Fixed-odds horseracing wagering will go live with a licensed sports betting platform in the US for the first time through a new deal between Sports Information Services and bet365.
SIS Content Services, part of the SIS Group, will deliver its global horseracing content to bettors in Colorado via the operator.
Michele Fisher, vice president of SIS Content Services, said the launch “puts horse racing on equal footing with other sports and hopefully attracts a new fan base and revenue for our racetrack partners.”
“It will take time in the US, but I expect that more sports wagering operators and states will include horse racing on their sports catalogues,” she added.
Horseracing bettors will be offered the same type of betting as other sports and SIS said it will help attract a “wider range” of casual bettors.
The move will also support stakeholders such as Bally’s Arapahoe Park and the Colorado Horsemen’s Association, it said.
SIS provides a comprehensive horseracing portfolio of nearly 140 international and domestic racetracks, with the Saudi Cup day, in which top American horses will compete for a US$33.5m prize, a headline upcoming event on the calendar.
The company provides further horseracing coverage from countries such as Ireland, Australia and Argentina.
A bet365 spokesperson said: “The introduction of fixed odds horse racing betting is sure to have a positive impact in Colorado.
“We have seen the popularity of fixed odds betting in horse racing in other markets, and as sports betting becomes more ingrained across the US, it will certainly provide a boost to engagement.”
Shannon Ruston, executive director of operations and racing at Bally’s Arapahoe Park, said it has worked with SIS to create a “commercial framework that benefits local racing.”
“Our belief is that this development will secure a better future not only for Arapahoe Park, but also for the racing ecosystem as a whole in Colorado,” she added.
And the president of the Colorado Horsemen’s Association, Kim Oliver, said it wants horseracing in Colorado to be “economically viable” for participating owners and trainers, insisting fixed-odds betting will introduce a new revenue stream and exposure for horse racing.
