http://www.ddcaz.com/

http://www.apachegoldcasinoresort.com/

22 QUECHAN CASINO RESORT

FUN AND LEISURE IN DESERT

LUXURY—YUMA, AZ

04 EDITOR’S NOTE

06 PLAYERS TALK

10 TABLE GAMES

14 NEW SLOTS

18 WINNING WAYS

20 DINING

22 FEATURE STORY

26 TRIBAL NEWS

30 GAMING NEWS

34 LAUGHLIN, NEVADA

38 CASINO ENTERTAINMENT

40 CASINO BINGO

41 ARIZONA LOTTERY

42 SAMI’S SMACKDOWN

43 FUN FACTS

44 FUN & GAMES

46 CASINO DIRECTORY

IN EVERY ISSUE

azgamingguide.com | October 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 03

SONS OF ANARCHY BY

ARISTOCRAT AT PARADISE

Rolling in to Paradise Casino in Yu-

ma is a gang of new Aristocrat slots

led by Sons of Anarchy.

NATIVE AMERICAN

RECOGNITION DAYS

Over six weeks of festivities to enjoy

starting on October 2 and running

through November 16.

26 14

Contents OCTOBER

ARIZONA CASINOS OFFER

FOOTBALL FUN

Football season inspires local casi-

nos to create fun food and drink

specials and prize giveaways.

20

ith October here, I know I’m not the only one who is sick of triple

digit weather! I’ve tried my hardest to get out of the heat by visiting

cooler places at least once a month, starting in May. And I believe I

succeeded in running away from the Arizona heat quite regularly. But, now I can’t

wait to enjoy the cooler weather in store for us! I’m going to use every opportuni-

ty I can to be outdoors this month. During my next set of casino visits around the

state, I’m going to investigate exactly how much outdoor walking I can do at each

property. Maybe that sounds a little off the wall, but I think I’ll have a lot of fun

not only enjoying the cooler weather, but also exploring something different at the

casinos. Every casino across the state is located in its own unique setting offering

an outdoor opportunity that can’t be passed up.

In this issue, you’ll find plenty of reasons to make your next trip to any casino a

success. We’ve got the low down 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

editor@azgamingguide.com

Alexandra

VOLUME 07 • ISSUE 10

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Elizabeth Torma

liz@azgamingguide.com

PUBLISHER

Chris Höft

chris@azgamingguide.com

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Alexandra Lang

editor@azgamingguide.com

ART DIRECTOR

Melanie Mueller

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Al Moe

Lee Allen

Mark Novak

Cindy Esquer

Amanda Riddle

Lana Hartmann

Samantha Becker

Rodric J. Hurdle-Bradford

ADVERTISING SALES

Elizabeth Torma

liz@azgamingguide.com

Nina Consiglio

nina@azgamingguide.com

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 | October 2015 | azgamingguide.com

“Like” us on Facebook because

we “Like” you too!

www.facebook.com/ArizonaGamingGuide

IS SUMMER OVER YET? Looking Forward To A Cool Fall

W

http://www.talkingstickresort.com/

PLAYERS TALK

06 Arizona Gaming Guide | October 2015 | azgamingguide.com

Q: I was wondering how the electronic blackjack machines

that have the dealer on the big screen compare to regular

blackjack tables with real live dealers. Is it better to play one

version over the other? Any advice you have would be greatly

appreciated. Thank you!

Larry Babich—Sun City West, AZ

A: Larry, the one key difference between live blackjack and

electronic blackjack machines is simply what the rules of the

game are. Obviously, a blackjack that pays 3 to 2 is a better

game than if a blackjack pays 6 to 5. In addition, if a dealer is

allowed to hit on a soft 17 it increases the house edge so make

sure to look for games where the dealer stands on a soft 17.

These are the main things to look for when deciding on a live

game or a video game.

Rest assured, neither the table version or the video version is

out to cheat you. Whether you win or lose, it’s just the luck of

the cards. The strict casino gaming regulations surrounding

table games enforce a non-cheating environment. Those same

regulations apply to the design of video blackjack. That is, card

shuffling and dealing is fair using a proven random number

generator. And, an independent third party has tested the video

blackjack game for compliance with casino gaming regulations.

Q: Dear AGG, I am a video poker player and my wife plays

the slots. I usually play a multi-denomination video poker

game that has several games to choose from. My wife also

tends to play the multi-game slot machines that have several

game options to choose from. There’s one game where she can

choose to play up to four different slot games at once. And,

just recently, we played a game in Vegas that has up to eight

different games that can be played at once. Our question is

this: is there one random number generator for each game and

denomination or just one that covers them all? If there’s more

than one random number generator, is there any way to know

if there’s an advantage to playing one over the other?

Paul Servino—Phoenix, AZ

A: Paul, this is a great question! Inside every slot machine is

one method for determining a random number. How this is

actually performed is up to the slot machine manufacturer’s

hardware and software design. However, the random number

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: editor@azgamingguide.com.

generator on a slot machine (video poker, video keno, video

craps, etc.) must pass a series of mathematical tests which prove

it is capable of providing a continuous stream of random num-

bers for the game’s software to use.

Even if a gambler is playing a multi-game slot or multi-game

video poker machine, the internal software has access to only

one random number generator. So, no matter the game, the de-

nomination, the bet level, or any other factors, the game you are

playing at the moment is using the same random number gener-

ator as any other game which would have been played on that

game at that moment.

There is no advantage to playing one game over another on a

multi-game slot or multi-game video poker machine based on

the random number generator.

Q: I just got home from [the casino] and I’m really frustrated –

more with myself and not the casino. I got up to move from

one machine to another one and I realized that I never cashed

out my ticket from the first machine. Of course, by the time I

walked back to the machine the money was already gone.

When I asked a casino worker, she told me that there was

nothing they could do. Is this really true? Wouldn’t the camer-

as be able to see who sat down after me? Don’t the machines

store data using player card information to see who used the

machine last? I’d like to know what the official rules are con-

cerning money left in a machine. I love your Players Talk sec-

tion because I always learn so much. I don’t believe you’ve

ever talked about this type of situation. Out of $120 and I have

no one to blame but myself!

Marlene Schumaker—Anthem, AZ

A: Marlene, that is a very disheartening story to hear and we

are very sorry for your frustration. Yes, this has happened to

members of our staff as well and one of the only ways we’ve

found to cut down on repeating this unfortunate scenario is to

get into a habit every time you get up from a slot. Make sure to

remember to cash out and double check the credit meter!

Yes, the casino worker is correct. Every casino we have visited

posts their “house rules” conspicuously near an entrance. One

of those rules essentially states that unattended credits (i.e. leav-

http://www.wingilariver.com/

ing $120.00 (or $1,200.00) in a slot machine is the responsibility

of the player, not the casino. The rules may also go on to state

that unattended credits are the property of the casino, not of

another patron. Technically, this means removing credits from a

slot machine which are not yours may constitute stealing from

the casino!

Sure, for honest individuals, it should be simple for the casino

to verify if the $120 were yours, or not, and who has them now.

But can you imagine the headache that security would have to

go through in order to adequately monitor every slot machine

from every angle in the entire casino just to see who is cashing

out unattended credits? Plus, security would then need to have

enough computer and labor resources available in order to pro-

cess all of these requests in a timely fashion.

We can presume your $120 went into another slot machine

within a few seconds, but it could have also just as easily been

converted into cash and walked right out the door moments

later. How can casino security be reasonably expected to keep

up with that? After all, casino security is worried about employ-

ee theft, patrons tampering with slot machines, liability issues

(like slip & fall), patron and employee safety, barred patrons,

safeguarding the casino's chips and money, and on and on!

Q: Love your magazine, especially the Players Talk section.

It’s very informative. I’d like to know, can the casino cheat

players on the live keno game? They type all the numbers into

the computer, so doesn’t the computer know which numbers

to pick so that everybody loses?

Doug Pulowski—Queen Creek, AZ

A: Doug, thank you very much for your kind comments about

our magazine and Players Talk. Each tribe holding a gaming

compact with the state may also have live keno as an available

game at their casino. If so, the Arizona Department of Gaming

includes “Appendix D” as part of their gaming compact titled

“Definitions, Operational Standards, Specifications and Regula-

tions Governing Keno.” This document ensures there is no

cheating by anyone (casino or patron) during a game of live

keno. You can find the document online at: Gaming.AZ.gov/

sites/default/files/documents/files/AppendixD.pdf.

Some important excerpts concerning live keno include:

“A computer generated selection of twenty (20) random num-

bers at spaced intervals.”

“The random number generator is linked to the computer sys-

tem and directly relays the numbers selected into the computer

for preparation of a draw ticket without manual input.” $

PLAYERS TALK

08 Arizona Gaming Guide | October 2015 | azgamingguide.com

Continued from page 6

http://www.harrahsakchin.com/

TABLE GAMES

10 Arizona Gaming Guide | October 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.

Three Card Poker has the added incentive of big payouts for

hands like straight flush or three-of-a-kind. When you do catch

one of those, you’ll probably head home with a rush and a flush

and a fist full of cash.

On the other hand, you are more likely to just win a little or lose

a little in an evening of playing blackjack, and a small win or

loss doesn’t have that lasting effect on your gaming-bone. So,

play what you love, just keep in mind that the same average

wager gets you about the same average comp per hour, even if

the house is taking a bigger cut of your entertainment dollar at

certain games! $

By Al Moe

on’t worry, I’m not going to do a mind-meld and turn

you into a slot player, so read on. This is just a com-

parison of casino table games. You probably like the

social interaction, and the frequent cocktail-server visits, and the

occasional free drink you find at the tables. And, you probably

like the fact that your entertainment dollars go pretty far, but

would you feel differently about your favorite game if you

knew the comp rates and the hourly cost? Maybe!

The Most Popular Games in Arizona Casinos

By far the most popular table game in Arizona casinos is black-

jack, but we’ll look at the top five games, specifically Pai Gow

Poker, Three Card Poker, World Poker Tour and Let it Ride.

