The Hong Kong Jockey Club has set yet another turnover record with HK$1.86 billion worth of bets placed on this year’s Lunar New Year race meeting at Sha Tin.
Despite COVID-19 restrictions meaning the course was off limits to the public, this year’s turnover grew 1%, or HK$20 million, compared with 2021 although there was one extra race on the schedule this time around. It was the third year in a row that the Lunar New Year meet had been closed to the public with only club officials, key staff, trainers, jockeys, licensed personnel and people whose roles were essential allowed in.
COVID-19 certainly hasn’t dampened the willingness of punters, with The HKJC also having recorded the highest opening day turnover in its history in September with total betting reaching HK$1.44 billion (US$185 million) – 4.3% higher than the previous record set 12 months earlier.
It also reported record turnover for the 2020/21 season, rising 27.9% year-on-year to HK$279.70 billion (US$36.0 billion) including a 12.5% rise in racing turnover to HK$136.1 billion (US$17.5 billion).