Gambling News Flash: Open The Record Books For New AC Revenue Numbers
This week’s casino news starts off in Atlantic City where the gaming hub is pumping out great revenue numbers. We’ll start there as June was a record month.
Atlantic City Casino Revenue – Monthly Gambling Record Set
The COVID-19 pandemic appears to be receding and the casinos in Atlantic City are not only recovering but are continuing to thrive. It was just reported that the casinos there were able to break the record on gross gambling revenue in a single month for June, claiming around $345 million from bettors.
However while Atlantic City’s gross gaming revenue set a new monthly record, the land-based operations still have a ways to go before achieving pre-pandemic levels again.
- Compare those numbers to June of 2020, the final stats show a four-fold increase.
- Of course, keep in mind that many casinos were hit hard at this time last year.
- If you were to add on racetrack sports betting to the figures, those June numbers take another solid leap, rounding out at $393 million.
- It was even a large amount more than those nine casinos brought in during June of 2019, which was only $278 million.
With the COVID-19 restrictions slowly starting to fade away and travel beginning to open back up, bettors are flocking to casinos to get the fill of excitement they’ve been missing. Hopefully, it is able to stay this way to further help the recovery of numerous places around the world.
Click here for NJ online slots with the highest winning percentages.
Mohegan Digital Switches To FanDuel For Connecticut Bettors
Mohegan Digital has made a big switch in the state of Connecticut when it comes to who is managing their sports betting product. They have renegotiated their contract with Kambi in order to deal in FanDuel to the mix.
This partnership means that FanDuel to operate one of the three online sportsbooks over in Connecticut. That isn’t all, though, as they will be the operators of daily fantasy sports and an online casino.
The only question that they didn’t answer when announcing the FanDuel Sportsbook addition was about their online poker section. It is worth noting that FanDuel works under the parent company Flutter, which also happens to own PokerStars.
Maybe if everything works out for Connecticut, we could see PokerStars join FanDuel in the state to instantly give themselves a powerful market all around. If you’re a sports bettor or poker player in the state, this is all good news.
State Regulators Dish Out Fines To Casino And Sports Betting Companies
Flipping over to Iowa, it hasn’t been a great month for casino and sports betting operators. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission recently handed out a few fines, one of them landing at the doorstep of a casino while two others were sent the way of sports betting companies.
It turns out the casino in question was The Wild Rose Casino located in Jefferson. They were fined $20,000 because they accidentally allowed a 20-year-old woman to enter their gambling floor. Their general manager has since openly apologized to the commission for the mistake but it still cost them a decent sum of money.
Another company that was hit with a fee was the William Hill sportsbook as they were fined the same amount of money. Their penalty was due to two different betting machines being left on by mistake. They also accidentally allowed a person to use their mobile app despite not doing the in-person registration.
Finally, they hit the PointsBet Iowa sportsbook with a minor $7,500 fine for not updated their self-exclusion list. They have since adjusted and should be set to move forward.
It’s nice to see that regulators are doing their job. For years, customers have played online in gray markets and there’s been absolutely no oversight. Nowadays, regulators and gaming commissions can keep their eye on things like this to make sure that operators are not only following the rules but are treating customers properly.
Borgata AC Scores A Super Bowl Touchdown With 2 Days Of Giveaways
Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City will be buzzing with Super Bowl excitement not just on Sunday but all weekend long. That’s because on both Saturday and Sunday, Borgata will be holding spectacular sweepstakes with many chances to win.
The Saturday $35K BetMGM Sweepstakes will award both bonus slot dollars and free sports bets. All of the prizes in the Sunday Big Game Sweepstakes will come in the form of bonus slot dollars.
On Saturday, Feb. 6, Borgata will give away 25 terrific prizes. They start with $200 bonus slot dollars and a $100 sports betting bonus and go all the way up to $5,000 bonus slot dollars and a $5,000 sports betting bonus.
But of course, you’ll want to come back on Sunday, too, for the Big Game Sweepstakes, where 40 lucky players will win $100-$700 in bonus slot dollars.