We’ll consider Ultimate Texas Hold’em and Crazy 4 Poker to be

essentially the same as World Poker Tour, so there you have it,

the best games and the most popular. But what if you like them

all and just want to play the one that fits your style of play best,

with speed, dealer and player interaction counted in too? The

fewer the hands dealt per hour, the more interaction, but does

that lower your cost?

Game Average Bet Hands (ph) Cost (ph) Comp (ph)

Blackjack $25 60 $15 $2.00

World Poker $25 30 $25 $2.50

Three Card $25 30 $39 $2.50

Let it Ride $25 30 $25 $2.50

Pai Gow $25 30 $21 $2.00

(ph) = Per Hour

These numbers are somewhat subjective, based on your ability.

Some casinos give you a straight $1 comp per $1000 in total wa-

gers per hour. Some casinos award a more specific amount per

game tied to the house edge. Regardless, this chart assumes

your bets include both standard wagers and bonus bets (except

for blackjack). That means all of your possible bets per hand.

Other assumptions made here are that you’ll have average luck

and you’ll play the same way all year long. So, we can see your

entertainment dollar cost to play each game per hour. If you are

playing the additional $1 bonus bets at blackjack, you’ll find

that your average hourly cost goes up considerably.

If you are wondering why you remember going home a big

winner after playing Three Card Poker several times, but can’t

say the same about blackjack, there’s a reasonable explanation.

D

COMPARING TABLE GAMES Which Of Your Favorites Is The Best Bet?

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14 Arizona Gaming Guide | October 2015 | azgamingguide.com

By Lana Hartmann

NEW SLOTS

e know our readers are loving Aruze’s new slots

because they are making their way across Arizona’s

casinos quite rapidly. Recently, Paradise Casino in

Yuma just added some brand new games by Aruze that you

should definitely pay attention to!

Ultra Stack Feature Rose and Ultra Stack Feature Panda are referred

to as “clones” in the casino gaming industry. This means the

mathematics of both slots and the game play are identical. The

only difference between the slots are the graphics. Regardless of

which game you pick, you’ll have the same chances of winning!

Based on our experience playing the games, we’ve noticed that

the bonus hits, on average, every 100 to 120 games. Feature

symbols appearing on 3 or more consecutive reels beginning

with the leftmost reel trigger the Ultra Stack Free Games. Num-

bers (either a 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 or 10) appear on the Feature symbol

and the total represents the free games awarded. The Feature

awards up to 200 games. Good luck and check out Paradise

Casino online at Paradise-Casinos.com! $

W

Aruze Games Ready For Play At Paradise Casino

Sons Of Anarchy Now Available At Paradise Casino

olling in to Paradise Casino in Yuma is a gang of new slots from Aristocrat led by

Sons of Anarchy! Based on the smash hit TV series from Fox, the immersive iChair and

the Verve cabinet surrounds you with the rumble and rock of the hit show. Aris-

tocrat’s superior math and fan favorite characters like Jax, Gemma and Clay will keep you

rolling back for more. Yes, just like the TV show, this slot is volatile, but you can expect

the bonus regularly and hit progressive jackpots whose start up values are $10, $50, $500,

and $10,000 or $500,000 for the top level. Bonuses include: Cluster Power—A cluster is a

group of matching symbols connected horizontally and/or vertically. The cluster pay is

determined by the number of adjacent reels in the cluster. The cluster win is the cluster

pay multiplied by the number of symbols in the cluster. No Limits Re-Spin Bonus—Win

up to 6 re-spins and up to 10 reels across. The bonus hits when a Big Symbol occurs on the

reel area. The Big Symbol holds and a re-spin is awarded. The playable area grows to ac-

commodate the Big Symbol when landing partially on the reel area. Wheel Bonus—3 or

more Reapers trigger the Wheel Bonus. Win Jackpots and up to 50 free games. All Jack-

pots award another spin except the Grand Jackpot. Max bet required to win the Grand

Jackpot. Free Games Bonus—Won from the Wheel Bonus, it will multiply wild wins up to

x10. 10, 20, 30 or 50 additional Free Games are won with 3, 4, 5 or 6 Reapers respectively.

Check out this exciting game and many more at Paradise Casino now! $

R

azgamingguide.com | October 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 15

The Big Bang Theory Now At Harrah’s Ak-Chin

ur whole universe was in a hot dense state, then nearly fourteen

days ago Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino installed two brand new The

Big Bang Theory slot machines 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 Hof-

stadter Collision Feature, with free Mega symbol spins with player-

selected volatility; 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 multi-

pliers and credits; Raj Koothrappali Scavenger Vortex Feature, where the

player selects scavenger objects to reveal credits or Win All; The Big Bang

Theory Progressive Feature, where the player selects symbols to win credits

or progressive jackpot prize. Be sure to visit HarrahsAkChin.com for more

information. $

NEW SLOTS

O

Buffalo Behemoth Ready For Play At Harrah’s Ak-Chin

e simply can’t wait for our turn to play Aristocrat’s

newest “Big Bertha” slot aptly named Behemoth.

The Behemoth is just what it says, at 10 feet tall with

an 84-inch LCD monitor, it is the largest of the large-format slots

ever to be introduced to casinos. The first game to arrive on the

Behemoth is Buffalo Stampede , one of the most successful

games for Aristocrat. Now you can play this game at Harrah’s

Ak-Chin in Maricopa, AZ. You’ll see it all the way across the

casino floor. Definitely hard to miss!

While you are visiting Harrah’s, make sure to check out all of

their new games including: Lady of the Dead (3 level progres-

sive), Money Rain, and Fire Up (5 level progressive) all penny

games by Incredible Technologies. Popeye (5 level progressive),

Penny Palooza (5 level progressive), and Golden Egg (6 level progres-

sive, all penny slots by Lightning Games. Dual Arc Brittney

Spears by Aristocrat, another very tall game. Konami’s Rapid Re-

volver which has a large bonus game on top. Plus six IGT Crystal

Dual slot machines. For more information about Harrah’s, visit

their website at HarrahsAkChin.com. $

W

10 feet tall!

16 Arizona Gaming Guide | October 2015 | azgamingguide.com

NEW SLOTS Coming Soon

A Christmas Story By Aristocrat

he best present any slot player will ever receive is Aristocrat’s new A Christmas

Story Slot Game, the first game in Aristocrat’s incredible new Arc Wheel cabinet.

Ralphie, the Old Man, Mom Parker, and the whole town are in A Christmas Story,

a feature-rich, three-level standalone progressive video slot, housed in the sleek new Arc

Wheel cabinet. This slot has upgraded graphics capabilities, 5.1 stereo surround sound, and a me-

chanical wheel topper that keeps engagement high during bonus play. In addition to three

base game features, players may trigger one of several bonus features:

1. Golden Twinkling Wheel of Mechanized Electronic Joy Feature

2. Head Honcho Feature—Bonus Gateway

3. Black Bart’s Bounty

4. The Queen Mother of Dirty Words

5. Sinister Triple Dog Dare

6. Progressive Decoder Wheel

A Christmas Story is a 40-line game with a 50 credit minimum bet and 250 or 500 max bet.

For more information about A Christmas Story , visit Aristocrat.com.au. $

T

e played IGT’s Wheel of Fortune Ultra Wheels Video Slots at last year’s

G2E trade show in Las Vegas and were very impressed by it because the

game is not based on traditional video slot reels. This game uses up to four

pointers for four wheels in order to determine a win, bonus, or a jackpot! The more

you wager, the more pointers you activate in order to play up to all for wheels. We

think the idea is fantastic and can’t wait to play the slot with “real money” in a casino

rather than for fun at a trade show!

IGT’s Wheel of Fortune Ultra Wheels Video Slots will have you spinning with excite-

ment. Set on the Company’s leading G23 cabinet, the most successful slot theme of all

time will offer a Winning Combination with Wheel of Fortune ’s iconic wheel spin bonus

paired with Ultra Wheels Video Slots’ unique base-game play. Igniting excitement

during the base game, the MultiPLAY interface features four wheels instead of reels

with a multiplier pointer, boost feature and jackpot wedge. A multiplier pointer ap-

pears with each spin and may point to one of the four wheels and multiply the value

up to 10X. Elevating excitement, progressives are awarded when a jackpot wedge is

displayed on wheels two, three and four. When all three progressive wedges land at

max bet, the highest level progressive is awarded. For big-win potential, bonus wedg-

es in the base game can trigger the player-favorite wheel spin bonus, which awards

credit values that can be multiplied by the game’s boost and multiplier pointer fea-

tures. Watch as this exciting new slot game hits casino floors all across Arizona soon!

For more information on this slot and other IGT video slots, visit IGT.com. $

W

Wheel of Fortune Ultra Wheels By IGT

azgamingguide.com | October 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 17

Dragon Spin By Bally Technologies

our wins will roar to life when you play Dragon Spin on Bally’s

massive Alpha Pro Wave 360°! This slot is a carousel of five slot

machines with a dedicated dragon-themed game. Around the top

of the carousel are five adjacent curved video monitors, on which animation

related to the games travels around, stopping to award credits, wilds, multi-

pliers and free games to individual games on the bank.

In the launch game, called Dragon Spin, an animated dragon travels around

the circular monitor dropping mystery awards to the individual games, and

stopping to display numbers of free spins when they are triggered by indi-

vidual games. This game is packed with features you’ll love like free games,

progressive jackpots at any bet level and stacked symbols on every spin.

