From Elko Daily Free Press
Nevada casinos won $914.8 million in March, posting a 7 percent increase from the same month a year ago with much of the gains attributable to the high-roller game of baccarat, the state Gaming Control Board reported Friday.
Wendover’s revenue was up 7.6 percent and the rest of Elko County saw an 8.9 percent gain.
The March statewide winnings pushed the fiscal year-to-date total to nearly $8.4 billion, 2.8 percent more than last year.
Taxes collected on the March win totaled $78.3 million, an increase of 9.6 percent.
The Las Vegas Strip posted a 13.1 percent monthly gain over March a year ago and is now 5.7 percent ahead of 2012. Washoe County was up 9.5 percent for March, including a 10.8 percent gain in Reno.
It was the first increase in casino win for Washoe County since September and correlates with a USBC Bowling Tournament that began in March, said Mike Lawton, senior analyst with the control board.
North Lake Tahoe was up 15.4 percent, South Tahoe down 11 percent, Carson Valley down 2 percent.
The “win” is what was left in casino coffers after gamblers wagered $12.1 billion. A breakdown indicates $9.5 billion was plucked into slot and video machines, while $2.6 billion was bet on card and table games.
Once again baccarat helped fuel the increases. Baccarat is a volatile game where gamblers are dealt two cards and predict whether they will beat the banker, typically a position that rotates among players at the table. At high end resorts, baccarat games held in posh, secluded gambling salons can start out a minimum of $10,000 per hand.
