MaxBet Podcast

IGT has shaped video poker for more than 40 years with games like Double Double Bonus Poker™, Triple Double Bonus Poker™, and Ultimate X Poker™.

In this episode of MaxBet Podcast, Hillary McAfee talks with Darnell Johnson and Shannon Bloom about how multi-hand play changed the game, why volatility and configuration matter to players, how bartenders influenced the design of the PeakBarTop™ cabinet, and what makes video poker different from slots.

It's the inside story of why video poker remains one of the most iconic and enduring games on the casino floor.

IGT is a proud partner of MaxBet Podcast

Four days. A million steps. Zero chicken tenders.

Hillary sits down with Korbi Carrison to talk about what really goes into pulling off the biggest show in gaming. From live animals on the floor to security guards you'd never spot, Korbi has seen it all in her 25 years at G2E, and she's spilling the tea with us.

We also cover how to actually survive the week- like for real: keeping your body moving, making networking worth it, and avoiding Hillary's infamous Uber Eats order fail at the Venetian.

First year or 25th, this one's for you.

Ari Mizrachi is back and standing on business in this episode on true persistence games and advantage slot play. His first appearance in October was one of our most successful and most controversial episodes.

Now, Ari returns to share where we are at now and break down why he believes advantage play is detrimental to every facet of the slot economy: operators, suppliers, and players alike. From the economics of advantage slots to the ripple effects across casinos, Ari does not hold back.

To close, he delivers his next red-flag warning, a prediction he believes could become the next major threat to the casino industry.

Love it or hate it, this is the conversation the gaming industry needs.

Mike is officially signing off after five years behind the MaxBet mic. In this farewell episode, we cover it all. Favorite guests, biggest learnings, funny moments, and the interviews that still get talked about years later.

Before he steps away, we talk about what is coming next as Hillary takes the lead and continues building the MaxBet brand. It is a sendoff packed with stories, laughs, and a proper MaxBet vibe from start to finish.

In a MaxBet first, we were handed some top-shelf gaming industry tea. Eclipse Gaming skipped the press release and gave us the exclusive to hard launch their newest C-suite hire. A bold move. We'd say we're honored, but that feels too mature.

Newly appointed Chief Product Officer Mike Trask joins the podcast for his first official interview, sharing his vision for Eclipse and where the company is headed next. We dig into hot topics across the gaming industry like the ethics of perceived persistence in slot design, what makes or breaks a product strategy, and at what point in game development does the project tend to go sideways.

He also walks us through the worst day of his career- a headline moment on Yahoo News that's either a cautionary tale or a badge of honor, depending who you ask.

There's button slapping, screen smashing, a certain CEO who spilled red wine on white carpet, and enough name-dropping to qualify as an industry mixer. If you've ever worked with Mike, talked to him, or accidentally passed him in an airport, you're probably mentioned.

This episode was made in partnership with Eclipse Gaming

What actually happens when a casino gets hacked? Do they pay the ransom? Who loses their bonus? And how do you protect your own family from cyber threats when you're in the industry spotlight? On this episode, Melissa Aarskaug joins us to talk about cyber risk in gaming, her personal playbook for online safety (complete with a family safe word… which we're 87% sure is "MaxBet"), and why cybersecurity is not just an IT problem.

We cover the GLI Bulletproof report, the ripple effect of digital breaches, and how executives need to lead from the top when it comes to cyber security. She's straight-shooting, smart as hell, and our favorite UNR grad.

If you work in gaming and touch tech in any way, this one's a must-listen.

Ever wonder what it was like behind the scenes of the very first Wheel of Fortune slot machine? Spoiler: it involved a Volvo windshield motor, a string, and some serious duct tape energy.

We sat down with Jean Venneman from IGT to talk about how a project they hoped would sell a few hundred units turned into a legacy that has made over 1,200 millionaires and changed the casino industry forever. Next year marks 30 years of spinning, winning, and some truly wild jackpot stories.

Mike and Hillary also work through some of the worst casino advice people actually give, like why "always split tens" should probably be a jailable offense.

Sponsored by IGT, powering today's conversation (and a lot of casino floors). As always, all opinions are our own, for better or worse.

Diallo Gordon, President of Pavilion Payments, joins us to discuss how the gaming industry can better tackle fraud and improve responsible gaming through smarter payment systems. We explore the rise of payment fraud in casinos, why scammers are getting more advanced, and how operators and payment providers can benefit from working together. This episode highlights the connection between secure payments, compliance, and a better player experience. If you work in gaming or fintech, this conversation gets to the root of what needs to change.

Dr. Brett Abarbanel from UNLV's International Gaming Institute joins the MaxBet Podcast with dinner party facts, bold suggestions for the casino industry, and a peek at the research projects that actually get people talking. We cover the science behind dice design, how research in the gaming industry gets funded, and the success of UNLV's student internship program connecting future talent with casino operators. She also shares how she won the biggest hand of her life with a bluff and walked away with a husband. Sparkly shoes included.

This episode is for anyone who likes their data with a side of dry wit.

This week, Casey Gonzales from @cdcgamingconnect joins us to unpack how tribal operators are navigating the real-world impact of iGaming and sports betting. We get into what's at stake when 10% of your floor disappears overnight, why Oklahoma's compact strategy is still a masterclass, and how Class II games became the industry's quiet power move.

At the end, Mike and Hillary go off-script with a very scientific breakdown of the most unnecessary slot features no one asked for — including slow-motion spins, unnecessary voiceovers, and a Dance Dance Revolution bonus round that should never see the light of day.

If you're advising, operating, or building for tribal markets, or just need a laugh, this one's for you.