Then, for the highlight of the day, the big game itself, head over to the BetMGM Sportsbook & Bar or Level One Cocktail Bar & Lounge. But a word of warning–they’re two of the most coveted spots in town, so advance reservations are a must.
Borgata Super Bowl $35,000 BetMGM Sweepstakes: 2/6/21
Why wait till Sunday, when you can get a head start on your big weekend Borgata Super Bowl celebration the day before. With a whopping $35K in prizes being given away and five separate drawings every hour from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., this is a sweepstakes you don’t want to miss.
How to participate in the $35,000 BetMGM Sweepstakes
Here is what you need to do for your chance to win.
- Insert your M Life Rewards card into any slot machine or get rated at a table game anytime between 3 p.m. and 8: 30 p.m. on Sat., Feb. 6.
- Pay close attention when the five winners from each drawing are announced every hour from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The winners’ names will also be posted on plasma screens throughout the casino floor. One of them could be you!
- If you’re a winner, hurry over to the M Life Rewards Desk to claim your prize. You only have 30 minutes to do so.
Additional terms and conditions
Once you activate your sweepstakes entry, you will be eligible for all still remaining drawings that day. Playing all day, or even at the time of the drawing, is not required, but you do need to be present in the casino, so if your name is called, you can claim your prize within the allotted 30 minutes.
Bonus slot dollars are valid only until 5:59 a.m. the next day. If you don’t activate them by that time and play them in their entirety within 30 days, you will forfeit your prize.
What can you win in the Borgata Super Bowl $35,000 BetMGM Sweepstakes?
All of the prizes being awarded in this sweepstakes include not only bonus slot dollars but also a sports betting bonus. So, the timing for the Super Bowl couldn’t be better. Of course, the BetMGM Sportsbook at the Borgata and Borgata and BetMGM online sportsbooks will all stay open, for your convenience to take your Super Bowl action not only prior to kickoff but during the game, too.
The following table shows how the 25 prizes in the Saturday BetMGM Sweepstakes will be distributed.
Prize Structure
|
5 p.m. |
6 p.m. | 7 p.m. | 8 p.m. | 9 p.m. | Total |
|
1st place $1,000 Bonus Slot Dollars + $250 Sports Bonus |
1st place
$2,000 Bonus Slot Dollars + $250 Sports Bonus |
1st place
$3,000 Bonus Slot Dollars + $250 Sports Bonus |
1st place
$4,000 Bonus Slot Dollars + $250 Sports Bonus |
1st place
$5,000 Bonus Slot Dollars + $5,000 Sports Bonus |
$21,000 |
|
2nd place $750 Bonus Slot Dollars + $100 Sports Bonus |
2nd place
$750 Bonus Slot Dollars + $100 Sports Bonus |
2nd place
$750 Bonus Slot Dollars + $100 Sports Bonus |
2nd place
$750 Bonus Slot Dollars + $100 Sports Bonus |
2nd place
$1,500 Bonus Slot Dollars + $1,000 Sports Bonus |
$5,900 |
| 3rd place
$500 Bonus Slot Dollars + $100 Sports Bonus |
3rd place
$500 Bonus Slot Dollars + $100 Sports Bonus |
3rd place
$500 Bonus Slot Dollars + $100 Sports Bonus |
3rd place
$500 Bonus Slot Dollars + $100 Sports Bonus |
3rd place
$750 Bonus Slot Dollars + $700 Sports Bonus |
$3,850 |
|
4th place $300 Bonus Slot Dollars + $100 Sports Bonus |
4th place
$300 Bonus Slot Dollars + $100 Sports Bonus |
4th place
$300 Bonus Slot Dollars + $100 Sports Bonus |
4th place
$300 Bonus Slot Dollars + $100 Sports Bonus |
4th place
$500 Bonus Slot Dollars + $500 Sports Bonus |
$2,600 |
| 5th place
$200 Bonus Slot Dollars + $100 Sports Bonus |
5th place
$200 Bonus Slot Dollars + $100 Sports Bonus |
5th place
$200 Bonus Slot Dollars + $100 Sports Bonus |
5th place
$200 Bonus Slot Dollars + $100 Sports Bonus |
5th place
$250 Bonus Slot Dollars + $200 Sports Bonus |
$1,650 |
Borgata Big Game Sweepstakes: 2/7/21
The Super Bowl won’t kick off until 6:30 p.m. However, unless you want to watch the whole game standing, don’t even think of waiting till the last minute to show up. Also, even an hour before kickoff, the lines at every Atlantic City casino betting window will be horrendous.
