Category Archives: Sports betting

Atlantic City in winter; Ohio rebounds; Lightfoot booted

Given a slow news day, let’s finally catch up with our East Coast bureau and see what’s been happening on the Boardwalk. First off, demerits to Ocean Casino Resort for contributing in its own small way to climate change by … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Chicago, Churchill Downs, DraftKings, Entertainment, FanDuel, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Jack Entertainment, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Ocean Resort, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Sports betting, Taxes | 1 Comment

Vegas booming; Churchill Downs “messy”; Mega-Jottings

Nevada gambling winning catapulted 18% last month—yes, almost a 20% increase over post-Covid numbers (although January 2022 was dampened by Omicron). The good times just keep on rolling, to the tune of $1.2 billion. The Las Vegas Strip led the … Continue reading

Posted in Alabama, Aristocrat, Arizona, Atlantic City, Bally, Baseball, BetMGM, Boulder Strip, Century Casinos, Churchill Downs, Culinary Union, Downtown, DraftKings, Environment, Fontainebleau, Georgia, GLPI, Hard Rock International, Horseracing, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Iowa, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Lotteries, Maverick Gaming, Mesquite, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Movies, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Las Vegas, Peninsula Pacific, Pennsylvania, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Reno, Resorts World LV, Rush Street Gaming, Slot routes, South Korea, Sports betting, Technology, The Rio, The Strip, Tribal, United Kingdom, Vici Properties, Virginia, Wall Street, Washington State, Wendover | 1 Comment

Caesars hedges on NYC; Buyer’s remorse in Ohio

Although he currently has the frontrunner for a Manhattan casino, Caesars Entertainment CEO Tom Reeg is waffling a bit. Potentially ceding momentum to deep-pocketed rivals like Wynn Resorts and Las Vegas Sands, Reeg said Caesars wouldn’t get into an “arms … Continue reading

Posted in Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Chicago, Detroit, DraftKings, FanDuel, Illitch Family, Indiana, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mattress Mack, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, Texas, The Strip, Virginia, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Caesars hedges on NYC; Buyer’s remorse in Ohio

How the mighty have fallen; Pennsylvania saturated

Pity poor fellow Kelsey Grammer. The superb actor (Boss) and Shakespearean leading man has been reduced to tending bar at an Atlantic City casino. And not some prestigious Boardwalk gambling hall but last-place Golden Nugget. As our East Coast correspondent, … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Canada, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Dining, DraftKings, Entertainment, FanDuel, Golden Gaming, Greenwood Racing, Internet gambling, Iowa, Mohegan Sun, Movies, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, United Kingdom, Virginia, WInd Creek | 1 Comment

Sports betting bungle; Smoke gets in their ears

Good going, MGM Springfield. It has become the third Massachusetts casino to ‘fess up to taking illegal wagers in the opening days of lawful sports betting. Did the Bay State go live too soon? It’s looking that way, as regulators … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Health, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, New Jersey, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Sports betting, Unite-Here, Wynn Resorts | 5 Comments

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

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

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

Wall Street lauds Station, Wynn, MGM

Station Casinos posted impressive 4Q22 numbers—if not as impressive to Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli as Boyd Gaming‘s. Still, net revenues were up 2% and cash flow improved 3.5% (Boyd did 7% and 13%, respectively.) Santarelli liked Station’s improved margins … Continue reading

Posted in Animals, Architecture, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, California, Conventions, Cosmopolitan, Economy, Encore, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mattress Mack, MGM Resorts International, Palms, Real Estate, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Wall Street lauds Station, Wynn, MGM

Boyd buoyed; Penn damned with faint praise; Mega-Jottings

It was a good day yesterday for Boyd Gaming as it trotted out its 4Q22 numbers. Cash flow healthily overshot Wall Street expectations and was powered by, among other things, better-than-2019 visitation by that Boyd mainstay, players from Hawaii. Wrote … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, Canada, Churchill Downs, Cretins, Dining, Downtown, DraftKings, Election, Failsinos, FanDuel, Georgia, Hard Rock International, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Internet gambling, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, M Resort, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off on Boyd buoyed; Penn damned with faint praise; Mega-Jottings

A peek at Penn; DraftKings retreats, Aruze tumbles

Wall Street analysts got an early look at Penn Entertainment‘s 4Q22 earnings, which were mildly adverse and poorer than The Street expected, and which point to a flat trajectory going forward through the early summer. Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli … Continue reading

