Sam’s Town Spotlight If rustic, relaxed, and rewarding sound like a truly special time, you’ll want to take part in all of the excitement at Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall Tunica. Step into a world of high-stakes thrills and an appealing atmosphere that provides great gaming, fantastic food, and all the amenities you’ll ever… Read more »
You don’t have to visit the Emerald Isle to discover the luck of the Irish. Towering over the eastern banks of the mighty Mississippi River, the Fitz Casino & Hotel in Tunica invites you to enjoy an unparalleled gaming and entertainment experience. Step inside one of Tunica’s friendliest casinos and you’ll be transported to an… Read more »
In the vast and exhilarating world of slot machines, one experience seems to reign supreme, captivating players with its unique charm and enticing magnetism – the iconic Buffalo Slots. This beloved game has captured the attention of countless casino enthusiasts worldwide, surpassing the typical flashy attractions as a cultural phenomenon. What is it about Buffalo… Read more »
There’s no bond quite like the one between a father and child, a connection that often creates lifelong special moments and cherished memories. This year, why not take that quality time to new heights with a trip to Tunica, Mississippi? This inviting town is a veritable playground for grown-up adventures that you’ll both love, meaning you’ll… Read more »
Ready yourself for the adrenaline rush of a lifetime as you step up to Tunica’s bustling blackjack tables. Casino connoisseurs know that the progressive 21+3 variant is where it’s at – not only do you get to play classic blackjack, but you can also win big on the side bet. Keep your eyes peeled for… Read more »
If you love to gamble, but you don’t win as much as you’d like . . . check out these gaming tips to step up your game the next time you’re in Tunica!
Travelers to Tunica tend to want the odds in their favor. With a wide variety of gaming spread across six different first-class casinos, some folks may wonder if certain poker games are more winnable than others. Spending money with plans of making a profit is an investment, but like all investments, profit isn’t guaranteed. That’s… Read more »
Timing is Everything . . . If you’ve ever visited one of Tunica’s six casinos, you know that the action never stops. In fact, something about the bright lights, game sounds, and the allure of achievement make visitors require very little rest. It’s hard to ease excitement, but sometimes you need to eat, sleep, or… Read more »
Most visitors already know that Tunica provides a wealth of adventures and offerings, including world class golf and the region’s best casinos, but the dining scene is just as diverse and delightful. When in town, you’ll probably want a range of different meals depending on your itinerary. From local favorites to formal settings, Tunica’s restaurant… Read more »
Super Bowl Sunday is the most anticipated day of the year for NFL fans in the Mid-South. If you don’t have tickets to the big game, we invite you to watch and place your bets in Tunica for the Big Game.
Happy 2023! Most casinos will be offering party favors with a New Year’s Eve countdown. See below for specific promotions or events happening on New Year’s Eve. Fitz Casino & Hotel Car-A-Week & Promo Cash Giveaway Farewell to 2022 Hot Seat Gold Strike Casino Resort Entertainment: Third Coast at Stage2 Dining Specials: Horseshoe Casino &… Read more »
The casino life is big, flashy, and full of fun, so it’s no wonder Tunica is the perfect backdrop for stories, movies, and more. As we gain a reputation for the place to be we try to keep up with who is saying what and how Tunica shows up in pop culture. We’ve started compiling… Read more »
Just like most sports and recreation, there’s etiquette involved in the casino experience. It can be daunting not to know the unspoken rules. So, we’ve put together the low-down for the soon to be high-rollers. If you’re new to the casino scene, here are a few things to keep in mind:
We all know life is better when there’s a playlist. Songs can transport us to our favorite places and moments in our lives. All the movies we know and love best have a slapping soundtrack (and one that we probably know by heart!). We’re here to make your next Tunica road trip a pure cinematic… Read more »
1st Jackpot Tunica Entertainment: Unfazed at Stage Bar from 8p-12a Party favor distribution New Year’s Day – $500,000 myLuxury Car Experience grand prize drawing at 10pm Fitz Casino & Hotel Car Giveaway 12/31 @ 11:30p New Year’s Eve countdown with party hat distribution on casino floor All-You-Can-Eat Buffet $19.99: December 31 4p-11p & January… Read more »
Twenty-one—a number that fills us with adventure and hope. Of all the traditional games of chance, blackjack enjoys a special place in our hearts! It’s the one we learned first, the game we played for nickels with family or at sleepovers. It’s like an old friend tucked into a deck of cards. Even now, among… Read more »
Many blackjack players have quirks where they deviate from basic strategy. I recently shared a table at one who would not sit at 16 under any circumstances.
In April, I was playing video poker and noticed that anytime the woman next to me had three of a kind on an initial deal, she’d pause, stand up, take a deep breath, then sit and make her draw.
I finally mentioned it, and she said, “I guess it’s superstition. I know it doesn’t really help, but somehow it feels right to me if I have a chance at four of a kind or a royal.”
I followed up with a group of slot players. Most said they have no superstitions, but a few have things that make them feel luckier.
The Tunica hospitality industry is excited to welcome back our visitors. All 6 Tunica casino properties are now open for business. Careful planning and new policies have been developed by our attractions and casino resorts in an effort to provide a safe and enjoyable entertainment experience. The safety of our guests and employees are of… Read more »
The Tunica hospitality industry is excited to welcome back our visitors as we begin to reopen our destination amenities. Careful planning and new policies have been developed by our attractions and casino resorts in an effort to provide a safe and enjoyable entertainment experience. The safety of our guests and employees are of the utmost… Read more »
Let’s ring in the New Year in Tunica, Mississippi! Here is your guide to New Year’s Eve events in Tunica.
Tunica appreciates and supports all our veterans and current military. Spend your Veteran’s Day in Tunica and let us show you our appreciation.
