Nevada casinos break three-month losing streak thanks to baccarat and football

Nevada casinos snapped a three-month losing streak in September thanks to the return of pro football wagering and improved baccarat winnings.

Statewide casino gaming revenue rose 1.5% to $916.3m, while action on the Las Vegas Strip improved 2% to $504.8m. The reversal of fortune came as VIP baccarat posted year-on-year gains in both turnover and revenue, only the third time this year that trick’s been managed. For the year-to-date, statewide revenue is up 0.3% while the Strip is down 1.5%.

Baccarat handle rose 16.5% to $752m while revenue improved 23.2% to $100.5m. Blackjack also had a good month, rising 14.5% to $90.3m, while craps spiked 37.5% to $36m. Roulette spun unlucky, falling 31.6% to $21m, while slots was also in negative territory, slipping 1.8% to $572.4m despite slots handle rising 1.7%.

The rest of the table games finished thusly: three-card poker ($12.1m, +8.3%), pai gow poker ($8.4m, +7.6%), mini-baccarat ($7.1m, +1.1%), let it ride ($3.2m, -6.6%), keno ($2.3m, +15%), pai gow ($1.2m, +67%), bingo ($93k, +142%) while other games & tables rose 9.7% to $14.3m. Card game revenue, which includes the state’s two licensed online poker sites, rose 1.5% to $8.3m.