arizona gaming guide magazine july 2011
DESCRIPTION
Hints, Tips, And Advice On Your Favorite Casino Games! A Monthly Publication Created By Slot Machine Game Designers. The Arizona Gaming Guide is a free monthly magazine for people who enjoy visiting casinos and playing casino games. Packed with in-depth features, advice, hints, tips, secrets, and so much more!TRANSCRIPT
04 EDITOR’S NOTE What’s on our mind
06 PLAYERS TALK What’s on your mind
28 FUN & GAMES Sudoku & Jackpot Puzzle to keep your mind sharp!
29 SAMI’S SMACKDOWN Rants, raves & reflections
30 CASINO SPONSOR DIRECTORY
Contents
REGULAR RESPINS
23 SLOT MACHINE SOFTWARE Software glitches—Who’s really at risk?
25 PARTICIPATION SLOTS Not all slots are owned by the casino
26 CASINO INDUSTRY NEWS Sheila Morago leaves Arizona for Oklahoma
20 HINTS & TIPS Poker and Blackjack
22 SECRETS OF SMART PLAYERS Your own slot
08 SLOT REVIEW Our Facebook fans name their favorite slots
12 A CONVERSATION WITH BILL RAGATZ Gaming Device Compliance Manager
16 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Players want to know the answers
19 SHOULD THE CASINOS BAN SMOKING? We’d like your opinion on this hot topic
FAST FACTS
WINNING WAYS
GREAT GAMES
FEATURES
JULY
azgamingguide.com | July 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide 03
1212
1919
0808 Slot machine image courtesy of WMS. © Copyright WMS. All Rights Reserved. www.wms.com.
EDITOR’S NOTE @
VOLUME 02 • ISSUE 12
PUBLISHER
Chris Hoft
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Elizabeth Torma
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Alexandra Lang
ART DIRECTOR
Melanie Mueller
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Mark Novak
Alex Stewart
Samantha Becker
Lana Hartmann
Elizabeth Torma
ADVERTISING SALES
Nina Consiglio
Alex Stewart
MAILING INFORMATION
Arizona Gaming Guide
P.O. Box 20636
Mesa, Arizona 85277
INTERNET INFORMATION
www.azgamingguide.com
www.facebook.com/ArizonaGamingGuide
Copyright © 2011 The Arizona Gaming Guide.
All rights reserved.
The Arizona Gaming Guide (AGG) presents casino industry and
gaming related facts as well as personal opinions and expects the
reader to make his or her own decisions. All responses to reader e-
mails and letters are to be considered as advice only. AGG accepts
no responsibility and no liability for any actions of our readers
based on the articles and advertisements presented within this
publication. All pictures, images, logos, trademarks and trade
names, etc. are the sole property of their respective owners. You
must be 21 or older to gamble. Please play responsibly. Help is
available at 1.800.NEXT.STEP or www.problemgambling.az.gov.
04 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com
Your Authority On Everything Gaming
We Have Exciting Plans
This July issue marks the end of our Volume 2 series! As we prepare to
celebrate our second year anniversary, and the beginning of our Vol-
ume 3 series with our August issue, we are reflecting on all of our
achievements and setting even higher goals for ourselves for this next
year. As always, we will continue to deliver intriguing information on
everything gaming to all of you through our magazine. In addition to
our print publication and growing online presence through social me-
dia outlets and applications, we will also be utilizing new and exciting
communication methods and tools as well. Watch for some thrilling
additions to our website and our all-new electronic newsletter in the
coming months!
I extend my deepest appreciation and gratitude to all of you for sup-
porting our publication and being loyal fans. Thank you for always
taking the time to write in your wonderful ideas and suggestions be-
cause your feedback is so important to us and always welcome! Please
visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ArizonaGamingGuide,
become part of our community and share your thoughts and experi-
ences with others who also love the same casino games you do. Don’t
forget that you can also find the current and back issues of the Arizona
Gaming Guide on our website at www.azgamingguide.com. For your
convenience, we have included the QR codes for both web addresses
in our directory. Let me know what you think of our July issue and
have fun.
Cheers!
Alexandra Lang
Editor-in-Chief
PLAYERS TALK @ Q&A On Everything Gaming
06 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com
ASK THE EXPERTS and get a $25 gas card if we decide to print your question! Do you have a question for our staff of casino gaming industry professionals and slot experts? Write us with your questions
and comments in any area of gaming and we will make every attempt to publish a response in upcoming issues. Space is
limited so we are unable to print every letter or e-mail we receive. Please include your name and mailing address with all
correspondence. Mail to: Arizona Gaming Guide PO BOX 20636 Mesa, AZ 85277 or E-mail to: [email protected].
Q: SLOT MACHINE TOURNAMENTS
I love playing in slot machine tournaments. Are the
slots used for the tournaments and the outcomes of the
tournaments fixed?
Linda Padilla—Casa Grande, AZ
A: Linda, the slot machines used for tournaments may be set at
higher payback percentages to elevate the excitement during
game play. However, tournament outcomes, just like any other
casino drawings and promotions, are not fixed! According to
the Arizona Tribal State Gaming Compact, the Tribal Gaming
Office is required to document all the rules and procedures and
certify the tournament games. Even though the Arizona De-
partment of Gaming is not required to certify them according to
the Compact, they’ve opted to test and certify all new tourna-
ment slot machines anyway as a second check.
Q: JACKPOT CONFIRMATION
How do casinos confirm whether jackpots are legiti-
mate wins? They can just tell us it was a malfunction or
error or whatever they want and we just have to believe
them.
Sandy Tovar – Tucson, AZ
A: Sandy, casinos can’t cheat players and claim that a jackpot
was not a legitimate win if it was. Either the winning amount
matches with the listed pay table amount in the help screen or it
doesn’t. If you line up five wilds on a pay line and the pay table
says the win is worth $10,000, but the slot malfunctions and
displays $1 million on the screen, you’re not going to become a
millionaire. Sorry. If the casino truly believes that there has
been a mistake, then they must provide documented evidence to
support their claims! Slot personnel can look into “Last Game
Recall” which steps through the spin leading up to the jackpot.