But what makes it truly unique are the bonuses that fire up a frenzy of ex-

citement as the dragon chases a magical pearl around and around before

delivering the prize to one lucky player! Watch for this dragon spinning its

way into casinos near you soon! For more information on this exciting new

game and other Bally products, visit BallyTech.com. $

Coming Soon NEW SLOTS

Y

18 Arizona Gaming Guide | October 2015 | azgamingguide.com

WINNING WAYS By Lana Hartmann

ore and more, we are receiving not only questions

on how to read video poker pay tables but also that

they are changing, for the worse, at many Arizona

casinos. What I want to attempt to accomplish with this article is

to give our readers a simple way to determine how good (or

bad) a video poker pay table is at a particular casino. Armed

with this knowledge, readers can then determine where they

will take their video poker bankroll. Of course, I’d like to be

able to write about everybody’s favorite game. Unfortunately

I’d have to start a book, or take up the entire magazine in order

to satisfy everyone! So, what I’ll focus on instead is Jacks Or

Better Video Poker. Don’t despair! Just because I’m focused on

Jacks Or Better doesn't mean you won’t be able to apply my tool

to other games, even the specialty games. I have to stick to Jacks

Or Better because almost every multi-game video poker slot I’ve

ever sat down at has the game on it. And, most every casino on

M

DECODING VIDEO POKER PAY TABLES Your One-Stop Guide To Determine How Good (Or Bad) They Are

the planet has the game somewhere on their floor. So, Jacks Or

Better it is. When you first sit down and select Jacks or Better on

a multi-game video poker slot, examine the pay table directly on

screen or by using the “HELP” menu. Notice all the pays listed

in order form highest to lowest. That’s nine pays including the

Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four-of-a-Kind, Full House, Flush,

Straight, Three-of-a-Kind, Two Pair, and Jacks or better. The

best possible pay table (available in most casinos) is 4,000, 250,

125, 45, 30, 20, 15, 10, and 5 at max bet. The worst possible pay

table (available in most casinos) is 4,000, 250, 125, 30, 25, 15, 10,

and 5 at max bet. Notice how much the pays changed for the

Full House, Flush, and Straight! This is where players have to

evaluate the “good” and “bad” pay tables. The higher the pays

are for those three wins, the better the pay table the casino

offers! Good luck and stay tuned for more video poker hints,

tips and advice in upcoming issues. $

http://www.hon-dah.com/

20 Arizona Gaming Guide | October 2015 | azgamingguide.com

CASINO DINING

FOOTBALL FUN AT ARIZONA’S CASINOS Local Casinos Create Fun Food And Drink Specials Plus Prizes

asinos are one of the most popular entertainment desti-

nations in the Valley during college and professional

football season. The season that starts around Labor

Day and ends a week before Valentine’s Day gives you ample

opportunities on Thursdays, Sundays and Mondays to catch

food and beverage specials at each one of these casinos, whether

it is with your friends, family, co-workers or significant other.

Even closer to home, there are several Arizona football story

lines we will be following: Will the Cardinals sneak into the

playoffs? Can the Sun Devils make the Pac-12 Championship?

Will the Wildcats take another stop into becoming a top-10 pro-

gram, or will they take a step back into mediocrity?

Before you step out with your fellow football fanatics to your

local casino, check out the best food and beverage specials at

casinos to save money throughout the season!

A Football Frenzy at Talking Stick and Casino Arizona

For those fans who want to do more than just watch the games,

Talking Stick Resort is hosting its Sunday Football Frenzy every

week in the resort’s 650-seat showroom, which has giant high

definition television screens, appetizer specials and designated

areas for big groups.

The interactive part of Sunday Football Frenzy is the weekly

trivia contests that occur during commercial breaks and

halftime. Hosted by Front Row Trivia Live, the trivia topics in-

clude sports, celebrities, history and other subjects. Doors open

one hour prior to kickoff and there is never a cover charge for

guests.

“Combining the excitement of Sunday football with the fun of

trivia makes Talking Stick Resort the place to be on game day,”

says Ramon Martinez, Director of Public Relations for Talking

Stick Resort. “Our sports fans have a great chance of scoring

their own big wins.”

On Monday night, the party moves to Casino Arizona’s show-

room for the football party which can host over 300 fans and

starts every week at 5pm. The Monday night party is highlight-

ed by a low-priced appetizer menu, so none of the casino guests

can feel priced out of the experience.

A Philly Cheesesteak sandwich and fries is only seven dollars,

while a cheeseburger and fries, Nachos Grande and a personal

pizza are all priced at six dollars and below. Desserts and small

snacks such as pretzels, popcorn, fries and chips and salsa are

all priced below three dollars!

A Different Kind of Pass

On Monday nights at Vee Quiva Hotel & Casino there will be

drawings at table games where winners can claim a 50-inch

Smart TV, an Apple iPad Mini or a $100 gift card to Ditka’s Res-

taurant.

Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino has a football-themed promo-

tion on Sundays and Mondays, where thousands of dollars of

promotional chips will be awarded to guests throughout the

season. At Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino the Center Bar is a

popular destination and is open from 10am to 2am on Sundays.

Just in time for the football season, Lone Butte Casino is show-

casing a brand new bar, Lucky’s, an Irish-themed venue with

cocktails, a large beer selection and daily drink specials, espe-

cially on game day Sundays.

“It is the perfect bar to unwind after work, catch a game or just

relax before a show in our brand new event center,” says Melo-

dy Hudson, Public Relations Manager for Gila River Casinos.

Also at Lone Butte Casino is The Big City Blitz promotion held

at Big City every Sunday through December 20, between 2pm

and 8pm. Over $100,000 in promotional chips and prizes will be

distributed.

Prizes include football tickets and promotional fan bags. All day

on Sundays, from 10am to 10pm., football fans can earn raffle

entries at table games for a chance to win the Coach’s Sideline

prize package, which contains items such as a Microsoft Surface

Pro 3, Bose Headphones and promotional chips.

“As a proud sponsor of our local Arizona football team, Gila

River is excited to offer guests the best view to enjoy the big

games while experiencing an all-encompassing entertainment

experience at any of our properties,” says Hudson.

Drinks Up at Dragonfly

Cliff Castle Casino is a popular destination in the fall because of

their cool temperatures, so it makes sense that they would be

hosting football-related promotions. This year Cliff Castle Casi-

no is hosting Monday Football Madness at their Dragonfly

C

By Rodric J. Hurdle-Bradford

nightclub. Prizes include team jerseys, hats and free promotion

play. Each guest will receive a free t-shirt at their first Monday

game, and all guests who attend every Monday night game at

Dragonfly will automatically receive a free VIP entry into the

Super Tailgate party on February 7. Admission to the weekly

event is ten dollars.

“Every Sunday fans can watch their teams battle it out on one of

our 10 large high-definition televisions while playing blackjack

in our NFL party pit, says Tony De Luz, spokesperson for Cliff

Castle Casino Hotel.

Cliff Castle Casino’s two dollar Budweiser draft specials occur

on Thursday and Sunday games, not just Monday night. Their

Monday night football buffet includes Buffalo wings, hot dogs,

cheese and vegetable trays as well as a special home city-

themed menu item.

For the first week of Monday night in San Francisco they paid

homage to the city by the bay’s famous Chinatown with sweet

and sour meet balls, egg rolls and pot stickers. Another option is

Cliff Castle’s 24/7 grab-and-go bistro, Three Sisters, which will

also have a menu available during games.

Football in Paradise

For those who will be on the road between Arizona and Califor-

nia during the football season, Paradise Casino in Winterhaven,

California is a good place to stop and watch the games.

Throughout the entire season, Sharkey’s Bar & Bites is offering

two dollar 16-ounce domestic drafts and two dollar 12-ounce

well drinks. Food specials include five dollar jumbo wings and a

twelve dollar appetizer platter.

“We are also proud to have promotions with Budweiser repre-

sentatives during the season,” says Esther Saldana, Marketing

Coordinator with Paradise Casino.

The Budweiser representatives will be on site at Paradise Casino

on Monday, October 19 for the New York Giants versus Phila-

delphia Eagles game, and two weeks later on November 2 when

the Indianapolis Colts play the Carolina Panthers.

So take your football party to a casino near you and score great

food, fun prizes and free chips all on one trip! $

azgamingguide.com | October 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 21

22 Arizona Gaming Guide | October 2015 | azgamingguide.com

By Mark Novak

nown for its historic and tribal attractions, the Yuma

region is also a premier destination for entertainment

and leisure in a unique locale. Sister properties

Quechan Casino Resort (Winterhaven, CA) and Paradise Casino

(Yuma, AZ) offer well-rounded casino gaming excitement

throughout the year.

Gaming

One of the Southwest’s largest gaming centers, Quechan Casino

Resort includes more than 1,000 new and classic slot machines,

Blackjack, Pai Gow Poker and Three Card Poker games, a large

live poker room, and the Yuma region’s only high-limit room.

Players at both casinos can get even more from their play with a

free Players Rewards Club Card. All play with the card earns

points that can be redeemed for comps, cash or rewards play.

Frequency of play can also raise club status for greater player

benefits.

K Accommodations

Quechan Casino Resort offers 166 luxurious guest rooms

(including eight 800 sq. ft. suites) with amenities such as a flat-

screen HDTV, on-demand movies, a Keurig coffee maker and

free Internet service. Those who want some sun can relax out-

side by the resort’s Mediterranean-style swimming pool and

tranquil Lazy River. A fitness center, a gift shop, room service,

onsite truck & RV parking, and free valet parking are among the

resort’s many other conveniences.

Dining & Nightlife

Diverse dining at Quechan Casino Resort includes daily meals

at Sidewinders Bar & Grill, VIP steak-and-wine dining at Iron-

wood Steakhouse, sumptuous global fare at Ocotillo Cafe, quick

and tasty bites at the Food Court, and fresh pastries & Starbucks

coffee at Gila Blend. For stepping out in the evening, Quechan

Casino Resort’s Ocotillo Bar offers creative cocktails as well as

azgamingguide.com | October 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 23

programming on HDTVs. The region’s top local talent performs

at Quechan Casino Resort’s Sidewinders Nightclub on the

weekends. The resort’s Pipa Event Center also hosts perfor-

mances by some of entertainment’s biggest stars as well.

