Wagering on US horse races decreased during the second quarter of 2026, while purse distributions continued to rise, according to figures released by Equibase.
Total wagering on US races reached $3.19bn during the quarter, down 2.54% from the $3.28bn recorded during the same period in 2025. Through the first half of 2026, overall wagering stood at $5.52bn compared with $5.79bn a year earlier, representing a 4.52% decline.
The second-quarter figures showed that available purses increased despite weaker betting activity. Available purse money rose 3.51% year over year, moving from $329.1m in Q2 2025 to $340.7m in Q2 2026. Paid purses also climbed 3.70% to $327.8m.
Race volume decreased during the period, with race days falling from 997 to 978 and total races declining from 8,004 to 7,897. The average field size also dropped, reaching 7.01 horses per race compared with 7.24 in the second quarter of 2025.
June Results Reflect Broader Market Trend
Equibase data showed similar movements in June, with wagering declining while purse values increased.
Bettors wagered $911.9m on US races during June 2026, a decrease of $44.9m from the $956.8m recorded in June 2025. The number of race days declined from 380 to 374, while races held during the month decreased slightly from 2,964 to 2,948.
Average wagering per race fell 4.2% to $309,315. The average field size dropped below seven horses, reaching 6.87 compared with 7.06 during the same month last year.
Available purses increased 2.74% year over year in June, rising from $114.6m to $117.7m. Paid purses also grew 3.22%, reaching $113.8m from $110.3m in June 2025.
The increase in purse payments continued a longer trend during 2026. Through the first six months, available purses increased 1.24% to $596.8m, while paid purses rose 1.41% to $570m.
Smaller Fields Contribute To Handle Pressure
The decline in wagering occurred alongside lower field sizes, which are considered a key factor influencing betting activity. The average field size for the first half of 2026 was 7.26 horses per race, down from 7.54 during the same period in 2025.
Year-to-date figures showed that race days declined 2.16%, from 1,712 to 1,675, while the number of races also decreased 2.16%, from 14,175 to 13,869. Starts declined 5.83%, moving from 106,916 to 100,681.
Despite these declines, average available purses per race day increased. In the second quarter, the figure reached $348,325 compared with $330,110 in Q2 2025, an increase of 5.52%. For the first six months, average available purses per race day rose 3.47% to $356,270.
June also recorded higher purse values per race day, with the average available purse reaching $314,807 compared with $301,561 a year earlier.
The Equibase figures include worldwide commingled wagering on US races, covering betting activity from domestic and international sources.
Source:
“U.S. Wagering Declines During 2026 Second Quarter”, thoroughbreddailynews.com, Jul 6, 2026
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