M A K ING A L I S T: W H AT T O G I V E YOUR FAV OR I T E G A ME R
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 Vol. 17, Issue 6 GAMINGANDDESTINATIONS.COM
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PENN & TELLER THE LATEST VEGAS ROYALTY PAGE 10
TIPS: NO SMALL PONIES, ONLY SMALL BETTORS
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PLUS TIPS ON BLACKJACK • CRAPS • HORSERACING • VIDEO POKER & MORE! Covering Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin and the entire Midwest!
LETTER
from the Publisher
UP FRONT with G. DOUGLAS
PUBLISHER
Bisig Impact Group CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Larry Bisig
throughout the reg ion and f ind ing out everything they have to offer. In addition to the magazine, we also offer gamers of the Midwest more in for mat ion a nd updates v ia ou r website, our email alerts and our social platforms (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), be sure to go to GamingandDestinations.com and sign up for it all today!
Since 1999, Southern Gaming and Destinations has been a source of information for gaming enthusiasts throughout the Southeastern United States. We have provided countless tips on casino games and horseracing, as well as travel recommendations on where to play and where to stay. Since our first issue, featuring Triple Crown winning trainer Bob Baffert in the Spring of 1999, a lot has changed. Today, there are more sources of information than ever before, with the Internet readily accessible through smart phones, tablets and computers, and information at our fingertips thanks to search engines like Google. One thing that has not changed, however, is everyone’s thirst for great content and knowledge from credible sources… and that is where we thrive. We work with the best gaming and travel authors in the world to showcase their skills and share game-changing tips and tricks that help you win more…or at least lose less! We identify what properties have the best of everything from suites to treats, and give insight and recommendations on where to plan your next gambling adventure. So, with excitement and eagerness we recently announced our acquisition of Midwest Gaming & Travel and our expansion into the Midwest. With this opportunity, we look forward to continuing to deliver the great articles and tips that readers have been accustomed to, as well as expanding and exploring more great properties 2
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PRESIDENT & CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Chip Dumstorf GENERAL MANAGER
G. Douglas Dreisbach MANAGING EDITORS
Lauren Reisdorf Joseph Grove ACCOUNTING
Peggy Harris
To celebrate our first issue, we are excited to announce the voting for our first Midwest Readers’ Choice Awards determined by YOU, the gamers of the Midwest! Once you vote, you will be entered to Win the Ultimate Casino Getaway featuring overnight stays, gambling money, fine dining and more! To cast your vote, check out the Voting Ballot on page 35, or visit GamingandDestinations.com/MidwestAwards, and let us know your favorite places to play and stay! It’s free and fast so don’t delay, vote today!
CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS
Also be sure to check out, The Comps Club by Gaming and Destinations. This is our exclusive membership club that delivers its members coupons and special offers to casinos throughout the region. For just $29, you will receive six issues of the magazine and six member coupon paks featuring a variety of special offers such as free play, free buffets and more.
640 South Fourth Street Louisville, Kentucky 40202 (502) 583-0333 Fax (502) 583-6487 e-mail: editor@gaminganddestinations.com
For more information, visit TheCompsClub.com today! We look forward to hearing from you, learning what you want to read about, new places to check out and more. Happy Holidays to you all, and we can’t wait for 2016 and what it brings for us all! If you can’t be good, be lucky!
Taylor Berrett Linda Boyd Eric Floyd Phil Hellmuth, Jr. Mark Herberholz Misty Johnson Frank Scoblete Henry Tamburin Letters to the editor, address changes and other correspondence should be sent to: GAMING AND DESTINATIONS
The goal of this publication is to help drive awareness of the ever-growing popularity of the gaming industry and to assist gamers in enjoying their gaming experience to the fullest. Gaming and Destinations is published for those who seek the best in gaming and in life, and is produced bimonthly by Bisig Impact Group of Louisville, Kentucky. Copyright 2015 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 Gaming and Destinations assume liability for claims of advertisers. POSTMASTER: Send
G. Douglas Dreisbach GENER AL M ANAGER
address changes to Gaming and Destinations, 640 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202. Cover photo courtesy of Caesars Entertainment.
CONTENTS ON THE COVER
TIPS & COLUMNS
10 Strip Teasers
24 Horseracing
Penn & Teller's magic and mischief just won Vegas' highest entertainment award, but they're just the latest in a Dynasty of entertainment greats.
Playing smaller race tracks.
25 Poker Seven-Card Stud Low (Razz) Strategy.
26 Blackjack How to play Blackjack Switch.
FEATURE ARTICLES
27 Craps
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28 Video Poker
A carnival named Craps.
Playing Around Weather around the globe or around the corner, check out a few of these amazing casino getaways.
14 2015 Holiday Gift Guide Find the perfect gifts for the gamer in your life.
Comparing Deuces Wild games.
HIGHLIGHTS & HOTSPOTS 22 TournEvent of Champions Everi crowns the 2015 Champion.
18 Betting Money Lines
30 MGM Detroit
How is the point spread made, and how can you use it to make money?
Delicious dining, relaxing retreats and awesome nightlife.
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10 Find us on Facebook
@MidwestCasinos GAMINGANDDESTINATIONS.COM
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FACTS & FUN
DID YOU KNOW
1 2 3 HOLLYWOOD STARS MARTINI The Espresso Uploader is the perfect way to kick off your evening or keep the party going after hours. With a boost of caffeine, this cocktail will put an extra spring in your step and ensure you're alert for that next hand of poker! Mia Mastroianni, master mixologist on Spike TV’s “Bar Rescue” and creator of the signature cocktail menu at SOCIAL center bar inside Palms Casino Resort, was kind enough to share her recipe with us. Cheers!
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ACCORDING TO RANKER.COM, WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING IS THE TOP RANKED TROPICAL CASINO AND RESORT? A. Grande Princess Casino B. Atlantis Paradise Island Resort C. Breezes Curacao Resort & Casino D. Barcelo Bavaro Casino
WHAT IS EVEL KNIEVEL’S ACTUAL NAME? A. Jeb Corliss B. Eddie Kidd C. Robbie Knievel D. Karl Wallenda
HOW MUCH MONEY IS THE AVERAGE PERSON WILLING TO SPEND ON A LAS VEGAS SHOW?
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BEEN WORKING TOGETHER?
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HOW MUCH DOES THE GEOFFREY PARKER CHIP SET, THE MOST EXPENSIVE GIFT ON THE MARKET FOR POKER PLAYERS, COST?
HOW LONG HAVE PENN & TELLER A. About 12 years B. About 23 years C. About 34 years D. About 40 years
A. $250,000 B. $7.5 million C. $1.5 million D. $650,000
1. B-Atlantis Paradise Island Resort, 2. D-Karl Wallenda, 3. C-$80, 4. D-About 40 years, 5. B-$7.5 million
SIPS WITH GAMING AND DESTINATIONS
A. $160 B. $100 C. $80 D. $60
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Ingredients 1 oz Espresso 1 oz Coffee Liqueur 2 oz Vodka
Directions
1. Combine all ingredients into a mixing glass. 2. Add ice and shake vigorously. 3. Strain into a coupe glass.
he number of times the lights T along the Strip have been dimmed as a sign of respect for major Las Vegas figures who passed away. They were Elvis Presley, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, George Burns, Frank Sinatra, and former UNLV basketball head coach Jerry Tarkanian.
4. Garnish with 3 espresso beans.
$95 billion
The amount of money that will be wagered on NFL and college football games throughout the 2015 season.
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$600 billion
The amount of money the National Retail Federation is projecting that Americans will spend on Christmas this year.
50,000
The number of marine animals that Atlantis Paradise Island Resort has in their marine exhibits.
by
MISTY JOHNSON
WHETHER AROUND THE GLOBE OR AROUND THE CORNER, AMAZING CASINO GET-AWAYS ABOUND. HERE ARE A FEW OF OUR FAVORITES. 6|
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ired of the same old boring vacation year after year? This year, take a break from your typical golfing or beach excursion, and go on an action-packed adventure. These top gaming destinations will fill your days and nights with glitz, glamour and all the thrill you can handle from the comfort of your seat—although you'll probably be on the edge of it! These world-renowned casino resorts will pamper you with their luxurious accommodations, decadent spas, and world-class entertainment. Whatever you choose, it’s no gamble. Everyone’s a winner.
STAY SEE+DO SHOP EAT WIN
BAHAMAS
No other trip can compare to the pristine white sands and crystal waters of Paradise Island. The Atlantis Casino Resort incorporates world-class entertainment into this tropical paradise to provide one of the top vacation destinations. One of its largest attractions is the Aquaventure Water Park with incomparable water slides such as the Leap of Faith, which shoots you through an enclosed tunnel at top speed through a shark-filled lagoon. If the water rides are a little too much for you to handle, visit one of the many marine life exhibits. The Ruins Lagoon integrates replicated “artifacts” from the ancient civilization of Atlantis into the natural habitat of sharks and other marine life for your viewing pleasure. If you want a closer look, embark on one of the many snorkeling or scuba adventures offered. After your day in the sun, come cool off in the Vegas-style casino, where the real action is. Get a little poolside action at the outdoor gaming area, Cain at the Cove. No matter what your pleasure, a funfilled trip to the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort is a sure bet. What not to miss: A visit to Dolphin Cay gives you unlimited options for interacting with dolphins and provides you with one of the best experiences for swimming with them.
