Slot Floor Sensations: Our Top Picks
When it comes to creating a perfect environment to entertain adults with a variety of wants and desires, casino resorts seem to have it figured out. From fantastic dining to the lavish luxuries like spas and cabanas, casinos offer their guests the best of the best to insure they are satisfied and keep coming back.
We caught up with some of our preferred properties to find out about their casino floors, the variety of games they have and why their guests like to play there.
Craps Strategy: Betting Trends is a Bad Trend
Craps is a table game with multiple bets, most of them awful, some are horrendous, and others are okay. Most players like to make Pass Line bets, which come out to a loss of $1.41 per $100 wagered. That means the house has a 1.41 percent edge on this bet – not bad at all.
Many players also like to place numbers (which means go right up on the numbers) and the house edges for this kind of bet go from decent (1.52 percent on placing of the 6 and 8); to terrible (4 percent on the 5 and 9) to suicidal (6.67 percent on the 4 and 10).
Many players also love to make what my mentor the late Captain of Craps called Crazy Crapper bets (see my book Casino Craps: Shoot to Win!). These are bets that come in with extremely high house edges ranging from single roll bets such as the Field (5.55 percent) to the Yo and 3 (11.11 percent) to the Big Red, also called Any Seven (16.67 percent) to multi-roll bets such as the Hard 4 and 10 (11.11 percent) and the Hard 6 and 8 (9.09 percent). These are just some of the many Crazy Crapper bets that lurk to undo the unwary, unwise and unaware craps player and as the Captain said, “You have to be crazy to make these bets.”
Southland Casino Hotel Donates Over $2 Million for Animal Shelter and College Scholarships
(West Memphis, Arkansas) Southland Casino Hotel gives $1.7 million gift to West Memphis for new Animal Shelter and Adoption Center and establishes new Arkansas State University Mid-South scholarships through $537,500 gift.
Southland Casino Hotel is the place to Play, Stay, and Dine. Whether playing on more than 2,300 slot machines, feeling the felt of 50 live table games, betting big in the high-limit rooms or enjoying live sports betting, Southland has it all.
Casino Philanthropy: The Giving in Gaming:
We are all familiar with the lavish offerings of casino resorts around the world ranging from extravagant entertainment, luxurious accommodations, and decadent dining. But did you know that collective charitable contributions and philanthropic endeavors from the gaming industry total over $1 billion annually?
From supporting local communities to tackling national issues, casinos are increasingly recognized for their positive impact beyond the gaming floor. From donating funds to sponsoring events, casinos actively engage in their communities, addressing diverse needs like education, healthcare, and social services.
2023 Readers’ Choice Awards – The Results Are In!
We are excited to once again reveal the winners of this year’s Readers’ Choice Awards showcasing the top casino properties that have excelled and garnered accolades from gaming enthusiasts throughout the region. Casino resorts are the best in the world showing their guests the best of the best, and these awards are a small token of appreciation from you, the gamers, and from us at Gaming and Destinations.
Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their opinions. We hope you enjoy this year’s awards and find a few new casinos to add to your ‘favorites’ list.
(Check out the awards from each region below.)
Gulf Coast Tunica Mid-South Louisiana
Missouri S. Indiana N. Indiana Iowa
Michigan Minnesota Wisconsin
2023 Breeders’ Cup Preview: Our Top Picks
In the world of thoroughbred horse racing, the Triple Crown Series (and its protracted string of “qualifying races”) takes center stage from late February to early June. However, when the scorching heat finally gives way to Autumn’s wintery preamble, every horse player worth their salt starts to pine over an impending occasion known as the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships. Scheduled to unfold on November 3rd & 4th at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, CA, this year’s 14 race Breeders’ Cup card will ultimately confer a whopping $31 million dollars in combined purse money!
Chef Spotlight: Jackson Reichel – Executive Chef – Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort – D’Iberville, Mississippi
Some of the most treasured beaches in the country are those stretched along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and just a few minutes from those beaches lies gem of its own at Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort. The property offers stunning views, awesome accommodations and, of course, an array of dining options to appease any guest.
Whether you are looking for a fine dining experience at Scarlet’s Steaks & Seafood, a little more international flair with ChopSTX Noodle Bar or Ami Pizza for Italian favorites, or Southern charm at Under the Oak, you will find plenty of options to explore on every visit.
We recently caught up with chef Jackson Reichel, the room chef at Scarlet’s Steaks & Seafood at Scarlet Pearl to hear more about his culinary influences and background, what makes Scarlet’s so special and why you should visit on your next gambling getaway to the coast.
Listen to the full interview:
Chef Spotlight: Josh Marling – Executive Chef – Southland Casino Hotel (West Memphis, Arkansas)
Located less than an hour from Tunica, Mississippi is one of the South’s hottest casino properties, Southland Casino Hotel. From what was once a greyhound track, the property has been completely transformed into what is today a luxurious casino resort with a 300-room hotel and plenty of dining options to enjoy.
We had the opportunity to catch up with executive chef, Josh Marling, to hear more about what he and his team do to deliver great dining experiences time and time again.
Listen to the full interview:
Southland Casino Hotel Raises $20,637 for the Special Olympics
On July 6, 2023, Southland Casino Hotel in West Memphis, Arkansas presented a big check for $20,637 to the Special Olympics Greater Memphis, TN. Through training and competitions in Olympic-style sports, the Special Olympics Greater Memphis’s nonprofit organization spreads the message that people with intellectual disabilities can and will succeed when given the opportunity. The campaign is part of parent company Delaware North’s “Game Changer” initiative across its gaming properties in the United States, with the goal of making a positive change in those local communities.
A Tribute to Doyle Brunson: The Godfather of Poker
On May 14, 2023, we lost one of the biggest icons of the poker and gambling world. Doyle Brunson, the Godfather of poker, better known as “Texas Dolly,” passed away at the age of 90. Brunson, a two-time World Series of Poker Main Event champion and ten-time winner of other WSOP events, was a Texas native and worked the poker scene for years running with some of the biggest names in the business including Benny and Jack Binion, Johnny Moss and other gambling greats. He was also a Poker Hall of Fame inductee, the author of many instructional books about poker and gambling, including his famous Super System series that was considered the poker bible by many and overall, a great individual that will be missed by many, but certainly not forgotten.
We had the opportunity to interview the poker legend back in 2009 about his autobiography The Godfather of Poker and felt it was appropriate to share it with everyone in this issue.
