Denny Crum & Robert Williamson III’s Derby Poker Championship, a Pro-Celebrity poker tournament and party benefitting Blessings in a Backpack, has become the place to be in Louisville to kick-off Derby weekend. The annual celebrity gala was held at a new venue this year – the historic Seelbach Hilton Hotel – and host to a new celebrity co-host, Bravo’s Real Housewives of Orange County Star, Vicki Gunvalson.

“This year’s event was another great success,” said G. Douglas Dreisbach, event producer.  “The efforts and support from the community, sponsors, volunteers and everyone else involved will enable Blessings in a Backpack to feed many children here in our community,” he said.

Now celebrating its fifth year, attendees of the event were treated to an evening of music, food stations, bourbon and wine tasting accompanied with a premium bar, world-renown chalk artist, Matt Lewis, and more. In addition, the Texas Hold ‘em Poker Tournament was open to the public, allowing poker enthusiasts the opportunity to compete against poker pros and celebrities such as hall of fame basketball coach Denny Crum, comedian Ron White, poker pro’s Robert Williamson III and Josh Arieh, best-selling author Nora Roberts, football hall of famer Warren Moon, Indy car driver Troy Hansen, Oscar Nunez and Kate Flannery from The Office and many more.

“This event is always a great way to kick off Derby in style,” added Dreisbach. “Whenever you can have fun, hang out with celebrities and benefit an amazing charity all at the same time, you know you are doing something right,” he said.

The event was sponsored by Jim Beam, Bluff Magazine, Twinspires.com, HogWildPokerLeagues.com, and L&N Federal Credit Union.

The event was produced by Southern Gaming and Destinations Magazine.

To view the entire photo album from this event visit our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Southern-Gaming-and-Destinations-Magazine/86430923098

Opening June 2, Jia Boutique Nightclub will be an after-hours venue. Discerning guests will escape into the lavish comfort of Jia transformed into a late night lounge.  This unique and seasonal venue will serve provocative cocktails crafted by our master mixologist, enjoy innovated sushi rolls prepared by our award winning chef, all while guests will be inspired by the music mixed by top DJs.

Whether you want to savor a cocktail, enjoy a late night roll or just socialize, Jia Boutique Nightclub will cater to every whim. Open Saturdays in June and July from 12:00 a.m. – 4:00 a.m.

DADDY’S GOT A HALL PASS PARTY  -  COAST & EIGHT75

Saturday, June 16th

2 for 1 Crown, Jack or Jim Beam Brands

Drink Specials 10:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m.

FIVE PLACES, FIVE PARTIES PUB CRAWL

Friday, June 22nd

Pool Bar – 7:00 p.m.

Eight75 – 8:00 p.m.

Breeze Bar – 9:00 p.m.

Coast Nightclub 10:00 p.m. – No cover with all three bracelets from Pool, Eight75 & Breeze Bar

Jia Boutique Nightclub 12:00 a.m. Midnight $1,000 drawing. To be eligible for drawing, collect one bracelet from all five outlets by purchasing a drink.

Drink Specials 6:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Captain Morgan Black Spice, Spiced Rum, Parrot Bay, Crown Royal $6.75

COAST NIGHTCLUB

80s Night featuring Velcro Pygmies

Thursday, June 7th

Drink Specials 10:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.

Absolut Vodka Flavors $5.25

Absolut & Red Bull $7.25

Grey Goose Cherry NOIR Launch Party

Saturday, June 9th

Complimentary Cherry NOIR tasting

Drink Specials 8:00 p.m.-10:00 a.m.

Dom Perignon Luminous Label (LED) Launch Party

Wednesday, June 20th

1 complimentary bottle of Dom Perignon LED to each table and booth

No Cover & 1 free drink with headliner ticket in June at Coast

Anthony Cools – June 1

Alice Cooper – June 8

Chicago – June 15

Every Thursday in Coast is Techtronic Thursday

Featuring DJ Avelon and DJ Hurricane

Drink Specials 10:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.

Absolut Vodka Flavors $5.25

Absolut & Red Bull $7.25

EIGHT75 BAR & LOUNGE

Sunday Funday Drink Specials

Drink Specials 8:00 p.m.- 1:00 a.m. every Sunday in June

Crown Royal & Vegas Bombs $5.25

Grey Goose “Cherry NOIR” Launch Party

Saturday, June 2nd

Complimentary Cherry NOIR tasting

Drink Specials 8:00 p.m.-10:00 a.m.

