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StumbleLas Vegas Strip sees gaming win increase in December
Published Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010 | 9:04 a.m.
Updated Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010 | 10:58 a.m.
Sun Coverage
Buoyed by strong betting on Baccarat and football and some increases in slot play, Strip casinos reported a gross win of $502.1 million in December, a gain of 5.8 percent and the second straight month of increases for the resort corridor.
Statewide, however, the news wasn't as good. The gaming win fell 3.2 percent for the month.
"We have just finished the most difficult year in gaming history and in a period where some data points are positive and some are negative," said Bill Bible, director of the Nevada Resort Association that represents Strip Casinos.
Bible said he doesn't see a quick turnaround. "The road ahead is a long hard one," he said.
For 2009, statewide gaming revenue fell to $10.3 billion, a 10.4 percent decrease from 2008.
Frank Streshley, chief of tax and licensing for the board, said "This is the fourth decline this decade, after never declining in a single calendar year." The board started compiling figures statewide in 1955.
But he said that the second half of 2009 was stronger than the first six months.
Streshley said Strip casinos had a strong New Years, which was a three day weekend. And CityCenter and the Aria casino opened Dec. 16.
December gaming win in downtown Las Vegas fell 12.3 percent, the 19th straight month of a decline. Gross win was down in North Las Vegas casinos by 25.1 percent in December; 11.6 percent in Laughlin for the 25th consecutive month; down 19.8 percent on the Boulder Strip; lower in Mesquite by 7.5 percent for the 11th straight month and off 13 percent in the balance of Clark County.
The board said the gross win in Baccarat on Strip Casinos reached $155.6 million, up 101.9 percent from December 2008. Baccarat on the Strip now accounts for more than half of the win from card games.
For the year, Baccarat on Strip casinos rose 26.6 percent after a decline in 2008 of 15.9 percent. Baccarat statewide accounts for 8-9 percent of the total win.
Bible said the big increase in Baccarat reflects the weak dollar. It's a great bargain for foreign gamblers, he said.
Gross win on the Strip slot machines fell 2.9 percent in December. But there were increases of 8.3 percent in the take in the penny machines; 3.5 percent on Megabucks; a 17.9 percent gain on the $5 machines and a 2.3 percent jump in play on the multi-denominational machines.
Bible said slot machine play is the "bread and butter" of casinos. The lower amount reflects high unemployment, foreclosures and businesses shutting down.
For the year, casinos in downtown Las Vegas reported a 10.1 percent drop in gaming win; North Las Vegas casinos rose 1.2 percent; Laughlin was off 13.7 percent; revenue in Boulder Strip casinos fell 5.8 percent for the year; Mesquite dropped 16.5 percent and the balance of Clark County dropped 14 percent in 2009.
The board said it collected $33.5 million in taxes, a 6.6 percent decline compared to the same month of 2008.
Streshley said Washoe County casinos won $804.2 million, the lowest amount since 1989. It was 13.4 percent lower than in 2008.
South Lake Tahoe casinos posted a win of $226 million in 2009, down a record 25.7 percent over the previous year.
Carson Valley casinos reported a win in 2009 of $102.1 million, off 8.5 percent. Elko County casinos won $168.4 million during the year, down 8.4 percent from 2008.
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I'll play & shop !!!!!!
If we don't buy and play the state will not
be in good shape. We all have to give a little
to see this town back on it's feet!!!!
:)
bad news for all; is that a tax rate of 2.6% ? is that before or after deductions? seems rather low; of course, wynn, shelly, and the others would say otherwise.
To rejco100, lmao....that's pretty funny
When will the casino bosses wake up and see that their tightening of slots, expensive rooms, food and practically non existent comps are destroying our tourist trade here in Nevada. Time to act is NOW or just watch those numbers decline further....
Maybe what Vegas needs is a super slot mall concept: a hella big warehouse type casino plaza with low-low overhead, no frills, just beverage service, a bunch of food courts and a gazillion slots. I mean get serious. If Vegas means slots, then damnit, get with the program!
Reel slots in nickels, dimes, quarters, fifty cents, and dollars. Lots of multi-line video slots in all denominations,the hotest and craziest. Lots and lots and lots of machines as far as the eye can see--of every possible kind--a video poker pavillion, a slots of yesteryear pavillion with hand pay crankers, etc. Make it the biggest slot mall in the world. Waitresses whisking about on those electric one-wheel gadgets (can't think of the name)
The Indian casinos like Foxwood have lots of slots. But Indian casinos have to deal with local regulations and seem to build slot inventories slowly over time.
