Photo by Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire, Collage Maribeth Kalinich
NTRA Statement on 2022 Thoroughbred Racing Economic Indicators
NTRA and Equibase Press Releases
LEXINGTON, Ky.—The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) issued the following statement after the release of the Equibase Annual Year End 2022 Thoroughbred Racing Economic Indicators.
“Thoroughbred racing purses and pari-mutuel handle continued to exhibit strength in 2022. Purses were up double-digits year-over year and reached an all-time high thanks in part to contributions from other gaming sources,” said NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney. “Pari-mutuel handle was nearly equal to 2021 and the second highest since 2009. These business trends occurred during a year of unprecedented growth in legal, state regulated sports betting. The 2023 gaming landscape promises to be more competitive than ever for the sports wagering dollar. It also represents a huge opportunity to introduce pari-mutuel wagering and the sport of Thoroughbred racing to a vast new audience if we as an industry embrace the challenge.”
Total wagering for the year ended slightly down at -0.87% while purses continued their upward trend, ending up significantly at +10.92%, when compared to 2021. Year to date 2022 vs. 2021 indicators are listed below:
YTD 2022 vs YTD 2021:
| Indicator | YTD 2022 | YTD 2021 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $12,108,807,335 | $12,215,598,838 | -0.87% |
| U.S. Purses | $1,309,837,841 | $1,180,842,882 | +10.92% |
| U.S. Race Days | 4,104 | 4,072 | +0.79% |
| U.S. Races | 33,453 | 33,565 | -0.33% |
| U.S. Starts | 244,133 | 247,405 | -1.32% |
| Average Field Size | 7.30 | 7.37 | -0.99% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $2,950,489 | $2,999,901 | -1.65% |
| Average Purses Per Race Day | $319,161 | $289,991 | +10.06% |
For December, Fourth Quarter and Year End 2022
Equibase Data
| December 2022 vs. December 2021 | |||
| Indicator | December 2022 | December 2021 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $748,142,136 | $808,954,882 | -7.52% |
| U.S. Purses | $83,068,942 | $74,780,035 | +11.08% |
| U.S. Race Days | 256 | 251 | +1.99% |
| U.S. Races | 2,200 | 2,151 | +2.28% |
| U.S. Starts | 17,285 | 17,257 | +0.16% |
| Average Field Size | 7.86 | 8.02 | -2.07% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $2,922,430 | $3,222,928 | -9.32% |
| Average Purses Per Race Day | $324,488 | $297,928 | +8.91% |
| 4th QTR 2022 vs. 4th QTR 2021 | |||
| Indicator | 4th QTR 2022 | 4th QTR 2021 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $2,569,665,204 | $2,720,404,107 | -5.54% |
| U.S. Purses | $327,833,091 | $300,288,903 | +9.17% |
| U.S. Race Days | 881 | 870 | +1.26% |
| U.S. Races | 7,442 | 7,339 | +1.40% |
| U.S. Starts | 57,174 | 56,789 | +0.68% |
| Average Field Size | 7.68 | 7.74 | -0.72% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $2,916,760 | $3,126,901 | -6.72% |
| Average Purses Per Race Day | $372,115 | $345,160 | +7.81% |
| YTD 2022 vs. YTD 2021 | |||
| Indicator | YTD 2022 | YTD 2021 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $12,108,807,335 | $12,215,598,838 | -0.87% |
| U.S. Purses | $1,309,837,841 | $1,180,842,882 | +10.92% |
| U.S. Race Days | 4,104 | 4,072 | +0.79% |
| U.S. Races | 33,453 | 33,565 | -0.33% |
| U.S. Starts | 244,133 | 247,405 | -1.32% |
| Average Field Size | 7.30 | 7.37 | -0.99% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $2,950,489 | $2,999,901 | -1.65% |