June & July Coast Nightclub Schedule

6/1 & 6/2 – Karma                                                            7/4 – Karma

6/6 – Troy Laz Band                                                         7/5 – Techtronic Thursday with DJ Avelon

6/7 – Velcro Pygmies                                                      7/6 & 7/7 – Karma

6/8 & 6/9 – Troy Laz Band                                             7/11 – Karma

6/13 – Triggerproof                                                         7/12 – Techtronic Thursday with DJ Avelon

6/14 – Techtronic Thursday with DJ Avelon           7/13 & 7/14 – Karma

6/15 & 6/16 – Triggerproof                                           7/18- Velcro Pygmies

6/21 – Techtronic Thursday with DJ Avelon          7/19 – Techtronic Thursday with DJ Avelon

6/22 & 6/23 – Triggerproof                                           7/20 & 7/21 – Velcro Pygmies

6/27 – 6/30 – DJ Nights                                                  7/25 – Techtronic Thursday with DJ Avelon

7/26 – The Molly Ringwalds

7/27 & 7/28 – DJ Night (TBD)

Thomas Austin Preston, Jr., also known as “Amarillo Slim”, died Sunday, April 29^th at the age of 83. Preston was a colorful character who became famous for playing poker and many credit him with the the mainstream success of poker today.

He won the 1972 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event and was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1992. He was four times the World Poker champion and arguably did more than any player to popularize the game.

In 1970 Slim’s best friend, the one-time Dallas bootlegger Benny Binion, invited him to take part in the first World Poker Championship. The venue was the Horseshoe Casino, Binion’s casino in Las Vegas renowned for accepting any bet. Playing a form of poker known as Texas Hold ’Em, Slim did not win that year; but he returned in 1971, and finally won in 1972, walking off with the $60,000 pool.

His victory transformed the game of poker. Slim launched a publicity tour, and soon changed poker’s image forever. Drawing on folklore and talk of “showdowns” and “shoot-outs”, he became poker’s most powerful spokesperson.

He was tall, lean and plain-spoken never seen without his cowboy hat with a genuine rattlesnake head (which he claimed to kill himself), Slim delighted in his reputation as a poker star and enjoyed bragging about it. “Look around the table,” he would say. “If you don’t see a sucker, get up, because you’re the sucker.”

After his victory in 1972, Slim won three other events at the World Poker Championships, the last being in 1990. Slim also hosted the Super Bowl of Poker, which became one of the biggest tournaments in the United States until it was cancelled in 1991.

His lifetime earnings, some say, amounted to an unimpressive $587,568. Today, players at the World Series stand to win as much as $10 million. Online poker has also become a multi-billion dollar industry.

Slim was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1992 and, along with Doyle Brunson, was one of the few surviving players to have played in the inaugural WSOP in 1970.

“He brought poker out of the back alleys,” said Larry Grossman, a longtime gaming analyst and poker historian who knew Slim. “He was just a guy with an outsized personality, and he was the perfect person for the time to represent poker. It was really Slim that became the face of poker for middle America.”

The Trail to the Triple Crown Continues -

Week ending April 28, 2012

When post positions are assigned for the 138^th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 2^nd the public will begin deciding who they will swear allegiance to based on a variety of factors.  How a racer performed in their most recent start will sway many yet other souls will opt to rely on the morning line, Beyer Speed Figures, jockey assignment, proven trainers or dosage.  All of these elements naturally indicate whether or not an equine has a legitimate chance to flourish underneath the Twin Spires yet if a player truly wishes to “smell the roses”, they had better be willing to put in a little overtime.

Barring torrential downpours the majority of this year’s Kentucky Derby field will have their final pre-Derby workout between Thursday April 26^th and Tuesday May 1^st.  It has been my experience that this is the single most important element in rating a contender because uncovering which horses are “peaking” right now is vital when playing the “Run for the Roses”.  In addition, several contenders have yet to run over the Churchill Downs strip and not every colt will fancy its unique surface.

Though many of you are currently literate in the language of equine exercise, for the benefit of those just discovering “The Sport of Kings” I wish to hold a crash course in interpreting a thoroughbred’s work tab.  Morning drills are listed below a racehorse’s running lines (if there are any) and our generic example reads: Dec 8 Bel 5f fst 1:00 B 5/28.  In layman’s terms this means that on Dec. 8^th at Belmont Park said horse “breezed” five furlongs (5/8’s of a mile) over a fast track.  The exercise was completed in a minute flat and out of the 28 horses who drilled inside the same day and distance parameters, this runner recorded the fifth fastest time.  Below is a condensed list of work tab notations the player should familiarize themselves with.

Bullet work (*) – A venue’s fastest workout of the day at a particular distance.  These exceptional drills are denoted with a large black dot which is attached to the left of the work tab.

