horse racing

$10,000 Pick-5 guarantee Wednesday at Batavia Downs

By Press Release
Dec 7, 2021, 12:11pm

Press Release by Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Down

There is still time and opportunity to enhance your Christmas shopping buying power when live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Dec. 8) as two carryover pools that include one large guarantee will highlight the card.

Beginning in the first race, there is a $2,259 carryover in the Pick-5 wager and the management of Batavia Downs has announced that the pool will be guaranteed at $10,000 as part of the United States Trotting Association’s Strategic Wagering Program. As a result, free program pages will be available courtesy of TrackMaster on the USTA’s website and also on the Batavia Downs website and Facebook page. The Pick-5 is a 50-cent base wager that begins in race one and runs through race five.

Then in race four, there is a carryover of $888 in the Jackpot Pick-6. That is a 20-cent base wager and it runs through race nine.

Free full card past performance program pages for these races on Saturday as well as every live racing night at Batavia can always be downloaded at bataviadownsgaming.com under the live racing tab. And if you can’t attend live, you can still watch all the racing action via the Batavia Downs YouTube channel.

Post time for the first race is 5 p.m.

There are only two race nights left at Batavia this year as the meet ends on Saturday (Dec. 11), and any pools that may carry over to Saturday will be mandatory payouts that night.

Western Regional Off-Track Betting sees highest Derby handle ever, also the Downs' busiest day ever

By Billie Owens
May 10, 2017, 2:35pm

Press release:

Representatives from Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation (WROTB) announced Tuesday that wagering at WROTB locations on Saturday’s Kentucky Derby was its highest total ever at $2,031,741, beating 2014’s record handle.

Handle was up over $200,000 over last year’s handle -- a 12-percent increase. Batavia Downs Gaming also posted a record gaming handle of $3.5 million for the day.

“This was an incredible day of wagering," said WROTB President Henry Wojtaszek. “We at WROTB want to thank our patrons for coming out to our branches, EZ bets, Batavia Downs and for using our online service Batavia Bets.com.

"We appreciate their patience on our busiest day. We could not have pulled this off if it wasn’t for our dedicated OTB branch and Batavia Downs staff, who worked tirelessly on Derby Day. We send congratulations to all our winners including the 34 patrons who hit the Trifecta and to the person who hit the $75,000 Superfecta.”

Derby wagers placed just at Batavia Downs Gaming totaled $91,330, an increase of nearly 58 percent over last year. Wagering using BataviaBets.com, WROTB’s online website, on the Derby was $98,352.50, a record. Batavia Bets.com signed up 720 new accounts on Friday and Saturday, also a new record. Buffalo ranked #4 in the country in terms of Derby viewership.

“It’s exciting to see that interest in the Kentucky Derby is alive and well in Western New York, “ said Todd Haight, general manager of Racing at Batavia Downs Gaming. “We had a record number of attendees at our onsite party.

"We’ll have another party for the Preakness with live mutuels sellers, food, free play and a complementary Preakness wager like we had for the Derby.”

The Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown, is scheduled for 6:48 p.m. on Saturday, May 20.

About Batavia Downs/WROTB

Owned and operated by 15 Western New York counties and the cities of Rochester and Buffalo, Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation is a public benefit corporation with headquarters in Batavia, NY. WROTB owns and operates 19 branches, as well as Batavia Downs Gaming, a standard bred racetrack and gaming facility. Since its inception, Western Regional OTB has generated over $215 million in operating and surcharge revenues to the taxpayers of those participating municipalities.

Big betting for Belmont at Batavia Downs

By Howard B. Owens
Jun 8, 2015, 11:21am

Press release:

Representatives from Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation (WROTB) announced today that wagering at WROTB on Saturday’s Belmont Stakes totaled $1,168,559. American Pharoah captured the first Triple Crown in 37 years. This was down just 6.2 percent from last year’s handle of $1,246,239 while nationwide; handle was down 10.5 percent versus last year. The 2014 race featured three more horses, which increased wagering. Batavia Bets.com, WROTB’s online wagering platform, had handle of over $110,000 for the day, up 28 percent from last year.

“It was great to see a Triple Crown winner. Those watching at Batavia Downs and our Branches were witness to a great horse fulfilling his destiny," said Batavia Downs and WROTB Marketing Director Ryan Hasenauer. "I have no doubt that if this race had more horses, we would have beaten last year’s numbers.”

“Kudos to the connections of American Pharoah, they did a great job with the colt,” said GM of Live Racing and OTB Handicapper Todd Haight. “Hopefully we’ll get to see him race a few more times this year before he heads to the breeding shed to begin his next career. In any event, we can all look forward to seeing his offspring run.”

TV viewing ratings topped a 12.3 rating with a 27 share. It was the first time in back to back years that the Belmont had higher than a 12 rating.

World's richest race on Saturday, wagers accepted at Batavia Downs

By Howard B. Owens
Mar 30, 2012, 11:19am

Press Release:

The $10,000,000 Dubai World Cup, the World’s richest horse race and the $1 Million Florida Derby, a major Kentucky Derby prep, headline a big day of racing at Western OTB and Batavia Downs Casino this Saturday.

OTB will offering wagering on the last five races from Meydan Racecourse located in the United Arab Emirates, the home of the Dubai World Cup. Post time for the World Cup is 1:40 p.m. All OTB branches will be open by 11:15 p.m.

Advance wagering begins on Friday.

History will be made as jockey Chantel Sutherland, a sometime reality star and model, will become the first female rider in the World Cup while Eclipse Award winner Royal Delta attempts to become the first filly to win the race.

Later in the afternoon, Union Rags the current favorite to win this year’s Run for the Roses makes his final prep before the Kentucky Derby in the $1,000,000 Florida Derby from Gulfstream Park. Union Rags has won four of his five lifetime races with the 3-year-olds lone defeat coming in the 2011 Breeders Cup Juvenile.
Post time for time for the Florida Derby is 5:40p.m.

Past performances for the Dubai races and the Florida Derby will be free at all branches and EZ-Bets. Westernotb.com lists all branches and EZ-Bet locations.

Western Regional Off-Track Betting, the owner of Batavia Downs is a public benefit corporation serving 15 counties and two municipalities. In addition to being America’s Oldest Lighted Harness Track, the facility at 8315 Park Road is home to over 640 of the most popular slots and Grandstands Bar & Grille. Batavia Downs’ 66th harness season begins July 23.

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