Even if it’s an accumulated win from a free games bonus, the
employees can still see the entire history stored in the “Last
Game Recall.” They can verify the win against the accounting
system, and they can also look at the meters on the slot machine
to make sure that the jackpot was recorded correctly. If they
believe there’s been foul play, then they could even pull up se-
curity surveillance tapes. There are many measures in place to
secure that neither the patron nor the casino is being cheated!
Q: WAITING FOR A HAND PAY
Why does it take so long for the casino employees to
come around and do a hand pay? You would think
they’d want us playing and spending money rather than
just sitting around waiting.
Ruth Roberts – Glendale, AZ
A: Ruth, there is a strict procedure that casino employees need
to follow regarding hand pays according to the Tribal State
Gaming Compact. There may be paperwork involved in the
hand pay, someone may need to use the reset key to clear off the
hand pay, more than one person may need to be involved to
verify the win, and money has to move from the cage to the pa-
tron. All of this needs to be properly documented and takes
time. Several casino personnel are involved with every hand
pay and each one of them needs to be careful not to make any
mistakes.
Q: THE BEST VIDEO SLOT
I’m a slot player. I’ve tried playing blackjack and I’ve
even gone to a few bingo sessions, but I’m just not in-
terested. I have the most fun playing the slots. The only
problem is that I lose too much money. In your opinion,
what’s the best slot to play?
Gloria Vincent – Tucson, AZ
A: Gloria, the best slot machine to play at the casino is video
poker. That’s the game that tends to have the highest payback
percentage when played using optimal strategy over the long
run. The simplicity of video poker is the true beauty of the
game. The pay table is right there in front of you, so there’s no
guesswork involved. Also, video poker isn’t as volatile as some
of the other video slot games, especially some penny slots. And,
although it varies from one video poker game to another, you
usually get a win every two to three spins playing video poker.
Furthermore, you are guaranteed at least your bet back when
you do win (with single-line video poker).
If video poker doesn’t interest you, then make sure the video
slots you choose to play don’t have progressives, community
bonus rounds, and side wagers. These slots tend to have a high
level of volatility which can decimate your bankroll! $
GREAT GAMES @ Slot Review
08 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com
We asked our Facebook fans which slot machine games
they enjoy playing the most and they were more than
happy to share their preferences with us! If there’s a
game on this list you’re not familiar with, give it a try!
You may just find your next favorite slot amongst these
titles. We only had room to mention some of the many
gems that our fans wrote to us about, but don’t worry
because we’ll continue with the rest of the games in next
month’s issue! We’ve included a few of our own hints
and tips for each slot game as well!
Double Diamond® By IGT
It wasn’t surprising to us that
several fans listed some classic
mechanical steppers as their
favorites. IGT’s Double Dia-
mond® three reel is a tried and
true top-notch game that can
still be found on almost all ca-
sino floors! One of the main
reasons players still love this
slot is because it lets them play
longer than most other steppers
do and is not as volatile. We
can tell you that you will be
getting a winning combination
on this game about once in
every 7 spins! This is actually a great hit frequency con-
sidering that most stepper games produce a win about
once in every 12 to 20 games! Here’s another secret you’ll
only be able to find out from us—the jackpot on this
game actually has a high probability of occurring as it hits
once in every 50,000 spins, on average. Given that one
spin takes about 5 seconds to complete, 50,000 spins
translates to approximately one jackpot every three days.
Now, those are some great odds. Throw into the mix the
fact that the wilds show up about once in every 25 spins
and that makes for some exciting game play action while
waiting for that jackpot to happen. Here are a couple
more hints: 1. Never, ever, sit down at this machine
unless you are prepared to risk 300x your wager on this
game. According to our mathematical analysis, any wins
in-between 50x and 500x your wager will be attainable
with that bank roll. 2. Most casinos install the game with
the max credit jackpot proportionally higher than the one
credit jackpot. Therefore, you should play the maximum
bet to gain an even greater advantage.
Red, White & Blue® By IGT
Another reel classic and symbol of American patriotism is
IGT’s Red, White & Blue® three reel mechanical stepper
slot. This game, like IGT’s other hit Double Diamond®, is
an excellent choice because of the high probability of
landing a winning combination which occurs about once
in every 7 games, on average.
Although your odds of get-
ting the top jackpot in this
game aren’t so good (usually
about once in every 250,000
spins), lining up any of the
colored sevens is not difficult
to attain during one play ses-
sion as it occurs about once in
every 250 to 300 spins! Since
this game’s overall hit fre-
quency is similar to Double
Diamond®, we offer the same
advice—don’t sit down at this
machine unless you are pre-
pared to risk 300x your wa-
SLOT FAVORITES … chosen by our Facebook fans
By Lana Hartmann
Slot Review @ GREAT GAMES
azgamingguide.com | July 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide 09
ger. And, although we always recommend playing at the
bet level you feel most comfortable, just be aware that the
top jackpot wins are also bonused on this game when
playing the max bet of 3 credits. The Arizona Gaming
Guide team has had the best experience playing Red,
White & Blue® and Double Diamond®, as well as some
other classic mechanical reel steppers, at Cliff Castle Ca-
sino Hotel in Camp Verde, Bucky’s Casino in Prescott,
and Desert Diamond Casinos in Tucson.
Goldfish® Race for the Gold™ By WMS
It’s no surprise to us that most of our Facebook fans listed
WMS games as their favorites. One such game, Goldfish®
Race for the GoldTM, seems to continue to be a huge suc-
cess amongst slot enthusiasts according to our reader let-
ters and the comments from our Facebook fans. The over-
all hit frequency of Goldfish® Race for the GoldTM is 50%,
so a winning combination should happen about one out
of every two spins! Here’s another insider secret: you will
not find this game installed here in Arizona at a payback
percentage less than 88%! And, for some even more good
news, Mazatzal Hotel & Casino in Payson has their ver-
sion set much higher than that! Cliff Castle Casino Hotel
in Camp Verde still has the game and Hon-Dah Resort-
Casino in Pinetop recently installed a bank as well. Our
team members have had great play sessions at all three
locations! Just remember, it’s a fact that the more you bet
the better your chances are for triggering the random pro-
gressive on this game. To increase the odds of hitting this
progressive, your best move is to play max bet. Although,
since most people don’t wager the maximum on this
game, you can gain an advantage by just making sure
you’re the biggest bettor at the bank (and that you’re not
sitting at a bank with another Arizona Gaming Guide fan)!
