March was one of the best months for casino revenue at MGM Springfield since it opened in 2018. But in-person wagering on sporting events lagged behind other casinos in Massachusetts.
According to data from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission released Tuesday, MGM Springfield handled $24 million from table games and slot machines last month. That was the fourth-best month in the casino's history, and the best since last March. Revenue from slot machines jumped by nearly $2 million from February to March, which helped to offset a dip in table-game revenue, which dropped by about $1.1 million from the previous month to $4.28 million.
The three other months higher than March were September, 2018, the MGM’s first full month in operation, when it took in $26.9 million, March, 2019, $25.6 million and March, 2022 at $24.2 million. The casino was shuttered for more than three months in 2020 due to the pandemic, and had limited offerings due to social distancing requirements when it did reopen that July.
With the casino having a top-four month in March, in-person betting on sporting events did not follow suit. MGM accepted about $1.8 million in wagers last month, which was flat from February, the first full month sports betting was legal in Massachusetts. According to the gaming commission, it had an accrual win of about $176,000. The state’s other two casinos saw much higher rates of sports betting compared to the Springfield casino. Encore Boston Harbor settled $13.4 million in bets, while Plainridge Park was at $4.9 million.
As anticipated, the vast majority of sports bets in Massachusetts in March were placed through digital platforms. Online licensees accepted $548 million in wagers, compared to a combined $19.9 million placed in person at the three casinos. The digital sportsbook Draft Kings led the way with $257.6 million in bets settled last month, followed by FanDuel at $181 million. BetMGM, which is affiliated with the Springfield casino was next at $45 million
Overall, the state realized about $9.3 million in tax revenue last month from sports gambling.