Spending the 4th of July weekend in Tunica this year will get you in the patriotic spirit, but it’s not the 4th of July without seeing the beauty of red, white, and blue in the sky. Here is where you can watch the fireworks in Tunica.
On a hot streak at the casino and need to cool off? We have put together a list of our casino hotel pools. Book your room and find your own private oasis at one of our casino resort pools.
There may still be a chill in the air but Tunica’s upcoming entertainment is heating things up. With big name concerts from Buddy Guy and Mavis Staples to The Beach Boys and Gary Allan and the comedy of Andrew Dice Clay, Rodney Carrington and Sinbad there is sure to be something for everyone.
There’s nothing quite like snatching victory from the jaws of defeat to make you feel good about a day in the casino. One big win at the end that erases previous losses and makes you a winner doesn’t happen anywhere near often enough, but it feels great when it does.
Table games players have their own styles and preferences. One of the divisions is between those who will play all night and those who prefer short sessions.
I’ve often told slot machine players that when they play pick’em bonus rounds, their choices make a real difference.
About a month ago, I told of being at a table with a blackjack player who insisted on standing on all 16s, including the soft ones, no matter what the dealer had.
In a common six-deck game in which the dealer hits soft 17, basic strategy for soft 16 is to double down if the dealer’s up card is 4, 5 or 6, and to hit if the dealer has anything else. Never stand on soft 16.
My experience drew responses from others who have encountered players who have trouble with soft hands. Let’s share a couple of their tales.
When video slots started their rise to prominence in the late 1990s, the most popular games were in nickel denominations, there were relatively few paylines — five, nine, and eventually 15 — and you could choose the number of paylines and amount per line you wanted to play.
Incredible Technologies is always trying something new on its slot machines, and right now a lot of the excitement revolves around its Power Wheel games.
One of the latest is Heat ‘Em Up Power Wheel, involving a big wheel display for bonuses. A five-reel video slot, each reel three symbols deep, Heat Em Up has a classic look with 7s, bars, bells and cherries among the symbols.
Readers have shown me repeatedly over the years that one good story deserves another. And last month, after I shared a couple of tales of how craps players learned the game my inbox brought a flurry from other players.
Let’s share a couple more:
My mailbag — or email box or social media messages — occasionally brings inquiries and theories about changes to the games we play.
Two of those arrived in the last few months, one was from a craps player, the other from a blackjack aficionado.
The Tunica Airport is bringing back regular scheduled air service to the Tunica destination. The new partnership with Ashley Air and Travel will provide service to the four new markets of Atlanta, Charlotte, Orlando and St. Pete/Tampa beginning July 1, 2018.
Video poker areas in casinos liven their mix with bonus games that can multiply your winnings when triggered by certain winning hands.
These games usually are variations on Triple Play, Five Play and Ten Play Poker, where you play three, five or 10 hands at once. And all such games require an extra bet to activate the bonus feature.
Is it worthwhile to activate the bonus, or does it reduce your payback percentage?
Games work for casinos only if customers will actually play them. A game that seems too complicated or that intimidates players won’t do its job of encouraging wagering.
Craps has a reputation of being difficult for newcomers to learn yet is the second most popular table game behind blackjack. Everybody who plays was a beginner at one time. I asked some craps players how they learned.
I’ve mentioned there are several optional pay tables at Pair Plus in Three Card Poker. One reader asked “Why isn’t the pay table standard?”
Players who try to sort good bets from the bad sometimes find difficulty with new games that involve more than one round of betting.
Those games have two figure that could fairly be categorized as house edges. A reader recently pointed out that wizardofodds.com lists a house edge of 4.91 percent for Mississippi Stud Poker, but also an element of risk of 1.37 percent.
Slot machines with ancient Egyptian themes or East Asian imagery have long resonated with slot players. Incredible Technologies puts its own spin on both in new games we’ll be playing in 2018.
Players frequently tell me stories about big wins, ask questions about how the games work, or to point out unusual things they see in casinos. In the case of a reader named Melinda, she just wanted to share how nice people had been at her table, and how that helped her win at Mississippi Stud.
Casinos often use side bets on table games — especially blackjack — to spice up the games and draw a little extra action from players.
The house edge on side bets almost always is higher than on the main game. That led a reader to write and ask, “Is there ever a time to make a side bet like 21 + 3 or Lucky Ladies at blackjack, the Dragon Bonus bet at baccarat or the Prime bet in Three Card Poker? [If the house edge is higher], why not just play the regular game and skip the side bet?”
A craps player wrote to me recently to say he’d found an automated game that looked like it had better odds than he found at table games.
Pop culture themes from movies, TV, music and games have long been part of the fun of playing the slots. Let’s check out a few of the new themes we’ll be playing in the coming year.
Ever since Scientific Games acquired WMS Gaming in 2013 and Bally Technologies in 2014, it’s been inevitable that we would see WMS-Bally mashups in new slot machines.
Monopoly Hot Shot, on its way for 2018, combines long-standing successes from both companies.
Basic strategy players know there’s a best average play for every hand in blackjack. That’s what you’ll find in strategy charts online and in books.
One of the most important strategy tips for video poker players to remember is that low pairs are almost always more valuable than high cards. You win more hands when you hold a Jack or higher, but have larger average payoffs and win more money when you hold low pairs instead.
A reader asked recently if that also applies to having two high cards in the hand.
Slot players love to share their stories when they win, and readers have contributed a couple of recent tales from their early days of playing.
Whether it’s classic cars, bicycle rides, crawfish or live blues performed on a train depot stage, this year’s festival line-up in Tunica has something for everyone.
Every year, slot machine manufacturers roll out dozens of new games, and I’ll be featuring several coming attractions next month.