The People Behind The Scenes

During a recent visit, members of the Arizona Gaming Guide

staff had the opportunity to meet with new General Manager

Michael Garrow and ask him a few questions about the proper-

ty. Here’s a quick look at what Mr. Garrow has planned for

Quechan Casino Resort.

Q: What were the stepping stones in your career path that led

you towards becoming the CEO at Quechan Casino Resort and

Paradise Casino?

A: My background in gaming really starts in 1982 when our

tribe, the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, was building several Class

II gaming facilities in upstate New York. My Dad was doing the

concrete work for one of the first facilities being built. The con-

cept was a Quoncet hut and the big Mohawk ironworkers were

putting up the large pieces of metal to form the hut and they

were looking around wondering who was going to go up on top

and put the bolts in. That’s when they asked me if I could climb

up there and put the bolts in! I agreed, shimmied up there on a

ladder and put the bolts in. That’s when the Mohawk ironwork-

ers told me I could claim I was one of the first people to build

the casinos!

I also had a career interest in airplanes and airports because, as

a child, I used to love to watch the planes fly over our tribe’s

airspace from Montreal and Ottawa to cities in the US. As a re-

sult, I pursued and received a degree in Airport Management. I

later went back to school and got my MBA in Finance at U.C.

Berkley. While in school I took a course in Entrepreneurship

where my team’s project was developing a business plan on a

casino. I actually did a mock casino business plan for a Class III

gaming facility for my tribe. The chairman of the Saint Regis

Mohawk Tribe at the time asked me about the business plan I

developed during school and told me the tribe wanted to hire

me to produce a business plan for the actual casino. What al-

lowed me to really solidify myself in casino gaming was the

opportunity to turn several casinos around to profitability.

My next calling was Las Vegas. I worked for Caesar’s Entertain-

ment on the Strip on the Operations side; Food & Beverage,

Table Games, Slots, Hotel, and so on. I was also fortunate to

have had opportunities in Real Estate Development, Banking,

Investment Banking, and CEO at the Nez Perce Tribe. In addi-

tion, I’ve also worked at several other tribal casinos including

being GM at Michigan’s Little River Casino Resort, CEO at

Grand Casinos for the Mille Lacs in Minnesota, and I’ve worked

directly for the tribes on strategic planning specifically on their

casinos. That experience allowed me to oversee debt refinanc-

(Continued on page 24)

Quechan Casino Resort

& Paradise Casino CEO

Michael Garrow

Planning For The Future

“We are going to focus on guest

service, improving the customer

experience and the entertainment.

What I tell the team at Quechan is

that we are building our founda-

tion right now.” When asked about his leadership style, Mr. Garrow said: “I

come in on the weekends, I eat in the employee dining room,

as does the rest of my executive staff. The employees here

know they can approach me, even during lunch or dinner,

and talk to me about anything. If I don’t, I won’t be success-

ful. That philosophy comes from being a front line worker

myself at an earlier time in my life. I addressed issues which

were causing problems for the company I was working at

and was met with the attitude that management didn’t really

want to know and wasn’t prepared to do anything about the

issue. That’s unfortunate and leads to more difficulties.“

24 Arizona Gaming Guide | October 2015 | azgamingguide.com

ing, new business assessment, analysis on different areas of the

casino, and much more. So I’ve strategically built up a lot of

different skills, operations, MBA in Finance from the Haas

School of Business, casino experience all over the country, in-

cluding training to become a craps dealer at a casino school to

better understand the game! I feel I’ve learned a lot but that I

also have a ton to learn.

Q: Did you have any mentors to help you learn the casino gam-

ing industry?

A: My uncle worked at Turning Stone Casino as their CIO, also

at Mohegan Sun, and several other casinos. He’s on the IT side

but has provided me with a lot of information on understanding

the organizational structure of a casino and he’s increased my

network immensely.

Q: How does Quechan Casino Resort stand out from the rest of

the casino resort properties?

A: There’s a difference between how we do stand out and how

we want to stand out. We are trying to find our sweet spot right

now as far as what guests want to see for entertainment, con-

certs, and more things to do. We are going to focus on guest

service, improving the customer experience and the entertain-

ment. What I tell the team here is that we are building our foun-

dation right now. Plus, we have to be utilizing our existing tech-

nology to its full potential before we move on to new technolo-

gy. Our promotional kiosks are not completely utilized right

now and that has to change. In addition, when we do introduce

new technology in another area of the property, we want to be

fully prepared to use all of its features for a long time.

Q: What do you want your casino visitors to take away from

their experience at Quechan Casino Resort?

A: We are in the process of fully analyzing our slot floor. Due to

the economy, our challenge is capital investment. What we are

looking for right now is a recommendation on what slots need

to be changed out based on popularity with our guests over the

next several years. Then we want to figure out how we can get

newer and more exciting games out to our floor. So, when our

patrons walk through our doors, they know their favorite game

is here.

Plus, I want to tap into our core audience, including travelers

from surrounding areas. We will go through our database of

players and really target our customers, understand where they

are coming from and what will bring them back. Our marketing

and promotions team will get visitors in through our doors and

then we have to provide the great experience gamers are look-

ing for. I’d like to see our volume of visitors increase through

targeted promotions supported by a solid operations team and

that is exactly what we are working on.

When the volume of visitors increases, it lifts the spirits of every

(Continued from page 23)

staff member and it gives us the opportunity to think about how

well we are doing and how proud we are to be working at our

casino. There is a lot of responsibility on my shoulders and our

team to deliver that for the casino and for our guests but I love

being in this position and I’m ready for it. I am results-oriented

no matter how long it takes, and I’m hoping in return by me

leading by example that attitude and work ethic becomes part of

the casino culture here.

Q: What plans does Quechan Casino Resort have for the future?

A: We are in the process of reviewing Sidewinders, the sports

bar/nightclub on property and other food and beverage outlets.

I think there are options there for us, whether it’s a sports bar, a

franchise restaurant, buffet, or something else. However, our

organization wants data to support recommendations, not to

just make a decision and say “Let’s do this!” Whatever happens,

the entire team will be behind it with support because they will

have had input into the process and then we will see it through,

not just turn our eyes on something else. We are also reconnect-

ing to the community in Yuma, in El Centro, in Calexico, Mexi-

cali, Indio and other surrounding cities. As an organization, we

want to be involved in, supportive of, and connected to the

communities we serve. That’s the fun stuff! Being on the floor,

interacting with the community, doing this kind of an interview,

I really like that!

How to Get There

Quechan Casino Resort is 11.5 miles from Yuma International

Airport with connecting round-trip service to Los Angeles Inter-

national Airport (United Airlines, two flights daily) and Phoenix

Sky Harbor International Airport (US Airways Express, four

flights daily). It is also within driving distance from San Diego

(2.5 hours), Phoenix (3 hours) and Tucson (3.5 hours). Discover

more about the many ways you can have fun and relax when

staying in or passing through Yuma. Call Quechan Casino Re-

sort at 877.QUECHAN or visit PlayQCR.com today. $

azgamingguide.com | October 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 25

26 Arizona Gaming Guide | October 2015 | azgamingguide.com

TRIBAL NEWS

t was Phyllis Big Pond (Yuchi tribe of Oklahoma), a former

Director of the Phoenix Indian Center, who made the deci-

sion 33 years ago that, “We need to create a way to honor

our leaders.” Her solution was a one-day community dinner

where those leaders were publicly recognized. Although the

community leader walked on in 2009 after 40 years of advocacy

on behalf of Native American families, her legacy continues to

grow.

Historian Wayne Mitchell (Mandan tribe) notes the recognition

concept was well received. “More events were added, the name

was changed to Native American Recognition Week (and later

changed to Recognition Days) and a yearly theme established.”

From that simple banquet beginning, NARD has expanded into

a series of events which have now morphed into more than six

weeks of festivities known as Native American Recognition

Days. This year’s celebrations begin with an October 2nd open-

ing ceremony and Native American Children’s Pageant at Met-

ro Center in Phoenix and culminate with the Arizona American

Indian Excellence in Leadership Awards on November 19 at

Scottsdale Plaza Resort.

Each year’s NARD opening event is hosted by a different group

and this year Native Health gets the honors with their colorful

youth pageant that attracts a crowd of 500 or more. The pageant

has three age groups ranging from birth to age 10 where each

child wears traditional dress and performs a traditional activity

from a lengthy list that includes singing, dancing, drumming,

and storytelling as well as calf roping and fry bread demonstra-

tions.

The younger children are carried or accompanied on stage by

their parents who give information about the family and a de-

scription of their traditional dress. Last year’s pageant drew

young representatives from 12 tribes who were judged by pag-

eant royalty.

While the schedule is packed with a variety of events on a num-

ber of days, Saturday, October 10th will be one of the most ac-

tive. The signature event of NARD is the 2-hour-long Native

American Connections Parade starting at 9am with upwards of

100 entries marching from 3rd Street and Oak, winding their

way north to Steele Indian School Park. “This year we’re march-

ing under the 2015 theme of ‘The Beauty of Native American

Culture’ and it will be interesting to see how the participants

incorporate that theme. There should be some really colorful

floats,” says Davina Haskins, adding: “The Herrera School

Marching Band will be there along with the Senior Steppers

from the Salt River community, Hopi ROTC participants, the

Pima Basket Dancers, and music as it always plays a part in our

parade.”

Once the parade ends at the Indian School, from 10am to 2pm,

the site’s refurbished Music Building will hold an open house.

With the whole NARD event centered on sharing Native Ameri-

can heritage and culture, Phoenix Indian School plays an inte-

gral part in that history.

