sports Bar:
Karaoke Night—Wednesdays 7-11pm
Live music or DJs—Fridays & Saturdays
Diamond Center:
Heart—Nov. 14, Bob Newhart—Nov. 21, Josh Turner—Dec. 12,
Martina McBride—Jan. 30,
Fort McDowell Casino—Fort McDowell, AZ—800.843.3678
Lucky 7 Saloon:
Featuring a variety of live music every weekend
Harrah's Ak-Chin Casino—Maricopa, AZ—480.802.5000
Featured Entertainment:
Stars of Beatlemania—26th, Phillip Bauer—27th
The Lounge: The Yardbirds—6th, Eric Burdon & The Animals—
7th, Thaddeus Rose—13th, Soundwave—14th, Smooth Groove—20th,
Walkens—21st, Young Country—28th Wednesdays In The Lounge:
Enjoy live music from Noon—4pm. Stanley Serano Trio—4th, The
Swingtips—11th, Stanley Serano Trio—18th, XO—25th The Lounge
Happy Hour: Enjoy Happy hour and live music Tuesdays &
Wednesdays from 5 – 8pm. Flavour—3rd, Karen & Pat—4th, Fla-
vour—10th, Walkens Duo—11th, John Eric Duo—17th, Walkens
Duo—18th, John Eric Duo—24th, Silhouette—25th.
Hon-Dah Casino—Pinetop, AZ—800.929.8744
Timbers Lounge and Showroom:
Munday Funday—Comedy Show 7pm, The Doo-Wah Riders
(Country)—Nov. 3-7, Barrio Latino (Variety)—Nov. 10-14, Marble
Heart (Country)—Nov. 17-21, Justin Wright & High Octane
(Country)—Nov. 24-28
Events:
Award-Winning Country Star
Martina McBride Desert Diamond Casino—January 30, 2016
Country star Martina McBride is bringing her amazing voice
to the Diamond Center on Saturday, January 30, 2016 for a
concert sponsored by KIIM FM. Tickets start at $27.50 and are
on sale through Star Tickets and also available at the Desert
Diamond’s Rewards Center. Doors open at 7pm., show starts
at 8pm.
Martina first made the country charts in 1992. Her hit records
since then have included such enduring classics as “Wild An-
gels,” “Safe in the Arms of Love,” “Wrong Again,” “Blessed,”
“My Baby Loves Me,” “Life #9,” “Love’s the Only House,”
“Whatever You Say,” “Where Would You Be,” “In My Daugh-
ter’s Eyes,” “When God Fearin’ Women Get the Blues” and “A
Broken Wing.” To date, she has had 20 top-10 hits and six No.
1 smashes. It will definitely be a show to remember!
Editor’s Pick CASINO ENTERTAINMENT
azgamingguide.com | November 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 39
Listen to the Music (Doobie Brothers Tribute)—Nov. 20, The Tribute
(Shania Twain & Tim McGraw Tribute)—Dec. 18
Lone Butte Casino—Chandler, AZ—800.946.4452
Cascades Lounge:
Phoenix area bands & DJs offer free live entertainment throughout the
week featuring the Valley's best local bands & DJs
Cities Bar & Grille:
Sunday Brunch featuring live entertainment from 10am-4pm
Events:
Cash’d Out (Johnny Cash Tribute)—Nov. 14, 49 Laughs (Comedy)—
Nov. 21, Piano Man (Billy Joel & Elton John Tribute)—Nov. 22,
Yolanda del Rio with Mariachi Azteca de Oro—Dec. 11
Mazatzal Casino—Payson, AZ—800.777.7529
Apache Spirits Lounge:
Featuring a variety of live music on the weekends.
Paradise Casino—Yuma, AZ—888.777.4946
Sharky’s Bar & Bites:
Featuring a variety of live music on the weekends
Quechan Casino—Winterhaven, CA—877.783.2426
Sidewinders:
Featuring a variety of live music on the weekends
Talking Stick Resort—Scottsdale, AZ—480.850.7777
The Showroom & Grand Ballroom:
Sunday Football Frenzy—Sundays during football season, David
Spade—Nov. 7, Steven Wright—Nov. 14, Anderson Ponty Band—
Nov. 21, Tracy Lawrence—Dec. 4, Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy—Dec.
