The 148th edition of the Kentucky Derby set a new wagering record as the 14-race Derby day race card attracted over $273.8 million in wagers.
All sources betting on the Derby, won by Rich Strike at odds of 80-1, totaled $179 million
The figures for the May 7th day of racing surpassed the previous year’s wagering handle of $233 million by 17% and was 9% higher than the previous all-time record of $250.9 million set in 2019.
All sources betting on the Derby, won by Rich Strike at odds of 80-1, totaled $179 million, a jump of $14.5 million on the previous all-time record also set in 2019. This was an increase of 15% on last year’s $155.4 million and up by 8% on 2019’s record handle of $166.5 million. Of that figure, $8.3 million was wagered in Japan as gamblers backed Japan-trained Crown Pride which finished 13th.
Churchill Downs Inc. reported positive results for Kentucky Derby week as the company revealed that gamblers wagered $391.8 million throughout the week. This was a 25% increase on 2021’s handle of $314.6 million and 14% more than the previous all-time record of $343 million in 2019.
The 2022 Derby also saw the return of a full capacity crowd for the first time since 2019. 147,294 racing fans passed through the gates throughout the week and while this was a significant increase on last year’s limited capacity crowd of 51,838, it was still well short of the all-time record of 170,513 set in 2015.
According to Churchill Downs, its TwinSpires online race book reported accepting $67.4 million in wagers on Derby Day races. This was an 8% increase on the previous record of $62.7 million set in 2021. Wagers on the Derby itself amounted to $44 million, up by 8% on last year’s all-time record of $40.8 million.
Speaking of the results, Churchill Downs Inc. CEO Bill Carstanjen said:
“We are deeply grateful to all of the fans of the Kentucky Derby around the world who once again made this an amazing and memorable experience. We expect the Kentucky Derby Week Adjusted EBITDA (earnings before taxes and other factors) to reflect another record with $7 to $9 million of growth over the prior record in 2019.”
Olivia has worked as an editor and writer for major brands across multiple niches. She now focuses on the iGaming and sports betting industries.