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

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

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 tip!

Southern Gaming has some of the best gambling authors in the world providing tips and insights on a variety of games for our readers.

To check out our winning tips, CLICK on any category below…GOOD LUCK!

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.

______________________________________________________________________________________

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.

Cigars. Bourbon. Blackjack.

Do we have your attention? Well if you live in Louisville, Kentucky, or nearby, Southern Gaming has an event for you!

Don’t miss the rest of our Bourbon & Blackjack Cigar Series, sponsored by Cox’s Smokers Outlets and Maker’s 46 as we visit some of Louisville’s best patios!

A big thank you to Pat’s Steak House! Their crew, patio, and food was phenomenal! In our first night of playing blackjack, we had six players qualify for the Blackjack Classic in October!

Click here to check out our Facebook page and see more photos from our first Smoke Out at Pat’s Steak House!

If you missed our first series event, have no fear! The second Smoke Out will be at Selena’s at Willow Lake Tavern on Lagrange Road on Thursday June 27th. We will be lighting up from 5:30 – 8:30 and hope to see you there! Come early…and then stay late for some of the best Cajun and Creole style cookin’ in Louisville!

The events are FREE to attend and the first 46 guests each week will enjoy a FREE cigar from Cox’s Smoker’s Outlet who will also be on hand selling premium cigars for amazing prices!

Plus…each guest will get a chance to play ‘elimination blackjack’ (also free!) to qualify to play in Southern Gaming’s Blackjack Classic Tournament at our Super Smoke Out Series Finale on October 12th at Kingfish Restaurant on River Road … it is going to be epic!

*Reservations for groups of 4 or more. Email editor@southerngaming.com or call 502.583.0333

Save the dates! Mark your calendar for more Smoke Outs coming soon!

July 11th at Woodhaven Country Club 7200 Woodhaven Road, Louisville, KY
July 17th at Kingfish Restaurant 601 West Riverside Drive, Jeffersonville, IN

…the series will continue with more Smoke Out events in September and October so stay tuned!

Don’t miss out on a smokin’ good time!

We’ve highlighted a few of our favorite hotspots, including incredible locally owned restaurants, unique entertainment, and cool historical attractions to help you make the most of your getaway. Enjoy!

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY

While some may not consider it a southern city, Louisville certainly boasts the charm and hospitality typical of other down-south destinations. And while it’s widely recognized as the home of the Kentucky Derby, it also offers a mix of modern and timeless favorites, from cool bourbon bars and eclectic boutiques, to Louisville Slugger bats and restaurants that have been serving the same great plates for years. Louisville is regularly referred to as one of tastiest towns in the South, and for good reason. Between the downtown area, the Highlands, Frankfort Avenue and St. Matthews, there’s a range of fine dining, casual eateries and pub fare. One of the most historic steakhouses in the area is Pat’s Steakhouse, where owner Pat Francis has been serving premium cuts of meat for over fifty years. Other popular places to wine and dine include Porcini Restaurant on Frankfort Avenue, 211 Clover in St. Matthews, Jack Fry’s Restaurant on Bardstown Road in the Highlands, and Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse in the downtown area.

Another up-and-coming spot to check out is the NuLu district, just east of downtown. Here you’ll find a plethora of interesting boutiques and coffee shops like Please & Thank You, as well as bars and restaurants serving everything from steak and seafood to vegetarian specialties and signature cocktails. Try Meat, a bar located in Butchertown area with a seasonal drink menu that includes more than 30 original cocktails. And this past November, Drinks International named it one of “The World’s 50 Best Bars.”

Louisville also has several great places to stay, most of which are conveniently located downtown. The Seelbach Hilton is a premium hotel with a long history of celebrity guests, including Al Capone and The Rolling Stones. Other excellent choices include The Brown Hotel, Galt House Hotel and 21c Museum Hotel, named #1 Hotel in the South by Condé Nast Traveler, and one of The World’s 500 Best Hotels by Travel + Leisure magazine.

Want to gamble? Head to Churchill Downs. The world-famous track is open for spring and fall meets, and there’s nothing quite as thrilling as watching live racing under the Twin Spires! For full-fledged gambling, Belterra Casino Resort in Indiana is less than an hour drive from downtown, and Horseshoe Casino is just 25 minutes away. And if you have time, journey to the countryside to tour the horse farms, or check out the bourbon distilleries in Bardstown, KY. Whether you’re looking to cruise the Ohio River on the Belle of Louisville, or make world-famous Louisville Slugger Bats at the downtown museum and factory, Louisville has it all! For more information call 1.888.568.4784 or visit gotolouisville.com

JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

“I’M RICK HARRISON, AND THIS IS MY PAWN SHOP. I WORK HERE WITH MY OLD MAN AND MY SON, COREY. EVERYTHING IN HERE HAS A STORY AND A PRICE. ONE THING I’VE LEARNED AFTER 21 YEARS: YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IS GONNA COME THROUGH THAT DOOR.”

IF YOU HAVE A TELEVISION, you have probably heard those word’s on The History Channel’s hit series Pawn Stars, a reality show that documents day-to-day interactions of Rick Harrison, the owner of Gold & Silver Pawn Shop.

This isn’t just any pawn shop. This is the most famous pawn shop in the world, located in one of the most famous cities in the world— Las Vegas. Each episode features customers negotiating to sell off-the-wall items and collectibles, and depicts Harrison evaluating each piece and trying to get a deal that pleases both him and the customer.

The show mainly focuses on Harrison but also includes his father Richard ‘Old Man’ Harrison, his son Corey Harrison, and Corey’s childhood friend, Chumlee. Rick and his father opened the shop in 1988 when the city’s population grew to 250,000. At that time, there was only one more pawn shop license available and Harrison was the first in line to claim it.

The Gold & Silver Pawn Shop is now one of the biggest tourist stops in Las Vegas, attracting 4,000 – 5,000 people per day, a far cry from the 70-100 before the show started. To handle the traffic, Harrison increased his staff from 13 employees to more than 50 and underwent a $400,000 expansion of his showroom, which now occupies 15,000 square feet and houses more than 12,000 items.

Harrison does have some advice when it comes to pawning an item. “Do your research, and then your expectations might be more reasonable. We offer [the customers] what [their items are] worth to us. It is a business, so it has to make financial sense for us to buy it. The price we are willing to pay may be determined by whether the item will sell quickly, or is so unique we will have it for quite a while before a buyer or collector wants to purchase it.”

As you play, you collect items that can be bought or sold during bonus events. A wheel spin took me to Rick’s Bonus, where it was time to negotiate a price. I was pitching my old bicycle, and asked a high price. Rick laughed. After a little give and take, Rick made his final offer, and then offered to call in an expert.

How do I get it? It’s easy…call the Palace Casino at 1-800-725-2239 , mention package SGDP and tell them you LOVE Southern Gaming and you will be on your way!

The Palace Casino Resort is the only Smoke-Free casino on the Coast and features great dining (Mignon’s is one of our favorite steakhouses!), a great casino, a great spa and more…plus, if you are a golfer, The Preserve Golf Club is AMAZING and a MUST if you are looking to hit the links.

This great offer ends June 30, 2013 so call today!

Good luck!