SPORTSHORSERACING

Belmont Park's betting handle reaching new heights

A pony handler looks on between races during the first day of live horse racing at Belmont Park on June 3, 2020. Credit: Getty Images/Al Bello 

By Andrew Grossandrew.gross@newsday.com   @AGrossNewsday Updated June 8, 2020 4:19 PM

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It’s literally the only game in town right now.

So, it’s somewhat predictable that betting on live horse racing at Belmont Park has seen a marked increase from this period last year, even though no fans are being admitted to the giant grandstand because of the COVID-19 pandemic and casinos are still closed for sports books.

NYRA announced on Monday that its opening week of the delayed, 25-day spring/summer meet generated an all-sources handle of $76,264,891. That is an 84 percent increase over the first five full days of the 2019 spring/summer meet at Belmont. Live racing resumed on Wednesday and that day’s 10-race card marked the first sporting event in New York since NYRA’s winter meet at Aqueduct was forced to end on March 15.

Fox Sports and MSG Networks are broadcasting the races. NYRA Bets is the organization’s official online wagering site, for Belmont and racetracks worldwide. But unaffiliated sportsbooks are also taking online betting action.

“The New York Racing Association thanks all the fans who tuned in to support live racing and wagered through NYRA Bets or with one of our wagering partners,” Tony Allevato, NYRA’s chief revenue officer and president of NYRA Bets said in a statement. “During this unprecedented time in horse racing, we rely completely on our digital resources and television to reach our fanbase.”

Wednesday’s all-sources handle of $10,972,254 set an opening day record at Belmont, topping the $10.7 million from 2010.

The comparable first five days of racing last year – April 26-28 and May 2 and 4, 2019 – generated an all-sources handle of $41,376,401.

“We didn’t know what to expect at the beginning, to be honest,” said Adam Burns, the sportsbook manager for BetOnline.ag. “It’s been busier than ever. People are betting on all sorts of crazy stuff they wouldn’t have…It’s tremendous for us. We’re taking more on horse racing now than we ever did and not all the tracks are open.”