Category Archives: Churchill Downs

You can’t fix stupid; Good-bad news on the bayou

We live in an era of “alternative facts” and “false flag” narratives and, boy, are we the worse for it. It was only a matter of time before the gaming industry was on the receiving end of “false facts” and … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Bally, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Chicago, Churchill Downs, CQ Holdings, Cretins, DFS, DraftKings, FanDuel, Florida, Golden Nugget, history, Las Vegas Raiders, Louisiana, Mohegan Sun, New York, Penn National, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Seminole Tribe, Sports, Sports betting | 2 Comments

Pennsylvania soggy; Epic fail in North Carolina

At first blush, Pennsylvania‘s gambling economy looks all right, up 1% from August of 2019 and 2% from last year. But factor in the plethora of new casinos that have entered the fray and the Keystone State is down 14% … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Detroit, DraftKings, Economy, FanDuel, FoxBet, Greenwood Racing, Horseracing, Illitch Family, Internet gambling, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Mohegan Sun, North Carolina, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Real Estate, Rush Street Gaming, Slot routes, Sports betting, Tribal, WInd Creek, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Pennsylvania soggy; Epic fail in North Carolina

MGM crippled; Illinois & Indiana report; Bally’s shaky in Chi

Different day, same story for MGM Resorts International, brought to its knees by a cbyer-assault of still-unknown provenance. The FBI has been brought in although, per standard operating procedure, the G-Men aren’t commenting on what went down. MGM is daintily … Continue reading

Posted in Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Chicago, Churchill Downs, Dan Lee, DraftKings, FanDuel, Full House Resorts, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Law enforcement, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Technology, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Bally’s opens, Chicago yawns; MGM, tree murderers

Chicago‘s first casino opened to “dozens of people” Saturday. Only dozens? That’s not a good sign for Bally’s Corp. It’ll need to stir up a lot more excitement than that if it’s to make back its nut on $1.7 billion … Continue reading

Posted in Bally, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Century Casinos, Chicago, Churchill Downs, CityCenter, DraftKings, Dubai, Environment, FanDuel, Genting, history, Japan, Jim Murren, Las Vegas Raiders, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Penn National, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Virginia, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Are you ready?; Lombardo’s lunacy; The wrath of Wynn

For some football, that is. NFL season literally kicks off tonight with the much-hyped Detroit Lions visiting the champion Kansas City Chiefs. But the on-field action threatens to be overshadowed by the off-field brouhaha surrounding sports betting. (Nor is it … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, Caesars Entertainment, Century Casinos, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Culinary Union, DraftKings, Entertainment, FanDuel, Galaxy Entertainment, Iowa, Law enforcement, Macau, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Penn National, Regulation, Sam Nazarian, Sexual misconduct, SLS Las Vegas, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Are you ready?; Lombardo’s lunacy; The wrath of Wynn

Labor Day odds & ends

Casino revenue in Ohio dipped 2% in July, reaching $203.5 million. Before anyone goes all Chicken Little on us, that’s 25% higher than gambling win in 2019. So Ohio’s is a nice problem to have. MGM Northfield Park waxed the … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, DraftKings, Fanatics, FanDuel, Hard Rock International, Internet gambling, Jack Entertainment, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Labor Day odds & ends

Hot July in Vegas; GLPI’s Illinois big gulp; Mega-Jottings

How impressive was the Las Vegas Strip‘s July performance? Pretty damned impressive, considering that it hit a best-ever record on only 1% higher visitation than last year and 4% less than in the halcyon year of 2019. Hotel occupany ran … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, Charity, Churchill Downs, Conventions, Economy, Election, Failsinos, GLPI, Hard Rock International, Hawaii, Health, Illinois, New Hampshire, Palms, Problem gambling, Real Estate, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, The Strip, Tribal, Virginia, Wall Street, Wisconsin | Comments Off on Hot July in Vegas; GLPI’s Illinois big gulp; Mega-Jottings

Bellagio sold again; Atlantic City sob story; Trump busted

It’s getting very difficult to tell the players without a scorecard in the game of the REIT-ification of the Las Vegas Strip. Case in point, Bellagio, which now has three owners. There’s MGM Resorts International, which holds a token 5% … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Atlantic City, Bally, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Donald Trump, Foxwoods, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Iowa, Law enforcement, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Movies, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ocean Resort, Racinos, Real Estate, Regulation, Security, Slot routes, Sports betting, Taxes, Technology, The Strip | 1 Comment

Horseshoe can’t save Louisiana; Big Brother returns

Despite only grossing $7.5 million last month, Horseshoe Lake Charles was the difference between an unadjusted, 6% decline in gambling revenue for Louisiana and a same-store, 10% declivity (lagging prosperous 2019 by 4%). Even so, the country’s most adverse casino … Continue reading

Posted in Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, CQ Holdings, Detroit, DraftKings, FanDuel, Golden Nugget, Illitch Family, Internet gambling, Louisiana, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Penn National, Politics, Rush Street Gaming, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports betting, Stanley Ho, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Horseshoe can’t save Louisiana; Big Brother returns

Another Apollo scam; MUD-slinging

Since taking over Venelazzo, new owner Apollo Management has been behaving itself, with none of the shenanigans that characterized its ill-fated co-ownership of Caesars Entertainment. That, however, does not mean that Apollo has learned to straighten up and fly right. … Continue reading

Posted in Apollo Management, Australia, Churchill Downs, Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Election, Philippines, Politics, Star Entertainment, Station Casinos, Taxes, Virginia | Comments Off on Another Apollo scam; MUD-slinging

