32
Bet You Didn’t Know This Month In History …
28
JANUARY
CONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTS
ARIZONA GAMING GUIDE P.O. BOX 20636 MESA, AZ 85277
www.azgamingguide.com Copyright ©2011 Arizona Gaming Guide
10 Game Review WMS’ Goldfish Race For The Gold®
Video Keno Video Poker Vs. Video Keno
18
Video Poker Corner Jacks Or Better Vs. Double Double
20
Sami’s Smackdown Casino Comps
24
Editor’s Note 10 Years In The Gaming Industry
4
Letters To The Editor Q&A On Everything Gaming!
6
Table Games Time For A New Year’s Resolution
13
Debunking Myths Myth #18: O2 Is Pumped Into Casinos
22
Dollars & Sense The #1 Reason We Lose
14
A Little Thing Called Luck Auld Lang What?
27
Feature Story Secrets Of Slot Machine Mathematics
16
Directory List Of Casino Sponsors
30
MVP Spotlight Slot Manager Derek O’Grady
8
Cover Page Image And Slot Machine Images Courtesy Of WMS. © Copyright WMS. All Rights Reserved. www.wms.com.
Secrets Of Slot
Mathematics
WMS’ Hot New Game Goldfish Race For The Gold®
10
Time To Make A
New Year’s
Resolution
13
16
4 Arizona Gaming Guide | January 2011
EDITOR’s
Note
Exactly 10 years ago this month, fresh out of graduate school with a Master’s Degree in Mathematics, I promptly answered an ad that said “German Speaking Mathematician Wanted.” I remember how intrigued I was by the simple, one line job description that read, “Looking for a highly motivated individual to design slot machine math models for the fast paced casino gaming industry.” My initial reaction was, “Wow, that sounds cool!” Thoughts of a trip I took to Las Vegas with my college buddies rushed through my mind and at that moment I knew I wanted to be a part of this exciting business. Before I sent in my application I needed to verify that the job was not located in Germany. Although Germany was the homeland of my par-ents, America is the country I was born in and the place I preferred to live and work. As it happened to be at the time Atronic, an Interna-tional slot machine manufacturing company whose headquarters were located in Europe had branch offices all around the world including Scottsdale, AZ (luckily for me). My job as Mathematician for Atronic was a wonderful opportunity, and the stepping stone that I needed, to begin my professional career in the gaming industry. Since my days with Atronic, I have designed math models for other major slot machine manufacturers as well as a few smaller and lesser-known companies whose games can be found in Las Vegas and other parts of the world. Since everyone is always so fascinated by my knowledge and experi-ence designing slot machine math models and to celebrate my 10 year anniversary in gaming, my team and I decided to do this month’s fea-ture story on the math behind the slot games. I hope you will enjoy the article. Don’t forget that you can also find the current and back issues of the Arizona Gaming Guide online as well! We added additional in-formation to the website as part of our monthly update. Get the inside scoop at www.azgamingguide.com. Let me know what you think of our January issue and have fun! I wish you all a new 2011 year filled with luck and good fortune!
Chris Hoft, Editor-in-Chief
Slot Guru at Large
CONTACT US
ARIZONA GAMING GUIDE P.O. BOX 20636 MESA, AZ 85277
www.azgamingguide.com
THE ARIZONA
GAMING GUIDE
may not be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, and/or sold in any shape or form without the express written
consent of the owners of The Arizona Gaming Guide (AGG).
AGG is not responsible, or liable, for the content and/or advertising con-
tained within this publication. AGG does not endorse and/or sup-port any opinions, products, and/or
services contained within this publication. All pictures, images, logos, trademarks, trade names, etc. are the sole property of their
respective owners. All responses in the Letters to the Editor section are
to be considered as advice only. AGG presents facts and/or opinions and expects the reader to make his/her own decisions. AGG accepts no responsibility and no liability for any actions of our readers based on the
opinions and/or advertisements presented within this publication.
You must be 21 or older to gamble. Please play responsibly.
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6 Arizona Gaming Guide | January 2011
I saw your magazine at a friend’s house, so I
borrowed it from her. I want to say that
your magazine looks really nice and the arti-
cles are interesting. The one thing is you
advertise a lot of Indian casinos here in AZ
and I don’t like playing there because the
slot machines are really tight. I only gamble
in Las Vegas. Anyways, great job with the
magazine. I’m going to continue reading
your magazine online.
Kayla—Scottsdale
Thank you for your nice compliments on our
magazine. I appreciate your willingness to visit
our website and I hope you encourage your
friends and family to do the same.
Please forgive me if I sound a bit blunt when I
say that your decision to only gamble in Las
Vegas is unwise. First of all, the payback per-
centage of a slot game you enjoy playing in Las
Vegas can be set as low as 75% as this is the
minimum requirement by law in the state of
Nevada while the exact same slot game here in
Arizona cannot be set lower than 85% by our
state’s jurisdiction regulations.
My team and I all prefer to play in the Tribal
casinos in Arizona rather than large gambling
towns like Las Vegas and Atlantic City and we
encourage our readers to do the same. Please
don’t forget that Tribal casinos in Arizona
signed Gaming Compacts with the state in 2003
which specify that some of the revenues gener-
ated by casino gaming will go to the Arizona
Benefits Fund. We, the citizens of Arizona, all
benefit from these services which include the
Instructional Improvement Fund and Education
in general, the Trauma & Emergency Services
Fund (Fire, Police, and so on), the Arizona
Wildlife Conservation Fund, the State Tourism
Fund, and many others. Additionally, don’t
forget that the casino revenue is also being used
for vital services within the Tribes as well.
Please allow me to try and persuade you to re-
consider. If you haven’t been to a casino in
Arizona in a while, I believe you will be pleas-
antly surprised by what you will find. The
Tribal casinos are staying competitive by mak-
ing sure to offer the newest, most exciting slot
machine games in a wide variety of denomina-
tions. The casino employees are generally very
friendly and welcoming. And, since we are
fortunate to have several casinos to choose
from in Arizona, it’s just a short drive away
from one or more exciting gaming destinations.
My wife and I are thinking about taking a
gambling cruise. What do you think about
the casino games on these cruise ships? Who
regulates those games?
