Economic Indicators

Total wagering and the number of race days were lower compared to a year ago in May, but available purses were on the uptick, according to information released by Equibase on Friday. Total wagering of $1,387,522,075 on races during the month represented a 4.01% decrease over the same period from 2025, while available purses of nearly $123 million were higher by 0.12%. The figure of over $118 million for paid purses in May was also up by 0.09%. As for the total number of race days, they decreased from 365...

An increase in race days in April 2026 led to bumps in both wagering and purses across the United States compared to April of 2025. The month saw 2,170 races (+2.99%) across 259 race days (+2.78%) which pushed wagering totals to $898,254,315 (+2.23%). Purses were also up, with paid purses jumping to $95,634,866 (+9.14%). Average wagering per race day dipped slightly to $3,468,163 (-0.53%) while field size also fell to 7.30 (-5.38%) and starts dropped to 15,837 (-2.55%). Year over year, available and paid purses remained in the green at...

There may not be a harder-working man in racing journalism that Nick Luck. In addition to his work on NBC's racing broadcasts, he hosts the podcasts Nick Luck Daily and Nick Luck on Sunday, and has covered major racing events for networks in the U.K. Australia, Hong Kong, and throughout the Middle East. In 2017, he became the BBC Equestrian commentator, and has since covered the Olympia Horse Show, Badminton Horse Trials, Burghley Horse Trials, and the Olympic Games for the BBC. Luck has been named Horserace Writers' & Photographers'...

Wagering on U.S. races during the month of January experienced just over a six percent downswing from a year ago, but the number of race days was roughly 12 percent lower, according to information released by Equibase on Thursday. Total wagering of $753,930,913 on races during the month represented a 6.09% decrease over the same period from 2025, while available purses of over $73-million were lower by almost 13%. The figure of over $68.5-million for paid purses in January was also down by 13.69%. As for the total number of...

Wagering on U.S. races during the month of October experienced nearly a nine percent uptick and purses also saw significant growth compared to a year ago, according to information released by Equibase on Wednesday. Total wagering of $867,928,259 on races during the month represented a 8.99% increase over the same period from 2024, while available purses of over $115 million were higher by 8.13%. The figure of over $109 million for paid purses in October was also up by 7.59%. As for the total number of race days, they decreased...

Wagering increased compared to a year ago in August despite a reduction in the number of race days during the month, according to information released by Equibase on Friday. Total wagering of $1,204,428,838 on races during the month represented a 3.13% increase over the same period from 2024, while available purses of over $153 million were higher by 7.24%. The figure of over $145 million for paid purses in August was also up by 6.33%. As for the total number of race days, they decreased from 416 to 400 (-3.85%)...

Wagering dipped compared to a year ago in June, but so did the number of race days, according to information released by Equibase on Friday. Total wagering of $956,784,146 on races during the month represented a 7.18% decrease over the same period from 2024, while available purses of over $114 million were lower by 5.87%. The figure of over $110 million for paid purses in June was also down by 5.95%. As for the total number of race days, they also decreased from 408 to 380 (-6.86%) and the number...

The number of race days was higher and so was wagering compared to a year ago in May, according to information released by Equibase on Thursday. Total wagering of $1,445,615,184 on races during the month represented a 2.97% increase over the same period from 2024, while available purses of over $122 million were lower by 1.56%. The figure of over $118 million for paid purses in May was also down by 1.45%. As for the total number of race days, they increased from 359 to 365 (+1.67%) and the number...

The number of race days was lower and so was wagering compared to a year ago in March, according to information released by Equibase on Friday. Total wagering of $931,202,013 on races during the month represented a 4.20% decrease over the same period from 2024, while available purses of almost $98 million were lower by 4.23%. The figure of over $93 million for paid purses in March was also down by 4.84%. As for the total number of race days, they decreased from 285 to 263 (-7.72%) and the number...

In what is becoming a familiar trend for the sport of horse racing in North America, betting in 2024 declined by 3.35%. According to figures released Friday by Equibase, $11,265,210,514 was the all-sources yearly handle for 2024 for U.S. racing, down from 2023's total of $11,655,726,020. Handle was last up in 2021, but that was an outlier because those numbers were going up against 2020 figures when the pandemic shut down much of the sport. Prior to that, the last handle increase was in 2018. The more alarming trend is...

Wagering on U.S. races was higher, and both available and paid purses saw increases when compared to a year ago in November, while the number of race days and races themselves saw an uptick during the month, according to information released by Equibase on Friday. Total wagering of $921,122,693 on races during the month represented a 1.18% increase over the same period from 2023, while available purses of almost $128 million were up by 3.93%. The figure of over $121 million for paid purses in November was up 3.94%. As...

A -1.57% decrease in races and -1.58% in total race days in October lead to declines across the board compared to the same month a year ago.  Wagering totaled $796,468,476, a -2.71% decrease over last year while purses were also down (-1.63% available and -2.44% paid) to match available wagering per race day (-1.16%). Looking at the year to date, while wagering is still down (-2.88%), both available and paid purses are in the green (+0.79% and +0.50% respectively). Race days and total races are both down year over year...