A late surge of bettors at many OTB branches and E-Z Bets helped Western Regional Off-Track Betting realize its best Kentucky Derby in its 37-year history on Saturday
. A total of $1.594 million was wagered at 36 OTBs and eight E-Z Bet locations. That broke the mark of $1.502 million set in 2008.
“We had steady traffic all day at most locations,” said Michael D Kane, OTB Vice President of Operations and Live Racing. “Then a late-afternoon surge kept us busy right up to race time.”
According to OTB figures, $2,293,669 was wagered Saturday on all tracks that OTB carries. That figure is second only to the $2,310,476 wagered on all tracks in 2008. As of Monday, the largest known ticket cashed at WROTB was a $1 superfecta that paid $96,220 at the Ridge Lea branch in Amherst.
The second jewel of thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown, The Preakness, will take place on Saturday May 15 at Baltimore’s Pimlico Racetrack. The third jewel, the Belmont Stakes from New York’s Belmont Park, will be raced Saturday, June 5.
(With files from Western OTB)