Come on Vegas! You can do it. North LV--restructure downtown into this giant mall--all casinos offering a specialty in the mega plaza. Connect Downtown to the monorail and run itall the way to Barstow or Victorville. People leave their cars there in a covered car barn and leave the rest to the monorail!
My God, if City Center had been based on this concept, we'd see a whole lot more California plates on LV Boulevard.
Fountainbleu?
Correction: Connect the monorai to a bullet train and run that to Barstow or Victorville, etc.
my wife and i go las vegas with my 2 daughters and husbands 4 times a year.my wife and i are players.i find that the slots for the last 3 years are paying out much smaller payouts. the keno games have been taken away from the hotel we stay in and i hear that a lot of other hotels are the same.i feel that i will stay at home to play and vacation in mexico.
Environprotector has it right.
I recently checked flight and hotel costs for September via expedia. The flight costs that far in advance were up a bit from 2009 but the selection was down (fewer flights I guess). What shocked me was that Boyd Gaming seems to have greatly pumped up their hotel room prices for the California downtown (where we usually stay) and at their other downtown hotels. We won't pay the new rates which leaves our choice as between a few lesser hotels downtown, places which we had stayed at a few years ago, but which we notice on our more recent trips have deteriorated greatly.
This year 2010 might be a real challenge for Las Vegas. In my opinion the public is not ready to pay substantially higher airfares or hotel room rates. Despite what the hotel/casino owners appear to believe, most tourists are not rich CityCenter types. We want looser slots and reasonable hotel rates.
And now for the facts the Sun omitted in its rush to put a positive spin on a series of dreadful numbers.
The 10.4 percent statewide decrease in gaming win was the largest in history. In last year's story, linked below, the 9.7 percent drop in 2008 was called "the worst ever." Not anymore it's not.
Here's last year's first paragraph:
CARSON CITY -- Nevada casinos saw their winnings slide 9.7 percent in 2008, the biggest drop in state history.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/feb...
Also, the first paragraph of today's story says the December gain was 5.8 percent, but never comes back to give the comparable numbers. Is that an increase from December 2008 or a month-to-month increase from November 2009? It makes a big difference. If's it year over year, it's good news. If it's from the previous month, it's a meaningless number because it's not seasonally adjusted.
Is the Sun playing games, or just merely incompetent?
Like last month, take out the Asian bacca whales and it's still a freefall.
The whiners will blame it on Obama and keep their head in the sand that Las Bugsy's high-end "fun" and ever-tightening slots is not what the public is looking for.
I enjoy going to Las Vegas, room rates are not the issue, but flights from Dallas are way too high. Not much you can do about that (I miss National). More $5 blackjack without the 6/5 payout would help. What happened to the simple 9/6 on jacks or better on $0.25 machines? Caesars used to be fun, now....
I usually go to Vegas 2 to 3 times a year. Over the last 3 years you cant win at the ATM machine. It even takes $5.00 from you. All the casinos are hot and stuffy and there are only a few waitress working the entire floor. You can't get a drink and you can't cycle any money. Vegas better wake up and realize you can gamble almost anywhere, you don't have to buy a $400 flight and a $100 a night room to drop $1,000 and drink two beers. Do you think anyone from a management position read these?????
translation = tighter slots because there sure as heck aren't more people getting off planes at the airport.
Right on, txrangerfan. The Harrahs part of the duopoly is ruining Vegas. People I know talk about 6:5 blackjack all the time. And then they stay away from Vegas altogether which ends up costing everybody who lives here. Well, everybody but the guy in the Ivory Tower who makes millions for his bad decisions....
Any news good or bad just brings out the same negative losers to post their spin here.
player beware: stay away from caesars palace
if u play big...they'll drug you get u drunk have u sign markers for dollar amounts far in excess of what you have in your checking account then get the help of their collection agent crooked D.A bernie zadrowski to throw your ass in jail....STAY OUT OF HARRAH'S
HARRAH'S CHEATS!!!
The D.A. and Gaming Control Board work for Harrah's at taxpayers expense!!!
Sadly still no reason to return to Mecca. Man do i miss Vegas, and the tribe in FL. will see me alot. Not bad play, good food, great comps. Wake up and give me a reason to come back. Your not the only game in town anymore. You need to win people back,not strip every dime out of them in record time.