Here’s an amusing true story—one of our team members
was playing Money to Burn® in nickels and 20 lines at the
Casino Arizona Salt River location (unfortunately no
longer on the floor). As everyone was betting the mini-
mum bet of 20 credits ($1.00 wager), our team member
was betting 40 credits to gain an advantage for the pro-
gressive. Another lady sat down next to her and immedi-
ately started betting 60 credits which prompted our team
member to start betting 80 credits. Of course, she didn’t
expect the lady to start betting 100 credits (a $5.00 bet)
right away as a result. Then, the lady turned to our staff
member and said she wasn’t trying to be rude she was
just following a rule she read in a gaming magazine
about being the “biggest bettor at the bank” with ran-
domly triggered progressive slots. When our team mem-
ber asked her which magazine she read that in she said,
“Arizona Gaming Guide, you can pick it up here.” They
both had a good chuckle!
Wheel of Fortune® By IGT
This great game has attracted a lot of players over the
years! You have to play max credits to activate the Spin
bonus, which should happen about once every 60 to 80
spins according to our data (depending on the version of
the game). If you play less than max credits, you are at an
extreme disadvantage because you cannot play the Spin
bonus. The payback percentage when playing less than
max credits is generally around the lower limit of the
gaming jurisdiction (for Arizona this is 80%). The max
credits payback percentage starts at 86%, so you defi-
nitely want to take advantage of the extra 6%! If you do
get to play the Spin bonus, your chances of winning the
1,000 credit award are about 1 in 250 based on our re-
search. That’s why you win 20 credits so often!
(Continued on page 10)
Images of Goldfish Race for the Gold & The Lord of the Rings are courtesy of WMS. © Copyright WMS. All Rights Reserved. www.wms.com.
Images of Sex and the City, Double Diamond, and Red, White & Blue are courtesy of IGT. © Copyright IGT. All Rights Reserved. www.igt.com.
GREAT GAMES @ Slot Review
10 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com
The Lord of the Rings™ By WMS
Fans of The Lord of the RingsTM, also by WMS, will be
happy to know there is just one version of this game. It is
only available in 25 lines, no more, and no less. Presuma-
bly every player has taken the time to create a login name
and password for the game. Doing so enables you to save
your progress on your journey through Middle-earth.
The more miles you collect, the more bonuses you are
allowed to play during your adventure on this remark-
able slot. With a hit frequency of around 50%, you should
see a win about once every other spin.
The lowest payback percentage for this game is around
86% and as you already know, Mazatzal Hotel & Casino
set their game in the 90s. Casino Arizona at Talking Stick
Resort, Fort McDowell Casino, Cliff Castle Casino Hotel,
Mazatzal Hotel & Casino, and Desert Diamond Casinos
are all great places to play these slots. I can never seem to
get an open machine when I arrive! Until we hear differ-
ently, Mazatzal Hotel & Casino has the highest paying
version of this slot.
Sex and the City™ By IGT
Sex and the CityTM was mentioned several times by our
fans. I agree this game is very appealing and, as a result,
has been on the slot floors for a while. If you want to play
all four sets of reels, you should hit a bonus after about 25
spins. If you elect to play three sets of reels your chances
(Continued from page 9) of hitting the bonus decrease to 1 in 33 spins. Activate
only two sets of reels by wagering 100 credits for a chance
to hit the bonus once every 50 spins. If you play one set of
reels for 50 credits, the bonus should happen about once
every 100 spins. This relationship will be similar for all of
IGT’s slots with four sets of reels. That is to say your
chances of hitting the bonus obviously decreases by a
factor of four when playing one set of reels as opposed to
all four sets of reels. With a follow-up version of this slot
coming to Arizona in the near future, you should jump
on a game while you still can. None of the remaining Sex
and the CityTM slots in Arizona are set lower than 90% in
terms of their payback percentage. Based on our analysis
of the game, winning spins happen about 50% of the
time, when playing all four sets of reels.
You should know one final hint about this slot. The more
you wager, the more picks you get in the progressive bo-
nus game. A bet of 200 credits yields one pick in the bo-
nus, 400 credits yields two picks in the bonus, and max
bet guarantees a progressive is awarded! $
Random inspections from various state regulatory agen-
cies happen throughout the entire service industry and
the casinos aren’t an exception. The Gaming Device Com-
pliance Unit of the Arizona Department of Gaming (the
Department) continues to play an integral role in ensur-
ing the integrity of gaming in Arizona. Mr. Bill Ragatz,
Manager of the Unit, and his team certify that all the
gaming devices that are played by the public are properly
inspected and meet rigid specifications.
Arizona Gaming Guide (AGG): What does your team at
the Department do on behalf of the public?
Bill Ragatz (BR): We certify, inspect, and monitor all the
gaming devices and all the communication systems connected
to the gaming devices in the Arizona casinos; this includes the
player tracking devices and the accounting system. We keep
track of and regularly check anything machine-wise, whether it
is the machine itself or it is a component hooked up to the ma-
chine, which might cause a critical problem. We visit every
casino in Arizona, randomly and sometimes without notice, up
to five times per year. Absolutely every slot machine in Arizona
has been certified by our team, has had its software checked by
our team, and is continually monitored by our team here at the
Department.
When we show up to a casino that is in the process of setting up
a bank of new slot machines (after having previously been given
a 30 day advance notice), we open every single machine and
check the software, check with the results provided to us by the
independent testing labs, and verify the software is approved in
Arizona. If something is out of the ordinary, we’ll investigate
why and resolve the discrepancy. About four years ago one of
the slot manufacturers shipped software that was not approved
for Arizona but was approved for Nevada, Illinois, or some
other state. This was a shipping mistake, nothing intentional.
When we checked the software to verify each chip’s electronic
signature, we identified the signature did not match the ap-
proved software! This is one of our most stringent steps we take
during our certifications. Software that is not approved in Ari-
zona cannot be shipped here and be used in a gaming device.
