Headlines: Harness Racing Wager Handle Down Over 4-Year Period

U.S. Trotting Association: 

Across all 30 of the extended pari-mutuel tracks that raced in the U.S. over the last four years (2021-24), total handle over the period declined by 4.3% with average nightly wagering being down 1.7% and average betting on a per-race basis down by 5.6%. During this time, the percentage of handle by wager type has stayed remarkably level. Although there were fewer dollars in total wagered, the way bets are being placed is virtually unchanged. The Standardbred player is an extremely consistent animal. The wager most universally preferred by bettors is the exacta, which garners around 26% of the total handle. This is followed closely by the trifecta, which accounts for about 24%, and then win, capturing roughly 17% of all dollars wagered on the sport.