Before we ring in the new, though, let’s ring out a few old. I asked some of my slot-playing readers to tell me about old favorites that are long gone but they wish they could still play.
There may still be a chill in the air but Tunica’s upcoming entertainment is heating things up. With big name concerts from Blues Traveler and Jonny Lang to Phillip Phillips and the comedy of Bruce Bruce and Rodney Carrington there is sure to be something for everyone.
You’re in a casino, having a tough day, and you’re down to your last $5 with time for one more bet before you go home. What do you do?
Unless they play at dollar level or above on single-hand games or quarter-level or above on multi-hand games, video poker players rarely reach the $1,200 threshold that requires a tax form before they’re paid. A royal flush with five quarters wagered brings a $1,000 jackpot — a nice bonanza, but well below the tax trigger.
Newcomers to craps sometimes are confused by the details. It can take a while to sort out the ins and outs of a game with so many different ways to bet. One such novice player asked me why the one-roll bet on any 7 is said to be such a weak play.
One challenge facing blackjack players is that the rules aren’t precisely the same in one casino as another, or even sometimes at one table as opposed to another in the same casino.
There are a number of optional rules, including late surrender, which after the dealer checks to see if he has blackjack, allows you to give up half your bet instead of playing it beyond your first two cards.
After 20 years of multiline video slots in casinos, I find most players don’t even look to see the shapes of the paylines anymore.
When there were five lines or nine lines, everyone wanted to check to see how the lines ran and how their winning symbols lined up. With 30, 40 lines or more, most players today just accept their total winnings and move on. The 243-ways-to-win slots with no traditional paylines are another matter.
One of the tools slot machine designers use to keep the games fun and interesting is the stacked reel, where a number of consecutive symbols are the same.
Things can really get interesting when the stacked symbols are wild, matching any other symbols to help form winning combinations.
Even gaming events that you’re unlikely ever to see happen can be fun to talk about, and there are enough “what ifs” that conversation about them can be endless.
One that a player brought up recently involves blackjack. There are four Aces in each deck, so in a six-deck game there are 64 Aces.
When you go on a casino overnight trip, especially one that’s going to last two or three days, would you rather get a big win early in the trip or late? Early, and all the pressure’s off your budget. You can play to your heart’s content. Late, and you’re sure of bringing the big bucks home.
When I learned blackjack basic strategy about 30 years ago, the plays others made were real eye-openers to me.
Players today are better than they once were. I don’t see anywhere near as many mistakes at the table. But I do still see some doozies. Here are a few I’ve seen in the last few months, at six-deck games in which the dealer hits soft 17.
When my husband, Frankie, and I heard that there was a new Grammy Museum just two hours south of our home in Memphis, it was the perfect reminder of a trip we had been wanting to take for so long—a cruise down the Blues Highway on our motorcycles, but first we had to make a stop at the Gateway to the Blues Museum and Visitors Center in Tunica.
There are so many possibilities in roulette, it’s easy to design a system that wins more often than it loses. Problem is, when the losses come, they’re much larger than the wins and wipe out any profit – and then some.
“It’s the perfect spot for a boy’s weekend,” my wife said. I gave her a sidelong look. She tried to prove her point: “Steakhouses, casinos, cigars…”
A play that will win the most hands isn’t always the play that will win the most money. I was asked recently if there are other games where it’s better to make plays to win less often because they win more money.
When I first started to play in casinos, I used to see many slot players taking two or more machines at a time. I even saw a woman playing an entire row, starting the reels spinning on each machine, not waiting to see the results until she returned to each machine in her rotation.
A perfect day in the casino means different things to different people.
When I asked about players’ perfect days a while back, many told me about blackjack. Some told me about the terrific steak they ate – comped, of course – or about shows and shopping.
Betty is a reader whose perfect day involves a nice meal and a little shopping, and as long as she doesn’t lose big on the slots, she’s happy.
Whether it’s the bounce of the dice or the turn of a phrase, funny things happen at the craps table. Just ask Wes and Faye, craps players who sent along their stories for our amusement.
Every month, the Mississippi Gaming Commission publishes statistical reports that tell us, among other things, how much slot machines are paying back to players.
Congratulation to the following winners of the Wayne Newton ticket giveaway. Each winner has won 2 tickets to see Wayne at Horseshoe Casino on May 20th. Even if you didn’t win you can still see Wayne by clicking here to purchase tickets.
Angie, my longtime friend, and I were celebrating our recent retirement with a Creedence Clearwater Revisited concert at Gold Strike—one of the eight casinos in Tunica, Mississippi. We may be a pair of little old ladies in training, but we know how to have fun. Starting with the drive.
We love seeing everyones photos from their trips to Tunica. Here are our top 10 for the month of March.
Casinos have a wide variety of game, and anyone who wants to gamble can find something that suits their playing personality.
That includes three-reel slots with mechanical reels. Over the last 20 years, they’ve been displaced by video slots as the most popular casino games, but three-reel slots still have their adherents.
Surprise and delight is the standard at the recently opened Spa at Horseshoe and there is no doubt that you will experience both when you visit. The spa is the perfect way to unwind from the stresses of everyday life.
Helpful, cheerful dealers can make anybody’s day at the casino more pleasant. It’s especially important with novice players who are just trying to feel their way through the game.
Video poker deals are as random as humans can program a computer to be, but one player thought he saw a pattern developing that could have worked in his favor if only there was a way to let it play out.
“My wife and I were playing penny slots together, and she was playing Goldfish,” Barry wrote. “It’s a games she’s liked for a long time, and she usually gets a bonus really often.
It’s almost time to put on your party attire and ring in the New Year. Here is your guide to New Year’s Eve events in Tunica.
