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Handle Up Again, Purses Way Up in November

Betting on U.S. Thoroughbred races was up again year over year in November 2021, while the industry saw a major spike in purses for the month, according to figures released by Equibase Monday. The numbers continue the positive economic trends the sport has seen this year as it continues to emerge from the toll taken by the pandemic.

A total of $961,813,331 was wagered on U.S. races in November, up 7.4% from the November 2020 figure of $895,546,532. The November 2021 number is more flat when compared with November 2019, when $945,843,009 was wagered, but total handle for 2021 has now surpassed $11.4 billion, which is a jump of 12.18% over the total through November in 2020 and a 10.49% improvement on the number from the end of November in 2019. Wagering on U.S. races is likely to top $12 billion by the end of the year, a total that hasn't been reached since 2009, according to statistics from The Jockey Club.

If there is a small caveat to the positive handle numbers, it is that wagering per race day was down significantly in November at $3,305,200, a 17.33% decrease from $3,997,976 in November 2020, and for the year average wagering per race day stands at $2,986,058, a drop of 9.78% from $3,309,845 at this point in 2020. Compared to 2019, however, the 2021 numbers are still a drastic improvement, with the November figure representing a 12.04% jump and the year-to-date number showing a 20.67% increase.

Purses have also seen a dramatic improvement in 2021, although those figures are more of a reversion to the mean of 2019 as opposed to meaningful improvements on pre-pandemic levels. A total of $117,678,625 was paid out this November, a 27.78% improvement on the November 2020 number of $92,095,830, but just a 1.66% increase from the November 2019 total of $115,756,315. For the year, purses have totaled just over $1.1 billion, a huge 36.17% increase from the pandemic-affected number of $812,236,796 through November in 2020, but the 2021 number is essentially flat compared to 2019's purse figures through November.

Field size continues to be a bugaboo for the industry, as average number of horses per race was 7.7 in November, a drop of 7.79% from 8.35 in November 2020, and for the year the number is just 7.33, a 7.34% decrease from 7.91 in 2020. Field size averaged 8 and 7.49 for the month and year, respectively, at this point in 2019.

The post Handle Up Again, Purses Way Up in November appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Economic Indicators: Record Breeders’ Cup Handle Leads Slight Wagering Increases In November

Equibase, North American racing's official database, released Monday its November 2021 statistics for the industry's economic indicators, including field size, wagering, and other data, along with year-to-date and 2019 and 2020 numbers. The database distributes 2020 and 2021 numbers and includes 2019's data for comparisons to pre-COVID-19 pandemic numbers.

Led by a record handle at the Del Mar-hosted Breeders' Cup World Championships on Nov. 5 and 6 ($183,260,127, a two-day record for the championship event), November's total wagering numbers were up 7.40 percent over the same month in 2020. Part of the reason for the increase could be the return of in-person attendance to the Breeders' Cup, which was severely restricted at Keeneland in 2020.

When Del Mar last hosted the Breeders' Cup in 2017, it posted a then-record handle of $166,077,486. The new mark is 10.4 percent higher than that.

Compared to 2019, this November's handle was only 0.62 percent higher, though average wagering per race day sustained a solid 12.04 percent bump between November of 2019 and November of 2021.

Though purses and race days are both up over 25 percent from the same month in 2020, average daily wagering saw a sharp decrease of 17.33 percent, while the year-to-date figures for average wagering are also down nearly 10 percent. That contrasts sharply with the numbers from 2019, which put average wagering up over 20 percent from the first 11 months of 2019 to the same period in 2021.

The discrepancy could be explained by the increased attention horse racing experienced during the harshest months of the pandemic in 2020; this year's return to a more normal sports schedule and in-person activities could definitely play a role in where wagering dollars have been spent.

