Breeders’ Cup betting up this year
The overall handle for the Breeders’ Cup held at Churchill Downs increased to set a new record, climbing 15.5% for last Saturday’s card.
The success of this year’s Breeder’s Cup certainly was helped by fan-favorite Zenyatta’s attempt to win her 20th race in the Classic. But beyond Zenyatta’s fan base increasing television ratings, other factors also helped increase the handle, such as an increase in race field size and a lower minimum for many exotic bets. The all-sources handle on the 14 races was over $157 million, up from just over $136 million last year.
Betting on the Classic itself also set a record, as did betting numbers on Zenyetta to win. Handle in exotic pools were increased due to the larger field sizes and bet minimums set to fifty cents, as bettors could place a wider variety of bets.
Attendance was also very strong compared to previous years, with over 70,000 at Churchill Downs for Saturday’s card, and almost 42,000 at the track for Friday’s card. Attendees also enjoyed prime-time racing, enjoying two races Friday and the Classic Saturday under Churchill Downs’ track lights.
Innovative new betting offerings, increased field size, and the presence of a track favorite contributed to a successful Breeder’s Cup, many features of which will be utilized next year at the 2011 Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs.
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