NATIONAL HANDLE MARK SET AT WHEELING ISLAND

The national single day handle record for greyhound racing at one racetrack was broken Saturday afternoon (May 7) at Wheeling Island.

The total wagered on-track and off-track last Saturday on Wheeling Island greyhounds was $1,487,335, surpassing the $1,457,609 bet on greyhounds at The Woodlands in Kansas on March 11, 1992.

For the week from Wednesday, May 4, through Sunday, May 8, Wheeling handled nearly $5 million – $4,910,233.

In the first quarter of 2022 (January through March), the amount wagered on greyhound racing in West Virginia continued to climb.

Wheeling Island handled nearly $56 million in the first quarter of 2022 compared to almost $53 million last year – an 8 percent increase. At Tri-State, $33 million was bet on racing this year in the first quarter compared to $27 million in 2021 – a 24 percent hike.

The following numbers validate the popularity of greyhound racing at Wheeling Island:

- The Wheeling handle increased this year despite less racing days in the first quarter – 63 days in 2021 and only 60 days in 2022 – and less races this year – 17-race cards in 2022 compared to 20-race programs in 2021.

- In the first quarter of 2021, Wheeling had five $1 million plus handle days while in the first three months of 2022 Wheeling had 18 days handling more than $1 million.

- This year, Wheeling has had 18 consecutive Saturday handles topping $1 million. One Saturday card was canceled due to flooding.