Atlantis Paradise Island Resort Paradise Island, Bahamas
the casinos along the blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The most notable of these is the Casino de Monte-Carlo. This marvel of architecture was built in 1893 to be utilized as both a casino and an opera house. The palace was designed with a stunning marble atrium and ony x columns, decorated with amazing frescoes and sculptures, and ornamented with detailed stained glass windows in the gaming rooms. It is a sight to behold even for those who do not gamble. However, if you are coming here to gamble, you better come with deep pockets. The price can be pretty steep, but it is well worth it to be playing amongst the elite. The casinos offer both European and American table games, along with a wide variety of slot machines. Experience a taste of luxury, and see how the other half live when you take a trip to this spectacular principality in the French Riviera. What not to miss: The Oceanography Museum combines stunning architecture with an exotic collection of marine life.
MONTE CARLO, MONACO
Monte Carlo is one of the most legendary gambling venues in Europe, popularized as the set for the classic James Bond movie, Casino Royale. Many travel from all over the world each year to see the elegant architecture and design of
Casino de Monte-Carlo Monaco
Macay, Chi
na
MACAU, CHINA
Macau, China, is the largest and fastestgrowing gaming region in the world, earning it the title, the “Las Vegas of Asia.” While Vegas was once the most popular destination for gambling in the world, Macau has quickly taken the lead. The casinos in Macau, however, are not for the novice gambler. The local government receives over 50 percent of their revenue from the gaming industry, and they make no secret of the fact that their purpose is to take your hard earned cash, with their slot machines aptly referred to as the “hungry tigers.” While Vegas screams for your attention with its flashing neon lights and cheers from the crowd, Macau pulls you in with its quiet luxury and sophistication. This extravagance can best be experienced at the Venetian Macao. At over 510,000 square feet, it is the world’s largest casino GAMINGANDDESTINATIONS.COM
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in Wisconsin. The premium gaming floor offers 3,000 slot machines and the best in table games. If you’re looking for something new and exciting, try a game of high-stakes bingo. For an even more exclusive experience, join the premier players in the Solstice Lounge. The off-track betting room simulcasts live greyhound and horse races on over 100 different high-definition screens. Before you leave, stop by the Sweet Grass Gift Shop for a handcrafted Native-American keepsake.
STAY SEE+DO SHOP EAT WIN
Atlantis Paradise Island Resort Paradise Island, Bahamas
What not to miss: Leave time to check out the Harley-Davidson Museum in the city. MENOMINEE CASINO RESORT, KESHENEA, WISCONSIN
resort and is adorned with exquisite chandeliers, marble f loors, Venetian water ways and spectacular Italian architecture. You can experience nonstop entertainment without ever leaving your resort. Enjoy concerts from top performers, world-class fights, over 300 shops, a swim in one of the four luxurious Venetian pools, or a romantic serenade on a gondola ride through the canals.
Puck at his steakhouse or wooden-ovenbaked pizzeria. After dinner, check out the new Axis Lounge, where you can listen to live bands and dance the night away. You can recuperate later in the relaxing waters of the Immerse Spa.
Of course, a trip to Macau would not be complete without a visit to one of their many casinos. Not only do they offer the best in modern gambling, but you can also play traditional Chinese games such as fan-tan, similar to modern-day roulette. A trip to Macau offers a perfect mixture of first-class entertainment and rich history and culture.
St. Louis is widely known for the Gateway Arch, but it also encompasses many high-end casino resorts and a bustling nightlife. It is the largest city in Missouri and is situated on the banks of the mighty Mississippi. The many riverboats tell the story of a simpler time, reminiscent of the days of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. However, just a short distance away the casinos tell a different story, one of vitality. Among the top casinos is the Ameristar, known for its High-Limit room and Bottleneck Blues Bar. You also won’t want to miss the River City Casino, home to some of the best bars in St. Louis and the most popular night spot, Judy’s Velvet Lounge. While you’re here, take a tour of the AnheuserBusch Brewery and sample some of their best beers.
What not to miss: The Macau Sky Tower, soaring above the ground at 338 meters, provides a spectacular view all the way to Hong Kong on a clear day. MGM CASINO & HOTEL, DETROIT, MICHIGAN
When you visit Detroit’s first luxury casino, you will be amazed at all it has to offer. Nestled right in the heart of downtown, you will be conveniently located to all the major sporting arenas and nightlife. But with all of the entertainment available, you may never want to leave the resort. Their top-notch casino offers 4,000 slots and video poker machines and 98 different table games. Try out the fine dining prepared to the high standards of celebrity chef Wolfgang 8|
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W hat not to miss: T he Motow n Historical Museum is a top tourist attraction. ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI
What not to miss: Take in the beautiful city view when you ride to the top of the 630-foot-high Gateway Arch. POTAWATOMI HOTEL & CASINO, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN
Located in downtown Milwaukee, the Potawatomi Casino provides superior service and is the top tourist destination
Located along the luscious Northwoods, the Menominee offers breathtaking views exclusive to Wisconsin. Enjoy exciting outdoor activities like whitewater rafting, hiking, fishing, or a round of golf. When the weather cools off, don’t worry, the casino is always hot! With over 8 million dollars in renovations, the Menominee Casino Resort now has even more to offer. Play in comfort in the brand new 400-seat bingo hall. Try your luck in the new slot machine area with over 800 slots to choose from, or escape the crowds in the new private poker room. The expansive pool is always a guest favorite. With its natural stones and tranquil waterfall, it is sure to wash your cares away. What not to miss: Whitewater rafting on the Wolf River is a must. Book your tour through Big Smokey Falls for the best prices. DEADWOOD, SOUTH DAKOTA
Take a trip back to the Wild West when you visit the Black Hills of South Dakota. Travel the same streets as infamous outlaws like Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. The whole city of Deadwood is a historical landmark, perfectly preserving the early 1900s. Discover what it was like to gamble in an old saloon when you stop at Hickok’s Hotel and Casino, but you might want to practice your quick draw first. What not to miss: Visit the Saloon No. 10 for daily re-enactments of the shooting of Wild Bill Hickok that occurred in this very spot.
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PENN & TELLER’S MAGIC AND MISCHIEF JUST WON VEGAS’ HIGHEST ENTERTAINMENT AWARD, BUT THEY’RE JUST THE LATEST IN A STORIED DYNASTY by
TAY L O R B E R R E T T
A S T H E C A S I N O I N D U S T RY CHANGES to focus ever more on accommodations and entertainment, the importance of high-quality, broadly appealing acts has never been greater. Mention Las Vegas to most people, for example, and close behind hastily drawn mental images of slot floors and blackjack tables are the modern and historic acts that have helped draw visitors to the desert ever since Benjamin (he hated to be called Bugsy) Siegel opened the Flamingo Casino in 1946. Even then, star power was perceived as key to success: Entertainers included Rose Marie and Jimmy Durante, with guests including Clark Gable, Lana Turner, Cesar Romero, Judy Garland, Joan Crawford and others. Nowadays, a successful act in Las Vegas can rightly be called the pinnacle of success. You might be able to make it anywhere if you can make it New York, but when you make it everywhere else, that’s when you get the honor of your name in bright neon lights on the Strip. T h a t ’s w h y t h e e n t e r t a i n m e n t industry was abuzz last week during G2E, the annual convention of the
American Gaming Association. For the third time, they named a Las Vegas Entertainer of the Year. For 2015, it was Penn & Teller. Rising as a sardonic, cynical alternative to the glitzy and glamorous style of other Vegas showmen, the illusionist and comedy duo have truly helped to redefine just what a Vegas act can be. Blending dazzling and unimaginable illusions and magical feats with biting wit and bruising satire, Penn & Teller have channeled their unique skills into several television specials and an ongoing HBO television show. But their true home is on the Strip, where audiences can see the fearsome twosome in person, on stage where their one-of-a-kind antics can shine. But they are still relatively new kids on the block. Here are our top nine favorites from over the years. DONNY & MARIE OSMOND Las Vegas has been a place to not only launch careers, but also relaunch careers that otherwise might have folded. Perhaps no act exemplifies this magic Vegas power better than Donny and Marie Osmond, who after a successful career in pop
music as a part of the Osmond family found second life in Vegas as one of the strips most beloved, current productions. Featuring 90 minutes of duets and solo numbers, Donny & Marie’s Las Vegas act has received dozens of accolades from audiences and critics alike, and like the city itself, they show no sign of slowing down. THE RAT PACK Fra nk Sinat ra, Sa mmy Dav is Jr., Dean Mar tin and Peter Law ford. Four of the most iconic names in show business all sharing one Vegas stage in the 1960 s—there had never been anything like it, and there certainly hasn’t been since. Nights featuring performances by any member of The Rat Pack meant absolute pandemonium on the strip—fans pouring into the city, sleeping on the f loors of hotel lobbies, desperate to see these icons in person. Casinos knew that Rat Pack performances meant high rollers and big spenders would be coming to town. This classic quartet literally commanded the attention of all of Las Vegas during their reign, and it’s the stuff of legend to this day. GAMINGANDDESTINATIONS.COM
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DAVID COPPERFIELD He’s the most successful magician in the history of the planet, having sold over 40 million total tickets and earned $4 billion in revenue over the course of his career, breaking nearly a dozen Guinness World records along the way—and he calls Las Vegas home. David Copperfield has been dazzling audiences for over 40 years, many of those years as part of a Vegas residency that’s the stuff of legend on the strip for its incredible longevity, commitment to constantly producing new and revolutionary illusions and feats. David Copperfield is truly a showman— he credits true artistic visionaries like Orson Welles and Walt Disney over other illusionists as his primary influences, and it certainly shows in his performances. Now you see him…now you see him again, because he’s just that good. Photo Courtesy of Jeff Tidwell/Flickr
ELVIS Las Vegas has seen some of the greatest performers in history grace its legendary strip— but there’s only ever been one King. Elvis Presley, one of the most influential cultural figures of the 20th (or just about any other) century, blended gospel, rock, soul, and rhythm and blues and poured them down upon the masses. After a seven year hiatus that many thought would never end, Elvis made his triumphant return in none other than Las Vegas, which became his performing home for much of the remainder of his tragically short career. Like Vegas, his powerful single name instantly conjures up powerful images of superstardom— there’s nobody quite like Elvis. LIBERACE As the talented son of poor immigrant parents, he became the most successful performer in the world for nearly two decades. Wladziu Valentino Liberace c a m e to e mb o d y a n d s h ap e t h e flamboyant lifestyle and neon glitz of Las Vegas’ golden era. Liberace’s name has since become synonymous with Vegas’ decadence. A blazingly great piano player and endlessly generous showman, first appearing on the strip as early as 1994, Liberace’s Las Vegas performances are considered by many to be the greatest ever seen on the strip. Long live Liberace! 12 |
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Photo Courtesy of the Las Vegas Visitors Bureau
Photo Courtesy of the Las Vegas Visitors Bureau
JERRY LEWIS When you can act, sing, joke, produce, play the piano and command an audience, there’s really only one place for you to go. Jerry Lewis started out in nightclubs with partner Dean Martin but eventually made his way to the big stages of Las Vegas, where thousands upon thousands of adoring fans would gather to see his unique mix of music and comedy on a nightly basis. Jerry Lewis was similar to the city of Vegas— a one-stop-shop for just about every kind of entertainment you could ever hope to see, all in a dazzling, boisterous package.