Greg—Phoenix
Cruise ship casinos are generally only allowed
to operate when the ships are in international
waters, so these casinos don’t fall under the
authority of a government regulatory agency.
The Cruise Lines International Association
(CLIA) is dedicated to providing a set of guide-
lines for cruise line casinos that address the
purchase and internal controls of gaming equip-
ment on the cruise ships. The CLIA calls for
all gaming equipment installed on cruise ships
to “meet the regulatory standards of the Nevada
Gaming Control Board or other licensed juris-
dictions for payback and internal software.”
Land based casinos in the United States, and all
around the world for that matter, are heavily
scrutinized by both independent and govern-
ment regulatory agencies. When gaming soft-
ware is delivered to a land based casino, a
member of the regulatory agency must be pre-
sent during installation. Furthermore, random
checks on installed software continues to hap-
pen on a regular basis to ensure compliance.
On the other hand, the CLIA merely suggests
that gaming devices be inspected on a regular
basis and that security surveillance be adequate
enough to “assure operations are fair and equi-
table for all parties.” To learn more about
CLIA visit www.cruising.org
Thanks for all your letters! Please let us know how we are doing on a regular
basis. Until the next issue … have fun!
8 Arizona Gaming Guide | January 2011
Derek O’Grady Slot Manager At Cliff Castle Casino - Hotel
MVP SPOTLIGHT
y team and I are always excited to introduce our read-
ers to an executive from one of our favorite casinos in
Arizona, Cliff Castle Casino - Hotel. It is our honor to
feature Slot Manager Mr. Derek O’Grady in this month’s MVP
Spotlight.
Arizona Gaming Guide (AGG): What were some of the mile-
stones in your career path that led you to become a Slot Manager?
Mr. Derek O’Grady (DO): I broke into the casino industry in
1996 as a slot technician on the gaming floor here at Cliff Castle
Casino - Hotel. I credit many of my personal and professional
accomplishments to then Slot Operations Manager Bill Carnahan.
With his 20+ years of experience in gaming, he provided the guid-
ance and I was able to learn from him the fundamentals of slot
operations. In 2001, I was given the opportunity to work as a slot
tech supervisor over a property in the Tucson area. After a few
years there I came back to Cliff Castle Casino - Hotel in 2003 as a
slot tech supervisor under my current position’s predecessor Kevin
Mendez. Kevin, like Bill before him, worked with me instead of
above me and allowed my continued development in slot opera-
tions skills. Without the training and leadership of these two men
I would not be a successful Slot Manager today. And a special
thanks to my right hand, Kris Foreman, because without you this
would be a lot harder.
(AGG): How do you select the games for the slot floor at Cliff
Castle Casino - Hotel?
(DO): When the decision has been made for changes on our gam-
ing floor, the first priority is to find the right new machines that
appeal to what our guests want to play. I am in continuous discus-
sions with Team Members who spend the majority of their time
listening to guests on the floor so I can keep a close perspective on
what games the guests want to play here at Cliff Castle Casino -
Hotel. Then, I must also factor in whether all aspects of the pur-
chase or lease on the machines will fit our long term plans for the
direction I want to go with our floor. I also have to maintain a
close professional relationship with the sales personnel from the
various machine manufacturers so I can keep abreast with the
availability of upcoming game themes and how certain games and
themes are performing at other casinos nationwide. There are
many factors that come into play when selecting new machines
but the most important one for me is which is the new game for
our gaming floor that will best create the “Always Friendly, Al-
ways Fun” atmosphere that we strive for here at Cliff Castle Ca-
sino - Hotel.
(AGG): Do you work with all the manufacturers of slot machines
or just a few and why?
(DO): I always give a manufacturer salesperson an opportunity to
present their company’s offer to me. If their corporation is ap-
proved to sell slot machines in Arizona, then I want to see their
products so I can make an assessment whether it will fit on our
gaming floor. Presently we have most manufacturers represented
on our floor that are licensed in our jurisdiction.
Cliff Castle Casino - Hotel
has been decorated as
the #1 casino in Arizona for 11 consecutive years running!
(AGG): What sets the slot floor at Cliff Castle Casino - Hotel
apart from other casinos?
(DO): Here at Cliff Castle Casino - Hotel we have a very dedi-
cated group of Team Members who strive to provide the best pos-
sible guest service to each individual who enters our doors. All
Team Members must pass our custom guest service training work-
shop before beginning their regular position in their respective
department to ensure that every guest issue, no matter how big or
small, is handled in a courteous and professional way. We hon-
estly want our guests to feel welcome and comfortable. An indica-
tion that this guest service driven mantra seems to be working
(Continued on page 19)
M
G AME REVIEW
Images Courtesy Of WMS. © Copyright WMS. All Rights Reserved. www.wms.com.
10 Arizona Gaming Guide | January 2011
Goldfish Race for the Gold®
You can play this game at Cliff Castle Casino - Hotel!
creasing bet. Players select shells to move fish toward the finish
line in this engaging interactive bonus round. The key is to find
one of several “All Move” symbols to advance all four fish si-
multaneously over the finish line to win all four Progressives!
This slot game hasn’t made its way into all the casinos across
Arizona yet. However, Cliff Castle Casino - Hotel (just 60 min-
utes North of Phoenix in beautiful Camp Verde) was the first
casino to have the foresight to install this game on their slot floor
for their players to enjoy knowing, in advance, the excitement
and enthusiasm it would generate.
Slot Manager Derek O’Grady and Slot Repair Supervisor Kris
Foreman at Cliff Castle Casino - Hotel commented, “From the
moment the WMS Goldfish Race for the Gold® bank of machines
hit the gaming floor here it has been amazingly popular with our
guests. We actually had people waiting in line to play while we
were still going through the Arizona Department of Gaming ap-
proval and certification process. Even now, nearly eight months
later, this bank of machines is still one of our top performers.
Most new banks are hot for 60-90 days and then they level out at
a lower average after the “newness” wears off. Goldfish Race for
the Gold® is definitely an exception to this rule as it’s still one of
our most popular banks. There are many times when all six ma-
chines on the bank are being played and people are crowded all
around the area just to watch the excitement of the bonus rounds.
We get nothing but positive feedback from every guest who plays
it.” -AGG
his game is just too cute! Actually, it could very well
be the most adorable slot game we have ever played.