November 2021 vs. November 2020
Indicator	November 2021	November 2020	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$961,813,331	$895,546,532	+7.40%
U.S. Purses	$117,678,625	$92,095,830	+27.78%
U.S. Race Days	291	224	+29.91%
U.S. Races	2,440	1,945	+25.45%
U.S. Starts	18,782	16,236	+15.68%
Average Field Size	7.70	8.35	-7.79%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$3,305,200	$3,997,976	-17.3`3%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$404,394	$411,142	-1.64%

YTD 2021 vs. YTD 2020
Indicator	YTD 2021	YTD 2020	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$11,409,728,296	$10,171,153,164	+12.18%
U.S. Purses	$1,106,048,142	$812,236,796	+36.17%
U.S. Race Days	3,821	3,073	+24.34%
U.S. Races	31,415	25,692	+22.28%
U.S. Starts	230,147	203,122	+13.30%
Average Field Size	7.33	7.91	-7.34%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,986,058	$3,309,845	-9.78%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$289,466	$264,314	+9.52%

2019 Comparisons:

November 2021 vs. November 2019
Indicator	November 2021	November 2019	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$961,813,331	$955,843,009	+0.62%
U.S. Purses	$117,678,625	$115,756,315	+1.66%
U.S. Race Days	291	324	-10.19%
U.S. Races	2,440	2,730	-10.62%
U.S. Starts	18,782	21,839	-14.00%
Average Field Size	7.70	8.00	-3.78%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$3,305,200	$2,950,133	+12.04%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$404,394	$357,273	+13.19%

YTD 2021 vs. YTD 2019
Indicator	YTD 2021	YTD 2019	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$11,409,728,296	$10,326,096,192	+10.49%
U.S. Purses	$1,106,048,142	$1,101,605,086	+0.40%
U.S. Race Days	3,821	4,173	-8.44%
U.S. Races	31,415	34,038	-7.71%
U.S. Starts	230,147	254,992	-9.74%
Average Field Size	7.33	7.49	-2.21%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,986,058	$2,474,502	+20.67%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$289,466	$263,984	+9.65%

* Includes worldwide commingled wagering on U.S. races.

The post Economic Indicators: Record Breeders’ Cup Handle Leads Slight Wagering Increases In November appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Economic Indicators For October: Field Sizes, Race Days Down While Wagering, Purses Up

Equibase, North America's horse racing's official database, has released its economic indicators for October 2021. These indicators include field size, wagering, number of race days, and other information distributed monthly alongside year-to-date, 2019, and 2020 data. The database shares 2020 and 2021 statistics and includes 2019's data for comparison to pre-pandemic numbers.

October's economic indicators show a decrease in the number of race days, number of races, and the average field size, while total wagering on American races, amount of purses awarded, and average wagering per race day have increased from October 2020. The number of race days decreased by 3.53%, with 12 fewer race days in October 2021 than in 2020. Fewer race days meant fewer races run, a 3.65% decrease over last year, and fewer starts for American horses, down 7.41% from 2020. The average field size decreased as well, from 7.86 in October 2020 to 7.55 in October 2021. These numbers reflect a continued trend from pre-pandemic October 2019, with the largest decrease in the total number of starts.

While the number of race days and races decreased from 2020, the total amount of money wagered and the amount wagered per race day increased, as did average purses awarded per race day and total purses awarded. Wagering totals from October 2020 were buoyed by the $51.2 million wagered on the Preakness, which was moved from its usual spot on the calendar in May due to the pandemic.

The largest increase was in average purses awarded per race day in October 2021, which was 22.97% higher than 2020. The total amount of purse money awarded in the United States grew similarly, up 18.63% from October 2020. These numbers are similar to those from October 2019.

Though the total wagered on races in the United States only grew by 2.32%, the average wagering per race day was up 6.06%, reversing a trend from September where wagering had decreased. These totals are up from 2019 as well, showing a 22.49% and 24.73% increase respectively from pre-pandemic numbers. Even with a decrease in the number of races, race days, and average field size, the amount wagered per day and over the course of the month continues to show double-digit growth. Year-to-date comparisons from 2019 to 2021 show similar trends.