Gambling returns to normality; Boyd’s low-cost charity

Gambling revenues have been so overheated since the pandemic that some kind of market correction was overdue. The much-vaunted recession having failed to manifest itself, the gloom-and-doom crowd on Wall Street must content itself with small retreats in casino winnings. … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Arizona, Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Charity, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Cretins, DraftKings, Economy, FanDuel, Florida, Golden Nugget, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock International, Hawaii, Health, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, New York, Ocean Resort, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Phil Ruffin, Resort fees, Rush Street Gaming, Silverton, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, WInd Creek, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Gambling returns to normality; Boyd’s low-cost charity

Maryland down, Illinois up; NFL hypocrisy; Bally’s biz

Gaming industry bears are going to latch onto a 4% drop in Maryland gambling earnings as evidence of an impending recession. Thankfully, J.P. Morgan analyst Joseph Greff puts it in context by pointing out that the $174 million haul is … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Charity, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., DraftKings, Election, Entertainment, Full House Resorts, Golden Gaming, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Politics, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Virginia, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off on Maryland down, Illinois up; NFL hypocrisy; Bally’s biz

Ohio up; Golden struggles; Bay State blunders

Continued strength in casinos was shown by Ohio, which posted $193.5 million in gambling revenue in June. That’s 2% higher than already-strong last year and a whopping 20% over 2o19, which was none too shabby either. Hollywood Columbus came out … Continue reading

Posted in Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Canada, Churchill Downs, DraftKings, FanDuel, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Jack Entertainment, Japan, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Slot routes, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, United Kingdom, Wall Street | Comments Off on Ohio up; Golden struggles; Bay State blunders

Silence of the ponies; New boss for Virgin, new Mirage hope

Kentucky Derby fallout continues to reverberate around Churchill Downs, leading to a 2Q23 earnings miss. A mass die-off of horses during the Run for the Roses caused the flagship track to be closed and races shifted to Ellis Park. Cash … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Atlantic City, Century Casinos, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Fontainebleau, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock Hotel, Hard Rock International, Health, history, Horseracing, Kentucky, Louisiana, Marketing, Maryland, Mohegan Sun, North Carolina, Politics, South Korea, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, Virgin Hotels, Virginia, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Louisiana still sinking; Insult from the Lege; Japan follies

Horseshoe Lake Charles continues to prop up Louisiana casino revenues, which were down 2% last month compared to -6.5% if Horseshoe is subtracted. The statewide gross was $196 million. Visitation overall was up 3% but gamblers clutched their purse strings, … Continue reading

Posted in Apollo Management, Architecture, Atlantic City, Bally, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, Churchill Downs, CQ Holdings, Golden Nugget, IGT, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Kansas, Lawrence Ho, Louisiana, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Ocean Resort, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Technology, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on Louisiana still sinking; Insult from the Lege; Japan follies

Casinos boffo everywhere: Unite-Here dumbassery

Beating Wall Street expectations comfortably, Las Vegas Sands reported cash flow of $973 million yesterday. Wall Street had expected $939 million from the second quarter while a more optimistic Joseph Greff of J.P. Morgan had projected $964 million. Macao-derived revenues … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Barstool Sports, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, China, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Cretins, Dining, DraftKings, FanDuel, Greenwood Racing, Health, Illinois, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Mohegan Sun, New Jersey, Ocean Resort, Penn National, Pennsylvania, PointsBet, Politics, Rush Street Gaming, Singapore, Sports betting, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, TV, Unite-Here, Wall Street, WInd Creek | 1 Comment

Atlantic City, Massachusetts up, Illinois down; Crime fails to pay

Atlantic City rebounded nicely in June, up 5.5% to $241.5 million. Table game winnings were flat, despite 3.5% larger wagering than last year (so the players made out well) and slot win jumped 7% on a commensurately higher amount of … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Crown Resorts, Dan Lee, DraftKings, FanDuel, Full House Resorts, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Kazuo Okada, Law enforcement, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Ocean Resort, Penn National, Philippines, Sports betting, Taxes, Technology, Virginia, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Atlantic City, Massachusetts up, Illinois down; Crime fails to pay

Big Gaming gets its chain yanked, not always unfairly

We apologize for the dearth of hard news lately. Compounding a two-week vacation with the Fourth of July holiday hasn’t been good for keeping you, dear reader, in the loop. This week in particular has been so slow it’s practically … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Arizona, Bally, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Florida, G2E, Golden Gaming, Health, history, Internet gambling, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Problem gambling, Regulation, Rhode Island, Seminole Tribe, Sports betting, Taxes, Vermont | Comments Off on Big Gaming gets its chain yanked, not always unfairly

A big win for DeSantis; Churchill Downs fired; Mega-Jottings

Private-sector gambling operators got some very bad news from the District of Columbia Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals. The latter, in a very broad construal of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, ruled that the Seminole Tribe—and by implication, … Continue reading

Posted in Alex Meruelo, Arizona, Atlantic City, Australia, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Charity, Churchill Downs, Dining, Donald Trump, DraftKings, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, FanDuel, Florida, Fontainebleau, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Internet gambling, Jack Entertainment, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Real Estate, Regulation, Reno, Rush Street Gaming, Seminole Tribe, Sports betting, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, TV, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Michigan, Pennsylvania strong online; Mega-Jottings

Our vacation has taken us to the wilds of Michigan, so today’s report will start there. Detroit‘s three casinos raked in $105 million last month, a 1.5% decline from May of last year. But it was a terrific month for … Continue reading

Posted in Bally, Barstool Sports, Baseball, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, Chicago, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Detroit, DraftKings, FanDuel, Florida, FoxBet, Genting, Greenwood Racing, Illitch Family, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Michigan, Mohegan Sun, Nebraska, Penn National, Pennsylvania, PointsBet, Racinos, Real Estate, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Tourism, Tribal, Virginia, WInd Creek, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Michigan, Pennsylvania strong online; Mega-Jottings