World Pool Posts Strong Growth in 2025

World Pool reported strong year-on-year growth in 2025, with turnover on overseas races rising 20% as international commingled betting into Hong Kong Jockey Club-powered pools continued to build scale. Total wagering on 57 overseas racedays reached HK$9.3bn, up from HK$7.8bn in 2024, underlining the product’s role as a global liquidity hub for pool betting alongside broader horseracing and igaming ecosystems.

Across the year, 329 races were run under the World Pool banner in 10 jurisdictions, 70 of which featured in the IFHA Top 100 over the last three years. A new record was set for single-race turnover on World Pool bet types when Ka Ying Rising contested The Everest, generating HK$83m in handle and surpassing the previous high of HK$66.2m wagered on the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes in 2023, when Hong Kong sprinter Wellington lined up. For the first time, all of Hong Kong’s Group 1 contests were also included as World Pool races, contributing HK$1.6bn and bringing total 2025 World Pool turnover, including domestic fixtures, to HK$10.9bn.

Alongside headline betting figures that are increasingly relevant to global betting and igaming operators, World Pool continued to run its Moment of the Day initiative, which channels part of the pool’s profile back to racing staff on the ground. In 2025, HK$1.2m was awarded to 30 different grooms on World Pool racedays. Australian trainer-owner-handler Kevin Daffy, who leads up Oh Too Good, was voted World Pool Moment of the Year after the horse’s win in the G3 Jewellers Vase on Might And Power Stakes Day at Caulfield, earning a VIP trip for four to Hong Kong in 2026, following last year’s winner David Hickey, groom of City Of Troy.

Andrew Harding, Executive Director, Racing, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said: “It’s been a very positive year for World Pool. We’ve had more racedays and jurisdictions involved than ever before, and we’ve seen turnover records broken too.

“World Pool’s growth over the past 12 months has played a key role in the globalisation of racing and all the benefits that come with that, not least the increased revenue streams for racecourses and rights holders which leads to greater prize money.

“Heading into 2026, we’re confident that World Pool will continue to act as a positive force for racing globally and we will be confirming an expansion of fixtures very soon, bringing World Pool to even more racing fans in the new year.”