<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001186747-18-000020.txt : 20180228
<SEC-HEADER>0001186747-18-000020.hdr.sgml : 20180228
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20180228184035
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001186747-18-000020
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20180226
FILED AS OF DATE:		20180228
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20180228

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MCDUFFIE ANTHONY D
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001200744

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-12882
		FILM NUMBER:		18653640

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O BOYD GAMING CORPORATION
		STREET 2:		6465 SOUTH RAINBOW BLVD
		CITY:			LAS VEGAS
		STATE:			NV
		ZIP:			89118

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BOYD GAMING CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000906553
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	HOTELS & MOTELS [7011]
		IRS NUMBER:				880242733
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			NV
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		3883 HOWARD HUGHES PARKWAY
		STREET 2:		NINTH FLOOR
		CITY:			LAS VEGAS
		STATE:			NV
		ZIP:			89169
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7027927200

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		3883 HOWARD HUGHES PARKWAY
		STREET 2:		NINTH FLOOR
		CITY:			LAS VEGAS
		STATE:			NV
		ZIP:			89169

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	BOYD GROUP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19941130
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-02-26</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000906553</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BOYD GAMING CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BYD</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001200744</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MCDUFFIE ANTHONY D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>3883 HOWARD HUGHES PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>9TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LAS VEGAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NV</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>89169</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>VP &amp; Chief Accounting Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-02-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1650</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7325</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-02-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>428</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>35.29</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6897</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10846</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Anthony D. McDuffie Living Trust</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents shares underlying Performance Share Units that vested on February 26, 2018.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Anthony D. McDuffie Living Trust</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">On January 19, 2018, 2,289 shares were transferred from the reporting person's directly held account to Anthony D. McDuffie Living Trust.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Brian A. Larson, Attorney-in-Fact for Anthony McDuffie</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-02-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
