CLEVELAND, Ohio - Ohio's casinos and racinos saw their revenues surge in March, with many have their best month in history and some hitting levels not seen for years.

Statewide revenue hit a record high.

Jack Cleveland Casino's revenue of $20.1 million was the first time since December 2014 it had topped $20 million. Revenue in March 2017 was $18 million.

Jack Thistledown Racino's $12 million in revenue was the highest since November 2013. Revenue was $10.45 million in March 2017.

But none of the state's four casinos or six racinos could match Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park's record $23.3 million in revenue. The racino had $21.4 million in revenue in March 2017.

The statewide casino revenue of $81.7 million was an 8.3 percent increase from March 2017 and the best month since casinos opened, according to the Ohio Casino Control Commission.

It was also a record month for the Ohio Lottery Commission, where statewide racino revenue of $96.4 million was a 10.1 percent increase from March 2017.

Northeast Ohio's gaming revenue growth has grown 3.5 percent in the past year even as the number of average slots/video lottery terminals has fallen 4.4 percent over the same time, according to a recent report by  Moody's Investors Service.

Slots and video lottery terminals, which account for about 82 percent of total gaming revenue at Jack Cleveland Casino, Jack Thistledown Racino and Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park, fell to 4,993 in February 2018 from 5,224 in February 2017, but revenue increased, the report said. The increase was largely driven by an increase in win per unit, according to  the bond credit rating business' review of revenue information from the Ohio Casino Control Commission and Ohio Lottery Commission.

Cleveland is also the largest gaming market in Ohio, the report said. Hard Rock Rocksino has grown to be the single largest of the three gaming facilities on a revenue basis, with 42.4 percent of Cleveland's total gaming revenue, followed by Jack Cleveland at 36.6 percent and Jack Thistledown at 21 percent, the report said. 

The state commission and lottery define revenue as the money left after casinos and racinos pay winners and deduct for promotions.

Casino and racino officials have said year-over-year comparisons typically provide a more accurate reflection of performance than comparing one month to the previous one.

Here's a historical look at revenue for the four Northeast Ohio casinos and racinos for the month of March.

Jack Cleveland Casino

2013: $24.5 million ($16 million from slots )

2014: $21.3 million ($11.7 million from slots) 

2015: $19.8 million ($10.6 million from slots)

2016: $19.6 million ($9.7 million from slots)

2017: $18 million ($9.5 million from slots)

2018: $20.1 million ($10 million from slots)

Jack Thistledown Racino

2014: $10.6 million

2015: $9.9 million

2016: $9.3 million

2017: $10.45 million

2018: $12 million

Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park

2014: $15.9 million

2015: $18.5 million

2016: $20.2 million

2017: $21.4 million

2018: $23.3 million

Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Racecourse

2015: $8 million

2016: $8.9 million

2017: $10.1 million

2018: $11.4 million.

Penn National Gaming owns the Hollywood casinos in Columbus and Toledo and the racinos near Youngstown and Dayton.

Jack Entertainment, formerly Rock Gaming, owns the casinos in Cleveland and Cincinnati and Jack Thistledown Racino.

Hard Rock Rocksino is a joint venture between Hard Rock International and Northfield Park. MGM Growth Properties LLC  announced on April 5 that an agreement had been reached with Milstein Entertainment to acquire the property for $1.06 billion, including the racetrack and gas station.

Ohio racinos