Category Archives: PointsBet

Wynn, Golden report; Excalibur kitty caper; PointsBet busted

Posted on March 2, 2023 by David McKee

Citing “very encouraging” trends in Macao, analyst Joseph Greff of J.P. Morgan gave Wynn Resorts a favorable notice today. Without getting too much into the minutiae, Wynn execs cited rapidly improving VIP business, 96% hotel occupancy and a 34% uptick … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Colorado, Golden Gaming, Laughlin, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, PointsBet, Security, Slot routes, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Wynn, Golden report; Excalibur kitty caper; PointsBet busted

Big Bally’s shakeup; Smoking swatted; Mega-Jottings

Posted on February 13, 2023 by David McKee

Back on Jan. 25, we wrote that Bally’s Corp. CEO Lee Fenton was “possibly laying the groundwork for his own exit,” when he said, The pandemic boosted our business and we continued to hire at full pelt. I now can … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Chicago, Cretins, DFS, Dining, Donald Trump, DraftKings, FanDuel, Genting, Health, Horseracing, International, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Minnesota, Mohegan Sun, New Jersey, New York, Penn National, PointsBet, Politics, Real Estate, Regulation, Rhode Island, Rush Street Gaming, South Korea, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, TV, United Kingdom, Vici Properties, Virginia, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Big Bally’s shakeup; Smoking swatted; Mega-Jottings

Sports betting backlash; Indiana, Missouri rebound

Posted on February 10, 2023 by David McKee

When we were penning the editor’s note for the February issue of Casino Life, we predicted that overkill in sports betting marketing was ripe to bring a backlash. But it happened sooner than we ever expected. Now we don’t know … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Bally, Barstool Sports, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Century Casinos, DraftKings, FanDuel, Full House Resorts, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Marketing, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, Penn National, PointsBet, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Resorts World LV, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, The Strip | Comments Off on Sports betting backlash; Indiana, Missouri rebound

‘Fight’ club; New Horseshoe powers Louisiana

Posted on January 20, 2023 by David McKee

Having experienced buyer’s remorse on DFS site Monkey Knife Fight, and now trying to re-sell it, Bally’s Corp. finds itself with a ton of Monkey Knife Fight-branded merchandise that it must unload. After all, if it finds a pigeon, er, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Canada, Churchill Downs, CQ Holdings, DFS, FanDuel, Golden Nugget, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Marketing, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Penn National, PointsBet, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Resorts World LV, Security, Silverton, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on ‘Fight’ club; New Horseshoe powers Louisiana

Indiana dims; Sands: Make mine Nassau; Mega-Jottings

Posted on January 13, 2023 by David McKee

Gaming revenues dipped last month in Indiana, achieving $204 million, a 3.5% year/year decline. Hard Rock Northern Indiana ($34 million, +4%) continues to ransack its competitors. Horseshoe Hammond was closest, grossing $26 million but down 13.5%, while Ameristar East Chicago … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Architecture, Arizona, Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Culinary Union, Dining, DraftKings, FanDuel, Fontainebleau, Full House Resorts, Genting, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Louisiana, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, PointsBet, Politics, Resorts World LV, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Texas, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Station scores; New York OSB boffo … for state, that is; Kosar sacked; Renegade slots reconsidered

Posted on January 9, 2023 by David McKee

Station Casinos is $62 million richer after unloading $56.5 acres of land near South Point to HCA Healthcare, a hospital chain. Don’t worry about Station’s plans to challenge Michael Gaughan for sub-Strip supremacy: It’s still harboring 126 acres of scrubland … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Bally, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Diversity, DraftKings, FanDuel, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Michael Gaughan, Missouri, Movies, New York, Ohio, PointsBet, Politics, Real Estate, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Slot routes, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Taxes, Transportation, TV, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

NFL bettors sacked; Strip resort folds; Caesars plan panned

Posted on January 5, 2023 by David McKee

Life at S&G HQ is seriously clouded by the critical illness of a beloved fur baby. Nevertheless, we shall endeavor to gather our thoughts, starting with the consequences for bettors of the life-threatening Damar Hamlin injury on Monday Night Football. … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Chicago, Derek Stevens, DraftKings, Economy, Entertainment, Failsinos, FanDuel, Florida, Genting, Georgia, Hard Rock International, Horseracing, International, Las Vegas Sands, LVCVA, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, PointsBet, Politics, Racinos, Riviera, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, TV, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Coney Island casino?; Mirage volcano scrapped