Breeze (B) – When a thoroughbred completes a workout under no urging from the rider.

Handily (H) – When a rider asks his mount for run at some point of a drill.

Surface condition notations – “fst” (fast), “wf” (wet-fast), “gd” (good), “my” (muddy) , “sly” (sloppy), “hy” (heavy),                 “fr” (frozen),  “t” turf, “A” (synthetic), Tr. T (training track)

Dogs up (d) – “Dogs” are cones or other types of markers placed off the rail that runners drill to the outside of.                          Times for these works are generally slower than other recorded times at the same distance.

Gate drill (g) – Denotes that the workout commenced from the starting gate.

With a grasp of the basics now in hand it’s time to ask the $64,000 question, “What constitutes a fast (or quality) workout?”  Though no soul has ever been able to concoct a concrete answer to this query the following table is a widely accepted template of a fleet-footed drill.

3f  :36 / 4f  :48 / 5f  1:00 / 6f  1:13 / 7f  1:26 / 1m  1:39

Remember these figures are only a median guide.  A stakes caliber runner at a major racetrack can easily shave a few fifths off of these fractions while cheaper company will inevitably come home a tick or so slower.  I recommend that all horseplayers partake in some hands on research and formulate an opinion of what “fast” is on their local circuit.  Another significant aspect in considering these splits is track condition.  Workouts on slow or heavy surfaces usually will not be on par with ones that take place over a hard dry strip.  Also know that drills over a training track tend to rate a touch more pedestrian for these deeper ovals are usually geared towards manufacturing stamina.

The best free resource that I can recommend for interpreting Kentucky Derby workouts can be found on the Daily Racing Form’s website.  Each day leading up to the “Run for the Roses” Mike Welsch previews and rates the day’s works right from Churchill Downs in his specialized “Clocker Report”.  Mr. Welsch not only breaks down the posted fractions from every drill but also provides in-depth analysis on how a runner “galloped out”.  This term refers to how a thoroughbred cooled down after their drill and in many instances these waning strides are more vital to dissect than a workout itself.

Next week I will provide an in depth look at all 20 contenders for the 138^th Kentucky Derby and correctly select what thoroughbred will run off with this year’s Golden Jubilee Trophy!

Trail to theTriple Crown – Week Ending 4/21/2012

The major prep-races for the Kentucky Derby are now behind us so it’s time to shed some light on just how the field for this year’s 138^th “Run for the Roses” will be assembled.

Since the Triple Crown’s initial jewel is the universe’s premier horserace one can imagine that everybody with an equine in their barn yearns to compete underneath the Twin Spires on the First Saturday in May.  However as the Good Book says, “Many are called, but few are chosen”.

Since the Triple Crown’s initial jewel is the universe’s premier horserace one can imagine that everybody with an equine in their barn yearns to compete underneath the Twin Spires on the First Saturday in May.  However as the Good Book says, “Many are called, but few are chosen”.

Since 1975 the Kentucky Derby field has been limited to twenty starters and Graded Stakes earnings is the lone criteria that determines if a racer secures a starting position.  There are numerous strata inside the realm of thoroughbred racing but atop the food chain are contests referred to as “Graded Stakes” races.  Graded Stakes races are assigned a numeric value of one, two or three with a Grade 1 contest being the most prestigious and financially lucrative.

In every thoroughbred horserace the purse is distributed among the first flight of finishers and though every race’s purse outlay differs slightly, an owner whose racer bests the field can usually expect to take home 60% of a contest’s assigned monies.  Bodemeister for instance competed in last week’s Grade 1 $1,000,000 Arkansas Derby and while this Bob Baffert trained thoroughbred entered the starting gate with a mere 60K in Graded Stakes earnings, his triumph in Oaklawn Park’s premier route netted him $600,000.  Plainly said, in a matter of minutes Bodemeister went from perennial Derby outsider to 11^th on the Kentucky Derby Graded Earnings list.

The amount of Graded Stakes earnings for the 20^th and final spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate (a.k.a the “Bubble Horse”) has varied from year to year.  In 2011 Derby Kitten made the field with just $120,000 in Graded Earnings while two years ago it took eventual fourth place finisher Make Music for Me a record $218,750 to etch his name in the program.  It seems that record will easily fall in 2012 as current “Bubble Horse” Went the Day Well currently sits on $282,000 in Graded Stakes earnings.

Below are listed the top twenty-five three year old Graded Stakes earners pointing for Louisville but for those currently on the outside looking in, all hope not lost.  In the weeks leading up to the Kentucky Derby there is always a defection or two due to injury or unforeseen circumstance.  Post positions for the “Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports” will be drawn at 5:00 PM on May 2^nd but for the first time since 1984 there will be a Kentucky Derby “also eligible” list.  This sheet will include four horses that are able to draw into the field until “scratch time” on May 4^th at 9:00 AM.