5, Jerry Riopelle—Jan. 2, An Evening With Todd Rundgren—Jan. 8,
STYX—Jan. 17, Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam—Jan. 22, Jim Norton—
Jan. 23, Frank Caliendo—Feb. 13, Joe Satriani—Mar. 5, Kathleen
Madigan—Apr. 9
Twin Arrows Navajo Casino—Flagstaff, AZ—855.946.8946
Featuring a variety of live music on the weekends
Vee Quiva Casino—Laveen, AZ—800.946.4452
Event Center:
DSB (Journey Tribute)—Nov. 7, Cash’d Out (Johnny Cash Tribute)
—Nov. 14, Piano Man (Billy Joel & Elton John Tribute)—Nov. 22
Wild Horse Pass Casino—Chandler, AZ—800.946.4452
Chrome Nightclub—Fri & Sat 9pm-2am, The Lounge—Featuring a
variety of live music nightly, Festival Park—Live music outdoors
Showroom:
Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts—Nov. 6, WFF MMA—Nov. 7,
Melissa Etheridge—Nov. 13, Diamond In The Rough (Neil Diamond
Tribute)—Nov. 15, 49 Laughs—Nov. 21, Tanya Tucker—Dec. 4,
Craig Ferguson—Dec. 11, Ho’okena Holiday Show—Dec. 12, LeAnn
Rimes—Dec. 18, Powerdrive—Dec. 31, Donny Osmond—Jan. 8,
Europe—Jan. 25,
TANYA TUCKER Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino, Ovations
Friday, December 4, 2015
Edgy. Classic. Country. A defining voice of country music
and a modern-day legend, Tanya Tucker has inspired many
female artists who still top the charts today. From the signa-
ture classic songs to the unforgettable sass and soul of her
voice, Tucker has paved a path in country music and beyond
through an unprecedented level of success and continues
her longevity today due to a natural, undeniable talent.
Tucker had her first country hit in 1972 when she was just 13
years old. Over the succeeding decades, Tucker became one
of the few child performers to mature into adulthood with-
out losing her audience and, during the course of her career,
has notched a remarkable streak of Top Ten and Top 40 hits.
Her hits include “Delta Dawn,” “Love’s the Answer,” and
“Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone).”
The 1990’s gave rise to some of Tucker’s most recognizable
and career defining songs, “Two Sparrows in a Hurricane”
and “It’s a Little too Late.” New albums, along with multi-
ple versions of greatest hits and live compilation projects,
have propelled Tucker to become one of the best selling
female artists in country music.
Ticket prices start at $24, doors open at 7pm and the show
starts at 8pm. The following discounts are available: •$10 off for GRIC members (enrollment card required),
Group Sales and Hotel Sales Package clients and GRGE
Team Members.
•Gila River Casinos Players Club card members receive the
following discounts based on tier level—Emerald $5, Ruby
$10, Gold $15, Platinum $20. All discounts are per ticket, 4
tickets maximum per Players Club member.
•Tickets are at retail pricing when purchased online or by
phone. Discounts are available at the Players Club and Box
Office only. For ticket sales and more information, please
call the box office at 1.800.WIN.GILA Ext. 7370. $ Verify all details & age restrictions (generally 21 & over) for each event. Venues, times, dates, & ticket
information are subject to change. Photos/images copyright of the individual artist(s), photographer(s),
or venue(s). All Rights Reserved. We are not responsible for incorrect, missing, or outdated information.
40 Arizona Gaming Guide | November 2015 | azgamingguide.com
Sources: Arizona Department of Gaming—Current Tribal Gaming Status as of 10/01/15 & direct inquiries by press time. We are not responsible for incorrect, missing, or outdated information.
Contact [email protected] to make updates. *Cocopah Resort Casino offers “Smoke-Free Sundays” which is a casino-wide non-smoking experience every week from 4am Sunday to 4am Monday.
