Third Quarter Sees Declines in Handle, Purses

Despite stronger performances in September, the year-to-date track of wagering in the United States continues to lose ground.

September delivered blue sky results for total wagering, total purses available and paid, and averages per race day for wagering and available purses. For the month, wagering rose 4.3% and purses paid increased 1.5%. U.S. race days dropped just over 7% to 329 days, which helped produce a 12.3% increase in average wagering per race day and an 11.7% increase in average available purses per race day.

These gains were not enough to nudge the changes in key metrics for the third quarter of the year, which shows a 3% decline in wagering and nearly 2% drop in total U.S. purses paid compared with the third quarter of 2025.

For the year to date, total wagering on U.S. races is trailing 4% from this point of 2025, with nearly $8.33 billion in wagering compared with nearly $8.68 billion through the third quarter of 2025. Total purses is essentially even with available purses a hair lower at 0.03% and purses paid a hair higher with a 0.06% rise.

The U.S. is reporting 83 fewer race days and 740 fewer races than were run at this point in 2025. Field size also is down nearly 2.7% to 7.18. The largest gain year to date is in average available purses per race day, which is tracking nearly 3% ahead.