AGG: Can someone get into trouble for having made
an honest mistake?
BR: Yes, they can. We take any discrepancies very seriously.
Slot manufacturers can be fined, employees can lose their jobs,
and a manufacturer’s gaming license can be revoked. Whenever
something happens that shouldn’t have happened, the first step
is to have a conversation and document what occurred and
what steps will be taken to resolve the issue. We have never
turned a blind eye to anything! Absolutely everything is re-
ported and recorded, even for an honest shipping mistake or
human error. Obviously it depends on the severity of the situa-
tion as to what kinds of actions the Department will take to
resolve an issue.
12 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com
PLAYING BY THE
RULES
Bill Ragatz Gaming Device Compliance Manager
azgamingguide.com | July 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide 13
AGG: What happens during a typical inspection?
BR: A member of our team goes out to a casino randomly and
unannounced. Our team member first arrives at the local Tribal
Gaming Office and informs them they will be doing an inspec-
tion and then randomly selects 50 different slot games. If there
has been recent complaints about certain machines, we may
combine our investigation of the suspect machines with a ran-
dom inspection. For the most part, the Tribal Gaming Office
and the casino have no advance notice at all. When we arrive
we request a slot tech, a Tribal Gaming Agent, and a Security
Officer to accompany us around the casino so we can have as
much unrestricted access as we need.
We open the slots, enter the setup
menus and verify the percentages, the
software, and the seal tapes are still in
place. Then, we perform communica-
tion tests with the accounting system
and run bills and tickets through the
acceptors. We still do coin tests as
well, but there are very few places in
Arizona that still use coins and tokens!
We also check all the accounting me-
ters to make sure they are working
correctly. This includes the credits in,
credits out, credits played, etc.
AGG: If you come across a prob-
lem, what do you do?
BR: If we find a problem during an inspection, we immediately
notify the individuals we are working with so they can physi-
cally see the problem. Then, they report the issue to their supe-
riors. We always complete a report, whether there is an issue or
not. If there is a discrepancy, we note what section of the Ari-
zona Tribal State Gaming Compact the issue violates and possi-
bly quote the Compact, depending on the nature of the discrep-
ancy. During our inspections we tend to find very little in the
way of problems.
(Continued on page 14)
Can Players Be Cheated? AGG: Our readers ask questions about the casi-
nos being able to “cheat” them. Can the public
feel secure in knowing that any slot machine they
encounter in Arizona’s casinos is a fair machine?
BR: Yes, absolutely! I’ve been here nine years and based
on my knowledge I have never known a casino or Tribal
Gaming Office to place software in a slot that wasn’t
approved for use in Arizona, changed a machine, or its
settings on purpose in order to deceive customers.
There have been some instances in the past where the
PARs (percentage accounting reports) didn’t match
with what we had on file. This is extremely rare, and
again, does not mean the slot is “unfair.” What can hap-
pen is that a slot needs a soft reset or a hard reset to
clear an electronic or hardware problem. So, a slot tech,
along with a Tribal Gaming Agent, resets the machine
and has to configure all the settings. By the way, a slot
tech is unable to do this without a Tribal Gaming Agent
being present. Then, someone from the Department has
to come out and re-certify the machine. Human error
can happen and the wrong percentage can get picked.
Between performing our certifications of new gaming
devices, certifying changes to existing slots, our random
inspections, the diligence of the Tribal Gaming Agents,
and the attention to detail of casinos themselves, I am
100% confident that every single slot machine across all
the casinos here in Arizona is okay. One of the great
things about casino gaming in Arizona is the regula-
tions established by the Compact. We all work together
(the casinos, the Tribal Gaming Offices, and the Depart-
ment) to ensure a fair, entertaining experience for every-
one.
Absolutely every
slot machine in
Arizona has
been certified by
our team, has
had its software
checked by
our team, and
is continually
monitored by
our team here at
the Department.
(Continued from page 13)
AGG: What’s the most surprising thing you or a mem-
ber of your team have ever found when opening a slot
machine door?
BR: I found a 1923 silver dollar in a dollar game when I was a
tech! The casino let me buy it from them for a dollar! I had
opened a multi-game machine to do some maintenance on the
slot when I saw the coin. Back then, it was very common for
coins to miss the hopper during a slot tech’s refill or for a
player’s coin to bounce out when the hopper was almost full.
AGG: What is the most ridiculous myth you have heard
about slot machines?
BR: I’d say the one about the guy in the back of the casino who
controls if you win or lose. That is probably the craziest myth
I’ve come across! Back when I was a slot tech, I do remember
asking surveillance to keep an eye on an older gentleman who
was a regular visitor at the casino. I noticed he was repeatedly
punching the numbers on the player tracking device before
every spin. Obviously, he was not tampering with the slot ma-
chine or the player tracking device, but you never know why
people do the things they do. I eventually decided to strike up a
conversation with him and asked him why he was pushing the
buttons. He told me he was “communicating with the mother-
ship!” Then he said he was pulling my leg! The eye in the sky
was on him for a while and realized he wasn’t cheating. I guess
that was just superstition on his part. His behavior was some-
thing to bring him luck during his next spin.
AGG: What does the future of the casino industry look
like here in Arizona with server-based gaming?
BR: It’s going to be very interesting! I’m a “techie” so I’m
looking forward to everything that’s coming. We’re still at least
a couple of years away from taking on the challenge of server-
based gaming, but when we do get closer we’ll have to pick it
apart and investigate how everything is secured. The Compact
will have to be updated to accommodate the new technology.
The one advantage for us will be that several other jurisdictions
are already using server-based games, so we’ll be able to learn a
lot from them. If a new technology is implemented in Arizona
which meets the secure means of an existing technology, then
the Compacts don’t have to be adjusted. However, server-based
gaming will most likely require a whole new section to the
Compact. *Editor’s note: Server-based slot games are connected
to a central computer system. With this technology casinos will
have the ability to change slot game themes, denominations,
payback percentages and promotions with just a few keystrokes.