Some people would go as far as saying that Pappy Van Winkle is like the unicorns of bourbons. With it’s smooth aged to perfection taste and only 7-8,000 bottles released each year you would probably agree. You will find Pappy on many fine restaurants and bars drink menus, but most likely it’s followed by when available and most of the time its not.
In the spirit of the Holiday Season, TunicaTravel has joined with our friends at Visit Mississippi to giveaway an all-inclusive trip to one of the Southeast’s favorite good times getaways – Tunica, MS!
Blackjack is the most popular casino game, so it’s only natural that new table games shown at Global Gaming Expo would include a healthy portion of blackjack variants.
I’ve seen “Casablanca” at least a dozen times. I’ve seen it in a theater as part of a series of classic films. I’ve seen it on TV in pre-home video days, and I’ve seen it on VHS and DVD. Until this fall’s Global Gaming Expo at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, I’d never seen it on a slot machine. But when I saw a sign in the corridor touting a Casablanca slot at the Everi booth, I knew I had to take a look.
New table games shown each fall at Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas aren’t as quick to reach widespread distribution as new slots. There’s less turnover of games at the tables. Blackjack may be forever, but most new slots are here and gone in a few months.
With the exception of blackjacks, all player hands lose sometimes, and even blackjacks push if the dealer also has a two-card 21. There are times when even 20s just can’t seem to win. The dealer gets on a roll and pulls a 21 – and another and another. Player frustration follows.
Payoffs by bar-coded tickets have been with us for the better part of two decades now, but I still hear from longtime slot machine players who miss having coins pour into a tray after a big win.
There’s a long-standing debate among craps players who bet on don’t pass/don’t come: Should you or should you not lay the odds once a point is established?
Slot machine themes have become important factors for those of us who play the games, those who design them and those who sell them to us. A great theme will attract players to the game. A great them used well will keep us coming back for more. Of the thousands of slot themes we’ve seen over the decades, which ones were used best? Which really captured the feel and fun of the source? I asked slot players for their opinions.
Hollywood Casino Tunica has planned several activities to take place during Responsible Gaming Education Week with the theme – SHINING A LIGHT ON RESPONSIBLE GAMING.
A couple of months ago, I walked through the arithmetic for the house advantage on the pass line in craps. It’s quite a lengthy calculation with a number of factors, but enough readers followed along that it brought a few questions.
Craps players have dozens of options with all the different combinations to play. On many multi-roll bets, they also have the option of taking the bet down before a decision is reached.
When you do win a hand-paid jackpot, many casinos ask you to play once more, so the winning combination no longer shows on the reels or screen. One big winner recently asked what happens if you refuse to spin again. Can the casino refuse to pay you?
Sometimes, things are so ingrained in experienced casino players that we forget newcomers haven’t yet learned all the ins and outs. Not long ago, I received email from a blackjack player who is working on learning basic strategy.
I may have mentioned before, I don’t offer advice while playing. If someone asks me, I’ll answer, but I’m not one to routinely weigh in on decisions that belong to others. But what do you do if someone is asking for advice on EVERY hand?
One of the many differences between video slots and three-reel slots with mechanical reels is that three-reel games almost always have an incentive in the pay table to bet maximum coins. On three-reel games, a max-coins bet brings a disproportionate jump in the top jackpot, so betting the max brings a higher payback percentage than betting less.
Roulette has so many possible bets, players always are exploring ways to combine them in the hopes they’ll hit on a way to beat the house.
I’m always looking for tales of unusual things that happen in casinos. One came my way from a reader who wanted to share his experience with a big cash player.
I don’t like to get bogged down in math in this blog. All casino games have roots in math, but you don’t have to be able to do the math yourself to shop for the best bets. House edges are easy to find online or in books about gaming.
Nonetheless, I do get reader requests for explanations about the underlying arithmetic, especially in craps.
Video poker is a much different game than table poker. In video poker, you’re playing draw poker, is rare to nonexistent on the tables. You’re not playing against other players, you don’t have to try to read anyone else’s hand and you don’t have to evaluate whether to raise, call or fold.
Looking for the best place for live music in Tunica? Take a look at Tunica’s eight stage bars. They are sure to get you in the dancing mood.
It’s not difficult to see patterns in wins and losses, and it’s all too easy to jump to conclusions based on small samples. Over the years I’ve fielded questions from readers who wondered if they should skip drawing to four-card straights because they missed several times in a row and from others who were convinced 20 was a losing hand in blackjack because they dealer drew a few 21s to beat them one night.
Giving advice at the gaming tables isn’t for everyone. I’ve played with some who love to tell others what to do, whether the advice is welcome or not. Others never give advice, or give it only when asked.
One of the absolutes in blackjack is that you should never split 5s. Most players aren’t even tempted, because they recognize they have a much stronger building block for a hand when they start with 10 than starting each of two hands with 5s.
Nontheless, I received an email recently from a player who challenged the notion. He reasoned that when the dealer had a weak card such as a 5 or 6 face up, he had an edge. If he was dealt another 5, he wanted the opportunity to get a third bet on the table.
At any game, players come in all levels of experience and knowledge. Some are more familiar than others with game rules, strategies or even the mechanics of how to make a bet.
Those who learn and use basic strategy at blackjack know there are strategy differences depending on whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17.
Looking for the best cocktails in Tunica? We put together a list of our favorites for you to try on your next trip. Try one or try them all you can’t go wrong when you order one of these refreshing drinks.
Players often send me tales of streaks at the tables, but they’re usually winning streaks. A reader named Mike sent me something a little different.
“I have a streak story for you,” he wrote. “ I was playing blackjack in Laughlin a few years ago, there were four players, and we all get pat 20s. The dealer has a 10 up and turns over a face card, so a push, with 10 10-values in a row.