Overall, while the number of races and race days has decreased, the amount of purse money awarded, the amount of money wagered on an average day, and the amount wagered in total has increased.

October 2021 vs. October 2020
Indicator	October 2021	October 2020	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$950,624,087	$929,063,211	+2.32%
U.S. Purses	$107,844,038	$90,904,717	+18.63%
U.S. Race Days	328	340	-3.53%
U.S. Races	2,748	2,852	-3.65%
U.S. Starts	20,750	22,410	-7.41%
Average Field Size	7.55	7.86	-3.90%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,898,244	$2,732,539	+6.06%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$328,793	$267,367	+22.97%

YTD 2021 vs. YTD 2020
Indicator	YTD 2021	YTD 2020	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$10,448,766,933	$9,275,606,633	+12.65%
U.S. Purses	$988,391,517	$720,140,966	+37.25%
U.S. Race Days	3,530	2,849	+23.90%
U.S. Races	28,976	23,747	+22.02%
U.S. Starts	211,377	186,886	+13.10%
Average Field Size	7.29	7.87	-7.31%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,959,991	$3,255,741	-9.08%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$279,998	$252,770	+10.77%

2019 Comparisons:

October 2021 vs. October 2019
Indicator	October 2021	October 2019	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$950,624,087	$776,071,164	+22.49%
U.S. Purses	$107,844,038	$91,981,753	+17.25%
U.S. Race Days	328	334	-1.80%
U.S. Races	2,748	2,754	-0.22%
U.S. Starts	20,750	22,176	-6.43%
Average Field Size	7.55	8.05	-6.23%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,898,244	$2,323,566	+24.73%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$328,793	$275,394	+19.39%

YTD 2021 vs. YTD 2019
Indicator	YTD 2021	YTD 2019	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$10,448,766,933	$9,370,253,183	+11.51%
U.S. Purses	$988,391,517	$985,848,771	+0.26%
U.S. Race Days	3,530	3,849	-8.29%
U.S. Races	28,976	31,308	-7.45%
U.S. Starts	211,377	233,153	-9.34%
Average Field Size	7.29	7.45	-2.04%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,959,991	$2,434,464	+21.59%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$279,998	$256,131	+9.32%

* Includes worldwide commingled wagering on U.S. races.

The post Economic Indicators For October: Field Sizes, Race Days Down While Wagering, Purses Up appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Wagering and Purses Up Despite Fewer Races in October 2021

Equibase has released the economic indicators for the month of October and year-to-date, as well as the same statistics for October of 2020 and January through October of 2020 for comparison.

THOROUGHBRED RACING ECONOMIC INDICATORS FOR OCTOBER 2021

Indicator Oct. 2021 Oct. 2020 % Change

Wagering/U.S. Races $950,624,087 $929,063,211 +2.32%

U.S. Purses $107,844,038 $90,904,717 +18.63%

U.S. Race Days 328 340 -3.53%

U.S. Races 2,748 2,852 -3.65%

U.S. Starts 20,750 22,410 -7.41%

Avg. Field Size 7.55 7.86 -3.90%

Avg. Wagering/Day $2,898,244 $2,732,539 +6.06%

Avg. Purses/Day $328,793 $267,367 +22.97%

YTD 2021 vs. YTD 2020

Indicator 3Q 2016 3Q. 2015 % Change

Wagering/U.S. Races $10,448,766,933 $9,275,606,633 +12.65%

U.S. Purses $988,391,517 $720,140,966 +37.25%

U.S. Race Days 3,530 2,849 +23.90%

U.S. Races 28,976 23,747 +22.02%

U.S. Starts 211,377 186,886 +13.10%

Avg. Field Size 7.29 7.87 -7.31%

Avg. Wagering/Day $2,959,991 $3,255,741 -9.08%

Avg. Purses/Day $279,998 $252,770 +10.77%

Stats provided by Equibase Company

*Includes worldwide commingled wagering on U.S. races.

The post Wagering and Purses Up Despite Fewer Races in October 2021 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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