Harrah's and our corrupt D.A. Zadrowski are blood suckers...can't wait for judgment day when the feds put the crooked prosecutor behind bars so he can get a taste of his own medicine...
btw, D.A. Zadrowski serves as party chair of the GOP...conflict of interest anyone?!?
Ok, the recent upcoming problems in the Euro zone made the US dollar a bit stronger again. In fact, it went up approx 5 per cent from 2 months ago. 5 per cent up , that is a 5 per cent cost rise for the international travellers. Las Vegas is still an affordable place to visit, but tight slots and higher expenses in general (taxi fares are WAY TOO HIGH), bus rides on the Strip have more than doubled-up since they came up with the Deuce-idea, and most restaurants on the strip have prices that are no longer considered as "bargains" unless you know where to go.
I would expect the most recent dollar conversion change have some impact on the international visitor quotes again.
Thanks Bore-Us for more or your negative posting.
I will be coming to Vegas in April, and for the first time, I am not overly excited. I have been over 40 times, and this time, well, it just seems like things will not be as fun. I am the guy that comes and power gambles, drinks, and wants a $12 steak. No clubs, no shopping, no fancy restaurants for me. Vegas is almost not for me and my friends anymore!
From a stand of a vegas resident, I see why folks are staying away. These slots are in so tight, even us locals can't justify telling folks to come out. Does anyone in this town ever read these coluums? You try to bring people out to play & stay,and after they get smart by seeing theres no reason to gamble their money here,when they can play just about anywhere, and have a much better percentage to win alittle money now & then.Get out of this concept of calling gambling....intertainment. ITS Gambling Folks!! And people have & will continue to Gamble. And if you want people to play, you have to show our place is the best to offer. Stop the tremendous greed, and give people a realistic chance to win alittle now & then. Isn't that what brings them back? If any of these owners don't think so, then why is it you can find a slot at any place you go. But i think folks have seen a huge change in percentages, thus decide to play at home. Thats my opinion....and i'm sticking to it !
You hit it right on the head kenoman 1956, from the Hard Rock, Tampa.
Every bar on the strip sold 25 extra cases of beer to tourists, that why there is a profit.
mraudit, I am pretty much the same. I will be in Vegas from March 15 and will also power gamble. I have almost 4 weeks in mind and despite the people who constantly believe that I am a distributor of negative inputs, I still believe , or rather hope, that my comments may be interesting to some readers. I also like Las Vegas, of course, more than any other city in this world. I have been bringing a major portion of my annual salary to Las Vegas over the past 20 years myself, and I still keep returning. I don't hope to win the big jackpot, as I don't play the machines that offer such long-shot dream winners. However, I also try to get good steaks at low costs and use my points for the buffets, if possible.
Matter of fact is, that this time the trouble is not the US, for once, it's the Euro zone!!! The Euro crisis in Greece, and upcoming Portugal and Spain makes many speculators escape from the Euro and look for "some saver haven". They're trying to find it in the US currency...and dang! It jumped up by rough 5 per cent in the past 4-6 weeks!!!
While there are so many great bargains available in Las Vegas, they're not on Las Vegas Boulevard. Me personally, I think that the South East end of Boulder Highway has many good casinos that offering much for your money. Talking about Henderson in particular. Some people spoke negatively about the Skyline Casino , but I can only confirm that the steaks they hve on the menu beat many expectations. And so are the offers at the LongHorn Casino, which is a bit less further down. It's located across the street from the New Cannery (East). To people who like to get a good share of gambling and good dining for their bucks, then there are many locations, but they can't be found on Las Vegas Boulevard anymore....except perhaps the South Point or the M Resort. These two properties are awesome!!!
From Switzerland
kenoman1956, are you absolutely sure that the slot payouts have been tightened up? I mean, 100 per cent? By the saying "tightening up", do you mean they ex-changed the computer chips and have new chips inside with lower percentages on the payouts, or did they remove certain machines and replaced them by new machines with lower payouts?
What I am trying to say is that sometimes people just believe that the machines are tighter as they see no winners around, no big jackpots being hand-paid, or perhaps not so much noise by jackpot-sirens, just like these people used to "hear".
My theory is that with less people going to gamble, it's only logical that there is less turn-over in the casinos, less noise, and, in a consequence, of course also less jackpot payouts. This makes the people believe that the machines have been tightened up.