Many poker-based table games involve an ante before you see your cards, and then a bet or multiple bets to keep playing. Caribbean Stud was the trend-setter, but we also see that format in Three Card Poker, Mississippi Stud and other games.
When you see a strategy table for any given video poker game, it’s almost always going to assume a royal flush pays 4,000 coins if you’ve made a five-coin bet. That’s the standard payout on machines that don’t have a progressive jackpot.
I hear regularly from Maria, a reader who mostly plays craps. She’s often found herself the only woman at the table, but it doesn’t bother her. She does, however, sometimes take some grief about being the only “wrong” bettor – a player who bets against the shooter by wagering on don’t pass and don’t come.
Make your Valentines extra sweet this year with these specials here in Tunica.
Table games players have consistently shown a preference for live action. They like to play with real cards and dice and with human dealers.
Still, there has been an increasing acceptance of electronic table games, especially in roulette. Touch screens for electronic betting speed play as wagers are settled automatically, with no mistakes. There’s no down time waiting for dealers to pay winners and collect chips from losing bets.
It’s sometimes said that casinos make their money from winners. Of course, every time it’s said, there’s somebody who responds, “Then they should let everybody win and make even more money.”
Players sometimes have difficulty with the idea that slot machine results can be programmed and random at the same time. So for many years, I’ve used a comparison to roulette, where you don’t know when any given number will turn up, but the odds of the game will lead to a 5.26 percent house edge – the same as a 94.74 percent payback percentage.
From beginners to grizzled old veterans, craps players are always thinking about the ins and outs of their game. A couple of questions arrived recently, one from newbie on a basic concept and one from a veteran who was wondering about the possibilities of a different way to play.
When the World Series of Poker Circuit makes its Tunica stop Jan. 21-Feb. 1 at Horseshoe, it will be building on a tradition that began 45 years ago in Las Vegas. That’s when Benny Binion invited seven of the top poker players in the world to come to his casino for a tournament he called the World Series of Poker, and that’s grown into the mega-event that brings national ballyhoo and TV coverage every year.
Everywhere you look, house edges on casino games are listed by percent – 1.52 percent on place bets on 6 or 8 in craps, 5.26 percent in double-zero roulette, 1.06 percent on the banker bet in baccarat, and so on.
A reader asked me to translate that into dollars and sense for blackjack players. If you’re playing basic strategy, how much money of yours will the house keep? What if you’re just an average player who hasn’t memorized the strategy chart?
The last few weeks I’ve been writing about new games displayed at the annual Global Gaming Expo, with table and slot games we’ll be playing in the coming year. For me, Expo week is almost like a second Christmas as the wraps come off those goodies, so let’s take a look at just a couple of more new slots.
Among those who have been playing in casinos as long as I have, there’s a sizable number who miss being paid in coins clattering into the tray of slot machines. On a September day when I cashed out by printing a ticket, the machine’s speakers resounded with an imitation of that sound, and a neighboring player told me she missed the real thing.
Roulette is one of the oldest games still played in modern casinos. Recognizably modern roulette wheels, with red and black numbers 1 through 36 along with zero and double zero, were in play in Paris in the late 1700s. The game itself has hardly changed at all, but some of the trappings have. For one thing, most roulettes tables in American casinos have a tote board showing recent numbers. When the boards were introduced, most showed the last 12 numbers, but now 18 is common, and sometimes there are more.
Some of the most frustrating hands at blackjack come when the dealer starts stringing out low cards. You see the dealer with a 14, and think there’s a good chance he’ll bust. Then comes a 2, and with 16, he just HAS to bust, right? Then, boom! Here’s comes a 5, the dealer has 21 and the whole table loses.
Sometimes, you just can’t keep a good idea down. And blending slot machine excitement with tests of knowledge plays right to my taste.
If you’re in a casino that has slot games on the Pro Wave cabinet from the Bally Technologies division of Scientific Games, you can’t miss it. The Pro Wave is a eye-catcher, with a giant 40-inch, curved main screen for high-resolution graphics.
For almost all of us, a day or evening in the casino, or even a trip of a few days, is a nice break from everyday life. We’re excited for the wins when they come, but we know that more often than not, we’re going to be paying for the day’s entertainment.
But there are a few who dream of playing professionally. When I hear from them, I always urge caution. Take the video poker player who emailed recently to say, “I can usually get a royal flush every 30 days. I can be a professional player? I play video poker every day.”
No blackjack player likes to bust and wind up with a total of more than 21 that’s a loser before the dealer even plays his hand. But if we’re going to take the best chance to win, accepting the risk of busting is part of the bargain.
The Internal Revenue Service has proposed changes to federal tax requirements on that could triple the amount of paperwork when we win big on slots, video poker and other electronic casino games. In one proposal, you’d still have to sign form W-2G on any jackpot of $1,200 or more, but also would require casinos to use their player tracking systems to trigger tax forms on cumulative winnings of $1,200 or more above losses in one day.
Video poker games are designed to be as random as humans can program a computer to be. The odds of drawing winning hands are the same as cards were dealt from a real deck.
Still, when odd streaks happen, players can’t help but wonder if something more is going on.
Basic strategy for the ante-bet portion of Three Card Poker is to make the bet of equal to your ante any time you’re dealt Queen-6-4 or better, but to fold and forfeit your ante with lower-ranking hands.
That strategy led a reader to email me with two questions:
When you’re a smaller slot manufacturer trying to compete with the likes of IGT, Bally, WMS and Aristocrat, you need to be nimble, creative and innovative.
Multimedia Games has been all of that, and expects to keep bringing the innovation now that it has been acquired by Global Cash Access. The new company is in the process of rebranding, and will reveal a new name in late August.
