There is a growth in wagering and purses

Wagering on U.S. horse races, along with available and paid purses, all saw notable increases in August compared to the previous year, according to data released by Equibase on Thursday. Additionally, the number of race days and races showed slight growth during the month.

Total wagering exceeded $1.1 billion in August, reflecting a 5.53% increase from the same period in 2023. Available purses climbed by 7.38% to more than $142.7 million, while paid purses grew by 8.37% to over $136.6 million. The number of race days rose from 409 to 416 (+1.71%), and the total number of races increased slightly from 3,204 in August 2023 to 3,232 last month (+0.87%).

Average field size also saw a slight boost, growing from 7.16 to 7.21 runners (+0.72%). Average daily wagering increased by 3.75% to $2,807,622, while the average available purse per race day surged by 11.29% to $343,109, up from $308,293 in 2023.

Year-to-date figures show that wagering on U.S. races through August 2024 totalled $8.081 billion, a slight decrease of 2.03% compared to $8.249 billion in 2023. These totals include worldwide commingled wagering on U.S. races.