We have all heard about the losses that casinos have been suffering due to the economic downturn. The news has been filled with tales of woe for giant operators who have had near empty slot floors. Everyone knows that when people cut back on their spending, usually they have to give up their gambling and holidays first. But as we are seeing in Macau, it would appear that the casinos are beginning to see light at the end of a very long tunnel.

News is coming in from Sands casino in south Bethlehem that they have had their best week ever! A figure of around 70 million US Dollars is reported to have been taken in the casino machines. The casino goers seem to love those slots as they pumped the machines full of cash. The previous record week was at a high of  69 million US Dollars according to Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. The casino had been taking some innovative approaches to draw in customers and the surge in spending is attributed to Sands giving away 1.8 million US Dollars in free money to play for the membership holders of their casino. This is the biggest amount ever given by a single casino, and it seems to certainly done the trick in bringing back the customers.

Even with the giveaway Sands 4.12 million US Dollars in gross terminal. Once the winners have all been paid, this means that they get to keep the remainder of the money in the machines. As a result from this promotion, a staggering 60 million US Dollars in wagers were taken. Pennsylvania seems to be doing well in state tax as just in the last week its casino took 526 million US Dollars of which 13 million US Dollars went to the US government.

If you don’t want the US government to get a penny of your winnings then play Online Poker.  It can be great fun and other games you might enjoy are Full Tilt Poker or maybe Absolute Poker.