I can only speak from the view as a videopoker player. I noticed that some casinos have no or hardly any full pay machines left on the casino floor. This, however, still doesn't mean that the machines have been tighter, but it only means that there are less "loose" machines. To satisfy your curiosity: Here at home, I am regularly practicing on my deuces wild program. I am using the optimum play version, with a 100.75 per cent payout on the super version. And I also practice a lot on the double double bonus game. However, 4 deuces should show up once within a little less than 5000 hands, according my program. My most recent "leak" of deuces goes back more than 14,000 hands!! So, would you say that deuces are "due" on my program? Yes or Not? I think, psycologically, and in monetary terms, yes, but the probability is always 1 in 4919 hands, even if there hasn't been any 4 deuces in 14,000 hands now. Did my Bob Dancer Software also tighten up because of the crisis? lol. I think not. It's just probabilities....
From Switzerland
Dear Postcommander & BorisR,
I understand about how much money has to go in before it comes out of any machine. My name reflects that i play alot of keno machines.I play 20 card,4 card, bonus keno's, as well as regular keno.And thats all i play, because i enjoy it. But my personal experience of approx 15 yrs of playing, i have noticed that the return on slots are terrible.This didn't happen over night, its been a slow decline of paybacks, thus reflecting why people will not play as much as they did. Its not the players fault. Its these execs that crunch #'s to get profits, and those profits base their salaries.So in 1 point, I can understand that they have to make money to survive. But I think it has drawn to the extreme, that the middle class that flooded Las vegas,Like myself,over the years, have decided its just not as fun anymore to visit and play any slots with out hearing or seeing anyone getting excited about winning alittle money now & then.And thats a fact that I experience here in Vegas. Not being Negative, as ghostcommander assumes.I would love to see Vegas flourish with people, as it does creat jobs. But this wonderful country of mine,gives me the right to speak freely. And my true feeling is that until the Casino's understand what the people are here for, and how much profit do they have to get without losing the travelers that love to gamble. If ya look at the postings,theres quite a few, that explain the rooms are expensive,the comps have dwindled, airfare has risen,and food is expensive. But as a resident of this great state, that doesn't need a room,doesn't need a flight, and eats at home.I'm hear to say that the paybacks are terrible. Is it bad to tell folks my experiences?....Maybe. But in my opinion, the bonuses and salaries of
the companies should be paid by stock in their companies. Then maybe they'll think about long term success, instead of how they can cut in the lives of workers that actually make Las Vegas enjoyable.Most middle class have seen the changing of the guards.The rich are getting richer, and they are pushing middle class out of the picture.Your seeing it many times over how greed has taken over our wonderful country.And Las Vegas gambling is no different. But until the casino's understand what brings people out here, and they do, or you wouldn't see slots everywhere ya go.Your gonna see folks playing in their own states.God Bless the United States ! And my freedom to express. Thats my opinion....and I'm sticking to it !
i posted a comment on here a few days ago.i am suprised that some people would want to hide the truth about the slots and other games unles they work for the hotels.good for kenoman stick to your guns. i am a canadian and many of us go to vegas but we will be going a lot less untill things change. sad we love vegas
The good thing is that you can come to Vegas and have fun , even if you play less. Lower denomination can be still cheaper than higher denomination, even if the payout is worse. It's something many people don't or won't get. A Dollar videopoker with 98 per cent payback and 5 bet play per hour means approx....4x5x60= 1200 usd coin-in. that's about a 24 usd expected theoretical hold for the casino. This pays you the comp and all that comes extra.
So, a nickel player who is also playing 5 coins per game and is not playing any faster, but is sitting on a machine that has, let's say, a 95.6 per cent payout. How much is he expcted to lose?
The anser is simple: 5x 0.05 usd per game , x 4 per minute, x 60 to make it an hour, that is a total coin-in of.... 60 dollar coin in per hour, roughly. So, 4.4 per cent hold of 60 dollars, that's ...2.64 usd. That's quite a difference.
I think this is also the response of many players. They simply risk less and play less. Eventually they lose the same or perhaps a little as as they have less to lose, but the house wins, regardless. The problem is, however: Can the house pay the debt load from the "little less" they're generating?
Looks like it will be downhill until the next NFL season.
Keno machines are number generated and if you hit the right pattern you will win. But there are over 550,000 patterns. So good luck. Play 4 card or 20 card and you will bring the odds down. I recently hit 9 of 9, and 8 of 9.and 8 of 10 twice. I went home with $720.00. It was nickel Keno.
Anyone that wants to play Keno machines and win. E-mail me at walterweimann@peoplepc.com Your odds will be better with a few simple plans.