So, if your plans for the day include the Borgata, be sure to arrive much earlier. This will not only give you plenty of extra time to make your bets and lock up your seat, but also give you many more chances to win in the second Borgata Super Bowl Sweepstakes.
How the Borgata Big Game Sweepstakes on Sun., Feb. 7 works
Like the Saturday $35,000 BetMGM Sweepstakes, the Big Game Sweepstakes is an equal opportunity event. Everyone who opts-in, whether a big player or not, gets one and only one entry and has the same chance to win a prize. It all comes down to the luck of the draw.
But keep in mind that the casino will hold five separate hourly drawings. So, you can improve your chances by arriving early enough to be entered in all five of them.
Borgata will give away bonus Slot Dollars to five lucky players (one player from each card tier) once every hour on Super Bowl Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Here’s what you need to do to participate:
- Insert your M Life Rewards card into any slot machine or get rated at a table game anytime between 9 a.m. and 5 30 p.m. on Sun., Feb. 7.
- Pay close attention when the five winners from each drawing are announced every hour from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The winners’ names will also be posted on plasma screens throughout the casino floor.
- If you hear your name, go to the M Life Rewards Desk immediately to claim your prize. Any prizes that are not claimed within 30 minutes of being announced will be forfeited.
Additional terms and conditions
You only need to activate your entry once, and you will be automatically entered in all of the remaining drawings for the day.
All prizes are in the form of bonus Slot Dollars. They are non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash. Since the rules don’t state how much time you have to use the bonus, be sure to inquire at the M Life Rewards Desk when you claim your reward.
What can you win in the Big Game Sweepstakes?
The prize amounts vary as follows, depending on the player’s card tier:
- Sapphire: $200 Bonus Slot Dollars
- Pearl: $300 Bonus Slot Dollars
- Gold: $500 Bonus Slot Dollars
- Platinum: $600 Bonus Slot Dollars
- NOIR: $700 Bonus Slot Dollars
Borgata Super Bowl options
By 6 p.m. all of the drawings will have taken place, so what will you do next? Watch the Super Bowl, of course!
The Borgata in Atlantic City has you covered because you have lots of great options.
At the top of the list, there’s the BetMGM Sportsbook & Bar and the adjacent Level One Cocktail Lounge. Either one would be a great place to watch the Super Bowl, and if you want to place additional bets while the game is in progress, you certainly don’t have to walk far.
Adding to the fun and festivities, a live DJ will be on hand, and there will be more giveaways, including a chance to win a signed Lawrence Taylor helmet.
But that’s not all. To make sure no one stays hungry or thirsty, both venues will be serving up the following food and drink specials all day:
- Burger Board: $75
- Jumbo Buffalo Wings: 24 wings – $40 | 50 wings – $80 | 100 wings – $150
- Beer Buckets (6 count): Domestic – $36 | Imported – $42
- Domestic Beer Pitcher – $24
Advance reservations are a must. Call 609-317-8006 ASAP if you haven’t already. Seating is limited, and both places might already be sold out.
If the BetMGM Sportsbook and Level One are sold out, you might have better luck reserving a table at one of the Borgata’s fine restaurants. Last year Bobby Flay Steak, and Angeline’s provided lots of TVs for Super Bowl viewing.
Alternatively, you can watch the game at the B Bar, Lobby Bar, or Long Bar, or the Borgata Poker Room.
Best NJ Online Casinos For 2021: My Top 3 Picks For Next Year
One encouraging result to emerge in 2020 amid all the chaos is that even in the worst of times, the popularity of online gambling doesn’t fade.
On the contrary, month after month, NJ gambling websites have reported record revenue figures. But will the best NJ online casinos this year maintain their position as the best NJ online casinos for 2021? That remains to be seen.