Established in 1891, it quickly became a prominent part of the

federal government’s policy of cultural assimilation where the

Indian children were tasked with achieving Anglo-conformity

through a detachment from tribal cultural patterns, according to

the Archeological Institute of America. The 160-acre campus

complex, vacant since 1990 when the school closed at the order

of the government, is re-inventing itself last year, Phoenix Indi-

an Center and Native American Connections began renovation

of the band building. “We’re pleased to bring the building back

to life and create an environment where American Indians can

I

Words By Lee Allen

Images By Lee Allen & Native Health

NATIVE AMERICAN RECOGNITION DAYS Now—November, 2015

TRIBAL NEWS

azgamingguide.com | October 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 27

meet and share their culture,” said NAC’s CEO Diana Yazzie

Devine.

Referred to as ”The Phoenix Indian School Legacy Project,” the

band building restoration is considered a key to preserving the

school’s legacy. “Its restoration and cultural programming will

be a gift to Phoenix residents for generations to come,” accord-

ing to Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department Director James

Burke.

Also underway are plans by the Arizona American Indian Tour-

ism Association (AAITA) to further clarify history by develop-

ing the original dining hall into an American Indian Cultural

Center. “Our objective is to develop the 14,000-square-foot din-

ing hall into a cultural cornerstone to promote travel and tour-

ism in Indian Country,” noted AAITA coordinator Raphael Bear

(Yavapai).

Donovan Hanley (Navajo), AAITA president, added: “Such a

Visitor Center to guide visitors to tribal destinations would hon-

or past legacies.”

Other activities on this busiest-of-busy days include another

open house at Native Health organization at 4041 North Central

Avenue. Starting in 1978 as a small community nursing pro-

gram, Native Health has expanded to provide holistic, patient-

centered, culturally-sensitive health and wellness services

throughout the metro Phoenix area. Closing out the day’s activi-

ties, the evening focus turns to the Chandler Center for the Arts

where the spotlight is on education with the Miss Indian Arizo-

na Scholarship Program (6:30-10:30pm).

The reigning Miss Indian Arizona, Shasta Dazen of the White

Mountain Apache tribe, will relinquish her crown to one of 9

contestants (representing 8 Arizona tribes) vying to become the

54th Miss Indian Arizona. Dazen, a 21-year-old from Whiteriver

received a $4,000 scholarship when she won last year’s competi-

tion.

In collaboration with the scholarship festivities, the City of

Chandler will present an Indian Art Market on October 10-11 at

Chandler Park.

Events continue through mid-November and no extended Na-

tive American gathering would be complete without some orga-

nized social gatherings, i.e., pow wows. This year there are two,

the 32nd annual Roy Track Memorial Mesa Pow Wow at Pio-

neer Park from 10/23-10/25 and the 15th annual Veteran’s Day

Weekend Traditional Pow Wow in Glendale at ASU West, No-

vember 7, 11am-10pm.

This year’s extended celebration culminates with the Arizona

American Indian Excellence in Leadership Awards at Scottsdale

Plaza Resort the evening of November 19.

Visit www.AZNARD.org for current listings of events, times,

and locations. $

http://now.wms.com/

azgamingguide.com | October 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 29

alt River Fields is proud to announce the ‘World's Best

Sand Sculpting Championship Presented by Talking

Stick Destination,’ a family-friendly two-day beach

themed festival (SRFSandCastleFest.com), Saturday and Sun-

day, December 12 and 13, from noon to 8pm, featuring the first

sand sculpting competition ever hosted in Arizona. Ten world-

class artists will begin to design and build one-of-a-kind sand

sculptures on Saturday and will carve live until 5pm. Sunday,

the general public will be able to cast their vote for the People's

Choice award while the artists apply the finishing touches to

their creations, which will range from 10 to 20 feet in length.

Artists will compete for a $19,000 purse, and the sculptures will

be judged with the winner announced Sunday evening.

“Only in Arizona can you have a beach bash in the middle of

winter,” said Dave Dunne, General Manager, Salt River Fields.

“Where else than in sunny Scottsdale, Arizona can you plan a

family photo with Santa and be awed by amazingly creative

sand sculptures? It can only happen in the middle of the Sonor-

an desert and we’re excited it’s happening here at Talking Stick.

The two-day event will also feature beach-themed live enter-

tainment, food, holiday vendors to top off seasonal shopping

lists, free sandcastle lessons taught by Andy Hancock from

Sandcastle Lessons (SandCastleLessons.com), photos with Santa

Claus as he stops by on his last few days of vacation and much

more. The sand sculpting competition is organized by the re-

nowned multimedia artist Sean Fitzpatrick from Fitzy Snowman

Sculpting (FitzySnowman.com). Tickets for the event are availa-

ble at SaltRiverFields.com with general admission tickets at $12

and children 2 and under are free!

The Talking Stick Destination is Scottsdale’s premier entertain-

ment destination, featuring eight entities that are surrounded by

a rich cultural history and spectacular valley views. The Talking

Stick Destination is home to Salt River Fields at Talking Stick,

Talking Stick Resort, Talking Stick Golf Club, the Pavilions at

Talking Stick, Octane Raceway, Topgolf, Butterfly Wonderland,

Courtyard Scottsdale Salt River and OdySea Aquarium, open-

ing Summer 2016. The Talking Stick Destination is a collabora-

tion marketing initiative lead by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa

Indian Community. In 2014, Talking Stick Destination was vot-

ed Best Tribal Enterprise by the Arizona Indian Chamber of

Commerce. For more info visit TalkingStickArizona.com. $

S

SALT RIVER FIELDS BEACH BASH 1st Ever Arizona Sand Sculpting Competition—December 12 & 13, 2015

TRIBAL NEWS By C. Dunne & A. Moore

30 Arizona Gaming Guide | October 2015 | azgamingguide.com

GAMING NEWS

On the afternoon of September 2, 2015, investigators from the

Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) and members of the

Phoenix Police Department served two search warrants at

businesses for illegal gambling. Both businesses named “Wi-Fi

Café” are believed to be owned by the same person and are

located at 4316 W. Thomas Road and 3515 W. Union Hills

Drive.

During the joint operation, 3 people were arrested in connec-

tion to the business and will be facing multiple charges includ-

ing operating an illegal gaming facility and promotion of ille-

gal gambling. Additionally, 11 people who were customers

inside the business were also arrested for various outstanding

warrants and drug offences. This includes one woman who

was wanted in connection to a recent armed robbery.

The ADG takes complaints about illegal gambling businesses

very seriously. These unregulated cash businesses can often

attract violent crimes to area neighborhoods. Over the past

month, investigators have been looking into the businesses

and found they were operating as sweepstakes-based internet

cafés. The illegal gambling operations allowed customers to

buy internet time, but players would actually use it for gam-

bling on casino-style games played on computers inside the

business. The games, while played on desktop computers,

simulate what is often seen on the screens of electronic slot

machines inside regulated casinos.

The recent partnership between ADG and Phoenix Police has

led to seven different search warrants since July. Those opera-

tions have also led to the voluntary closure of at least eight

other known illegal gambling locations and the eviction of

two businesses by their landlords. $

ADG Serves Search Warrants

Everi, a bold new brand name for the casino industry,

launched on August 24, 2015 as senior management and

Board members of Everi Holdings Inc. (NYSE: EVRI) joined

the Company’s larger-than-life mascot, The Money Man, at

the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to ring the NYSE Open-

ing Bell at 9:30am. The new Everi Holdings Inc. (formerly

Multimedia Games and Global Cash Access Holdings Inc.)

“Powers the Casino Floor” as the casino industry’s only sole-

source provider of slot machine gaming entertainment and

secure financial solutions.

Ram V. Chary, President and Chief Executive Officer of Everi,

said, “We’re excited to launch our organization’s rebranding

initiative, including a new corporate name and logo, as we

highlight Everi’s unique position as the gaming industry’s

only company that can offer a diverse floor-wide portfolio of

gaming entertainment, cash access, security and intelligence

solutions that together deliver greater value to our casino cus-

tomers.”

Operators and patrons alike will benefit from Everi’s dedica-

tion to strength, innovation and commitment to constantly

look for ways to improve patron experiences and operator

processes. “With Everi, we are redefining our organization

following our successful transition to a full-service casino

gaming equipment and payments solutions provider,” Mr.

Chary added. “Through our commitment to innovation and

ability to address casino operators’ gaming and payment tech-

nology needs, we are helping customers succeed.” The Com-

pany will continue to support all of its successful current sub-

brands, including TournEvent and TournEvent of Champions

for the Games business and CashClub, CentralCredit, and

Everi Compliance (formerly NEWave) for the Payments busi-

ness. For more info, visit Everi.com. $

Multimedia Games Becomes Everi

azgamingguide.com | October 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 31

After a three-hour battle of wits and skill,

Vance Fitzgerald of Surprise was named the

2015 Arizona State Poker Champion on Au-

gust 18. Hosted in Talking Stick Resort’s

ARENA Poker Room, the 11th Annual Ari-

zona State Poker Championship hosted 1,580

competitors. The poker hopefuls brought

their ‘A game’ to the five-day tournament,

vying for ultimate bragging rights and a

share of the more than $1 million prize pool.

“The 11th Annual Arizona State Poker

Championship was a huge success,” said

Tom Young, the Director of Poker at the

ARENA Poker Room. “We were pleased to

see an increase in interest in the tournament

this year surpassing last year’s competitor

count. And although we had several pros

battling it out for the title, it truly was anyone’s game from beginning to end.”

The No Limit Hold ‘Em tournament kicked off on August 14 and included a semi-

finals round on August 17. Finals took place the following day with the remaining

ten players vying to win the top spot. Four-time World Series of Poker champion,

Tom Schneider, emceed the final table, engaging spectators with his colorful com-

mentary throughout the round.

In the end, Fitzgerald beat his opponents with two pair of queens. In addition to

$253,600, the victor took home a Presidential Rolex watch and a customized trophy.

