Southern Gaming & Destinations Magazine

2011 Best of Southern Gaming Awards Win a trip for 2 to Las Vegas! Don't Delay... Vote TODAY! PAGE 10

Volume 13 | Issue 1 | January 2011

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Destination St. Louis

Gateway to Gambling Page

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What's Hot in

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Sin City Spotlight Page

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Jerry Jones

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INSIDE This ISSUE

Cover

Bowl XLV: The Time for Texas 16 Super

Feature Articles

of Southern Gaming: Readers’ Choice Awards Voting Ballot 10 Best Super Bowl Betting: 22 Winning Wagers & Hot Action History of Gambling: 28 The Early Days Destination St. Louis: 38 Gateway to Gambling Pari-MutuEl planning: 44

Top Race Dates of 2011 What's hot in Vegas: 54 Sin City Spotlight

S u p e r B o w l X LV : The Time for Texas | 16

Tips & Columns

Betting: NBA Playoff Revenge 14 Sports Casino Poker: 20 Texas Hold ‘em 101 Blackjack: 26 Hot Hands Craps: 32 How to Increase Your Average bet Video Poker: 36 Double Bonus Poker Horseracing: 42 Lessons in Equine Indexing Q & A with John G: 50 A Slot Potpourri Blackjack: 52 Ultimate Basic Strategy Card Golf Tip: 58 Winter Tune-Up Poker: 64 Making the Correct Play

History of Gambling: The Early Days | 28

D e s t i n at i o n S t L o u i s : Gateway to Gambling | 38

Highlights & Hot Spots

Poker Power: Gold Strike & Beau Rivage Host High 34 Southern Stakes Poker Tournaments

Spotlight: Bryce Warren - General Manager 48 Executive

Bok Homa Casino - Sandersville, Miss.

Pa r i - m u t e l P l a n n i n g : Top Race Dates of 2011 | 44 Vol um e 13 I ssu e 1

3

FROM the EDITOR

Happy New Year!

It is hard to explain the excitement we have at Southern Gaming when we look at the future and what it holds. Since 1999, we have strived to develop a high-quality magazine that serves as the voice of the gamers as well as a communication vehicle for the casinos. Through hard work and a little luck, we have maintained that vision by finding the best gambling authors in the world to provide interesting and informative articles that allow our readers to get the most out of their gambling experience. Whether you are polishing your poker skills with World Series of Poker Champion Phil Hellmuth, or figuring out craps strategies with Frank Scoblete, our readers can rest assured they are getting the best information when it comes to enhancing their skills.

In addition to the content in the magazine, we are also excited about introducing more giveaways and special events that will continue to expand our brand throughout the South. So, as we dive into 2011, we wish you good luck on all of your gambling ventures and hope you will continue to support us and spread the word about Southern Gaming and Destinations … THE gaming authority of the South since 1999!

We are excited to kick off 2011 with the Voting Ballot for the 2011 Best of Southern Gaming Readers’ Choice Awards. This year, we moved the voting period up to begin on Jan. 1 and run through April 30, giving every reader ample time to fill out their choices for their favorite casinos. We will publish the results in the July issue to give our readers a guide to what properties score the highest. This year, we are giving away a trip for two to Las Vegas so be sure to get your votes in on time! Check out the voting ballot on page 10!

On the cover of this issue we feature the “King of the Cowboys,” Jerry Jones.

When he bought the Cowboys in 1989, his vision was to build the Cowboys into America’s team … and he has done just that. After 30 years of tremendous success, he has built the ultimate stadium in Arlington, Texas, at a cost of $1.15 billion, and with it he landed the Super Bowl on Feb. 6, 2011. On page 16, Southern Gaming’s Jeremy White highlights Jones’ vision with the new stadium.

Also in this issue, don’t miss our feature articles on the history of gambling on page 34, hitting the casinos and nightlife in St. Louis on page 40, and the hottest trends in Las Vegas on page 54. We are excited to continue to showcase all elements of gambling and the destinations that cater to the desires of gamblers.

We are thrilled about our continued success of The Comps Club and all of our new casino partners and members! For just $29 per year, members receive six issues of Southern Gaming as well as six Member Coupon Paks loaded with coupons for casinos in Indiana, Tunica, the Gulf Coast, Louisiana, Florida and more! Cash in on free buffets, match-play offers and more. For more information, check out the advertisement on page 9 or call us at 1-877-582-9478.

We hope you enjoy this issue and have a prosperous new year!

As always, if you can’t be good … be lucky!

G. Douglas Dreisbach General Manager 4

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

Publisher Bisig Impact Group Chief Executive Officer Larry Bisig President & Creative Director Chip Dumstorf General Manager G. Douglas Dreisbach Marketing Coordinator Courtney Bisig Accounting Peggy Harris Copy Editor Sara Havens Contributing Authors Dan Bebe Courtney Bisig Linda Boyd Bill Burton Eric Floyd Phil Hellmuth, Jr. Kellee Kunovic John Grochowski Henry Tamburin Frank Scoblete Jeremy White Colby Wolitz Letters to the editor, address changes and other correspondence should be sent to: Southern Gaming and Destinations 640 South Fourth Street Louisville, KY 40202 (502) 583-0333 Fax (502) 583-6487 e-mail: editor@southerngaming.com The goal of this publication is to help drive awareness of the ever-growing popularity of the gaming industry and to assist the gamer in enjoying their gaming experience to the fullest.

Southern Gaming and Destinations is published for those who seek the best in gaming and in life.

ON THE COVER: The King of the Cowboys, Jerry Jones, will host this years Super Bowl in his new $1.15 billion stadium. Page 16.

Southern Gaming and Destinations is produced bimonthly by Bisig Impact Group of Louisville, Kentucky. Copyright 2004 by Bisig Impact Group. All Rights Reserved. This publication is printed

by Publisher’s Printing Co., Inc. of Shepherdsville, Kentucky. Postage is paid in Lebanon Junction, Kentucky Opinions of columnists are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, nor does Southern Gaming and Destinations assume liability for claims of advertisers.

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

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Facts and Fun Stuff

1. All of the following men have won the Super Bowl both as a player and as a coach except who?

A) Mike Ditka B) Mike Tomlin C) Tom Flores D) Tony Dungy 2. Which team holds the record for the most points scored in one quarter of the Super Bowl?

A) Washington B) San Diego C) Denver D) San Francisco 3. What is the term for a horse that has not won a race at a recognized race track?

A) Trainee B) Beginner C) Novice D) Maiden 4. Which of the following attractions is actually located in St. Louis?

A) U.S. Horse Racing Hall of Fame B) International Table Tennis Hall of Fame C) U.S. Poker Museum D) International Bowling Hall of Fame 5. In 1910, Nevada made it a felony to operate a gambling game. In what year did Nevada legalize gambling again?

A) 1924 B) 1940 C) 1931 D) 1938 "Did You Know" answers, below left

8

9

6

5

I have a heart that never beats, I have a home but I never sleep.

I can take a man’s house and build another’s, And I love to play games with my many brothers.

I am a king among fools.

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

By the Numbers 660 Number of feet in one furlong

6 The most Super Bowl wins by a team, held by the Pittsburg Steelers

155,804 Number of people who attended the Kentucky Derby in 2010

14 Number of betting positions on a Baccarat table

21 Number of different number combinations on a pair of dice

3 4

7

8 1 9

2

4

8 5

6 4

2 5

2

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

The Sudoku Puzzle Up to the challenge?

2

7

1

9

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

4

5

Answers on page 49

2

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

8

Riddle of the Month:

5 Riddle of the Month Answer: The King of Hearts in a deck of cards

"Did You Know" Answers: 1. (B) Mike Tomlin 2. (A) Washington 3. (D) Maiden 4. (D) International Bowling Hall of Fame 5. (C) 1931

Did You Know?

BEAT THE HOUSE WITH SOUTHERN GAMING MAGAZINE Live the good life as a seasoned gambler with The Comps Clubâ&#x201E;¢ from Southern Gaming & Destinations Magazineâ&#x20AC;¦ your one-stop shop for all the latest in gaming news and highlights. Hit the jackpot with tips and insights from the most esteemed gaming experts! Enjoy property reviews, as well as special offers and discounts at your favorite gaming locations throughout the South...all for just $29!

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1-877-582-9478 OR VISIT WWW.SOUTHERNGAMING.COM and Destinations

201 So

rn Gaming Awards uthe

Win

GAS! E V S to LA a trip

2011 Southern Gaming

AWARDS

Dear Southern Gaming and Destinations Magazine Reader,

As we embark into a new year, we are excited to once again present to you the voting ballots for the 2011 Best of Southern Gaming Awards. Last year, we received a record number of votes and we look forward to more great feedback again this year. As you may have noticed, we have moved the voting from July to January to give you more time to get your votes in to us. While the awards won’t be announced until our July Issue, the voting period is now extended until April 30th. So, you have no excuses for not voting!

To give you a little incentive to vote, we are giving away a fun-filled package to Sin City! That’s right, by submitting your choices for your favorite casinos, you will be entered into a trip for two to Las Vegas!

The trip includes airfare and accommodations for a two-night stay at one of the premium casinos in Las Vegas!

So don’t delay…vote today! Let us know what properties you like the most by filling out the questions and categories below…you just might find yourself headed to Las Vegas on us! Good luck!

If you can’t be good…be lucky!

G. Douglas Dreisbach General Manager Entrants must be 21 years or older to win. One entry per person. All entries must be received by April 30. Grand prize winner assumes responsibility for necessary taxes associated with the value of the prize. For rules and regulations, visit www.southerngaming.com

Subscribe to Southern Gaming today and get hundreds of dollars in casino coupons and special offers, great gambling tips, property reviews, giveaways and more! All for just $29!

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

It’s as easy as 1-2-3! rn Gaming Awards uthe

201 So

VOTE! MAIL! WIN a 3-Day/ 2-night vacation to Las Vegas! Pick your favorite Southern properties from each category below, answer a few questions, mail it in and you will be automatically entered into a contest to win a 3-Day/2-Night vacation for two to Las Vegas! The trip includes airfare and casino hotel stay for two people. Good luck!

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*One vote per person…duplicate entries will result in disqualification of participation in contest. *Faxes and copies of this ballot will not be accepted. *All fields are required. Mark N/A if not applicable. If you do not have an e-mail address please include phone number. *All entries must be postmarked by April 30, 2011 to be counted and eligible for giveaway.

First Name:_____________________________________ Last Name:________________________________________________________ Address:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City:______________________________________________________ State:_________________________ Zip:_ __________________ E-mail:____________________________________________ Phone Number:______________________ Date of Birth:_______________ Do you subscribe to Southern Gaming and Destinations? ❏ Yes ❏ No If yes, are you a member of The Comps Club®?

❏ Yes ❏ No Would you like more information on The Comps Club® Casino Coupon Program…the $29 membership that provides hundreds of dollars per year worth of coupons and special offers to gaming properties? ❏ Yes ❏ No What games do you like to play the most? List in order from 1 (most often) to 5 (least often):

Blackjack Craps How often do you visit Las Vegas?

Slots/Video Poker

Poker

Never Been Only Once Ever 2-5 times...I love it!

What kind of comps do you typically receive from casinos?

None...they are stingy

Free Buffet

Match Play offers

Pari-mutuel (Horses)

Other:__________________

6 or more times per year...I'm a regular!

Free Rooms

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Please indicate one of the following regions with each selection below.

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

Category: Your Favorite: Region: 1. Best Overall Property: ______________________________________________ ____________________________ 2. Best New Casino/ Casino Renovation: ______________________________________________ ____________________________ 3. Best Racetrack / Racino Facility: ______________________________________________ ____________________________

(Horse Racing / Greyhound Racing)

4. Best Suites: 5. Best Rooms: 6. Best Casino Floor:

(Game variety/ options)

______________________________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________________________ ____________________________

7.

Best Poker Room:

______________________________________________ ____________________________

8.

Best Restaurant:

______________________________________________ ____________________________

9. Best Buffet: 10. Best Amenities:

(Spa, Pool, Shopping, etc...)

______________________________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________________________ ____________________________

11.

12.

13.

14.

Best Golf Course: Best Entertainment: Best Entertainment Venue: Best Nightlife:

______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________

(Include name of restaurant and property):

(Night club, lounge, etc...)

____________________________ ____________________________ ____________________________ ____________________________

15. Best Theme: 16. Best Casino Personnel:

______________________________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________________________ ____________________________

17. Best Customer Service: 18. Best Advertising:

______________________________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________________________ ____________________________

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

(Radio, television, billboards, etc…)

19. Best Players Club: ______________________________________________ ____________________________ 20. Favorite Gaming Destination (check one): ❏ Indiana ❏ Tunica, MS ❏ Shreveport/ Bossier, LA ❏ Vicksburg, MS

❏ Lake Charles, LA ❏ Gulf Coast, MS ❏ Florida ❏ Other ______

VOTE for your chance to WIN a 3-day/ 2-night vacation to Las Vegas!

Subscribe to Southern Gaming today and get hundreds of dollars in casino coupons and special offers, great gambling tips, property reviews, giveaways and more! All for just $29!

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

sports betting

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Specifically, after about five months of sitting around spoiling in the cupboard cold.

Dan Bebe is a renowned NBA betting expert, sports broadcaster and professional handicapper for Pregame.com, where his plays are available for purchase. Dan’s daily sports-betting podcast, “Today in Sports Betting,” is the fastest growing betting show on the Internet and can be found at PregamePodcasts.com. Learn more about the author at DanBebe.com.

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Sports Betting: NBA Playoff Revenge

14

The concept at hand is, of course, NBA Playoff Revenge.

The best part about NBA Playoff Revenge is that it can net you 15 sparkling opportunities that will usually occur in the first two months of the NBA season every year. And, depending on the level of embarrassment that a particular team may have Dan Bebe suffered in the playoffs — the ego-crushing beating the Magic laid on the Hawks last year comes to mind — and whether that team on revenge actually wins the first meeting (a straight-up loss and an ATS win is like a revenge-player’s gold mine), you might even squeeze another five to 10 high-percentage plays out of corollaries to this stratagem.

There are very few motivating factors stronger than exacting revenge on the team that ended another’s season. No other scenario in sports has the ability to concentrate emotion so profoundly. A playoff series involves multiple games against the same team. They are often five, six or even seven games long, each frothing with adrenaline and testosterone, as one team stares into the eyes of the same players each and every night.

The fact that more playoff series are There are very not pock-marked with punches is a testament to the game itself as the few motivating hard fouls start to wear on both the body and mind, and the claws are factors stronger always on the brink of coming out.

So, after struggling with another club in such a heated spot, failing and going home ashamed, beaten and without a championship, the only faces the losing team can see belong to that one team — the team that made for a meaningless six months of grueling practice and physical play.

than exacting

Opponents might argue that being “mathematically eliminated” with a week to go in the regular season is pretty frustrating as well, and that ends a team’s year, or that playoff elimination is all part of the natural course of the postseason.

revenge on the

To the first point, the frustration and blame over a season ending after an attempt to get into the playoffs team that ended often gets pointed inward. These teams seem less inclined to fault the another’s season. team that delivered the final blow and instead spend the off-season working on improving internally — To be fair, the likelihood that Jason enough so that they are not in that Terry saw Manu Ginobili’s visage when he closed his same position the following year. This might lead to eyes at night is probably a tad bit overblown. But it early-season success, but that is fodder for another is quite probable that the day the Mavericks got their column. schedule for the following season, the red pens came To the second point, the results simply speak for out, and the date with the Spurs got circled. themselves. Obviously, with the power shift in the San Antonio took care of Dallas in the 2010 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference due to LeBron James departing from in six games. So, on paper, it seems like the series was Cleveland, a revenge bettor would be wise to throw out fairly evenly matched. However, Dallas was the second any series involving Cleveland and Miami. Outside of seed in the vaunted Western Conference, and they those rematches, which one could argue are no longer lost to San Antonio despite home-court advantage and revenge games, this method of wagering was 8-1 ATS despite San Antonio being ranked the seventh seed. In by the end of November. The one loss involved Phoenix this particular case, Dallas had playoff revenge on the falling to the Lakers, a loss the Suns avenged in an earlybrain, but also needed to wipe the nasty taste out of its season rematch. If you backed the Suns a second time, mouth from falling to a lower-ranked team. That must as per the corollary above, you would be sitting pretty on have been tough. a 9-1 record only a month into the season. That is pretty impressive for a technique that requires no knowledge Sure enough, Nov. 26 rolled around, just one month of basketball! into the NBA season, and Dallas was headed to San Antonio. Lo and behold, as a four-point underdog, the NBA Playoff Revenge is not going to hit every time — Mavericks beat the Spurs by nine, covering the spread after all, no play or game is perfect. The strategy most by 13 points, and, to some small degree, bringing relief likely will not rattle off 90-percent winners, either. after an off-season of agitation. Maybe more telling However, because of a lack of longterm memory for is that the Mavericks held the Spurs to San Antonio’s most bettors, you can get a huge edge by digging that second-lowest shooting percentage of any home game to crumpled-up NBA playoff bracket out of the garbage that point in the season — a sign that Dallas’ increased and riding the losers of yesteryear to winners today. effort led to a superlative defensive effort.

Good luck to you.

For more free sports betting tips, visit southerngaming.com/sportsbetting

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18 AWARDS

“BEST OF” #

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Vol um e 12 I ssue 6

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super bowl XLV The Time for texas

Photo C redit: D allas Convention & Visitor' s Bureau

By Jeremy W hite

Feb. 6, 2011, when newly opened Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas hosts Super Bowl XLV. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones redefined t h e fo ot b a l l v i e w i n g experience in building the uber-impressive Cowboys Stadium, and it’s a sure bet he’ll roll out the red carpet for the Super Bowl like never before. It will be the first time the DallasFort Worth area has hosted the event, which will air nationally on FOX. Jones is eager for the world Da l l a s to see Cowboys Stadium in all its glory as the Super is the #1 visitor destination in Texas. Bowl draws international attention despite the fact When the NFL and AFL decided to stage a World Championship American-style football isn’t played in many countries game between each league’s best teams in the late 1960s, few globally. likely imagined the ensuing annual match-ups would become the worldwide spectacle we know today as the Super Bowl. But “As a team of firsts, this new stadium represents the Dallas that initial contest between the Green Bay Packers and Kansas Cowboys’ innovation and progressiveness for the future while City Chiefs at Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Jan. 15, upholding the traditions of Texas Stadium,” Jones says.