With the bright and colorful symbols, delightful anima-
tions, and fun Latin rhythms, it’s impossible not to fall in love
with this underwater adventure.
WMS, as always, knows what players want and they deliver.
Goldfish Race for the Gold® is a four-level, mystery-triggered
Local Area Progressive that builds on the former success of the
popular original Goldfish® slot machine.
The most exciting part of this game (that will have you sitting on
the edge of your seat guaranteed) is the possibility of randomly
triggering one of five fish bonuses at the end of any winning spin.
With random wilds, increasing multipliers, and symbols trans-
forming into other symbols (even the bonus symbol) to create
bigger wins, there is non-stop action with this game! In addition,
the bonus free-games automatically award one of the five fish
bonuses with each winning spin.
And, why should the player only be able to win one Progressive?
That’s the question WMS asked themselves when they designed
this game. Like another one of their screamingly popular games
Life of Luxury®, Goldfish Race for the Gold® provides players
the potential of winning all four Progressive awards at once!
The Race for the Gold Progressive is awarded randomly and the
odds that a player will trigger the Progressive increases with in-
T
Bonus Fish Features
BLUE FISH—If the blue fish appears, he creates four
bubbles at the top of the screen. The player is instructed to pick
one bubble to reveal a fish. Any instance of the chosen fish on
the reels becomes Wild and the reels are re-evaluated.
RED FISH—If the red fish appears, he swims across the
reels, stopping at random places on the reels and making them
Wild. This fish adorably swims around kissing anywhere from 0
to 15 symbols turning them into a sea of Wilds. Then, the reels
are re-evaluated.
GREEN FISH—If the green fish appears, all wins on
the screen are multiplied by 2X to 10X. The music and anima-
tion during this bonus feature is hilarious. Watch the fish get
January 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide 11
bigger and bigger as the multiplier increases and sit back and
enjoy the Latin sounds.
PURPLE FISH—If the purple fish appears, he will
swim across each of the reels, leaving up to 5 reels Wild. All
wins on the reels are then re-evaluated.
GOLD FISH—If the gold fish appears, all reel positions
involved in a winning combination during the triggering spin will
begin to cycle through a set of symbols. All cycling positions
will stop on a single symbol and reels will be evaluated. Watch
for the best possible scenario where the symbol turns into the
wild Goldfish symbol. Symbols can also turn into the bonus
symbol!
TABLE GAMES
TIME TO MAKE A
N E W Y E A R ’ S R E S O L U T I O N Make the commitment to be a smart gambler and win more in 2011!
ow did it go for you at the blackjack tables in 2010? If
you didn’t make more money than you lost don’t worry.
Here are a few tips to start your 2011 year off on the
right foot …
Learn Basic Strategy The real beauty of blackjack is the mathematical aspect of the
game. If you are pa-
tient and willing to
adhere to basic strat-
egy then you can
shave the house ad-
vantage down to al-
most zero. When I
walk the casino floors
I still see way too
many people not
playing blackjack
properly. All playing
mistakes, like split-
ting tens, are very
costly.
Stop Playing Fast Rather than sitting at
a table where you will
be going one-on-one
H
January 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide 13
against the dealer and playing around 150 hands per hour, sit
down at a crowded table where you’ll be typically dealt only about
30 hands per hour.
Play Blackjack Games With Favorable Rules Play blackjack at tables that require the dealer to stand on a soft 17
(ace and 6), always play at tables that allow players to double
down on any two cards, and don’t play games that pay anything
other than 3-2 for a blackjack. Furthermore, be careful when play-
ing modified versions of blackjack that are creeping up more and
more in the casinos. Know what the house edge is and the playing
strategy before you sit down and play a nontraditional blackjack
game.
Manage Your Money Stick with bets that are no more than 1/20 of your bankroll for that
session. In other words, $5 bets are reasonable if your bankroll for
that session is $100. Never take insurance, because this is a
sucker’s bet and tip the dealer (because it’s good karma) but don’t
over tip the dealer and dip into your bankroll too much.
Don’t Forget The Players Club Get rated while you play and always take advantage of the comps,
because they may actually cancel your playing loss. And, don’t
forget to use any gambling coupons or match play offers. -Alex
E-mail [email protected] with your blackjack questions.
14 Arizona Gaming Guide | January 2011
DOLLARDOLLAR$$ && SENSESENSE
When The House Edge Isn’t Our Worst Enemy
o you know the number one reason
why we lose at the casino? If you think
it’s the house edge, you’re wrong.
That’s the second reason. The main reason we
lose at the casino is because there’s a little ur-
chin that comes out from time to time, most of-
ten uninvited, and he’s the reason we lose.
This urchin, who’s actually more like an imp,
enjoys the challenge of going up against the ca-
sino. He sees himself as some sort of superhero
who can defy all odds. The 24/7 rhythm of the
casino doesn’t intimidate him. We humans and
our biorhythms, on the other hand, are not
equipped to do what the little urchin inside of us
can. But we try anyway, to no avail.
The fact of the matter is no human being can
match the casino’s rhythm because human be-
ings are creatures of habit. We operate best
when we adhere to a schedule. The human body
is capable of doing incredible things, but only
when treated properly. All of us who participate
in gambling for entertainment purposes can
point to at least one casino trip where we could
have made better choices. We lost because we
were our own worst enemy.
We’ve all been guilty of gambling late into the
night, way past when our bodies were telling us
that it was time to quit. And, how many of us
have come home with screaming headaches due
to eye strain or not hydrating ourselves enough
while at the casino? What about the times we
ate everything in sight for dinner at the buffet
because we gambled through lunch?
When we neglect our normal routine and we
don’t treat our bodies right then bad things usu-
ally happen. If we’re leaving the casino intoxi-
cated, tired, achy, hungry, thirsty, with a sore
behind, then we’re probably also leaving broke.
What we end up doing to ourselves is not only
feeling physically awful but emotionally crappy
as well.
What about the classic, “I won, but I gave it all
back” nightmare? This hurts more than the
D
worst hangover possible. We finally win something at the casino,
something worth bragging about to our friends and family, but we
have nothing to show for it. This is usually about the time Cher’s
song comes to mind, “If I could turn back time, If I could find a
way …”
Well there is no “way” other than preventing it from happening to
begin with. The casino is a fun place and there’s a thrill associ-
ated with the risk involved with gambling. No one can deny that.
