Nevada sportsbooks welcome NFL’s return

Nevada casino sportsbooks welcomed the National Football League’s return as football betting revenue rose nearly one-fifth in September.

Figures released Thursday by the Nevada Gaming Control Board show statewide casino gaming revenue of $949m in September, a 3.5% rise over the same month last year. The gains reflected a good month on the Las Vegas Strip, where revenue rose 7.5% to $542.5m.

The gains came despite a decline in baccarat revenue, which fell 7.8% to $92.9m. Baccarat’s loss was blackjack’s gain, as the game saw revenue surge 18.5% to just under $107m. Roulette also had a good month, rising 50.4% to $31.6m while craps crapped out, falling 21.9% to $28.1m. Slots revenue rose 2.4% to $586m.

The state’s sportsbooks reported total revenue of $41m (+15.2%), with football bets accounting for $36.9m of that total thanks to a nearly 12% hold. The football win is the fourth highest on record despite handle falling nearly $5m year-on-year to $309.2m.