G2E 2019 Instagram Review

If a picture could talk it would share hundreds of words. The following photos are from the G2E in Las Vegas. A slide show of them will appear on Instagram. I attend every year and this was my best social experience of all the previous conferences. That is the direction of the gaming industry. Be prepared to ride the wave. What worked 20 years ago is not resonating with the 35 and under crowd. If you are not sure how to do it just ask me. I'll share what I know. Enjoy the photos.

FanDuel CEO Matt King

CNBC's Contessa Brewer 

Aristocrat launches "Crazy Rich Asians" Slot Machine

Sara Sloan

Gamblit Gaming

Gaming Guy and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman

Walt Fales and Matt Kenagy -Creators of The Linq Sports Book

SBTech Chairman Gavin Issacs

Diversify and expand the game!

                               Check out my video and follow me on Twitter and Instagram.
                                                  #Sportsbetting #Casino #Marketing #Gaming

This Month in Sports Betting and Sports Business

I have changed the time period for this post to include news and information from the G2E 2019. The college world is addressing the sports betting landscape by not allowing students to wager on their school teams. Every school has not adopted this practice but all are looking at what steps should be taken to protect the student athlete. For now, all have held fast to the NCAA standard that was in place prior to the Supreme Court overturning PASPA. This article from the New York Times goes into more detail.

G2E takeaways for me continue to be pushing innovation, provide content and make your operation appeal to your customer. A strong mobile app is imperative. A great social experience that makes being in the sports book comparable to going to a movie. I could wait and see it in my home but that would lack the exciting of seeing the movie in a packed house. Add 5G capability and high definition resolution viewing and you have something worth leaving home for. 

Executive Panel includes Gary Bettman Matt King,Greg Carlin and Joe Asher

Partnerships with professional sports teams are ways to heighten brand recognition of the sports business. Casinos know the gaming operations and have the customer base. The teams have the data and the venues. The synergy in the collaboration can be reap tremendous marketing opportunities that go beyond sports betting.

The Nerd Street Gamers have enter into a major agreement with Five Below to bring esports into the retail store chain. The strategy is to have the esports centers in stores near high schools and middle schools. This is the innovation I referred to earlier. Kudos to Wayne Kimmel and John Fazio.

The Bet on Sports America is on my agenda for 2020. It should also be on yours. My latest video that addresses Sports Betting is here.

The NFL AFC East and West

I wanted to share my ranking of the AFC East and West with you. I will give you the winner of both divisions and each teams projected record in the 1st seven games. My ranking will include the teams I think they will lose to. It will give you the key match up that you can look forward to. The reason I lock in on the 1st seven games is that will give you a sample size of what type of team they are. You can analyze them against the spread and how they fare in over/under totals. How they play at home and on the road. This will give you data to use for the second half of the season. Good Luck!

                                                        AFC East

1).Patriots- 7-0 The key match up in this period is opening night against the Steelers.

2).Jets- 2-5 New York will lose to the Pats twice, Eagles, Dallas & Browns. The key match up is a Monday Night Football Game against the Browns.

3).Bills- 3-4 Buffalo loses to Jets, Giants, Eagles and Patriots. The game to mark on your calendar is the home opener against the Bengals.

4).Dolphins- 0-7 The game to circle on the schedule is against Washington. It is a home game and both team project as looking for their 1st win.


                                                      AFC West

1) Chiefs- 6-1 Kansas City will lose to Raiders. The key match up is week six against Houston. This could be a playoff preview.

2).Chargers- 6-1  Chargers loses to Texans. The game to anticipate is week six against the Steelers. This has the making of a shoot out and an over.

3).Raiders- 4-3  Oakland loses to Vikings, Packers and Texans. The match up to watch will be week five in London against the Bears and Khalil Mack.

4)Broncos - 2-5  Denver will lose to Raiders, Bears, Packers, Chargers and Chiefs. Game to circle is week four against Jacksonville. Both teams should be looking for their 1st win.

Sports Wagering and Business This Week

This will keep you current with the industry. These post will include trends about the sports betting market and information about what state is planning to offer it next. This will be a winning situation for a sophisticated operator and his constituents.

SugarHouse and Rivers Casino Pittsburgh collaborated with the direction of Rush Street Interactive to start a season long NFL Promotion that will have weekly prizes and a grand prize of $125,000 dollars. The is a fee of $150 per person to enter  with a limit of 25 entries per registrant. This contest is easy and should attract many sports bettors. You have to pick the games straight up and the person with the most wins is in the running for the money. For the weekly prizes, the tie breaker is the total points on the Monday Night Football Game. The second tie breaker is who submitted their entry first. For more details click here.