But, there needs to be discipline. Don’t ever allow yourself to be
your own worst enemy at the casino. If you find yourself saying,
“I wish I would have, could have, or should have …” then you
need to take a step back and see how you can modify your behav-
ior for the better.
Get up and walk around Don’t sit for hours on end at the tables or in front of the slots.
Get up, walk around, take a break, use the restroom, get a drink.
It’s simply not healthy to sit in one place for extended periods of
time.
Stick to your bankroll Determine the amount of money that you can afford to part with
before you get to the casino. Always keep in mind that this
money is for entertainment purposes. Don’t ever go to a casino
with the intention of making money. I swear that the casino
games have a way of sensing when a person becomes greedy. If
you let greed take over, then you’re doomed.
Know when it’s time to go home Can’t tell if that card is a three or a five? Are the cute little pig-
gies on screen starting to look more like fat ducks? Are you hav-
ing a hard time keeping up with the bingo numbers? Maybe your
brain has had enough. Your body is tired and you’re yawning
every few seconds for a reason. It’s time to go home.
Listen to your body Do you feel thirsty? Order a drink. Is your stomach growling?
Eat something. If you don’t eventually do what your body tells
you to do, you’re going to regret it. Your body will get pissed off
if you decide to smoke too much, drink too little, drink too much,
and don’t eat enough.
Celebrate your luck When lady luck has been kind to you, celebrate the occasion and
appreciate your winnings! Don’t use that money as an opportu-
nity to chase after more money. And, by the way, telling your-
self, “I’m playing with the casino’s money” to make yourself feel
better is ridiculous. Once you win it, it’s your money! If you
lose those winnings, you’ve lost your money not the casino’s
money. It stopped being the casino’s money as soon as it ap-
peared in your credit meter or in front of you at the tables or in
your hands. Be smart, put your winnings aside and don’t give it
back to the casino.
Make it a New Year’s Resolution for 2011 and say, “I will not be
my own worst enemy at the casino.” -AGG
16 Arizona Gaming Guide | January 2011
THE OF SLOT
o individual in the casino gaming industry has the same
access to insider information on slot machine game de-
sign and mathematics as I do. Over the last decade, I
have managed to assemble an unsurpassed wealth, breadth, and
depth of experience in the secrets of slot machines.
Many casino gaming industry employees believe there are only a
few slot machine math models in existence and all the rest of the
games are just rip-offs of each other. Nothing could be further
from the truth. Slot machine mathematics and the game design
which follows from the math is an art form. Part logic, part chaos,
part psychology, and 100% fun! Each slot machine’s mathematics
is unique and brings its own strengths and weaknesses to the table.
Fortunately, based on my experiences, I can distinguish the weak
and poor games from the stronger and richer ones. Now I have the
opportunity to share some of what I have learned with you!
Base Game
vs.
Bonus Game
Almost all modern slot machines have a base game and one or
more bonus games associated with it. The majority of the time,
we are playing the base game waiting for the bonus to come along.
The more we wait, the higher our expectations climb for the even-
tual bonus win. I know many of you wait for what seems like
forever until a very disappointing bonus win finally does arrive, at
which point, you either resolve to keep going, or cash out and
walk away.
You should know that every slot machine game has a certain
amount of pays assigned to the base game and a different amount
of pays associated with a bonus game. The base game has many
different wins awarded in a variety of different ways according to
the design of the reel strips and the game rules described in the
pay table. There is a delicate balance between the two games
which I always examine when designing a new slot machine
game. How valuable do I make the base game in comparison to
the bonus game? If I make both games equally valuable, the
player will have a painful experience most of the time in the base
game while become extremely elated during the bonus game. If I
make the base game more valuable than the bonus game, the
player should have the ability to enjoy the base game for a longer
period of time. If I make the bonus game have little value, the
player can become disappointed when the bonus finally arrives
and not feel like they have a chance of winning a large amount of
credits during the bonus.
I still wrestle today with the delicate balancing act of assigning
value to each aspect of a slot machine’s game design. If this deci-
sion is poorly directed, the effects can be seen on casino floors
around the world. We, as players can immediately sense when a
slot machine has a strange balance between the base and bonus
games. We consistently have less fun on that slot, our bankrolls
consistently don’t last as long as they do on other slots, and we
consistently feel like we are taken to the cleaners every time we
play that particular slot.
Base GameBase Game
Under The MicroscopeUnder The Microscope
The base game is what a player experiences most of the time while
enjoying their favorite slot machine. Under most circumstances,
this portion of the game is easily forgotten by the player, most of
the game designers I continue to encounter in the casino gaming
industry, and not understood by any individuals aside from a
handful of mathematicians within casino gaming.
The base game is the beating heart, the pumping piston, the inde-
scribable ecstasy of the anticipation of gambling money on the
simple outcome of heads or tails, win or lose. If the base game is
set up poorly then the driving force behind the game design is
wrong.
Every win counts (no pun intended) in the base game. Each win
allows the player to experience success no matter how big or
small. Every win makes a player’s credit meter rise again after the
bet was subtracted. Designing a slot machine’s basic pay table
may appear trivial to many players and casino gaming industry
personnel, but reality is vastly different.
Each win can be created to have a certain average hit frequency.
You, as a player, have experienced the effects of such intentional,
or unintentional, designs. On certain games you play, a certain
credit win is awarded with relative frequency. You have noticed a
SECRETS SECRETS
N
particular symbol paying you more often than others. This is all
part of the design of the base game which leads to an extended and
winning play session. Without a clear direction in the base game,
most slot machines fail after three months. I’m sure you have
figured out by now which “new” slot machines at your favorite
casino are “worth playing” and which games are not. The “new”
games that are empty except during peak times probably have a
very weak game design.
Bonus GameBonus Game
Under The MicroscopeUnder The Microscope
The bonus game of a slot machine is both a blessing and a curse to
the game’s designer and to the eventual players in the casinos! I
could write several lengthy volumes on the subject of bonus, but
instead will divulge a secret every slot player should know about
bonus games.
Is your favorite bonus game based on winning credits?
