Page 7 - August 2005 • Southern California Gaming Guide

If It Makes You Happy... Tby Bill Burton
he other day I was listening to a CD by one of my favorite singers, Sheryl Crow. Although I have heard all her songs hundreds of times, I started thinking about the words as she was singing the lyrics “If it makes you happy, it can’t be that bad.”
Isn’t happiness what most of us really strive for in life? While many things can be bad for you if you overindulge, doctors have proven that happiness can greatly improve a person’s health and well-being.
games on a familiar theme o ers an instant comfort level so players are more likely to give it a try.
Bonus Rounds and Secondary Games.
In our fast-paced world most of us are used to “multi-tasking,” a fancy term for doing more than one thing at a time. We are a generation on the go and at times it seems like we are looking for ways
not to waste a single second. The desire to multi- task carries over into our leisure activities and may explain our fascination with the new bonus games offered by the slot makers.
Bonus rounds and special secondary screens have been added to many video slot games. This gives players something else to look forward to while they are playing the game. For many players reaching the bonus screen is almost as exciting as having a winning spin. They look forward to the diversion of the bonus games and maybe this fulfills the need to multi-task.
Have Fun
Casino gambling is all about entertainment. Slot makers have done their best to produce games that will entertain us and make us happy. And as Sheryl Crow sings,“If it makes you happy, it can’t be that bad.”
Enjoy the slots!
Until next time, remember: “Luck comes and goes... Knowledge Stays Forever.”
Bill Burton is the Casino Gambling Guide and columnist for the Internet portal About.com. He also writes for several national gambling publications. He is the author of Get the Edge at Low Limit Texas Hold’em available for $15 postage paid. Send checks to Bill Burton, PO Box 310299, Newington, CT 06131-0299 or online at www.billburton.com. Bill Burton’s website is located at: http://casinogambling.about.com.
As I was giving this idea more consideration, my thoughts started drifting to why people visit casinos and why they play casino games. Although I advise people to look at their visits to casinos as entertainment, I came to the realization that in some of my columns I have been guilty of ignoring this fact. As an advantage player I always seek to play casino games where I have an edge or that o er the lowest house edge. Much of my advice suggests to stay away from high house edge games such as slot
machines. I tend to lose sight that the main reason people play slot machines is because it makes them happy.
Creative Endeavors
Over the last ten years slot machines have become the casinos’ top money maker. e fact that players are willing to play a game that they know has a high house edge is a testament to the creative genius of slot machine designers. Once technology made it possible to produce video slot machines with multi- lines and life-changing jackpots, it was up to the slot game designers to produce games that would interest players.
eir challenge was to get away from the old spinning reel concept and create games that would entertain a diverse multi-generation slot-playing public. e younger generation had grown up playing video games, Baby Boomers witnessed the start of the
“electronic revolution,” and their parents had played the early mechanical slot machines. e designers met the challenge and created a product that changed the face of the gaming industry.
AUGUST 2005
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“I tend to lose sight that the Pop Icons
main reason people play slot Life is full of
machines is because it makes them happy.”
uncertainties. Most of us love nostalgia because it brings us back to something that is familiar and makes
us feel comfortable. is concept was not overlooked by slot makers. A walk through the casino is like a walk down memory lane to many of us. Slot makers have adopted themes for their games that incorporate many of the pop icons we grew up with. Games based on old television shows such as e Addams Family, I Dream of Jeannie, or e Beverly Hillbillies can be found on the casino oor, as well as games based on movies like Star Wars and Terminator. Basing the
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAMING GUIDE
Column: About Gambling With Bill Burton