“Saratoga stands apart as a destination that continues to grow in popularity”
SARATOGA — It is safe to say the opening weekend for this year’s summer meet at Saratoga was a success, in fact, it was record-breaking. This is determined by examining the track handle, or the total amount of money waged on a single race, day, or season. This year, the on-track handle for opening weekend (July 14-17) was $17,062,482, an 18.5% increase from 2021. For all sources, meaning things like off-track betting facilities and sportsbooks, the all-source handle came in at an impressive $106,401,827, an 18.1% increase from the previous year. Paid attendance also saw an increase of 10% compared to the 2021 summer meet.
Dave O’Rourke, NYRA President and CEO had this to say about opening weekend at the Spa, “fan interest and engagement with the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course is at an all-time high. We saw that on display throughout Opening Weekend presented by Runhappy, which generated record wagering handle and a 10 percent increase in paid attendance. Saratoga stands apart as a destination that continues to grow in popularity, and we thank the fans for their enthusiastic support of the summer meet. Beyond the gates, NYRA is pleased to play a central role in driving tourism and economic activity throughout upstate New York. We look forward to all that lies ahead this summer at the Spa.”