If so, pay very close attention to how often you win lower credit
amounts as opposed to higher credit amounts. Game designers
have to make a decision as to how many credits can be awarded
on average and the outcome of that decision affects the average
total bonus win players experience session after session. If things
begin to feel predictable, boring, wins aren’t large enough, you are
constantly teased with bigger wins but never get them, you know
better than I it is time to move on!
Is your favorite bonus game based on winning free games?
If so, pay close attention to how much you are winning on every
spin. Many modern free game bonuses award a lot of free spins,
but each spin is pretty much a loser. Others award a few free
spins and you really don’t win much aside from one amazing spin
where everything lines up just right to pay you an insane amount
of credits.
Try to find the right free game bonus for you. You will avoid
frustration and be more excited before, during and after the bonus.
There still are games out there where a free spin really is a free
spin, anything can happen rather than the predictability you can
find in a lot of the current games.
Don’t be fooled by other slot machine experts, only those with the
math background and casino gaming experience (like myself and
our staff) who truly know all the secrets, hints, and advice for all
of you casino enthusiasts out there! I wish you continued luck ...
Chris Hoft—Editor-in-Chief & Slot Guru At Large
MACHINE MATHEMATICS
January 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide 17
Image Courtesy Of WMS. © Copyright WMS. All Rights Reserved. www.wms.com.
VIDEO CORNER KEN
ideo Poker aficionados pride themselves in playing slot
machines with the highest return percentages in the ca-
sino. And, they should pat themselves on the back for
choosing to play games that have paybacks of 95 percent and
higher.
However, just because video poker’s payback percentages are
generally higher than video keno’s payback percentages this does-
n’t mean video poker is necessarily the better game. Numbers can
be deceiving, especially in the case of payback percentages.
Sometimes the overall payback percentage of a game doesn’t tell
the whole story.
What’s also important to keep in mind is the hit frequency of the
various wins and how much they return relative to the odds of
hitting them. For instance, when playing straight up video keno
whose 7-spot pays 7,000 to 1, the odds of hitting this award are
about 1 in 40,000. Well, guess what? These are the exact same
odds for hitting a Royal Flush! I don’t know about you, but the
7,000 to 1 payout for catching a 7-spot sure beats the 800 to 1 pay-
out for a Royal Flush!
Even though the odds of some keno jackpots are really out there,
like the 9-spot whose odds are 1 in 1,000,000, the rewards for
coming close are just as sweet. I’ll still take an 8 out of 9 spot for
the 4,700 to 1 payout over a Royal Flush any day. And, I only
have to wait for this award to come around 1 in 30,000 games!
Have fun picking your spots and good luck! -AGG
Video Poker vs.
Video Keno
And The Winner Is …
V
pretty well is that Cliff Castle Casino - Hotel has been decorated
as the #1 casino in Arizona for 11 consecutive years running!
(AGG): Based on the e-mails we receive from our readers, slot
players want a wide selection of popular games to choose from in
low denominations. What percentage of the slot floor at Cliff Cas-
tle Casino - Hotel is devoted to penny games and what other selec-
tions do players have to choose from?
(DO): We presently have approximately 55% of the machines on
our floor that are nickel denomination or lower. Many of the
games that fall into this category are multi-denomination so each
guest can choose from 5¢, 2¢, or 1¢ credit values for themselves.
I have been in the industry long enough to see the trends in the
denominations that guests enjoy playing, so one of my most im-
portant and challenging duties is to try to predict what the future
guest will want next. Also available on the Cliff Castle Casino -
Hotel gaming floor are 10¢, 25¢, 50¢, $1, $2, and $5 denomina-
tion machines; many of these are also multi-denomination so the
choice is there for the guests!
(AGG): Can slot enthusiasts still find the “tried and true” favor-
ites like Red, White, & Blue by IGT on the floor at Cliff Castle
Casino - Hotel?
(DO): Our gaming floor still has several of the old favorites for
guests to choose from. We have a wide selection of the old “one-
arm bandit” type slot machines with 3 reels in classic favorite
themes like Sizzling 7’s, Double Diamond, and Red, White & Blue
just to name a few. One of our most popular banks of machines is
an old 3 reel, 5 line, slant top, nickel denomination, progressive
bank of 12 machines that hasn’t been moved more than a few feet
in the 11 years since opening our current property! Also our
guests can find the old video themes; Enchanted Unicorn, Wild
Bear, and Super 8 Race, for example, scattered around the floor
and in the bar top machines along with several other long-
established video favorites. I am also happy to say that Cliff Cas-
tle Casino - Hotel has a good supply of all the popular video poker
variations in denominations that range from 1¢ all the way to $5
and most everything in between!
(AGG): In the last 10 years, we’ve seen major advancements in
the casino gaming industry with ticket-in/ticket-out, touch screen,
multi-layer displays, player tracking and downloadable credits just
to name a few. In your opinion, what does the slot floor of the
future look like?
(DO): In the near future, the next 10 years or so, I don’t think
there will be much of a difference at a glance. Most of the slot
machines being produced now are forward thinking engineered
and are capable of just about everything we expect to happen in
the next decade, so the floor won’t appear too different to the av-
erage guest. On the back end of the casino there will be some
pretty big changes that have to take place in order for us to have
server-based gaming which is where this industry certainly seems
to be heading. One thing I do expect to see on the casino floor in
the near future is more self service kiosks where our guests can do
anything from redeeming their tickets to downloading promotional
points on their Castle Club player card to purchasing tickets for
(Continued from page 8)
our next concert at the Skygazer Pavilion.
100 New Themes & Machines
Coming In 2011!
(AGG): Just between us (and our readers), can you give us a
sneak peek into 2011 and tell us if there are any new games com-
ing to Cliff Castle Casino - Hotel or games that have been in-
stalled recently?
(DO): I suppose I could give the readers a little bit of a heads up
on what new games they might be seeing at Cliff Castle Casino -
Hotel. I am happy to share that we will be seeing up to 100 new
themes and machines on our floor in 2011, that’s about a 15%
makeover of our floor. We plan to replace many of our more un-
popular games with new theme conversions, this involves keeping
the same slot machine but changing out the glass, buttons and
game eproms so it appears totally different. The theme conver-
sions will supplement the replacement of several older non-
convertible machines that will be upgraded to the latest and great-
est of the new machines available. One hint I’m willing to give
out is that our guests can expect to journey through Middle-Earth
with Frodo and Gollum in 2011! Make sure to watch for Cliff
Castle Casino - Hotel mailers and check our website often for up-
dates on the new slot machines!