| Average Purses Per Race Day | $319,161 | $289,991 | +10.06% |
2020 Comparisons:
| December 2022 vs. December 2020 | |||
| Indicator | December 2022 | December 2020 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $748,142,136 | $751,783,126 | -0.48% |
| U.S. Purses | $83,068,942 | $57,534,410 | +44.38% |
| U.S. Race Days | 256 | 229 | +11.79% |
| U.S. Races | 2,200 | 2,008 | +9.56% |
| U.S. Starts | 17,285 | 16,884 | +2.38% |
| Average Field Size | 7.86 | 8.41 | -6.56% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $2,922,430 | $3,282,896 | -10.98% |
| Average Purses Per Race Day | $324,488 | $251,242 | +29.15% |
| 4th QTR 2022 vs. 4th QTR 2020 | |||
| Indicator | 4th QTR 2022 | 4th QTR 2020 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $2,569,665,204 | $2,576,392,869 | -0.26% |
| U.S. Purses | $327,833,091 | $240,534,957 | +36.29% |
| U.S. Race Days | 881 | 793 | +11.10% |
| U.S. Races | 7,442 | 6,805 | +9.36% |
| U.S. Starts | 57,174 | 55,530 | +2.96% |
| Average Field Size | 7.68 | 8.16 | -5.85% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $2,916,760 | $3,248,919 | -10.22% |
| Average Purses Per Race Day | $372,115 | $303,323 | +22.68% |
| YTD 2022 vs. YTD 2020 | |||
| Indicator | YTD 2022 | YTD 2020 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $12,108,807,335 | $10,922,936,290 | +10.86% |
| U.S. Purses | $1,309,837,841 | $869,771,206 | +50.60% |
| U.S. Race Days | 4,104 | 3,302 | +24.29% |
| U.S. Races | 33,453 | 27,700 | +20.77% |
| U.S. Starts | 244,133 | 220,006 | +10.97% |
| Average Field Size | 7.30 | 7.94 | -8.12% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $2,950,489 | $3,307,976 | -10.81% |
| Average Purses Per Race Day | $319,161 | $263,407 | +21.17% |
2019 Comparisons:
| December 2022 vs. December 2019 | |||
| Indicator | December 2022 | December 2019 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $748,142,136 | $707,728,171 | +5.71% |
| U.S. Purses | $83,068,942 | $66,315,581 | +25.26% |
| U.S. Race Days | 256 | 252 | +1.59% |
| U.S. Races | 2,200 | 2,169 | +1.43% |
| U.S. Starts | 17,285 | 17,561 | -1.57% |
| Average Field Size | 7.86 | 8.10 | -2.96% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $2,922,430 | $2,808,445 | +4.06% |
| Average Purses Per Race Day | $324,488 | $263,157 | +23.31% |
| 4th QTR 2022 vs. 4th QTR 2019 | |||
| Indicator | 4th QTR 2022 | 4th QTR 2019 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $2,569,665,204 | $2,439,642,344 | +5.33% |
| U.S. Purses | $327,833,091 | $274,053,649 | +19.62% |
| U.S. Race Days | 881 | 910 | -3.19% |
| U.S. Races | 7,442 | 7,653 | -2.76% |
| U.S. Starts | 57,174 | 61,576 | -7.15% |
| Average Field Size | 7.68 | 8.05 | -4.52% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $2,916,760 | $2,680,926 | +8.80% |
| Average Purses Per Race Day | $372,115 | $301,158 | +23.56% |
| YTD 2022 vs. YTD 2019 | |||
| Indicator | YTD 2022 | YTD 2019 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $12,108,807,335 | $11,033,824,363 | +9.74% |
| U.S. Purses | $1,309,837,841 | $1,167,920,667 | +12.15% |
| U.S. Race Days | 4,104 | 4,425 | -7.25% |
| U.S. Races | 33,453 | 36,207 | -7.61% |
| U.S. Starts | 244,133 | 272,553 | -10.43% |
| Average Field Size | 7.30 | 7.53 | -3.05% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $2,950,489 | $2,493,520 | +18.33% |
| Average Purses Per Race Day | $319,161 | $263,937 | +20.92% |
* Includes worldwide commingled wagering on U.S. races.