Best NJ Online Casinos for 2021
When it comes to gross revenue, nobody has been able to come anywhere close to Golden Nugget Online Casino in 2020.
However, what one player may be looking for in terms of types of games, banking options, and customer service might not apply to another person.
Therefore, I compared the different casinos on other criteria that I consider of prime importance, including all of the following:
- Number and variety of high-quality games, with bonus points for casinos that have recently expanded their offerings
- The quality of the welcome offer
- The quality and variety of special promotions for existing customers and their ability to appeal to a broad spectrum of players
- Loyalty rewards and other incentives
- Range of banking options
- Customer service
Top 3 Online Casinos for 2021 & Why
Based on all of the above, here are my choices for the best NJ online casinos for 2021.
1. Golden Nugget
Any casino that month after month, year after year continues to be the undisputed revenue leader must be doing a lot of things right.
800+ games
For starters, Golden Nugget Online Casino not only leads all of its competitors in monthly and annual revenue but also in the number of games. Never content to rest on its laurels, it keeps adding exciting new games to its vast and ever-growing portfolio.
As of this writing, Golden Nugget is home to 820 games. Among them are 754 slots, 10 of which offer a progressive jackpot. Or, if you prefer, you can choose from many varieties of video poker and blackjack, as well as roulette, baccarat, casino hold’em, and other table games.
Golden Nugget was also the first NJ online casino to introduce live dealer games. In that category, too, there is something for everyone. For example, Unlimited Blackjack, the innovative game using a common draw, which can accommodate an unlimited number of players so there is never a wait for a seat, allows a minimum bet of just $1. High stakes players, on the other hand, can play $100 minimum blackjack.
Other live dealer games besides blackjack include roulette, baccarat, casino hold’em, and 3 Card Poker. One version of roulette called Casino Floor Roulette is live-streamed directly from the floor of Golden Nugget Atlantic City.
Golden Nugget is the only NJ online casino that provides a detailed description of every game, including the return to player (RTP). In addition, virtually every game except the live dealer games is available to play in demo mode, even if you’re not a registered player. So despite the enormous selection of games, you never have to go into any game blindly without knowing the rules and house edge.
The bigger the better in special promotions, too
At Golden Nugget Online Casino, the bigger the better, and that motto clearly applies to its special promotions.
Golden Nugget welcomes players of all sizes but especially big players, who are treated like royalty. This casino’s welcome bonus for new players is one of the largest you’ll find on any of the NJ gambling websites–a dollar for dollar match of your first deposit up to $1,000!
If you can’t afford $1,000, no problem. The minimum deposit to receive the bonus is only $30. While the wagering requirements to clear the bonus are steep (10x bonus + deposit for most slots, more for other games), you have up to 30 days to complete the wagering.
Golden Nugget is also home to the annual Million Dollar Race and monthly races where players compete against one another not only for top spots on the leaderboard but big monetary prizes.
However, smaller players are not forgotten. Easy to access short term promotions like 100 percent and 50 percent bonuses on small deposits are offered frequently. In other words, Golden Nugget offers something for everybody.
2. Borgata and BetMGM
My pick for second place is a tie between two very similar NJ gambling websites, Borgata Online Casino and BetMGM Online. Both are affiliated with the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City and offer many of the same games and promotions.
Lots of great games
All of the popular game choices are represented, including many varieties of slots, video poker, blackjack, and roulette. Or try your luck on any of 20 progressive jackpot slots.
You can also choose from an impressive collection of live dealer games, including all of the following:
- Blackjack
- American roulette
- Baccarat
- Casino hold’em
- Ultimate Texas Hold’em
- Three card poker
- Unlimited Blackjack
- Infinite Blackjack ( very similar to Unlimited Blackjack)
- Dream Catcher (a game catering to slot players featuring a giant wheel)
Or if you prefer, you can take your pick from many other games such as baccarat, craps, casino hold’em, Slingo, and scratch cards.
