Garden State gamblers defied terrible weather to patronize Atlantic City casinos, where receipts were up 1.5% (helped by an extra weekend day last month). Tables were a bit slow, down 3%, but slots were up 3.5%. Borgata was tops with $56.5 million despite a 6% slump. Hard Rock Atlantic City leapt 21% to $46 million, while Ocean Casino Resort was relatively becalmed at $35.5 million (1%). The grind joints were bunched closely together, barely led by Resorts Atlantic City with $11 million or 2% higher. Bally’s Atlantic City crawled out of last place ($10 million, 3.5%) and incrementally past Golden Nugget ($10 million, -4%). The Caesars Entertainment trifecta was led by Harrah’s Resort ($16.5 million, -2.5%), followed by Caesars Atlantic City ($14.5 million, 8%), while players fled Tropicana Atlantic City ($13 million, -14%).
Not surprisingly, many stayed home to gamble, as iGaming racked up $259 million for a 17% jump. It was a tight race between FanDuel ($60 million), DraftKings ($56.5 million) and BetMGM ($54.5 million). Others in the donnybrook were Caesars Palace Online ($22.5 million), BetRivers ($9.5 million), Hollywood Casino ($3 million) and surprise contender Fanatics with $12 million. Sports betting sagged, down 7% on $1 billion in handle. FanDuel prevailed with $47 million, while DraftKIngs settled for $30.5 million. Fanatics Sportsbook elbowed aside BetMGM, $11 million to $8.5 million. Caesars Sportsbook booked $4 million, BetRivers did $1 million and theScore scored $2 million.
While casinos were hopping in neighboring Illinois, they were flat as a pancake in Indiana, grossing $190.5 million. Thank heaven for the extra weekend day. Among the casinos seeing dampened business was Hard Rock Northern Indiana, down 2% to $36 million. The biggest gainer was southerly Belterra Resort, leaping 14% to $6 million. Horseshoe Hammond (above) made $18.5 million (2.5%), apparently drawing some business off Hard Rock and Ameristar East Chicago, which fell 12% to $12 million, the worst reversal in the Hoosier State.
Rounding out the northern tier, Blue Chip was up 3.5% to $9 million. Now that the Lege looks very likely to put a casino in or near Fort Wayne, the Indianapolis-area racinos can heave a sigh of relief. Horseshoe Indianapolis jumped 7.5% to $27 million and Harrah’s Hoosier Park was up to $20 million (6%). The casino-to-be-moved, Rising Star, rose 6% to $3.5 million while Caesars Southern Indiana fell 8% to $18.5 million. Bally’s Evansville was up 4% ($13.5 million) and French Lick Resort was down 6% to $5 million. Flat at $11.5 million was Hollywood Lawrenceburg and Terre Haute Casino was up 3.5% to a robust $10.5 million.
Sports books held at a plump 9.5%, making for $49 million in win off $523.5 million in handle. FanDuel bested DraftKings, $19 million to $15 million. theScore and Fanatics Sportsbook split $4 million from a shared skin, and BetMGM did $2.5 million by its lonesome. BetRivers and Bet365 also split $4 million, and Caesars Sportsbook brought in $2 million.
If more people flee Tropicana Casino Atlantic City and revenue drops, will the Tropicana be grouped with Resorts, Golden Nugget, and Bally’s?
Yes, it will have achieved grind-joint status. Way to go, CZR.