Equibase, North American racing's official database, has released its September and Third Quarter statistics for the industry's economic indicators, including field size, wagering, and other data, along with 2019 and 2020 comparables. The 2019 data is included as a pre-COVID-19 comparison.
Equibase is continuing to provide monthly reporting of its Economic Indicators Advisories as a service to the industry and in consideration of the economic changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Advisory is typically disseminated on a quarterly basis to provide key metrics used to measure racing's performance throughout the year.
Though total wagering trended up by 2.68 percent in September of 2022 versus that of the same month last year, the year-to-date figures show that wagering dollars for the first nine months of 2022 are up just 0.48 percent.
However, the total number of races held in September dropped by 160 from 2021 to 2022, and average handle per race day improved by 7.00 percent during the month.
Field size continues to be a struggling metric. The year-to-date numbers are down to 7.19 starters per race versus 7.27 over the first nine months of 2021, while the third quarter numbers are a bit worse, showing an average field size of 7.09 starters as compared to 7.65 in third quarter of 2021.
Purses, on the other hand, continue to improve. The lucrative Kentucky Downs meet in early September helped to boost the month's purses by 6.96 percent over the same month in 2021; year-to-date, purses are up 11.52 percent.
| September 2022 vs. September 2021 | |||
| Indicator | September 2022 | September 2021 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $936,206,774 | $911,734,704 | +2.68% |
| U.S. Purses | $138,277,267 | $129,279,561 | +6.96% |
| U.S. Race Days | 404 | 421 | -4.04% |
| U.S. Races | 3,205 | 3,365 | -4.75% |
| U.S. Starts | 23,184 | 24,107 | -3.83% |
| Average Field Size | 7.23 | 7.16 | +0.97% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $2,317,344 | $2,165,641 | +7.00% |
| Average Purses Per Race Day | $342,270 | $307,077 | +11.46% |
| 3rd QTR 2022 vs. 3rd QTR 2021 | |||
| Indicator | 3rd QTR 2022 | 3rd QTR 2021 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $3,275,502,012 | $3,218,160,111 | +1.78% |
| U.S. Purses | $393,292,695 | $365,402,287 | +7.63% |
| U.S. Race Days | 1,294 | 1,321 | -2.04% |
| U.S. Races | 10,140 | 10,436 | -2.84% |
| U.S. Starts | 71,936 | 73,324 | -1.89% |
| Average Field Size | 7.09 | 7.03 | +0.97% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $2,531,300 | $2,436,155 | +3.91% |
| Average Purses Per Race Day | $303,936 | $276,610 | +9.88% |
| YTD 2022 vs. YTD 2021 | |||
| Indicator | YTD 2022 | YTD 2021 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $9,540,539,563 | $9,495,194,731 | +0.48% |
| U.S. Purses | $981,999,594 | $880,553,979 | +11.52% |
| U.S. Race Days | 3,223 | 3,202 | +0.66% |
| U.S. Races | 26,010 | 26,227 | -0.83% |
| U.S. Starts | 186,950 | 190,622 | -1.93% |
| Average Field Size | 7.19 | 7.27 | -1.11% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $2,960,143 | $2,965,395 | -0.18% |
| Average Purses Per Race Day | $304,685 | $275,001 | +10.79% |
2020 Comparisons:
| September 2022 vs. September 2020 | |||
| Indicator | September 2022 | September 2020 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $936,206,774 | $1,040,000,472 | -9.98% |
| U.S. Purses | $138,277,267 | $110,307,205 | +25.36% |
| U.S. Race Days | 404 | 365 | +10.68% |
| U.S. Races | 3,205 | 3,101 | +3.35% |
| U.S. Starts | 23,184 | 24,447 | -5.17% |
| Average Field Size | 7.23 | 7.88 | -8.24% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $2,317,344 | $2,849,316 | -18.67% |
| Average Purses Per Race Day | $342,270 | $302,212 | +13.26% |
| 3rd QTR 2022 vs. 3rd QTR 2020 | |||
| Indicator | 3rd QTR 2022 | 3rd QTR 2020 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $3,275,502,012 | $3,292,016,515 | -0.50% |
| U.S. Purses | $393,292,695 | $305,067,601 | +28.92% |
| U.S. Race Days | 1,294 | 1,208 | +7.12% |
| U.S. Races | 10,140 | 9,989 | +1.51% |
| U.S. Starts | 71,936 | 76,402 | -5.85% |
| Average Field Size | 7.09 | 7.65 | -7.25% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $2,531,300 | $2,725,179 | -7.11% |
| Average Purses Per Race Day | $303,936 | $252,539 | +20.35% |
| YTD 2022 vs. YTD 2020 | |||
| Indicator | YTD 2022 | YTD 2020 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $9,540,539,563 | $8,346,543,422 | +14.31% |
| U.S. Purses | $981,999,594 | $629,236,249 | +56.06% |
| U.S. Race Days | 3,223 | 2,509 | +28.46% |
| U.S. Races | 26,010 | 20,895 | +24.48% |
| U.S. Starts | 186,950 | 164,476 | +13.66% |
| Average Field Size | 7.19 | 7.87 | -8.69% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $2,960,143 | $3,326,641 | -11.02% |
| Average Purses Per Race Day | $304,685 | $250,792 | +21.49% |
2019 Comparisons:
| September 2022 vs. September 2019 | |||
| Indicator | September 2022 | September 2019 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $936,206,774 | $801,998,134 | +16.73% |
| U.S. Purses | $138,277,267 | $118,229,293 | +16.96% |
| U.S. Race Days | 404 | 412 | -1.94% |
| U.S. Races | 3,205 | 3,329 | -3.72% |
| U.S. Starts | 23,184 | 25,231 | -8.11% |
| Average Field Size | 7.23 | 7.58 | -4.56% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $2,317,344 | $1,946,597 | +19.05% |
| Average Purses Per Race Day | $342,270 | $286,964 | +19.27% |
| 3rd QTR 2022 vs. 3rd QTR 2019 | |||
| Indicator | 3rd QTR 2022 | 3rd QTR 2019 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $3,275,502,012 | $2,921,407,748 | +12.12% |
| U.S. Purses | $393,292,695 | $349,864,886 | +12.41% |
| U.S. Race Days | 1,294 | 1,411 | -8.29% |
| U.S. Races | 10,140 | 11,097 | -8.62% |
| U.S. Starts | 71,936 | 80,738 | -10.90% |
| Average Field Size | 7.09 | 7.28 | -2.49% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $2,531,300 | $2,070,452 | +22.26% |
| Average Purses Per Race Day | $303,936 | $247,955 | +22.58% |
| YTD 2022 vs. YTD 2019 | |||
| Indicator | YTD 2022 | YTD 2019 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $9,540,539,563 | $8,594,182,019 | +11.01% |
| U.S. Purses | $981,999,594 | $893,867,018 | +9.86% |
| U.S. Race Days | 3,223 | 3,515 | -8.31% |
| U.S. Races | 26,010 | 28,554 | -8.91% |
| U.S. Starts | 186,950 | 210,977 | -11.39% |
| Average Field Size | 7.19 | 7.39 | -2.72% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $2,960,143 | $2,445,002 | +21.07% |
| Average Purses Per Race Day | $304,685 | $254,301 | +19.81% |
* Includes worldwide commingled wagering on U.S. races.
The post Economic Indicators: Average Handle, Purses Up As Race Numbers Decline appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
