Casino winnings in Massachusetts slipped last month, down 3.5%. Encore Boston Harbor had the worst of it, off 5% to $57 million. Plainridge Park also missed by 2.5%, bringing in $14 million. You could say MGM Springfield won the month, as it was flat at $23 million. Must be all those vacationers heading for the Berkshires. Or something like that.
Sports betting in the Bay State followed the pattern of books getting cleaned out by astute World Cup and NBA bettors. Revenue was down 12% to $56 million on handle of $615 million, meaning books held at a subpar 9%. Favorite son DraftKings led by far with $27.5 million. FanDuel trailed badly at $15 million, whilst BetMGM managed $5 million. theScore Bet brought up the rear with $1.5 million. Is it destined to join Barstool Sports and ESPN Bet on the Penn Entertainment scrap heap?
Things may have been metaphorically cool in New England but they continued to heat up in Louisiana, where casino revenues rose 3.5%. In the state’s top market, Lake Charles, it saw L’Auberge du Lac (above) continue to pull away from Golden Nugget Lake Charles, $28 million (3.5%) to $26 million (6.5%). Delta Downs slipped 5% to $13.5 million and Horseshoe Lake Charles dipped 1.5% to $8 million. In Baton Rouge, new Bally’s Baton Rouge continued to devour the competition, catapulting 617.5% to $6 million. Queen Casino plunged 25% to $7 million and L’Auberge Baton Rouge fell 11.5% to $13.5 million.
In New Orleans, the momentum of Treasure Chest continued to decelerate, although it was up 2% to $14 million. By contrast, Caesars New Orleans picked up considerable steam (23.5%), reaching $25 million in June. Boomtown New Orleans slid 7% to $9 million and Fair Grounds racino slowed 4% to $3.5 million. Amelia Belle jumped 10.5% to $2.5 million while Evangeline Downs gained 3% to $6 million. That leaves Shreveport/Bossier City, where incoming Bally’s Corp. is driving gamblers out of Sam’s Town. It plunged 17.5% to $2.5 million. Also down, but only by a point, was Bally’s Shreveport ($7.5 million). Horseshoe Bossier City was flat at $10.5 million, Louisiana Live brought in $12 million (3.5%) and Margaritaville reigned supreme with $14.5 million (flat). Boomtown Bossier hopped 2% to $3.5 million but Louisiana Downs sagged 3% to $3 million.
In Pennsylvania, much of the news has centered upon new Happy Valley Casino, where the novelty factor wore off damn fast: Grosses plunged 33% between May and June. Also, the casino’s general manager quickly got the sack, so Unhappy Valley might be a better name for the joint. In any event, it grossed $2.5 million in June, tying Lady Luck Nemacolin (-5.5%) for last place in the Keystone State. Without Happy Valley, statewide same store grosses went into a -7.5% tailspin. The most dramatic occurence was a 20.5% freefall at Wind Creek Bethlehem, down to $36 million but still in second place. State leader Parx Casino ceded 4% for a $44.5 million haul. Elsewhere in the Philadelphia area, Philadelphia Live slid 11.5% to $18.5 million and rival Rivers Philadelphia slipped 6.5% to $16.5 million. Valley Forge Resort actually gained 4.5%, bucking the trend, to $11.5 million. No such luck for Harrah’s Philadelphia, fading 3% to $10.5 million.
Across the state, Rivers Casino slid 8% in Pittsburgh to $23.5 million and its rivals fared little better. Hollywood Meadows was down 3.5% to $15.5 million and Pittsburgh Live dipped 3% to $9 million. Mohegan Pocono was off 2.5% to $16 million, Mount Airy Resort slipped 6% to $16 million and Presque Isle Downs was indeed down 2.5% to $8 million. Hollywood Penn National plunged 13.5% to $11.5 million and Hollywood York dove 10.5% to $7.5 million. That left Hollywood Morgantown, which leapt 8.5% to $6 million, and Parx Shippensburg, also up 8% to $3.5 million. Now let’s pass Ira Lubert the crying towel.