Strictly Slots July 2022

PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE

DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME A look at the BEST racinos in the country

W elcome to the July issue of Strictly Slots. Summer is in full swing and we’re celebrating in more ways than one this month.This issue hosts the Best of RacinosAwards 2022, our annual survey of the country’s favorite raci nos voted by you, our valued readers. A unique segment of the gaming industry, racinos are properties that combine the power and excitement of racing with the thrill of casino gambling.In some cases,these racinos are monumental resort operations, able to stand toe-to-toe with just about any traditional casino. But often, racinos are smaller,with a more niche approach to gambling.While this usually means greater care and player appreciation, it can also result in these terrific properties being unfairly overshadowed by their casino competition. Whether you favor some horse racing action,table games,fun at the slots or a relaxing day at the spa, a trip to these top racinos offers a bit of everything.That not only includes simulcast wagering on the big events like the Kentucky Derby,Preakness and Belmont Stakes,but also with tra ditional live races such as The Haskell at Monmouth Park in New Jersey coming up on July 23, the RunhappyTravers Stake onAug.27 at Saratoga Raceway in upstate NewYork, or the Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 1 at Parx Casino Raceway.Any way you play it, racing adds a whole new dimension of excitement to the casino experience. In another celebration,my family has a long-standing tradition where every Father’s Day, the entire clan of us—a multigenerational affair of parents, children, aunts, uncles, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and family friends—head out to Monmouth Racetrack in New Jersey for a day at the races. Ever since I was a kid, once a year my tribe would get together for a day of horse racing fun.My father—who loves a good gamble—relishes in this tradition not just because it’s on Father’s Day and he is rightfully honored,or because on this particular day all dads get in the park free,but because it’s the day where a dozen or more of us break away from tradi tional life to spend the afternoon cheering our luck or cursing the sprinter and its ineffectual jockey. Although I was a child when this annual custom began (and legally unable to bet myself at the time) I often made selections and ponied up my small allowance that I diligently saved for over the course of the year, which my father or uncle would bet for me.As a child, I knew nothing of the sport, let alone how to pick the winners. I relied on the non-tradi tional cues that make sense to children, like the color of the jockey’s shirt, my favorite number or the name of the horse. It seldom worked, and more often than not, the bulk of my allotment was no longer mine. But every once in a great while I would get lucky and my picks would place

and I would be in the money—well, only a few bucks or so, but what a thrill it was when it happened! I would proudly flaunt my winning ticket to my family like a badge of honor and would maintain bragging rights for some time. Circling my win or scratching off my picks, win or lose, in the racing program that was provided to us when we walked through the gates was also a big furor.After all, this was serious busi ness, or so I thought.The buzz of any small win still resonates today and makes for good conversation over holiday dinners. I mean, who doesn’t relish in the heart-pounding excitement of watching their horse cross the finish line? This family ritual continued for years, albeit each year saw fewer and fewer of us. I moved to Las Vegas in the nineties and started a fam ily of my own. I lived out west for a little more than 20 years and sadly missed many of these cherished outings in person, but each year I would call my father the night before and place my bets vicariously through him and then eagerly await a call later that evening to see if any of my horses came in. When I moved back to New Jersey five years ago, this was one tra dition I couldn’t wait to introduce to my young son.A day at the horse races is great family fun and a tradition I wanted him to experience.Kids can watch up close as the horses are paraded in front of the public in the walking ring prior to the race, they can watch the ponies as they leave the gate and cross the finish line,and finally they can watch the winning horses be awarded. As history repeats itself and even though I’mmuch older now, I still know very little about how to pick winners and often refer to my child hood ways of picking (favorite number, 12; favorite color, turquoise). I rarely walk away with more money in my pocket than when I started but I don’t mind.The outing has all the ingredients that make for a great day and memories that last a lifetime. And after a couple of summers when fans were either prohibited from attending live racing or saw attendance capped at many tracks due to COVID, the opportunity to get back to one of our true national pas times—enjoying the majesty of thoroughbred racing in person, among friends and family—is most welcome.And this year we did just that. Cheers to good health, good luck and winning days!

Lisa Robertson-Dziedzic Publisher lrobertson@casinocenter.com

4 JULY 2022 ■ STRICTLY SLOTS ■ www.casinocenter.com