WAYNE NEWTON Often overlooked in the history of great and illustrious Las Vegas performers, Wayne Newton just so happens to be one of the highest earning acts ever on the strip. Don’t believe us? Just take a look at the numbers that have been racked up by Mr. Las Vegas himself—as early as 1979 Newton was racking in $8 million a year from his Vegas residency alone. He’s been a top-billed Vegas act for over five decades. Buoyed by hits like “Danke Schoen” and “Red Roses for a Blue Lady," Newton started his explosive run in Vegas decades ago and never looked back, and he’s come to define Las Vegas for generations of fans. CELINE DION Celine Dion’s Vegas act is a throwback to the glory days of performers on the Strip in that she didn't wait until her career was in need of revitalization before committing to a residency in Vegas. She settled in at the peak of her success, and it's proven to be one of the most shrewd moves in recent music business memory. Her powerful vocals and dazzling stage show that combines theatrics, ballet and acrobatics create a must-see Vegas event that's got audiences flocking by the thousands.
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Naughty or nice, surely your favorite gamer deserves at least one special treat under the tree. Here are some of our favorites to get your shopping started.
1 CHRISTOPHE CLARET
GAMING WATCHES
True, you may have to win some jackpots yourself to put one of these under someone’s tree, but when it comes to watches for gamers, none come close to matching the engineering mar vel and aesthetic sophistication of these gems. The firm offers watches based on three primary casino games: poker, baccarat and blackjack, each of which have two other games built in as well. The watches are limited-edition and contain close to 700 individual pieces each. Here’s a description of the blackjack timepiece: To start there is Dice. This game features a pair of miniature dice, which are visible through a sapphire crystal located at the 4 o’clock position. Next, Roulette: The winding rotor is on the back, which is visible through a glare-proofed sapphire crystal. Once set in motion by undulatory movements, the wheel turns for a few moments before stopping. Then Blackjack. Between 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock, the player’s four cards appear in windows. Two are visible, the other two hidden by shutters. On the upper part of the dial are three additional windows for the dealer’s cards, one of which is visible, the other two also hidden by shutters. Each time a shutter opens, whether for the player or the dealer, there is a gong, whose mechanism is visible through a side window at 2 o’clock. Optional: A special crystal that reveals an etching of a dealer when it’s breathed upon. Around $200,000. christopheclaret.com
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THE DIVPRO Lighten the load for your favorite golfer with the DivPro, an ingenious multi-tool that performs the functions of six different gadgets. It does everything from opening cans, cleaning heads, marking balls—even holding stogies. The DivPro can be customized with a company logo or other image, for those who may want to share the love with larger groups of golf lovers. $12.95. readygolf.com
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THE POKER FACE The company motto for OppoSuits is, “Worn to Be Wild,” and this two-piece suitand-tie combo guarantees a reaction from passersby and other players alike. Hilarity will most assuredly ensue. The suit, available in sizes 36 to 52, works perfectly during any Hollywood, James Bond, showbiz or mafia-themed party. $99.95. opposuits.com
SLOT MACHINE CHARGER AND DOCK Know a gamer who still lugs around an iPhone or iPod Touch 4S or earlier? Help them charge their tech in casino style with this slot-machine charger and dock. A slots app can be downloaded for realistic play, and the lever works to help release the device from the cradle. They may not win any money from it, but at least they may not feel so bad about being two iPhone generations behind. $34.99. newpotatotech.com
5 ROYAL POKER GLASSES Most shaded lens help darken bright environments. These stylish and functional glasses actually help brighten dark views, enabling poker players to better see their cards and chips when gamers are operating in subtly lit rooms. The secret is their “dual anti-reflective dielectric” lens coating technology combined with the scotopic filter system. Best of all: Unless the player holds cards directly in front of the lenses, they won’t show in reflections to other players. Maybe that’s why they're favorites of pros such as Dave “Devilfish” Ulliott and our own Phil Hellmuth. $89.95-$149.95. royal-eyewear.com GAMINGANDDESTINATIONS.COM
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HARLEY-DAVIDSON POKER CHIP FRAME You don’t have to have a Harley to appreciate the rugged American individualism the brand has come to represent. In fact, the revered motorcycle name fits quite nicely with the sporting lifestyle also associated with casino gaming. Combine both worlds in this poker chip collector’s frame. It’s a free-standing display for table or shelf and features an attractive Willie G. skull and Bar & Shield graphics. The frame holds 88 poker chips (not included), and the middle picture can be replaced by a 4'' x 6'' photo. $129.95. wisconsinharley.com
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KING OF CLUBS UMBRELLA It’s bad enough walking out of a casino a loser when it’s not raining. Throw in some precipitation, however, and suddenly the whole night can become a wash. Not so if your gamer stays dry in style. This premium double-layer umbrella features a traditional beech wood shaft and handle with a metal runner and tip cup. The plate is stylishly engraved with the London Undercover logo. $150. londonundercover.co.uk
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VINTAGE-STYLE SIGN: POKER BLUFFING This nicely naughty vintage-style sign will look great in your favorite guy gamer's poker den—and serve fair warning to visitors that the player in chief is a man to reckoned with. The enameled paint on the 12.5” x 16” tin sign is attractive and very durable. $14.99. posterrevolution.com
LUCKY DOG SLOTS TREAT DISPENSER Hey, just because you’re losing at slots doesn’t mean your poor dog has to suffer, too. This clever treat dispenser has three chambers you can fill with different or the same tasty nuggets. Fido comes up to the device and can dispense his own morsels by stepping on the tray. How long will the treats last? Probably about as long as your credits lasted the last time you played the one-armed bandits. $24.99. outwardhound.com
11 LLF 24K GOLD-FOIL PLATED
PLAYING CARDS
Look like a winner, feel like a winner—that’s what we always say. And if you don’t look like a winner with these, you never will. Available in a black or mahogany box, the beautiful and emblazoned playing cards are 99.9 24K gold foil and arrive with a certificate of authenticity. The cards are handcrafted using the latest gold-plating techniques, so you don’t get Gold Finger-ed playing with them. $18.99. amazon.com
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LIFE-SIZE ELVIS STAND-UP Nothings says gaming like Las Vegas, and nothing says Las Vegas like Elvis Presley. This 70”-high portrait of the King in his full Strip regalia can stand on its own or be mounted on a wall. Even better: He speaks from beyond! With an optional motion activated speaker, he’ll greet amazed guests with messages like, "Well thanks for letting me talk to you," "Hi, this is Elvis Presley” and "Thank you very much," all from actual Elvis voice recordings. So far, no word on when “Please hand me another doughnut” or “Are you going to take that pain pill?” will be added to the repertoire. $48.11. nilimahome.com
12 AMMO CAN POKER SET The genuine NATAO spec .30 cal ammo case provides an air-tight, waterproof and virtually indestructible home for some truly top-notch poker gear, including two decks of custom playing cards and 300 casino-weight (11.5 grams) composite chips with a custom chip insert. Ideal for someone who wants to let the world know just how seriously he takes his poker. $99.99. mancrates.com
13 TRAVEL ROULETTE WHEEL When your favorite game is subject to being outlawed from time to time, you find way to take it with you. Such is the history behind the portable roulette wheel. This style of spin-on-the-go game was popular with the Imperial Army in the 1700s. Simplified with fewer numbers, it still allows for fun gambling. A sophisticated travel version of the elaborate Monte Carlo table-mounted wheels, it dates back to the Victorian era, made to order for the Army & Navy stores. Place lid on bowl, spin the ebony shaft, drop in the wood ball through the hole and wait for the wheel to stop spinning. Place bets and open lid… Win or lose! $110. shopfactorydirect.com
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HOW IS THE POINT SPREAD MADE? How can you use it to make money? by
S
MARK HERBERHOLZ
O, HOW EXACTLY ARE POINT SPREADS MADE? Is it just some old, Italian mobster in a smoky room with a chalkboard and the sports section of a newspaper, like in the movie "Casino"?
