The three on line betting partners of the Virginia Equine Alliance (VEA) combined to handle over $10 million last month, a 9.6% increase in total handle over the same time period a year prior. May generally is the best betting month since two of the Triple Crown events fall in that period — the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
Twin Spires surged past TVG as top handle generator from Virginia residents, while XPressBet remained third but experienced the highest percentage gain of the trio. The May 2016 handle of $10,033,310 compared favorably to the $9,156,927 figure from May 2015.
Exaggerator’s win in the Preakness (shown here from Anne Eberhardt) and Nyquists’s Derby win helped boost interest and betting handle in the month of May
May’s statistical comparison is the first month in a year that all factors in Virginia were equal from a year to year standpoint. Colonial Downs’ EZ Horseplay, which had been the fourth — and leading — on line betting company, shut down in April, 2015 so numbers from May ’16 versus May ’15 provide a true snapshot of in-state handle based on three operating partner companies.
Twin Spires led the way in May with $4,156,909 in handle compared with 2015’s $3,684,057 total. TVG’s tally of $4,140,081 was higher than last May’s $3,901,624 while XPressBet’s total of $1,706,319 beat their May ’15 number of $1,570,445.
Belmont Stakes Day is up next this Saturday June 11th and even though there isn’t a horse competing for the Triple Crown, the race itself should be great. Belmont has a stellar under card with many Grade 1 stakes on the menu. Virginia race fans can sign up for accounts at XPressBet.com, TVG.com and TwinSpires.com — all three have great bonus offers in conjunction with Belmont Day, so this week is an ideal time to open an account.