While the total number of games isn’t as many as at Golden Nugget, new games, some of which are exclusive to Borgata and BetMGM, are added frequently. Currently, Borgata lists 70 new games, and BetMGM lists 69.
One suggestion to make these websites even better is to add a short description of each game, like Golden Nugget does, including the rules and RTP.
Generous welcome bonus and special promotions galore for existing players
The sign-up and first deposit bonuses are slightly different at the two casinos. Borgata offers $20 bonus dollars free when you sign up. You then have up to 14 days to wager the bonus just 1x to keep your winnings. Then, when you make your first deposit, you get a 100 percent deposit match bonus up to $600, with a wagering requirement of 15x the bonus. You have up to 14 days to clear that bonus as well, after which you get to keep not only your winnings but whatever is left of your deposit, too.
At BetMGM, the sign-up bonus is $25, and the top amount of the first deposit is $1,000. However, the casino only gives you three days to clear the sign-up bonus and only five days to clear the first deposit bonus.
One nice hard-to-find feature at both casinos is that all games count 100 percent towards clearing the first deposit bonus.
Then, with continued play, you not only reap the benefits of the multi-casino tiered M-Life loyalty rewards program but a steady stream of near-daily special offers and promotions. The following are a few examples:
- Multiplier Mondays with 2x iRPs
- Seal the Deal: wager $50 on slots on designated days to win $5 free play
- Guaranteed mystery bonus simply for logging in and opening your special card
- Leaderboard races
Borgata and BetMGM both go the extra mile to give any size player plenty of incentive to keep coming back for more.
3. Caesars Casino & Sports
Although Caesars Online Casino didn’t make the cut last year as one of the top three revenue producers, it rounds out my list of the best NJ online casinos for 2021 for other reasons.
Home to more than 600 quality games
For starters, this large casino that is currently home to more than 600 quality games shows no sign of slowing down. In fact, the casino has recently added 90 new slot games to its already vast portfolio.
Another new addition is a live dealer platform. Choose from all of the following:
- American Roulette
- Atlantic City Roulette
- Baccarat Dragon
- Baccarat
- Blackjack
- Casino Hold’em
- Classic Roulette
- Unlimited Blackjack
I would have liked to see more information on the website for prospective players, including descriptions of each game, hours of operation, and betting limits. However, this brand new addition to Caesars Online Casino should be considered a work in progress that you can expect to get better in 2021.
Generous welcome offer and great promotions for all levels of players
New players receive a $10 no deposit required bonus just for joining. It comes with a wagering requirement of just1x the bonus for slots, 2x the bonus for video poker, or 5x the bonus for other games. You have up to seven days to complete the wagering, after which you can keep any winnings.
Then, when you make your first deposit, you get a 100 percent match on any amount from $10 to $300. You have up to seven days to clear the bonus in one of the following ways:
- Slots: 5x bonus + deposit
- Video poker: 10x bonus + deposit
- Other games: 25x bonus + deposit
Once you clear the bonus, any winnings, along with whatever is left of the bonus itself, are yours to keep.
The top bonus of $300 is smaller than what some NJ online casinos offer, but still large enough to satisfy most players. Also, Caesars more than makes up for what could be a better welcome offer with some of the best offers for existing players on the market.
Caesars is one of the very few NJ online casinos to offer 100 percent deposit match bonuses not just to new players but periodically to existing players, too. Some of this casino’s other outstanding special offers for existing players include guaranteed mystery bonuses and the chance to win drawing entries for extra reward credits or seats to special big money tournaments.
Caesars Rewards
Best of all, Caesars Casino & Sports participates in the largest and best players’ rewards program in the country–Caesars Rewards.
The top 3 casinos in 2020
There are many criteria to consider when comparing different online casinos. Therefore, with the exception of revenue, where the figures speak for themselves, deciding which online casinos are the top 3 is largely subjective.
But even so, some NJ online casinos offer a wider selection of quality games and promotions and consistently attract more customers than others.
So let’s start with gross revenue. In September 2020, Golden Nugget was way out in front, followed by Borgata in second place and Resorts in third place. In fact, the same three casinos have held the top three spots every month this year. Golden Nugget has led by a wide margin every month.