More information, including the benefits and drawbacks of this
new technology, will be presented in our August issue.] $
14 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com
16 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com
Players FAQFAQ Across the years, we’ve answered thousands of
questions from casino gaming enthusiasts all
across the state of Arizona. Here are some of
the most common issues players want to know
about with the answers given by Mr. Bill Ra-
gatz (BR), Gaming Device Compliance Man-
ager at the Arizona Department of Gaming.
So, if you didn’t believe us …
Does it matter if I pull the handle or I press the button
on a slot machine?
BR: The handle you pull and the button you press to initiate a
spin activate the same switch on the game. There are no gears
or levers or springs which control the outcome of a spin any-
more on mechanical reel slot games. Even the classic slot games
with the sevens and bars are run off of a computer and a ran-
dom number generator too, and they actually have been for
decades. Even stopping the reels by pressing the spin button
has no effect on the outcome of the game.
If someone hit a jackpot on a machine, is it a good idea
not to play that machine for a while?
BR: The slot doesn’t remember what happened from one spin to
the next. Each spin is totally independent of the spin before and
completely random. There is no sequence to a slot machine. You
have just as much of a chance of hitting the exact same jackpot
moments after someone else hit that very same jackpot on the
same machine. Additionally, it’s also not correct to believe that
a machine is “due” because it hasn’t hit a jackpot for a while.
Say I’ve been playing a machine for an hour and I get
up and leave then a guy sits down after me and hits a
big win, would that have happened to me?
BR: There’s no guarantee that both you and the person playing
after you would have pressed the spin button at the exact same
millisecond. All the combinations are cycling through so
quickly. As soon as you hit the button, that’s when the random
numbers are picked by the computer program and a result is
determined. One time my mom visited a casino and somebody
won a huge amount of money after she got up and left the ma-
chine. I kept telling her it had nothing to do with her leaving
and that it probably wouldn’t have happened to her, but it still
hurts her to this day.
If the progressive is not awarded and the game is taken
off the slot floor, what happens to all the money?
BR: Any player contribution towards a progressive has to be
returned to the players in some way. If a slot machine manufac-
turer were to put an entire wide area network out of business,
they wouldn’t be able to! They’d have to keep at least one ma-
chine running until the jackpot was hit. Then they could shut
down the machine and remove it. But, if the network changes to
a new group of games, the money rolls over from the old games
to the new games. Even if it isn’t a wide-area jackpot hosted by
a slot manufacturer, the casino still has to distribute in-house
progressives onto other progressive games in the casino. That’s
part of the Arizona Tribal State Gaming Compact.
If I’m on a “cold streak” and I cash the ticket out of the
slot and put it back in will that change my luck?
BR: It might warm up your hands a little bit! I think many
people believe that cashing out a ticket, or even taking out their
azgamingguide.com | July 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide 17
Want To Know player card and reinserting it into the slot, “resets” the ma-
chine. In actuality, the machine “resets” itself each time a
player presses the spin button because each game is independ-
ent of the game before.
Do slots that require skill, like video poker, pay more
than slots that don’t?
BR: Based on my knowledge, video poker has a high payback
percentage because the game is designed that way. Generally,
these games are set to higher denominations and are better
games than other slots. I recall seeing video poker games paying
back 99% or more, in the long run, if the player uses their skill
correctly. In my opinion, if a player wishes to play a video slot
machine they are better off playing video poker.
Do casinos put higher paying machines in busy traffic
areas like near the cage or near the doors?
BR: Personally, I don’t think so. There are possibly a few casino
executives who believe in that idea, but most do not. I’m not a
slot manager but I would think the placement of the slot de-
pends more on the game and the denomination. I used to hear a
theory that the slot machines on the aisles had lower payback
percentages than the slots in the middle of the row because peo-
ple like to sit at the end of a row first before they move into the
crowded part of a bank of slots. I don’t think there is anything
to that theory. You could argue the exact opposite that “loose”
machines at the ends would attract players to the “tight” ma-
chines in the middle. I do know there are players out there who
prefer to play on the end of a row because they don’t like feeling
crowded. I guess that’s where those theories come from. In all
the certifications I’ve participated in, if a slot was set “loose”
the whole bank was set to the same payback percentage. I can’t
recall a single situation where the casino was selective about the
payback percentage down a row of slots.
Do the casinos have the power to control which games
are going to pay out, how much they’re going to pay out
and when?
BR: I’ll admit that when I wasn’t in the business I probably
had just as much suspicion as anybody else! After working
around slot machines as a slot tech and then with my experi-
ence here at the Department, I’m 100% convinced every spin
on a slot machine is 100% random. I’ve seen the technical
specifications and I know how the games communicate. The
only electronic information going in or out of a slot is data on
credits wagered, credits put into the game, credits cashed out,
and the player tracking data. There is no communication com-
ing into a slot telling the game to do something regarding win-
ning or losing. I know there are some people out there that be-
lieve there are casino employees sitting in the back room mak-
ing them win or lose! But, if you know the technology of the
games, you know that’s absolutely impossible! $
Special thanks to Bill Ragatz, Rick Medina, and Talia Otto at the Arizona
Department of Gaming for their assistance with this article! For more informa-
tion on the Department visit their website at: www.azgaming.gov
18 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com
azgamingguide.com | July 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide 19
By Mark Novak
On May 1, 2007, the Smoke Free Arizona Act (Proposition
201) went into effect banning smoking in all enclosed work-
places and within 20 feet of all entrances or exits. Casinos and
all other businesses located on Indian reservations are exempt
from this law.
We asked ten casino employees from all across the state of
Arizona what they believed to be the approximate percentage
of smokers at their casinos. One employee responded 50%
while the remaining nine casino employees maintained that
70% to 75% of their patrons are smokers - three smokers to
every one non-smoker!
In 2006, a study conducted by a research group from the Uni-
versity of Nevada, Reno indicated that, contrary to popular
belief only one out of every five, in other words 20%, of the
casino patrons are actually smokers. The 2010 statistics posted
by the Center for Disease Control seem to mirror the results
of the study denoting 21% of the U.S. population 18 years of
age and older are smokers. Why is it that what casino em-
ployees are suggesting based on their own observations and
what the Reno study and numerous other studies are report-
ing are so vastly different?