1967, was, in fact, the start of something colossal. In the sporting Don’t be surprised to find yourself overwhelmed with the $1.1 world, there is no bigger day than Super Bowl Sunday. The billion stadium, which covers 73 acres and 3 million square feet. championship game has evolved into something far greater than Its most famous attribute is the HDTV video board, the largest a gridiron match-up — it has become a celebratory television in the world. The $40 million-board shows video in 1080p. It event complete with fireworks, live performances from major weighs 600 tons and has 30 million light bulbs. The four-sided, musical acts and multi-million-dollar commercials. center-hung structure is suspended 90 feet directly over the Sport’s biggest stage is expected to hit its pinnacle on playing field.

16

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

Super Bowl Fun Facts

P hoto Credit: D allas Cowboys

Most Appearances:

Dallas Cowboys, 8

Pittsburgh Steelers, 7

Denver Broncos, 6

New England Patriots, 6 Most Wins:

Pittsburgh Steelers, 6

Dallas Cowboys, 5

San Francisco 49ers, 5

C o w boy s s ta di u m opened in 2010 and cost $1.1 billion.

“This is the first center-hung video board in football history,” says Jones. “The innovative technology (gives) every fan a great seat, and the view is better than watching a 60-inch HDTV in your living room.” (For more information about the venue, see the “Cowboys Stadium Stats” sidebar.)

No doubt the viewing public will be enthralled with the stadium and what it has to offer on Super Bowl Sunday. Last year’s title tilt was the most-watched show in television history. It peaked at 114 million viewers, while the broadcast averaged a staggering 106.5 million viewers. That kind of audience not only attracts serious advertising revenue for the broadcaster, but it also translates to top-shelf halftime talent. For much of the first decade of its existence, the Super Bowl’s halftime entertainment consisted of college marching bands. But once viewership grew and corporate sponsors wanted to get further involved with the event, the halftime entertainment became a crucial piece of the Super Bowl puzzle. More recently, big names such as the late Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, ZZ Top, Stevie Wonder, Phil Collins, Aerosmith, U2, Sting, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Prince, Bruce Springsteen and The Who have played during the game’s intermission. This year, several news reports have indicated that the Black Eyed Peas will play during halftime at Super Bowl XLV. As of this writing, the NFL had not yet confirmed those reports.

The real question, however, does not center on whom will provide the halftime entertainment. Real sports fans want to know who is going to play in the Super Bowl. That appears to be a milliondollar question at the time of this writing. The parity in the NFL is staggering this year. In fact, much of the league remains in the playoff hunt at press time.

“It’s going to be the Raiders and the Falcons,” jokes Pat Collins, a diehard Raiders fan this reporter spotted wearing an Oakland jersey at Horseshoe Southern Indiana one Saturday night in November. After a pause, Collins adds: “No, really, it’s anybody’s guess. Who knows? I mean, the Raiders have beat some good teams, but they’re probably not going to make the playoffs. Then you have a team like Miami, who probably won’t make it either, but they’ve played a brutal schedule and barely lost to the Jets and Pittsburgh. A lot people think Pittsburgh is the best team in

Most Losses:

Minnesota Vikings, 4

Denver Broncos, 4

Buffalo Bills, 4 Most Games Coached:

Don Shula, Baltimore Colts & Miami

Dolphins, 6

Tom Landry, Dallas Cowboys, 5

Bud Grant, Minnesota Vikings, 5

Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh Steelers, 5

Joe Gibbs, Washington Redskins, 4

Marv Levy, Buffalo Bills, 4

Dan Reeves, Denver Broncos, 4

Bill Belichick, New England Patriots, 4 Coaching Wins:

Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh Steelers, 4

Bill Walsh, San Francisco 49ers, 3

Joe Gibbs, Washington Redskins, 3

Bill Belichick, New England Patriots, 3 Most Touchdowns:

Jerry Rice, San Francisco 49ers, 8

Emmit Smith, Dallas Cowboys, 5 Most Single Game Rushing Yards:

Timmy Smith, Washington Redskins, 204

Marcus Allen, Oakland Raiders, 191

John Riggins, Washington Redskins, 166 Single Game Passing Yards:

Kurt Warner, St. Louis Rams, 414

Kurt Warner, St. Louis Rams, 377

Kurt Warner, Arizona Cardinals, 365 Touchdown Passes:

Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers, 11

Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers, 9

Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys, 8 the league, but Baltimore, New England, the Colts, the Falcons, the Saints … lots of teams could win it this year.”

That has made this NFL season extremely exciting, and there’s no reason to believe the playoffs and Super Bowl won’t be equally titillating.

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Cowboys Stadium Stats • Opened in 2010 • Cost to Build: $1.1 billion • Overall site encompasses 140 acres; stadium covers 73 acres • Stadium is 3 million square feet • Two arches soar 292 feet above the playing field to support the retractable roof • Each arch weighs 3,255 tons • Retractable end-zone glass doors are 180-feetwide by 120-feet-tall. They are the world’s largest operable glass doors.

• The roof is 660,800 square feet Photo Credit: James D . Smith

• Roof opens or closes in 12 minutes • Each roof panel weighs 1.68 million pounds

Jerry Jones has been the owner of the Dallas Cowboys since 1989.

“There have been some lousy games in the past,” says Scott Lind, another NFL fan we caught up with at Horseshoe Southern Indiana last fall. “A lot of years, the game is over by halftime, and the commercials are all you have to look forward to. Thankfully last year’s game was really fun to watch. Hopefully we’ll get another real good game again this year.”

Asked about his favorite Super Bowl, Lind points to the 2007 match-up between Indianapolis and Chicago.

“I’m a Colts fan, so it was nice to see Peyton (Manning) get his ring,” Lind says. “The game started out on the wrong foot when the Bears scored a touchdown on the opening kickoff. I thought, ‘Oh no, here we go again.’ But it turned out to be a good game — for Colts fans anyway!”

Collins says his favorite Super Bowl was the 1984 installment between the Raiders and the Redskins.

“Marcus Allen just really ran all over them,” he says. “He was the Super Bowl MVP that year. It was really special as a fan, and such a big fan of his, to see that.”

Both Collins and Lind indicated they were eager to see what Cowboys Stadium pulls out of the (Cowboy) hat for Super Bowl XLV. “They say there’s a home-team curse with the Super Bowl,” Collins says. “No team has ever played a Super Bowl in their own stadium. I’m sure the Cowboys were hoping to be the first, but it looks like that ain’t going to happen the way they’re playing.”

Collins is correct. It’s a fact that no host team has ever played in a Super Bowl. It’s also not a secret that Jones was hoping his Cowboys — who are struggling mightily this season — would 18

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• Seating Capacity: 80,000, but can be expanded to 100,000 • Number of luxury suites: 300 • Stadium will also host 2014 NCAA Men’s Final Four Tournament break the so-called host curse. There was reason for such optimism before the 2010-2011 campaign began: Dallas was expected to be a favorite in the NFC, and the franchise clearly has history on its side as well. The Cowboys, nicknamed “America’s Team,” have appeared in eight Super Bowls — more than any other franchise in the NFL. Still, what makes the Super Bowl so great is that football enthusiasts and non-fans alike tune into the big game. Collins says he watches every year regardless who’s playing. Lind agrees.

“We have a party every year on Super Bowl Sunday; it’s like a national holiday,” Lind says. “Close to 30 people show up. We eat pizza and barbecue and have beer. Even my wife and her friends get into it, and they don’t even watch football. I think the commercials and the halftime show keep them interested.”

Keeping them interested should not be a problem for Jerry Jones and crew this year. Regardless of the teams involved, regardless of the big-name entertainment, Super Bowl Sunday has become, as Lind puts it, somewhat of an American holiday. What better place to host it in February than Cowboys Stadium, the newest crown jewel of sporting venues?

Jeremy White is a freelance writer and editor living in Southern Indiana. He regularly covers gaming, sports, food and business for a variety of regional and national publications. Recent assignments have ranged from covering U.S. egg exports to profiling National Football League hopefuls at the NFL's annual scouting combine. He has a degree in creative writing and journalism and frequently visits Las Vegas as well as local Kentuckiana gaming facilities.

Casino Poker Texas hold 'em 101

These excerpts have been taken from Bill Burton’s book, 1000 Best Casino Gambling Secrets. This book can be found at Amazon.com and in major bookstores for $19.99.

Strategy and Tips: The most important decision you will make is made before you even leave your house. That decision is whether or not to play poker. If you are not prepared to play your best game and devote your full attention to your play, then you should stay away from the poker table. Your attitude and frame of mind can and will affect your decisions at the table.

The basic rules of any poker game are easy to learn, but to be a winning player, you need more than just the basics. Poker is a game that combines math, psychology and human emotions; an understanding of all three will help you win.

Playing casino poker is quite different from playing in a home game.

There are certain procedures and protocols you will need to understand before you sit down to play. Rules can vary from one card room to the next. If you are unsure of the rules, ask the dealer or floor person.

Don’t assume anything.

Don’t throw your chips into the pot; always place your bet in front of you. This way the dealer sees that your bet is correct. Once he or she has checked it, they will add it to the pot.

Don’t fold your hand if you can check. If everyone else checks, you get to see the next card for free. It might be the card that can turn your hand into a winner.

If you are out of chips, you announce that you are “all in,” and you will only be eligible for the money in the pot up to that point. Any additional bets made by others will be put in a side pot. You will not be eligible for this pot even if you have the best hand. Instead, the side pot goes to the player with the highest hand amongst the players who put money in the side pot.

“Check Raising” is when you check your hand and then raise after another player bets after you. In home games, the idea of check raising is considered sandbagging and is frowned upon or even not allowed.

It is allowed in most casino poker rooms and is a powerful tool to help you extract more money from your fellow players.

Bad players are profitable, and you want them in the game. Never berate or try to educate another player at the table. If you suffer a bad beat, just say, “Nice hand,” and move on. If you berate a bad player, you may drive them out of the game. If you educate them, they may play better next time.

Never try to bluff more than two players at once. There will usually be someone who wants to “keep you honest.” In low-limit games, if there is even one calling station at your table, you should not bluff. (A calling station is a player who will not fold his hand and will stay in the hand to the end.)

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If the pot is raised before it is your turn to act, you will have to call the original bet and the raise. This is known as cold calling. Unless you have a very powerful hand, you should fold. You need a stronger hand to call a raise than you do to initiate one.

Make it a habit to look at your hole cards (your face down cards) once and memorize them. This will allow you to act quickly when it is your turn and keep the game going. It will also prevent you from giving away any tells (hints about the cards you are holding) that may occur by looking at your cards.

Tells: The term “tell” is short for a telltale sign. It can be a voluntary movement that a player makes to try to deceive you, or it can be an involuntary reaction to the cards. If you can learn to spot tells, you will be able to win some hands just by reading another player.

Common Tells in Gambling: Most players will act strong when they are weak and act weak when they are strong. A player who looks sad or shrugs when placing chips into the pot usually has a strong hand.

A player staring right at you is trying to intimidate you and is daring you to call their bet. They usually have a weak hand or are bluffing.

A player looking away from you, trying to seem uninterested, usually has a strong hand. That player wants you to call.

If a player’s hands are shaking when he makes his bet, you can be sure he has a very strong hand. This is an involuntary tell that is usually not an act.

If the player looks at his chips after seeing the dealer turn over the community cards in Hold ’Em or the next card dealt to them in 7-card stud, it usually means they are going to bet. For most players, this involuntary action means they like what they see.

In Texas Hold ’Em, if a player looks at his pocket cards when three cards of the same suit flop (first three community cards), he usually doesn’t have a flush. Chances are he has one card of that suit and he wants to see the value of the suited card.

After the flop in Texas Hold ’Em, a player staring at the flop usually was not helped by it. A player who sees the flop and immediately looks away or glances down at his chips has made a hand.

When you first sit down at a table, study the way the players stack their chips. Although it is a generalization, loose, aggressive players typically maintain unorganized/sloppy stacks, while tight, conservative players keep well organized/neat stacks.

A player who is very attentive and sitting in an erect position usually has a strong hand. A player who bluffs a lot leans forward in a confrontational way. Remember, strong is weak!

Watch how the players make their bets. A player forcibly throwing chips in a pot usually does not have a strong hand. Players try to act strong when they are weak, and throwing chips is usually a sign of this.

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super bowl betting winning wagers & hot action

By D an B ebe

Everything you know is wrong. Or, more accurately, everything you know every other day of the year is wrong. On Super Bowl Sunday, the bet most sharp minds generally avoid like the plague is actually the best wager on the card.

Take the favorite on the money line.

Let the rest of the world push and pull for hours, days and weeks, while you take the play that has had its price deflated by every $10, $50 and $100 wager placed on this fine planet during the two weeks leading up to the fateful Sunday.

The story is simple, but it is worth exploring. Fundamentally, books move lines based on a few key factors. If you are reading this article, you likely already know the main ones, but for posterity, a line generally shifts based on either key news (such as injuries, weather and other notes), or money. Large quantities of money being bet on one side of a line will force the bookmaker to move the line in the direction of the money, so as to induce action on the opposite side, and balance the ledger. Equal action on both sides of a line means a guaranteed win for the books, and that is, obviously, the optimal situation for those taking action. Most weeks, and even right down to most days, this is perfectly achievable.

The Super Bowl is different, though. Thanks to the wild increase in the number of bettors worldwide, the lines can often behave differently, and thanks to the magic of mid-week adjustments, the sportsbooks remain fairly well protected.

Sure, the line will move where the money dictates, but because of less predictable betting patterns and outrageous betting volume, books and lines can be subject to more moves, and 22 â&#x20AC;&#x192;

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consequently, some unpredictability, and that is where you can take advantage.

In no place is that imbalance more evident than the Super Bowl moneylines. Studying moneylines year round can be helpful to some degree, but this particular strategy is actually easier than that. For our purposes, the only important research is determining how a particular spread matches up with a moneyline price. Fortunately, certain sportsbooks will list the common spread-to-moneyline conversion rates on football wagers. For instance, a 3-point favorite often corresponds to a moneyline price of roughly -155, while the underdog will settle in the neighborhood of +135. In contrast, a 10-point favorite would likely run you a pretty steep fee of -450 on the moneyline, and net you just +325 on the underdog, and so on.

Because of that 20-cent (or larger) window, the moneyline betting volume of most standard regular season games and the way the action is split are fairly predictable. Thus, trying to find value in moneylines without multiple painstaking hours of strict handicapping is difficult. The focus of this method, however, is on the Super Bowl, and the Super Bowl alone, where everything, as noted above, gets turned on its head.

Take a moment and think back to each of the last 10 Super Bowl Sundays. Do not focus on the sheer quantity of guacamole you wedged into your gullet, or what strange, dark recess of your home those jalapeĂąo poppers disappeared to; do not waste your brainpower trying to recall how the game played out or even what teams played in the actual Super Bowl; instead, think about the betting conversations you

normally wou ld not e x i s t . T he most amazing part is that little n ie c e A ng ie , gallery-employee Todd and Mrs. Your-Surname will do it each and every year. And who can blame them? They are not in this to invest and make money over a long haul, they want a quick return to get that fancy new cof feem a k e r, a n d what better way than to try to triple that $50 on one wager?

One single $50 bet is not going to have an impact on the line, but 10 0, 0 0 0 $5 0 bets will. had with the three people at your party that care the absolute least about sports. Your glasses are working, and you read that correctly. It could have been a 16-year-old niece, your buddy that works the evening shift in an art gallery, or even your spouse, depending on the relationship. Think about the messy roll of bills (mostly fives, maybe even a $1 coin) they rifled through to see how much they were willing to bet, and what they said when you tried to explain the different ways that a person can wager on the Super Bowl. What made their eyebrows rise? It probably was not the idea that you can bet on the two teams to play stout defense, wrangle for field position and get a low-scoring game. It probably was not a bet on the spread, either, since only a seasoned bettor can get truly excited about an underdog only losing by 2 points when that bettor is catching 3.

With a few exceptions, those one-shot gamblers said one of the two following phrases: “You mean I can put $50 on that team in silver, and if they win, I get $100?” or, “What’s a Prop Bet?” When you consider that the thousands of people that make one bet a year each have $50 to blow, and half of those people uttered phrase No. 1 above in the exact same scenario, that is a boatload of money blasting the underdog on the moneyline that

Now t hat we understand where the money comes from, the next step is predicting what that money will do.

Sportsbooks are not going to adjust the spread based on large quantities of money being bet on the moneyline. Instead, those moneyline prices will start to shift. It will not likely be a quick strike, but slowly, over time, the number will move, 5 cents by 5 cents. If the Super Bowl opened with the favorite listed as 4.5-points superior, and the moneyline priced around -200, the spread might stay at 4.5 points (ignoring, for now, money being wagered on the spread), but over the course of those two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl, the moneyline will drop, bit by beautiful bit, until you can likely buy the favorite to win straight up for a price far cheaper than -200.

For the sake of argument, assume the moneyline dropped to -155 on the favorite. Thanks to the aforementioned conversion charts, you are aware that the $155 price on the favorite should normally match up with a 3-point spread. You are also fully aware that, based on the opening line, oddsmakers believe the favorite is 4.5-points better than the inferior club.

Without even knowing the teams involved, you can bet the favorite on the moneyline in this hypothetical scenario, and know you are getting 1.5-points completely free — here, too, you would be nuzzling against the hugely important fall Vol um e 13 I ssue 1

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number of “3.” In practice, the move could be any of a number of sizes; it will vary by year and could differ depending on your preferred sportsbook as well. That brings up the concept of “scalping,” but we can save that for 2012. Regardless, the underdog will always get pounded by recreational bettors, and if you consistently grab a favorite at a price off by the spread-equivalent of two-to-three points, you are going to be a winning Super Bowl bettor without putting in more than five minutes of work.

There are very few guarantees in wagering, but when a glaring discrepancy in your favor reaches out and slaps you in the face (like you have always wanted to do to that dastardly green on the roulette wheel), you absolutely must exploit it, and you will win over the course of multiple years. Math does not lie. Remember, too, if you are planning to follow this strategy, you must let those novice bettors take whatever time they need to get their tickets printed! It takes four days of pulling apart couch cushions, two days to turn over the mattress, three days to reach under the seats in the car, four more days to round up $10 from the receptionists at the office, and one day to place the bet. Have patience, wait for all those bets to drive down the line, and then make your move.

On a year-to-year basis, you are not confined to only grabbing the favorite on the moneyline, though taking at least a small stance annually on that position is certainly wise. It still remains a good idea to break down the game from as many angles as possible, since there are, in fact, other ways to beat the Super Bowl.

Beyond the not-so-subtle value built into betting on inflated money lines and skewed Prop Bets, the Super Bowl remains the most talked-about sporting event of the year from matchup and strategy standpoints. The beauty of all that talk is that it is exploitable!

Year after year, bettors are subjected to two weeks of nonstop jabbering by everyone who ever played the game of football at any level, and even a solid handful of those who have not. Sure, some of those egos will be correct, since 14 consecutive days of talking will eventually lend itself to a couple key points, but the absolute biggest thing to take away from those 336 consecutive hours of media coverage is that the oddsmakers already know everything you are hearing.