                                           Horse                                   Graded Stakes Earnings   

1.                          Hansen                                                                $1,550,000
2.                         Daddy Long Legs                                           $1,294,030
3.                         Union Rags                                                         $1,170,000
4.                         Dullahan                                                                $855,000
5.                        Creative Cause                                                    $836,000
6.                        Wrote- (IRE)                                                          $756,630
7.                        Gemologist                                                             $703,855
8.                        Sabercat                                                                    $701,429
9.                       Take Charge Indy                                               $698,400
10.                       Secret Circle                                                            $670,000
11.                       Bodemeister                                                           $660,000
12.                      I’ll Have Another                                                 $601,000
13.                      Daddy Nose Best                                                   $545,588
14.                     Liaison                                                                          $393,000
15.                     Alpha                                                                             $380,000
16.                    Prospective                                                                $367,327
17.                    Trinniberg                                                                 $324,500
18.                   Done Talking                                                             $311,000
19.                   Drill                                                                                $300,000
20.                  Went the Day Well                                               $282,000
21.                  Rousing Sermon                                                    $270,000
22.                  Mark Valeski                                                            $260,000
23.                  El Padrino                                                                  $250,000
24.                  Reveron                                                                       $220,000
25.                 Isn’t He Clever                                                           $191,333

Author Bio: Eric Floyd is the lead horse racing columnist for Southern Gaming Magazine. His tip columns and feature articles related to horse racing can be at http://southerngaming.com/?cat=11. Subscribe to Southern Gaming Magazine today for just $29 and get coupons to Casinos and Racetracks throughout the South! For more info and to subscribe, CLICK HERE! 

March 29, 2012 – Trail to the Triple Crown: Florida Derby & Louisiana Derby Overview

With the Kentucky Derby just five weeks away it’s time to start honing in on the horses that have a legitimate shot to excel underneath the Twin Spires on May 5, 2012.

Since the “Run for the Roses” annually provides avid turf enthusiasts an opportunity to commandeer untold riches and glory we at Southern Gaming and Destinations will immediately begin to provide an inside look at the prep races that will shape the field for the 137^th Kentucky Derby.

The ultimate long term goal of this column will be to accurately select the “First Saturday in May’s” triumphant racer yet every attempt will be made to accurately handicap all preliminary heats since many bankrolls (including mine) currently require some exponential growth.  We will be continually reporting through the conclusion of the Triple Crown Series so please check back weekly for new and up to date information!

In this initial segment of “Trailing Towards Thoroughbred Racing’s Triple Crown” we will be splitting our focus between the $1,000,000 Grade I 1 1/8 mile Florida Derby to be run Saturday March 31^st at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, FL and the $1,000,000 Grade II 1 1/8 mile Louisiana Derby to be held Sunday April 1^st at the Fair Grounds Racetrack in New Orleans, LA.

FLORIDA DERBY PREVIEW-Many turf historians argue that the Florida Derby is the most important Kentucky Derby prep race on the calendar.  Twelve equines have worn the roses after disposing of their rivals in the Sunshine State’s marquee route with the two most recent alumni from this class being Big Brown (2008) and Barbaro (2006).  In 2012 the Florida Derby will again showcase the top rated Kentucky Derby contender in Union Rags who kicked off his three year old campaign by easily capturing Gulfstream Park’s Fountain of Youth Stakes on Feb. 26^th by four lengths.  This was the first start for this son of Dixie Union since narrowly losing last November’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Championship to Hansen by a nose at Churchill Downs.  As a two year old, Union Rags captured Belmont Park’s prestigious Grade I Champagne Stakes along with the Grade II Saratoga Special.  The morning line favorite for the Florida Derby is trained by Michael Matz (who also trained Barbaro) and retains the services of world renowned jockey Julien Leparoux.

Those looking to play against the prohibitive chalk in this year’s Florida Derby will most likely look to the Todd Pletcher trained El Padrino who was last seen on Feb. 25^th winning the 1 1/16 mile Grade II Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds Racecourse by a nose.  El Padrino put the finishing touches on his Florida Derby preparations by breezing half a mile in :49 at the Palm Meadows Training Center in South Florida on March 25^th.  This son of Pulpit gained experience over the Gulfstream Course on Jan. 29^th with an impressive score over Allowance Company.

