Casino City’s Friday Five: Jackpots, iGaming and expansions edition

Online casinos are now live in Rhode Island as Bally’s launched its casino app earlier this week in The Ocean State. We also have a six-figure jackpot win at a Las Vegas casino, a spring poker event at an Atlantic City casino, MGM debuting its collection with Marriot Bonvoy and a New York resort announcing a massive expansion plan.

Let’s begin the week with a life-changing win:

5. Major jackpot win at El Cortez Hotel and Casino
On 4 March, a local couple visited El Cortez Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and was playing the Buffalo Diamond Extreme slot.

With a $3.75 bet, the couple won $829,066 from the Sin City casino.

4. Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa to host Spring Poker Open
Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa and BetMGM Poker announced the return of the Borgata Spring Poker Open, taking place from 29 April to 14 May. The series consists of three anchor events with over $4,000,000 in guarantees.

Beginning 1 April, players can reserve their Spring Poker Open seats online through BetMGM Poker.

Through April and May, BetMGM Poker will offer weekly Borgata Spring Poker Open Packages, which include entries to various SPO events, a Borgata hotel stay, and credit. BetMGM Poker will also offer nightly seat-only qualifiers and online registration to most SPO events. Players can win their way to Borgata for as little as $2.

The Borgata Spring Poker Open Championship is a $2,700 buy-in with a $2,000,000 guarantee. The Main Event schedule also includes a Ladies’ Championship and a Senior’s Championship.

?? Attention all poker enthusiasts! Get ready for the Borgata Spring Poker Open.?? ?? Over $4 Million in guarantees await! ?? pic.twitter.com/5zk58rpDcN
— BorgataPoker (@BorgataPoker) March 4, 2024

3. MGM Collection with Marriot Bonvoy debuts in grand style
MGM Collection with Marriot Bonvoy is now accepting reservations for 16 iconic hotel and resort destinations on Marriott.com and the Marriott Bonvoy app.

The list includes:
- New York-New York Hotel & Casino, MGM Collection
- MGM Grand Hotel & Casino Las Vegas
- Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, MGM Collection
- Vdara Hotel & Spa, MGM Collection
- The Signature at MGM Grand
- Luxor Hotel and Casino, MGM Collection
- Excalibur Hotel and Casino, MGM Collection
- Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, MGM Collection (Atlantic City, New Jersey)
- Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, MGM Collection (Biloxi, Mississippi)
- MGM Grand Detroit Casino (Detroit, Michigan)
- MGM National Harbor (Oxon Hill, Maryland)
- MGM Springfield (Springfield, Massachusetts)

Of the 16 MGM resorts comprising MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy, four of the properties are also affiliated with existing Marriott collection brands:

- Bellagio, a Luxury Collection Resort & Casino, Las Vegas
- Aria Resort & Casino, Autograph Collection
- Park MGM Las Vegas, a Tribute Portfolio Resort
- Continuing its affiliation with Autograph Collection is The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Autograph Collection

Steve Zanella, President of MGM Resorts Operations, said, “MGM Resorts destinations are iconic for their breadth of unrivaled entertainment experiences, world-class dining and superior hospitality. With the MGM Collection, we are thrilled to unveil the world MGM Rewards members have been experiencing for years to Marriott Bonvoy’s passionate members.”

.@mgmcollectionmb with @MarriottBonvoy has officially launched! This groundbreaking partnership brings together exclusive benefits and top-tier amenities. @MGMRewards and Marriot Bonvoy members can now experience the two most iconic hospitality brands in one place! pic.twitter.com/X1Et8Ymoc4
— MGM Resorts (@MGMResortsIntl) March 6, 2024

2. Online casino gaming launches in Rhode Island
On Tuesday at noon, Bally's launched an online casino experience in Rhode Island, allowing customers to play slots and table games anywhere in the State of Rhode Island on desktop or on an iOS stand-alone mobile app.

The public launch of the online gaming product follows a four-day technical trial period in which select guests were invited to experience the new online gaming program starting last Friday, 1 March.

As a result of the launch, Rhode Island became the seventh state in the U.S. to offer an online casino experience.

To register, you must be at least 21 years old and physically located within the state. Customers must create an online account by downloading the Bally Casino app or visiting Ballycasino.com.

1. Resorts World New York City announces $5 billion expansion plan
Resorts World Casino New York City just revealed an ambitious $5 billion expansion plan and the casino is aiming to secure one of the three full-fledged gaming licenses being offered by the state. Securing a license would enable the resort to broaden its offerings from machine activities to include table games, like blackjack and poker.

Plans include enlarging the casino floor to an impressive 350,000 square feet, positioning it among the largest globally, as noted by Resorts World. Additionally, the proposal includes the addition of 1,600 new hotel rooms, complementing the 400 rooms already opened in 2021 at the adjacent Hyatt Regency JFK Airport.

An extra 350,000 square feet of conference and entertainment areas are planned, featuring a 7,000-seat arena, a sports academy honoring two time NBA Champion Kenny “The Jet” Smith, a health center and 10 acres of spaces, with walking trails.

Today we unveiled our plan for a reimagined Resorts World New York City including a $5 billion investment as a global entertainment, tourism and cultural destination. Learn more about our next chapter at https://t.co/4oXyaGA8QK pic.twitter.com/Le1b7hWKEN
— Resorts World New York City (@ResortsWorldNYC) March 1, 2024