Is it some computer program that is one glitch away from turning Skynet online? The answer is somewhere in between, but don’t worry it doesn’t involve Terminators or cement shoes. A Vegas Line is created with a math model that uses a wide range of inputs. When the computation is finished, a human reviews it, applying his experience to adjust one way or another, based on what they think the market will do.
WHAT ARE THE INPUTS THE MATH MODEL USES? Lets take baseball for example. Such a model would consider several factors: anticipated starters, home/road splits, relative strength of the oppsing pitcher, the ballpark, fatique (has the team played the past couple days?), weather and more. The considerations the human evaluates are not altogether dissimilar. WEATHER
It is too hard to predict weather when the line is created, so it therefore makes for poor input in a math model. However, the human can reason out things that affect the game, like temperature, wind and humidity, all of which can affect how far the ball flies. The guy managing the line will then make adjustments as information becomes more reliable closer to game time. Because rainouts typically end in cancelled and refunded bets, line makers don’t really care. It’s the DFS (Daily Fantasy Sports) players that care, because their players don’t get stats. So the DFS player has to be wary of rainouts and you won’t get that info from watching a Vegas Line. A Vegas Line won’t start plummeting downwards towards the under if there’s a thunderstorm, it just won’t get any bets.
INCENTIVES
If one team is playing for the playoffs and another is out of contention, the line will get skewed a little bit. Managers will be more incentivized to play some prospects and bench star players that might be a little fatigued or banged up. The team fighting for a playoff spot or seeding will be bringing their A Squad all the time here. MARKET BEHAVIOR
If it is New York Yankees vs. San Diego Padres the human behind the line will always skew it to make the Yankees more expensive to bet. There are just a lot more Yankees fans out there in the world than Padres fans, so the more public team will draw more action. The smart bettors know this and will wait out the push from the public to get the best price possible on their Padres bets.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR A DFS PLAYER?
You don’t need to factor in ballparks, this is included in the line and has already been factored in. However, you DO need to be wary of potential rainouts. You DON’T need to factor in wind, humidity or temperature, the guy moving the line off of bets is weighing this in and has a lot more experience with placing a numeric value on this stuff than you do. While the line is made off players’ potential stats in a game, it’s combined as a team to form the money line, spread and over/under. So, you still have to do the work to figure out how much an individual player is going to score. But you can work backward from the Vegas Lines. THE LIFECYCLE OF A LINE
When it comes to Vegas Lines and Daily Fantasy Sports, a common question is “When is the Vegas Line accurate?” There are a lot of wrinkles to that question, so let me go over the life cycle of a Vegas Line from the point of view of a guy moving the lines. Let’s group NHL, NBA and MLB together GAMINGANDDESTINATIONS.COM
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because those are all sports that generally play every day, so the life cycle of a line is typically less than 24 hours. First things first, there’s the initial open. Let’s say we have an MLB game tomorrow, Detroit Tigers at Boston Red Sox. You typically don’t want to post the line until tonight’s slate of games fire to direct action towards tonight’s games. So that means once the 10:00 pm EST games start, you usually look into posting tomorrow’s games. Now if the Tigers and Red Sox are playing tonight often times the sports book will wait for the game to complete in case a player suffers an in-game injury. This is very important for NBA games, where players are spraining ankles left and right, and less important in the NHL, where guys are freaking tanks and play through broken bones and shattered teeth. So today’s games are complete, now its time to post the Tigers at Red Sox line. If you normally allow $10,000 bets you would reduce that limit to $1,000. Then you would be super defensive and if you get a few bets without action on the other side, you jump the line a lot. So lets say you post Tigers -110, on the money line and get three $100 bets on the Tigers, which isn’t a lot of money, but it’s still three opinions saying, “I like the Tigers here.” You would jump the line to -120 and hope to get counteraction. For the DFS player, this means that lines in the early stages are pretty volatile and can provide misinformation. They should be avoided. Now lets fast forward to tomorrow at 10am-1pm EST. This is around the time when the reduced limits get removed
and the lines open up for the normal max bet of $10,000. This is a high volume time where all the really smart guys are waiting around for this to happen, so they can get in their $10k bet on a soft line. The dealer will jump the line a bit less as now they typically are finding action on both sides. Once the dust settles, around 1-2pm EST, the lines are relatively stable. The smart guys have gotten their money down and now it would take the public pushing the line, or injury news, for them to bet again. For the DFS player, this is a good spot to start looking at lines while building your lineups. Games to avoid are ones where an important piece is an injury concern, like if Tim Duncan gets a rest day. Time to move onto the hour before kickoff/faceoff/first pitch/ tip off, this is where the public gets its money down. They all want to get a bet in so they can have something riding on a game. Injury news and starting lineup info has come out and the smart guys are betting off that information. By the time the game starts, the line is surprisingly accurate. For the DFS player, the closer to the game the better the line, but for games that don’t have injury concerns, the lines typically don’t move that much. How do Daily Fantasy Sports and Vegas Lines connect? And which ones are important to watch? The first question to ask is, “what are the numbers in a line?” When you see the Dodgers are -200, this means you have to bet $200 to win $100 on the Dodgers. When a baseball total (over/under) is 9.5, -110 over, -110 under, that means that you have to bet $110 on the under to win $100 and you win if the total runs in the game is 9 or less.
THE MOST POPULAR LINES THAT PEOPLE LOOK AT ARE: SPREAD/MONEY LINE: In Vegas, these are referred to as
“sides” because when you pick one, you are picking a side. The sides typically tell you how likely a team is to win and by how much. The best use of this is for figuring out which pitchers will get a Win. Large spreads or money lines in other sports, like football and basketball, are important. These can help you predict which games will be a blowout and if the starters are in danger of being benched for the end of games. TOTALS (OVER/UNDER): Totals are the total amount of
points, goals, or runs scored in a game. Totals are a solid place to get a good judge of the scoring of a game, but there is a better stat for this, which I will get to next. TEAM TOTALS (OVER/UNDER): Team Totals are a derivative
of the Game Total. That means that some math genius figured out that if a baseball total is 9 and a team is a -200 favorite, their Team Total is always 5.25 runs. Those numbers are examples, but you get the idea. They are used to betting on one team’s specific scoring. Since the DFS player is more interested in finding out which TEAM is high scoring on a given night, rather than which GAME, Team Totals are the most accurate 20 |
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piece of information for that. PLAYER PROPS (HOME RUN PROPS, TOTAL BASES, ETC.): On paper these seem like the best possible lines for a
DFS player, however they are a bit of red herring. They are the most informative line on individual player performance in Vegas, but they have a tiny fraction of the action on them than the other lines have. For example a total bases prop could have $5,000 in total action on it, where a Total and Team Total (we combine them because one is a derivative of the other) could have $500,000 in total action. When one line has 100x more volume than the other, you can be pretty sure that the 100x line is pretty rock solid. CONCLUSION? Sit down and check out the lines in the early
afternoon. For games where you can make a pretty educated guess based on who is playing, I take the lines at face value and start making lineups. For games where players have injury concerns, I check back about an hour before start time and look on twitter to get an update. If you have any questions you can contact me directly at mark@wagertalk.com.
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EVERI CROWNS 2015 TOURNEVENT of CHAMPIONS WINNER
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F T ER SI X ROU N DS of thrilling competition at The Wynn Las Vegas’ XS Nightlcub, Everi crowned its 2015 TournEvent of Champions victor. Rita Kellerman bested 181 other top tournament slots players to claim the $1 million f irst-place prize and champion’s ring. Kellerman, representing the Ho-Chunk Gaming-Wisconsin Dells casino, survived two days of loud and intense competition to become the 2015 Champion. A relative rookie to TournEvent, Kellerman says she tried TournEvent for the first time when she won the Ho-Chunk Gaming qualifier in June after tiring of other slots tournament formats.