It’s nice to escape the monotony of a typical weekend and do something different. It’s even nicer when my friends and I can take a little road trip, and maybe raise a little hell in the process. Tunica offers that escape…
From time to time, readers send me stories about unusual things that have happened to them in casinos. I always find them fun to read, and I hope you will, too.
In Tunica we believe every meal should be finished off with a great dessert. Here are a few of our favorites.
One thing I’ve warned blackjack players about is games that pay less than the standard 3-2 on blackjacks. If you play video blackjack, you have to be extra watchful, as one reader learned.
The new Money Rain slot machines are proving to be a hit with players. Take a look at their new features.
We all make mistakes in the casino. Blackjack players stand when they meant to hit, slot players forget to check to see all the paylines are active and players at any game sometimes have a brain cramp and make a bet that’s larger than they’d intended.
On most casino games, the house wins more often than the player, and it’s easy for the casino to get an edge on the game. All it has to do is pay players less than the true odds of winning the bet, and random results will lead to profit for the house.
When video slots first came out, it took only a single bonus event to entrance players. Neighbors would stop their play to watch whenever someone went fishing in Reel ’Em In or chose their Chinese foods from the menu in Fortune Cookie.
In Tunica, you can get any type of food you want all hours of the day. From buffets, bbq, fine dining and burgers, WE GOT IT! Here is a list of the top 10 foods in Tunica that we don’t want you to miss while visiting.
Just about every craps player has a favorite way to play. Some play the percentages and make sure they take the free odds offered when you back pass or come bets with additional bets. Some like the place bets on 6 and 8, to make sure they always have the most frequent non-7 numbers working. Some like to take their chances for bigger payoffs on the one-roll props such as yo-leven or any 7, and let the house edge fall where it may.
Recently, I got an email from a reader wondering if he should change his method.
Video poker players in the know understand that on most games, payback percentages are changed by altering the returns on full houses and flushes. A “9-6” Jacks or Better game, where full houses pay 9-for-1 and flushes 6-for-1, returns 99.5 percent with expert play. If instead you see 8-5 Jacks or Better, meaning full houses pay 8-for-1 and flushes 5-for-1, then the average return is 97.3 percent with expert play.
However, when progressive jackpots are involved, even a game with a lower pay table can have high average returns.
For gamemakers, attracting slot players is all about offering different play experiences to different segments of players. There are big jackpot games, high volatility games, second-screen bonus games, free-spin bonus games and more.
Blackjack basic strategy has been around as guide to when to hit, stand, split and double down has been around since the 1950s. It’s well-grounded in the math of the game, and it’s something anyone who’s serious about blackjack should learn.
However, the game itself evolves, and when the rules change, so does basic strategy.
There are so many different wagering options at roulette that it’s only natural that players would try to come up with combinations to try to overcome the house edge.
Craps has language and terminology all its own, like “Yo,” or “yo-leven” for 11 and “hard way” for rolling a total with both dice showing the same number – 4-4 is 8 the hard way.
Slot machine manufacturers have drawn on TV, movies, board games and pop culture icons for years, and they’re not shy about crossing generations to do it. After all, the games need to appeal to a wide variety of players.
Sometimes video poker players find the goal of winning the most hands at odds with the goal of winning the most money.
Craps presents so many possibilities that players are continually exploring combinations seeing if they can find a magic formula for profit. One player asked me recently if he could combine place bets with hard ways for some giant-sized wins.
When you hear the name Resorts Casino you usually think winning, but did you know that Resorts also has some of the best dining choices around as well as great shopping? Each experience even has their own way of paying homage to the Blues culture here in the Mississippi Delta.
The video age has enabled game designers to get creative in any number of ways, and that includes the way they use reels and symbols. One of the latest wrinkles is Cluster Power, a new way to play you’ll be seeing in the coming year on Aristocrat Technologies’ Sons of Anarchy slot machine.
Players usually don’t notice, or even have a chance to see, behind-the-scenes procedures that are important to the house.
Lights. Camera. Relaxation. Spa Around The Corner recently opened at Hollywood Casino, and if you are in need of some relaxation this is the place to go. The spa has not been open long, but it already has people talking about how good they feel after a treatment.
Do you enjoy a nice glass of wine or to sip on some fine whiskey? If so you will want to stop by TEN10 Wine and Whiskey bar at GoldStrike Casino Tunica.
Goodbye 2014. Hello 2015!
This year is quickly coming to an end, and I don’t know about you, but I am ready to celebrate. Tunica is the place to be this New Year’s Eve. We have everything from live music, car giveaways, slot tournaments and fine dining. Here is a complete list of the New Year’s Eve activities. We are sure that there is something for everyone.
Something exciting took place last weekend in Tunica and I’m not just talking about Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Last week Hollywood Casino, Resorts Casino, and Sam’s Town Tunica Casino hosted the first ever Casino Strip Presents $100,000 slot tournament. This tournament was the first of it’s kind here in Tunica and let me tell you, it was a lot of fun.
The Horseshoe Casino hit a jackpot with the new look of Jack Binion’s Steakhouse. The new design is part of a $10 million dollar overall casino renovation at the property. Changes to the restaurant include an expanded dining space with a hip new bar area overlooking the casino floor. The dining room is sophisticated yet fun and is decorated with vintage pictures of Jack Binion himself.
Video poker is a game that mixes pure chance with a dose of skill. You don’t know which cards are going to dealt, but you need to know which ones to hold to have a fighting chance to win.
In his blackjack strategy post, John Grochowski tells us that players who learned basic strategy for stand-on-all-17s games need to make a few adaptations for today’s blackjack.
Could an international thief win a high-stakes poker tournament against 007?
