Sunday, October 5, 2008

Las Vegas Slot Players are tightening their belts


In spite of the fact that all the big Sin City casinos are doing all they can to attract more Las Vegas visitors this year with discounts and vouchers, their slot machine business is dropping. And seeing that Vegas slot machine business creates about two thirds of Las Vegas’ earnings, it’s not such great news for the Sin City casinos.

According to the Gaming Control Board, Vegas gamblers are betting $1.1 billion less in slot machines than last year. Slot machines on The Strip are down half a billion dollars. This signifies a drop of 12% compared to 2007. With drivers shelling out more than $4 per gallon for gas, bettors are really having to budget their spending these days. Although with the cost of gasoline dropping, these figures could change in the coming months.

Vegas casinos aren’t really worried about this slump in slot machine proceeds, the latest figures show that table game play is actually increasing. On The Strip the volume for Vegas table games is up 5 percent, with baccarat play up 15 percent and blackjack on the rise at 7 percent. This might seem like good news but, the truth is that Sin City hotel casinos gained 21 percent less in July due in some part to some lucky Las Vegas gamblers as well as gamblers winning a larger percentage than customary.

The famous saying, “The house always wins”, may have been true in the past. But as these reports tell us, Las Vegas casinos are are trying harder to make a profit than before. This could be a prime time for Vegas gamblers to start cashing in their Sin City coupons, taking advantage of discounts, and using their frequent flyer miles. With the Sin City hotel casinos having a run of bad luck, this may be the best occasion for you to visit the famous Sin City.

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