A new age for horse racing

The online gambling boom in America is leading to a resurgence in horse racing.

January 10, 2025

jockey on a horse and gambling websites draft kings and fanduel

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Online gambling is intertwined with every major sport today, with betting companies spending hundreds of millions of dollars annually to stay in front of consumers.

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While football and basketball are the largest draws, there’s probably no sport as synonymous with gambling as horse racing. Horse racing doesn’t have the same level of consistency as the NFL or NBA, but its most popular event is comparable. FanDuel partnered with the Kentucky Derby last year and told CNBC that the volume of derby day bets hit the same level as the Super Bowl.

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Even before formal betting systems at the tracks, spectators placed informal wagers with each other on the outcome of races. Now, with online gambling, gambling revenue is leading to new investor interest and improvements in racetrack facilities.