News Pending stalked the much hyped Discreet Dancer in the Fountain of Youth and displayed a nice turn of foot turning for home yet fell short by four lengths to Union Rags despite being fully extended.  Before this effort News Pending placed 2^nd in an Allowance Optional Claiming event at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 5^th.

Take Charge Indy enters the Florida Derby off of a second place showing vs. Allowance Optional Claiming Company at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 29^th.  This son of A.P. Indy logged a fifth place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Championship at Churchill Downs last November.  The connections of Take Charge Indy scratched their racer out of the Grade II Tampa Bay Derby on Mar. 10^th and opted for this spot instead.

Fort Loudon was a well beaten 5^th place finisher in the Feb. 26^th Fountain of Youth Stakes and came home 4^th in Gulfstream Park’s Grade III Holy Bull Stakes on Jan. 29th.  This colt has more experience than any other racer in the Florida Derby and rattled off three consecutive ungraded stakes victories at Calder racecourse as a two year old before finishing last season with a 7^th place showing in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Championship.

Reveron won the ungraded Gulfstream Park Derby on New Year’s Day but managed only a third place finish in his last start which occurred in the Grade III Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 4^th.

Neck N Neck inaugurate  his three year old campaign with a 2^nd place finish in a Gulfstream Park Allowance Optional Claiming event on Jan. 7^th.  This effort was followed by a 5^th place showing in the Sam F. Davis Stakes and 4^th place result in Fountain of Youth Stakes.  Long shots Z Camelot and Bartolome complete the Florida Derby field.

Not surprisingly I predict Union Rags will win the Florida Derby yet there is little money to be made by betting this odds-on choice to win.  Exotic wagering is always a dicey proposition when dealing with three year olds in early spring but while many may expect the Florida Derby to mirror the Fountain of Youth Stakes, I feel that El Padrino is a more logical candidate for place honors than News Pending.  The Pletcher entry is the only other Graded Stakes winner in the field besides Union Rags and has shown an affinity for Gulfstream Park.

THE SAFE PLAY-

$100 ON UNION RAGS TO WIN 

SWINGING FOR THE FENCES- $100 PERFECTA UNION RAGS – EL PADRINO

LOUISIANA DERBY PREVIEW-A full field of 14 headed by favored coupled entry Mark Valeski and Mr. Bowling will compete in this Sunday’s 1 1/8 mile Grade II $1,000,000 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds Racetrack in New Orleans, LA.  Mark Valeski lost a narrow decision to El Padrino last time out on Feb. 25^th  in the Grade II 1 1/16 mile Risen Star Stakes while Mr. Bowling struggled to an 11^th place finish in the same event.  The 3^rd through 6^th place finishers from the Risen Star will also return to compete in the Louisiana Derby: Z Dager (3^rd), Hero of Order (4^th), Shared Property (5^th) and Afford (6^th).

Cigar Street (7-2 Morning Line) will undoubtedly receive some support at the mutual windows due to his impressive 13 ¾ length score in a 1 1/16 mile Maiden Special Weight event held at the Fair Grounds on March 10^th.  This son of Street Sense (2007 Kentucky Derby Champion) will be piloted by Shaun Bridgmohan who won the Louisiana Derby in 2008 with Pyro.  Cigar Street will not be the only recently graduated maiden in this field attempting to make the jump to Stakes Company.  The Todd Pletcher trained Windsurfer and Arm Force who is out of two time Breeders’ Cup Classic Champion Tiznow also aggressively step up in class.

Two horses looking to bounce back in the Louisiana Derby after recent Graded Stakes setbacks are Finnegans Wake and Rousing Sermon.  Finnegans Wake was a distant third to Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Champion Hansen in the Grade III Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack on Mar. 3^rd while Rousing Sermon placed 5^th in the 1 1/16 mile San Felipe Stakes on Mar. 10th at Santa Anita Racecourse behind Creative Cause.

Fire Alarm (20-1) who is out of 2000 Kentucky Derby Champion Fusaichi Pegasus and Comisky’s Humor (30-1) both come off of victories at the Fair Grounds verses lighter competition than they will face Sunday.  Long shot Flashy Sunrise (30-1) is a true maiden and enters the Louisiana Derby having never won a race.

I was extremely impressed with Mark Valeski in the Risen Star Stakes and though El Padrino clipped him at the wire the runner up demonstrated unbelievable tenacity inside the route’s final furlong.  The top two finishers in the Louisiana Derby’s traditional prep race came home five lengths clear of the field and since no other racer put in a serious rally handicappers intent on beating the favorite must look beyond the Risen Star for viable prospects.

Due to his breeding and aforementioned dominant performance at the Fair Grounds, Cigar Street will probably be the second betting choice in the Louisiana Derby but even the most talented colt will find it extremely difficult to successfully jump from the maiden ranks to Graded Stakes Company.

