The Three Numbers That Decide Your Video Gaming Revenue
Monte Cristo Gaming — September 29, 2026
Video gaming revenue can look like a black box. It isn't. Every dollar a location earns comes down to three numbers, and only one of them is really in your hands.
Our free Understanding Video Gaming Revenue and Performance calculator lets you adjust all three and watch the result change live. Here's what each one means.
1. Game count
More terminals means more capacity, up to the legal limit (six for most Illinois establishments). But capacity only matters if it's used. Six machines that sit idle earn less than four that stay busy, and every machine takes floor space you could use for something else.
2. Occupancy by time of day
This is the big one. Occupancy is how much of each part of the day your machines are actually in play. The calculator breaks the day into four blocks (8am–2pm, 2pm–8pm, 8pm–2am, 2am–8am) and averages them, the same way we model it internally.
Occupancy is also the number you control. It's driven by:
The room. Comfortable seating, good lighting, a space that feels like a destination. (See How to Maintain a Consistent VGT Theme.)
Your hours and traffic. A daypart you're closed or empty is a daypart the machines earn nothing.
Reasons to stay. Service, food and drink, and rewards for regulars' time, not just their wins. (See How to Keep VGT Players Playing Longer.)
3. Hold percentage
Hold is the share of money played that the machines keep after paying out wins. In Illinois it runs close to 9%. The calculator lets you toggle between 8%, 9% and 10% to see the effect.
It's tempting to think higher hold means more money. Over time, players feel it. A room that wins too much gets a reputation, and occupancy drops. Hold is set by game settings and game mix, and the right answer balances what the room keeps against how long players want to stay.
The math, in one line
Money played per day = machines × minutes in play × bets per minute × average bet. Multiply by hold and you get net terminal income (NTI). Divide NTI by the number of machines and you get win per unit (WPU), the single best number for comparing one location to another.
The calculator holds a few things constant so you can focus on the three drivers: an average wager of $1.40 and 8 bets per minute while a machine is in play. It shows your total location win per day, your WPU, and your estimated establishment share per day, month and year.
A reality check on the defaults
The calculator starts with occupancy at 50% for most of the day, which represents a very busy room. The typical Illinois location wins about $92 per machine per day, which works out to machines being in play only around 6% of the day. Slide occupancy down to see where a typical location lands, then look at what moving it up would be worth. That's the conversation worth having with any operator.
Where to go from here
Want a more detailed model with benchmarks against every Illinois location? Try Project Your Revenue.
Want to see what real businesses near you earned? Search the Illinois VGT Performance Database.
In Chicago? Check your eligibility first.
Figures are estimates generated from modeled averages, not a guarantee of performance. 21+. Please play responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.