Gaming expert John Grochowski discusses the upcoming slot technologies of skill-based and perceived-skill games.
On October 26, 2013 history was made at Bally’s Casino Tunica. That was the day that competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut at 121 Twinkies at the 1st Ever World Twinkie Eating Championship.
The Smokin’ Aces BBQ Festival returns to Harrah’s Tunica September 20-22 and it is sure to be great fun for everyone. The festival events include
The countdown is on for the biggest Country music festival this year, the Delta Country Jam on Oct. 4th and 5th and we have your tickets. Purchase your tickets at the Gateway to the Blues Visitor Center for a discounted rate of just $57 each day. That is an over $30 savings compared to what you would pay online.
The summer may be coming to a close on the calendar but things are just starting to heat up in Tunica. We have some of the biggest names in entertainment coming our way as well as some cool cars and hot BBQ.
Thank you to everyone who came out and supported the 2nd Annual Tunica Balloon Bash. It was a beautiful weekend to fly balloons and we have a ton of awesome photos that were submitted for our photo contest. It was so difficult to choose just three winners for our contest but we did and here are the winning photos.
The Tunica Balloon Bash is just two weeks away, so we thought we would brush up on a few ballooning facts before the big event. Here is a fun piece that we have put together for you –
Balloons return to the sky at the 2nd Annual Tunica Balloon Bash on August 9-11, 2013. Tunica will welcome 50 hot air balloons at five casino resort properties. Hot air balloonists from across the country will compete in early morning races to win over $12,000 in cash and prizes.
And this event isn’t just for the hot air balloon expert! Each casino property will host balloons in their parking lot for a balloon glow at sunset on Friday night with glows also on Saturday night as select properties. Visitors are invited to meet the pilots and experience the size and beauty of this majestic sight of the orange glow in the Mississippi Delta.
We know that Dads love Tunica, so why not bring yours this weekend? He’ll enjoy gaming, golf, fun and more! And I’m pretty sure it will get you bonus points, so that you’ll be well on your way to being his favorite child!
There is a lot going on in Tunica over the next few months. So much that it is hard to keep track of it all, so we put everything in one spot to make sure you don’t miss out on the hottest festivals, car shows and music events.
The new Americana Buffet opened last week at Gold Strike Casino to rave reviews. The newly renovated $8 million dollar buffet design is inspired by the area with a large skylight, southern pine and even Levi’s 501 jeans. Yep, you read that right. Levi’s are incorporated in the space and add a hip element to the buffet. But the design is not the only thing we are excited about.
Many of you may already have signed up to receive updates from Tunica via email, but did you know that there are even more ways to connect with Tunica? Not only do we promise to keep you up to date on breaking news, concert announcements and specials, we also have more ways for you to win comps from your favorite Tunica Casinos.
Gold Strike Casino recently renovated the Chicago Steakhouse and it reopened last week with new decor, new items on the menu and a whole new dessert menu that will make your taste buds dance. So I did what any foodie would do, I made a reservation and prepared myself for a mouth watering meal.
Country music is coming to the Mississippi Delta, October 4-5, 2013 for one of the largest and most anticipated country music festivals of the year, Delta Country Jam Music Festival. The festivities will be located on the Abbay & Leatherman Plantation behind Hollywood Casino & Hotel.
You don’t have to be in Mexico to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year. Some of our casinos are getting into the action and are serving up everything from free beer, yes I said free beer, live entertainment, party favors and special tournaments.
Showfest, the car, truck and bike show that shows off vehicles that are loud by sound – and by paint color – rolled into Sam’s Town for its 15th anniversary last May. Tunica TV was on site to catch some of the most unique and creative vehicles, including a 1934 Ford Model A. And now Showfest is returning to Tunica again on May 18 & 19, 2013. For information, visit their website ~ www.showfest.com or follow Showfest on Facebook or Twitter.
In more than two decades of staying at casino resorts, one of my favorite methods for getting all I can out of available comps has been to charge meals to my room, and then see if I can get them comped at the end of my stay. That enables me to use comps earned later to take care of mealtimes from the beginning of the stay, when I don’t yet have anything in the comp bank.
Who’s ready to (watch a) rumble? If you are, then we have the event for you! On Saturday, April 27, Resorts Casino Tunica will host live Prize Fight MMA Cage Fighting. Tickets are $25 and available by calling 866-706-7070.
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a full contact combat sport that has become very popular in the past few years. For more information about MMA, click here.
Video poker was the first massively popular coin-operated casino gaming using video screens and virtual images instead of spinning reels or other mechanical components. But one thing video poker hasn’t used is the kind of animation we’ve seen since video slots became the hottest growth area of the casino industry.
For country music fans, Tunica’s casinos have country artists like Vince Gill lined up in the next few months. But if you want to listen to great country music while dancing and having a drink or slot machine close by, don’t miss the Derek Joseph Band at one of Tunica’s stage bars.
The Fitz Casino goes all out each year for St. Patrick’s Day. And who better to hold Tunica’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day party than the casino that celebrates the luck of the Irish all year long?
I’ve mentioned in this blog before that mimicking the dealer is not a viable approach to playing blackjack. Dealers and players operate under different conditions. Players act on their hands first, and if they go bust, the house wins even if the dealer busts too.
One of my video poker games of choice is Double Bonus Poker, especially on versions that pay 7-for-1 on flushes and 5-for-1 on straights. If full houses pay 10-for-1, then you have a full-pay 10-7-5 game that returns 100.17 percent with expert play. If they pay 9-for-1, then the 9-7-5 game is still a good one at 99.1 percent.