If you haven’t been to Cliff Castle Casino-Hotel for a while you
have missed the many changes that were made in 2010. I am
pleased to say that we were one of the first casinos in Arizona to
install the Beat the Field community bonus horse race bank of
machines made by Konami Gaming as well as the first in Arizona
to unveil the Goldfish: Race for the Gold community bonus bank
of machines produced by WMS Gaming. Also we installed the
latest and greatest versions of the always popular Fort Knox,
Wheel of Fortune, Sex in the City, and the new Supernova Blast
games all made by IGT, Inc. in 2010.
(AGG): On a lighter note—many readers ask us about “looser”
machines intentionally placed in the aisles, close to the buffet, etc.
for added excitement and appeal. Is there any truth to these per-
ceptions on the part of casino visitors?
(DO): I can only speak for the way I do things at Cliff Castle Ca-
sino - Hotel regarding the setup of the slot machines, because I too
have heard from a friend of a friend that the best machines to play
are in the high traffic areas. On our floor at Cliff Castle Casino -
Hotel we believe that by simply putting the best possible game
setups anywhere on the floor will bring the guests to them; some
of our most popular machines are tucked away in low traffic areas.
I try to create the best possible setup that is available for the ma-
chines on our floor so that the guests can enjoy their time with us
and will come visit again; so I hope to see you on the Cliff Castle
Casino - Hotel gaming floor soon!!
Many thanks to Derek O’Grady and Kris Foreman for their time and to Pam Irvin and Lita Sorensen for their assistance. Photo courtesy of Cliff Castle Casino -
Hotel. All rights reserved. For more MVP interviews, please visit our website at
azgamingguide.com. - Chris, Editor-in-Chief
January 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide 19
20 Arizona Gaming Guide | January 2011
VIDEO
CORNER
NO IT’S NOT
The strategy for Jacks or Better is basically
the same for Double Double Bonus Poker
ll of a sudden, in the past couple months, my inbox has
been flooded with e-mail from readers proclaiming that
it’s only necessary to learn the strategy for the video
poker game Jacks or Better (JOB) because the same strategy can
be applied to Double Double Bonus Poker (DDBP). What is that?
Where is this crazy idea coming from??? There are always some
idiotic betting schemes or wildly wrong playing strategies popping
up on the internet and this must be one of them!
Although there are hands that are played exactly the same way in
the two games, there are many, many hands that are played very
differently. One of the main reasons why the optimal strategy
varies between the two games is because JOB pays the same
amount for every four-of-a-kind while DDBP has much higher
pays for four-of-a-kinds. Another reason is because JOB pays
twice your bet back with any two pair whereas DDBP only pays
your bet back.
Let’s assume you are playing both games with a 9/6 paytable
where the full house pays 9 credits and the flush pays 6 credits at
minimum bet. You wouldn’t play these video poker games with
pay schedules less than this anyways, right? Here are a few diffi-
cult hands that involve Aces to test your video poker expertise.
Q♦ 9♠ A♣ 8♥ 2♣
When playing JOB you hold both unsuited high cards, but when
playing DDBP you only hold the Ace. Would you have known to
do that? The reason you need to hold both high cards in JOB is
because the two pair pays twice your bet back and there are no
bonused four-of-a-kinds. In DDBP the four Aces are the top pay-
ing four-of-a-kind, so you never hold another unsuited high card
with an Ace.
7♠ T♣ A♣ A♥ 7♦
When playing JOB you hold both pairs, but when playing DDBP
you only hold the pair of Aces. JOB will pay you twice your bet
back automatically for holding the two pairs and you have a
chance at the full house. You want to sacrifice the full house po-
tential for the much greater win of four Aces when playing DDBP.
A♥ A♠ A♣ 5♥ 5♣
When playing JOB you hold the dealt full house, but when playing
DDBP you only hold the three Aces and you drop the two fives.
Some of you may have a difficult time dropping a “sure thing,”
but for as often as the fourth Ace shows up when you do make the
sacrifice it is worth your while.
6♣ T♥ A♦ J♥ 3♣
When playing JOB you hold the suited Jack and Ten, but when
playing DDBP you drop everything and hold only the Ace.
You’re still hoping for the two pair, at the very least, when playing
JOB. However, when playing DDBP, you’re always going to
want to hold the Ace even when dealt a suited Queen and Ten or a
suited King and Ten.
4♦ 2♣ A♣ 9♥ 3♣
This is a trick question! Here is a situation where you make the
same exact play in both games. You only hold the Ace in both
games! You weren’t seriously considering holding the inside
straight were you?
Send me your video poker questions at [email protected]
Good luck playing video poker and have fun! - Liz
A
S N E A K P E E K — F E B R U A R Y ’ S M Y T H # 1 9
I n b l a c k j a c k , a l w a y s a s s u m e t h e d e a l e r ’ s h o l e c a r d i s a 1 0 ! N o t T r u e …
V i s i t w w w . a z g a m i n g g u i d e . c o m f o r a l l p r e v i o u s m y t h s !
Deb
un
kin
g M
yth
s M Y T H # 1 8
asinos do not pump oxygen, O2, into the
ventilation systems under any circum-
stances. This ridiculous myth makes no
sense for several reasons:
1. Pumping oxygen into a casino is illegal. No
casino would commit a felony and risk losing their
license and closing their doors permanently as a
result.
2. Large amounts of oxygen pumped into a smoky
environment would be a fire hazard. Almost any-
thing burns like a torch in pure oxygen. If there was
even a slight fire anywhere in the casino it would be
fanned and magnified by the presence of excess
oxygen.
3. It would take truckloads and truckloads of an
incredibly large volume of oxygen, literally, to even
generate a minuscule effect considering the amount
of air exchanged each hour in a large casino.
This absurd myth surely originates from Mario
Puzo’s book entitled Fools Die. In the book, Puzo
describes a mythical casino in Las Vegas called
Xanadu where all the people in power are ruthless,
evil, and corrupt. Casino employees pump oxygen
into the air to keep players alert and gambling so
they can make more money. This is fiction—plain
and simple.
