Japanese Horse Race Betting

Pari-mutuel betting is the sole form of wagering at horse races in Japan under the Horse Racing Law.

JRA and local racing authorities are the only organizations authorized by law to legally conduct betting operations on horse racing. As such, there are no legal private bookmakers or betting companies.

However, in accordance with the amended horse racing law (in force from January 1, 2005), which permits subcontracting of business matters related to the running of horse races, JRA is permitted to contract out the offering of bets and the issuance of payouts or refunds to prefectural or municipal governments or private citizens and prefectural or municipal governments can consign them to other prefectural or municipal governments, JRA, or private citizens.

The JRA offers eight types of bets:

• win
• place
• bracket quinella
• quinella
• quinella place ("wide")
• exacta
• trio
• trifecta

In 2006 quinellas make up around 28.7% of total turnover. Of these, bracket quinellas are unique to Japan. In the case of bracket quinellas, horses entered in a race are first coupled into a total of eight brackets (of one horse or more in each bracket). Fans select two brackets in a quinella styled bet and if one horse from each of those brackets comes in first or second (regardless of order of finish), the bet is a winner.

Meanwhile the types of bets offered differ according to local racing venue. As of 2006, five tracks - Ohi, Funabashi, Kawasaki, Urawa and Kanazawa - offer nine varieties, the eight types mentioned above plus bracket exactas.

Off track and telephone betting are also offered by the JRA. In fact, the JRA has 52 "WINS" off-course betting facilities nationwide (which includes sales conducted at any racecourse not holding live races).

Several of these have membership regulations, with restrictions on the number of people permitted in, offering a luxurious, salon-style environment in which to enjoy horse racing.