Las Vegas Advisor

Posted on January 4, 2022August 24, 2023 by Bob Dancer — 21 Comments

An Embarrassing Situation

I was playing dollar 10/7 Double Bonus at the Four Queens during a promotion. As always, before I started my play, I checked the pay schedule to verify that the game was what I was expecting. Casinos change games periodically and if the game has changed, I may well change the game I want to play there — or even decide the promotion is not worth playing.

After some time, my credits went to zero. This was not a big deal. It regularly happens. I reloaded the machine with some additional Benjamins and began to play again.

Posted on January 3, 2022September 14, 2023 by David Mckee — 1 Comment

Why is this man smiling?

Could it be because MGM Resorts International CEO Bill Hornbuckle came justhisclose to being S&G‘s Executive of the Year? Could it be for his vigorous pursuit of diversity within the lion’s house? Might it be for MGM’s very proactive “Convene with Confidence” anti-Covid program that promotes safe meetings and conventions with innovations like in-room testing? Perhaps it is for being the first Las Vegas CEO to drop the hammer and mandate Covid-19 vaccinations for salaried employees? Or maybe it’s for a canny string of real estate deals, culminating in the $1 billion sale of The Mirage, that have left MGM awash in liquidity?

Posted on January 2, 2022September 18, 2023 by David Mckee — 1 Comment

Congratulations, Las Vegas

Regardless of what happens next week, you have a football team with a winning record in the Las Vegas Raiders, who snared a potential wild-card playoff berth with a last-second win over the favored Indianapolis Colts. After hitting a 6-7 nadir against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Raiders got their act together and started winning when it counted. Cleveland … Denver … Indianapolis … it hasn’t been pretty but they’ve done it and we have to tip our cap to the Silver & Black for returning from a near-death experience. A playoff spot isn’t in the bag just yet but if the Los Angeles Chargers (currently ahead in their game) hang on to win, Allegiant Stadium gets treated to a winner-take-all tilt next Sunday. If the Chargers lose today, the Raiders are—we think—in the playoffs but somehow it would be a fitting reward for Las Vegans if their team were playing for all the marbles next Sunday night at home. In so many ways it’s been a season Raider Nation would sooner forget but it’s ending memorably.

Posted on December 29, 2021September 18, 2023 by David Mckee — 3 Comments

Las Vegas explodes

But in a good way. Despite having one less weekend in which to gamble than in 2019, gaming revenues were off the charts last November. The Las Vegas Strip vaulted 46% to $755 million and locals revenues, expected to level off, instead catapulted 45% to $263.5 million. Some of the latter was fattened by end-of-October slot win, not tallied until the following Monday. Statewide, the leap was 41% to $1.3 billion. The magic number for the Strip was a 45% increase in baccarat win (remember, more international players were allowed into town) on 35% more wagering plus tighter hold. Strip slot win—$408 million—was a 47% jump on 31% more coin-in (and 9% hold), while non-baccarat table games rallied 45% on 35% larger betting and tight hold.

Posted on December 29, 2021September 18, 2023 by David Mckee — 3 Comments

Programming note

Due to a mysterious fatigue, my doctor has put me on bed rest for the remainder of the week. That means no S&G. Fortunately, it’s been a glacially slow news week, unless you count the passing of former gaming regulator (and U.S. senator) Harry Reid, who succumbed after a plucky battle with pancreatic cancer. What the Mob couldn’t do with a car bomb decades ago, carcinogens did. At least he lived just long enough to see Las Vegas‘ airport renamed in his honor. Rest in peace, senator.

Posted on December 28, 2021August 24, 2023 by Bob Dancer — 9 Comments

How Do You Figure?

A well-financed player, “Hal,” hired me some time ago to teach him 9/6 Triple Double Bonus Poker. This is not a particularly good game (98.15%), but it was the best he could find for the large stakes he wished to play.

I warned him, of course, that the game would likely be very expensive. He didn’t care that much. The excitement of hitting large royals and aces with a kicker (AWAK) would counterbalance any losing sessions he had. Okay. It’s not the way I want to play, but I was happy to teach him.

Posted on December 27, 2021September 14, 2023 by David Mckee — 2 Comments

Borgata behaving badly; Headless body in topless car

On the “george” side of the ledger we find Bally’s Atlantic City, which is offering room rates starting at $29/night through February 28, albeit on “select nights.” Hey, it’s a terrific way to raise awareness of the new-look Bally’s. As for the Stiff of the Week, the winner is Borgata. Let our Atlantic City correspondent tell it: “MGM Borgata is getting cheaper by the day. [My wife] has reservations for a Christmas show this Wednesday night, but we now have a family night out scheduled. When she called MGM yesterday, she was told next week was ‘fully booked’ for comp tickets, and the host she spoke with told her to contact Ticketmaster to buy her own tickets. With 75,000++ tier points (my estimate is somewhere between $7 to $9 per point). She told the host the tickets were only $12 each (seems like a ‘high quality’ show), and she already had tickets for this week. Didn’t matter to them (she doesn’t have any assigned host at MGM).” Bad Borgata!

Posted on December 24, 2021September 18, 2023 by David Mckee — 2 Comments

Fear and loathing in Chicago; All’s well in Macao; Tribe comes back from nonexistence

It wouldn’t be a fight for a Chicago casino if it weren’t down and dirty—and it is. Bally’s Corp. already sounds desperate, throwing a Hail Mary pass in the form of a report that rival bidders Rush Street Gaming and Hard Rock International would effectively get a tax break by diverting business to their nearby casinos in Des Plaines and Gary, respectively: “Granting the Chicago casino license to an operator with an existing operation in the same market runs the risk of revenue being manipulated away from Chicago to the operator’s financial gain, but at the detriment to the city.”

Posted on December 21, 2021September 14, 2023 by David Mckee — Leave a comment

Mixed signals in Pennsylvania; Atlantic City casinos get their wish

Despite fewer weekends than in 2019, Pennsylvania casino revenues nudged up 3% last month, albeit not a same-store comparison, what with three new casinos having opened in the interim (that would make it -9%). Slots won $185.5 million and table games $73.5 million. High hold was good for sports-betting revenues, which came in at $85 million ($64 million after promotional outlays) on handle of $762 million, holding up well in comparison to five-weekend October. Internet gambling brought in another $94 million. Alas, only two casinos were revenue-positive for the month, which will continue to fuel fears of saturation (with slot routes just over the horizon). Valley Forge Resort was up 6% to $11.5 million and Wind Creek Bethlehem grew 5% to $41.5 million. No 2019/21 comparisons are available for Philadelphia Live ($16 million), Pittsburgh Live ($8 million) or Hollywood York ($7 million).

Posted on December 21, 2021September 18, 2023 by Bob Dancer — 6 Comments

Changes in NCL Cruises — Part II of II

A staple of cruising on NCL is the “Washy Washy” people at the entrance of the buffet encouraging everybody to receive a squirt of sanitizer on their hands. On the Bliss, instead of the sanitizer, there were four sinks at each entrance which we were strongly encouraged to use. And they still had the workers singing various songs to get you to cleanse yourself.

A new feature, at least to me, were the self-called “Pastry Girls.” These two ladies, perhaps in their 20s, probably from the Philippines, would go through the breakfast venues singing out, in unison, offering the daily delight of the day. Lemon muffins, chocolate brownies, and banana donuts were three of these. All promised, melodically, to be “Yummy, yummy, to the tummy.” These ladies were infectiously cheerful.

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