Next time you’re at the casino and this crazy
thought comes to mind, remember that O2 is a
highly flammable gas. Just think about NASA and
picture space shuttles exploding. Hmmm, doesn’t
seem like the casino employees would want to po-
tentially put themselves in harms way! However,
here’s a thought—how about the casinos decrease
the amount of oxygen just to disorient all of us play-
ers so we don’t know what we're doing. -AGG
Casinos Put Oxygen In The Air
To Keep People Gambling.
WRONG!
STOP!
READ THIS ONLY IF
YOU WANT TO KNOW
THE TRUTH ABOUT
CASINO GAMING
The Truth Of The Matter Is… Some casinos inject ozone, O3, into the air.
Oxidized ozone eliminates tobacco odors
and reduces other offensive gases and eye-
burning compounds that are usually found in
smoke-filled environments.
Since the latest statistics show as many as
50% of casino patrons are smokers, the casi-
nos have no other choice but to do what they
can to improve the air quality. Otherwise,
the casino would be one huge smoky haze
with abominable, stinky air. No one, not
even smokers, would be able to sit in that
kind of environment for very long.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protec-
tion Agency, small levels of ozone (up to 0.1
parts per million) are not harmful in any
way. Casino filtration systems are designed
to shut off the ozone automatically when
levels reach between 0.03 and 0.05 parts per
million.
Ozone has not only been effectively used in
casinos around the country, but more and
more people are choosing to disinfect their
pools with ozone in place of chlorine and
their homes with ozone air purifiers. Ozone
is a safe and natural way to destroy harmful
bacteria and molds.
Appreciate the fact that the casinos (whether
they use oxidized ozone or some other air
purification system) are trying to provide
you with a clean and comfortable gaming
environment.
C
SAMI’S SMACKDOWN
any of you may not like
hearing what I’m about
to say concerning ca-
sino comps and I’m
fully expecting loads
and loads of e-mail responses to this arti-
cle. Just go easy on me when you write in
and remember that we’re all entitled to our
opinions.
I think people forget that comps are a ca-
sino’s way of saying “thank you” to their
customers for their patronage. The comp
system is set up to encourage loyalty and
reward players for their level of play.
Merely walking into a casino doesn’t mean
you deserve comps. Too many casino visi-
tors have unrealistic expectations.
Just the fact that casinos are willing to of-
fer their customers so much is, in my opin-
ion, already too generous. Nowadays, you
don’t even have to be a VIP customer to
earn free rooms, free meals, free show tick-
ets, free airfare, free play money, and so
many other extras!
It seems the more casinos offer their cus-
tomers, the more the customers become
greedy and form ridiculous expectations in
their minds. If you’re a penny slot player
pounding away at the minimum 20 cent bet
for three or four hours per visit, you can’t
expect to be given the same comps that
would be offered to a dollar player who
gambles the same amount of time.
In fact, when’s the last time your favorite
restaurant, clothing store, book store,
movie theater, or hair salon bent over
backwards to encourage your business? I
don’t know about you, but I have to buy
ten haircuts before I get one free. And,
Walmart and Costco don’t seem to be go-
ing out of their way to make sure they keep
my business. In fact, now I’m asking my-
self why don’t I have my own personal
shopping host at these stores considering
the amount of money I’ve given them
across the last 10 to 15 years?
If I can call up a casino, make a reserva-
tion, and be given complimentary rooms,
meals, and show tickets then I should be
able to do the same thing with Macy’s De-
partment Store. Yes, let’s see how far a
conversation like this might get me,
“Hello, this is Sami and I’m calling to let
you know that I will be shopping at your
Macy’s store in the Chicago area the last
weekend in January. Please make sure to
have a shuttle waiting for me at the air
port, my complimentary meal tickets and
hotel tickets, and my free shopping money
when I get there. Thank you.”
Unless you’re like a bazillionaire or some
famous celebrity, then I’m willing to bet
you wouldn’t be able to make a phone call
like that to Macy’s, or any other clothing
store or business establishment for that
matter. A casino is the only enterprise I’m
aware of that has a way of treating us
“regular folk” as if we’re some kind of
royalty.
If you’re a casino visitor who’s not satis-
fied with the complimentary offers you’re
receiving from the casinos, then you might
want to ask yourself what you can do to
improve your status and increase your re-
wards.
The first step is to shop around. Make sure
you understand the comp system at each
casino. You have the power to choose to
play at the casino that will give you the
best rewards. All players clubs are not
created equal. Brochures are usually avail-
able at the players club booths that de-
scribe exactly how much money it takes to
earn one point on your card and, in return,
how many points it takes to earn free
rooms, meals, and so on. If a brochure is
not readily available, a players club host
will always be more than happy to answer
any of your questions.
The next step is to limit your play to a se-
lect few casinos. Just don’t expect too
much too fast. Many casinos reward long-
term loyalty. I’ve found that the longer
I’ve been a customer at a particular casino,
the less play per day is expected of me to
qualify for my complimentary goodies. At
one of my favorite casinos, I’ve earned
enough points to be eligible for a suite
without having to satisfy a daily minimum
point requirement. Just remember that
when you’re in a casino, you’re their guest.
Be happy to receive any rewards the casino
is willing to offer you.
Oh, and by the way, I know what some of
you are thinking out there—I’m writing
this because either the casino put me up to
it or because I work for the casino. Not
true and not true! I just understand that
every casino is a business that’s looking to
increase their customer loyalty and their
profit margin. Until next time … - Sami
Do YOU have something to rant about? Write me at:
Casino Comps Don’t Expect Too Much Too Fast
M
24 Arizona Gaming Guide | January 2011
A Little A Little
Thing CalledThing Called
LuckLuck
Write me your good luck stories at:
ou probably recognize “Auld
Lang Syne” as the song belted
out at the stroke of midnight with
champagne glasses raised, but do you
know what the words actually mean and
why this famous song is sung in almost all
English-speaking parts of the world to ring
in the New Year?
Where does it come from?
“Auld Lang Syne” was a poem written by
a Scottish poet by the name of Robert
Burns in 1788 that was set to a traditional
Scottish folk melody. Burns, himself, ad-
mitted to drawing inspiration from a simi-
lar poem written by another Scottish poet,
James Watson, in 1711.
What does it mean?