— and even some from Peru — in a high-energy battle for tournament slots supremacy that started with qualifying TournEvents in April of this year.
for $40,000. Save A Warrior benefits returning veterans and active-dut y military personnel struggling with PTSD as a result of their service.
“All the competitors here tonight for the finals represented their casinos with fierce competitiveness, showcasing the intensity of TournEvent. Our congratulations go out to Rita for her exciting come-frombehind victory,” Chary said.
Plans for 2016 TournEvent of Champions are already under way, and Everi expects the party to be even bigger. The $1 million grand prize will be back in play, and the five-year anniversary event is slated to coincide once again with the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas.
“I can’t believe I won,” said Kellerman. “It’s all so surreal right now. This is the biggest thing that’s ever happened to me, except for getting married, of course.”
On Tuesday, Everi k icked off the championships with its second annual TournEvent for Charities event featuring a mix of celebrities and local and industry media members squaring off on behalf of their favorite charities. In the end, Steve Burke, publisher of Indian Gaming Magazine, claimed victory and the $10,000 winner’s check for the NIGA Spirit of Sovereignty. The remaining charities were winners in their own right, sharing in the $40,000 total contribution made by Everi.
The 2015 TournEvent of Champions finals pitted 182 finalists representing 99 casinos from across the United States
Everi’s charity of choice, Save A Warrior, also benefitted at the event as Everi presented the organization with a check
FOR MORE INFORMATION, visit TourneventofChampions.com
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PLAYER STRATEGY
HORSERACING: Playing Smaller Race Tracks
H
ORSEPLAY ERS W HO LA BOR when the sun is shining often miss the opportunity to play major “day time” racetracks like Churchill Downs, Santa Anita Park, Saratoga Race Course, Gulfstream Park and Belmont Park. Instead, they typically help fund the handle at intermediate “night time” ovals like Evangeline, Prairie Meadows, Canterbury, Mountaineer, Charles Town, Delta, Penn National, Remington, Fairmount and Assiniboia. Now, relatively speaking, punters should probably employ a different mindset when they’re poised to attack an intermediate racetrack. See, because there isn’t as much quality, outcomes “in the minors” are quite unpredictable, tremendously more so than those results which unfold inside major pari-mutual markets. Therefore, consider employing the following six axioms when playing any of the down-home hippodromes listed above. RETAIN FAMILIARITY WITH TRAINERS AND JOCKEYS
AVOID CERTAIN TYPES OF WAGERS
Due to the aforementioned deflated pari-mutuel pools presented by intermediate race tracks, players should think twice about making large show bets. A $100 flutter might literally comprise half of the total show pool and would significantly dilute prices, even on double digit long-shots. Comparatively, abstain from wagering the “Pick 6” since there isn’t enough booked action to warrant pursuit of horse racing’s most difficult horizontal sequence. STUDY STATE-BRED STATISTICS
A modest racing strip’s normal card will conveniently feature multiple state-bred competitions. Unearth what conditioners specialize in readying homegrown stock then determine how successful they’ve been inside the current meet.
DON’T BE TRICKED BY THE TOTE-BOARD
REVISE CLASS HANDICAPPING VALUES
Compared to their dominant counterparts, middling strips confer relatively humble parimutuel pools. As a result, players often discover glaring disparity between morning-line and actual odds, especially early on in the wagering. Hence, when a hopeless 30-1 morning-line entry sits at 4-1 with 15 minutes to post, don’t assume insiders know something you don’t. More than 80 percent of all pool monies haven’t even
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Eric Floyd is a turf writer for various gaming publications as well as a Triple Crown pari-mutuel consultant for several national media outlets. Excerpts from his gambling memoir, My First Decade Playing the Game, can be found at LuLu.com
BE WILLING TO ACCEPT A SHORT PRICE
Contests at less popular courses often fill with many plodders and one standout. Friends, I’ll never assert a player should accept 1/9 odds but then again, don’t pass up “even money” on a racer who appears invulnerable. Additionally, if a strip’s leading horseman saddles chalk (that’s race tracker slang for “the favorite”), be assured capital attached to said runner’s nose will likely multiply.
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T ho s e f a n c y i n g t h e m s e l v e s a s “c l a s s handicappers” should note that the two lowest claiming levels at middling ovals are often one in the same. Available participants are simply pointed towards whatever race is available in a given week. This is no exaggeration; the same batch of horses can be found in a $2,500 claiming race one day, then a $3,000 claiming race two weeks later.
ISN’T IT TIME THAT YOU
"INTERMEDIATE RACE TRACKS ARE OFTEN THE PROVING GROUND FOR INEXPERIENCED JOCKEYS."
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breached the teller’s window yet so this underlay is likely the result of an isolated player’s stout recklessness.
This is perhaps the most vital particular associated with launching a successful fiscal siege against an intermediate race track. Believe me, 99 percent of the time there is a complete standout residing within the trainer and/or jockey colony, so before the start of any card, simply review the appropriate standings (they’re usually located on the program’s last page) then bet accordingly.
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PLAYER STRATEGY by
PHIL HELLMUTH
POKER: Seven-Card Stud Low (Razz) Strategy
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Phil Hellmuth Jr, is a 13-time World Series of Poker Champion, leading all other poker players in the world. He is the author of two New York Times bestsellers, and his latest book, “Deal me in,” is also widely popular. Visit philhellmuth.com to check out his clothing line, blog and exclusive gaming tips.
"YOU WILL EVENTUALLY FIGURE OUT THAT IT ISN’T THAT HARD TO DISCERN WHICH LOW HAND IS BEST IN CLOSE CASES." FOR MORE FREE TIPS, VISIT GAMINGANDDESTINATIONS.COM
HE OBJECT OF SEVEN-CARD STUD LOW, or Razz, is to make the worst hand possible! Razz is dealt just like basic Seven-Card Stud, but the object, oddly enough, is to make the lowest hand. In Razz, flushes and straights don’t count against you (that is, they have no value). But pairs and trips are bad (because it is harder to make a fivecard low hand with them). Aces are considered low. In Razz, the best possible low hand is 5-43-2-A, which is called a wheel. The second-best possible low hand is a six perfect, or 6-4-3-2-A. The chart below shows a list of the best possible low hands in order. You will eventually figure out that it isn’t that hard to discern which low hand is best in close cases. A seven-five low (7-5-x-x-x) is lower than a sevensix low (7-6-x-x-x). A seven-six-five-three low (7-6-5-3-x) is lower than a seven-six-five-four low (7-6-5-4-x). Figuring out the best low hand is just a matter of reading the low hand from the highest card to the lowest card and seeing which hand goes lower first. I once lost a $15,000 pot to the legendary Seymour Liebowitz in a low-ball event at the World Series of Poker when his 9-7-5-4-2 beat my 9-7-5-4-3 low. It came down to the fifth and final card in this case! We both had a 9-7-54 in our hands, but his deuce “pipped” my three (edged it out by one point in value). Right now Razz is something of a fringe game in the poker world. In fact, most poker rooms don’t even spread a Razz game these days. Although we have a Razz World Championship each year, it is among the lowest-attended events at the WSOP. Still, Razz is an important game that is played for high stakes on a daily basis in Los Angeles at the Commerce Casino. Razz is also often included in high-stakes games at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, sometimes dealt as a part of a rotation of games like HORSE (Hold’em, Omaha, Razz, Stud and Stud Eight or Better). By the way, sometimes while playing HORSE,
the players will not notice that the game has changed – for instance, when the game goes from one variation of Stud to the next – and they lose a large pot because of this! It happens to everyone, including me, more than once. Even though many top professional players feel that Razz involves more luck and requires less skill than most other poker games, I feel that Razz demands a lot of skill. In Razz, reading your opponents well is crucial to begin a great player. The reading part comes when your opponent hits what appears to be a perfect low card for him. If you read that it was, indeed, perfect for him, then you’ll need to fold your hand (depending on what you caught). If you read that the card in fact paired him, then you’ll be able to continue playing your hand. For example he might hit a three, for a board of (x-x) 2-3, but there is a decent chance that the card paired him, because, presumably, he is starting with all low in his hand. THE BEST LOW HANDS FROM BEST TO WORST 1. 5-4-3-2-A
21. 7-6-5-4-3
41. 8-7-5-2-A
3. 6-5-3-2-A
23. 8-5-3-2-A
43. 8-7-5-3-2
2. 6-4-3-2-A 4. 6-5-4-2-A 5. 6-5-4-3-A 6. 6-5-4-3-2
7. 7-4-3-2-A
8. 7-5-3-2-A
9. 7-5-4-2-A
10. 7-5-4-3-A 11. 7-5-4-3-2
12. 7-6-3-2-A
13. 7-6-4-2-A 14. 7-6-4-3-A 15. 7-6-4-3-2
16. 7-6-5-2-A 17. 7-6-5-3-A 18. 7-6-5-3-2
19. 7-6-5-4-A 20. 7-6-5-4-2
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22. 8-4-3-2-A 24. 8-5-4-2-A 25. 8-5-4-3-A 26. 8-5-4-3-2
27. 8-6-3-2-A
28. 8-6-4-2-A 29. 8-6-4-3-A 30. 8-6-4-3-2
31. 8-6-5-2-A
32. 8-6-5-3-A 33. 8-6-5-3-2
34. 8-6-5-4-A 35. 8-6-5-4-2
36. 8-6-5-4-3 37. 8-7-3-2-A
38. 8-7-4-2-A 39. 8-7-4-3-A
42. 8-7-5-3-A 44. 8-7-5-4-A 45. 8-7-5-4-2
46. 8-7-5-4-3
47. 8-7-6-2-A
48. 8-7-6-3-A 49. 8-7-6-3-2
50. 8-7-6-4-A 51. 8-7-6-4-2
52. 8-7-6-4-3
53. 8-7-6-5-A 54. 8-7-6-5-2 55. 8-7-6-5-3
56. 8-7-6-5-4
57. 9-4-3-2-A
58. 9-5-3-2-A
40. 8-7-4-3-2
FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE PAGE 29 GAMINGANDDESTINATIONS.COM
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PLAYER STRATEGY
STRATEGY: How to Play Blackjack Switch
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LACKJACK SWITCH is a relatively new version of blackjack in which you can switch your cards between two hands. You must play two hands with equal bets per round and you have the choice of keeping the hands that you were dealt or switching the second card in each hand. This switching option gives players a big advantage because you could convert one or two bad hands into two very good hands. Here's an example of what I mean. Suppose your first hand was a 7-5 and your second hand, a 6-4. The dealer’s upcard is an 8. You have a decent play on the 6-4 hand, namely, to double down against the dealer's 8. However, the other hand (12 against the 8) is a loser. However, by switching the second card of each hand (the 5 and 4), you would wind up with two powerful hands (7-4 and 6-5) that you could double down against a dealer’s 8. In this example, switching the second cards is clearly the preferred strategy. To offset the player-favorable switching option, the rules for Blackjack Switch include these two casinofavorable rules: 1. W hen the dealer’s hand totals 22, all players’ hands push (except a player’s blackjack). 2. All player blackjacks pay even money (instead of 3-2).
