Nevada casinos set an all-time record in May, reporting $1.23 billion in win.
Gaming Control Board Analyst Mike Lawton said that happened despite having no conventions and no international travel.
“Just people with money in their pockets,” he said.
May marks three consecutive months of win over $1 billion. The last time that happened was December 2019 through February 2020 — just before the pandemic hit.
The total was up 25.3 percent or $284.4 million over May 2019. It can’t be compared to May 2020 because the state’s casinos were shut down by the pandemic that month and total win was less than $6 million.
That was just one of a number of records set this May. Slot win was $840 million, up 23.7 percent and the highest total in state history. Clark County’s total gaming win was $1.05 billion, also an all time record.
In the north, the Carson Valley area, which includes valley portions of Douglas County as well as the capital, raked in $12.2 million. That is the first time win in Carson topped $12 million.
For the calendar year, Carson’s total win is up 23.7 percent.
Washoe County reported a total win of $91.9 million. That is the county’s highest total win since August 2008 and a 23.1 percent increase over May 2019.
South Shore casinos at Stateline won $20.3 million in May despite an 8 percent, $1.3 million decrease in slot win. Lawton said game and table win, “saved the day,” reporting a 45 percent, $1.5 million increase compared to the same month of 2019.A lot of that, $959,000, was in the “Other Games” category which is where Baccarat win is reported in smaller markets. That translates to a 23.99 percent hold by the casinos, far higher than normal for Baccarat.
North Shore casinos at Crystal Bay reported $2.4 million in win, a 21.4 percent, $420,000 increase over May 2019. Year to date, North Shore is up 22.5 percent.
Churchill County casinos won a total of $2.23 million in May, all but $28,000 of it from slot play. The vast majority of slot win comes from the penny and multi denominational machines.
Sports books reported total win of $27.1 million, a 140 percent increase compared to 2019. The total wagered was $477.4 million. Both the win and volume wagered are records for May and over 60 percent of the win came from mobile app betting.
The numbers did very well by the state as well. The $107 million in collections is the highest monthly amount ever.
Lawton said the numbers are obviously the result of strong demand. Based on what is happening on the Strip, leisure travel is starting to rebound, he said.
He added that the experts didn’t think May would come in this strong.
Area: May Win- Statewide: $1.23 billion
- Carson Valley: $12.19 million
- South Shore: $20.29 million
- North Shore: $2.38 million
- Washoe County: $91.9 million
- Reno: $65.8 million
- Clark County: $1.05 billion
- The Strip: $655.5 million
