In a remarkable testament to the enduring appeal of its gaming industry, Nevada has posted a record-breaking gambling revenue total for October. The state’s casinos hauled in more than $1.3 billion, marking a significant improvement over the $1.28 billion earned in October of the previous year and a 3.9% increase from the $1.27 billion reported in September. This surge has cemented the month’s place as the most lucrative October in the storied history of Nevada’s gambling sector.
Slot machines, a perennial favorite among gaming enthusiasts, were the powerhouse behind this financial achievement, contributing $894.9 million to the total revenue. This figure exceeded the prior year’s earnings for the same month by 2.0%. Notably, multi-denomination slots emerged as the most profitable category raking in $527.8 million, a significant jump of 16.3%. Despite this success, a majority of slot categories experienced a downturn, including the usually popular penny slots which saw an 11.7% decrease to $271.9 million.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board’s recent release also detailed a slight uptick of 4.2% in revenue from tables, counters, and card games which reached $420.3 million. Baccarat was a major contributor to this segment, experiencing a significant rise of 35.3% to $89.8 million.
Though blackjack, also widely known as 21, remained a major player in the table, counter, and card game revenue stream, it saw a year-on-year decrease of 12.6%, falling to $114.1 million. Other games such as craps and roulette also had contrasting fortunes. Craps enjoyed an 8.2% boost to $40.4 million, whereas roulette modestly increased by 4.2% to $34.5 million. Meanwhile, Ultimate Texas Hold’em and three-card poker both reported declines of 13.9% and 5.6%, respectively.
Sports pool betting, which falls under the umbrella of table, counter, and card games in Nevada’s revenue reporting, displayed marked growth with a 19.8% year-on-year increase totaling $61.1 million. Football betting, a major draw, accounted for $48.3 million of this total. Baseball bets contributed $9.5 million, with basketball at $3.2 million and ice hockey at $2.2 million. Parlay cards added $1.5 million, with other sports rounding off the remaining $3.5 million. Of all the sports pool revenues, mobile betting made a substantial impact, accounting for $35.1 million in October.
The Las Vegas Strip, Nevada’s gambling epicenter, claimed a 54.3% share of the entire state’s gambling revenue for October. This was a 1.2% improvement over the figure reported in the same period the previous year. Although revenues from Strip slots saw a marginal decline of 1.1% to $406.0 million, table, counter, and card game revenue enjoyed an ascent of 4.4% to $308.5 million. Baccarat and blackjack on the Strip generated noteworthy takings of $89.8 million and $87.3 million, respectively.
Sports pool revenue on the Strip demonstrated a significant increase of 27.9%, climbing to $26.9 million. Significantly, mobile betting was again a key component, representing $10.8 million of the sports pool revenue.
The numbers are indicative of the robust health and dynamism of Nevada’s gaming industry, highlighting not only the traditional games but also the growing popularity and revenue-generating potential of sports betting, particularly through mobile platforms. With these factors in play, Nevada’s gambling scene continues to evolve, underpinning an economy that thrives on its entertainment and gaming sectors.
