Featured Articles Archive - Page 416

Top-10 non-traditional bets

Last week marked the official return of the NFL, and sports gamblers everywhere are rejoicing. In the United States, football is easily the most popular sport to wager on. But there are plenty of other non-traditional sports (and non-sports) you can bet on.Other than football, I've placed bets on the NBA, college basketball, college football, golf and soccer...read more

Strip gaming revenue sees very slight decline in July

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- You could surmise that one hand of baccarat allowed Strip casinos to report a positive month in July. Roughly $12,000 is all that separated the Strip's gaming revenue comparison between July 2010 and July 2009. "I'd say that would be a smaller wager on baccarat," said Michael Lawton, the Gaming Control Board's senior research analyst. Nevada gaming revenues fell 4.9 percent in July, the state's fifth consecutive monthly decline...read more

Vegas visitor numbers jump 4.7 percent in July

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Visitation into Las Vegas recorded its largest single-month percentage jump in almost five years during July, thanks in part to a boost in convention attendance and a record number of customers driving in from Southern California. But beneath the raw numbers of more than 3.3 million visitors to Las Vegas in July was the hard reality that consumers are still hesitant to spend discretionary dollars like they have in the past. "We're encouraged and happy to see the continued increases in visitation," said Kevin Bagger, senior director of marketing for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, which released its monthly report Friday...read more

Slot makers gloomy before G2E

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Slot machine sales didn't turn into the revenue-boosting bonanza Nevada's gaming equipment manufacturers anticipated going into the year. Some equipment makers are now worried 2011's prospects might not be much better. Stifel Nicolaus Capital Markets gaming analyst Steven Wieczynski recently visited with slot machine company leaders...read more

Are multi-line slot machines more than just extra boops and beeps?

Multi-line machines have become the devices of choice among many slot aficionados. In part, because solid citizens who bet on lots of lines get the impression they're winning all the time. Or, at least, until they notice their totals gradually fading. One reason for the popularity is the high level of action, with sights and sounds proclaiming success even on combinations of wins and losses that result in net failures...read more

Sands confident it can hold onto Macau sites

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Las Vegas Sands Corp. doesn't believe a rival Macau casino operator will be able to wrest control of two of the company's development sites on the region's Cotai Strip where it has already invested more than $102 million. Macau casino operator SJM Holdings asked the Special Administrative Region's government for permission to take over Cotai Strip sites 7 and 8...read more

Harrah's ends bid for Kansas casino

MULVANE, Kansas -- Harrah's Entertainment has pulled the plug on its latest effort to operate a casino in Kansas. The Las Vegas-based company told state authorities Wednesday it was dropping efforts to build a casino in Sumner County in the city of Mulvane, which is south of Wichita. "After c...read more

Ellis to sell Trump Marina in Atlantic City

ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey -- CB Richard Ellis' Global Gaming Group of Las Vegas has been brought in by Trump Entertainment Resorts to sell the Trump Marina in Atlantic City.The casino operator recently emerged from bankruptcy and is controlled by a group of bondholders led by Avenue Capital.Trump Entertainment Chief Executive Officer Mark Juliano said the company's strategic plan is to concentrate on the Trump Taj Mahal and the Trump Plaza and sell the property that is not located on Atlantic City's Boardwalk.Global Gaming Group executive vice president John Knott said Atlantic City, despite 23 straight months of declining gaming revenues, is ripe for investment...read more

Golden Gaming OKs deal to manage four casinos

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Golden Gaming Group's slot machine route operation division has signed an agreement to manage four casinos for the Siegel Group, including the Gold Spike downtown. The change from United Coin Machine to Golden Gaming signals a more aggressive approach to casino operations, said Siegel Group founder Stephen Siegel...read more

Shuffle Master's third-quarter earnings up 14 percent

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- The addition of table games to casinos in Delaware, Pennsylvania and the opening of gambling in Singapore, lifted Shuffle Master's third-quarter earnings. The Las Vegas-based gambling equipment provider said Wednesday its net income was $5.8 million, or 11 cents per share, in the three-month period ended July 31, up from net earnings of $5.6 million, or 10 cents per share, a year earlier. Revenue rose 14.2 percent to $51.5 million from $45.1 million. Shuffle Master told investors the sales of automated card shufflers into Delaware and Pennsylvania, which added blackjack and poker tables during June and July, increased 15 percent in the quarter. Shuffle Master said it now has 6,588 shufflers leased to casinos around the world, a 16 percent increase from a year ago...read more