Parx Casino opened it's Sports Book as part of a 10 million dollar expansion on 8/9. It is a roomy 7400 square feet that includes a 156 foot media wall that can show up to 36 games at one time. There are 18 kiosks,200 seats and 3 VIP areas. 

The initial figures of the online gaming revenue in Pennsylvania are in. Here is the list of how each casino did. The 1st two months show a trend of more bets being placed on line than at the brick and mortar facilities. This replicates how bets are made in New Jersey. I anticipate that the percentage of online bets for Pennsylvania Sports Betting should approach 80% by the end of September. 

In Washington DC ,there will not be any sports betting to start the NFL season. There are still several issues involving logistics and regulations. The interest is high with several bars and small business owners making plans to apply for sports wagering permits that would allow for betting on site. The Monumental Sports and Entertainment appears to be targeting the spring of 2020 to have a venue ready that will include betting on sports and dining.

Iowa is the latest state to introduce sports betting. They will allow mobile gaming anywhere within state borders but to participate you must go to a casino to open an account. You have to register in person. There are several mobile platform providers that include William Hill and Caesars Interactive. Iowa has taken a smart approach by starting to take bets before the onslaught of NFL and College Football.

If you want me in real time you can follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for updates! You can also see my post on Bettors Insider  one of the top sites for sports betting and gambling.

Sports Wagering and Business This Week

This will keep you current with the industry. These post will include trends about the sports betting market and information about what state is planning to offer it next. This will be a winning situation for a sophisticated operator and his constituents.

Penn National Gaming grabbed the headlines with the announcement of their deal with multiple platform providers for sports betting. They signed agreements with Kambi,DraftKings,PointsBet,The Score and the Stars Group. This is monumental because of the variety that Penn can offer. They can appeal and be competitive with all of the major players with online gaming and sports betting apps.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board released numbers for Table Games play for the month of June. There was a significant drop in play from the previous year. If you go to this link, you will see which casinos showed a slight decline. I see the direct correlation with the sports betting product that they have in the brick and mortar property. SugarHouse Casino offered the online experience and did extremely well.

In Washington DC, at least 3 bars are looking at allowing sports betting in their establishments this fall.They include Duffy's Irish Pub, Wet Dog Tavern and The Brig. According to the NBC Washington post by Mark Segraves, each of these venues have submitted applications to the Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration to add sports wagering to their liquor licenses. As other businesses express interest, they will be included in this group.

In Denver, N3rd Street Gamers partnered with Kellogg Co. to promote esports. Kellogg's will sponsor an Overwatch video tournament hrough it's Cheez-It Grooves snack product. This event will take place in October. N3rd Street Gamers has a location in Colorado. 

If you want me in real time you can follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for updates! You can also see my post on Bettors Insider , the Delaware Valley's top site for sports betting and gambling.

Sports and Wagering Business This Week

This will keep you current with the industry. These post will include trends about the sports betting market and information about what state is planning to offer it next. This will be a winning situation for a sophisticated operator and his constituents.

New York approved sports betting and started accepting wagers this week. The sites include Rivers Casino Schenectady and Tioga Downs. Resorts World Catskills and Del Lago will have the capacity to take bets and are expected to announce their plans soon. All wagers must be made in person. There is no mobile sport betting component at this time. They are prohibited from taking bets on New York State collegiate sports teams and any college sports events held within the state.

Washington DC is still finalizing it's sports betting regulations. Once they are complete, expect retailers to apply for Class B licenses that will allow kiosks and sports betting windows in bars and event venues that serve food and alcoholic beverages. Once the application process starts the retailers will be highlighted by name and location. The stipulation in DC is Class B license holder can not be within the proximity of  two blocks from a Class A holder.

New Hampshire legalized sports betting last week, joining Rhode Island as the second state in the New England region to add sports bets to the gaming menu. The residents of New Hampshire can not bet on New Hampshire based teams. They do have a provision for mobile betting.

I can not stress enough that the future of sports betting is in the mobile and tablet side of the business. Unless you have an outstanding venue there is no reason to come place a bet with you that beats the speed of the mobile app. If you are in a jurisdiction where mobile is not an option then innovation is critical to your success.

