In a Dubai World Cup first, U.S. will bet into 'world pools'

U.S. bettors who wager on the Dubai World Cup and its undercard this Saturday will be betting for the first time into pools that commingle wagers from customers on five continents.

The pools, which will be hosted by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, are part of an effort by international racing authorities to consolidate wagering pools on major international racing events among all racing jurisdictions in the world. The Hong Kong Jockey Club also hosted so-called “world pools” on the March 6 card from Dubai.

“Commingling provides our sport with a golden opportunity to harvest the full potential of global racing,” said Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, the chief executive officer of the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

In the past, U.S. bettors wagering on the World Cup placed their wagers into pools that were commingled with other North American betting sites. The commingling of wagers from a larger number of racing jurisdictions increases liquidity in pools.

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According to the HKJC, total handle on the March 6 card from Meydan Racecourse in Dubai was up 38.7 percent this year compared to 2020. In 2019, the first “world pools” were hosted by the HKJC on the Royal Ascot meeting in England. Although it was billed as a “proof of concept,” total handle on Royal Ascot’s races jumped 60 percent.