The Arizona Gaming Guide team has decided to conduct our
own research and report our findings in an upcoming issue.
Whether you’re a smoker or a non-smoker, a casino patron or
casino employee, we want to hear from you! Do you think
Arizona casinos should ban smoking, why or why not?
Should every casino have a non-smoking section and for
those that do are they big enough? Which casino deals with
the smoke the best? Send us an e-mail to edi-
[email protected] with “Smoking” in the subject or
mail to Arizona Gaming Guide P.O. Box 20636 Mesa, AZ
85277. $
Should the CasinosShould the Casinos
BAN SMOKING?BAN SMOKING?
WINNING WAYS @ Hints & Tips
20 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com
Answer Assuming you’re not a card counter,
you should never split 10s against a
dealer’s 6, regardless of the bet you’re
making. The flawed logic most play-
ers use with 10s against a weak dealer
card is to get a higher return playing
two hands when the dealer busts or
the chance of having two strong 20s!
Always stand with a strong hand of 20
that’s almost guaranteed to be a win-
ning hand! If you’re one of the many
blackjack players who think splitting a
pair of 10-valued cards against a
dealer’s 6 or even a 5 is a good play
it’s not! You may be counting on the
fact that the dealer will bust so you
can make more money on a split, but
you’re wrong. If you break up your
10s you only have about a 65% chance
of winning on each split hand.
Conversely, if you just stand with 20
you will win about 85% of the time!
Even if you take into account that you
are wagering more money with the
chance of higher returns by splitting,
you will still be making more money
in the long run if you stand (about $15
more for every $100 wagered). $
Question You’re playing blackjack at
$10 a hand and the dealer’s
up-card is a 6 against your
two 10s. Should you split
your 10s?
TIMING is everything!
It’s still COLD HARD CASH! Picture yourself sitting at a blackjack table pulling out one $10 bill after
the other and betting on each hand with real money rather than plastic
chips! I would imagine that it would feel
very different. The same goes for the
ticket vouchers for the slot machines. A
$100 ticket just doesn’t feel the same as 5
twenties feel in our hands. Whether
you’re playing with chips or tickets,
don’t forget that they both still represent
cold hard cash. Always keep that in the
back of your mind when you’re at the
casino! $
It’s not difficult to spot the poker “newbie” at the table. You know, the
one that acts quickly and impulsively on all the strong hands, but then
agonizes over the weak hands. You can hear his thoughts echoing like a
loud speaker, “Hmm, should I raise or just throw away this miserable
small pocket pair?” In the meantime, the rest of us are sitting there think-
ing to ourselves, “Raise, raise, raise so we can clean the floor with you!”
One trick to avoid being so predictable and giving away your hands to
your opponents is to institute a timing rule. Get in the habit of taking the
exact same amount of time in making decisions with all your hands, re-
gardless of whether they are strong or not. If you already know the move
you’re going to make just sit there and count to yourself or sing the verse
to one of your favorite songs.
How often does a player get dealt a
BLACKJACK?
A player gets dealt a blackjack hand of 21 about
once in every 21 hands (I’m not kidding about that
number - it’s just a cool coincidence). This is about
4.8% of the time for single deck games and 4.7% of
the time for six deck games.
WINNING WAYS @ Secrets of Smart Players
22 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com
For all of us who enjoy slots, video poker, or video keno,
we have some great advice for you. Get your own game!
Practicing your video poker strategy on an actual multi-
game slot in the comfort of your own home is a great
way to make sure your next trip and all future trips to
the casino are a success. If you are a video keno fan, you
can play all the different games a multi-game slot has to
offer at home and then find a casino which offers your
favorite game. Getting used to the ups and downs of
multiple play sessions at home is critical to understand-
ing a volatile game like video keno. If you can play an
actual casino slot at home and begin to observe the fre-
quency of the larger and smaller wins, you are entering
the casino with an advantage when choosing which slot
to play. You'll immediately notice if the casino's slot is
behaving better or worse than your machine at home.
Then you can make an informed decision whether to
shorten or lengthen your play session for that particular
casino visit. Nothing beats being able to practice on and
enjoy an actual slot machine that’s been in a casino from
home while you plan your next casino trip!
Each used slot, whether it has multiple games or not,
will still function in the same way it did when it was in
an actual casino. Rest assured, the slot's software and
RNG can't tell the difference between a casino and your
game room! Most used slot stores have a variety of
video slot, reel slot, and multi-game units at reasonable
prices. Even if they don't have what you are looking for
in stock, they can usually find an available unit quickly.
Don't expect to find the newest games in stock, most of
the machines are at least several years old. However,
you'll notice a lot of slot manufacturers recycling the
same games on the newer slots at the casino. In many
cases, there are little to no differences between a used
slot’s game software and newer slots at the casino! Be
aware that licensed slot themes, like those based on
movies, celebrities, TV shows, game shows, or other
popular brands, go back to the slot manufacturers and
are generally never available to the public. If you are
considering purchasing a used slot, we have found the
One Arm Gambler to have a great selection, an expert
technical staff, and an excellent reputation in Arizona.
You can visit the store at 9838 North 19th Avenue in
Phoenix or at www.onearmgambler.com. To speak with
a representative directly, call (480) 921-4248 and let them
know the Arizona Gaming Guide sent you! $
Your Own Slot By Mark Novak
Slot Machine Software @ FAST FACTS
azgamingguide.com | July 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide 23
In 2007, a man was playing the Mystical Mermaids™
nickel slot machine by IGT at the Sandia Resort and Ca-
sino in New Mexico when a software glitch occurred.
Coming out of a bonus the slot, which should have dis-
played a win of around $200, locked up for a jackpot
hand pay of $1.6 million! Once the casino realized that a
malfunction had occurred, a nice settlement of $2,500
(the actual maximum payout on the machine) was of-
fered to the gentleman as a good will gesture.
In 2006, gamblers at Caesars in Indiana raked in nearly a
half a million dollars in two days on one slot machine
that was registering ten times more
money than the players were inserting.
Putting a $20 bill into the game was
actually being recorded as $200! Players
didn’t even need to play the slot. They
could just cash out their inflated ticket
and leave. Security tapes later showed
people just walking up to the machine,
inserting $100 and cashing out $1,000!
