Mighty come-back in May for Deadwood gaming numbers
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DEADWOOD — While a seven-day COVID-induced closure served to skew the Deadwood gaming numbers in May 2020, the 46% increase the industry saw last month mightily made up for it, leaving a 76% cumulative increase over 2020 performance year to date and a cumulative handle of well over half a billion dollars in its wake.
Statistics released by the South Dakota Commission on Gaming Friday show gamers visiting Deadwood in May dropped roughly $129 million in machines and on tables and $588 million, year to date, for a 46% increase compared to May 2020 and a 77% increase in the cumulative gaming totals compared to 2020.
This resulted in just over $12 million in taxable adjusted gross revenues for the industry in May.
Of that, 9%, or $1.1 million, was collected as state tax and distributed to various entities across the state.
The reporting period includes a seven-day casino closure, due to a six-week closure March 25 through May 7, 2020 when Deadwood city officials enacted emergency legislation to help slow the spread of COVID-19 by ordering casinos to cease operations.
Deadwood Gaming Association Executive Director Mike Rodman said the May increase was just over a 24% increase, compared to May 2019, a cumulative increase of more than 34%, compared to the same period in May 2019.
“Deadwood gaming revenues continue to roar along,” Rodman said. “May’s strong gaming numbers highlight the early beginnings to an exceptional tourism season.”
Under the handle comparison category, in May, table games had a handle of $9 million and slot machines had a handle of $120 million. Thus far this year, table games had a handle of $37 million, more than an 90% increase compared to 2020 levels, and slot machines have had a handle of $551 million, a 76% increase compared to 2020 levels. Thus far in 2021, the collective handle in Deadwood has been $588 million, up 76% compared to the same period in 2020.
As stated in the report, approximately 2,542 slot machines accounted for roughly $120 million in coin in, with gamers winning around $109 million with an estimated average payout of 91%, leaving a statistical win of just over $11 million for the slot category in May. The two largest contributors were 2,026 penny machines, with $85 million in coin-in, which generated roughly $9 million in statistical win and a 91% payout to players, followed by 213 dollar machines, with $11 million in coin-in, which generated roughly $776,700 in statistical win, and a 93% payout to players.
With 92 tables reporting revenue, table games generated a drop of $9 million in May and an estimated statistical win of $2 million, with an average payout to players of 79%. The leading revenue generator in this category was blackjack, with 38 tables, reporting a drop of just over $3 million and a statistical win of $659,166 with an 81% payout to players.
Four craps tables in town generated a drop of $502,002, a statistical win of $76,701, and an 85% payout to players; nine roulette tables in town generated a drop of $423,293, a statistical win of $95,655, and a 77% payout to players.
Rodman said Deadwood gaming operators rewarded players with $1,690,309 in “free-play” for the month of May.
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