Casino Sessions Seats Smoke-Free Area Electronic Late Night
Apache Gold Su, We, Th at Noon. Fr & Sa at
7pm. 1st Mo of the month at 7pm 100 No Yes No
BlueWater Mo-We 6:30pm. Su at 1:30pm. 400 Yes Yes No
Casino Arizona Mo-Su at 6:30pm
Daily Matinees at 12:30pm 1000 Yes Yes
L8 Nite Bingo Fr & Sa
Doors at 10pm. Games at midnight
Casino Del Sol Daily at Noon, 1:30, 2:15, 6:30 &
7:15pm 600 Yes Yes Cosmic Bingo Sa at 11pm.
Cocopah Th-Su at 6:30pm 350 Yes* Yes No
Desert Diamond I We-Mo 1:30, 2, 6, 6:30 & 7pm 300 Yes Yes No
Fort McDowell Sa & Su at 6:45am. We-Mo at
9am. Daily at 12:30 & 6:30pm. 1275
Yes (2 sections: enclosed or in
general seating)
Yes Fr & Sa at 11:30pm.
Call for Lunar Bingo schedule.
Harrah’s Ak-Chin We-Su at 11:30am, 2:30, 3:30,
and 6:30pm 470 Yes Yes No
Lone Butte Sa & Su: 10, Noon, 3:45, 5:30pm.
Daily: Noon & 6:30pm. 750 Yes Yes B.A.D. Bingo Fr & Sa at 11:30pm.
Mazatzal Mo-Th at Noon.
Tu & Th at 6:30pm. 280 Yes Yes No
Paradise Daily at 1:30pm.
Mo-Fr at 6pm. 300 Yes Yes
Call for Kozmic Bingo
& Other Special Dates
Twin Arrows Th-Su at 7pm & Su at 3pm. 100 No Yes No
Vee Quiva Daily at Noon & 6:30pm. 366 Yes Yes Bingo Eclipse Sa at 11pm.
CASINO BINGO
t never hurts to have a little edge over your competition. If
you’re going to play bingo, here are a few hints you can
employ to increase your chances of winning! Good luck!
Play Multiple Cards: The simple truth of the matter is the
more cards you play the more you can win! Take advantage of
quantity discounts. Buying multiple cards is usually less expen-
sive than buying packs of cards individually.
Reduce The Competition: Many casino bingo payouts are
fixed and don’t increase the more players there are. Therefore,
players have an advantage when participating in games with as
few opponents as possible. One way to do this is to play during
weekday sessions, late at night and at odd hours.
Ignore The Numbers On The Left Side: For example, if you’re
trying to determine whether you have N35, just swiftly skim the
N column and keep an eye out for the digit 5. Don’t let your
brain waste time registering the entire number. If there’s a nu-
meral in the N column that ends in 5, quickly verify whether it’s
35 or not and move on. This will increase your speed and re-
duce the likelihood of any errors.
Visualize The Patterns: It can be tricky remembering what the
pattern needs to be while keeping up with the caller. One trick
is to pre-daub all the squares that aren’t part of the pattern be-
fore the game begins. Another trick is to highlight the squares
that are part of the pattern, helping your brain focus on all the
important spaces. $
BINGO STRATEGY 4 Simple Tips To Increase Your Chances Of Winning
I
FIVE Ways To Help Ride Out The Storm During A Cold Streak
1 Come with the correct bankroll to weather out the storm.
Make sure you understand the ups and downs of the game you
are playing and match your bankroll accordingly.
2 Stick with the same strategy. Changing strategies midstream
is never a good thing. This will lead to second-guessing and
additional unnecessary stress and other negative emotions.
3 Continue to make the same bet. Changing wagers affects your
bankroll. Since you calculated your bankroll in advance with a
certain bet in mind, keep the bet the same.
4 Don’t let your emotions take over. Strategy and decision-
making is based on logic, facts, and reasoning—not emotion!
Relying on your emotions to influence decisions is a bad bet.
5 Don’t allow short-term results to dictate your opinion of a
game. While everyone wants to experience hot streaks, cold
streaks are part of every game as well. Be aware and be pre-
pared!
SAMI’S SMACKDOWN
amblers are steadfast believers in streaks. A table or
dealer or wheel or slot machine is either hot or cold. It
has to be one or the other, because that’s how the forc-
es of nature, the higher powers, or the people in the backroom
pushing the buttons and controlling the outcomes dictate that it
will be.
