Online wagering boosts Churchill Downs numbers

Online operations were an important positive contributor to US racing company Churchill Downs third quarter results, released Wednesday by the company.

Betting on TwinSpires.com, Churchill’s online advance-deposit wagering platform, grew 7.3 percent, and online operations reported a 6 percent revenue rise to $48.5 million, raising the online division’s earnings by 31 percent.

Churchill reported a decline in live racing revenue over quarter three, but nevertheless recorded net revenues of $185.6 million, a 13 percent increase over the same quarter last year.

The Louisville racetrack said most of its revenue gains came from the company’s casinos, including the Riverwalk Casino Hotel in Mississippi and the Oxford Casino in Maine. Net revenue from gaming rose 61 percent, or $30.3 million.

Overall for the quarter, Churchill Downs reported earnings of $9.24 million, or $0.52 per share, up 55 percent from the $5.97 million, or $0.34 per share, reported in the same quarter of 2012.

The third quarter results brought earnings for the first nine months of 2013 to $60.6 million, or $3.39 per share, up 8 percent from the $55.9 million, or $3.20 per share, reported in the same period of 2012.

“Betting on TwinSpires.com grew 7.3 percent, ahead of overall U.S. Thoroughbred industry handle growth of 1.3 percent, president and CEO Rob Evans pointed out.

“This week, Churchill’s board approved a 21 percent increase in the company’s annual dividend, from $0.72 to $0.87 per outstanding share that will be paid in January, the third consecutive year of dividend increases of at least 20 percent.”

Earnings from Velocity Wagering Services, the company’s low-profile international betting site based on the Isle of Man was up due to “…higher wagering from existing customers and the addition of a new high-volume customer.”

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