A young couple finally reported the
problem to security and it was deter-
mined that the machine’s bill acceptors
had been incorrectly set for the Philip-
pines instead of the United States
which instructed the machine to multi-
ply credits by ten!
We asked Mr. Bill Ragatz, Gaming De-
vice Compliance Manager at the Ari-
zona Department of Gaming, if he has ever come across
a situation where a player was actually being cheated by
SOFTWARE GLITCHES
By Lana Hartmann
a software glitch? He said he couldn’t recall a single inci-
dent in the nine years he’s been an inspector for the De-
partment and the four years he was a slot tech previously
that there was an instance of slot software cheating a cus-
tomer. “Based on my experience, when there is a problem
with a slot, the casino is at a disadvantage. Slot machines
are a huge liability and risk for the casinos! It’s not the
other way around. Players are not the ones who are at a
disadvantage if a blip occurs. Even though there is a dis-
claimer on every slot machine that states malfunction voids
all pays and plays, casinos tend to provide some form of
compensation to a player in the event of a malfunction
anyway. One time a slot’s touch screen
stopped working while the player was
in the bonus and the casino paid out the
maximum possible bonus award on the
slot to the customer as a result since
they couldn’t complete the bonus!”
Obviously, software glitches can pose
serious problems that no casino, slot
manufacturer, independent laboratory
or regulatory agency wants to deal with.
Ultimately, if something goes awry with
a slot machine one individual or a
group of individuals will be held ac-
countable and the repercussions can
involve fines, loss of jobs, and even law-
suits! That is why casino gaming is so
secure. There is so much testing, certify-
ing, and regulating to prevent these
kinds of problems from occurring and that is why soft-
ware glitches are so extremely rare! $
Who’s really at risk - the player or the casino?
Participation Slots @ FAST FACTS
azgamingguide.com | July 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide 25
*EXP. 8/1/2011
By Mark Novak
Bet You Didn’t Know…
Not All Slot Machines Are Owned By The Casinos!
There is a trend which has become increasingly popular
in the last five years. Rather than selling a slot game to a
casino, slot manufacturers are loaning the games and
sharing in the profits. Games in this category are referred
to as “Participation Games.” The slot games remain the
property of the manufacturer and both the casino and the
manufacturer share in the revenue that the games pro-
duce.
Some slot manufacturers only offer their more exciting
slot themes and licensed titles as “Participation Games”
to share in the profits to recoup some of their costs. Casi-
nos agree to enter into participation arrangements with
the manufacturers, even though in many cases it means a
smaller margin for them, in order to be able to provide
their customers the newest and greatest games. Further-
more, these game titles typically earn two to three times
the house average because players are attracted to the
licensed titles. In addition, manufacturers offer casinos
assurances that if the games are underperforming they
will be switched out with a new title. Here are a few
popular participation slot games you may recognize: Deal
or No DealTM by Atronic, Wheel of FortuneTM by IGT, and
MonopolyTM or Star TrekTM by WMS. $
FAST FACTS @ Casino Industry News
26 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com
Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association (OIGA) an-
nounced that it has hired former Arizona Indian Gaming
Association (AIGA) Executive Director Sheila Morago as
its first full time Executive Director. “Sheila has gra-
ciously served the Arizona Tribes,” said Mark Brnovich,
Director of the Arizona Department of Gaming.” She has
been an excellent advocate for tribal gaming interests and
I wish her the best of luck in Oklahoma.” “While I am
very sad to leave AIGA, I am looking forward to this new
opportunity as Oklahoma is a significant player in the
gaming industry. It is the 4th largest gaming revenue gen-
erator behind Nevada, California and New Jersey,” said
Morago. “This is a big loss for Arizona,” said Diane Enos,
President of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Com-
munity. “Under Sheila’s leadership, AIGA has main-
tained national visibility as the model for Indian gam-
ing. She has fostered an environment of mutual respect
among all of the tribes, the state and the federal govern-
ment. I know that I am speaking for all of the leadership
when I say that we appreciate her talents and wish her
well.”
Morago brings to OIGA a depth of experience in Indian
gaming and a proven history of consensus building. As
Executive Director for AIGA, she successfully led all ne-
gotiations with the State of Arizona regarding compact-
Sheila Morago Joins Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association
ing, regulatory, security and surveillance and jurisdic-
tional issues. “Sheila’s extraordinary grasp of Indian
gaming from a legal, cultural, social and economic stand-
point has been invaluable in our dealings with the Gover-
nor’s office and the Arizona legislature,” said Kristen
Boilini, of KRB Consulting, the legislative lobbyist for
AIGA. “She has a unique ability to keep everyone fo-
cused on the key issues and moving forward so that we
can achieve the goals of the tribal leaders.”
Prior to becoming the Executive Director of AIGA in
2004, Sheila was the tribal liaison for Arizona’s Fair Gam-
ing and Indian Self-Reliance, Proposition 202, which en-
abled Arizona tribes to extend their gaming compacts
with the State of Arizona. For that campaign, she coordi-
nated all efforts between the 17 Tribes belonging to the
coalition and the casino operations. From 1998 to 2001,
Morago was Director of Public Relations for the National
Indian Gaming Association (NIGA), based in Washing-
ton, D.C. She began her career in gaming in 1994 as a Di-
rector of Marketing. Morago has been nationally recog-
nized by the gaming industry. She is frequently asked to
speak to groups throughout the country on every aspect
of Indian gaming. Valerie Spicer, Deputy Director, has
been appointed Acting Director for the Arizona Indian
Gaming Association. $
The National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA), established in 1985, is a non-profit organization of 184 Indian Nations with other non-voting associate members representing organizations, tribes and businesses engaged in tribal gaming enterprises from around the country. The common commitment and purpose of NIGA is to advance the lives of Indian peoples economically, socially and politically. NIGA operates as a clearinghouse and educational, legislative and public policy resource for tribes, policymakers and the public on Indian gaming issues and tribal community development. The Arizona Indian Gaming Association (AIGA), established in 1994, is a non-profit organization of 19 Arizona tribes. The AIGA is committed to advancing the lives of Indian peoples—economically, socially and politically—so Indian tribes in Arizona can achieve their goal of self-reliance. Speaking on behalf of its member tribes with one, unified voice, AIGA serves as a clearing-house and educational, legislative and public policy resource for tribes, policymakers and the public on Indian gaming issues and tribal community development. This organization is deeply committed to maintaining and protecting Indian sovereign governmen-tal authority.