“Auld Lang Syne” literally means “Old
Long Since” and means “Times Gone By,”
so essentially we are singing “Let’s toast to
old friends and to old times and let noth-
ing—no time and no distance come be-
tween us.”
Why do we sing it on New Year’s Eve?
On January 1, 1929, Guy Lombardo and
his orchestra sang the song at the Roose-
velt Hotel in New York City and that night
it became the traditional song played on
New Year’s Eve in the United States. In
fact, Lombardo’s rendition of the song is
still played during the “Ball Drop” in
Times Square.
So, let’s raise our glasses and sing the
words in thanks for the old times and the
hopes for more good times to come!
Y
Auld Lang What?
BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW ...
28 Arizona Gaming Guide | January 2011
►Nevada State regulatory agents discovered a massive inside
cheating scheme involving slot machines at the Stardust Hotel-
Casino in Las Vegas on January 1, 1978. Low level workers in
conjunction with several managers at the casino removed close to
$7 million in quarters, the equivalent of 175 tons of coins, across
an 18-month period. All but one person was caught and sentenced
to anywhere from two to ten years in prison.
►Nevada’s premier slot machine cheat, Dennis Nikrasch who
ripped off casinos for close to $20 million dollars, was released on
parole on January 18, 1991 after serving a five year sentence. In
1998, Nikrasch and a dozen of his accomplices all from the Phoe-
nix area swindled $6 million in another sophisticated slot scheme.
He plead guilty and cut a deal with state and federal authorities to
divulge his secrets in exchange for his freedom.
►Reid Errol McNeal bought $100 worth of keno tickets, ten tick-
ets at $10 each with eight numbers picked on each card, at Bally’s
Park Place Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey on January
14, 1995. Hitting eight out of eight on one keno card, McNeal
won a $100,000 jackpot. Due to his suspicious behavior and lack
of identification, authorities launched an investigation and discov-
ered that it was actually McNeal’s friend Ron Harris, a Nevada
Gaming Control Board worker, who was behind the keno scam.
Harris, pleaded guilty to racketeering charges and was sentenced
to seven years in prison.
►On January 27, 1998, law enforcement agents captured Louis
“The Coin” Colavecchio, in his home in Las Vegas, Nevada.
There they found thousands of manufactured slot tokens from
various casinos throughout North America. It’s estimated that
Colavecchio cheated the casinos out of $100,000 to $500,000 by
duplicating the casino slot coins. He was so good at what he did
that the security experts at some of the casinos he had swindled
didn’t even believe the coins were counterfeit. A plea deal was
reached, but Colavecchio had to divulge how his operation worked
to authorities.
►Joseph “Sonny” Juliano, a New York City Mobster and high-
ranking member in the Gambino crime family was indicted on
January 29, 2003 on charges of managing and operating a multi-
million-dollar illegal gambling racket. The 92 charges against
Juliano included illegal gambling, conspiracy to oversee illegal
gambling, loan sharking, fraud and tax evasion.
►Pete Rose, the former baseball superstar with the Philadelphia
Phillies and Montreal Expos and manager of the Cincinnati Reds,
came clean about his gambling addiction in an interview in the
January 2004 issue of Sports Illustrated. After 14 years of denials,
Rose confessed to betting on the game and his team the Cincinnati
Reds and having a serious gambling addiction. -AGG
Tribal Gaming Contributions
Maintain Funding For Arizona
The Arizona Department of Gaming announced that Tribal
gaming contributions to the Arizona Benefits Fund are
$77.9 million for the State Fiscal Year 2010. This is a de-
crease of 9.9% in Tribal contributions from State Fiscal
Year 2009.
“The nearly $78 million in Tribal contributions is what it
is,” said Mark Brnovich, Director of the Arizona Depart-
ment of Gaming. “It is a 9.9% decrease from the previous
year, but still a significant source of funding for valuable
programs.” “We are seeing similar decreases in other gam-
ing jurisdictions as well,” added Brnovich. “There is no
doubt that the state of the economy continues to affect us
all.”
The annual Tribal contributions in the State Arizona Bene-
fits Fund will be distributed as follows:
Instructional Improvement Fund/Education
Trauma and Emergency Services Fund
Arizona Department of Gaming Costs
Arizona Wildlife Conservation Fund
State Tourism Fund
Problem Gambling Education
TOTAL Tribal Contribution For FY10
BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW …
►The Arizona Department of Gaming, in partnership with
Arizona’s Tribes, regulates Indian gaming. Under the Ari-
zona Tribal-State Gaming Compacts, Tribes with casinos
contribute one to eight percent of their Class III gross gam-
ing revenue to the state, cities, towns, and counties.
►In Arizona, Class III gaming includes slot machines,
jackpot poker, blackjack, keno and off-track pari-mutuel
betting.
►There are currently 22 Class III casinos in the state of
Arizona.
►Tribes send contributions to the State of Arizona Benefits
Fund every three months.
For more information about the Arizona Department of
Gaming, visit their website at: www.azgaming.gov
$38,267,751
$19,133,875
$ 8,000,000
$ 5,466,822
$ 5,466,822
$ 1,557,862
$77,893,132
This month in history …
WH
EN
T
HE
D
AR
K
SI
DE
O
F
GA
MB
LI
NG
C
OM
ES
O
UT
DIRECTORY OF CASINO SPONSORS
Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Fort McDowell Gaming Center Beeline Hwy (SR 87) and Fort McDowell Rd North of Fountain Hills 1-800-843-3678 fortmcdowellcasino.com 859 Slots, Live Keno, 1,700 Seat Bingo Hall, 24 Poker Tables, 15 Blackjack Tables
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Casino Arizona—Salt River 524 N. 92nd St, Scottsdale E of Loop 101 at McKellips Rd and 92nd St 1-480-850-7777 casinoaz.com 861 Slots, Live Keno, 7 Poker Tables, 44 Blackjack Tables
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Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe Bucky's Casino Highway 69 and Heather Heights, Prescott N at top of hill next to the Prescott Resort 1-800-756-8744 buckyscasino.com 301 Slots, 7 Poker Tables, 10 Blackjack Tables
Yavapai Casino 1500 E. Highway 69, Prescott Hwy. 69 at Heather Heights on S side of SR 69 1-800-756-8744 buckyscasino.com 235 Slots
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