Posted on November 23, 2022 by David McKee

While New York Mets owner Steve Cohen and Las Vegas Sands continue to dither about how they might, maybe, possibly have something brewing in Flushing, other players—much lower-profile ones—have been making a move. A consortium of the Chickasaw Indians, Saratoga … Continue reading →

Posted in Apollo Management, Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Canada, Detroit, DraftKings, FanDuel, Genting, Hard Rock International, Indiana, Las Vegas Sands, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Movies, New York, Penn National, PointsBet, Sexual misconduct, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments

Atlantic City update; G2E convenes; Penn upgrades

Posted on October 10, 2022 by David McKee

Happy Indigenous Peoples Day, especially to our tribal readers. We’re spending it nursing a nasty case of strep throat and distantly following Global Gaming Expo, which convenes today at the newly expanded Las Vegas Convention Center. This year’s G2E, like … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Bally, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Culinary Union, Dan Lee, Dining, DraftKings, FanDuel, G2E, Genting, GLPI, Golden Nugget, Health, Illinois, Kazuo Okada, Law enforcement, M Resort, Macau, MGM Resorts International, New York, Ocean Resort, Ohio, Penn National, Philippines, PointsBet, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Star Entertainment, Station Casinos, Taxes, Technology, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Atlantic City still surging; Aces win it all for Las Vegas

Posted on September 19, 2022 by David McKee

Casino executives in Atlantic City may continue to plead poverty but the numbers tell a different story. Last month’s tally was $274 million, up 4.5% from last year. Slot revenue was $204 million, up 3% on looser hold and 3.5% … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, China, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., DraftKings, FanDuel, Genting, Golden Nugget, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock International, history, Illinois, Indiana, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Raiders, Louisiana, LVCVA, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Mohegan Sun, New Jersey, New York, Ocean Resort, Penn National, Pennsylvania, PointsBet, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports, The Strip, Wall Street, WInd Creek, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Atlantic City still surging; Aces win it all for Las Vegas

Strip slows in July, Downtown flops; Mega-Jottings

Posted on August 30, 2022 by David McKee

Inflation and depleted discretionary income seem finally to have caught up with the Las Vegas Strip. July’s gambling win was 2.5% from the year previous (while locals casinos slipped 3%). The diñero, especially on the Strip, is so elevated from … Continue reading →

Posted in Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Downtown, DraftKings, Economy, Environment, FanDuel, Genting, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Iowa, Kansas, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas Sands, Laughlin, Louisiana, Macau, Mesquite, MGM Resorts International, North Las Vegas, Peninsula Pacific, Philippines, PointsBet, Regulation, Reno, Singapore, The Strip, Tourism, Virginia, Wall Street, Wendover | 1 Comment

Big Gaming’s boffo biz; Bay State buttinski; Trop’s doom sealed

Posted on August 12, 2022 by David McKee

Amidst all the gloom-and-doom talk about the U.S. economy, one sector is doing better than ever: gambling. 2Q22 was an industry-best and the year is on track to be the biggest in history (despite curtailments in international play). The American … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, Baseball, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Columbia Sussex, DraftKings, Economy, FanDuel, Full House Resorts, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Indiana, Internet gambling, Laughlin, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, PointsBet, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Industry waffles on Sisolak; Illinois ekes upward

Posted on August 8, 2022 by David McKee

Cynicism, thy name is Big Gaming. Whereas its chips were all in with Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) the last time around, now it has a dampened finger held upwards, testing which way the wind is blowing. The Las Vegas … Continue reading →

Posted in Bally, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Culinary Union, DraftKings, El Cortez, Election, Ellis Island, FanDuel, Genting, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Las Vegas Sands, Nevada, New York, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, PointsBet, Resorts World LV, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Cosmic quarter at MGM; New name, same old Penn

