There was a time in racing when all legal pari-mutuel
wagering was done on-track. But as the mid-60’s British pop duo of Peter and
Gordon sang during their heyday “that was yesterday and yesterday’s gone”.
It’s no secret that off-track wagers are important and an
integral part of any racetracks pari-mutuel handle. Off track wagers are always
combined with on track bets and that becomes the combined betting handle.
Of course, if everyone had their druthers they’d prefer a
huge on-track handle. However, with technology what it is today, having
on- track bets bigger than off- track wagers is a near impossibility.
Still, this past season Monticello Raceway enjoyed its
greatest combined handle statistics in the 56 years of the tracks existence.
Granted, the wagering numbers prior to the advent of off- track betting were
considerable, but as technology made it easier for fans to bet at facilities
other than racetracks the on- track betting numbers declined, and declined
substantially.
During the 2013 campaign a combined total of $126,583,865
was wagered on the Mighty M’s races. Considering there were 206 racing programs
the combined average daily handle was $614,484.Those numbers topped the
previous record of $564,947 which was produced during the 2007 campaign. Last
year fans, both on and off track wagered a daily average of $554,398.
It’s always gratifying when you can show an improvement over
the previous year,” said Maureen Flynn, the raceways director of pari-mutuels
and simulcasting. “It’s all about knowing who your customers are and then
giving them what they want.”