That is an extremely important note, so it bears repeating: The oddsmakers are aware of every not-so-earth-shattering point your television feeds you.

That thought can be an intimidating one, if you’re reacting late. Instead, be proactive, and be ready to take a stance.

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The best way to attack the above note is fairly simple — fade the obvious.

Take an example from the recent past. In the 2010 Super Bowl, the New Orleans Saints defeated the Indianapolis Colts by the final score of 31-17. Forgetting for a moment that a late interception returned for a touchdown made the final score look a tad more lopsided than it truly was, fading the obvious would have put you in prime position regardless of how the final drive of the game turned out, since you would have been on the Saints, and if you took the spread, catching points. Indeed, your wager on the favorite on the moneyline would have fallen, but as discussed, that method is a long-term proposition.

To fully understand this spread breakdown, though, one must retreat a month to the start of the NFL Playoffs, and crack open not only the two teams that successfully navigated their way to the Super Bowl, but also the clubs that they defeated along the way.

Last year, the Saints knocked off the Cardinals and Vikings, and the Colts took care of the Ravens and Jets.

Why is this important? Tracking the ebb and flow (or just the flow, in the case of Indianapolis) can help us understand how the Super Bowl line is what it is.

For the Saints, a blowout win over the Cardinals did little to impress bettors, since Arizona’s 51-45 Wild Card game victory over Green Bay exposed Arizona as a team without defense.

The Saints were expected to win that game, and when they did, even in its lopsided result, it drew little fanfare. Football fans chalked up that final score to one team out-classing the other.

Then, eight days later, the Saints played host to the Vikings.

New Orleans squeezed past Brett Favre and company in a back-and-forth game that left bettors once again wondering if the Saints were actually the better team, or just lucky.

The exact opposite is true of Indianapolis. The Colts’ Playoff opener came against the Ravens, a team that had just throttled Tom Brady’s Patriots in a Wild Card battle of their own. The Ravens came into the battle with the Colts as a scary underdog, featuring a defense that had been getting a remarkable level of publicity for forcing turnovers. Surely, they had a shot to upend the Colts, who sleepwalked into the Playoffs after locking up a spot early. Or not. Indianapolis manhandled Baltimore, 20-3, and even though the Colts could not run the ball, Joe Flacco never stood a chance. This was Peyton Manning, for goodness sakes.

Indy’s next obstacle came in the form of another vaunted defense that, according to the media, had the perfect recipe

to rain on the Colts’ parade. The Jets had not allowed more than 15 points in eight straight games, including a late-season 29-15 win over these very same Colts. New York was fresh off holding the high-flying Chargers to just 14 points in San Diego, so they were viewed as a worthy competitor. They weren’t. The Jets got out to a quick start, but Indianapolis outscored New York 17-0 in the second half, and went on to a 30-17 win.

The stage was set. The Colts had disposed of the two most vicious defenses in the NFL by double digits, and the Saints had beat up on Arizona, a team without a defense and had to win a war with Minnesota that most people would probably agree was decided by home field adrenaline. Just by analyzing the route to the Super Bowl, we can already get a firm grasp on how the betting world is viewing these two teams. The Saints, who at one point were 13-0 in the regular season, were now the clear-cut underdog heading into the Super Bowl, largely because of just the previous two games. Pretty amazing, right?

It gets better. Those 336 hours of banter only solidified the side of greatest betting value in this showdown! Every day, another bettor turned on his television to hear an expert utter the following phrase: “Nothing can stop Peyton Manning.”

And every day, another bettor ran to put money on Peyton Manning. Just think of how many times that simple phrase made the airwaves between Jan. 24 and Feb. 7. The number is stratospheric.

The Colts were the obvious choice.

That sentence brings the entire discussion full-circle. The Colts had won their previous two games by an average of 15 points, so the standard bettor simply assumed another 10-point win was in the cards against the weakest of the three defenses Indy would face in the post-season.

We all know how that turned out.

So, this season, when you are strategizing and breaking down your Super Bowl wager, remember these key points.

First, the traditional sports media outlets only care about what is best for traditional sports media. What this means is that you are going to be given heaping doses of whatever polls indicate you want to hear. They do not know who is going to win, nor do they know the final score — what they do know, however, is that rock music and circus-catch-crushing-hit montages are going to keep TV sets tuned to their network.

They also understand that religiously hyping the biggest-name players is like steroids for ratings.

This is when you, as a sharp bettor, need to remember to take a step back and understand the mish-mosh every other sports fan and sports bettor is hearing and digesting. You are not a sucker.

Second, the linesmakers are not stupid. If you bet on the Colts last year because Peyton Manning is a great quarterback, you have already lost. Manning’s prowess was built into the line,

and you are not getting the best of the number. Far too many times a bettor explains his logic by vehemently asserting, “I’m betting the better team,” flagrantly ignoring the fact that the spread accounts for just that fact. It is easy to look at a game and only worry about picking the so-called better team.

Where you can separate yourself from the pack and take home a big winning ticket this Super Bowl season is by looking at the game and not just selecting the team you think is better, but the team that is getting value against the number.

Finally, third, keep fading the obvious. Do your homework, and dig deep. Do not just look at the final scores of the games leading up to the Super Bowl, rather, understand them. Watch the games and takes notes on how the offenses and defenses are playing. Study how teams make adjustments at halftime, and learn the personalities of the coaches. Dig deeper. If you are making a play based on statistics, make sure those numbers are not the superficial notes you can find on the front page of any gaming portal. Hunt for details on spots where an offensive or defensive line can have an edge; find a match-up on the outside that the offense might try to exploit; read up on how a particular quarterback handles blitzes and hot reads. Keep digging deeper, because those setting the line already know the obvious.

And just like that, you are ready to bet (with confidence) on the Super Bowl!

You set your alarm for Sunday morning to wake up and snatch the juiciest possible moneyline price, and you watched the major sports networks for two straight weeks, waiting for all the chumps to bet what they were told to by analysts reading off a teleprompter. You furiously researched the Wild Card games, the Divisional showdowns and the Conference Championship grudge matches to make sure no stone was left unturned, and you refused to get lured in by simple and obvious solutions to difficult match-up questions. You properly budgeted those smaller bets on the length of the National Anthem and how many years the halftime act has been performing (hint: too many), and you set up your lounge chair and high-definition television in just the perfect spots.

The only things left to do are leaving time during the week to pick up your winnings and console everyone else that lost — yet again.

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Dan Bebe is a renowned betting expert, sports broadcaster and professional handicapper for Pregame.com, where his plays are available for purchase. Dan’s daily sports betting podcast, “Today in Sports Betting,” is the fastest growing betting show on the Internet and can be found at PregamePodcasts. com. Learn more about the author at DanBebe.com.

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Blackjack Hot Hands

By H enry Tamburin

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

Hand Frequency Have you ever thought about how many different hands you get when you play blackjack, and how frequently you get them? What about the win rates for these hands, specifically, which hands generate a profit and which hands result in a loss? Allow me to explain.

You can be dealt 34 different hands at the start of a round. They are hard hands of 5 through 19; soft hands of A-2 through A-10; and a pair of Aces through 10s.

The percentage of times that you will be dealt these 34 hands varies dramatically. Fortunately, the most common hand for players is a pair of 10s because there are more 10s than any other card rank (a pair of 10s include Jacks, Queens and Kings). You’ll be dealt a pair of 10s about 9.2 percent of the time.

The second most frequent hand ... and you may be surprised at this ... is 12 and 13 (you’ll get these roughly 8.1 percent of the time). The next most frequent grouping of hands is the hard 14, 15 and 16 (7 percent frequency for 14 and 15, and 6 percent for the 15 and 16). Do you know why these stiff hands (12 though 16) have high frequencies and, therefore, are common hands that we often must agonizing over? This is because there are many combinations of cards that can result in a total of 12 through 16.

Happily, a blackjack hand is a common hand that occurs about 4.7 percent of the time due to the large number of 10s in a deck of cards.

On the other hand, pairs occur less frequently (less than 1 percent of the time except for the pair 10s). Ditto for soft hands (1.1 percent). If you ranked the 34 hands from most frequent to least frequent, what you’d get with the pair of 10s being the most frequent hand, is listed in "Hand Frequency" chart to the right.

hard 19 and 11 (roughly 23-percent advantage).

Pairs from 2s through 9s and soft hands are not very good hands (negative advantage), and, as you would expect, the worst hands are the stiff 12 through 16 (negative 30-40-percent advantage). Many players are happy with a hard 17. However, a hard 17 has nearly a negative 30-percent advantage because you win only 29 percent of the time and push 13 percent.

10s Stiff 12-16 A-10, 11, hard 18 and 19 Hard 7-10 A-2 through A-9, hard 5 and 6 Pair Aces and 9s

The "Two Card Hands" charts summarize the hands with the greatest player advantage followed by the hands where the player is at a disadvantage.

Two Card Hands – Player Advantage

The last bit of information you might find useful is which first two card hands have the greatest win rate (where win rate is the frequency of each hand multiplied by its advantage).

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Win rate is how much money we win or lose for each hand. There are 11 hands that we make money, and not too surprisingly the A-10, 10-10, 11 and 19 rank as the most profitable hands for players.

See last chart, below right for the 11 most profitable hands ranked highest to lowest.

The hands where we experience the greatest losses include, not surprisingly, the stiff hands from 12 through 16, the 5, 6 and 7 hard hands, soft hands A-2 through A-6, and the following pairs: 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 6-6, 7-7 and 8-8. The other hand, which is a loser (and this may surprise you), is a hard 17 and hard 18. Many players believe 17 and 18 are good hands, however, if you were dealt a hard 17 and 18 on every hand for the rest of your life, you would die a loser.

A-10 A-9 and 10-10 A-A 11-11 19 5-5 9-9 A-7 Two Card Hands – Player Disadvantage Hard 12-17 Hard 5-9 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 6-6, 7-7, 8-8 A-2 through A-6 Two Card Hands – Most Profitable A-10 10-10

Knowing the frequency of each hand is only one part of the equation. The other is the advantage, or average gain or loss, we can expect for each hand.

If I were a blackjack player, at the minimum, I’d know how to play the top 10 most profitable hands, the ones that generate the most profit when you play blackjack. If you screw up playing these hands, you will blow your chances of possibility walking away from the tables with a profit.

The hand with the greatest advantage is not too surprisingly a blackjack hand (that pays 3-2). Your advantage is almost 150 percent. The next best hand is a 20 comprised of either a 10-10 or Ace-9 (almost a 60-percent advantage) followed by

Note: The above data is for a six-deck game.

A single-deck game has much different stats.

If you want to review the data for the singledeck game, visit “What are the Good Blackjack Hands” on www.blackjackincolor.com.

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history of gambling the early days

By Jeremy W hite

Note: This is the first installment of a two-part history of gaming in the United States. Part II, which covers 1931 to today, will be featured in the March issue of Southern Gaming and Destinations.

Gambling is a pastime that is practically as old as modern man itself. It has been a part of the human experience the world over for thousands of years, as evidenced by the discovery of dice in ancient Egyptian tombs. More than 2,000 years before Jesus Christ walked the earth, games of chance were played in places like China, Greece, Rome and Persia, where the forerunner of poker is thought to have been invented. (Although there are conflicts here — some historians insist what we now know as poker began in China.)

But the real fact of the matter is that gambling existed on the continent well before Caucasian settlers arrived. Native Americans had their own games of skill and chance. One of them was a physical sport that closely resembled a hybrid of modernday lacrosse and rugby. Spectators often wagered on which side would emerge victorious.

Meanwhile, in the late 1500s and early 1600s before American settlements, parlor games were part of the genteel life in England.

The propensity for cards made its way across the Atlantic when early pioneers began setting up shop on the eastern seaboard.

But the early Puritans who populated the Northeast saw the hobby as morally subversive. As a result, they sought to eradicate gambling in an effort to keep their culture pure. Regardless of their efforts, many English settlers considered gambling to be downright proper entertainment. Thus, it managed to survive despite Puritanical resistance. In fact, many of the original colonies utilized lotteries as a way to raise capital. That was

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P o k e r P l ay e r s in 1908. the beginning of government-sponsored gaming in America, a practice that continues to this day as virtually every state in the union runs a lottery.

Gambling really flourished as the country came into its own and settlers began migrating westward. It had quite a heyday in the early 1800s as riverboats took over and the Ohio and Mississippi rivers became important to commerce and transportation.

New Orleans fast became America’s principal gaming town as the lower Mississippi Valley became the heart of commerce in the westward expansion. French settlers in New Orleans popularized poker. In fact, America’s first full-fledged casino opened in New Orleans in 1822. It was open 24 hours a day and offered table games, roulette, food and alcohol. Casinos cropped up everywhere in the region, but a more conservative attitude

Photo Credit: O ldW estAntiques.B iz

Regardless, gambling had a foothold with man well before the founding of America. So it’s no surprise that the love of gambling is one of the many things early American colonists brought with them as they settled on the East Coast and began creating the country in which we now reside.

Photo Credit: O ldW estA ntiques. Biz

G a m bl e r s i n 18 9 4 right before the invention of the slot machine. on the part of the public eventually resulted in negative views toward gambling. As such, local jurisdictions began targeting gaming dens, which brought a new form of gaming to life — riverboat gambling.

When parlor operators in the delta began feeling heat from their local governments, they responded by taking their games to the river. Gamblers played informally on riverboats, which were wildly popular and would one day become an iconic part of America’s colorful history. Though glorious, the riverboats’ run of dominance would not last long. America needed a steady, sound way to move from east to west, and the answer to that dilemma was the railroad. Cities like Indianapolis and Omaha were put on the map by the railway, which enabled Americans to move westward by the thousands. The mighty railroad’s emergence meant eventual doom for the riverboat, which spelled trouble for casinos in the lower Mississippi Valley. As fewer boats carried fewer people into the delta and down to New Orleans, the casinos in the region were no longer sustainable. At the same time, gaming laws, which were initially quite watered down in most jurisdictions, began sprouting some teeth. As restrictions and regulations grew stronger, illegal gaming houses began a popular underground movement.

During the start of this trend, gold was discovered in California.

As the news spread, thousands of Americans and immigrants from as far away as China headed to the territory in search of riches. The California Gold Rush began in 1849 (hence the term ’49ers, which was the nickname given to those who were drawn to the area as a result of the gold discovery) and ushered in a new era of gaming acceptance in public circles, at least in the far west. As Americans made their way to San Francisco, they found particular joy in gaming. Cities like Kansas City and Denver were

not only important stops on the way to the West Coast, they were also gambling hotbeds.

As the West became famously wild, its love of card games became the stuff of legend. Miners and cowboys alike couldn’t resist poker’s lure, and the formerly civilized card games the English settlers revered soon became rowdy fare. Fistfights routinely broke out during disputed games, and an angry loser or two were known to pull their knives or pistols out on occasion. Plenty of “Wild West” card games ended with shots being fired, a fact with which Hollywood has been enamored since the invention of moving pictures.

It did not take long for San Francisco to supplant New Orleans with regards to the number of gaming houses. The city soon had more than 100 saloons, and many more gaming parlors and brothels proliferated throughout much of northern California.

These places featured table games and were true entertainment destinations. Visitors sported their best attire, and they often were greeted with live music and dancing inside the gaming parlor doors. It has been reported that the most popular northern California game during the Gold Rush was Faro. Three-Card Monte, High-Low and Grand Hazard were popular as well.

In 1895 in San Francisco, the slot machine was invented. This was a gaming medium that would change the pastime forever.

Today, slots provide casinos with a substantial portion of their revenues.

As mining camps propelled local economies in the West, gambling continued to become more and more popular. As the number of gaming houses and card rooms rose, local governments began to realize they could generate substantial income by taxing them. They also decided to heavily target

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By the end of 1910, just about any type of gaming was illegal throughout the entire United States. A handful of states continued to bless betting on horseracing, but that was the extent of legal gaming.

Photo Credit: O ldWestA ntiques . Bi z

P hoto Credit: O ldWestA ntiques . Bi z

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July 1, 1919 is a day that rings loudly in America’s history — Congress enacted Prohibition. The era was supposed to clean up the country morally, but the restricting law did just the opposite in many respects.

It gave rise to mass-level organized crime and allowed mobsters like Al Capone to gain unbelievable riches and notoriety.

By the time Prohibition became the rule of the land, gambling, as has been previously was the most popular game during the Gold Rush. mentioned, was already occurring illegally in various parts of the country. The hope was that Prohibition would not only run alcohol out of America, but would eradicate gaming as well — because, as we know, gambling and drinking have always gone hand in hand. But the result could not have been further from what was intended. The same crime bosses who profited from distilling and distributing alcohol illicitly were also becoming more prominently involved with gambling operations.

Faro

The game of cr aps is still very popular today. professional gamblers — men who discovered they could employ all manner of dishonesty and trickery to make a good living by gambling. These shrewd pros had gained quite the reputation during gaming’s delta heyday in the South, and as their kind moved West, the American public became increasingly hostile toward them. In fact, lynching became one of the preferred ways to “deal with” professional gamblers.

As we see happen often throughout America’s history, popular opinion on gambling eventually soured to the point that municipalities began outlawing it. Despite its contribution to early California culture, the state began enacting anti-gaming laws. Other states were quick to pick up the baton as well, driving gambling underground. It remained legal in Nevada, however, until 1910. At that point, America continued its drive toward conservative-ism, a path that soon led to Prohibition … following a major war.

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The aforementioned Capone often fled Chicago for the safe havens of French Lick and West Baden, Ind., where rival hotels offered not only a luxurious stay away from home, but gaming options as well. These tiny southern Indiana towns once had more than a dozen gambling parlors operating illegally. The resort area was a premier getaway destination — famed author William Faulkner even sent a character there on her honeymoon in his influential novel, “The Sound and The Fury.”

Local and state authorities were being paid off by business and political leaders in Indiana to look the other way and let the unlawful gaming flourish in French Lick and West Baden. Similar scenarios were simultaneously being enacted in other parts of the country, such as Hot Springs, Ark. At least 10 casinos popped up there in the late 1920s.

A little more than a decade after the advent of Prohibition, another defining moment in American history surfaced. On Oct. 29, 1929, the stock market crashed, plunging America deeply into the throes of a financial depression. As unemployment soared and the economy shrank quickly and fiercely, many of the nation’s illegal casinos dried up and went out of business.

States became desperate to turn around their fortunes and get the country back on track, and many forms of gaming, such as horse racing, were legalized again in the ’30s as a way to raise revenue.

In 1931, Nevada once again made casino gambling legal, which brings us to the modern-day era of gaming as we know it.

