October Wagering and Purse Numbers Show Strong Year-Over-Year Growth
Equibase released its October racing industry figures Wednesday, revealing significant growth in both wagering and purses compared to the same period last year.
Total wagering on U.S. races reached $867,928,259 in October, representing an 8.99% increase over October 2024 figures. Available purses exceeded $115 million, climbing 8.13% year-over-year, while paid purses topped $109 million, up 7.59%.
The positive financial indicators came despite a slight reduction in racing opportunities. Race days decreased from 312 to 304 (-2.56%), while the total number of U.S. races fell from 2,569 to 2,495 (-2.88%).
Average field size experienced a minimal decline, dropping from 7.73 to 7.69 runners per race (-0.53%).
Daily wagering metrics showed particularly strong improvement, with average daily handle increasing by 11.86% to $2,855,024. The average available purse per race day rose 10.98% to $379,899, up from $342,326 in 2024.
Year-to-date figures through October show a slight decline in overall wagering on U.S. races, with $9.547 billion wagered in 2025 compared to $9.662 billion during the same period in 2024 (-1.19%). These figures include worldwide commingled wagering on U.S. races.
The October results suggest strengthening industry metrics heading into the final months of the year, with wagering growth outpacing the slight reduction in racing opportunities.
