Trying to Stay Online. A Few updates

I have decided that if every blog you write is apologizing for how long its been since you blogged, you might have a problem.

My gaming has been very limited for about the last 8 months. My wife and I are expecting our first child in April. :)

I have had a few trips under my belt but nothing huge to report. I went to Spirit Mountain Casino in Oregon in November. Not much new but the place just keeps getting bigger and bigger every time I visit.

Went to Blackhawk in January and had a great time. I played a lot of new games and came home a winner. Found the new Monopoly Money Grab and did really well.

I played the new community Press Your Luck game, not so happy. I’m not a fan of these community games using older games as the base system and only bonus events are themed to the namesake...........

I Did find the new The Game of Life machine that is actually themed to the board game. Didn’t get into the bonus round but at least there trying.

And last but not least, the new Deal or No Deal game. I have figured out I could never actually go on the show. You sit at home and yell at people for taking small offers or not taking huge offers thinking you would do so much better than them. I got into the bonus round on one of my first spins and my first offer was something like 1400 credits. It’s hard as heck when the money is real. The lady beside me was betting full credits and her first offer was 20,000 credits. That’s $200.00 on a penny machine, she took the offer and I didn’t blame her.

Well that’s it for now. I not sure with the little one coming how much I might be able to blog but I'll do what I can.

Thanks for visiting and Happy gaming,
JB

Are IPOD's Allowed While Playing a Slot Machine?

I like to take notes while at the casino's so I can refer back to them when I writing a new blog or a slot machine review. Seems I always forget little details about the machines if I winning or mostly losing, other than how the game payed. So Ive been wondering about using my IPOD as a voice recording device while sitting at a slot machine to take notes.

I decided to call a couple casino's and see what kind of response I would get. Now I may not have provided enough information to the casino employees but I didn't want to scare them off.

My question was "Are you allowed to use an IPOD's while playing a Slot Machine?" I choose to not say anything about a recording device or recorder connected to an ipod because of the scare factor. You say recording device and I'm sure what answer I might get. Also most of the voice recorders for an IPOD are so small with no external wires that most people wouldn't notice, except it would just look like I was talking to myself. I asked direct for the security desk as this is where I felt was best to handle the question.

My first call was to the Isle of Capri Casino in Blackhawk Colorado. The agent said that IPOD were defiantly allowed while at a machine.

So my first call seemed to have been a success, a basic answer with no real question. Now some might think this is just silly because if you watch poker on TV, they all have IPOD's but my concern was the question of technology. It hasn't been that long since you would be yelled at by drink attendants for using you cell phones at the machines. (I know some still do but not as much as they used too)

My second call was to Spirit Mountain Casino in Grande Ronde Oregon, Ill be visiting in a few weeks.

The security agent was a little questioning, more of himself then me, but said that they were allowed. He also said that the only thing not allowed was photography on the gaming floor.

Second call a success. More so in the fact that it also clears up the question of cell phones and cameras.

I end with that call. Not the full investigative report with multiple sources some may like but I was 2 for 2, why mess with the odds.

My best guess is that IPOD's are allowed in most US situation, internationally is a whole other ball game.

Good Luck and Happy Gaming,
J

This and That

Hello all,

Not much new to report. No trips recently but lots of online activities. Here's a couple of things that have passed by my email and the local news.


Ameristar Blackhawk Colorado Casino Temporarily closes

The Ameristar Blackhawk Casino never opened Friday Aug 24th, 2007 due to damage that had occurred during construction blasting for the new Hotel and Casino expansion project. As reported by 9 news in Denver Colorado and covered in The Rocky Mountain Newspaper (Video and Newspaper article)

No update on Saturday morning as I write this but reports were that blasting for the new hotel caused the sprinkler system to flood office areas of the casino. No areas of the casino floor were effected but for safety reasons they decided not to open. Plans were to reopen by Saturday.

No one was injured, which I'm happy for but i guess the one good thing that has come from this (In my gambler mentality) is that the news report stated that the hotel and casino expansion would be completed in 2009. Ive been looking for an opening date and I guess we kind of have one now.......


Email from WMS Gaming

Yesterday I received an email from WMS Gaming about a new sweepstakes they are running in conjunction with the new MONOPOLY™ Super Money Grab® slot machines.

The Grand Prize is a trip for two to Las Vegas. Plus, there are 50 instant-winners a day.

Heres the link to the Sweepstakes Sign up. If anyone wins a prize, please feel free to email me or add a comment to the post.


Well thats all I have for now,

Good Luck and Happy Gaming,
J

Village People Party Revisited

Yet another version of WMS Gaming's "Jackpot Party" has been released, and it is now on the casino floors. To my knowledge, this makes it the 3rd version on the floors today. Colorado has Jackpot Party Classic, Super Jackpot Party, and now Village People Party.

As is the case with the first two versions, Village People Party is the same in line configuration, but symbols have been changed to reflect the members of the singing group. It also has a disco theme, with icons like platform shoes, disco balls, and fruity drinks as some of the new symbols.

Again only one bonus round is available but appears to be at a high frequency and VPP has a new bonus feature option. When you arrive in the party bonus you are instructed to pick a village person along the bottom of the play screen. There are 6 to chose from, each giving you a random credit amount and multiplier. During the game play, as you select a Record (replacing the classic wrapped gift) your given either a random credit amount, a multiplier, that darn party pooper, or the new option "select another Village person."

You are then asked to choose another Village People Character from the bottom row who gives you a random credit amount but also the Village people on each successful credit pick add more credits to each Record pick.

When you select a Pooper, unfortunately like the classic, you are done. (see bottom for more information and retractions)

There are also 3 new Village People songs that are played though out the game. They include:
"Y.M.C.A.," "In The Navy," and "Macho Man."

VPP is a very fun and interesting version of the classic. Currently I have only seen this game at Bullwhackers Black Hawk, in Blackhawk, Colorado. It was located on the first floor near the cashiers cage.

Good Lucky and Happy Gaming,
J


Retraction 8/2/07

After a recent visit, I had the opportunity to play VPP again and found that I had mis-evaluated a major feature.

During the VPP "Record Bonus Round" there are "Party Saver" options. I found one by selecting a random village person, also one as a record choice, and a pick one of three hat options after selecting a pooper.

With the first one I choose the Sailer and received 50 credits and a Party Saver appeared on the screen and was placed over a dimmed out icon on the bottom of the screen. When I selected a pooper disk, it cashed in my saver and allowed me to continue my round.

The second chance was by selecting a lucky disk that said "Party Saver." I received the VPP bonus amount granted by the amount of Village People you have selected at the bottom of the screen and the Party Saver icon at the bottom of the screen, again was illuminated.

The last option seems to be activated at random after selecting a pooper. On one occasion I was given the option to select one of three hats. Two included additional bonus credits and one had a party saver that took you back to the album bonus round.

Sorry for the miss information on my initial review, I guess this time around the machine just felt like revealing more of itself to me.

UPDATE

This game is everywhere now and very very popular. I would expect atleast a second edition or update very soon

Good Lucky and Happy Gaming,
J