Stay tuned for Part II of our look at American gaming history in the March issue of Southern Gaming and Destinations.

WWW.PEARL WWW. PEARLRIVER PEARL RIVERRESORT RIVER RESORT.COM RESORT.COM A Development of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.

Casinos love to use psychology against the players; it helps the bottom line. But players can also psych out the casinos in the comping game. We want the casinos to rate us as bigger bettors than we actually are, and/ or we want to get more comps than we actually have earned.

Here are some helpful hints to achieve our goals.

Frank Scoblete is casino gambling’s No. 1 best-selling writer. This column is an excerpt from his latest book “Casino Craps: Shoot to Win!” The book is the most comprehensive craps book ever written and will take you from a novice to a dice controller. It features information on “pushing the house,” the 5-Count and controlled dice shooting and comes with a DVD showing unedited controlled throws! The book is available at Amazon.com or at your favorite bookstore.

You can also order by calling 1-800-944-0406. The book costs $19.95 plus $5 for shipping and handling.

Craps

Casino Craps: How to Increase Your Average Bet

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1) A Tip On Tips: Always tip on top of your bet, whether a Pass, Come or Place bet. Keep that bet riding for dealers; never take it off or give it to them, but let them know that bet is theirs if you keep winning. By doing this, the bet counts as part of your bet, increasing your average bet. If you tip any other way, the bet does not count as part of your bet. Also, you are betting only a single bet that can win over and over again if you get on a hot streak. On other types of tips, the casino dealers take both the tip bet and the win down.

To keep the dealers in action, you may have to make tip after tip after tip. You are spending more this way and receiving no benefit. So, if you are betting a $25 Pass Line Bet and you want to tip, put $1 or $5 on top of it and tell the dealers that the red chip is a bet for them.

You can also put a tip directly on a number and tell the dealers, “I control it.” That means the dealers get to keep the win but cannot take down your bet. Some casinos will pay 2-to-1 on single-dollar tips on the box numbers.

This is great for the dealers, because they have an edge over the house on all 5 and 9, 6 and 8 tip bets.

Do not waste your money by tipping on the Crazy Crapper bets. If the bet is bad for you, the bet is bad for the dealers, too.

2) Early Placements: On the 4-Count if the shooter is on the Come-Out roll, you can put your Place bets up (if you are betting this way). You’ll receive credit for them even though they won’t be working on the Come-Out. 3) Fake Play Time: Always ask for a comp at least 10 minutes before you plan to leave a table. Let the rater think he has kept you at the table longer than you planned to be there.

4) The Big Bet Ploy: If you want to occasionally put up a “show bet” that is substantially bigger than your normal bet to get that in your rating, then do it on the 4-Count during the Come-Out roll. It will be up longer, seen more readily by the rater, and not be at risk. (You take the bet down or reduce the amount when the shooter establishes his Point.)

5) Comp As You Go: If you are a marginal RFB/

RLFB player and you are staying at a property, do not put everything on your room and wait until the end to find out what it will comp. Instead, comp as you go. Many times you will be able to get café and buffet Frank Scoblete comps up front and then get the total theoretical loss at the end of your stay to put against your gourmet food as well. Often, the rater will say, “Are you staying here?” Tell the truth, “Yes, I am,” then add, “But I don’t want my wife (or husband) to know I am going to eat extra today.” It doesn’t at least hurt to try this — it does work sometimes.

6) Overstay Your Welcome: If you have stopped playing and asked for a comp, stay at the table. Let them ask you to move. The fact that you are taking up space will motivate “the computer” to work faster on your comps.

7) Fly Me To The Moon: If you are an RFB player and are interested in getting airfare for your play but have been turned down in the past, ask the casino to put you in a regular room and not a suite. Usually the suites are about five to 10 times more expensive against your comp points. If you stay in a regular room, you might reduce what the casino figures you have spent, and it just might give you your airfare. And really, how many bathrooms and television sets do you really need in a room? You don’t spend very much time in there, after all.

8) Screw Psychology: The “Casino Psychology Departments” use comps as a way to get you to measure your “self-worth” based on how many comps you get and what a big shot you are for getting them. No comp is worth the loss of money or sleep. Play your game, and the comps will come or they won’t. Use these tricks, too, because they can’t hurt!

Please Note: I have saved this comping tactic for last.

Why not ask the floor person what he is rating your play at? Then ask him to increase it. If you have been tipping and you’ve been a great player at the table, you might just find this simple technique works. It’s worked for all of us in the Five Horsemen.

Do comps make you a big shot in the eyes of the casino bosses or dealers? Absolutely not. They look with disdain on most players who are, after all, essentially giving their money away on games they can’t beat. Who would ever be in awe of people like this?

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

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southern poker power Gold Strike & Beau Rivage Host High Stakes Poker Tournaments

By Mary S pain and B rian H eptinstall

Photo Credit: Mary Spain and Brian H eptinstall

operations, said, “The WPT Southern Poker Championship is the culmination of five major poker tournaments we host at our Mississippi resorts each year. The tournaments grow in buy-ins and provide an opportunity for poker enthusiasts of all levels to compete in a variety of events at both Gold Strike in Tunica and Beau Rivage in Biloxi.”

The field that will make up the 2011 WPT Southern Poker Championship: A look back at 2010

Delta Gold Championship

January in the South has become synonymous with high-stakes poker action, and MGM Resorts’ International and World Poker Tour (WPT) kick off 2011 with the return of the Southern Poker Championship. A mix of poker royalty, regional pros and unknown hopefuls will travel to Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Miss., from Jan. 6-27 for 22 days of tournament play and millions in prize money. The event — the South’s largest poker tournament in terms of buy-in, participants and purse — will begin with satellites on Jan. 6 and culminate with the $10,000 buy-in WPT Championship Event Jan. 24-27.

“This is the third year we’ve hosted the Southern Poker Championship at Beau Rivage,” said George P. Corchis Jr., president and chief operating officer of MGM Resorts International’s Regional Operations, which includes Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica and MGM Grand Detroit. “Participation and tournament excitement continues to grow, and this year we look forward to seeing Hoyt Corkins come back to defend his title.”

Ken Lambert, MGM Resorts International director of poker 34

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The 2010 championship ran from Feb. 25-March 7 and hosted 20 events at the Gold Strike Resort and Casino in Tunica. A total of 67 players took a shot at the $2,500 buy-in main event and its $150,976 prize pool where the first place honors were held by Dina Rylander of Collierville, Tenn.

Spring Break Poker Classic

The second tournament in the 2010 series was the Spring Break Poker Classic held at the Beau Rivage. Held March 26-April 11, there were 18 events including the $2,500 main event that hosted 147 players that held a first place payoff of $111,083 and a $10,000 seat to the WPT Southern Poker Championship event in January 2011. Tyler Smith from of Smithdale, Miss., came out on top.

World Poker Open

The third event in the 2010 Series went back to Gold Strike in Tunica with the World Poker Open with 17 events from July 22Aug. 2. A total of 91 players ponied up the $5,000 event buy-in for compete for the first prize of $152,529. In the end, it was Tyler Smith who claimed first place for another victory.

Gulf Coast Poker Championship

From Aug. 26-Sept. 7, Beau Rivage was the site for the Gulf Coast Poker Championship consisting of 11 days and 14 events with another $5,000 buy-in for the main event. Las Vegas poker professional Chad Brown, who also won the 2009 GCPC, came

back to defend his title and compete for the $492,710 prize pool.

Tyler Smith had also final tabled the GCPC in 2009, giving him the most main event final tables in the history of the MGM Mississippi Series. While Brown came in a respectable fourth place, Mark Rose from Orlando took home the top prize of $177,386. Not only did Rose receive the trophy, the bracelet and the money, he also received a seat to the WPT Southern Poker Championship in January 2011.

Southern Poker Championship

All of the MGM Mississippi Series events build up to January 2011 Southern Poker Championship. The final tournament in the series is a WPT-televised event with a price tag of $10,000.

Last year, the event drew 208 players, making a prize pool of $1,930,000. Once again, Tyler Smith made the final table but came up short. The eventual winner was “Alabama Cowboy” Hoyt Corkins from Glenwood, Ala., who is always a fan favorite

and a successful circuit pro at the highest levels.

The 2011 Southern Poker Championship will have 34 events spread over 20 days. The buy-ins for these events will range from $230 up to the $10,000 main event. In addition, there will be mega satellite events to get into the main event at 5 p.m. every night beginning Sunday, Jan. 23.

The main event will play out over four days, at which point the Beau Rivage’s Magnolia Ballroom will be transformed into the World Poker Tour set. There, six final table players will gather to take their shot at poker immortality. Who will emerge? Can Tyler Smith follow up back-to-back victories with a major WPT title? Or, will Hoyt Corkins repeat as last year’s champion?

You can follow the action by following Beau Rivage Poker on Facebook or on Twitter at twitter.com/beaupoker. Full details and hand-for-hand coverage can be found at beaupoker.com.

Players to Watch Hoyt Corkins

Born in Glenwood, Ala., Hoyt Corkins is a professional poker player known for his softly spoken voice and aggressive style of play. Corkins has more than $5 million in career earnings, two World Series of Poker bracelets and a World Poker Tour title. After winning the 1992 WSOP $5K Omaha Event, Corkins took an 11-year hiatus from poker and returned home to raise cattle. He returned to the game in 2003 and has since won the 2003 WPT World Poker finals, finished second in the 2005 WSOP Tournament of Champions and won $515,000 in the Six Handed No Limit Hold ’Em event at the 2007 WSOP.

Chad Brown

Former host of “The Ultimate Poker Challenge,” Chad Brown burst onto the scene in 2002 playing the World Series of Poker. The following year brought three WSOP cashes, and 2005 got him even closer to a bracelet with his second-place finish in the $2,000 seven-card stud hi-lo tournament. In 2007, he cashed in eight WSOP events, tying the record with Michael Binger and Phil Hellmuth. In 2009, he won the MGM Mississippi Series’ Gulf Coast Poker Championship main event and $225,567. His tournament winnings exceed the $2 million mark.

Tyler Smith

Smithdale, Miss. native Tyler Smith has been playing poker professionally for four years and already has more than three-quarters of $1 million in earnings. While he spends most of his time playing online, Smith does ante up to poker tournaments in the South and holds the record for the most MGM Mississippi Series main event final tables including first place in the 2010 World Poker Open; first place in the 2010 Spring Break Poker Classic; sixth place in 2010 Southern Poker Championship; second place in the 2009 Gulf Coast Poker Championship; and fifth place in the 2009 Southern Poker Championship.

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Video Poker Double Bonus Poker

By L inda B oyd

a huge difference in the game’s ER with a less significant difference in the variance. Be aware that any game returning even money for two pair, a frequent hand, carries a higher risk than those paying double your wager for the same hand. Specifically, both 9/6 JOB and 8/5 BP return 10 coins for a five-coin wager and have a lower variance than this game. On the other hand, 9/6 DDB carries a bigger risk to your bankroll because not only does it pay even money for two pair, it also pays less for both the full house and flush than three out of four versions of DB. And how about the fourth version of DB (9/6 DB), which pays the same for these two hands as 9/6DDB? It’s not a game I would choose due to the low ER; however, the variance is still lower than 9/6 DDB.

In 2007, I wrote strategy tips for 10/7 Double Bonus Poker, a game that was easy to find in most casinos. Times have changed, and many players might have had to settle for a different version, one with a lower expected return (ER). It is still a good choice as long as you play skillfully. It is also important you know the ER in advance so you can determine whether or not you want to play the game.

I have provided a pay schedule for four versions available in casinos.

If you are unable to find one of the four on Table 1.1, I recommend you choose another game. On the bright side, I have found some 10/7 BP Progressives. They are rare, but when you come across these gems, you can use the strategy tips here, or for perfect play, you can reference the 10/7 strategy card found in the back of my book “The Video Poker Edge.”

Tips for DB: Smart players understand that strategy for all video poker games is based solely on the payout for a winning hand in conjunction with the return for the hand. In other words, the amount of coins returned for the winner compared with the odds of achieving the hand.

Since there are 2,598,960 possible dealt hands for all games using a deck of 52 cards, you must rely on practice with tutorial software and strategy cards. You will frequently find 10/7 DB games in Nevada and elsewhere because the strategy is more counter-intuitive. I used Dean Zamzow’s software, WinPoker, to double-check these tips. A free strategy card is in my book for this game and other video poker classics.

Zamzow checked my latest 10/7DB strategy card using specialized software so I could fine tune it. The card is exceptionally easy to use (14 vertical lines, compared to more than 120 with the VPSM hierarchy) and has an ER of 100.17% — the same as perfect-play for the game to the nearest 1/100 of a percent.

Double Bonus Poker (DB): This game is an excellent choice for players who want more of a thrill than either 9/6 Jacks or Better (9/6 JOB, ER 99.5439%, variance 19.51468) or 8/5 BP (ER 99.1660%, variance 20.90408). Keep in mind that variance relates to the risk while the expected return (ER) indicates the theoretical return, assuming computer-perfect play. Refer to Table 1.1 to see the return for each of the four DB games you’re likely to find in Southern or Nevada casinos.

If the pay schedule returns less than 9/6 DB with a 97.8062% ER, then I recommend you find a game with a higher ER. (You will find free ER tables in my book.)

Table 1.1: Pay Schedules for Double Bonus (DB) Winning Hand/ 5-Coin Bet

10/7 DB

9/7 DB

10/6 DB

9/6 DB

Royal Flush

4000

4000

4000

4000

Straight Flush

250

250

250

250

4 Aces

800

800

800

800

4 Twos, Threes or Fours

400

400

400

400

4 Fives through Kings

250

250

250

250

Full House

50

45

50

45

Flush

35

35

30

30

Straight

25

25

25

25

3 of a Kind

15

15

15

15

Two Pair

5

5

5

5

Jacks or Better

5

5

5

5

Expected Return (ER)

100.1725%

99.1065%

98.8845%

97.8062%

Understanding Table 1.1: You should note the pay schedule variations are for the full house and flush hands, with all other winning combinations paying the same. In fact, that’s why they share the same game name. As you can see, slight changes in these two hands make 36

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Linda Boyd, a longtime table game player before turning to video poker, writes for Southern Gaming, Midwest Gaming and Travel and Arizona Player. Look for her article in the 2011 Edition of American Casino Guide. Her book, “The Video Poker Edge,” includes free removable pay schedules and strategy cards for the most popular games.

1. Make sure you carefully check the pay schedule on the machine and match it with Table 1.1. The casino’s pay table will not include the game’s ER, and you will want to know that before deciding whether you want to play.

2. Dealt two pair, hold just the two pair for both 10/7 DB and 10/6 DB. 3. Dealt two pair, hold just the two pair for 9/7 DB and 9/6 DB, unless you have a pair of aces. If you have a pair of aces as one of the two pair, hold just the pair of aces.

4. Dealt a full house, hold all cards. The exception is if you are dealt a full house with three aces. In that case, hold just the three aces for all versions on Table 1.1.

5. Dealt a flush or a straight with four to a royal, always hold four to the royal. This is correct for all versions of this game in Table 1.1.

Final Thoughts: Most players don’t play computerperfect video poker. That’s why casinos can offer some games with excellent theoretical returns. If you want to play error-free, then you should practice using tutorial software and with an accurate strategy card. Check out Dean Zamzow’s tutorial software at www.videopokerpractice.com.

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destination st. louis the gateway to gaming... and so much more!

By Courtney B isig

residents, I felt it only appropriate to show you some of the places to visit based on which famous neighborhoods they are located in.

The Hill

Photo C redit: St. L ouis Convention and Visitor’ s Center

Experience a touch of Italy in The Hill, a neighborhood in St. Louis known for its predominately Italian residents. Gaining its name for its proximity to the highest point in the city, it is one of St. Louis’ greatest traditions. The area has grown crowded with visitors touring the many specialty shops and fine Italian restaurants it has to offer, but The Hill is still a humble home to many St. Louis greats, including baseball superstars Yogi Berra and Joe Garagiola Sr.

S t. L o u i s is the second-largest city in Missouri.

Founded in 1764, the “Gateway City” is known for its leading research centers and some of the country’s largest corporations such as Edward Jones and Anheuser-Busch. The amount of influence these corporations have had in our nation is tremendous. With all of the entertainment, gaming properties and tourist attractions, it’s no wonder the city’s population is on the rise.

Ask a St. Louisan what there is to do in the city, and common suggestions such as visiting the Gateway Arch are given. This makes sense as it is the world’s largest man-made monument standing at 630 feet. But here I have dug a little deeper into the history of St. Louis and what makes it a home to so many people. With 79 governmentdesignated neighborhoods, neighborhood identity is profound in this second-largest Missouri city. Where people reside has much social and political influence, as most of the communities are very tight-knit. Because neighborhood character is so important to the

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Favazza’s on The Hill is an Italian restaurant specializing in group parties, private dinners and rehearsal dinners. With the large dining space, it has been a popular spot for wedding receptions for many years. Owners John and Tony Favazza like to serve people the “old-fashioned way.” While renovating the building has been an important step in recent years, they have maintained the oldworld elegance Favazza’s has always been proud of. And don’t forget about the food — that’s how it all began. Staying true to The Hill’s roots, the restaurant serves up decadent pasta dishes like cavatelli melanzane and linguine tuttomare. The restaurant also offers an array of steaks and seafood.

The Hill boasts Italian restaurants galore. Rigazzis has been open since 1957 and takes pride in being the oldest restaurant in the area.

Cunetto House of Pasta is a family-owned restaurant opened in 1974 that has become a city favorite. Five is a restaurant named after the five senses, which patrons are encouraged to use when dining.

There are numerous Italy-inspired options on The Hill, but there are also other specialty destinations such as Girasole Gift & Imports, a unique shop offering Italian imports and themed merchandise like ceramics and jewelry. Also near The Hill is the Missouri Botanical Garden featuring 79 acres of natural and architectural majesty, which draws in thousands of people every week to its wondrous scenery.

The Delmar Loop

The Loop is an energizing six-block area full of entertainment. Filled with more than 140 specialty shops, eclectic restaurants and live entertainment, there is constant movement in this district. Home

P hoto Credit: St. L ouis Cardinals

The Morgan Street Brewery is one of the oldest buildings in the neighborhood. With charming architecture and an adjacent lodge for private parties and banquets, the brewery entertains thousands of patrons each year from local guests to travelers. Guests can dine on the delightful brick patio that separates the main brewery building from the lodge, taking in delicious food and beer all made at Morgan Street Brewery. Brewmaster Marc Gottfried has helped the brewery earn the title of “Best in St. Louis” by St. Louis Magazine, and he was named the youngest brewmaster in North America by the Master Brewers Association of the Americas.