Billy Jones Bluez, a blues-funk band from North Little Rock, Ark., will perform this weekend at Resorts Casino. Jones has traveled the world entertaining audiences with the sounds of nu-blues, and his band visits Tunica several weekends out of the month.
I’m not a superstitious sort, preferring to trust the math of casino games rather than my brother’s family-famous jackpot dance. It’s harmless fun, and like many, he engages in superstitious behavior without really believing it makes a difference. He’s not alone. Take these tales from readers who have relayed their own superstitions:
Monday, February 18 is Presidents’ Day, a federal holiday celebrating the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Whether you have Monday off work or are just looking to blow off a little steam, why not make a long weekend of it just down the road in Tunica? We promise not to tell your boss.
A craps table with a hot shooter on a roll is one of the most exciting places in the casino. When the shooter is rolling number after number without sevening out, players are winning together, celebrating and cheering the shooter. Big wins bring tips, so the dealers are happy, too.
Tunica TV has shown you how to be a high roller at the tables and inside the suites of Tunica. To get one step closer to that high rolling lifestyle, wining and dining at one of Tunica’s award-winning restaurants would be a perfect place to start.
Northeasterners, Midwesterners, Northwesterners and those of you spread out across other unreasonably wintery regions: it’s time to make your annual migratory escape to warmth. Take off your snowshoes and come down South to Tunica and enjoy our gaming, restaurants and entertainment. You may think our accents are a little funny, but our warm hospitality will make you forget all your snow shoveling responsibilities.
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we have put all specials and promotions in one place, so you can spend your special day with your special someone in Tunica! Here are the posted specials we compiled for you:
When my wife, Marcy, goes to casinos with me, she rarely plays on the tables, but she knows the kinds of things I watch for. So when she spotted one empty blackjack table in a crowded casino, she pointed it out.
“It’s a $100 minimum bet,” she said. “Couldn’t they get more players if it was lower?”
Are you getting excited for the Super Bowl but not sure where you are going to watch it? Harrah’s Tunica Field House Sports Bar and the Tunica CVB are giving away a Super Bowl getaway that includes a $200 tab at the Field House inside of Harrah’s Tunica and 3 hotel rooms. The Field House has great food, cold beer and too many TV’s to count and is the perfect place for you and your friends to watch the big game. To enter, click on the photo below and fill out the entry form. That’s all it takes to be entered to win. Winner will be announced on January 21st.
CONTEST DETAILS/RULES
~ Entries must be RECEIVED by Sunday, January 20, 2013
~ Winners will be ANNOUNCED Monday, January 21, 2013
One entry per person is allowed. Must be 21 or older to win and be a legal U.S. resident. Winners will be randomly chosen from all submissions. Prizes are awarded by Harrah’s Casino Tunica and the Tunica Convention & Visitors Bureau. Prizes do not include transportation. No prize substitutions allowed. Contest questions should be directed to the Tunica CVB Facebook page (Facebook.com/TunicaMS), Twitter page (@TunicaMS) or at DownTheRoad.TunicaTravel.com blog.
The biggest name in new table games for the casino industry is also a new name. SHFL Entertainment changed its name from Shuffle Master this fall. By any name, it always has new poker-based games in its mix.
For many families, a trip to Tunica at Christmastime is a tradition. Because most businesses are closed on Christmas, and the crazy shoppers are in full force making returns December 26, Tunica is your destination for relaxed fun that’s only a car ride away.
If you’re looking for the perfect place to kick back and watch college football bowl games this season, Tunica’s casinos are the perfect place for you and your friends. With nine world-class resorts featuring a host of bars and high-definition TVs, you won’t have to worry about missing one minute of the action.
If you are looking to take that special someone out for a romantic dinner and want to impress them with a perfectly paired wine we have a list for you. We have asked the head chef’s from many of Tunica’s award winning steakhouses to share with you their favorite entrée and wine pairing. We hope you enjoy and please come back and let us know your favorite.
You always can count on International Game Technology for an interesting twist on video poker. In the coming year, the twists will include games with new Ace-based multipliers and a marriage of poker and keno.
Tunica’s casino-hotels are getting into the holidays with themed giveaways and packages. With all the money being spent on gifts and parties during the holiday season, it’s nice to a have few extra chances to win or save on a meal in Tunica.
Whether you are wanting a low-key romantic evening with that someone special or looking to live it up with live music and balloon drops, this New Year’s Eve Tunica has something for everyone.
WMS Gaming has long been an innovator in slot machines, with games such as Jackpot Party and Reel ’Em In becoming casino standards, and Lord of the Rings, the Monopoly series and others taking gaming in new directions. But WMS has not been a major player in video poker, a field dominated by International Gaming Technology. WMS is trying to change that with a couple of new products, and one I find particularly intriguing is Winning Streak Poker.
From poker experts to foodies to the couple who wants an adventurous variety, there are ways for every kind of couple to enjoy themselves in Tunica.
Inspiration for new slot machine themes can come from anywhere. We’ve seen slots based on board games, movies, TV shows, rock bands—if it resonates with the public, it’s fair game. At the Global Gaming Expo, Spielo International introduced a line of slots based on popular online free-play games, while Aruze Gaming turned to classic literature.
It’s the season of giving, so Tunica’s Secret Santa is giving back to our wonderful fans! By commenting, liking or sharing our posts over the next 2 weeks, we’ll randomly choose winners of comps like one-night stays, fine dining dollars or free buffets.
If you missed the balloon glow at the Tunica Balloon Bash last weekend, read on to see some of the photos attendees took from the events.
I love a little skill in my games. That doesn’t mean I’m particularly good at applying the skill, but I love the feeling that I have an impact on whether I win or lose. International Game Technology has taken its popular Little Green Men theme and added a test of skill in a bonus event on Little Green Men: Cosmic Blaster.
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