Three Best Gambling Stocks to Own Right Now

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The gambling industry is red-hot, and that's creating new opportunities for investors to make money on the best gambling stocks right now.

This week, shares of Caesars Entertainment Corp. (NASDAQ: CZR) were in motion on news the gambling giant might merge with Eldorado Resorts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERI).

The deal would continue a wave of consolidation in the gambling space.

Activist investor Carl Icahn, Caesars' biggest shareholder, has nearly doubled his stake in the company in anticipation of the merger, from 9.8% to 17.8%. It would be wise to follow his money, since he's known for a hot hand when it comes to these kinds of deals.

And you'll also want to follow his hot hand by jumping into the top gambling stocks right now.

Personally, I use the Money Morning Stock VQScore to identify the stocks with the most breakout potential.

As an economist and avid analyst in the sports gambling business, I've used the VQScore to identify double- and triple-digit winners. Last summer, we told investors about Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: DDE) when the stock had a perfect VQScore of 4.75. Within weeks, it shot up more than 107% on news it had sold to a Rhode Island casino operator.

We've found even more opportunities in the hot gambling sector right now.

This week, three of the best gambling stocks in the business hit our "Buy Zone," meaning they had scores of 4 or higher.

Here's our first, expecting double-digit earnings growth next year.

Gambling Stock to Own, No. 1: Monarch Casino & Resort

Monarch Casino & Resort Inc. (NASDAQ: MCRI) is the first gambling stock on our list, with a VQScore of 4.15. This is not a company that many analysts on Wall Street cover, which makes it the perfect sneaky play to capture double-digit gains in the coming months.

Monarch is a holding company that owns and operates two casinos in Reno, Nev., and Black Hawk, Colo.

Every time I return to Reno, it seems Monarch is building market share. But a focus on its newest Black Hawk casino expansion west of Denver has generated the most buzz about the company.

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Casino operators require an influx of population growth to sustain their profitability and bottom line.

The Colorado population grew by 80,000 from 2017 to 2018, making it the seventh fastest-growing state in the U.S. The Black Hawk location is expected to be completed in late 2019, which analysts project will help grow Monarch earnings by 36.7% the following year.

With people flocking to the Denver region and a moderately strong balance sheet, Monarch can choose to be a buyer or a seller as the wave of gambling consolidation continues.
Our next gambling stock to own is also a Nevada-based resort, and it could easily jump 20% in price by the end of 2019.

Gambling Stock to Own, No. 2: Red Rocks Resorts

When the Supreme Court struck down a federal ban on sports gambling, states rushed to legalize the lucrative industry. At the time, most analysts were hawking the big names in the space – the multinational firms like Wynn Resorts Ltd. (NASDAQ: WYNN) and Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS).

Instead, we focused on regional banks that offered far more upside, even if that meant staying in the local Las Vegas market. Firms like Nevada Gold & Casinos Inc. (NYSE: UWN) come to mind.

Another name to know in Nevada: Red Rocks Resorts Inc. (NYSE: RRR), the firm behind Station Casinos.

Station owns and operates 10 major gaming and entertainment facilities and 10 smaller casinos in the Las Vegas regional market. It also manages Graton Resort & Casino, an Indian casino in Sonoma County, Calif.

According to TipRanks, RRR stock is rated a "Strong Buy" with a consensus price target of $30.25. That figure represents an upside of 14.1% from Thursday's closing price.

But analysts might be underestimating RRR as a takeover target in the year ahead. No matter what, with a perfect VQScore of 4.75, a 20% jump in this stock wouldn't be surprising by the end of the year.

But this next one might be our fastest-growing gambling stock to buy.

It happens to be a name-brand operator still flying under Wall Street's radar…

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