Bu s c h S ta di u m is home of the St. Louis Cardinals to long-established businesses as well as several new venues, The Loop is also home to the St. Louis Walk of Fame — a series of brass stars embedded in the sidewalk honoring famous St. Louisans. The dazzling success of this thriving community serves as a model for many others in the country as it was recently named “One of the 10 Great Streets in America” by the American Planning Association.

One of the most popular establishments built along the St. Louis Walk of Fame is Blueberry Hill, a restaurant and music club filled with pop culture memorabilia. Nationally recognized for the creative window displays, Blueberry Hill is famous for featuring the hottest local and touring bands.

The renowned establishment has several party rooms for special occasions. A tribute to “The King” can be found in The Elvis Room, an old-style cellar bar filled with memorabilia and other items from the ’50s and ’60s. The Dart Room is also a fan favorite of the venue, hosting the annual Blueberry Hill Open Dart Tournament and weekly dart leagues. Voted “Best Place to Take Out-Of-Towners,” “Favorite Restaurant with Live Music” and “Best American Cuisine” by Sauce Magazine, there is no better place to mix thrilling entertainment with delicious dining.

One of the newest additions to The Loop is The Pin-Up Bowl, St. Louis’ original bowling alley martini lounge. Located right next to Blueberry Hill, the venue offers eight lanes of bowling and an extensive menu of classic and signature martinis. The Pin-Up Bowl is becoming a hot spot for nightlife. An excerpt from Sauce Magazine reads: “In heaven, the bowling alley will resemble The Pin-Up Bowl.”

Step outside the doors of Pin-Up Bowl and onto the doorstep of The Pageant Concert Nightclub. Open for more than 10 years, The Pageant has built a reputation as being one of the best concert venues in the nation. Featuring popular artists such as Will Downing and My Chemical Romance, finding a show at The Pageant that doesn’t get sold out is hard to do. Before, during or after a show, visit Halo Bar at The Pageant. Sharing an adjoining door with the concert club, the bar offers a casual bar scene with nightly bands and DJs. Many concertgoers hop over to the Halo Bar after the performance to keep the party going into the early morning hours.

Laclede’s Landing

Laclede’s Landing was established in 1764 as a fur trading post and is located in East St. Louis next to downtown. The brick and cast-iron buildings that were built more than a century ago are now home to several specialty restaurants, bars and shops. Cobblestone streets and a riverfront location give Laclede’s Landing a charm like no other.

St Louis’ leading rock ’n’ roll dueling piano bar, The Big Bang provides hours of entertainment nightly as each song is chosen by customer requests. Entertainers take the stage alongside two grand pianos to create exciting shows that combine comedy and music and allow for plenty of audience participation. Music lovers of all ages come to enjoy a night of laughter and sing-along tunes while viewing the country’s most talented dueling piano entertainers. Due to the bar’s great success since its opening in 2001, The Big Bang has also opened locations in Arizona, Nashville and Columbus.

Just down the road from The Big Bang Bar on North Second Street is the restaurant and lounge known as Drunken Fish. The name may sound silly, but when it comes to dining, the staff doesn’t play around. Their mission is to bring a memorable experience to their customers through a passion for the Japanese cuisine and lifestyle.

Voted “Best Sushi Rolls” in 2010 by ALIVE Magazine, Drunken Fish staff members take pride in their excellent sushi and hip venue.

Drunken Fish’s dynamic environment makes it a perfect place to bring your private events. With accommodations to fit large groups, it is hard to catch a night when the restaurant isn’t full. Weekly events and a menu that brings Japanese culture to life keep the visitors of the Drunken Fish satisfied year in and year out.

Downtown

Like most downtown areas, Downtown St. Louis is bustling with activity. There is an endless list of things to do in this region, and here I have highlighted a few to serve as an example of the excitement that can be found in the area.

The Anheuser-Busch Consumer Hospitality Center is located in Downtown St. Louis and is a favorite attraction in the city. Known for its quality, Budweiser was made using the finest in barley malts, hops and rice. Tours at the brewery guide guests through the rich brewing heritage, technology and architecture that make up the Clydesdale Stable, Beechwood Lager Cellars, historic brewhouse and Bevo Packaging facility. Visit the wonder that has made this company so successful, all the while sampling the newest products along the way!

Cheer on the professional sports teams that have led St. Louis to be named “North America’s Best Sports City” when visiting Downtown. Major League Baseball team St. Louis Cardinals reside at Busch Stadium, a 46,000-seat ballpark opened in 2006. Originally founded in 1882 as an American Association team called the St. Louis Brown Stockings, the Cardinals have won more than 9,200 games and 10 World Series Championships. More than 3 million baseball fans come to Busch Stadium every year, at least a third of which come from outside the state.

The Edward Jones Dome is the official home to the National Football League’s St. Louis Rams. The $280 million dome was opened in 1995 and has a seating capacity of 66,000. The Rams hold the title of many NFL firsts, such as being the first team to score at least 500 points in three consecutive seasons. Rams fans have stuck it out through the three cities in which they have won Vol um e 13 I ssue 1

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NFL championships (Cleveland, Los Angeles and St. Louis). With a venue like the Edward Jones Dome, it doesn’t look like the fans are going anywhere.

The Scottrade Center hosts the National Hockey League team St. Louis Blues. Since entering the NHL in 1967, the Blues have employed some of the greatest players in history, such as Doug Harvey, Wayne Gretzky and Bob Plager. After a short absence from the playoffs, fans are happy to see the Blues back on their feet at the Scottrade Center.

Casino Gaming Attractions in St. Louis Harrah’s

The world-class amenities and exceptional service found at Harrah’s St. Louis make it an irresistible place to stay and play. Not only does Harrah’s offer more than 500 rooms and luxury suites, it is also home to a 120,000-square-foot casino area with the hottest new games on the market.

Casino Queen

“Home of the loosest slots,” Casino Queen is known for their liberal table game rules and for having the loosest slots in the country for five years straight. If you want to win at slots, Casino Queen should be your first stop in St. Louis. Stay at the hotel and enjoy modern amenities with a view of the beautiful St. Louis skyline.

The cuisine at Casino Queen only adds to its allure. Guests looking for a fine-dining experience will sit down for a meal at Prime Steakhouse. The menu at Prime includes juicy steaks, prime rib and fresh seafood dinners to please the most discriminating palates. Prime Steakhouse has won the AAA Diamond Award and boasts a nationally acclaimed chef as well.

Visit Sevens at Casino Queen for a party every night of the week, with live entertainment and appetite-pleasing dishes. The area’s hottest sports lounge and nightclub, party animals will love the upbeat atmosphere of Sevens.

Lumière Place

After a full day of gaming, guests can Lumière Place is one of the hottest relax at one of the resort’s distinctive gaming attractions in St. Louis.

L u m i È r e P l ac e C a s i n o Located in the center of Downtown, restaurants. Charlie Gitto’s From The Hill serves up your favorite is located between HoteLumière and Lumière is next to all the action Italian dishes. With entrees such as Four Seasons. including the Edwards Jones Dome the toasted ravioli and filet of beef and the central St. Louis business siciliano, it’s no wonder Charlie Gitto’s has become such an esteemed district. With an overload of gaming and dining options, guests landmark. Range Steakhouse offers a high-class experience you will enjoy an action-packed visit in the Gateway City when they stay not forget. With succulent steaks, seafood and an array of popular at Lumière. wines, you can’t go wrong at this restaurant.

The 75,000-square-foot casino floor at HoteLumière has won When your cravings have been satisfied and you’re ready to hit the national awards for its dedicated 13-table poker room and gobs of dance floor, The Piano Bar at Harrah’s is the place to be. Dueling gaming technology. Chef Huber Keller marks his first venture on piano players make for a party every night of the week. iBar is the St. Louis scene with the stylish SLeeK Steakhouse in Lumière a blackjack and entertainment bar serving the night-owl crowd, Place. The extensive menu features premium cuts of beef, signature staying open late and hosting the hottest party on the casino lamb and a listing of specialties created by Keller himself. House floor. of Savoy is a Tuscan-style restaurant that offers hearty pastas and savory sauces by the masses. Be sure to have a large appetite before Argosy you step in those doors.

Argosy Casino claims “the first casino in St. Louis is still the best.” There is no limit on the fun as Argosy constantly updates its Visit Lumière Theatre for a great show, and for other HoteLumière gaming themes to the latest and greatest in the gambling world. nightlife, head down to Aqua or Globar, which both provide soft Argosy also boasts a state-of-the-art live entertainment venue that lighting and chic ambiance with signature drinks to keep the night attracts all types of entertainment groupies. From music legends like alive.

The Spinners to comedians like Bob Zany, the live entertainment St. Louis has so much offer to not only traveling visitors but its at Argosy’s Music Hall is second to none. The world-famous loyal residents. With other popular areas such as Lafeyette Square, Chippendales make ladies’ night appearances, drawing the wilder Forest Park and West Port Plaza, you could fill this entire magazine crowd from the metro area. with all there is to do. This listing of places to stay, play, eat and be Hungry? The Outfitters Grill at Argosy is the perfect place to entertained barely scathes the surface of the unmatched Gateway dine no matter what you are craving. Serving succulent steaks, City. I hope you can visit some of these places on your next trip mouthwatering seafood and pasta dishes, the dining pleasures at there. I promise you won’t regret it!

Outfitters Grill are unforgettable. The culinary specialties along with captivating ambiance create a meal you will come back for again and Courtney is Southern Gaming's Destination Guru, again. The Key West Bar at Argosy is a more casual eating space profiling the hottest attractions across the South! where fans go to take in their favorite sporting events while sipping Please e-mail Courtney at: drinks delivered personally by friendly cocktail servers. During cbisig@southerngaming.com if you have travel suggestions or tips for your fellow gamers. halftime, Key West Bar customers enjoy games of video poker and a night of laughter with their friends.

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Horseracing

I live in close proximity to a delightful thoroughbred racetrack named Tampa Bay Downs. My local oval is open from mid-December until the day after the Kentucky Derby, and during Tampa’s live meet, I take every opportunity to frequent this sun-drenched alcazar dedicated to the “Sport of Kings.” I am pleased to say that I have befriended some of the racetrack’s operating o f f icials (C a t h y D w y er, simulcast coordinator and Richard Grunder, track announcer), and, naturally, some of the regular faces in the crowd have become quite familiar.

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

Horseracing: Lessons in Equine Indexing

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Early last March while ordering a cup of coffee at the Clubhouse Turn Café, I overheard a patron boisterously proclaim to everyone within earshot that he had caught the daily double for $116. Now normally my spirit would revel alongside such a celebration, but here’s the thing: Three weeks earlier, I saw this exact same soul shouting obscenities in the men’s room because he had visited the ATM on three separate occasions since coming through the turnstiles.

Now there isn’t one of us out there who always wins, but if you swipe the plastic with any kind of regularity while gaming, chances are your balance sheet is bleeding red.

Now understand I don’t judge, in fact recently, I’ve burned through a few c-notes myself. However I can report to the penny how much has been donated to the counting room’s coffers over any sustained time period, because I write down every single one of my wagers.

If one is serious about making money at the ponies, they must treat the endeavor like a business, and that entails a detailed recording of all transactions. I often receive a response coated with disgust if I float this hypothesis out to one of my brethren, for the mythology is largely viewed as being too time consuming. Well, I’ll admit that cataloging every individual snippet of action may require some fresh discipline, but doing so simply makes for a better horseplayer.

In most instances when a losing betting slip hits the ground, the handicapper does a “brain dump,” then moves toward the next race. In this scenario, the reason for defeat is never fully scrutinized. If a handicapper charts the day’s plays, though, he is able to go back and discover the error of his ways and take steps to ensure a similar faus pax will be avoided in the future.

If a player wishes to better himself using this technique, a small investment is required. Any old spiral notebook will not do for the task of registering wagers because there must be stout attention to detail. To reap the full reward of equine documentation, you’ve got to grab a

hammer, break the piggy bank and scrape together enough loose change to purchase a four-column accounting pad.

Now w hen char ting bets, it’s imperative to be specific. In every instance, I personally Eric Floyd note the date, track, condition of the strip, race number, thoroughbred’s name(s), post position, wager amount and type of bet (Ex: 2/28 - Tampa Bay Downs (fast) - Race 1 - Flying the Flag (#7) - $2 Place).

After the race is completed and posted official, I proceed to enter my results. The first column is reserved for winning bets and, in this instance, Flying the Flag returned $3.80 in the place pool. After I subtract my initial investment of $2, I am left with a profit of $1.80, which is entered into the first column. If Flying the Flag would have failed to crack the top two positions, I would have entered ($2) into the second column that is reserved for losses.

When my session comes to a close, I tally up the day’s plays (in this case, I won $29.30) and enter the results into the third column. After every session hereafter, this number will be adjusted accordingly, thus forever eliminating balance speculation. In the ledger’s fourth column, I record expenses incurred while gambling. This might seem like overkill, but programs, gas, concession food and tips all erode the bankroll. Only after the player realizes the “cost” of gaming will he conceive ways to reduce this collateral outflow.

All of us who periodically chase greenbacks know that when Lady Luck vanishes from the scene, things get dicey — but that is when our book of numbers serves its greatest purpose. Being able to see how much you are down is a very sobering reality and tends to decelerate one’s compulsion to chase losses. The practice of documenting wagers will also reveal your overall strengths and weaknesses as a handicapper. For instance, after evaluating several of my sessions from early last year, it was obvious that throttling down my exacta play was imperative. On the other hand, I was surprised to discover a winning percent of .750 with regards to place and show wagers. Over the next few months, I employed a new strategy using these statistics and slowly erased my debt!

In closing, it is probably clear that applying the approach described above will take a dash of serious commitment, but then again, name me something of worth that doesn’t. Take the challenge and perhaps someday you’ll be included in the sparse 3 percent of horseplayers who consistently walk out a winner.

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

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Pari-Mutuel Planning: TOp Race Dates of 2011

By Eric Floyd

be anxious to renew their love affair with the ponies. These romantics should shift their focus toward beautiful South Florida where the Donn Handicap will unfold within the enchanted and luxurious confines of Gulfstream Park. Inaugurated in 1959, the Donn is restricted to equines at least 4 years in age and is contested over 1 ⅛ miles of ground for a purse of $500,000. Last year this traditional prep for the Dubai World Cup was captured by the Todd Pletcher-trained Quality Road, who broke his own track record under legendary jockey John Velazquez.

Santa Anita Handicap — March 5, 2011 — Santa Anita Racecourse — Arcadia, California

T h e D o n n H a n di c a p at Gulfstream Park kicks off the 2011 schedule of premier horseracing dates.

Everyday horseracing is certainly exciting, but figuring the next epic equine clash is the reason why many horseplayers (including myself) get up in the morning. The following pages contain the foremost horseracing dates of 2011 that should be written into any fan’s calendar who wishes to behold the very best our sport has to offer. Now I understand many of you currently view financial fluctuation as horseracing’s ultimate end, but my personal perspective is that money comes and money goes.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am as interested in a buck as the next guy, but in my heart, selecting the winner of a marquee equine event transcends a temporary and ultimately fleeting fiscal surge.

Presently you may not believe and even scoff at this notion, but if you choose to travel down the road, this article paves the way for you to plan accordingly.

Donn Handicap — February 5, 2011 — Gulfstream Park — Hallandale Beach, Florida

After spending the month of January working overtime to pay off the holiday bills, the zealous horseplayer will undoubtedly 44

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

Thanks to the movie “Seabiscuit,” even casual race-goers are familiar with this 1¼ mile contest that was first held in 1935.

Originally tagged the “Hundred Grander” due to its 100K purse, which was unheard of at the time, the “Big Cap” is presently worth $750,000 and is open to runners at least 4 years in age.

Seabiscuit was able to conquer virtually every obstacle in his wake after being purchased by owner Charles Howard and falling into the healing hands of trainer Tom Smith, but he found the 1937 Santa Anita Handicap’s wire to be rather elusive. After being edged out in the 1938 “Big Cap” and rupturing a suspensory ligament in his left front leg, it finally looked like the Biscuit’s time had passed, but eventually this tenacious equine spirit recuperated and came off the bench after a year layoff to capture the 1940 “Hundred Grander” under regular jockey Red Pollard.

In 2010, Misremembered took the “Big Cap” for three-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert. Handicappers should note the synthetic surface that was installed in 2007 has been replaced, and this year the Santa Anita Handicap will be run over conventional dirt.

Dubai World Cup — March 26, 2011 — Meydan Racecourse — Dubai UAE

There is more than one reason some owners will eagerly ship their prize runner to Dubai this March to run 2,000 meters (about 1¼ miles) over a very unfamiliar strip. In fact, there are 10 million of them. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the Monarch of Dubai, founder of Godolphin Racing Stable and creator of a horserace now worth $10,000,000. Last year the Sheikh introduced the world to his $1.25 billion version of equine utopia, the horseracing city of Meydan. The Dubai World Cup is run over a Tapeta Footings synthetic surface and is open

P hoto C redit: A dam C oglianese , New Y ork R acing A ssociation

t h e 14 2 n d t r av e r s s ta k e s will run at Saratoga Race Course in late August. to Northern Hemisphere thoroughbreds at least 4 years in age and Southern Hemisphere runners that have reached their third birthday. The Brazilian-bred Gloria de Campeao went to the early lead in the 2010 Dubai World Cup then survived a threehorse photo to score at odds of 25-1 avenging a distant runner-up effort to Well Armed in 2009.

Wood Memorial — April 2, 2011 — Aqueduct Racecourse — Ozone Park/ Queens, New York

Inaugurated in 1925 and named after New York state politician Eugene D. Wood, it can be argued that this 1 1/8 mile race for 3-year-olds worth $750,000 is the most historically important stop on the road to the Kentucky Derby. Eleven winners of the Wood Memorial have worn the roses, and four of these runners went on to sweep thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown. The Wood was run at Jamaica Racecourse until the venue closed in 1960 and has since been held at the Aqueduct strip in Ozone Park, N.Y. The most famous loser of this contest is Secretariat, who finished third behind Angle Light and Sham in 1973. Eddie Arcaro leads all jockeys with nine Wood victories, and “Sunny” Jim Fitzsimmons heads all conditioners with seven trips to the winner’s circle. After Eskendereya romped home in last year’s Wood by 9¾ lengths, he was made the early favorite for the Kentucky Derby. Unfortunately, a case of front-leg swelling ultimately forced this hopeful into a premature retirement.

Florida Derby — April 3, 2011 — Gulfstream Park — Hallandale, Florida

How relevant is this 1 ⅛ mile, million-dollar route for 3-yearolds when it comes to the first Saturday in May? Well, over the last decade, three winners of the Florida Derby have gone on to have a blanket of roses draped across their shoulders a month later underneath the Twin Spires. Since its inauguration in 1952, a dozen thoroughbreds have turned the Florida/Kentucky Derby double, and last year’s winner Ice Box certainly would have added his name to this list if not for an absolutely horrendous trip in Louisville. Players should note the Gulfstream main track has a propensity to favor speed, so when handicapping the Florida Derby, look long and hard at frontrunners with experience over the strip.