If you want me in real time you can follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for updates! You can also see my post on Bettors Insider , the Delaware Valley's top site for sports betting and gambling.

Are you in a state that is considering Sports Betting?

If you are in a state that is contemplating enacting Sports Betting, I would encourage you to make a prudent decision based on facts and not hyperbole.I will share 3 points to consider in this post.

Are you prepared to work off a small profit margin that is not guarantee a projected hold percentage similar to a slot machine or casino table game?

What is your state tax rate proposal on Sports Betting? 

Is mobile wagering part of your Sports Betting strategy?

If you answered yes to question 1 and 3 then I would look at sports betting as a consideration sooner than later. This urgently increases if no state near you has it. Washington DC acted quickly to exercise a competitive advantage over Virginia and Maryland. That move should pay dividends this year. 

The second question about the tax rate should be open to a fair agreement with the operators and the state. The definition of fair is marked by impartiality and honesty; free from self interest or favoritism. So if the propose tax rate exceeds 20% making a sustainable profit is achievable based on demographics and handle. A tax rate higher than 25% is not in the operators best interest long term. Read the definition of fair again. High taxes limit reinvestment opportunities. State legislatures and operators should work together as partners to insure success.

This fall I will continue visiting colleges and universities in the Mid Atlantic Region to promote the opportunities that gaming and sports betting can provide. So far I have spoken to students at Temple University and St. Joseph University. There is a fee associated with the speaking engagement. This is to cover the cost of travel and accommodations.  Check out the video to get a glimpse of what the possibilities that await you in Washington DC and New York City.

                              Mims Video

Follow me here for my blog posts. You can read my articles on Bettors Insider about casino,esports sports betting and entertainment.

If you want me in real time you can follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for updates!

Friends of Gaming Guy M

This is the video that I wanted to share with you. This is part of my new marketing and promotion strategy on Instagram. I am targeting the age demographic of 22-65. The cities include in the strategy include Philadelphia, Atlantic City, Washington DC, New York and Las Vegas.

                              Mims Video

Follow me here for my blog posts. You can read my articles on Bettors Insider about casino,esports and sports betting.

If you want me in real time you can follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for updates!

Sports Wagering and Business This Week

This will keep you current with the industry. These post will include trends about the sports betting market and information about what state is planning to offer it next. This will be a winning situation for a sophisticated operator and his constituents. 

The Bet on Sports America was held last week in New York /New Jersey at the Meadowland Exposition Center. This conference was devoted to sports betting. The attendees at the event included the major professional sports leagues, the top gaming companies and casinos from all over the world. The seminars covered the how to of sports betting operations and the innovations that will separate the mediocre sports books from the exceptional ones.

Some of the platform providers that received accolades included Kambi, PointsBet and Sportradar.

Governor Christie and Mary Stone from Sportsradar

Two organizations that are synonymous with wagering had booths on the exposition floor. The two were The SuperBook and Covers. There was a Hall of Fame Induction for the renowned Spork Book Operator Art Manteris and Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Ted Leonsis, owner of the Washington Capitals and Wizards was announced as a keynote speaker for the East Coast Gaming Conference in June. Rush Street Interactive was named Mobile Operator of the Year in North America with it's win of the EGR award.

Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for updates!

Sports Wagering and Business This Week

This will keep you current with the industry. These post will include trends about the sports betting market and information about what state is planning to offer it next. This will be a winning situation for a sophisticated operator and his constituents. 

This week SportTechie 2019 State of the Industry took place at the Barclays Center in New York. The theme of this year's conference was Sports Betting. Here is the link to the post that was part of the coverage from Bettors Insider. It include a quote from Rob Manfred, the commissioner of MLB.

The Sloan Sports Conference was held in Boston on Friday and Saturday. Some of the notable participants included Adam Silver, Commissioner of the NBA, Josh Harris and Scott O'Neil owners of the Sixers, Doug Kezirian , sports analyst from ESPN and Kip Levin, President of FanDuel. The panels about Sports Legacy and Sports Betting captivated interest. This Conference focuses on the balance between Sports Business and Analytics. The opportunities for an innovative mind are limitless. You can view some of these panel discussions on YouTube.

ESPN will start a new show call The Daily Wager on March 11. Kezirian will host this hour long show that will provide gambling content on ESPN News every night at 6PM. He will have guest analyst that are outside experts and ESPN personalities give their views.

                 Next week we will resume the Sport Betting 101 Series with a post on Future bets.

