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Rolling In It: Most Profitable Racehorse

Published

5 years ago

February 26, 2021

George Miller

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Leading race horses earned £126,093 on average per minute in 2020
Top 20 earning thoroughbreds took just 11.05 minutes to surpass the £1 million-mark last year
Arrogate remains the all-time leading earner with £12,718,498.00 prize money, or £635,924.90 per minute
2020’s top 20 horses passed the £1million-barrier 65.42% quicker than sport’s top earning athletes
Authentic picked up £402,623.08 for every 60 seconds raced last year, more than Cristiano Ronaldo (£18,782.16) and Lionel Messi (£19,926.51)

Horse racing’s class of 2020 pocketed £126,093.67 per minute of action, a new study into the value of racehorses has revealed.

The top 20 earning racehorses last year took 11.05 minutes of racing, on average, to break the £1 million-barrier, 59.56% quicker than global sports’ top earning athletes, across the same 12-month period.

However American great Arrogate still tops the all-time charts, having banked £1 million for every 1.57 minutes raced.

Exactly half of last year’s leading thoroughbreds pocketed six-figure sums for a mere 60 seconds’ work, according to OLBG’s Most Profitable Racehorse report.

Arrogate, bought by Juddmonte Farm for a meagre £408,000.00, landed three of the planet’s richest races within the space of four months, amassing as yet insurmountable career earnings of £12,718,498.00; £462,490.84 per minute on the dirt. The Breeders’ Cup Classic netted his camp £2.24 million, the Pegasus World Cup £5.69m and the Dubai World Cup £4.88m.

The Bob Baffert-trained phenom won on seven occasions in total, earning more than his keep in just 20 minutes.

That ‘time to £1 million’ figure dropped to 5.66 minutes, when you assess the financial vitals of the top 20 earning racehorses of all time. This elite group earned an aggregated £160,446,327.70 across collective careers comprising 229 starts, and a win percentage of 52, to boot.

The stats for the class of 2020 are quite remarkable too, with a combined 69 wins from 117 starts; landing each of their respective owners a sizable share of £23,847,336.32.

There are some exceptionally wealthy racehorses out there, or there would be if they got to keep the cash.

Recently retired Authentic, the sport’s top earner in 2020, added a further £402,623.08 to his owners’ coffers for every single minute he ran.

Winner of the 2020 Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic, setting a new track record at Keeneland in the latter, he took home a cool £5,234,100.00, in just seven starts and recently began his stud career in central Kentucky, having retired last November.

That comes against the backdrop of prize purses for the top 10 most expensive horse races on the planet surpassing the £50 million-mark for the first time in 2020, the collective fund up 28.74% year-on-year.

Disappointingly, but understandably due to the pandemic, the cumulative total prize money available for the 489 races staged across the world last year finished at £322,187,199.00, down 19.09% from 2019 (£398,218,061.00), with the available funds in Europe taking the biggest hit, falling by a jaw-dropping 58.82% year-on-year.

Across the rest of the sporting world, Cristiano Ronaldo, who plys his trade in Serie A for Juventus, cleared £76,650,000.00 through salary, bonuses and endorsements in 2020, banking £18,782.16 per minute in the 2019-20 season, 60.08% less than 18th-ranked horse Mr Freeze (£34,911.89).

Footballers Messi (£19,926.51) Neymar (£29,218.36), Basketball’s Le Bron James (£27,774.14) and F1’s Lewis Hamilton (£26,384.38) also failed to trouble Mr Freeze, purchased in 2016 for £54,750, in the earnings per minute stakes, based on 2020 income.

Tyson Fury meanwhile was the most lucrative earner. Despite fighting just once last year he averaged £2,117,557.25 per minute – 248% more than the next highest earner which was Irish racehorse Tarnawa, who also only competed once.

Commenting on the findings, OLBG’s Richard Moffat said: “We’ve always known about the huge sums of money involved in racing horses, both on the betting exchanges and the business side of it too, but to see the figures in black and white and compare what racehorses earned versus sport stars really does make you sit up and take notice.

“It’s the fine margins between winning and losing, and the colossal financial incentives on offer, that add to the drama and intrigue of the sport. It also gives you a feel for why major bloodstock operations such as Godolphin, Zayat, Juddmonte, to name but a few, exist and take the creation of future leading thoroughbreds so seriously.

“When you microanalyse it to the point where Authentic earned £402,623.08 for every 60 seconds’ work in 2020, the lucrativeness of the sport is plain to see.”

AI Casino Recommender

Meridianbet Doubles Down on Belgium: New Casino License Unlocks €455m Market Segment

Published

16 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Wladimir P.

meridianbet-doubles-down-on-belgium:-new-casino-license-unlocks-e455m-market-segment

Editor’s Take

Why this matters: This is a classic “Cross-Sell” play. Meridianbet has already spent seven years building a sports betting database in Belgium. By securing this B+ license, they can now monetize those same users with higher-margin casino products (slots, table games) without needing to acquire new traffic from scratch. With the Belgian casino sector growing at 20% year-over-year, this is a significant revenue unlock for the GMGI portfolio.

The Full Story

Meridianbet, the sports betting and gaming operator owned by Golden Matrix Group Inc. (NASDAQ: GMGI), has successfully expanded its regulatory footprint in Europe by securing a B+ online gaming license in Belgium.

The new license (B+ 4016) authorizes the company to launch a comprehensive online casino platform—featuring slots, table games, and automated live games—starting in January 2026. This move significantly broadens the operator’s capabilities in the country, complementing its existing sports betting operations which have been active in the Belgian market for seven years.