Kentucky Derby — May 7, 2011 — Churchill Downs — Louisville, Kentucky

The pageantry of the Kentucky Derby is so immense that it

easily trumps the last 10 profiled races added up collectively.

The “Run for the Roses” doesn’t boast the world’s largest purse or even the land’s most valuable trophy, but no matter what anyone says, this is the race that every soul in our game longs to capture. People who don’t watch a horserace all year still voice their opinion on the first jewel of the Triple Crown, because, like the stars embroidered into Old Glory, this 136-year-old event is a predominant element in America’s culture. From a logistical standpoint, the Kentucky Derby is run over 1 ¼ miles, is restricted to 3-year-olds carrying 126 pounds (121 pounds for fillies) and offers a purse of $2,000,000. These specifications fall by the wayside on the first Saturday in May, though, because the Derby’s savoir-faire runs much deeper than, dare I say, the century-old roots of Kentucky Bluegrass. The “Greatest Two Minutes in Sports” is not just about the thoroughbreds (even though they are my favorite part), it is about the Twin Spires, mint juleps, a blanket of roses, ladies in grandiose hats, the singing of “My Old Kentucky Home,” the scent of spring and a $2 license to dream! So when the time draws near, no matter what the cost, clear your schedule and take in the race that embodies everything good about “The Sport of Kings.”

Preakness Stakes — May 21, 2011 — Pimlico Racecourse — Baltimore, Mariland

In the early part of the 20th century, many a horsemen cherished winning the Preakness Stakes over the Kentucky Derby. In fact, due to the fierce competition that arose between the Maryland and Louisville Jockey Clubs to attract the nation’s top thoroughbreds, these two events were actually held on the same day in 1917 and 1922. The Preakness is now permanently set for the third week in May (two weeks after the Derby) and is a 1 3/16 race for 3-yearolds worth $1,100,000. Another historically unstable aspect of the Preakness aside from the date has been its distance, and before settling on the current length of 9½ furlongs, the second jewel of the Triple Crown was contested at: a mile, a mile and 70 yards, 1 1/16 miles, 1 ⅛ miles, 1¼ miles and 1½ miles. While the current span between the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes allows for adequate thoroughbred recuperation (some trainers would probably strongly disagree with me), the first two Triple Crown champions were asked to endure a regiment unheard by today’s standards. In 1919, Sir Barton won the Preakness just four days after his Derby triumph, and 11 years later in 1930, Gallant Fox Vol um e 13 I ssue 1

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P hoto C redit: B reeders' C up, LT D

H e av i ly f av o r e d Z e n yat ta lost to Blame by a nose in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic. secured the feature at Old Hilltop (Pimlico Racecourse) eight days before running in Louisville. Spoils of the Preakness include a blanket of black-eyed susans and a replica of the Woodlawn Vase that was crafted by Tiffany and Co. This piece of hardware, which dates back to 1861, is the most valuable trophy in American sports and brings to mind an old Maryland sentiment that goes: “The (Kentucky) Derby is a race of aristocrat fleetness, for horses of worth that will run in the Preakness!”

Belmont Stakes — June 11, 2011 — Belmont Park — Elmont, New York

The primary reason we are currently in the throngs of a record 32-year Triple Crown drought is a race us diehards like to call the “Test of Champions.” Since 1979, 11 runners have won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, but all have failed to negotiate the million-dollar 1½-mile Belmont Stakes and become thoroughbred racing’s 12th Triple Crown Champion.

In 1998, Real Quiet seemed poised to etch his name among the sport’s immortals but was inched out at the Belmont wire by the deep-closing Victory Gallop. Though this is the closest any thoroughbred has come to inking the ultimate accomplishment on their resume over the last three-plus decades, many horseplayers consider Smarty Jones the most talented 3-yearold of our generation. This runner reached the 2004 Belmont Stakes with an undefeated record, but his place in history was thwarted by a 36-1 shot named Birdstone. For all the heartache the Belmont has dished out over the years, Big Sandy (Belmont Park) was the stage for the moment that defined excellence in America’s thoroughbred racing culture. On June 9, 1973, Secretariat obliterated his four Belmont rivals by 31 lengths in route to capturing racing’s ninth Triple Crown Championship.

Big Red’s margin of victory and world record time of 2:24 still remains the measuring stick of all equine exploits to this very day.

Travers Stakes — Late August — Saratoga Racecourse — Saratoga Springs, New York

The Travers Stakes dates back to 1864, which makes it the oldest organized thoroughbred horserace in North America.

Known by many turf aficionados as the “Mid-Summer Derby,” this $1,000,000 contest for 3-year-olds covers 1¼ miles and was named after William R. Travers, one of the co-founders of Saratoga Racecourse. Man O War (widely regarded as the early 20th century’s finest thoroughbred) added the Travers title to 46

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

his resume in 1920, and to this day, the winning owner of the “Mid-Summer Derby” is awarded a replica of the Tiffany and Co.-crafted Man O War Cup. Saratoga Racecourse has two well known nicknames, and those who refer to it as “The Spa” have likely experienced the excessive heat and humidity the region serves up to patrons on most days of the six-week meet that runs through Labor Day. “The Graveyard of Favorites” is another popular synonym for Saratoga, and as countless discarded betting slips can testify, the chalk has failed to deliver more than its fair share of times at “The Spa.” The biggest upset in Travers’ history occurred in 1930 when a 100-1 shot named Jim Dandy bested Triple Crown Champion Gallant Fox by six lengths. Due to its rich tradition and culture-laden surroundings, Saratoga Racecourse remains a must-see for those who relish the “Sport of Kings.” Those fortunate enough to visit the area should be sure to stop in Siro’s Steakhouse, a Southern Gaming favorite!

Breeders’ Cup Classic — November 5, 2011 — Churchill Downs — Louisville, Kentucky

The Two-Day Breeders' Cup Championships culminates with this 1¼-mile contest open to 3-year-olds that is worth a cool $5,000,000 clams. Even though the Classic’s purse is 50 percent less than that of the Dubai World Cup, you can be sure that whoever emerges victorious from this gauntlet will automatically secure an inside route to winning national “horse of the year” honors. The 2010 edition of the Classic provided an unforgettable scene, and even though defending Breeders’ Cup Classic Champion Zenyatta fell short in her quest for a 20th consecutive victory, this mare’s magnetic persona left an indelible brand on the hearts of racing fans everywhere. The biggest upset in the 28-year history of the Breeders’ Cup occurred in 1993 when an invader from France named Arcangues scored in the Classic at odds of 133-1 ($269.20 win mutual) under hall-of-fame jockey Jerry Bailey. The only horse to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic twice is Tiznow, who turned the double in 2000 and 2001. Each of Tiznow’s victories came at the expense of the European contingent, and as a 3-year-old, this son of Cee’s Tizzy emerged victorious after a stirring stretch duel in the Churchill Downs’ lane vs. the great Irish Champion Giant’s Causeway. Though this act was a hard one to follow, Tiznow’s encore the following year at Belmont Park solidified his place in the annals of thoroughbred racing. Headed by Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe Champion Sakhee deep in the Belmont Park straightaway, Tiznow summoned an untapped gear and re-rallied to win by a nostril for America.

I sincerely wish that 2011 unfolds as the luckiest year ever for the readers and sponsors of Southern Gaming and Destinations.

For all my horseracing brethren out there, be sure to check out this month’s tip column for a slice of advice guaranteed to help you get the most out of the handicapping skill currently in your possession. I will see all of you in the fall underneath the Twin Spires for the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships!

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

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bok homa casino Bryce Warren - General Manager Bok Homa Casino - Sandersville, Mississippi

is slated to host some of the biggest headliners. When it comes to catering to the desires of gamblers, the tribal council simply knows what works. Their latest project comes in the form of more of a boutique-style casino near Sandersville, Miss., called Boka Homa Casino. The 27,000-square-foot facility will be a slot player’s paradise, and the customer service is priority No. 1 when it comes to pleasing their guests.

We caught up with General Manager Bryce Warren to share his vision on this exciting new property in Mississippi.

Southern Gaming: What is your history in the gaming industry and with the Choctaw Indian Tribe?

Br yc e Wa r r e n is the General Manager at Bok Homa Casino The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians have enjoyed the success of Pearl River Resort in Philadelphia, Miss., for many years. The premium property is home to the Silver Star Hotel & Casino, two championship golf courses, a water park and an array of fine dining establishments. In addition, they have also converted what was once known as Golden Moon Casino into a top-notch entertainment complex known as The Arena, which 48

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

Bryce Warren: I started in 1981 with Boyd Gaming and worked my way up. I worked in Henderson, Nev., and then went to Philadelphia, Miss., to work at Silver Star Casino. I had a relationship with the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians because we managed the property for them. I was there when it opened and remained there as general manager for about six years. After spending some time with other endeavors, I am really excited about working with them again because I really love it here.

SG: What can gamblers expect at Bok Homa Casino?

BW: The property opened up on Dec. 20 with a special performance by Whayne Newton, and it is beautiful. It is 27,000 square-feet and has a very well-designed, high-limit player’s room, a great bar and an area where we like to host live entertainment. We have almost 800 slot machines, and more than 300 of them are brand new. We actually have a line of Bally Gaming Slots on the casino floor that were never played in Mississippi before our opening. We have some machines with

iTouch technology on them — it’s just like the iPhone, and they are incredible with graphics that are absolutely amazing. We also have two electronic blackjack tables and a really exciting electronic roulette table that is popular.

SG: Other than the latest and greatest gaming products, what else are you focusing on to attract players to the property?

BW: We are definitely excited about all of the gaming technology, but our focus here is customer service, professionalism and making sure people want to come back and have a good time.

We have a casual restaurant called Lucky’s as well as some other areas that our players enjoy. I think the property has an incredible amount of opportunity. It reminds me a lot of the Silver Star when we first opened. We’ve got a great location just six miles east of Interstate 59, and I just think it has great opportunities.

My hope is that four to six months down the road, we can begin discussions about expanding.

SG: The Choctaw Nation has a very strong reputation for superior gaming product with the Silver Star and Golden Moon. With the opening of Bok Homa Casino, what can gamers expect when they visit?

BW: I think the atmosphere is absolutely fantastic. When you walk in, the colors and amenities are really nice — from the restaurant to the high-limit room. Since my focus is on customer service, I want people to come in here and feel like it’s a family atmosphere and not just some place to come in and spend your money.

SG: What is the meaning behind the name of the casino?

BW: The actual spelling is B-o-g-u-e. Bok Homa is one of the eight tribal communities in Mississippi. Bogue means creek, and Homa means red. We have integrated Red Creek into our logo and other elements around the property.

SG: Do you see the company competing with market share of Pearl River, or is it a separate audience?

BW: I don’t really see that competition happening. We might get some people from the lower part of Meridian coming to the property, but our market will be more of the metropolitan area in Hattiesburg and Laurel, which has probably 150,000 people.

I also think we are going to attract people from Alabama. We have a good market right here. I think more of our competitors are going to be Vicksburg and the Gulf Coast.

SG: Will there be a reciprocal partnership between the Players Club at Boka Homa and the Players Advantage programs operated at Pearl River?

BW: Absolutely. Our customers will be able to use their player’s card at Boka Homa and earn points just like they you would at the Silver Star or Golden Moon. The programs are interchangeable, and we are excited about that element and feel it is important to have the connectivity between them.

SG: What is the No. 1 thing you want people to know about Bok Homa that will make them come try it out?

BW: We are in a great location, we have great product on the floor, and we have friendly team members that will make you feel at home. That’s what it’s all about.

For more information about Boka Homa Casino, call 1-866-447-3275 or visit bokhomacasino.com.

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

Vol um e 13 I ssue 1

49

Q&A with John G. A Slot Potpourri

By John Grochowski

Are you a Slot Aficionado? Test your skills by answering the following questions about the one-armed bandits!

1. A coin cup atop the video screen or reel window of a slant-top slot machine means:

A) The machine is out of order B) The machine is occupied by a player taking a break C) The machine is out of coins and needs a hopper fill

2. Playing more than one machine at a time:

A) Narrows the house edge B) Ensures the player of finding at least one loose machine C) Costs the player more money in the long run

3. Jackpots are paid by hand:

A) When they’re over $500 B) When they’re over $1,000 C) When they’re too big for the coin capacity of the hopper

4. Casinos usually place their highest-paying machines:

A) Near table games B) At the end of rows C) Near the elevators D) None of the above

Answers: 1. B. A coin cup left at a slot machine is occupied by a player taking a break. Other signals used by players include leaving jackets or sweaters on chairs or stools by the machines, or leaving drinks or cigarettes on the machines themselves. I’ve seen players leave personal belongings, including wallets and purses, on machines. That, of course, is unwise and an invitation to theft. It’s OK to take breaks during play and expect your machine to be waiting for you when you get back. Just be sure the breaks are of reasonable length, such as a bathroom or drink break.

Saving the machine while you go play a different game for a while or take a nap is not reasonable.

2. C. Playing more than one machine costs the player more money in the long run. Many players think that of two machines placed side by side, one is bound to be hot. That is not necessarily the case — and even if it were, playing two machines would still lead to bigger long-term losses than playing one. That’s because even on “loose” machines, the casino has an edge. Not only that, but a customer can play each of the two machines nearly as fast as playing just one by pushing one machine’s 50

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

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

buttons while reels are spinning on the other. That doubles the risk.

Let’s say I’ve found two, two-coin $1 machines sitting side by side. By chance, I’ve hit it lucky — one of my machines is a 98-percent payback slot; the other returns an average of 95 percent in the long run. If I just play the 95-percenter for an hour at 500 spins per hour, I risk $1,000 and on the average lose $50. But let’s say I play both machines at a slightly slower 400 spins per hour instead. Now on the 95-percenter, I risk $800 and on the average lose $40. On the 98-percenter, I risk $800 and lose $16. My total losses rise to $56 per hour — more than if I’d just stayed with the weaker machine. And that’s if I hit it lucky and hit upon a high-paying machine. What if I’ve found two average machines? Now I’ve doubled my risk without increasing the rewards on either. What if one of them is an ice-cold 85-percenter? Ouch!

3. C. Jackpots are paid by hand when they are too big for the capacity of the hopper. On both quarter and nickel machines, I’ve had the hopper spit out as many as 2,000 coins. On the other hand, on dollar machines with their larger tokens taking up more hopper space, I’ve hand pays as small as $400. We tend to think of hand-paid jackpots as being large sums, the kind of hits that will guarantee us coming home with a profit. But I’ve had hand-pays of less than $20 on some of the new 100-coin penny slots. Of course, $20 amounts to 2,000 pennies, a bit much for the machine to process. In addition, really big wins are paid by hand, regardless of hopper capacity. The IRS requires the casino to have the player sign form W2-G before paying one-spin winnings of $1,200 or more.

4. D. Neither table games at the end of rows or near the elevators are places you’re particularly likely to find high-paying slots. A casino slot director once told me that particular myth is so widespread that he had taken to placing weak-playing machines at the ends of rows. In his book “Break the One-Armed Bandits,” Frank Scoblete interviewed a casino executive he called “Mr. Handle” on placement of slots. Mr. Handle told Frank to look for machines that were highly visible, that players could see from a variety of angles. Then everyone would be sure to see the fellow players winning and perhaps would take up positions at lower-paying machines. Shortly after the book came out, I was walking through Circus Circus on a wide walkway leading from one gaming area to another. There I saw it — the machine that was visible from every angle, the one that everyone who passed through this walkway would see, regardless of what direction they were walking. I had two quarters in my pocket — not enough for a fair test at all. I dropped them in the slot. Bam! Triple Bar! Triple Bar! Triple Bar! About 160 quarters came pouring into the tray. Evidence of a winning formula? No, this was nowhere near a serious test. It was just random chance, a one-time freak pull. But I gave Frank a hearty “Thanks!” next time I saw him.

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Blackjack

Players are always looking for ways to get an edge at the casino. In blackjack, basic strategy cards have always been popular to learn the most optimal ways to play the game. The pocket-sized cards contain mathematically correct basic playing strategy imprinted on them in an easy-touse colored table. Smart players use strategy cards when they play so they can always make the correct decision with their hands. There is one strategy card, however, that is unique because it contains not only the traditional basic strategy, but also a more powerful advanced basic playing strategy. To get the lowdown on the Ultimate Basic Strategy Card, I interviewed the card’s developer, Don Schlesinger, author of “Blackjack Attack: Playing The Pros’ Way.”

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

Blackjack: Ultimate Basic Strategy Card

52

Henry Tamburin: How and why did you develop the Ultimate Basic Strategy Card?

Don Schlesinger: It has been a well-known fact for many years that a slight improvement to traditional basic strategy can be realized by considering not simply the total of the player’s cards but also the individual cards that comprise the hand. Examples of such a compositiondependent basic strategy (C-D BS), as opposed to a totaldependent (T-D) strategy, were featured prominently in the late Peter Griffin’s masterwork, “The Theory of Blackjack.” However, although there were dozens of varieties of basic strategy cards on the market, I had never seen any that incorporated the C-D plays. So, we set out to build a better mousetrap! I would like to acknowledge the work of Cacarulo, one of the masters of blackjack on my website “Don’s Domain” (www.

AdvantagePlayer.com), for his outstanding contributions to the development of the “Ultimate Blackjack Strategy Card.”

HT: What is the difference between traditional basic s trategy and your Ultimate Basic Strategy?

DS: One example is if the first two cards add to 12, they really don’t care if the two cards are 7-5, 8-4, 9-3 or T-2.

They figure, “Twelve is 12 — what’s the difference?”

But, in certain circumstances, and especially in singledeck blackjack, there really is a difference in the correct way to play those hands, primarily against the dealer’s upcards of 4, 5 or 6. Here is another example. Suppose you are playing in a double-deck game, and you are dealt T-2 (total of 12) vs. the dealer’s 4. What is the correct basic strategy play? Most basic strategists will tell you that when you have 12 against the dealer’s 4, you are supposed to stand. But, in this case, it’s the wrong play.

Hitting is superior to standing by a small margin.

Sometimes, a C-D play involves the number of cards in your hand. Most basic strategy players know that regardless of the number of decks we are playing against, it is best to hit our two-card holding of 16 vs. the dealer’s

T (assuming that surrender is not permitted). But, what if our 16 is composed of three cards, such as 9, 3 and 4? Do we still hit? It turns out that standing is the better play.

Without get ting into ridiculous detail, there Henry Tamburin are about a dozen such plays where the content of the hand, and not just the total of the cards, can alter the traditional basic strategy play.

