Published: December 17, 2021

Ohio racinos join casinos in celebrating record-busting year

December is far from over, but Dayton-area racinos put up stronger numbers this year, and Ohio casinos hit record revenue numbers.

“We’ve set monthly records every month this calendar year since March,” said Danielle Frizzi-Babb, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Lottery Commission, which oversees Ohio’s seven racinos.

Ohio racinos operate on a fiscal year schedule, which starts in July. They are in the midst of their fiscal 2022.

Warren County’s Miami Valley Gaming has brought in just over $90.2 million in net wins so far in its fiscal year, with the most recent month, November, seeing $16.9 million in net wins, well above the $11.4 million the racino saw in November 2020.

Net win is net revenue remaining after prizes to players are paid out, lottery officials say.

The Lebanon racino reported a total net win of nearly $73.9 million for the first five months of fiscal year 2020. It saw a total $134.8 million in net wins for the whole of fiscal year 2020.

Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway has seen $62.1 million in net wins so far this fiscal year. In November this year, the racino off Wagner Ford Road brought in $11.7 million in net wins, surpassing the $8.8 million that racino saw in November 2020.

Hollywood Dayton reported a total net win of just over $53.2 million by the end of November 2020 for the first five months of the 2020 fiscal year to that point.

The Dayton raceway’s net win total for fiscal 2020 was nearly $95.6 million.

Some key differences exist. Hollywood Dayton closed between mid-March and mid-June last year because of the pandemic. An overnight curfew the state imposed in November 2020 also cut back on would have been overnight casino operating hours.

Total revenue from the state’s four casinos hit $899.1 million through November, a record.

Ohio’s casino revenue through the month of November is a record, said Jessica Franks, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Casino Control Commission. The previous yearly high was $851 million in 2019, she said.

“I can’t say with certainty what has attributed to the record activity at the four casinos, but it’s possible that with many other entertainment venues (movie theaters, concert halls, etc.) closed or at reduced capacity during the year, people chose to spend their entertainment dollars at the casinos,” Franks said.

Messages were left for representatives of the Dayton and Lebanon racinos.

Ohio casinos adhere to a calendar year schedule when reporting revenue.

https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/dayton-area-racinos-join-ohio-casinos-in-celebrating-record-year/OA3JTDP3NVEUJOIKK7PA45RAOQ/