The sport of kings is bleeding betting dollars again this year, and bad weather, eyebrow-raising disqualifications, and odds spikes driven by computer-assisted wagering don’t bode well for a big turnaround in 2025’s back half.
Figures Equibase collected and published Tuesday show total betting on U.S. thoroughbred races dipped to approximately $951.5 million in July 2025, down 1.22% from July 2024.
As of the end of July, total wagering on U.S. races stood at around $6.7 billion, down 2.56% from the same point last year.
There are some legitimate excuses for the drop-off in betting on horse racing in July and 2025 overall. For example, a heatwave in the Midwest last month forced tracks to cancel race days, costing them wagering on those races.