The other playing rules for Blackjack Switch follow the conventional rules for the game. Six (and sometimes eight) decks of cards are used, dealer usually hits soft 17, and you can double down on any two cards and after pair splitting. PLAYING STRATEGY
As you would expect, the basic playing strategy for Blackjack Switch is slightly different from the conventional basic playing strategy because of the dealer 22 push rule. For example, you will be doubling
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HAND
CONV. STRATEGY
BLACKJACK SWITCH
9
Double down on 3-6
Double down on 6
10
Double down on 2-9
Double down on 2-8
A-2 & A-3
Double down on 5 & 6
12
Hit against 2 and 3
Always hit Hit against 2, 3, &4
You can obtain the complete basic playing strategy for Blackjack Switch on these sites: w w w.blackjackforumonline.com (click on library page then click on Blackjack Switch) and www.wizardofodds.com (click on Game Info & Strategies, Other Games, and then on Blackjack Switch). What you need to remember is that you shouldn't use the conventional basic strategy when you play this game; instead, you need to follow the basic strategy that is specific to Blackjack Switch. It's not any more complicated, just slightly different. The more difficult strategy to master is the switching decisions because sometimes the decision to switch is not obvious. For example, would you switch the second card in these hands: 2-8 and 10-9. (Dealer shows a 3.) If you switched the second hand in each hand you would have 2-9 and 10-8. So is it better to hold 2-8 and 10-9 against a dealer’s 3 or 2-9 and 108? The best strategy is to keep the original hands (10 and 19) and not switch. How do I know? You have to become familiar with the switching strategies. You’ll find switching strategies on several websites. If you go to the Blackjack Switch page on www. wizardofodds.com, you’ll find a table of expectations for all player hands against all dealer upcards.
ISN’T IT TIME THAT YOU
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. com. To receive his FREE Casino Gambling Catalog, call 1-888-353-3234 or visit www.smartgaming.com.
"THIS SWITCHING OPTION GIVES PLAYERS A BIG ADVANTAGE BECAUSE YOU COULD CONVERT ONE OR TWO BAD HANDS INTO TWO VERY GOOD HANDS." FOR MORE FREE TIPS, VISIT GAMINGANDDESTINATIONS.COM
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H E N R Y TA M B U R I N
and splitting less often, and there will be more hands where it is correct to hit at the risk of breaking. For example:
SWITCHING STRATEGY
For example, suppose you double down on 10 and catch an ace for a 21. The dealer proceeds to hit his 16 and catches a 6 for 22. Your 21 is a push.
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PLAYER STRATEGY by
CRAPS: A Carnival Named Craps
FRANK SCOBLETE
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RAPS IS THE MOST EXCITING game in the casinos.
Certainly more players prefer blackjack. But I have not read of any gaming experts saying blackjack or roulette is more exciting than craps.
Frank Scoblete is a bestselling casino gambling writer. His newest book is I Am a Dice Controller: Inside the World of Advantage-Play Craps! He’d love to send you a free copy (while supplies last). Just send an email to him at fscobe@optonline. net with your address and he will get the book out ASAP.
"THE STICKMAN PUSHES OVER THE DICE TO THE PLAYER AND NOW THE RESULTS ARE IN THE PLAYER’S HAND."
FOR MORE FREE TIPS, VISIT GAMINGANDDESTINATIONS.COM
So why is craps so much fun? Why do you hear shouts and applause and whines and moans from craps players? You rarely hear players at blackjack tables going wild. The answer is twofold: Craps is the only casino game where the casino hands you the method of determining the outcome and says, “Here, try to beat us pal.” The stickman pushes over the dice to the player and now the results are in the player’s hand. As the shooters throw, so shall it go (to coin a rhyme). Also, craps is exciting because of its communal nature. Most of the players at a table (more often than not, all of the players at a table) are rooting for the shooter to make his point and to hit “numbers.” If a shooter gets hot and avoids the 7, then the winning players react as a tribe, dancing and jumping and high-fiving each other. HOW CRAPS IS PLAYED
Although the craps layout might look as if aliens from space descended and wrote inscrutable symbols on the felt, it is in fact an easy game to learn. Let me take it step by step for you novices: The dice move from shooter to shooter in a clockwise fashion. Players can choose not to shoot if they so desire. The shooter is given five dice and must choose two. The shooter must have a Pass Line or Don’t Pass bet on the layout in front of him. In my experience about ninety-five percent of shooters bet the Pass Line; the overwhelming majority of the other players at the table will bet the Pass Line as well. That means just about everyone is betting (and praying) that the shooter gets hot.
The shooter takes the dice in one hand. This is the “come-out” roll, meaning he is trying to establish his point. Point numbers are 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. They make up 24 of the 36 numbers of craps. A die has six sides, so there are 36 possible combinations of two dice in the game of craps: six sides times six sides = 36 combinations. Each side (or face) of a die will have various numbered pips: 1-pip, 2-pips, 3-pips, 4-pips, 5-pips and 6-pips. Given two dice, the lowest number that can be rolled is a 2 (1-pip + 1-pip); the highest number is 12 (6-pips + 6-pips). There is only one way to make a 2 and only one way to make a 12. #
WAYS TO MAKE
2
one
1:1
3
two
2:1, 1:2
4
three
3:1, 1:3, 2:2
5
four
4:1, 1:4, 3:2, 2:3
6
five
5:1, 1:5, 4:2, 2:4, 3:3
7
six
6:1, 1:6, 5:2, 2:5, 4:3, 3:4
8
five
6:2, 2:6, 5:3, 3:5, 4:4
9
four
6:3, 3:6, 5:4, 4:5
10
three
6:4, 4:6, 5:5
11
two
6:5, 5:6
12
one
6:6
COMBINATIONS
As you can see the 7 is the number that comes up the most. It is the key number in the game of craps. If you look at a set of casino dice you will find that the front side and its opposite, back side, add up to 7. So opposite the 1-pip is the 6-pip; opposite the 2-pip is the 5-pip; opposite the 3-pip is the 4-pip. More to come in the next issue.
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27
PLAYER STRATEGY
VIDEO POKER: Comparing Deuces Wild Games
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ometimes you’ll come across video poker plays that are just too good to pass up. Maybe they’re the result of a glitch created by whoever set up the pay schedule, or maybe management deliberately offers them as a draw for local players. Either way, you’ll want to be prepared to take full advantage of these finds before they disappear. For example, I was astounded when I found this good Double Deuces game with a Deuces Wild game on the same machine in a local casino.
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TABLE 1.1: DEUCES WILD GAMES FOUND ON SAME DEVICE
WINNING HAND/ 5-COIN BET
COYOTE UGLY DEUCES (CU)
Royal Flush/No Deuces
4,000
4 Deuces
1,000
Royal with Deuces/Wild Royal
125
5 of a Kind (5OAK)
75
Straight Flush
50
An informal survey revealed that players were choosing the CU version about as often as the DD choice. Even if you played using the same strategy (a big mistake), you’d be better off with DD because a quick glimpse shows that the pay schedule for all hands but three (5OAK, Straight Flush and Deuces) are identical. In terms of the three-hand payouts that differ, DD pays more in all three. I will caution you that I am not referring to all DD games, only those with the pay schedule in Table 1.1.
