Strictly Slots August 2022

READERS TALK BACK

The Magazine for Slot & Video Poker Players VOLUME 19 • NUMBER 6

P R E S I D E N T & C H I E F E X E C U T I V E O F F I C E R Derek James P U B L I S H E R & E D I T O R I A L D I R E C T O R Lisa Rober tson-Dziedzic

Pet Peeves Pour In The publisher’s message,“WhatWereTheyThink ing?,” in the June issue must have struck a nerve to many Strictly Slots readers as we received an overwhelming response from people agreeing to the annoyances we listed while visiting the casinos, as well as listing ones that should have been included to our pet peeve list. Following are just a few of the letters we received and frankly,we couldn’t agree with their views more and are certainly worthy of making the list. “Casino Pet Peeves”hit the ball out of the park. My wife and I are two to three times per week (stressful jobs!) gaming participants at Live! Casino Pittsburgh,PA,and continually are chagrined with some of our fellow slot players. We both want to add a few additional nuisances and irritations to your list. We have begun to include ear plugs in our pockets because the player that sits next to us invariably turns up the volume on the machine to the max level.When any kind of hit occurs for them, they become what we call “ringers.”The music begins to play and they let it play and play and play.They must like it, the casino obviously likes other players to hear it,but we can do with out the full length loud musical symphony of a five-dollar hit. Also on our list are what we call the“herds.” Folks who stand and talk in the middle of the aisles and make it difficult navigating to another bank of machines.There are a few other annoy ances we dislike, but other than the pet peeves on your list, our personal top list would include volume freaks and the herd mentality of block ing the aisles. —Jeff Via the Internet My biggest pet peeve are people that bang and tap on buttons of slot machines. I go down to Atlantic City once a month to relax and not get a headache from the Woody Woodpeckers tapping on their machine. Some sound like they are typing on a keyboard. Also, the ones that slam the glass on the machine. Many have broken them. If they get that angry, they don’t belong in a casino. It is called gambling,not win ning. If you win it is icing on the cake. —Janice K. Via the Internet

and my pet peeve is“slappers.”

It’s bad enough when people spill their drinks and make the buttons sticky but when one encounters slappers it only adds to machine problems. Now, of course, a slapper is a person who seems to have a problem pressing the buttons on the machine and finds it necessary to pound them instead. The machines will work just as well if one presses the button and it is certainly less annoy ing to the players who are within earshot of the incessant pounding. So, please stop! —Gary B. Sarasota, FL You asked if there is anything in the casino that grinds my nerves. I have a few. First, why should I struggle with certain casinos’ player’s cards to get the light to turn green? I should be able to put it in the first time and it goes green! Next, I can’t really hear the music in some casinos.Yes, sometimes a good song puts me in a better mood and the winning comes. But why do some casinos leave the volume at that level where it is just barely audible?Along with that, the majority of us with spendable money are over 50. Play our music, not this new stuff. I got news for you, today’s 20 somethings are not spending their money in a casino. Lastly, I noticed that after the casinos opened after the pandemic some casinos went non-smoking. I get it, it is healthier for us. But why not create a smoking section with good ventilation, just like they had non-smoking sections before. I know of two casinos within 15 miles of each other, one smoking and the other non-smoking. I have spoken to people who agreed with me that the non-smoking casino no longer gets their business because of this. I am from the Midwest and to have to go outside in the middle of winter to have a smoke is not pleasant! Thanks for your time. —Paul B. Via the Internet Great article,“What Are You Thinking,” but you have to list THE SLAPPER!!! Yep, that guy who has to push the spin button like he’s killing a fly constantly slapping the slot like there’s no tomorrow!!! —Lucky Liz Long Neck,DE

S E N I O R E D I T O R S Sean Chaffin Karrie L. Zukowski

C O P Y E D I T O R Lon Rozelle

P R O D U C T I O N D I R E C T O R Diane Stevens-Gillan

C O N T R I B U T I N G W R I T E R S

Frank Scoblete Tim Wassberg Sharon Harris-Zlotnick

John Grochowski Steve Kieva Frank Legato Jerry “Stickman” Stich

N AT I O N A L S A L E S D I R E C T O R Karrie L. Zukowski

C I R C U L AT I O N MA R K E T I N G D I R E C T O R Maureen Rober tson

C I R C U L AT I O N D I R E C T O R Jessica Taylor

I T D I R E C T O R Rober t Walden S U B S C R I P T I O N & R E N E W A L C U S T O M E R S E R V I C E 1-800-969-0711 O F F I C E S ATLANTIC CITY: 333 E. Jimmie Leeds Rd., Suite 7 Galloway, NJ 08205-4123 (609) 484-8866 • Fax (609) 645-1661 LAS VEGAS: 1137 South Rancho Drive, Suite 110 Las Vegas, Nevada 89102-2259 (702) 736-8886 • Fax (702) 736-8889 Strictly Slots (ISSN 1527-5027). Strictly Slots is published 12 times a year by Casino Player Publishing, LLC POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Strictly Slots, 333 E. Jimmie Leeds Rd., Suite 7 Galloway, NJ 08205-4123 Periodicals Postage rate paid at Galloway, NJ and at additional mailing offices. © 2022 Casino Player Publishing, LLC. All Rights Reserved. No por tion of this publication can be reproduced without expressed written permission of the Publisher. Strictly Slots magazine is a publication of Casino Player, LLC, owned by Casino Player Media (CPM). Not responsible for typographical errors. READER’S ADVISORY: Readers are recommended to make appro priate inquiries and take appropriate advice before sending monies, incurring expense, entering into any binding commitment, or wa gering any sum in relation to an adver tisement, ar ticle, column or other feature published in Strictly Slots. Strictly Slots shall not be liable to any person for loss or damage incurred or suffered as a result of his/her accepting, offering to accept, or following an invi tation, advice, or other recommendation contained in any adver tisement, ar ticle, column, or feature published in Strictly Slots . The views and opinions expressed by the writers and columnists of this magazine are not necessarily representative of the views of its management and employees. 333 E. Jimmie Leeds Rd., Suite 7, Galloway, NJ 08205-4123 Basic Subscriptions: 12 issues $24; 24 issues $37; 36 issues $53.

I enjoyed your article in the June issue,“WhatAre You Thinking?” I also play a lot of video poker

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6 AUGUST 2022 ■ STRICTLY SLOTS ■ www.casinocenter.com