Second place and third place finishers, Chad Mizner and Jake Balsiger, also earned

trophies as well as payouts of $189,600 and $134,300 respectively. Various poker

professionals also competed in the 2015 tournament including Dennis Phillips, Ka-

rina Jett and Kenna James. For more on the ARENA Poker Room and tournaments

at Talking Stick Resort, visit TalkingStickResort.com or call 480.850.8693. $

The top 10 players in the 11th annual Arizona State Poker Championship:

Vance Fitzgerald $253,600

Chad Mizner $189,600

Jake Balsiger $134,300

Matt Schultz $ 98,750

Gail Getzwiller $ 90,850

Hooman Nikzul $ 75,050

Matt Elsby $ 59,250

A.T. Gruzak $ 43,450

Alex Shelton $ 27,650

Tom Uwanawich $ 19,750

Arizona State Poker Champion Crowned

32 Arizona Gaming Guide | October 2015 | azgamingguide.com

GAMING NEWS

Talking Stick Resort’s on-site florist, Christine Price, competed

in the Arizona State Floral Association’s (ASFA) “Designer of

the Year” contest and received the “People’s Choice” award.

Hosted on July 26, the event challenged vendors to showcase

their customized art deco arrangements. In the end, Price’s

Great Gatsby-inspired design won the hearts of her peers and

she was deemed the ultimate winner. “I’m truly grateful for the

award,” said Christine Price, lead florist for Talking Stick Re-

sort. “Creating floral arrangements has always been my pas-

sion and I’m ecstatic my fellow florists appreciated my vision

for a neoclassical art deco design. Being recognized by leaders

in the industry is an honor I’ll always hold dear.”

The “Designer of the Year” competition took place during the

ASFA’s annual Expo 2015. Created in the early 1950s, the ASFA

provides assistance to the floral community, connecting florists

Talking Stick Resort Florist Wins ‘People’s Choice’ Award

statewide and educating the

public about industry achieve-

ments. In addition to earning

top honors, Price also took

home a trophy for all her

efforts. “We’re so excited about

Christine’s latest award,” Steve

Gerken, Senior Director of

Hospitality for Talking Stick

Resort, said. “Her floral ar-

rangements are essential to our

property and add an elegance

and charm to Talking Stick

Resort on a daily basis. She is a

floral innovator and we’re thrilled others are witnessing her

exceptional talent as well.” $

azgamingguide.com | October 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 33

Terri Robinson never would have imagined that she would be

staring at a stage three breast cancer diagnosis around the same

time she started working at a casino who thinks PINK every

October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Like many women, when Robinson found a lump on her breast

in February, she didn’t want to face the possibility of what the

lump could mean. She had just been hired as a cashier at Har-

rah’s Ak-Chin Casino and wanted to ignore the signs of some-

thing more serious. In April, after more lumps developed, Rob-

inson saw a doctor and was diagnosed with stage three breast

cancer. “My first challenge after being diagnosed was the

thought of telling my supervisors,” said Robinson. “I knew

there was a possibility of being sick at work or having to miss

work for a treatment and when I work for someone, I give it

my all and it’s very frustrating to have to miss work.” Little did

she know, her co-workers and supervisors at Harrah’s Ak-Chin

Casino would be a constant support system throughout her

journey.

“My co-workers and supervisors have been VERY VERY VERY

supportive. They are there for me when I have a problem or

have to call in sick,” said Robinson. “They always make sure

they are available to talk. I couldn’t ask for better support.”

Because of the chemotherapy treatment Robinson was going

through, she would find herself faced with days where she was

very ill. Other days, there would be moments of fogginess at

work because of a recent treatment. Life while undergoing

treatment meant taking each day one day at a time, and adjust-

ing to a slower paced lifestyle. “I’ve gone through a roller

coaster of emotions,” said Robinson. “On a day-to-day basis, I

have to look at my body and adjust a lot of the things I do.”

Robinson wanted to share her story to encourage women to get

checked as soon as possible and to know that there is a com-

munity out there ready to help you. She’s found that type of

community among other Harrah’s employees who are breast

cancer survivors. This October, Robinson will have finished her

first round of a 12-week chemotherapy treatment, just in time

for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. While she knew that Har-

rah’s was highly dedicated to breast cancer awareness, it was-

n’t until she got involved in the breast cancer awareness com-

mittee and with other employees that it really hit home. “I just

appreciate an organization that can give back to the communi-

ty, especially breast cancer awareness,” said Robinson. “I’m

taking next month a little more personal than most.”

The Odds Are On

In the month of October, Harrah’s will turn into a PINK zone

and host a PINK-out to recognize those battling breast cancer:

A PINK drink called the PINK WARRIOR, where a portion of

the proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society. In addition,

table games players will get to play on PINK table layouts with deal-

ers who have PINK ribbons on their shirts.

All month long, guests to the casino will have an opportunity to

participate in a social media contest.

On October 16 the Mobile On-site Mammography (M.O.M.) will

be on-site offering mammograms (appointment required). To make an

appointment please contact M.O.M. at 480.967.3767. Please have

your insurance card available. (Non-insured patient cost is $167)

On October 24 at 7pm the 3rd annual PINK POOL PARTY and

Battle of the Bras will be held. This 21+ event will feature PINK

drinks and PINK treats. The highlight of the pool party will be the

Battle of the Bras fashion show. Each casino department has the

chance to design a bra for a male manager or supervisor to model.

In 2014, as a result of all of the efforts during the month of Oc-

tober during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and in conjunc-

tion with The Caesars Foundation, Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino

presented an $8,000 check to American Cancer Society. The

PINK team at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino hopes to exceed that

amount this year. For more information contact Harrah’s Ak-

Chin at 480.802.5000 or visit HarrahsAkChin.com. $

GAMING NEWS By Caelen Demos

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 editor@azgamingguide.com. 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 4.29 Blackjack / 21 17.57

$1 5.12 Roulette 20.15

25¢ 6.02 Craps 20.60

Multi-Denom 6.08 Let It Ride 25.03

$25 6.18 Other Table Games 28.83

5¢ 7.71 Pai Gow Poker 27.85

1¢ 10.80 Three Card Poker 32.07

Tight Megabucks 12.01

Other Hold %

Loose Bingo 1.90 Win Amount Dollars

Sports Pools 2.89 Slots 33.6 mil.

Race Books 15.74 Tables 4.3 mil.

Tight Live Keno 28.05 Other 0.3 mil.

Laughlin’s Gaming Statistics July 2015

LAUGHLIN, NEVADA Directory & Gaming Statistics

34 Arizona Gaming Guide | October 2015 | azgamingguide.com

http://www.bluewaterfun.com/

s promised, we are bringing our readers closer to the

action by answering your questions. The mail and e-

mails have been continuing to pile up over the past

few months since the first “Ask Joe” installment. Once again,

our team hand-picked a few questions for Joe Hagan, the Direc-

tor of Marketing at the Tropicana Laughlin, to provide us with

his responses.

If you have a question to “Ask Joe” regarding casino marketing,

or any other related topic, don’t hesitate to write in. If we select

your question, you’ll walk away a winner with a $25 gift card!

All you have to do is follow the instructions in the green box at

the bottom of the page.

For now, let’s enjoy what Joe had to say in response to some of

our reader questions!

Q: I play at casinos in the Valley, in Laughlin, and rarely Las

Vegas. I don’t seem to get much in terms of offers from the

last two, why travel 4 to 6 hours?

Bill Ransom—Phoenix, AZ

A: Bill, there are many reasons to choose Laughlin. Probably

the most obvious is it’s good to get away on occasion. We live

our lives in little boxes where we visit the same places and do

the same things every day; we are creatures of habit, so it is

good to mix it up on occasion. In addition, you have all of the

various promotions and events that we have that may not be

available at local casinos.

Looking at October, on the 3rd we have the Viva Tropicana Car

Show, on the 10th we have the Carrie Underwood concert, on

the 15th through the 18th we have the Laughlin Film Festival,

on the 23rd through the 25th we have the $10K Slot tournament,

and on the 31st we have the Bingo Bash, along with several gift

weekends and food events every weekend.

Bill, as for your offers, I have spoken before that all offers are

based on gaming and when you spread it around it dilutes your

offers. Lots of guests who come to Laughlin play at 3 or 4 casi-

nos and end up getting no offers. Vegas, in general, even if you

don’t spread your play around they expect a higher value guest

before they start handing out offers. If you are looking for offers

and rewards, it is best to pick one casino that fits you as a gamer

and stick with it!

A

By Joe Hagan

Director of Marketing, Tropicana Laughlin

Q: Hi Joe, I’d like to know how I can figure out which casino

is giving me better comps and free play. What should I watch

for in the mail to figure out which casino is better?

Ethel Summers—Sun City, AZ

A: Great question Ethel! However, we need to look at it from a

slightly different angle. Gaming is not just about the comps and

offers you get but also about the entertainment and if you enjoy

yourself. Don’t get me wrong, all of the comp and extras don’t

hurt, but they should not be the prime reason you gamble.

Many casinos work with the concept of reinvestment (RI); it is

the basis of what promotions and offers they send you. The

amount that a casino is willing to reinvest varies greatly from

casino to casino. I have seen everything from 15% to 50% and to

give you an idea of how quickly that gets used up here is an

example:

Adeline loses about $200 per day when she games; this trans-

lates into average daily theoretical between $50 and $150 de-

pending on her luck, gaming style and what games she

plays. (Editor’s note: Average Daily Theoretical means the amount of

money the casino theoretically expects to get from Adeline per day, on

average, over time.) Using the higher theoretical and going off a 20%

RI which is relatively standard across the casino gaming indus-

try the casino would have about $30 per day to use to give her

offers. If the casino offers Adeline complimentary rooms for her

stay that is going to use about $20 per day, leaving $10 for a free

play offer.

Ethel, probably the simplest way is to just add up the value of

all of the offers they give you and compare them. I would use

$20 for a baseline for each event, gift, dinner, room, or invited

promotion. Adjust accordingly if they give nicer things, perhaps

make it $25 per item, if quality is lacking then $15 per item.

Then, add the dollar value of any free play and food credits.

