- Pennsylvania horse racetracks are reopening which is set to bring in revenue from both the races as well as betting odds.
- Horse race betting revenue has been down in PA following the COVID-19 shutdowns.
- Presque Isle Downs and Casino set to reopen July 27 with safety conditions.
ERIE, Pa. - Pennsylvania residents, and tourists have some good news coming their way as the Keystone State looks to reopen its racetracks.
Horse racing in PA has been shut down for months due to the coronavirus outbreak. Horse race betting revenue has plummeted and the relaunch is looking to restore some of the losses.
The official reopening for one of the bigger racetracks, the Presque Isle Downs and Casino, is set for July 27.
Pennsylvania Horse Racing
Pennsylvania bettors will be happy to see the return of some form of gambling in the coming months.
The Keystone State is finally in the reopening phase of many of its betting operations, including racetracks.
The Presque Isle Downs reopening will kick off the first of the dates planned for competitions.
The season is set to run until October 22.
When the casino and racetrack reopens, the events will be held with no spectators in the crowd due to safety concerns.
Still, the horse racing world is still eager for the progression of horse racing returning, with a lot of people excited about the reopening of the Presque Isle Downs.
“We were very eager to hear that Erie County was in the green phase,” said Matt Ennis, PID racing director. “The decision to go spectatorless, and follow other tracks’ protocol, is new to us. We’re used to plenty of people in our patio area.”
With the return of horse racing, this also brings in the return of horse race betting in Pennsylvania.
Although nothing has been officially posted yet, online racebooks are sure to have odds and betting lines surrounding the 50 date’s event planned at the Presque Isle Downs.
That is a lot of potential big wins in the betting sphere as well as potential revenue for Pennsylvania. Although the state will still miss out on the money garnered from live crowds.
Annually, $1.6 billion in generated in Pennsylvania through horse race betting.
With the statewide shutdowns, that was money PA was surely missing.
Now residents and tourists alike will be able to wager on the biggest horse racing events in the state.
With no fans allowed in attendance, online gambling sites will be the go-to way to partake in horse race betting in Pennsylvania.