Targeting the Largest Market Segment The strategic rationale behind the license is clear: Casino is now the dominant force in Belgian gambling. According to the Belgian Gaming Commission, the online casino vertical generated €455 million in Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) in 2023, representing a 20.2% year-over-year increase.

By entering this vertical, Meridianbet gains access to the largest and fastest-growing segment of a market that generated a total of €944.6 million last year.

Tech-First Entry Meridianbet plans to deploy its proprietary AI Casino Recommender technology for the Belgian launch. This system analyzes player behavior and preferences in real-time to deliver personalized game suggestions, a crucial differentiator in a highly concentrated market where just ten operators account for 94% of all online wagers.

Regulatory Context Belgium is known for having one of Europe’s strictest regulatory frameworks, characterized by rigorous compliance standards and player protection protocols. Securing this license validates Meridianbet’s operational standards and deepens its foothold in a “mature” market that is notoriously difficult for new entrants to penetrate.

The post Meridianbet Doubles Down on Belgium: New Casino License Unlocks €455m Market Segment appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.

B2B Marketing

LinkDataMedia Drops ‘Startup’ Look with Major 5th Anniversary Rebrand

Published

19 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Wladimir P.

linkdatamedia-drops-‘startup’-look-with-major-5th-anniversary-rebrand

Editor’s Take

Why this matters: In the iGaming affiliate space, the five-year mark is a critical survival threshold. Many media startups fade away before reaching it. LinkDataMedia’s decision to rebrand now is a classic “graduation” signal. By shedding their startup skin for a more corporate, “blue-chip” aesthetic (the stability-focused blue triangle), they are telling operators and partners that they are no longer just an affiliate project, but a stable infrastructure partner ready for larger commercial deals.

The Full Story

LinkDataMedia, the parent company behind the popular affiliate portal Gamblers Connect, has announced a comprehensive corporate rebrand to coincide with its fifth anniversary.

The overhaul includes a completely refreshed brand identity, a redesigned logo, and a fully revamped website, all of which are now live. The move is described by the company not as a mere cosmetic update, but as a strategic pivot designed to distance the business from its “startup roots” and reflect its current status as an established player in the competitive iGaming media landscape.

Visualizing Maturity The new visual language features a modernized blue triangular logo, a shape chosen to represent “stability and forward momentum.” The digital user experience has also been streamlined, offering partners a cleaner interface that aligns better with the company’s matured operational capabilities.

Management Commentary Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder and CEO of LinkDataMedia, commented on the significance of hitting the half-decade milestone in such a volatile industry:

“Surviving the first five years in business takes more than luck. It takes belief, resilience, and the right people around you. This milestone, and the rebrand, reflect exactly that.”

Implementation The new branding has already been deployed across the main corporate website and is currently being rolled out across LinkDataMedia’s social media channels and internal communication platforms. As the company enters its sixth year, the refreshed identity aims to set the stage for a new phase of expansion and innovation.

The post LinkDataMedia Drops ‘Startup’ Look with Major 5th Anniversary Rebrand appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.

B2B Gaming Event

Win Systems to Debut New ‘Gold Club Colors’ and WIGOS Upgrades at ICE Barcelona

Published

20 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Wladimir P.

win-systems-to-debut-new-‘gold-club-colors’-and-wigos-upgrades-at-ice-barcelona

Editor’s Take

Why this matters: As ICE makes its historic move to Barcelona, established tech providers like Win Systems are under pressure to bring their “A-game” to the larger venue. The focus here isn’t just on cabinets; it’s the ecosystem. By highlighting WIGOS (their CMS) alongside WIN PAY, Win Systems is positioning itself as an infrastructure partner, not just a hardware supplier. The debut of the Gold Club Colors roulette specifically targets the growing demand for visually customizable electronic table games (ETGs).

The Full Story

Win Systems, the global provider of technology for the gaming and entertainment industry, has confirmed its product roadmap for ICE Barcelona 2026, the sector’s most significant international event taking place from January 19 to 21.

Exhibiting at Stand 3M30 at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via, the company will leverage the new venue to showcase a broad portfolio designed to cover the entire casino floor—from management systems to the gaming floor itself.

Systems and Fintech At the core of the showcase is WIGOS, the company’s flagship Casino Management System (CMS). WIGOS is widely recognized for connecting thousands of machines across multiple countries, and the Barcelona display will focus on advanced tools that streamline daily operations and optimize player retention.

Complementing the CMS, Win Systems will present WIN PAY, its secure transaction platform. As cashless and seamless payment solutions become standard requirements for operators, WIN PAY offers the necessary efficiency and security controls for modern gaming environments.

Hardware: Roulette and Slots On the hardware side, Win Systems is refreshing its electronic table game offering with the new Gold Club Colors electronic roulette. The Gold Club line has long been a staple in the company’s portfolio, known for its compact footprint and reliability; the “Colors” iteration promises to maximize visual impact on the floor.

Alongside the roulette, the company will display its latest slot hardware, including the Sublime and Rhapsody cabinets. These units are designed to house the company’s extensive game library, which has been adapted to suit diverse market profiles from Europe to Latin America.

Strategic Goals Win Systems aims to use the three-day event to reinforce its 30-year legacy in the industry. The company described its participation as a commitment to “continuous innovation,” inviting operators and regulators to explore how their integrated solutions can improve in-room performance.

The post Win Systems to Debut New ‘Gold Club Colors’ and WIGOS Upgrades at ICE Barcelona appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.