Sports Wagering and Business This Week

This will keep you current with the industry. These post will include trends about the sports betting market and information about what state is planning to offer it next. This will be a winning situation for a sophisticated operator and his constituents. 

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board released the figures that the Sports Books in Pennsylvania generated during the month of  January. SugarHouse Casino had the largest handle in the state. Parx Casino had the largest hold of all operators. For the entire breakdown go to PGCB.

Rivers Casino had the most signifigant addition to the Sports Betting  landscape on the East Coast with Jimmy Vaccaro. Mr. Vaccaro will be Director of Sports Relations for Rivers. This hire brings expertise and credibility to Rivers.

The Philadelphia Business Journal had the 2019 Book of Lists this week. The casinos were ranked by Sharon Oliver who compared total gross revenue. The top 3 were Parx Casino, Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa and SugarHouse Casino. Each of them have plans to expand their sports betting operations from temporary spaces to permanent dedicated area in 2019.  For the entire list contact the Philadelphia Business Journal and obtain the book.

Sports Wagering and Business This Week

This will keep you current with the industry. These post will include trends about the sports betting market and information about what state is planning to offer it next. This will be a winning situation for a sophisticated operator and his constituents. 

CG Technology is coming to New Jersey. They have a partnership with the Meadowland Racing to develop a sports betting app. This is the 3rd skin that is associated with the Meadowlands. The other two are  FanDuel Sportsbook and PointsBet.  CG Technology have a great product and have associations with the Venetian and the Palms in Las Vegas.

Nevada came out on top with the bets on the Super Bowl. They held more than 10,000,000 thru out the state. New Jersey losses 4.5 million on the big game. Nevada had the advantage of having future bets that were tied to the contest. Prop bets and the Las Vegas experience prevails.

Most of the wagers that are coming into New Jersey Sports Books are on mobile devices. Meadowlands take 4 times as many bets online as they do on site. They have enhance the retail experience by  having a broadcast from the sports book that is hosted by Lisa Kierney, former ESPN and Sportscenter anchor. The show provides stats and information for the betting  public.  FanDuel is going with a similar concept in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace this fall.

Sports Business and Wagering this Week

This will keep you current with the industry. These post will include trends about the sports betting market and information about what state is planning to offer it next. This will be a winning situation for a sophisticated operator and his constituents. 

Rivers Casino Pittsburgh hired Jimmy Vaccaro to join their team as Director of Sports Relations.This coincides with the recent opening of the sports betting operations. Mr. Vaccaro is highly respected in the area of Race and Sports Management. The retail end of the sports book will improve significantly by having his expertise .

In a independent raking, Ocean Resort Casino was selected as the best place to bet on Sports in Atlantic City. They were cited as having the best odd boards and TV's in the area. They received this ranking without the benefit of having kiosks to enhance the betting process. Get the entire ranking for New Jersey & Pennsylvania from Philly.com and Ed Barkowitz. Follow Ed on Twitter @edbarkowitz.

The operator that you should be watching is  PointsBet. They are taking wagers in New Jersey and have their eye on action in New York once sport betting is legalized there.  They made international headlines by refunding wagers that were placed on Saints in the NFL Conference Game. Great public relations move by Johnny Aitken and Seth Young. They were also the 1st Sports Book in New Jersey to take bets on the 2019 Academy Awards Oscars.

                                                     Enjoy the Super Bowl!

Sports Business and Wagering this Week

This will keep you current with the industry. These post will include trends about the sports betting market and information about what state is planning to offer it next. This will be a winning situation for a sophisticated operator and his constituents. 

Harrah's Philadelphia Casino open it's sports betting operation this week. This is a permanent facility and has 4,300 square footage of space. It has 45 large screens and 19 lounge seats. Harrah's has partnered with Scientific Games for the technological platform that will eventually include a mobile app offering. This is the 3rd casino in the Philadelphia area to offer sports wagering. The others are Sugarhouse and Parx.

The Super Bowl is approaching and is anticipated as one of the largest wagering events of 2019. More money will be wagered legally on this game than any other Super Bowl. This is not because of the match up but due to more states having sports betting. The handle would have been higher if New England were playing the Saints. The marquee match between Brady and Brees would have generated large prop action.

The states that are strongly considering adding sports betting next are New York and Maryland. Governor Cuomo is all in favor of New York having wagers on site at the casinos. Maryland wants to keep pace with the fast track legislation in Washington DC. How intelligent each of the sports betting operations are managed will determine success and profitability.