Posted in Bally, Baseball, Chicago, DraftKings, FanDuel, Hawaii, Illinois, International, Kazuo Okada, Marketing, Mattress Mack, New York, Penn National, Politics, Sports betting, Taxes, Wall Street | Comments Off on A peek at Penn; DraftKings retreats, Aruze tumbles

Ohio dips; Bally’s unplugged; Macao booms

Here’s one for those of you who believe gambling is facing a recession: Revenue in Ohio fell 2% last month (yes, it took the Buckeye State until February to report December’s numbers). The haul was $193 million, which was still … Continue reading

Posted in Bally, Baseball, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, DFS, Hard Rock International, Jack Entertainment, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Ohio, Penn National, Sports betting, Tourism, TV, Wall Street | Comments Off on Ohio dips; Bally’s unplugged; Macao booms

Sands impresses; Trump’s new Mob pal; Boardwalk blotter; Mega-Jottings

Wall Street was in a sunny mood this week after Las Vegas Sands‘ 4Q22 earnings presentation. As Credit Suisse analyst Ben Chaiken summarized, “two large takeaways in our view were strength in Singapore and what we felt was a positive … Continue reading

Posted in Animals, Atlantic City, Bally, Baseball, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Charity, China, Colorado, Cretins, Derek Stevens, Dining, Donald Trump, Entertainment, FanDuel, Florida, history, IGT, Indiana, Iowa, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Marijuana, Marketing, Massachusetts, Movies, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Singapore, South Korea, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, Technology, Texas, The Mob, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, TV, Vici Properties, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Bluhm blows smoke; Detroit declines; Bally’s sheds jobs

No, that isn’t a new big-box retail outlet (which its entrance rather resembles) but Rivers Portsmouth, the first permanent casino to open in Virginia. On hand were Allen Iverson, a marching band, a gaggle of local politicians … and the … Continue reading

Posted in Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Detroit, Diversity, DraftKings, FanDuel, Greenwood Racing, Hawaii, Health, Illitch Family, Internet gambling, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Penn National, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Technology, United Kingdom, Virginia, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

The popularity of parlays

Being busy on other fronts today (tune or surf in at 9 a.m. PST to KNPR‘s State of Nevada, we’re turning S&G over for the day to Samuel of Sports Smart Betting. If you like his work, you may see … Continue reading

Posted in Sports betting | Comments Off on The popularity of parlays

Caesars surprises Wall Street; Rincon defects; Bluhm to NYC?

Since the Roman Empire is not given to pre-announcing earnings (it leaves that to MGM Resorts International), its tribunes must have had some pretty good end-of-year numbers to trot out, which they did this morning. The headline, at least as … Continue reading

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, California, Hard Rock International, Internet gambling, Mattress Mack, New York, Real Estate, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

‘Fight’ club; New Horseshoe powers Louisiana

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

Pennsylvania soft; Gray Lady panics; Smooth criminal

Gambling revenues in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania slipped just a bit last month, as 2022 continued to go out mostly quietly. The $298 million haul was 1% off December 2021’s pace. While there was some softening of the market, we … Continue reading

Posted in Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., DraftKings, FanDuel, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Marketing, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, WInd Creek | 2 Comments

Solid finish in Atlantic City; Tough love elsewhere

Casinos closed out 2022 up 2% in December in Atlantic City. Before any gaming bosses start wringing their hands over higher costs, let it be known that this is 3% better than December 2019, before the latest collective-bargaining agreement. The … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Diversity, DraftKings, FanDuel, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Health, Internet gambling, Macau, Maine, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Ocean Resort, Palms, Regulation, Resorts World LV, Sports betting, The Strip | Comments Off on Solid finish in Atlantic City; Tough love elsewhere

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

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

Atlantic City focus

Since we’re heavily occupied today with “Question of the Day” submissions, Sports Betting Operator features, a CDC Gaming Reports story and Casino Life page proofs, we’ll turn most of the S&G space over to our East Coast bureau, who has … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Bally, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Chicago, Dining, DraftKings, Entertainment, FanDuel, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Marketing, Movies, Ocean Resort, Security, Sports betting, Wayne F. Newton | Comments Off on Atlantic City focus