4 of a Kind
20
Full House
15
Expected return (ER). There can be no argument that a game with a theoretical return (assuming accurate holds) of 99.6% is far superior to one with a dismal 94.8%. In fact, I would avoid games like the CU deuces in Table 1.1 like the plague. Keep in mind that the pay schedule was most likely set up this way in error, but whether it was or not, the casino will probably never discover it. That means all points and promos are viable, including discretionary comps. Even without food, rooms and show comps, it’s a big deal due to the cash back. I get bounceback in the mail plus triple points (awarded for having the highest level card), bringing the play to over 100.6%.
WINNING HAND/ DOUBLE DEUCES 5-COIN BET WILD (DD)
VARIANCE
Straight 10
COMPARING THE GAMES
There’s no doubt that this DD game has a huge variance (almost 55.1), making it a dangerous ride. Overall, however, I am way ahead on this game and even winning some promotional events due to many ticket entries.
AI AV
28 |
LA
BL
! OW N E
LI N DA B OY D
Flush 10 Straight 10 3 of a Kind Expected Return (ER)
Linda Boyd was a long-time table-game player before turning to video poker. You can see her videos on YouTube. Her book, “The Video Poker Edge,” includes removable pay schedules and strategy cards for the most popular games.
5 94.8%
Variance 25.2
Royal Flush/No Deuces
4,000
4 Deuces
2,000
Royal with Deuces/Wild Royal
125
5 of a Kind (5OAK)
80
Straight Flush
55
4 of a Kind
20
Full House
15
Flush 10 3 of a Kind Expected Return (ER)
"SOMETIMES YOU’LL COME ACROSS VIDEO POKER PLAYS THAT ARE JUST TOO GOOD TO PASS UP."
5 99.6%
Variance 61
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FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE PAGE 29
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PROPERTY PROFILE:
MGM Grand Detroit
T
he cit y of Detroit is k now n for many things. Motown music, auto manufacturers and the Detroit Lions and Tigers seem to come to mind first. But the city has also grown into a hot spot for first class casino action. One property that continues to excel across several fronts, from spas and suites to dining and nightlife, is MGM Grand Detroit. Located in the heart of downtown, the resort-style facility is home to nearly 4,000 slots and video poker machines, almost 100 table games, 400 hotel rooms and suites, three signature restaurants, a live entertainment lounge, luxurious spa and more. When it comes to a great gaming getaway, this is certainly a stop to have at the top of your list. The property décor is enhanced with a relaxed contemporary style that is carried throughout the many areas and amenities. The staff is courteous and over-accommodating, assisting guests from the moment they arrive at the valet all the way until checkout, making sure everyone feels welcome. DELICIOUS DINING
The property is home to three excellent eateries including sports pub TAP at MGM Grand Detroit, Wolfgang Puck Steak and Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria & Cucina. Each has its
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GAMINGANDDESTINATIONS.COM
own f lair but we are partial to great steakhouses with premium wine selections, and Wolfgang Puck Steak certainly fits that bill. You can’t go wrong with the 20 oz. Bone-in Ribeye ($44) or the 16 oz. Prime Bone-in Kansas City Strip ($56). And if you need some "surf " to go with your "turf," just add Alaskan King Crab Legs ($32) or a South African Lobster Tail ($30). Don’t miss all of the traditional sides and accompaniments from sautéed mushrooms to Brussel sprouts and potatoes. And be sure to save room for dessert because the Banana Cream Pie, Dulce de Leche, Crème Fraiche Whipped Cream ($10) and the Vanilla Cheese Cake, Cookies and Cream Ice Cream, Pretzel Crunch, Peanut Ganache ($10) are perfect palate-pleasers to round out a great meal. If you are looking for traditional Italian, look no further than Wolfgang Puck’s Pizzeria & Cucina, where you can find a variety of wood oven baked pizzas ($13-$16) and a variety of traditional, housemade pastas including Spaghetti and Meatballs ($19), Veal Ravioli ($24) and Veal Scallopini ($39), among others. Tap provides a casual dining option where you will find over 50 draught and bottled beers, 40 HD televisions scattered
throughout, and everything from Quesadillas ($12) and Chili Cheese Fries ($8) to Cheeseburgers ($12) and Fish-N-Chips ($16). Also, don’t miss the most popular item on the menu, Fried Mac-N-Cheese ($7), featuring a breaded versions of the household staple food served with a spicy cheese sauce. Delicious! RELAXING RETREATS
What’s a great getaway without a little rest and relaxation? MGM Grand Detroit has that too. Be sure to make your reservation in advance for the IMMERSE Spa where you will find an escape to a sensory experience of bliss with a variety of massages, wraps, facials and more. In addition, the spa is adjacent to a state-of-the-art fitness zone including private men's and women's Jacuzzis, a steam room and sauna areas. MGM Grand Detroit also has an indoor, infinity edge pool where you can enjoy a poolside dining menu, private cabanas and poolside relaxation areas. This is a great place to spend an afternoon relaxing before a night in the casino! AWESOME NIGHTLIFE
If you are ready to dance, don’t miss V Nightclub, one of the Top 100 Nightclubs in the country, where you can find resident DJ Captn20 spinning, mixing and playing the best dance music around, every weekend. Equipped with a full bar, VIP areas and more, you are sure to have a blast with your group at V. If you are looking for more of a relaxed area to kick back, check out AXIS Lounge for live music by local musicians performing a variety of Motown, jazz and modern pop. You can post up at the bar, or get a couch section with
table service. Either way, this is a great place to mix and mingle to kick off the evening right. STAY THE NIGHT
Of course, the main ingredient for a great getaway is impeccable overnight accommodations. The guest rooms at MGM Grand Detroit are spectacular from the standard King room to the corner deluxe suites. Equipped with modern furniture, marble counters, showers with dual rain heads and more. One night stays range from $250 mid-week and $300 on the weekends for standard rooms, and $450 to $500 for some of the higher end suites. The property also offers a variety of packages ranging from Birthday and Bachelorette Parties to Romance and Bed & Breakfast Packages. The consensus of property reviews on Tripadvisor are positive with 700 out of 789 reviews getting Excellent or Very Good ratings. M LIFE
The M life loyalty program links MGM Grand Detroit to the plethora of other MGM Resorts International owned properties, including the Bellagio and Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, the Beau Rivage in Biloxi and Gold Strike in Tunica. M life is a rewards program that lets you earn benefits for virtually every dollar you spend at any of MGM Resorts 15 properties worldwide. Get rewarded for enjoying hotel, dining, entertainment and spa experiences, along with your slot and table play. So, when you make your reservations, make sure to have your M life card number ready to get the best rates for rooms and comps!
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO MAKE RESERVATIONS, visit MGMGrandDetroit.com or call 1-877-888-2121. GAMINGANDDESTINATIONS.COM
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31
PREFFERED PROPERT Y
CASINO DIRECTORY
Below is a list of our preferred properties of the Midwest showcasing some of the great things that each property has.
