For one of the few occasions in recent memory, the Maryland Lottery & Gaming Control Commission held a meeting today in which there were no agenda items to be voted on related to Maryland sports betting, either online or retail.
Often, the commission finds itself considering whether a license applicant is “qualified” for a wagering license and, if so – depending on the circumstances – that information is forwarded to the Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC) for further action, specifically the “awarding” of a license. Then, Lottery & Gaming staff oversees a controlled demonstration of the applicant’s operations and if all goes well, a license is “issued,” and the gambling company can begin taking wagers.
However, today, there were no applicants to be considered. And the SWARC, for its part, has decided not to meet again until January. Clearly, the pace of new Maryland sports betting apps or retail outlets entering the market is slowing considerably.
Hitting It Big at the Horseshoe
There was news, however, that some Maryland gamblers managed to hit it big in one of the state’s casinos, the Horseshoe Baltimore. Each month at the commission meeting, an executive from each of the state’s six casinos reports on operations and events at their property. That said, it’s not often that news of the action on the casino floor comes up.
However, Horseshoe general manager Randy Conroy noted that his casino had a customer hit a “massive jackpot” of more than a million dollars at a table game in September. Then, “the day of the (commission meeting, Sept. 28), we had another one so, lightning struck twice. It wasn’t a million, but it was $290,000.
“Then to top it off,” Conroy continued, “in October . . . we had one for $360,000 – all on $5 bets – so it was the time to be at the Horseshoe, apparently.”
There are no Maryland online casinos yet, but there have been more big wins lately. Staying with the theme of gamblers hitting jackpots, Lottery & Gaming director John Martin, in his report on the lottery, noted that state lottery players hit jackpots in the multi-match in-state game in three out of four drawings this month.
Through most of September and into October, for eight straight drawings, the jackpot in that game wasn’t hit. Then, on Oct 12, there was a winner for a $630,000 jackpot (cash option, $350,000), followed by Oct. 19 ($510,000/$260,00 cash option) and Oct. 23 ($500,000/$250,000 cash option).
“Some very lucky players, indeed,” Martin quipped.
Multi-Match is a lotto-style game and for $2, players get to play 18 numbers. There are various prizes depending on how many of the player’s numbers match the drawn numbers. If a player matches all six numbers on one line, they win the jackpot, which starts at $500,000.
Amid all this news of winnings, sports wagering rolls on. Make sure to have one of the best Maryland sports betting promos if you decide to wager.