SUDOKU Each of the columns, rows, and nine 3x3 grids must con-
tain all of the digits 1 - 9. None of the digits may appear
more than once in each column, row, and 3x3 grid. (Solution on page 30)
FUN & GAMES @
7 5
8
2
6 1 3
6
8
2 6
4
8
4
5
2
6
4 6
1 9
2
5 8
1 4 9
JACKPOT PUZZLE
Which point system is better?
Many of you have questions about the players club op-
portunities around Arizona. There are many different
factors to consider, but one of the most critical and ob-
vious decision points hinges on how many points you
have to redeem in order to receive a certain amount of
free play.
Let us pretend Casino A allows you to redeem $1.00 of
free play for every 100 points of play on your card.
Each time you wager a total of $1.00, you get a point.
Furthermore, Casino B allows you to redeem $10.00 of
free play for every 100 points of play on your card.
Each time you wager $10.00, you get 1 point.
Which players club has the better free
play rewards in relation to your bets?
(Solution on page 30)
28 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com
azgamingguide.com | July 2011 | Arizona Gaming Guide 29
@ SAMI’S SMACKDOWN
Do YOU have something to rant about? Write me at:
Susan, here are some more stories from fellow heart-broken
players I’ve received recently …
Sami, last week I was playing $5 a hand on a quarter
video poker multi-strike machine which is the maximum
bet possible. On my last hand, I was only able to make a
$1 bet because that’s all I had left in the machine. I held
two Aces on the top row and on the draw I got two more
with a kicker. With this game all your wins on the top
row are 8X what they normally would be. I was playing
Triple Double Bonus Poker and I would have received
$8,000 for that win, but instead I only won $1,600! I was
out of money, it was literally my last dollar, so I’m not
complaining. It was a nice win—just wish it happened
while I was playing $5!
Beth Wiley—Phoenix
Sami, I was playing the buffalo slot machine and I practi-
cally filled up the entire screen with buffalos. I’m furious
because I was playing $2 the entire time and at the end I
only had enough money to bet 40 cents! … I won $220
but if I was still playing $2 it would have been $1,100!
Debra Shoemaker—Bullhead City
Sami, I lined up all the wilds and I lost a progressive
worth over $4,000 because I switched down my bet from
$3 to $1. Instead I won $360! I only had $10 left in the ma-
chine and I wanted to get ten spins out of it rather than
just three. What was I thinking??? I made the wrong deci-
sion. I’m so upset!
Jim Hoffman—Tucson
Sami, I’m sick of getting the bonus on my last spin when
I’m just betting like 3 cents! What’s the point in playing
those last few credits? Next time I’m just cashing out!
Cindy Thomas—Glendale
Sami, I just got back from the casino and I’m so mad at
myself. I was playing the unicorn game on the Fort
Knox machine and I got all three unicorns on the mid-
dle reels with the girl in the front! Problem is I didn’t
have many credits left in the machine so I ended up just
betting a few cents on that spin. Can you believe that??
I’m so upset. It’s happened to me and I’ve watched it
happen to other people and I still do it! I will never,
ever, ever do that again. I made $10 instead of several
hundred dollars! Gosh darn it! My husband had to lis-
ten to me vent all the way home from the casino. He’s
still laughing at me now and saying it’s my own fault
and I have nobody to blame. I know it is, but it doesn’t
make me feel better. It’s just frustrating. I love your
magazine. Thank you for listening!
Susan Blair—Mesa
Susan, you say you love our magazine, but have you been read-
ing it on a regular basis? One thing that we always stress to
our readers is to never, ever change their bet and play off those
last remaining credits. Let this be your FINAL mistake and
don’t ever let it happen again. Just press “cash out” once the
credit meter does not allow you to make the same bet you were
making or put more money in if you wish to continue playing.
You’re not alone, because I’ve received dozens of e-mails and
hand-written letters from other players with similar stories. In
fact, I used to be guilty of the exact same thing as have several
of my team members! We just don’t play off remaining credits
anymore. It’s just not worth dealing with the agony if some-
thing happens. Since you were burned more than once, I’m
pretty sure you won’t be doing that anymore either!
I believe that it’s just some crazy law of the universe that makes
things like this happen. For example, I’m a pack rat that saves
everything, but the minute I decide to throw something away
that’s when I end up needing it! Go figure! That’s also the rea-
son why bonuses and big wins happen as soon as you decide to
lower your bet!
Those Last Few Credits In The Machine You can do whatever you want with them, but
By Sami Becker Don’t Do This!
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Yavapai Casino
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Arizona Department of Gaming
202 E. Earll Drive, Suite 200
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1-602-604-1801 azgaming.gov
Office of Problem Gambling
202 E. Earll Drive, Suite 200
Phoenix, Arizona 85012
1-602-266-8299 problemgambling.az.gov Source: Arizona Department of Gaming-Tribal Gaming Status-06/01/11
1 7 5
8 6 3
9 2 4
6 2 3
9 1 4
5 8 7
4 9 8
7 2 5
6 1 3
2 4 6
5 3 1
7 9 8
7 5 9
2 6 8
3 4 1
8 3 1
9 7 4
2 5 6
3 1 9
4 8 2
6 5 7
4 7 6
1 9 5
8 3 2
5 8 2
3 6 7
1 4 9
Solution to the Sudoku
Solution to the Jackpot Puzzle
Casino A & Casino B are offering the same value.
Casino A rewards you with $1.00 of free play after you wager
$100.00. That’s 1 “back” for every 100 “in.”
Casino B rewards you with $10.00 of free play after you wager
$1,000.00. That’s 10 “back” for every 1,000 “in.”
The ratio of wagers “in” to free play “out” is the same!
30 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2011 | azgamingguide.com
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