You have to look at this both as a trip, or if you visit frequently

over the course of a month. This should give you a rough idea

of how much they are willing to give you. It is very similar to

how I judge other casino marketing programs when I look at

our competitors.

Q: Joe, I’ve never been to Laughlin and I’m interested in visit-

ing your casino. Do you have any New Member programs?

Maria Escalante—Tucson, AZ

TROPICANA LAUGHLIN The Second Installment of “Ask Joe” Is Here

36 Arizona Gaming Guide | October 2015 | azgamingguide.com

LAUGHLIN, NEVADA

LAUGHLIN, NEVADA

azgamingguide.com | October 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 37

A: Maria, a first-time visitor will find plenty to do. Specifically

for a new member, Tropicana Laughlin has the “First $100 On

Us” promotion where we send you an offer for Free Play based

on your first day’s losses (losses must be more than $10). The

Free Play (valued up to $100) is valid on your next visit. In addi-

tion, we have daily promotions and weekend events that any-

one can participate in.

I mentioned a list of upcoming events in my answer to Bill, but

there are several more, including:

Halloween Haunt & Glow Car Show—Oct. 30 through Nov. 1

Veteran’s Weekend Celebration—Nov. 6 through 11

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 editor@azgamingguide.com 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 | October 2015 | azgamingguide.com

Apache Gold Casino—Globe, AZ—800.272.2438

Events:

Apache Laffs Comedy Show—Oct. 10, 12th Annual Run To The

Rez—Oct. 16 & 17, Los Lobos—Oct. 17, 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:

Cage Rage 10—Oct. 17, Grits & Glamour—Oct. 22, Chubby Check-

er—Nov. 21, Williams & Ree—Dec. 18

Casino Arizona—Scottsdale, AZ—480.850.7777

The Showroom:

Evil Waze (Santana Tribute)—Oct. 9-10, Pyromania (Def Leppard

Tribute)—Oct. 23-24, Rock And Roll Over (KISS Tribute)—Oct. 30-

31, Monday Night Showroom Football—Mondays at 5pm

The Arizona Room:

Chad Freeman And Redline (Country)— Mon. 8pm, Arizona Room

Trivia—Tue. 7pm, , Country Dance Nights (Learn to Dance)—Wed.

at 6pm, Daisy Train (Country)—Wed. 8pm, Latin Fire Dance Nights

(Learn to Dance)—Thu. at 6pm.

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

Events:

Taste Of The Verde Valley—Oct. 17

Cocopah Resort Casino—Somerton, AZ—800.237.5687

Events:

Karaoke with Bling Bling/DJ Sosa—Th & Fr at 8pm

Joe Nichols & Special Guest Josh Thompson—Oct. 10

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:

Brett Eldredge—Oct. 3, Jenny McCarthy & Friends—Oct. 24

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: Austin Webb—9th, Skid Row, Great

White, and Autograph at the UltraStar Amphitheater—17th

The Lounge: Checkr’d Past—2nd, Sound Wave—3rd, The

Walkens—9th, New World Order—10th, Cold Shot & The Hurricane

Horns—16th, Mrs. Robinson—17th, Thaddeus Rose—23rd, Neon—

24th, Quantum—30th, The Hamptons—31st Wednesdays In The

Lounge: Enjoy live music from Noon—4pm. Bandstand Shows—

7th, Route 66—14th, The Swingtips—21st, Mancini the Band—28th

The Lounge Happy Hour: Enjoy Happy hour and live music

Tuesdays & Wednesdays from 5 – 8pm. Flavour—6th, Shades Of

Blue—7th, Notes From Neptune—13th, John Eric Duo—14th, Paul

Wells—20th, Walkens Trio—21st, Van & Melanie—27th, XO Duo—

28th Sundays in The Lounge: Enjoy live Football every Sunday.

Hon-Dah Casino—Pinetop, AZ—800.929.8744

Timbers Lounge and Showroom:

Munday Funday—Comedy Show 7pm, Harry Luge (Country)—Oct.

6-10, Chyna (Variety)—Oct. 13-17, Rockhall Doctors (Classic Rock)

Dirty, Sexy, Funny Featuring

Jenny McCarthy & Friends Desert Diamond Casino—Sahuarita

October 24, 2015

Take a hilarious look at life as a contemporary woman with

Dirty, Sexy, Funny Featuring Jenny McCarthy and Friends,

live in the Diamond Center on Saturday, October 24. Tickets

start at $15 and are on sale now. The show highlights the scan-

dalous comedy of an eclectic cast of female comedians – Tam-

my Pescatelli, Lynne Koplitz, Paula Bel and April Macie. Dirty,

Sexy, Funny is also a radio show, airing weekends on Siri-

usXM. Jenny McCarthy’s honesty, humility and humor have

enabled her to transcend the boundaries of her roles as come-

dian, actress, host, best-selling author and new reality TV star

on A&E’s Donnie Loves Jenny. Jenny McCarthy currently re-

sides in New York, with her son Evan, new husband Donnie

Wahlberg and dad, Macky. Treena Parvello, Director of Public

Relations and Communications for the Tohono O’odham

Gaming Enterprise, said, “The hilarious women of Dirty, Sexy,

Funny are bringing a comedy show like no other to the Dia-

mond Center. Don’t miss out—get your tickets early!”

Editor’s Pick CASINO ENTERTAINMENT

azgamingguide.com | October 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 39

—Oct. 20-24, The Strip Kings (Variety)—Oct. 27-31

Events:

Haunted Halloween Party—Oct. 31, Listen to the Music (Doobie

Brothers Tribute)—Nov. 20

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:

Planet Earth (Duran Duran Tribute)—Oct. 3, Str8Up 25th Anniver-

sary Celebration—Oct. 17, Gloria Gynor—Oct. 24, One of These

Nights (Eagles Tribute)—Oct. 25, Cash’d Out (Johnny Cash Tribute)

—Nov. 14, 49 Laughs (Comedy)—Nov. 21, 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.

Events:

Testicle Festival—Oct. 3, Journey Unlimited (Journey Tribute)—Oct.

3, HallowSCREAM Bash—Oct. 31

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:

Zappa Plays Zappa—Oct. 4, JB Smoove with Hugh Moore—Oct. 24,

Wicked Ball—Oct. 31,

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

VQ Live:

Featuring a variety of live music on the weekends

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:

Polo Polo—Oct. 2, Lost 80’s Live—Oct. 10, Loverboy 2015—Oct. 17,

Mick Adams & The Stones (Rolling Stones Tribute)—Oct. 18, Slash

feat. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators—Oct. 20, Ramon Ayala—

Oct. 23, Latin Legends Live—Oct. 24, The Village People—Oct. 30,

ABBA Fab—Oct. 31

Talking Stick Resort Presents:

Wicked Ball Halloween Contest October 31

It’s that time again all you witches, goblins and goons! Talk-

ing Stick Resort is celebrating Halloween with its annual

Wicked Ball event on Oct. 31. Hosted in the property’s Salt

River Grand Ballroom, the event will feature live entertain-

ment, a variety of performers and decked-out characters

vying for top honors in the costume contest. At the end of

the night, the remaining 10 finalists will win a share of

$10,000. But that’s not all -- as the Halloween party will also

showcase EDM, trance and Top 40 hits all night long!

In its second year, the Halloween bash will feature three

rooms complete with cocktail specials and variety acts. Each

room will showcase a different theme, vibe and musical

style so guests will get to experience three parties for the

price of one! Lady La from LIVE 101.5 FM will keep the par-

ty rocking in the main room, serving as the costume con-

test’s emcee. The top 10 costume contest finalists will take

home cash with the first place winner earning $3,500. Ad-

vanced general admission tickets are $50 while VIP tickets

are $90. General admission tickets purchased on the day of

the event are $60. “Day of” VIP tickets are $100 and include

six drinks.

Additionally, guests can purchase a cabana at RELEASE any

Saturday this month and receive 10 VIP Wicked Ball tickets,

which includes six drinks and access to the VIP areas (a

$900 value). To learn more information or purchase tickets

for Wicked Ball at Talking Stick Resort, visit their website

at TalkingStickResort.com or call 480.850.7734. Must be 21

or older to attend.

Prizes for the top 10 finalists will be as follows:

1st place — $3,500

2nd place — $2,500

3rd place — $1,500

4th place — $1,000

5th place — $ 500

6th-10th place — $ 200. 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 | October 2015 | azgamingguide.com

Sources: Arizona Department of Gaming—Current Tribal Gaming Status as of 09/01/15 & direct inquiries by press time. We are not responsible for incorrect, missing, or outdated information.

Contact editor@azgamingguide.com 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

f you are ready for a hot bingo hall with plenty of winners,

then look no further than Paradise Casino in Yuma. This

October you can cash in on plenty of special games!

Friday, October 19th—Indian Day: Bring in you Tribal ID and

receive a free paper Buy-In or $5 off your Electronic Buy-In at

either their 1:30pm matinee or 6pm evening session.

Saturday, October 31st—Halloween Bingo: The session is at

1:30pm with 10 main games paying $300 and $500 specials plus

a Double Action Coverall at $1,199. There are free Halloween

Daubers while they last. Make sure to bring in your Halloween

Bucks for a chance at $200-$500 and participate in the Hallow-

een Costume Contest: 1st Place—$200 Cash and $100 Bingo

play, 2nd Place—$150 Cash and $75 Bingo play, 3rd Place—$100

Cash and $50 Bingo play! $

PARADISE CASINO BINGO Nellia Cook Won A $2,989.30 Coverall Jackpot!

I

ARIZONA LOTTERY

laying the Arizona Lottery’s Scratcher games has always

been a fun way to place a wager, play a game, and see if

you win or lose. Plus, the Arizona Lottery funds a wide

variety of Arizona’s state programs including Education, Health

& Human Services, the Environment, and more.

