Slots pays off for Meadows and its players
Slot machine players at The Meadows Casino were big winners again in October. And so was the gaming venue itself.
Not only did the North Strabane Township facility pay $11,206,901 in jackpots last month, it experienced an 8.7 percent increase in gross revenue from the previous October.
That was the third highest monthly slots payout since the casino opened in 2007, and the third highest in the past three months. The Meadows paid $11,483,043 in August — a record that lasted 30 days. September jackpots were $12,070,142.
Year-to-date jackpots are about $8 million more than last year, according to a news release from The Meadows.
Sean Sullivan, vice president and general manager, is as pleased as some slots players.
“Given the overall state of the region’s casino market, we are delighted to be able to provide such a significant impact to our guests and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” he said in the release.
Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board statistics also put The Meadows in a favorable light. PGCB released October slots numbers Wednesday on its website — gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov — and the local facility’s 8.7 increase over October 2014 was the best among the state’s 12 casinos.
The Meadows had $19,352,173.78 in gross revenue last month, about $1.5 million more than $17,802,976.55 than the previous October.
Statewide revenue rose 3.53 percent, to $197,874,758.57 from $191,130,249.65. Nine casinos had increases, including Rivers in Pittsburgh (2.36 percent). Three had decreases, the largest being Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin, which fell 4.17 percent.
Tax revenue last month was $105,906,925.07. The average number of operating slot machines was 26,229 in October, down from 26,414 a year earlier.