Posted on August 5, 2022 by David McKee

“No Recession yet, just all time records,” reported Truist Securities analyst Barry Jonas of MGM Resorts International‘s 2Q22 earnings call. Better-than-ever Las Vegas Strip and regional revenues beat the pants off Wall Street‘s expectations, outweighing “weakness” in Macao, where gaming … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Canada, Chicago, China, Churchill Downs, Conventions, Cordish Co., Cosmopolitan, DraftKings, FanDuel, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, history, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, M Resort, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, PointsBet, Scott Butera, Slot routes, Sports, Sports betting, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Virginia, Wall Street, Wyoming | 1 Comment

Insolvency in Macao; Sports betting everywhere

Posted on July 14, 2022 by David McKee

Prior to the current Covid-19 lockdown, casinos in Macao were already engaged in a $600 million/month cash burn, thanks to the China‘s zero-tolerance policy on the disease. That will only get worse now that access to customers has been shut … Continue reading →

Posted in Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, California, China, DraftKings, Economy, Election, FanDuel, Hard Rock International, Health, history, Illinois, Macau, Maryland, Ohio, PointsBet, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports betting, Tourism, TV, Westgate LV | 1 Comment

Bally’s Chicago stirs skepticism; Vegas locals cooling

Posted on July 13, 2022 by David McKee

It’s not just us who are leery of Bally’s Corp. and its ability to do something unprecedented in its history—swing a $1.7 billion casino in Chicago. The company’s corner-cutting “improvement” of Bally’s Atlantic City does not inspire confidence. Nor does … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, Atlantic City, Australia, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Chicago, Churchill Downs, DraftKings, Economy, FanDuel, Florida, Full House Resorts, Genting, Golden Gaming, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Indiana, Mohegan Sun, New York, Palms, Penn National, Pennsylvania, PointsBet, Rhode Island, Rush Street Gaming, Seminole Tribe, Silverton, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Tribal, Unite-Here, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Special Edition

Posted on June 14, 2022 by David McKee

So we leave on vacation (I checked into the Westin O’Hare and didn’t leave the building for three and half days) and all hell breaks loose in Big Gaming. The breaking story was MGM Resorts International‘s decision to shuck Gold … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, Century Casinos, Cordish Co., Crown Resorts, DraftKings, FanDuel, Full House Resorts, Gary Goett, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, Oklahoma, Penn National, PointsBet, Rush Street Gaming, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports betting, Tribal, Unite-Here | 2 Comments

Atlantic City, Massachusetts make big gains; Hotel misery

Posted on March 17, 2022 by David McKee

Casino executives in Atlantic City continue to plead poverty (to a dwindling amen corner) when it comes to poisoning their employees with secondhand smoke. In the meantime, they’re pocketing business hand over fist. Last month saw a 43% catapult over … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, DraftKings, Environment, FanDuel, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Health, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Mohegan Sun, New York, Ocean Resort, Penn National, Pennsylvania, PointsBet, Sports betting, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Unite-Here, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Decline of the Golden Nugget?; Bluhm gets Chicago boost

Posted on March 11, 2022 by David McKee

On March 7, our Atlantic City correspondent wrote to us, “Who took the slot machines since yesterday? They even got rid of two of the four “vanity’ Tilman Fertitta dollar Billionaire Buyer machines. (I never saw anyone at those machines). … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Chicago, China, Churchill Downs, Colorado, Detroit, DraftKings, Environment, FanDuel, Full House Resorts, Genting, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Illitch Family, Indiana, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Neil Bluhm, New Jersey, New York, Penn National, PointsBet, Politics, Rush Street Gaming, Scientific Games, Sports betting, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Wynn steals its own thunder; Atlantic City hits a downer

Posted on February 17, 2022 by David McKee

Leave it to Wynn Resorts to squelch news of a bad 4Q21—losing $256.5 million—with an, oh by the way, announcement that it was selling Encore Boston Harbor for $1.7 billion (essentially breaking even on construction costs) and leasing it back. … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Atlantic City, Australia, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Crown Resorts, Dining, DraftKings, Dubai, Economy, FanDuel, FoxBet, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Internet gambling, James Packer, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, Mattress Mack, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Mohegan Sun, New Jersey, New York, Penn National, PointsBet, Problem gambling, Rush Street Gaming, South Korea, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, Tennessee, Texas, The Strip, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Wynn steals its own thunder; Atlantic City hits a downer