But wallets have been hit hard by the COVID pandemic. That's according to year-end data released by Equibase last week.

Betters bet more than $10.9 billion on thoroughbred racing last year. That's down $186.6 million, or less than 1%, from $11 billion gambled in 2019. Even with the number of races down 23.5%, the reduction in steering wheels has been barely noticeable.

COVID-19 had a unique impact on racing last year. Major tracks such as Churchill Downs, Santa Anita, and Belmont Park lost their racing schedules because of the virus. In addition, all Triple Crown races had to be rescheduled. This prompted officials at Churchill Downs to run the Kentucky Derby in September. Maryland's Pimlico Race Course moved the Preakness Stakes to October.

All three Triple Crown races were held without spectators. So, although most of the betting on the races occurs online, a lack of fans has definitely affected the undercard races, especially on the main race days.

Overall card money for the Kentucky Derby is down nearly 50%. The $124.9 million drop was larger than the year-over-year drop.

However, while major tracks found shortened race days, others were actually able to expand their racing schedules. In March and April, bettors were able to bet on races on tracks like Foner Park in Nebraska and Tampa Bay Downs in Florida because most U.S. sports were shut down by the virus.

Alex Waldrop, president and CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, said in a statement that he thanked fans and "essential participants in the background and beyond" for their efforts to keep the sport going during difficult times.

"Despite the widespread and negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the racing world is extremely resilient, driven by the fact that Paris mutual bets on U.S. racing have remained stable," he said.

The average daily wage for racing in 2020 was $3.3 million. That's up nearly a third from the average $2.5 million in 2019.

Less money for 2020 riders It was good news for racing. Bad news.

Fewer race days and fewer races mean less money was available to jockeys in 2020. Total purchases for U.S. racing fell by nearly $300 million to $869.8 million. The 25.5 percent drop in purchases roughly matched the percentage of lost races (3,302 in 2020 compared to 4,425 in 2019).

COVID-19 issues could continue into 2021 for racing, even if the country and sport recover.

Some race states rely on game revenues from casinos, l'Aquino, or historic racetracks to supplement purchases and make racing more attractive to owners and trainers. Because many of those stadiums remain under COVID-19 restrictions, which reduce the number of available patrons and machines, they may not be able to afford purchases as they have in the past few years. 동행복권파워볼

Unplanned dark days on several tracks have significantly reduced the number of horses at the starting gate. Equibase reported more than 220,000 starts in 2020, down from more than 272,500 in 2019. But last year, the average field size per race was nearly eight, thanks to a steep drop in racing. That compares with 7.5 in 2019.

Trotters see bells on their handles, in their wallets Harness Racing endured a 2020 hiatus last year, with handles down 18.4%. Bettors earned nearly $1.16 billion in 2019, up from $1.42 billion, according to the American Trot Association.

But industry insiders pointed out that horse racing didn't get the opportunity to have in the spring because all harness tracks were closed from late March to June.

Since June, bets have actually increased by 6 percent compared to the same period in 2019. Betters have cut $844.4 million in those races.

Also, purchases fell. Harness horsemen competed for $343.1 million in money in 2020. That's down 30.8% from $439.5 million in 2019.