Harness: Total U.S. handle up in 2015

The total wagering on harness racing at U.S. tracks in 2015 surpassed $1.5 billion, a 1.02 percent increase compared to 2014 according to statistics announced by the U.S. Trotting Association on Wednesday.

During the past year, the $1,512,300,328 wagered on pari-mutuel harness racing nationwide was $15,295,745 more than the 2014 total of $1,497,004,583.

In addition, there was an increase of $15,464,369 (3.79 percent) in total purses awarded nationally with $423,599,755 distributed in 2015 versus $408,135,386 in 2014.

Race days grew year-over-year from 3,695 in 2014 to 3,748 this year, an increase of 53 days (1.43 percent).

The only decline in harness racing’s economic indicators across the U.S. was a 3.86 percent drop in average wagering per race from $39,306 last year to $37,789 in 2015, a difference of $1,517 per race.

Following are the comparative economic indicators for U.S. harness racing from 2015 and 2014.

Economic indicators on U.S. harness races

	2015	2014	% Change
Total Wagered	$1,512,300,328	$1,497,004,583	+1.02%
Per Race avg.	$37,789	$39,306	-3.86%
Purses	$423,599,755	$408,135,386	+3.79%
Race Days	3,748	3,695	+1.43%

Please note: Includes U.S. and Canadian common and separate pool wagers on races contested in the U.S. Data source: United Tote.

The United States Trotting Association, located in Columbus, Ohio, is a not-for-profit association of Standardbred owners, breeders, drivers, trainers, and officials, organized to provide administrative, rulemaking, licensing and breed registry services to its members. For more information on the USTA, please visit www.ustrotting.com.

-release from USTA