**Exhibit 12.1**

 

**Ratio of Earnings to Fixed ChargesHerbst Gaming, Inc.**

 

HERBSTGAMING, INC.

COMPUTATIONOF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES(dollars in thousands) (unaudited)

 
| ** **                            | ** ** | **2000** | ** ** | **2001** | ** ** | **2002** | ** ** | **2003** | ** ** | **2004** | ** ** |
|---------------------------------------|------------|----------|------------|----------|------------|----------|------------|----------|------------|----------|------------|
|                                  |       |     |       |     |       |     |       |     |       |     |       |
| Net income(1)                         |       | $        | 3,338      |     | $          | 1,060    |       | $        | 5,233      |     | $          | 8,209 |   | $ | 29,222 |   |
|                                  |       |     |       |     |       |     |       |     |       |     |       |
| Add:                                  |       |     |       |     |       |     |       |     |       |     |       |
| Interest expense                      |       | 4,643    |       | 19,952   |       | 18,785   |       | 22,932   |       | 20,849   |       |
| Interest component of rent expense    |       | 291      |       | 301      |       | 397      |       | 611      |       | 604      |       |
| Earnings available for fixed charges  |       | $        | 8,272      |     | $          | 21,313   |       | $        | 24,415     |     | $          | 31,752 |   | $ | 50,675 |   |
|                                  |       |     |       |     |       |     |       |     |       |     |       |
| Fixed Charges:                        |       |     |       |     |       |     |       |     |       |     |       |
| Interest expense                      |       | $        | 4,643      |     | $          | 19,952   |       | $        | 18,785     |     | $          | 22,932 |   | $ | 20,849 |   |
| Interest capitalized                  |       | 3,408    |       | —   |       | —   |       | —   |       | —   |       |
| Interest component of rent expense    |       | 291      |       | 301      |       | 397      |       | 611      |       | 604      |       |
| Total fixed charges                   |       | $        | 8,342      |     | $          | 20,253   |       | $        | 19,182     |     | $          | 23,543 |   | $ | 21,453 |   |
|                                  |       |     |       |     |       |     |       |     |       |     |       |
| Ratio of earnings to fixed charges(2) |       | 1.0      | x     | 1.1      | x     | 1.3      | x     | 1.3      | x          | 2.4      | x     |
|                                       |            |          |            |          |            |          |            |          |            |          |            |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

 

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(1)   Does not include $13,024 of loss on earlyretirement of debt for the year ended December 31, 2001 and $37,991 of loss on earlyretirement of debt for the year ended December 31, 2004.

 

(2)   For purposes of determining the ratio ofearnings to fixed charges, earnings are defined as earnings before fixedcharges and loss on early retirement of debt (other than capitalized interest).Fixed charges consist of interest expensed and capitalized.

 

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