HT: Can you explain the format of the Ultimate Blackjack Strategy cards and the accompanying information sheet?

DS: Again, we have Cacarulo to thank for the original concept, and Viktor Nacht, the proprietor of RGE Publishing, for the attractive and highly functional layout and design. Most basic strategy cards traditionally furnish the player’s hand vertically, down a left-hand column, while listing the dealer’s possible upcards horizontally, across the top of the card. Where a row for the player’s hand and a column for the dealer’s card intersect, we find the correct basic strategy play. Our cards improve on this scheme by adding a second column for the player’s hand, where the distinction is made, when applicable, between the T-D and the C-D plays.

If need be, the box in which the correct BS play is to be found will be split, to accommodate the two versions of “correct” basic strategy. Thus, in the beginning, the novice might choose to follow the advice of the T-D plays only. Later, for more accuracy and precision, the C-D plays can be added to the player’s repertoire, thus raising his or her game to the “ultimate” level.

The cards themselves are multi-color, tri-fold laminates and can be purchased separately, or in sets, for singledeck, double-deck and multi-deck games. Each card has four distinct charts to account for when the dealer hits or stands on a total of soft 17, and for when the player is or is not permitted to double down after splitting a pair. Thus, no matter what the rules of the game, there is a separate card one may consult. Also included in the tri-fold is a “Quick Reference: Playing Decisions & Definitions” panel, which explains all of the terminology and how to use the cards.

Also included with the cards is a pocket-sized, 12-page, folded “Information Sheet,” which goes into greater detail than can be furnished on the cards and provides many examples of the finer points of basic strategy.

Don's Ultimate Basic Strategy Cards can be purchased at www.bjinsider.com. The price for the set of three strategy cards covering single, double and multiple deck games is $16.25 (plus S&H). The book Blackjack Attack: Playing the Pros' Way can be purchased on Amazon.com.

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

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whats hot in las vegas Sin City Spotlight

By Kellee K unovic

suites with private terraces, smart amenities such as a sunlightfilled casino, multi-level pools, a desert-inspired spa and Turkish hammam (bath), a fine selection of decadent dining and an eclectic collection of shops including nine retailers new to Las Vegas, such as Beckley and CRSVR sneaker boutique, both from California, and Amsterdam’s Droog, a home furnishings store.

All the while, it strives to foster an appreciation for art with its rotating artist-in-residence shows.

Expectations are high for the dining scene at Cosmopolitan.

CEO John Unwin, the visionary behind the venture, is a selfproclaimed foodie. He believes he has selected the right mix of restaurants and is confident that guests are in good hands. There is room for little doubt; the cast of chefs and restaurateurs is starstudded. Chef Scott Conant of Food Network fame has brought his acclaimed Scarpetta to Las Vegas, and we are also treated to D.O.C.G., his wine bar. José Andrés continues to fuel the tapas craze with Jaleo. Additionally, he brings an innovative concept by marrying Chinese and Mexican fare at China Pablano.

Restaurateur Costas Spiliadis introduces Greek to the Las Vegas Strip by way of Milos Estiatorio. Other fine choices include the Bromberg Brothers’ Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill, Holsteins, STK, The Henry, Va Bene Caffè and the Wicked Spoon Buffet.

T h e c o s m o p o l i ta n o f L a s V eg a s is the newest resort in Sin City.

It’s no secret Las Vegas is a gambling city. It is staying true to its roots by betting big on a triumphant new year. This year arrives in the wake of the most challenging time in Las Vegas’ history.

However, even when the chips are down, the city evolves to gain the winning hand. Las Vegas is welcoming visitors to see what is hot, new and ever-changing. The city invites you to come and bask in all of its simple pleasures.

At the heart of the strip, the newest kid on the block is The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The casino-resort celebrated its grand opening on Dec. 15, 2010. Its arrival has set the bar for the future of Las Vegas, since no openings are planned for the coming years. The unprecedented resort delivers 2,995 luxurious 54

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

The redevelopment of downtown has given new life to Fremont Street, specifically, the area known as Fremont East. This walkable entertainment district is an extension of the Fremont Street Experience tourist attraction. Classic neon signs dot the street from the famed canopy to El Cortez to pave the way to Fremont East. This area offers an assorted mix of bars, clubs and cafes along Fremont Street from Las Vegas Boulevard to Eighth Street. The district continues one block north of Fremont Street to Ogden Avenue and one block south to Carson Avenue. Venues such as The Beauty Bar, The Griffin, Downtown Cocktail Room and Don’t Tell Mama Piano Bar set the tone to create this new nightlife and cultural scene. Newer additions are Vanguard Lounge, Azul Tequila Nightclub, Maharaja Hookah Café, The Beat Coffeehouse and Emergency Arts. A monthly cultural event known as First Friday takes place the first Friday of every month (from 6-10 p.m.) and is the perfect excuse to visit the Fremont East district as well as neighboring downtown galleries and stores.

Photo Credit: Caesars Entertainment

C AE s a r s Pa l a c e will host the return of Celine Dion in the Colosseum.

It’s a safe bet that the best gridiron action this year will be in the Las Vegas race and sports books. The Bellagio race and sports book is one of the most luxurious to make bets and follow the action. Tailored to high-rolling sports fans, the Bellagio also has some of the highest betting limits in town. When the Las Vegas Hilton sports book opened in 1986, it set the standard for race and sports books. It’s still a favorite today, and it is known as the original “SuperBook.” If you’re seeking a more intimate experience, Planet Hollywood’s race and sports book is cleverly designed, making every seat perfect for optimum viewing.

Crowds flock to Las Vegas to witness the frenzy that is March Madness. From Rounds One and Two to the Sweet 16 and the Final Four, there are special events and viewing parties that cater to NCAA fans. Planet Hollywood hosts the ultimate viewing party on the mezzanine level. It is open to the general public with no cover charge. Satellite sports betting stations are available, and stadium-style food including hot dogs, pretzels and nachos are sold.

Las Vegas race and sports books are also the perfect place to view and wager on the Triple Crown races and Breeders’ Cup. Horseplayers will find the atmosphere for the Derby is just as contagious in Las Vegas as Churchill Downs. When it comes to betting, there are, of course, the traditional options: win, place and show as well as exactas (the first two horses in exact order) and trifectas (the first three horses in exact order). Casinos looking to make the race as wager-friendly as possible offer many different types of “exotic” bets designed to entice gamblers.

Among the most popular betting opportunities is the two-horse match-up, which pits one horse against another; the horse with the better finish wins. Bally’s and Caesars Palace race books are favorites of many horseracing fans, since both offer ample seating and TV monitors devoted to the ponies. Furthermore, the Wynn race book is unique in that it takes horseracing future bets, including the Breeders’ Cup and the Kentucky Derby. Also, at

Wynn, all of the race bettors have Interactive Personal Terminal machines at the seats in the book, allowing them to place bets on horse races without having to go to the betting windows.

If it is the live action of sports that you find thrilling, Las Vegas offers that as well. Las Vegas Motor Speedway entertains racing fans with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, March 4-6, 2011, the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals, April 1-3 and finally the Las Vegas NHRA Nationals, Oct. 27-30, 2011. UFC tickets are also among the hottest in town. Fights are regularly taking place at MGM Grand Garden Arena, Mandalay Bay Events Center and the Palms Resort and Casino. Check ticketmaster.com for listings. Let’s not forget the world's most prestigious rodeo event: The National Finals Rodeo takes place at the Thomas & Mack Center every December. Another event for rodeo fans is the Professional Bull Riders World Finals, held in Las Vegas every October. The PBR Rock Bar at Planet Hollywood is a great place to take in the action.

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) attracts the world’s best poker players each year, and 2011 will be no different. Rio Hotel & Casino will again host the event. This year will feature 57 events that will allow poker players the opportunity to walk away with the coveted WSOP 2011 Bracelet. The tournament began in 1970 as a single event with only seven players, but by 2006, it had grown to a month-long series of events culminating in the Main Event: the $10,000 No Limit Hold ’Em Championship. The Main Event peaked that year with a field of 8,773 and a prize pool of $82,512,162. To give an idea of how large that prize pool was, the top 12 finishers in the tournament all became millionaires.

There are plenty of ways to win your seat to the World Series of Poker Main Event through an online poker satellite tournament.

Nearly every online poker room gives away at least one seat, and some sites run mega poker satellite guarantees where they will give away a hundred or more seats in a single tournament. There will be a wide array of poker tournaments in 2011 with varying

Vol um e 13 I ssue 1

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and MGM Grand offer seasonal prix-fixe tasting menus. These promotions are a perfect way to sample some of those from the “top 10” on tighter purse strings. Alex offers a menu from $89, Bartolotta selection is $69 per person, and other fine-dining options start at $29. RM Upstairs and L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon have seasonal prix-fixe menus for $95. Other MGM restaurants offer menus from $34 per person.

M a n da l ay B ay closes the Lion King in 2011. buy-ins so that players of all bankrolls will be able to take part.

The biggest recent news in the Las Vegas entertainment world is the return of Celine Dion to Caesars’ Colosseum. Beginning March 15, 2011, Dion will be premiering a brand new show that celebrates the romance of classic Hollywood movies. The most noticeable change from the former production, “A New Day,” is the addition of a 31-piece orchestra and band onstage. “With the orchestra and the band, we’re going to be able to perform our songs like never before,” Dion said in a statement last year.

“The repertoire is going to be extraordinary ... a mix of timeless Hollywood classics, along with all the favorites that my fans like to hear me sing.” Dion has signed on for another three-year engagement in the Colosseum and will perform about 70 shows a year. The ticket price ranges from $55-$250 (before taxes and service charges).

Another sure must-see Sin City favorite is “Jersey Boys” at The Venetian, a documentary-style musical about Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, one of the most popular rock ’n’ roll bands on the 1960s. The main character is Valli, but it was Tommy DeVito, the group’s founder, and song composer Bobby Gaudio who make the story interesting. The show starts off in the 1960s with four young men from an undesirable part of New Jersey playing the fighting roles of the underdog. It is amazing watching these four men come from nothing and end up selling 175 million records worldwide and becoming one of the most beloved groups of all time. If it wasn’t for music, these guys would have ended up in jail, in the mob or dead. “Jersey Boys” is one of the most engaging shows on the Strip and certainly not your typical musical. The vocal work to play Frankie Valli is so demanding that two actors (Travis Cloer and Rick Faugno) switch back and forth on the role. Overall, “Jersey Boys” was an amazing performance that I recommend for everyone to check out.

Newcomers to the dining scene were touched upon before with the mention of Cosmopolitan, but those should not outshine the gems with proven success on the Las Vegas Strip. The “top 10” of 50 essential restaurants were recently named in Eating Las Vegas.

The compilation is a guidebook filled with reviews from three restaurant critics who write for three Las Vegas alternative weekly publications. Those restaurants that have earned top distinction are Alex, BARMASA, Bartolotta, CUT, Joël Robuchon, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Picasso, Restaurant Guy Savoy, RM Upstairs and Twist. None of these will be light on the pocket book, but the splurge is certainly worthwhile. However, Wynn/Encore 56

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

Also, keep an eye out for happy hour specials and pre-theater menus. These provide a great opportunity to sample some of the valley’s best treats. Flemings, Ra Sushi, Seablue, American Fish, Johnny Smalls, Union, Stripsteak, and Japonais all have great deals on food and drink during happy hours. Fremont East even takes part. Downtown Cocktail Room has happy hour Monday-Friday, 4-8 p.m., with beers and snacks from $3, wine and cocktails from $5. Vanguard Lounge offers half-price drinks and $7 craft cocktails during happy hour, 4-7 p.m. daily.

Moreover, dining early at Le Cirque ($68), Michael Mina ($59) and American Fish ($55) will stretch your dollar, and other pre-theater menus will save some additional dough. Mirage restaurants offer menus from $39.99 at Stack, Fin, Kokomos and Onda.

If you’re looking for a place to wash down all those good eats, try favorites like Yard House, Freakin’ Frog, Aces & Ales, and Triple 7 Restaurant and Brewery. Yard House is not unique to Las Vegas, but the first location in Town Square was such a success, a second location opened at Red Rock Casino. Both are known for an extensive menu, classic rock music and a large selection of draft beer served from a center bar that showcases a fleet of tap handles ranging from classic lagers to more obscure ales. Freakin’ Frog, the popular watering hole on Maryland Parkway, is known for its 750 types of bottled beer, 15 rotating taps and its whisky attic that boasts 500 varieties. Aces & Ales has a unique offering: a full range of beer styles, from pilsners and imperial stouts to reds, hefeweizens and IPAs. They feature 22 beers on tap as well as 40+ bottled brews. Triple 7 Restaurant and Brewery features six varieties of the freshest hand-crafted beers in town, and $2 beers during happy hour also make it one of the best deals around.

The only sure bet in Las Vegas is change. To stay on top of Las Vegas happenings, iPhone and iPad users can access the city with their fingertips. Caesars Palace, Mandalay Bay and MGM Grand have their own concierge apps that provide useful information.

The apps are available for free download. Vegas Mate is a more comprehensive city guide. It is available for purchase ($1.99) online at the iTunes App Store.

Lastly, there are a few other tidbits that are worth a mention.

First, many hotels have already instated resort fees, but in 2011, all MGM Resort International properties will join them.

These resorts require their guests to pay “hidden” fees for use of amenities such as the spa, gym and Internet access. Caesars Entertainment (formerly Harrah’s Entertainment), however, has made the decision to stand out from the crowd by declaring its nine Las Vegas properties a no-resort-fee zone.

Yes, 2011 will be an exciting time for Las Vegas. The action never ends — will you be part of it?

Kellee Kunovic is freelance writer who fell head over heels for Las Vegas at 17 and knew one day it’d be home.

Six years later, in 2003, she and her husband relocated from Chicago, and they’ve been living the dream ever since. Her infatuation with Sin City has only grown, and she enjoys sharing insider tips in hopes to make everyone’s Las Vegas experience the best it can be. She has a passion for food, a great value and playing in the desert. She is always seeking her next adventure.

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My focus in this article is to get you re-motivated about golf! I get it, it’s winter, and golf may be the last thing on your mind at this point. You have probably spent the last few weeks celebrating the holidays with your family and doing pretty much anything but playing golf. However, now that it is January, you will soon be bit by the golfing bug once again. Whether it’s the start of the 2011 PGA Tour or a few nice days to remind you that spring is near, golf will once again be on your mind.

The big question is: “What can I do to avoid the almost certain slump that plagues me every winter?” Here are a few solutions to help you get your golf game ready for the 2011 season.

Writer, Colby Wollitz is a PGA-certified teaching pro at The Players Club of Henderson in Kentucky.

GOLF

Golf Tip: Winter Tune Up

58

Stay in Shape! If you’re like me, you have surrounded yourself with family and food during the holidays. In order to maintain the athleticism that it takes to play a good game of golf, you must get back into what I call “golf shape.” This does not mean that you need to spend two hours at the gym pumping iron every day. (Just look at John Daly!) However, getting out and walking or jogging whenever possible, or even doing some core exercises, will help get your body back into an athletic routine.

Take a Lesson. I know you may think taking a golf lesson when you can hardly play outside may seem pointless, but it is actually the opposite. Winter is my favorite time to work with students, because we can make serious technical changes without having to worry about immediate results. I give most of my winter lessons at Golf Plus, which has several hitting bays indoors. The great thing about hitting into a net is that we can focus more on what we are working on in our swing than what the ball is doing after we hit it. You may or may not know this, but most tour players make major swing changes over the winter. They do this because they realize that sometimes you have to take a step backward to take two steps forward, and they don’t want their step backward to happen in the middle of their tournament season.

Neither should you. That is why I encourage you to go to your local golf professional and take a lesson before the season starts. This lesson will help give you direction, improve your golf swing and hopefully excite you for the upcoming golf season!

Practice. Now, you might ask, “How do you expect me to practice when it’s 30 degrees outside and there is snow on the ground?” Keep in mind that practice does not always have to include hitting a golf ball.

Practice can be as simple as swinging a small weight or even remote control in your house. Simply making the swinging motion will give you the repetitions needed to familiarize yourself with the golf swing. With that being said, this option should be your bare minimum for practice. Ideally, I like my students to find an indoor driving range and spend at least one hour a week hitting golf balls. After all, there is no true substitute for the real thing. I also recommend working on your short game whenever possible. It is true that your feel is the first to go when you take significant time off from golf, which is why I ask my students to work on the following drills to maintain their touch: • Putting on Carpet — This one is simple ... practice putting from different distances on either your carpet or a small practice green that you can purchase from any golf retail store.

• Indoor Chipping/Pitching — For this drill, I recommend a soft foam ball or plastic golf ball.

Now, making sure that there is nothing breakable near you or your target, set up a small area where you can work on your chipping and pitching. Try to vary your trajectories and focus on contact and your target. By working on different types of wedge shots, you will no doubt be able to improve your touch and improve your technique.

• The “Tiger” Drill — I call this the “Tiger” Drill because it was made famous by Tiger Woods in a NIKE commercial. Although Tiger makes this look easy, some of you may find it near impossible at first. Again, for this drill, make sure that there is nothing breakable around you. Grab your wedge and a ball and simply try to bounce the ball off of your wedge as many times as you can. Start with your dominant hand. Can you get 10 bounces? How about 50? 100? Once you feel comfortable with your dominant hand, switch the club to your other hand and see how many times you can bounce the ball off your wedge without letting it fall. This drill will not only improve your touch but also give you a trick that you can use to impress your friends this spring!

I hope that you are as excited about the 2011 season as much as I am. The golf course is a great place to go to relax and spend time with friends and clients. The game of golf can take you to the most beautiful places in the world. Of course, we all know that it is much more enjoyable when we are playing well! Enjoy the rest of your winter, and don’t forget to take the necessary steps to prepare yourself for the upcoming golf season!

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

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Harrah’s New Orleans and Archie Manning Team up to Open Manning’s Restaurant on Fulton Square Harrah’s New Orleans and former New Orleans Saints quarterback, Archie Manning, are joining forces to open Manning’s, a restaurant and bar with an outdoor courtyard for dining and entertainment.

Archie Manning said he wanted to give back to his hometown by creating a sports experience that would be unique to New Orleans. The restaurant will be located right outside Harrah’s Casino and Hotel on Fulton Street. Fulton Square is also home to other fine dining restaurants and is the host of several annual festivals and attractions.

Harrah’s Fulton Street was introduced in 2003 and has since provided locals and visitors with some of the best in dining and entertainment.

Manning’s will only further the success of the area, bringing in sports fans from around the country.

The groundbreaking of Manning’s will be this month, and the venue is set to open this fall!

