Pari-mutuel handle at this year’s 78-day Aqueduct winter/spring meet was up across the board, the New York Racing Association reported April 26.
With five more racing days than the comparable meet in 2011, total handle increased 22.6% to $513.79 million from $419.11 million. Average daily handle on Aqueduct races were up by 14.7% to $6.58 million from $5.74 million last year, according to NYRA figures.
Ontrack handle on Aqueduct races from Jan. 1-April 22 totaled $70.13 million, up 19.2% from $58.74 million in 2011. The average of $897,613 was up 11.5% from $804,677.
The NYRA Rewards advance deposit wagering system handle for the Aqueduct meet was up 27.6% from $54.29 million to $69.26 million, NYRA reported. The figure includes wagers on Aqueduct races and all incoming signals.
The Belmont Café, a simulcast facility at Belmont Park, handled $23.92 million on Aqueduct races during the winter/spring meet. That was up 45.6% from $16.42 million last year.
NYRA said its ontrack handle figure includes NYRA Rewards and the Belmont Café.
Aqueduct, which now benefits from video lottery terminals located on site at the Resorts World New York City Casino, offered 717 races this season, up from 663 for the same meet last year. Field size averaged 7.48 horses per race, up from 7.03 in 2011.