The Rise of Weekend-Only Casino Players — Trend or Coincidence?

Online and land-based casinos get more traffic on weekends. Is this a coincidence, or is it simply a trend that could fade over time?

Let’s look at why casinos attract more players on weekends and whether the best time to gamble is actually on weekends, or if there’s a better time to spin the reels or throw down on blackjack.

Why Casinos Attract More Players on Weekends

There are a few reasons why gamblers are more likely to play on weekends instead of weekdays. Here are a few of the most common.

Gamblers Have More Time to Play

A Gallup survey concluded that just over 40% of Americans work “traditional” nine-to-five jobs (i.e., work 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday). Still, the American lifestyle revolves around the idea that weekends are for pleasure.

Those gamblers who enjoy weekends off are more likely to play at online casinos and land-based casinos after work or on their days off.

Casinos Offer More Bonuses

Online and land-based casinos both offer more bonuses on weekends.

Casinos understand that gamblers have more time to play on weekends and evenings, so they need to be more competitive to draw in players. The easiest way to do so? By offering bonuses to lure players away from their competitors. This is why you may see more bonuses offered on weekends.

Social Casinos & Land-Based Casinos Are More Active

Players who log onto social casinos may be more likely to do so because they want to interact with other players using the chat functions. They might also be more likely to play when they know their friends are online.

Land-based casinos are social “third spaces” for gathering. Players might be more inclined to head to a casino if they can convince their friends or family to join them.

Are Weekends the Best Time to Play at Casinos? Reasons Why You Might Want to Play on Weekdays

Even though it makes sense for a lot of gamblers to want to play at casinos on weekends, you may want to consider switching to weekdays.

Here are some reasons why playing at casinos on weekdays could lead to a better experience.

Load Times Could Be Shorter at Online Casinos

The more players log onto an online casino website to play games, the more likely the website is to experience lag times or server delays.

If you want a seamless online casino experience, you might want to consider playing when there are fewer gamblers online (such as during the day on weekdays).

Land-Based Casinos Are Less Crowded

Since land-based casinos see higher turnout on weekends, they tend to get pretty crowded. Not only does this happen because many players enjoy weekends off, but a lot of casinos also host events like Comic-Con, concerts, and live comedy shows on weekends.

If you want to avoid the crowds, you might want to try spinning the reels or laying down some cash on table games on weekdays.

There’s Less Competition on Weekdays

Some gamblers believe that playing at casinos when there’s less competition will lead to better payouts.

In reality, slot results are determined by random number generators (RNGs) and return-to-player percentages (RTPs). This means that games are designed to pay out a certain number of wins and a certain percentage of money over time. So, you may not win more by playing during non-peak hours.

Yet, you may win a larger portion of a pot if there are fewer players, so poker could be a good game to play during non-peak hours.

Overall, competitive casino games could be easier to win on weekdays when fewer gamblers are competing for a win.