Finnegans Wake came up nine lengths short to Hansen in Aqueduct’s Grade III Gotham Stakes on Mar. 3^rd but the Dale Romans trainee broke horribly that day.  This late closer should get some pace to run at in here and logged an impressive workout (5f fst :59.4 B 2/41) over the Fair Grounds oval on Mar. 24^th.

Rousing Sermon finished off the board in two starts this year verses Graded Company at Santa Anita but missed winning last December’s Grade I Cash Call Futurity at Hollywood Park by a neck.  This racer may be better suited to synthetic surfaces although he did win the California Cup Juvenile Stakes over Santa Anita’s conventional dirt last October.

I predict that Mark Valeski will obtain a stalking trip behind Hero of Order, Cigar Street and Comisky’s Humor in the Louisiana Derby.  From here the colt should get first run on the tiring pacesetters and a duplicate stretch run from the Risen Star should be good enough to hold off the late closing Finnegans Wake and Rousing Sermon.  Money pouring in on every contestant in the full field of 14 should make Mark Valeski a slight overlay from his 2-1 morning line.

THE SAFE PLAY – $100 ON MARK VALESKI TO PLACE

SWINGING FOR THE FENCES – $100 ON MARK VALESKI TO WIN

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Looking for winning tips?  Southern Gaming’s Got it! 

TIP OF THE WEEK–  
Roulette — What You Need To Know

by John Marchel:

Roulette is considered the oldest game in the casino. It is a simple game, easy to learn and play, and very exciting, with a wide variety of bets on each and every spin of the wheel. However, before you play this fun game, there are some things you should know.

Click here to read the entire article!

Click on a category below for other winning tips on blackjack,craps, poker, golf, sports betting, horseracing, and more!

BLACKJACK TIPS

CRAPS TIPS

GOLF TIPS

POKER TIPS

 SLOT & VIDEO POKER TIPS

SPORTS BETTING TIPS

 HORSERACING TIPS

FOR OTHER RANDOM TIP COLUMNS, CLICK HERE

As we move into a slow of professional sports, golfers can focus on the surest bet of all — themselves! Getting together for a game of golf presents opportunities to get some action, however, it helps to know the games before you play. In this column, I have composed some popular golf games that will keep your rounds exciting and hopefully profitable. While game formats might vary slightly depending on who you are playing with, these are some of my favorites.

Nassau

This game is usually played by match play rules (hole-by-hole) and consists of three wagers: front nine, back nine and 18-hole total. Players declare the stakes for each wager ($5-$5-$5) and play against each other matching scores hole by hole. As with most games, players can opt to press in hopes of recouping lost holes. For example, if Player A is down 1 on the ninth hole, he can press Player B and double the bet for that particular hole and nine. A press essentially doubles the stakes with the beginning of a second bet. Where this gets interesting is when each bet continues simultaneously until the round is completed. After the front nine, the second wager begins on the 10th tee. The final wager is determined based on all 18 holes.

Wolf

This popular wager makes a great four-person game. This two-man-team game begins by selecting a tee-off order that stays in place throughout the entire round, alternating who hits first. After the first golfer hits, he can select his partner after their hit. The catch is, once you select a partner, you can’t select the next player or go back to an earlier player once you have passed on them. If you don’t want to pair with any of the shots, you can opt to go “wolf,” in which you are now playing for low score against the other three players in the group for triple the bet. If you happen to lose when going wolf, you lose triple to all in the group. Any player can call wolf as long as they are still on the tee box, and it’s predominately done when getting a stroke or when you have hit a good shot compared to the others. The catch is when someone hits a good escape shot and either ties the low ball or beats it, leaving the wolf paying triple to all three.

Daytona

Daytona is a four-person game with two-man teams where both players’ scores make up the team score. For example, playing a par 4, Team 1 records two pars and their score would be 44; Team 2 records two bogeys and their team score would be 55; the difference in scores is 11 points, which is allocated to Team 1. Where the action begins is when a team records a birdie (Par 4 – Team 1 = 3 & 5 for a 35) and the other team fails to record a par (Team 2 = 5 & 7 for a 75), in which case the high number is put in front of the low number. So, for this scenario, Team 1 = 35; Team 2 = 75; Team 1 wins 40 points. Point value is determined at the beginning of the round and added up at the end.

