Casino Player October 2022

PUBLISHER’SMESSAGE >>

The Thrill of Victory

F or many gamblers, the memorable quote “money won is twice as sweet as money earned” neatly sums why they gamble. It’s not just about the money itself, it’s the joy of winning it.The quote was from the movie The Color of Money, said by the character Fast Eddie Felson, played by Paul Newman. For those of us who enjoy a night out playing the tables or our favorite slots, the famous quote couldn’t ring any more true. The prospect of the chance to win some money is both exhila rating and fun.And if luck is on your side, you get to go home a winner (or at least get to play a little bit longer) and have some bragging rights to boot. People who gamble have many motivations—to socialize, to compete with others, avoid boredom—but most view it as a sim ple form of entertainment and a fun way to spend their leisure time.The vast majority of us hope to win money,but do not spend more than we can afford to lose.We allocate a certain amount of disposable income for a casino visit and do not exceed that bankroll. All great rules to follow. When I’m in a casino, the practical side of me understands that I don’t have much hope of going home a winner,but the mere thought of winning that six- or seven-figure mega jackpot forever sits in the back of my mind. After all,each week (sometimes daily) I receive press releases from casinos all overAmerica showcasing their most recent life-changing jackpot winners. Every time one lands in my inbox, I smile with glee and can’t help but think that one day my ship will come in. But in all honesty, winning a jackpot isn’t really why I put a few bucks in a slot machine. For me, it’s just about a little time away from daily life that usually involves a night out with family and friends.We usually grab a nice cocktail at a casino lounge or sports bar and then head off for a wonderful meal or to catch a great show.We’re there for the bright lights and the adrenaline fueled experience that many casino resorts offer these days. Afterward we typically head to the casino floor, and as I jokingly remind my friends that“I’m doing my research,”I start my quest to find the latest slots to hit the market. Like many of you, I too get a thrill playing those new video slots with those amazing bonus rounds and cool features or that progressive video poker bank that is looking mighty full. Hopes of hitting the“big one”or even getting just “this close” to a nice score makes for some exhilaration and some fun conversations around the water cooler when I’m back at the office the next day. At the end of the day, it’s a great gaming session when I come home with a little extra money because we all know the odds of winning are stacked against us.The casinos have a built-in advan tage and it’s called the house edge—something that exists on

every table game and on every slot machine. Just remember to view the house edge as an entertainment expense, as the cost of watching a movie,having a meal or buying a concert ticket,and if you’re lucky, lady luck will be on your side. We’ve got a very exciting and special issue this month,much of it dedicated to the top winning properties in our annual Best of Gaming awards, which were featured last issue.This issue we celebrate the best of the best with the casino resorts who won the most awards in their region.These elite casinos are always among the best places for fun and excitement and seamlessly cater to their players.When you’re ready for a night out, we hope that you’ll try your luck at some of these award-winning locations. If you are a regular reader of this magazine, you know that every fall, slot expert Frank Legato heads out to Las Vegas to visit with all the major slot manufacturers who are gearing up to launch all their new titles at this year’s Global Gaming Expo, the casino industry’s trade show. In his monthly column, Frank gives a sneak peek at some of the“not your normal slots”with new games such as Aruze’s Rock, Paper, Scissors andWacky Gator to Gaming Arts’ Flip Mania that uses a 3D engine to replicate coin flipping. Let’s just say that slot makers keep expanding the definition of a slot with some radical results. For table game players,we’re featuring an informative article on advanced strategies and setting hands when playing Pai Gow Poker, tips for getting the edge at the tables, and a look at some of the headlines from the poker world from big names who’ve cashed in to major events on the horizon. We also have our usual coast-to-coast roundup of the latest news in the gaming industry, tips for playing smarter and winning more,our monthly payback percentage charts where we track the casinos with the highest paybacks, and the latest, greatest winners—the fortunate folks who took home eye-popping sums of money after winning on their favorite slot or video poker machines—and much more. Cheers to good health, good luck and winning days!

Lisa Robertson-Dziedzic Publisher & Editorial Director lrobertson@casinocenter.com

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