WEBSITE
PHONE NUMBER
AMERISTAR.COM/EAST-CHICAGO
855-888-7289
FRENCH LICK RESORT
FRENCHLICK.COM
HOLLYWOOD CASINO
HOLLYWOODCASINO.COM
TROPICANA EVANSVILLE
*CC PARTNER
TABLES
MACHINES
41
1953
888-936-9360
37
1000
888-274-6796
30
905
TROPEVANSVILLE.COM
800-342-5386
40
1000
BELTERRA CASINO RESORT & SPA
BELTERRACASINO.COM
800-472-6311
40
1600
HORSESHOE CASINO HOTEL
CAESAR.COM/HORSESHOE-SOUTHERN-INDIANA
812-369-6000
140
1750
ILLINOIS AMERISTAR CASINO HOTEL EAST CHICAGO
INDIANA
• •
IOWA LAKESIDE HOTEL CASINO
LAKESIDEHOTELCASINO.COM
877-477-5253
15
1100
RISING STAR CASINO RESORT
RISINGSTARCASINO.COM
812-438-1234
30
1400
AMERISTAR CASINO HOTEL, COUNCIL BLUFFS
AMERISTAR.COM/COUNCIL-BLUFFS
712-328-8888
22
1584
RIVERSIDE CASINO & GOLF RESORT
RIVERSIDECASINOANDRESORT.COM
877-677-3456
32
1150
MYSTIQUE CASINO, DUBUQUE
MYSTIQUEDBQ.COM
563-582-3647
22
1000
GREEKTOWN CASINO HOTEL
GREEKTOWNCASINOHOTEL.COM
888-771-4386
300
4000
MGM GRAND DETROIT
MGMGRANDDETROIT.COM
877-888-2121
98
4000
MOTORCITY CASINO HOTEL
MOTORCITYCASINO.COM
866-782-9622
59
2900
MYSTIC LAKE CASINO, PRIOR LAKE
MYSTICLAKE.COM
952-445-9000
76
3883
TREASURE ISLAND RESORT & CASINO
TICASINO.COM
888-867-7829
41
2219
AMERISTAR CASINO HOTEL KANSAS CITY
AMERISTAR.COM/KANSAS-CITY
816-414-7000
115
2300
AMERISTAR RESORT & SPA, ST. CHARLES
AMERISTAR.COM/ST.CHARLES
836-940-4300
53
2700
MICHIGAN
MINNESOTA
MISSOURI
LUMIERE PLACE CASINO AND HOTELS
LUMIERE.COM
314-881-777
73
2000
RIVER CITY CASINO & HOTEL, ST. LOUIS
RIVERCITY.COM
888-578-7289
54
2000
CHOCTAW CASINO RESORT, DURANT
CHOCTAWCASINO.COM/CHOCTAW-DURANT
888-652-4628
0
3500
DOWNSTREAM CASINO RESORT
DOWNSTREAMCASINO.COM
888-396-7876
50
2000
OKLAHOMA
FIREKEEPERS, BATTLE CREEK
FIREKEEPERSCASINO.COM
877-352-8777
84
2900
HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO, TULSA
HARDROCKCASINOTULSA.COM
800-760-6700
40
2600
ISLAND RESORT AND CASINO, HARRIS
ISLANDRESORTANDCASINO.COM
800-682-6040
15
1200
RIVERWIND CASINO, NORMAN
RIVERWIND.COM
405-322-6000
19
2700
TURTLE CREEK CASINO & HOTEL, WILLIAMSBURG
TURTLECREEKCASINO.COM
231-534-8870
39
1200
WINSTAR CASINO & RESORT
WINSTARWORLDCASINO.COM
580-276-4229
97
7400
MENOMINEE CASINO RESORT, KRESHENA
MENOMINEECASINORESORT.COM
800-343-7778
11
100
POTAWATOMI HOTEL & CASINO
PAYSBIG.COM
800-729-7244
100
3000
MENOMINEE CASINO RESORT, KRESHENA
MENOMINEECASINORESORT.COM
800-343-7778
11
100
HO-CHUNK GAMING, NEKOOSA
HO-CHUNKGAMING.COM/NEKOOSA
800-782-4560
50
650
WISCONSIN
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GAMINGANDDESTINATIONS.COM
TOURNAMENTS AND EVENTS
* CC Partner means the property provides coupons and special offers to members of the Comps Club. For more information, visit Thecompsclub.com
# OF ROOMS
ENT. VENUE
GOLF
288
•
686
• •
•
•
• •
SPA
POOL Photo Courtesy of Ian Freimuth/Flickr
MAGNIFICENT MILE LIGHTS FESTIVAL & PARADE 346
•
•
243 689 606
150 294
• •
160 201 116
400 400 400
586 496
• •
• • •
• • • • •
• •
•
• • • •
• •
• • • • • • •
• • •
CHICAGO, IL November 21, 2015 | TheMagnificentMile.com
There will be music and family activities all day on Michigan Avenue, with a lighted parade from Oak Street to Wacker Drive, where fireworks over the Chicago River will follow. The BMO Harris Bank Magnificent Mile Lights Festival has been a beloved holiday celebration for the past 23 years. Each year, holiday memories are made, traditions are formed and the holiday spirit along The Magnificent Mile grows greater.
A CHRISTMAS STORY COMES HOME HAMMOND, IN November 7, 2015 - January 3, 2016 | SouthShoreCva.com/AChristmasStory
Take a trip to Hammond, Indiana, the town that inspired the holiday classic, “A Christmas Story.” This family-friendly exhibit is centered around six window displays depicting scenes from the holiday classic. Take photos with Santa, participate in the ugly lamp contests and get in on some of the other special events.
WSOP CIRCUIT EVENT LAS VEGAS, NV November 12 – 23, 2015 | www.wsop.com
This World Series of Poker Circuit Event will be held at Planet Hollywood. Anyone can play and anyone can win. Check out the WSOP website for more details on this event and others.
FESTIVAL OF BARREL AGED BEERS CHICAGO, IL November 20-21, 2015 | IllinoisBeer.com/Events/Fobab
184
•
397
• •
• •
200
• • •
286
•
•
•
MILWAUKEE, WI November 27, 2015 | harley-davidson.com
374
• • •
•
•
• • •
Forget the mall. The best way to spend Black Friday is with great friends and your favorite craft Brews. Head to the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and sample a variety of beers from many of the Midwest region’s best craft breweries. Tickets will be available closer to the event date.
• •
•
•
•
1500
•
•
103
• •
•
391 103
•
•
294
‘Tis the season for barrel-aged beers! This is the country’s largest celebration of barrel-aged beers. Brewers around the state (and nation) craft beers that have been aged in a wooden barrel or in contact with wood to share at our annual #FoBAB event, resulting in a tasting of some of the rarest beers, which may or may not be available commercially from breweries across the country!
BLACK FRIDAY BEERFEST
243 454 275 100
•
PLYMOUTH ICE FESTIVAL PLYMOUTH, MI January 8-10, 2016 | PlymouthIceFestival.com
137
•
•
The Plymouth Ice Festival is a world-class event in beautiful downtown Plymouth that is exciting and fun for the whole family. Experience some of the world’s most beautiful ice sculptures being created and enjoy them for as long as the weather permits.
WANT COMPS? If you are a qualified casino player, let us know! We will be happy to connect you with some of our preferred casino properties around the world! For more information, please e-mail comps@gaminganddestinations.com or call 1-877-582-9478.
GAMINGANDDESTINATIONS.COM
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33
WIN THE
ULTIMATE
CASINO GETAWAY 2015
Each year, Gaming and Destinations gives you the opportunity to reward the properties that take care of you the most with our Gaming and Destinations Readers Choice Awards. You get to cast your vote for everything from rooms to restaurants, as well as have a chance to win a the Ultimate Casino Getaway!
THIS YEAR’S PRIZE PACKAGE INCLUDES: • A TWO-NIGHT STAY AT THE CASINO OF YOUR CHOICE • $250 CASINO PLAY • $100 GAS CARD
READERS’ CHOICE
AWARDS
• DINNER FOR TWO AT THE PREMIUM RESTAURANT ON THE PROPERTY (EXLUDES ALCOHOL) • 4 BREAKFAST BUFFETS • 2 DINNER BUFFETS • YOUR TRIP RECAP PUBLISHED IN GAMING AND DESTINATIONS MAGAZINE
IT’S EASY TO ENTER!
Choose your favorite Midwest casino from each category. Mail in your ballot and you will be automatically entered to win the prize! Or, complete the ballot online at www.GamingandDestinations.com/MidwestAwards. Don’t miss out— the voting deadline is December 31, 2015.
One vote per person. Duplicate enteries will result in disqualification. Faxes and copies are not accepted. All fields are required. Mark N/A if not applicable. If you do not have an email address, please provide us with your phone number. All entries must be postmarked by December 31, 2015.
34 |
G A M I N G A N D D E S T I N AT I O N S . C O M
VOTE! MAIL! WIN! Pick your favorite Midwest properties from each category READERS’ CHOICE
AWARDS
below, mail it in and you will be entered for the getaway! Or, vote online at GamingandDestinations.com/MidwestAwards
First Name:
Last Name:
Address: City:
E-mail:
State:
Zip:
Phone Number:
Do you subscribe to Gaming and Destinations?
Yes
Date of Birth: No
Are you a member of The Comps ClubTM?
Yes
No
What games do you like to play the most? Blackjack
Craps
Slots/Video Poker
Poker
Pari-mutuel (Horses)
Other:
What kind of comps do you typically receive from casinos? None, they are stingy
Free Buffet
Match Play Offers
Free Rooms
Whatever I want, I’m a high roller!
TELL US YOUR FAVORITE GAMING REGION IN THE FIELDS BELOW. Regions include: Indiana | Illinois | Iowa | Michigan | Minnesota | Missouri | Wisconsin CATEGORY:
Your Favorite Property:
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: (Include Name of Restaurant and Property) 9.
Best Buffet:
10. Best Amenities: (Spa, Pool, Shopping, etc.) 11. Best Golf Course: 12. Best Entertainment: 13. Best Entertainment Venue: 14. Best Nightlife: (Night Club, Lounge, etc.) 15. Best Theme: 16. Best Casino Personnel: (Dealers, Slot Attendants, Hosts, Waitresses, etc.) 17. Best Customer Service: 18. Best Advertising: (Radio, Television, Billboards, etc.) 19. Best Players Club: 20. Best Slot Machine Game: One vote per person. Duplicate enteries will result in disqualification. Faxes and copies are not accepted. All fields are required. Mark N/A if not applicable. If you do not have an email address, please provide us with your phone number. All entries must be postmarked by December 31, 2015. G A M I N G A N D D E S T I N AT I O N S . C O M
|
35
ST
E R S' C H O I
2015
CE AW
WIN A 2-NIGHT STAY AT THE
AR D S
M I DWE
AD RE
Casino of Your Choice MAIL IN YOUR BALLOT
TODAY!
FOLD HERE AND TUCK IN FIRST
POSTAGE REQUIRED POST OFFICE WILL NOT DELIVER WITHOUT PROPER POSTAGE
2015 MIDWEST READERS' CHOICE AWARDS Gaming and Destinations Magazine 640 S. 4th Street, Suite 300 Louisville, KY 40202-2416
FOLD HERE
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SOUTHERNGAMING.COM