Six Point

Usually played in a threesome, each hole has six points available. Each hole awards points in increment of 2-2-2, 3-3-0, 4-1-1, 4-2-0 or 6-0-0 based on who wins, ties or loses a hole. If a player wins the hole out right, and the other two players tie, the score would be four points for the winner and one each for the two who tied (4-1-1). If two players tie for low ball, the points would be 3-3-0. This six-point formula is recorded throughout the match with each press representing a new bet on top of the original bet.

The greatest thing about wagering on the course is that through handicapping, players may tee it up on a level playing surface when it comes to skill level. You just have to understand the bet, know when you get your strokes, manage your golf ball in the fewest strokes and hope that your playing opponent doesn’t have a bag full of sand.

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Josh Snider is the head golf professional at Oxmoor Country Club in Louisville, Ky. As a teacher, he believes not only in attaining good mechanical skills but also developing a whole concept approach to the game, including course management and physical improvement with an emphasis on a precise short game to lower scores. Some of Josh’s accolades are: Certified PGA Professional: Executive Management, Instruction, Golf Operations, and Retail, 2008; Hank Haney: Teaching the Teachers Workshop, 2005; KPGA Communication Committee Member 1999-2002; KPGA Assistant Golf Professional of the Year, 1999; Kentucky Section, Titleist, Acushnet Scholarship recipient, 1998.

A. Blackjack card-counting teams operate with one player counting cards while making minimum bets. When the count favors the players, the counter signals a big player, who joins the game and makes large bets. When the count turns and favors the house, the card counter gives another signal, and the big player leaves the table, perhaps to go to a different table where another counter has signaled.

The benefit to the team comes in a couple of different ways. The big player wagers most of the money, and he never plays in a count where he is at a disadvantage. That’s a huge advantage.

Neither the counter nor the big player raise or lower their wagers with the count. The counter makes only small bets, and the big player plays only when it’s time to bet large. Watching patterns of raising and lowering bets with the count is the primary way for casinos to detect counters. Without that pattern they need to associate the counter with the big player to identify the team. That makes team play particularly dangerous for casinos.

Some casinos don’t worry much about individual card counters, especially at low-limit games. Most people who try to count cards aren’t particularly successful. If a low-limit counter squeezes out a small profit, that’s part of the cost of doing business. And if the casino ejects a low-limit counter, he or she just might take a slot-playing spouse or friend with him, costing the casino more money than it saves in stopping the counter.

Other casinos don’t take as tolerant a view, and will back a player off the tables at the slightest sign of advantage play. But all casinos have to be vigilant about team play. When a big player bets big bucks without ever facing a count where the house has the edge, that’s hazardous to the bottom line.

Q. I was playing a penny slot with 25 lines, and you could bet 20 coins a line. I’m on a budget, and I can’t afford to be betting $5 at a time, so what I usually do is play all the lines, but just bet one coin or two coins a line, so I’m betting 25 cents or 50 cents.

I was wondering if it would be better to just bet 20 cents a line on fewer lines. Maybe three lines, so I am betting 60 cents. That way I wouldn’t win as often, but when I did, 20 would multiply the win. Sometimes, when I bet all 25 lines for a penny each, I’ll get a win on one line for five credits, and that’s less than I bet. If I bet 20 coins each on fewer lines, those five credits would be 100, and would be a real winner of more than I bet.

A. On some video slot machines, you’d get about the same payback percentage either way, just arriving at it in very different ways. You’re correct that when you win, the wins would be bigger, and some of those wins that are really losses—returns smaller than your bet—would become real wins. However, you would have many fewer winning spins to go with much longer losing streaks. In the long run, that would balance out.

But be careful. On some video slots, advancing to the bonus events requires the trigger symbols to land on an active pay line. If that’s the case, then it’s essential to cover all the pay lines. The real fun in video slots is in playing the bonus events, and that’s where much of our payback is too. The amount differs from game to game and manufacturer to manufacturer, but it’s pretty typical for 40 percent of a game’s payback to come from bonus events. You don’t want to short change yourself.

Also, while we’re playing the bonus events, we’re adding to the credit meter without making additional wagers. That means someone who is limiting their chances to go to the bonus round by playing fewer lines is making more wagers per hour than someone who covers all the lines. That can get expensive.

One last warning. If you’re playing a machine with a progressive jackpot or jackpots, make sure your wager qualifies you for the progressives.

If you’re playing a video slot where the bonus symbols can be scattered and don’t have to land on an active line, and where playing fewer lines won’t disqualify you from a progressive jackpot, then you pay your money and you take your choice. If fewer, bigger wins while risking long losing streaks is the way you want to go, it’s your decision.