New Event center at Pearl River Resort Pearl River Resort’s Golden Moon Hotel & Casino, located in Philadelphia, Mississippi, recently opened a 75,000-square-foot entertainment facility called The Arena that will compete among the finest entertainment facilities in the nation. The Arena, which holds up to 4,500 people, will host a variety of national headlining acts in comedy, music, touring shows and other special performances.

The Golden Moon Event Center marked its grand opening on Jan. 1 with a performance by Martina McBride and Joe Nichols.

Pearl River chief operating officer Susan O’Connell is confident the center will provide the resort’s 2 million annual guests with the best entertainment in the region. For more information, visit PearlRiverResort.com

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

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

nGaming.com

Concert Calendar

Don't miss the hottest acts at the hottest casinos in the South! Visit SouthernGaming.com and use our Concert Connection Calendar to find concerts near you. You can search by location or date, and even buy your tickets!

Ja n ua ry 14-15 Rodney Carrington

Beau Rivage Resort & Casino

1-888-566-7469

BeauRivage.com

22

14

22 Tim Wilson with Donnie Baker

Belterra Casino Resort & Spa

(Vevay, Ind.)

1-888-BELTERRA

BelterraCasino.com

.38 Special Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256 HardRockBiloxi.com

14 The O’Jays

Pearl River Resort

1-866-44-PEARL

Pearlriverresort.com 14 Arnez J & Nephew Tommy

Sam’s Town Hotel & Casino (Tunica)

1-800-456-0711

SamsTownTunica.com 15 Earl Thomas Conley

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi)

1-877-877-6256

HardRockBiloxi.com 15 Musiq Soulchild

IP Casino Resort Spa (Biloxi)

1-888-946-2847

Ipbiloxi.com 16

Creedence Clearwater Revisited Paragon Casino Resort (Marksville, La.) 1-800-946-1946 ParagonCasinoResort.com

Huey Lewis Beau Rivage Resort & Casino 1-888-566-7469 BeauRivage.com

22 Tommy Cash

Paragon Casino Resort (Marksville, La.)

1-800-946-1946

ParagonCasinoResort.com 29 Uncle Kracker

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi)

1-877-877-6256

HardRockBiloxi.com 29 Comedian Arnez J and Special Guest Aries Spears

IP Casino Resort Spa (Biloxi)

1-888-946-2847

Ipbiloxi.com 29 Mickey Gilley

Belterra Casino Resort & Spa

(Vevay, Ind.)

1-888-BELTERRA

BelterraCasino.com F e b r ua ry

11

Vince Gill Paragon Casino Resort (Marksville, La.) 1-800-946-1946 ParagonCasinoResort.com

12 The Pink Floyd Experience

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi)

1-877-877-6256

HardRockBiloxi.com 12 Lifehouse

IP Casino Resort Spa Biloxi

1-888-946-2847 18

Kathleen Madigan Gone Madigan Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256 HardRockBiloxi.com

18 Sara Evans

IP Casino Resort Spa Biloxi

1-888-946-2847

Ipbiloxi.com 18 MMA All Professional Cage Fight

Cage Rage 6

IP Casino Resort Spa Biloxi

1-888-946-2847

Ipbiloxi.com 19

Gladys Knight Beau Rivage Resort & Casino 1-888-566-7469 BeauRivage.com

21 Aaron Tippin

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi)

1-877-877-6256

HardRockBiloxi.com

3 Asian Show

IP Casino Resort Spa Biloxi

1-888-946-2847

Ipbiloxi.com

19 Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons

IP Casino Resort Spa Biloxi

1-888-946-2847

Ipbiloxi.com

21

Vince Neal of Motley Crue IP Casino Resort Spa (Biloxi) 1-888-946-2847 Ipbiloxi.com

4-6 Rain: A Tribute to The Beatles

Beau Rivage Resort & Casino

1-888-566-7469

BeauRivage.com

25 The Guess Who

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi)

1-877-877-6256

HardRockBiloxi.com

22

Hinder Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256 HardRockBiloxi.com

4

25

22 Country Legends featuring Ray Price, John Conlee and Johnny Lee

IP Casino Resort Spa (Biloxi)

1-888-946-2847

Ipbiloxi.com

Gretchen Wilson Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256 HardRockBiloxi.com

4 Tim Allen

IP Casino Resort Spa Biloxi

1-888-946-2847

Ipbiloxi.com 11 Willie Nelson

IP Casino Resort Spa Biloxi

1-888-946-2847

Chrisette Michelle IP Casino Resort Spa Biloxi 1-888-946-2847

25 Taylor Hicks

Gold Strike Casino Resort (Tunica)

1-662-357-1111

GoldStrikeMississippi.com 26 Taylor Hicks

Beau Rivage Resort & Casino

1-888-566-7469

BeauRivage.com

Want more? Southern Gaming’s Got It! Visit SouthernGaming.com for all your gaming needs.

Vol um e 13 I ssue 1

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Southern Gaming’s Preferred Hot Spots

Southern Gaming and Destinations Magazine strives to recommend quality establishments located throughout the region to our readers. On this map, you will find an array of our preferred casinos, racetracks, racinos, hotels and restaurants we feel will deliver a quality experience and encourage you to consider them when you travel.

WANT COMPS? If you are a qualified casino player, let us know! We will connect you with our preferred player hosting company, CasinoRatedPlayers.com, who has relationships with casinos around the world. For more information, please e-mail comps@southerngaming.com or call 1-877-582-9478. Also, visit SouthernGaming.com/comps to fill out a Comp Request Form for assistance in setting up your next gaming trip.

1 Gulf Coast

Shula’s Steak House (Tampa)

Beau Rivage Resort & Casino (Biloxi)

1-813-286-4366

Fallen Oak Golf Course (Biloxi)

1-877-242-6464

1-888-750-7111

1-877-805-4657

Grand Bear Golf Course (Saucier) 1-800-946-2946

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi) 1-877-877-6256

Miccosukee Resort & Gaming (Miami)

1-502-228-9522

Mardi Gras Casino & Racing (Hallandale)

Pat’s Steak House (Louisville)

1-877-55-SLOTS

Seminole’s (Coconut Creek, Hollywood & Tampa)

IP Casino Resort Spa

1866-2CASINO

1-888-946-2847

Tampa Bay Downs (Oldsmar)

Island View Casino Resort (Gulfport)

1-866-TBDOWNS

Watermark Grille (Naples)

1-877-774-VIEW

2 Alabama

1-239-596-1400

5 Georgia

Oriental Wok (Fort Mitchell) 1-859-331-0770

1-502-896-9234

Porcini Italian Restaurant (Louisville) 1-502-894-8686

Seelbach Hotel (Louisville) 1-502-585-3200

Waterfront Restaurant (Covington) 1-859-581-1414

8 Louisiana

The Horseradish Grille (Atlanta)

Café Giovanni (New Orleans)

Riverside Casino (Wetumpka)

New York Prime Steakhouse (Atlanta)

Delta Downs Racetrack & Casino (Vinton)

The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail

Soho Restaurant (Atlanta)

Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino (Opelousas)

Birmingham Greyhound Racecourse (Birmingham) 1-800-998-8238 1-800-897-7198

1-800-949-4444

• Oxmoor Valley Golf Course (Birmingham) • Hampton Cove Golf Course (Huntsville) • Magnolia Grove Golf Course (Mobile) • Capitol Hill Golf Course (Montgomery) Tallapoosa Casino (Montgomery)

1-800-958-9003

VictoryLand Greyhound Park (Shorter) 1-334-727-0540

Wind Creek Casino & Hotel (Atmore) 1-800-826-9121

3 Arkansas Arkansas Departmet of Parks & Tourism 1-501-682-7777

The Faded Rose Restaurant (Little Rock) 1-501-663-9734

Hot Springs Visitors Bureau 1-888-SPA-CITY

Loca Luna Restaurant (Little Rock) 1-501-663-4666

Oaklawn Park Racing & Gaming (Hot Springs) 1-800-OAKLAWN

Southland Park Gaming & Racing (West Memphis) 1-800-467-6182

4 Florida Daytona Beach Kennel Club & Poker Room 1-386-252-6484

Derby Lane Race Track (St. Petersburg) 1-727-812-3339

1-404-255-7277

1-404-875-4242 1-770-801-0069

6 Indiana Belterra Casino Resort (Vevay) 1-888-BELTERRA

1-504-529-2154

1-800-589-7441

1-866-472-2466

Fair Grounds Race Course (New Orleans)

Casino Aztar (Evansville)

1-504-944-5515

Grand Victoria Casino & Resort (Rising Sun)

1-800-HARRAHS

1-800-GRAND-11

Horseshoe Casino & Hotel (Bossier City)

Hoosier Park Racing & Casino (Anderson)

1-800-895-0711

L’Auberge Du Lac Hotel & Casino

Horseshoe Casino Southern Indiana

Paragon Casino Resort (Marksville)

Indiana Live! Casino (Shelbyville)

Shreveport/ Bossier Visitor’s Bureau

1-800-342-5386

1-800-526-7223

1-888-766-2648

1-877-386-4463

7 Kentucky 21C Museum Hotel (Louisville) 877-217-6400

Harrah’s New Orleans

1-866-580-7444

1-800-946-1946

1-888-45-VISIT

9 Mississippi (Tunica) Cottonwoods Golf Course

Brown Hotel (Louisville)

1-800-946-4946

Churchill Downs (Louisville)

1-888-24-KSTAY

1-502-583-1234

1-800-283-3729

Equus Restaurant (Louisville)

Gold Strike Casino Resort Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall

1-502-897-9721

1-800-456-0711

Galt House Hotel & Suites (Louisville)

Harrah’s Casino Tunica 1-800-946-4946

Golf Courses of Kenton County

1-800-871-0711

Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse (Louisville)

1-800-303-7463

1-800-THE-GALT 1-859-371-3200

1-502-584-0102

John Phillip’s Restaurant & Bar (Crestview Hills/N. KY) 1-859-344-0444

Keeneland Racecourse (Lexington) 1-800-456-3412

Lassing Pointe Golf Course (Boone County) 1-859-384-2266

62

Nevel Meade Golf Course (Louisville)

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

Hollywood Casino Tunica Horseshoe Casino & Hotel

10 Mississippi Boka Homa Casino (Sandersville) 1-866-447-3275

Pearl River Resort (Philadelphia) 1-866-44-PEARL

11 Missouri

Casino Queen

1-800-777-0777

Harrah’s Casino St. Louis 1-314-770-8100

Lumière Place Casino & Hotels 1-314-881-7777

River City Casino 1-888-578-7289

12 Nevada (Las Vegas) Aria Resort and Casino 1-866-359-7757

The Bellagio

1-888-987-6667

Caesars Palace 1-800-HARRAHS

Ferraro’s Italian Restaurant 1-702-364-5300

Golden Nugget

1-800-634-3454

Golden Gate Hotel & Casino 1-800-426-1906

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 1-800-473-7625

MGM Grand

1-877-880-0880

Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino 1-877-632-7800

Mirage Las Vegas 1-800-627-6667

Palms Hotel

1-866-942-7777

Paris Las Vegas 1-877-796-2096

The Venetian

Ameristar Casino St. Charles

1-877-283-6423

Argosy’s Alton Belle Casino

1-888-320-WYNN

1-800-325-7777

1-800-336-7568

Wynn Las Vegas Wild Wild West Hotel & Casino 1-800-6-STATIONS

For comps and information on these facilities, visit www.SouthernGaming.com!

Cherokee Valley Golf Course (Memphis) 1-901-525-4653

13 Nevada (Laughlin) Aquarius Casino Resort 1-888-662-5824

Folk’s Folly (Memphis)

Elks Run Golf Course (Cincinnati)

Golden Nugget Laughlin

1-513-735-6600

Harrah’s Laughlin Casino and Hotel

1-513-784-1200

1-800-950-7700

1-800-427-7247

14 Nevada (Reno) Atlantis Casino Resort 1-800-723-6500

Circus Circus Reno Hotel & Casino 1-800-648-5010

Eldorado Hotel & Casino 1-800-879-8879

Hyatt Regency Resort Spa & Casino (Lake Tahoe) 1-800-233-1234

Peppermill Resort Spa Casino 1-866-821-9996

15 North Carolina Harrah’s Cherokee Casino (Cherokee) 1-800-427-7247

16 Ohio Blue Ash Golf Course (Cincinnati) 1-513-745-8577

Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse (Cincinnati) Montgomery Inn Boathouse (Cincinnati) 1-513-791-3482

17 South Carolina Aunt Chilada’s Easy Street Café (Hilton Head) 1-843-785-7700

CQ’s Restaurant (Hilton Head) 1-843-671-2779

Golden Bear at Indigo Run (Hilton Head) 1-843-689-2200

Harbour Town Golf Course (Hilton Head) 1-843-363-4485

Hilton Head National (Hilton Head) 1-843-842-5900

Salty Dog Café (Hilton Head) 1-843-363-2198

18 Tennessee Bound’ry (Nashville) 1-615-321-3043

1-901-762-8200

Gaylord Springs Golf Links (Nashville) 1-615-458-1730

Half Shell Restaurant (Memphis) 1-901-682-3966

Rendezvous Barbecue (Memphis) 1-901-523-2746

Tsunami Restaurant (Memphis) 1-901-274-2556

Vanderbilt Legends Club (Brentwood) 1-615-790-1300

19 West Virginia Charles Town Races & Slots (Charles Town) 1-800-795-7001

The Greenbrier (White Sulphur Springs) 1-800-453-4858

Mountaineer Race Track & Gambling Resort (Chester) 1-800-489-8192

Tri State Racing and Gaming Center (Cross Lanes) 1-800-224-9683

Check out SouthernGaming.com today!

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Bahamas Atlantis, Paradise Island 1-800-777-5848

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Here is a familiar situation, involving Jim (the jackal) and Jerry (unknown profile). You have J-J, and you have made it three bets over the top of Jim’s two bets (re-raised) before the flop. Jerry calls you from the big blind, and the flop is A♦-10♠-4♦. Jerry bets out on the flop, Jim calls the bet, and you raise it to find out what they really have. Both players call your raise, and the 6♠ comes off on the turn, and they both check to you. You bet out, thinking your J-J is still the best hand, and they both call again.

Phil Hellmuth Jr. is an 11-time World Series of Poker Champion, leading all poker players in the world. His latest book, “Deal Me In,” is on the fast track for being another best-seller. He has two existing New York best-seller books — “Play Poker Like the Pros” and “Bad Beats and Lucky Draws” — both of which can be found at Amazon.com. His books, clothing line, blog, tips and more can be found at PhilHellmuth.com. You can also chat and play with him at UltimateBet.net. This column is an excerpt from “Play Poker Like the Pros.”

Poker

Poker: Making the Correct Play

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The last card is K♦, for a final board of A♦-10♠-4♦6♠-K♦. Jerry bets out and Jim calls. The K♦ was probably the worst possible card for your hand, other than 10♦, because now you can’t beat a flush, a straight or a pair of kings. Jerry probably has you beaten, but how about Jim? It looks to me as if Jim has you beaten here as well.

In this situation, I would most likely put Jim on K-Q, which makes a pair of kings for him on the end. Think about it.

If Jim has a flush, then he would have raised on the end.

If Jim has kings and 10s (another possibility, given the way the hand unfolded), then he would probably have raised on the flop himself, with his pair of 10s. Whatever the case may be, it looks as if Jim has you beaten. It is true that there is already $125 ($45 + $30 + $30 + $20) in the pot, so you need to be more than 92 percent sure that you are beaten before you decide to fold. But given this situation, I would have to fold, because I would be convinced that both players had me beaten. Both players expect you to call on the end, and the chances that both of them are trying to bluff you therefore seem very remote to me.

Now suppose the last card is 6♣, for A♦-10♣-4♦-6♠6♣, and now Jerry bets out into you and Jim folds. This bet would seem very suspicious to me, and I would call it very quickly. I would be thinking, “Why did Jerry decide to bet right here and now? I don’t think the six helped him, so he’s either bluffing or holding an ace.” If I am facing an either-or situation and getting these kind of pot odds, I’m going to call without hesitation.

Now let’s suppose again that the last card is 6♣, for A♦-10♠-4♦-6♠-6♣, and now both opponents check to you. Do you bet here or check? If you bet here, you have to be hoping that either Jerry or Jim will call you with a pair of 10s or worse. I wouldn’t be worried about Jim in this case, but Jerry would concern me a little bit. (Could Jerry have an ace with no kicker, like A-2, A-3, or A-5, which would explain why he just called on the flop?)

This “value bet” that you are considering making (a bet you make, believing that it will earn slightly more than

it will lose over the long run) is one that needs a little bit of reading ability (as well a little finesse).

If you decide to bet, then that is fine; if you decide to check, that is fine, too. I would bet it myself unless I felt strongly that Jerry had me beaten.

Phil Hellmuth, Jr.

Pot Odds Say, “Close Your Eyes and Call” Suppose you are holding K-K, and you three-bet an elephant before the flop. The flop then comes down 5♦-6♠-7♥, and now you make it four bets (a raising war on the flop). The next card off is 10♠ and he checks and then calls your bet. Now 8♠ comes off on the river, for 5♦-6♠-7♥-10♠-8♠, and the elephant bets out into you. In this case, any four or nine makes a straight, but you call the bet quickly because you can still beat a lot of hands. The pot odds are heavily in your favor for a call here — there is already $7 from the blinds that folded, $30 from before the flop, $40 on the flop, $20 from fourth street, and $10 from the elephant’s bet on the end. One $10 call to win $107! I’d call quickly as well. Even if the A♦ comes off on the river, for 5♦-6♠-7♥-10♠-A♦, and the elephant bets out into you. I’d call quickly here as well because of the pot odds (there is certainly a lot of money in this pot).

Calling Two Bets on the River The question here is whether or not you should call on the river when calling costs you two big bets. In general, when you have to call two bets (someone bets and then someone else raises) on the river in a Hold ’Em pot, it is usually a good idea to fold. Usually, the only hands that you can beat on the end, when it costs you two bets just to call, are bluffs. You will rarely see an experienced player bluff raise on the river in low-limit Hold ’Em because it is just not a very profitable play.

To return to a familiar example, assume the hand has been played out among Jim, Jerry and you, as detailed above. When Jerry bets out into A♦-10♠-4♦-6♠-K♦ and Jim raises, it’s a good idea to exit stage left with your modest little J-J. If the last card is 6♣, leaving A♦-10♠-4♦-6♠-6♣, and, as before, Jerry bets out and Jim raises, then get out of that one, too. Even though 6♣ seems a harmless card, all you can really beat here is a bluff by both players. Is it really possible that both Jerry and Jim are bluffing? I don’t think so! (If you want another reason to fold this hand, suppose now that you call, and Jerry really has the goods, something like A-6 and re-raises! Now what are you going to do?)

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