Just recently I was playing Multistrike , one of my favorite video
poker games by IGT. At $5 a hand, I was rapidly plowing
through my bankroll without so much as a three-of-a-kind, let
alone the most coveted four-of-a-kind win. Peeved and thor-
oughly devastated, I was having more and more of a difficult
time keeping my frustration at bay. That particular play session
was one for the records—a cold streak if ever there was one. The
pain of watching a $100 bill go into the machine and instantly
dwindle down to zero was disheartening. However, lo and be-
hold, with mere dollars left to my bankroll, I hit 4 Aces with a
Kicker on the third row. Now, aficionados of this video poker
game will know that a third line win comes with a 4x multiplier
for a very sweet taxable hand pay (especially given that I was
playing the bonused Triple Double Bonus Poker game)! These
glorious four aces were the first of many four-of-a-kinds that
night. My cold streak had turned into a hot streak in the blink of
an eye!
During another recent casino visit, I was playing Blackjack and,
no kidding, I had 15 winning hands in a row! Now that’s not
just hot, that’s sizzling, scorching, sweltering, blistering—call it
whatever you want! As I watched my chips accumulate into a
small mountain, I began to feel as though I was invincible. In
fact, just as I began to feel sorry for all the unlucky players that
were at the table losing, I was dealt my 16th hand. That’s when
everything turned around and I started drawing to losing
hands. Worse yet, when I was supposed to draw, I was busting.
I still won some hands, but overall I was losing. By the end of
the night, my stake was gone, the entertainment was over, and
the hot streak was nothing more than a faint memory compared
to the unforgiving sting of the overall cold streak I rode for most
of the night.
Hot and cold streaks will happen all the time and at every casi-
no game. The key is to enjoy the ride when you’re hot, but know
it’s just a matter of time before the game changes and the cold
side of the game rears its ugly head. The question is: are you
resilient enough to ride out the storm? Do YOU have something to rant or rave about?
Write me at: [email protected]
42 Arizona Gaming Guide | November 2015 | azgamingguide.com
G
THE ELATION & AGONY OF GAMBLING How A Hot Streak Can Be Part Of A Really Cold Night
By Sami Becker
FUN FACTS
any of us enjoy visiting casinos and it’s easy to un-
derstand why our engagement in such a fun leisure
activity can elevate our moods and happiness levels.
However, numerous studies across the years have shown that
gambling is not only a great form of entertainment, but that it
can actually be a therapeutic diversion. With every trip to the
casino, us players may essentially be increasing our life span!
A great deal of research has been conducted over the years,
which includes studies from Yale, Harvard, Southern Illinois
University, and many others, indicating that casino gaming
(regardless of whether it’s slots, keno, table games, or bingo) has
tremendous positive psychological and physiological effects on
people—especially on elderly gamblers who are 65 years of age
and older.
The findings indicate individuals who gamble recreationally
azgamingguide.com | November 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 43
GAMBLING LINKED TO GOOD HEALTH Studies Show Gaming Reduces Harmful Health Effects Of Stress
M
By Lana Hartmann
have lower rates of depression,
are in better physical health
overall, are more inclined to be
self-reliant, and have a larger
social support network than
their non-gambling peers. Fur-
thermore, higher levels of con-
centration, improved memory,
and increased problem solving
skills were all attributed to the
positive side effects of gambling. In addition, those studies
showed gamblers tend to be optimistic people. Therefore, the
theories suggest those people with a positive outlook are able to
cope with stress better which, in turn, reduces the harmful
health effects of stress on the body. $
44 Arizona Gaming Guide | November 2015 | azgamingguide.com
SUDOKU Each of the columns, rows, and nine 3 x 3 grids must contain
all of the digits 1 - 9. None of the digits may appear more than
once in each column, row, and 3 x 3 grid.
(Solution on page 46)
9
4 1
8
5
1
2
4 9
4
5
4 9
3 1
8 7
8 5
4
3
1 7 4
6
9 7
8
WORD SEARCH
To celebrate Fall, find:
NOVEMBER, AUTUMN, FALL, THANKSGIVING, LEAVES
CORNUCOPIA, RAKING, BONFIRE, COLORS, HARVEST,
PUMPKINS, FOOTBALL, CORN, CHILLY, SCARECROW, MAIZE.
