Japanese, Hong Kong Bettors Wager $14.8M on BC

Victories from Loves Only You  and Marche Lorraine  were not the only Japanese success stories of the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar. Another highlight was betting from Japan and from Hong Kong, both of which offered separate-pool wagering on select Breeders' Cup contests.

According to the Breeders' Cup, Japanese bettors wagered $11.7 million on three races: the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T), the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile Presented by PDJF (G1T), and the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T). Hong Kong bettors wagered $3.1 million collectively on the Mile and the Turf.

Twenty-seven countries took wagers on the Breeders' Cup, though additions of Japan and Hong Kong were among the most financially significant. This year marked just the first time Japan bettors have been able to wager on a Breeders' Cup race since the 2016 Filly & Mare Turf from Santa Anita Park. Japan allows betting on only a limited number of international races each year. 

The high handle originating from Asia came despite those races taking place in the early morning of Nov. 6.

In Japan's separate pool, Loves Only You started at odds of approximately 8-5, compared to 4-1 in the North American commingled pool. Wagering was not offered in Japan on the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), in which Marche Lorraine scored a 49-1 upset. Five other Japanese horses competed in the Breeders' Cup.