And, as the Arizona Lottery is always introducing new games to

their Scratchers collection every month, there are plenty of

games to pick from. While the vast array of choices may make

picking a Scratcher game a little bewildering, we’ve come across

a few of the Arizona Lottery’s latest games that every casino

enthusiast has to play the next time they want to try a Scratcher.

So whether you are a veteran, occasional, or brand new Scratch-

er player, here are a few you can try at a variety of bet levels for

everyone’s bankroll!

Double Cherry

Cost: $1

Game Play: Reveal 3 identical symbols in a spin, win prize for

that spin. Reveal 3 Cherry symbols in a spin to double that

spin’s prize!

Prizes: $2,000, $200, $100, $50, $20, $10, $5, $2, $1

Overall Odds Of Winning: 1 in 4.42

Instant Keno

Cost: $3

Game Play: Match any of your keno numbers to any of the

black circled numbers on the keno board and win the prize

shown in the prize legend. When scratched, the matching keno

board numbers will change to a lighter color, making it easier to

see them. Only the highest winner is paid.

Prizes: $20,000, $1,000, $500, $100, $50, $20, $15, $10, $5, $3

Overall Odds Of Winning: 1 in 3.74

Aces And 8s

Cost: $5

Game Play: Match any of your numbers to any of the winning

numbers, regardless of color, win prize shown for that number.

Reveal a black “8” symbol, win double that prize. Reveal a red

“Ace” symbol, win 5 times that prize!

Prizes: $50,000, $1,000, $500, $250, $100, $50, $25, $20, $10, $5

Overall Odds Of Winning: 1 in 3.7

Most gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores are

Arizona Lottery retailers and many will carry these games. $

P

BRAND NEW SCRATCHERS The Arizona Lottery Satisfies Slot Players With Casino Themed Games

For more information on the Arizona Lottery, visit their website at

ArizonaLottery.com. For the winning numbers, call 480.829.7425 in

Phoenix or 520.325.9141 in Tucson. Please call 1.800.499.3798 for

all other areas in Arizona. Retailers pay prizes up to $100 and may

pay prizes up to $599. The Arizona Lottery pays all prizes including

prizes $600 and over. Any prize may be claimed by mail. Prizes sub-

ject to prior sales. Tampering with a Lottery ticket is a Class 3 felony

punishable by law. All tickets, transactions and winners are subject

to Lottery Rules and State Law. You must be 21 years or older to

purchase tickets. Not responsible for incorrect or outdated info.

azgamingguide.com | October 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 41

ing comments like “ooh, that was close” and “aah, what an aw-

ful bonus” are downright infuriating. As if I need my very own

play-by-play commentator! If you’re a hoverer, stop it! Go get

your machine, sit down, play, and have fun. Stop standing

around and join in on the action!

I’m playing my favorite video slot machine, I get into the bonus,

and all of a sudden the lady next to me decides she wants to

strike up a conversation. Not the most opportune time! I consid-

er myself a “people person.” I love meeting new people and I

love socializing. But, when I’m in front of my favorite video slot

machine, or trying to focus on using optimal strategy at the

blackjack table, it’s a little difficult to carry on a tête-à-tête! Im-

agine interrupting a sports fanatic during sudden-death over-

time when their favorite team is in position to score and scoop

up a victory. If you want to talk to the stranger sitting next to

you at the casino, make sure you’re timing is convenient and

appropriate.

Another annoying action people do is leave ashtrays on their

chair or tilt the chair against the machine promising to come

back but never do. Unless you really are just getting up to use

the restroom or getting a drink and are seriously intending on

coming right back, don’t save the machine. Let others play!

I want to be treated with kindness and gratitude by all the em-

ployees at the casino—from the cocktail waitresses to the slot

attendants to the blackjack dealers to the security officers. I have

two dozen casinos to choose from in AZ alone and I chose to

come play at your casino. $

SAMI’S SMACKDOWN

henever I visit a casino, I go prepared to lose. It’s

not to say that I have a bad attitude or that I’m an

eternal pessimist, I just accept that gambling is a

form of entertainment. The amount of money I take with me to

a casino is what I feel I can afford to part with. That way, if I

happen to be lucky then it’s kind of like an unexpected bonus I

can be excited about. And, if I lose—no harm no foul.

I believe that it’s just silly to expect to win at the casino ALL the

time. I have my ups and downs and if one casino visit isn’t the

greatest then I look forward to my next visit in the hopes that

maybe my luck will change for the better. Therefore, not win-

ning at the casino every single time I go is not one of my gripes.

I do, however, have several other complaints which detract

from my overall casino entertainment experience...

For one, sitting next to people at a casino that are whining and

grumbling about losing is completely annoying. The huffing,

the puffing, the protesting, and the criticizing isn’t a whole heck

of a lot of fun. In fact, I’ve found that these kind of party poop-

ers actually carry a contagious negative attitude that spreads

like spilled water. If it’s not going well at a machine, then just

change machines! If it’s not going well in general, leave! The

casino’s not going to close before you have a chance to visit

again.

On the flip side, I can’t stand the overly excited hyper-

freakazoids either. You know, the kind that yell like they’ve just

won a million dollar lottery every time they get a win—even if

it’s just for a couple of dollars. I relish the energy and the excite-

ment of the casino. However, sitting next to this type of person

(or worse yet a group of friends standing around all screaming

in unison) is pure torment! Would you like to have someone

screaming in your ear?

Then, of course, there are the incredibly obnoxious and incon-

siderate smokers who decide that blowing smoke in other peo-

ple’s faces, scattering ash on top of themselves, on top of others

sitting next to them, on the slot machines and all around is okay.

Well, it’s not okay. Be aware of the direction the smoke is travel-

ing and, for Pete's sake, use the ashtrays that are provided.

Okay, I’m on a roll now and I’ve just gotten started … Which

casino visitor isn’t as bothered as I am by those niggling, pesky

hoverers? The quiet lurkers are annoying because you just feel

their presence, but the blustering oglers that interject madden-

Do YOU have something to rant or rave about?

Write me at: sami@azgamingguide.com

42 Arizona Gaming Guide | October 2015 | azgamingguide.com

W

MY PERSONAL TOP 7 GRIPES A Quick Review Of What I Experience And What My Readers Tell Me

By Sami Becker

FUN FACTS

id you know that Alectryomancy is the art of fortune-

telling using a rooster?

Roosters were commonly used for predictions in different parts

of the world, and over the ages different methods were used.

The most common and popular form of this fortune-telling

was based on the observation of a rooster eating corn scattered

on letters. This practice was used when the sun or the moon was

in Aries or Leo. A circle of letters was traced on the ground and

laid out with some sort of grain placed on each letter. Next a

rooster, usually a white one, was let to pick at the grains, thus

selecting letters to create a divinatory message or sign. The cho-

sen letters could be either read in order of selection, or rear-

ranged to make an anagram. Sometimes readers got 2 or 3

letters and interpreted them. Additional grains replaced those

taken by the rooster. $

azgamingguide.com | October 2015 | Arizona Gaming Guide 43

ALECTRYOMANCY Letting A Rooster Predict Your Future

D

By Mark Novak

44 Arizona Gaming Guide | October 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)

1 9 2

5

3 6

4

1 5

5

9

1

4 2 6

6

9

2

1

6

2 7

2

9

3

8

2 3

1

WORD SEARCH

To celebrate Halloween, find:

CANDY, CAULDRON, COSTUME, DARK, HAUNTED, MAKEUP,

OCTOBER, PARTY, PUMPKINS, SKULL, TOMBSTONE, TREAT,

TRICK, VAMPIRE, WITCH, ZOMBIE.

Words appear in any direction. (Solution on page 46)

Y H B D Z O I E Y Z W V E M B

V C Y P K K C P X I B F H E Z

P T T U R J T Q L Q B Q L Z M

J I B M A L M P N L C F G N I

D W Y P D D Z Z S B A F A F O

K I Q K K P R Y K V Z N E H X

D E I I N C A R N D X E Z D T

G R F N T W L L K U Y R O I R

B I O S E N T I U A P E O Y R

W P P E V P T G L A V A Y G V

F M C E X I G J B T C T U Y P

Q A W M X I M S T O N E B T O

T V I R E B C S K U L L O O T

G Y G C H H N E D T B A T A U

P A C C O S M U A X H V E T U

FUN & GAMES

http://www.hon-dah.com/

CASINO DIRECTORY

46 Arizona Gaming Guide | October 2015 | azgamingguide.com

City Phone Slots Hig

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Casino Liv

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Sources: Arizona Department of Gaming—Current Tribal Gaming Status as of 09/01/15 & direct inquiries by press time. We are not responsible for incorrect, missing, or outdated information.

Contact editor@azgamingguide.com 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

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Location Sp

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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 904 Y Y Y Y

05. Casino Del Sol 5655 W. Valencia Rd. Tucson 855-765-7829 1,070 Y Y Y Y Y Y

06. Casino of the Sun 7406 S. Camino De Oeste Tucson 855-765-7829 292

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 654 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 233

20. Talking Stick Resort 101 & Indian Bend Scottsdale 480-850-7777 759 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

21. Twin Arrows Navajo Casino I-40, Exit 219 Flagstaff 855-946-8946 1,082 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

1 9 2

7 5 3

8 6 4

3 6 7

9 4 8

1 5 2

8 5 4

6 1 2

3 7 9

3 7 9

5 1 8

4 2 6

8 1 6

2 3 4

7 9 5

4 2 5

9 6 7

1 3 8

9 3 5

6 8 1

2 4 7

4 2 1

5 7 9

6 8 3

7 8 6

2 4 3

5 9 1

Word Search Solution

H Z O I E M B

C P K

T U R

I M A M C N

W P D A A O

K K P R K N

E I C A D E D T

R N L U Y R I R

I S T U P E R

P T Y A A

M C T

A M B S T O N E T O

V R E B C O S K U L L O T

H N T E D A U

C O S M E T U

http://www.ddcaz.com/

http://www.777play.com/