Words appear in any direction. (Solution on page 46)
R D Q C H I Y R O C R S N L L
L H T P A G X T W Z C P D X B
L F N H J M F S D S O I O U G
A C J Z A P V E R R R M C M E
B O Y J I N E V C A N P E V E
T L O J R A Q O R E K U K K R
O O O J E E I S U P A R I C I
O R A L N F G H A N O N J B E
F S C H N Z E T C G P S I W M
W S E O P V E V S Y I V E N W
W G B Z K I J I I G A G V Z M
F R G E I V U O D N W S V K X
D A J X I A S R N C G N T B J
R W L T C O L U B T N B R M U
L D P L D P G P A K R M A X E
FUN & GAMES
CASINO DIRECTORY
46 Arizona Gaming Guide | November 2015 | azgamingguide.com
City Phone Slots Hig
h L
imit
Are
a
Bin
go
Casino Liv
e K
eno
Tab
le G
ames
Po
ker
Ro
om
Ho
tel
Sm
ok
e-F
ree
Are
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Sources: Arizona Department of Gaming—Current Tribal Gaming Status as of 10/01/15 & direct inquiries by press time. We are not responsible for incorrect, missing, or outdated information.
Contact [email protected] to make updates. *Cocopah Resort Casino offers “Smoke-Free Sundays” which is a casino-wide non-smoking experience every week from 4AM Sunday to 4AM Monday
RV
Par
k
Go
lf
Location Sp
a
Arc
ade
01. Apache Gold Casino Resort Hwy. 70, 5 mi. E. of Globe Globe 800-272-2438 590 Y Y Y Y Y Y
02. BlueWater Resort & Casino 11300 Resort Drive Parker 888-243-3360 525 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
03. Bucky’s Casino 1500 E. Hwy. 69 Prescott 800-756-8744 319 Y Y Y Y
04. Casino Arizona 101 & McKellips Scottsdale 480-850-7777 898 Y Y Y Y
05. Casino Del Sol 5655 W. Valencia Rd. Tucson 855-765-7829 1,068 Y Y Y Y Y Y
06. Casino of the Sun 7406 S. Camino De Oeste Tucson 855-765-7829 288
07. Cliff Castle Casino & Hotel I-17, Exit 289 Camp Verde 800-381-7568 655 Y Y Y Y Y
08. Cocopah Resort Casino 15318 S. Ave. B Somerton 800-237-5687 509 Y Y Y Y* Y Y Y
09. Desert Diamond Casino I 7350 S. Nogales Hwy. Tucson 866-332-9467 1,089 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
10. Desert Diamond Casino II I-19, Exit 80 Tucson 866-332-9467 674 Y
11. Desert Diamond Casino-Why Hwy. 86, Milepost 55 Why 866-332-9467 58
12. Fort McDowell Casino Hwy. 87 & Ft. McDowell Rd. Fort McDowell 800-843-3678 898 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
13. Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino 15406 N. Maricopa Rd. Maricopa 480-802-5000 1,089 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
14. Hon-Dah Casino 777 Hwy. 260 Pinetop 800-929-8744 825 Y Y Y Y
15. Lone Butte Casino 1077 S. Kyrene Rd. Chandler 800-946-4452 786 Y Y Y
16. Mazatzal Hotel & Casino Hwy. 87, 1/4 mi. S. of Payson Payson 800-777-7529 420 Y Y Y Y Y Y
17. Paradise Casino 450 Quechan Dr. Yuma 888-777-4946 486 Y
18. Quechan Casino I-8, Exit 166 Winterhaven, CA 877-783-2426 1,000+ Y Y Y Y Y Y
19. Spirit Mountain Casino 8555 Hwy. 95 Mohave Valley 928-346-2000 235
20. Talking Stick Resort 101 & Indian Bend Scottsdale 480-850-7777 765 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
21. Twin Arrows Navajo Casino I-40, Exit 219 Flagstaff 855-946-8946 1,087 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
22. Vee Quiva Casino 6443 Komatke Ln. Laveen 800-946-4452 950 Y Y Y Y Y
23. Wild Horse Pass Casino 5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd. Chandler 800-946-4452 950 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
24. Yavapai Casino 1505 E. Hwy. 69 Prescott 800-756-8744 243 Y
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Sudoku Solution
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