Q. My sister wants me to go to the casino with her. I’ve never gone. What should I play?

A. Good luck on your first trip. I hope you have a good time and have some nice winners.

As for what you should play, I always struggle with that question. It depends on what you think is fun. I think trying to squeeze an edge through strategy is fun, so I like blackjack and video poker. My wife thinks the bonus events on video slots are fun, so she mixes in some video slots with video poker. Others like the win-together camaraderie at craps, or the excitement of the roulette wheel.

Most first-time players wind up at the slots. They’re easy and you don’t have to learn any strategies. If you find you enjoy your day, want to go back and need advice on a specific game, write back. I’m happy to help.

For more free Q&A tips, visit southerngaming.com/Q&A

By John Grochowski

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

How do you determine whether or not you want a high- or low-risk video poker game? That depends on your goals as a player. First, you must make sure the games you compare have similar expected returns, called the ER. For example, if one game has an ER of 99.54% and another has one of 99.49%, then the theoretical returns are close enough that comparing the risk factor for the two games becomes relevant. (There are free removable tables in my book, The Video Poker Edge, that give you the ER, variance and other game information.)

High Risk Objectives

Some people enjoy the adrenaline rush of risky games, both table and video poker devices. They would rather play for a shorter period of time than get a lot of even money hands, that’s a return of their wager, and be able to play longer on their bank roll.

Fun Factor

There’s no denying the fact that it’s much more exciting to play a video poker game that has the potential of paying off on several big hands. In other words, instead of having to wait for the once in 40,000 royal flush hands (an approximation), they’re aiming for any one of several large jackpots. For example, Double Double Bonus (DDB) returns 2,000 coins (5-coin bet) for four Aces with a Kicker (a Two, Three or Four) as well as other bonuses for specific four-of-a-kind (4OAK) combos. If you’re there to have a rip-roaring time you’ll surely love DDB.

High Progressive

Often high-risk games can be found on banks that are progressive for the royal as well as 4OAKs. In fact, when I find a very high progressive, it may be a game changer. In other words, I may have come to play a different game, but will switch to a bank with an especially high progressive royal. Of course the volatility (risk) increases as the royal grows, and so does the game strategy. Mostly you’ll go for the royal more frequently as the royal gets larger. Some exact cutoffs can be found in my book.

No Promo Interest

There are several reasons why you may not be interested in racking up a lot of entry tickets for a promotional event. First is that most require you to be present to win and you may be just passing through or have other plans. No point in earning entries if you’re ineligible. There are several other reasons, including too few prizes along with too many entries (this spells little contest equity), an undesirable prize or any other of a number of reasons. You should still keep your players card inserted, especially if there are cash back or any other benefits offered.

Low Risk Objectives

Some people just don’t have the temperament for high-risk games. They may have the monetary bankroll, but the psychological makeup is missing. If playing for a short time before becoming a spectator is objectionable, then you may want to stick with low-risk options. If your major goal is to have a shot at a highly coveted prize, say a car, then you may want to maximize your contest equity by pounding away on low risk games.

Short Fuse When Losing

I’m sure we’ve all played next to a person so angry with their bad luck that they’re talking to themselves, complaining out loud, banging on the glass and buttons, and so on. These people would be better off playing a game like Jacks or Better (JOB) than DDB, as their temperament can’t seem to tolerate too many consecutive losing or even-money hands.

Promo Equity

Of course there are no guarantees with any casino game, but the odds of playing longer, and therefore earning more ticket entries, are better with a low-risk game. That’s because most drawings are based on coin-in, and you’ll run more money through the device as the amount of hands played increases.

Cash Back Increases

Just like promotion equity the amount of slot points increases as the amount of coin-in increases. In fact it’s a good idea to choose low risk games when multiple points are offered by the casino, say a triple-point promo. Look for these to occur during slow times, like weekdays.

Final Thoughts

In Part I we see that your playing goals should determine the games with the best variance (volatility or risk) for you.

Be sure to check out The Risk Factor Part II (in the July Issue of Southern Gaming), where I discuss how you can tell the risk using a pay schedule or just approximate the risk if you don’t have pay tables with you. Keep in mind that the pay schedules that you’ll find on the device in the casino include the number of coins returned for each winning wager but do not indicate either the game’s variance or the ER.

For more free video poker tips, visit southerngaming.com/video poker

By Linda Boyd

Linda Boyd, a long-time table game player before turning to video poker, writes for Southern Gaming, Midwest Gaming and Travel and Arizona Player. Look for her article in the 2012 Edition of American Casino Guide and her YouTube video at their website. Linda’s YouTube video available at her book, The Video Poker Edge, includes free removable pay schedules and her free strategy cards for the most popular games. Amazon, Square One Publishers and bookstores are sending the second edition with a 2010 publishing date. Kindle edition now available.