pari-mutuel

American  

[par-i-myoo-choo-uhl] / ˌpær ɪˈmyu tʃu əl /

noun

1. a form of betting and of handling the betting on horse races at racetracks, in which those holding winning tickets divide the total amount bet in proportion to their wagers, less a percentage for the management, taxes, etc.

2. Also called parimutuel machine.  an electronic machine that registers bets in parimutuel betting as they are made and calculates and posts the changing odds and final payoffs.

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pari-mutuel British  

/ ˌpærɪˈmjuːtjʊəl /

noun

1. 1. a system of betting in which those who have bet on the winners of a race share in the total amount wagered less a percentage for the management

   2. ( as modifier )

      the pari-mutuel machine

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Etymology

Origin of pari-mutuel

1880–85; < French: literally, mutual bet

Example Sentences

She was 20 years old when she made her debut on Feb. 7, 1969, at Hialeah Park and became the first woman in the U.S. to ride in a professional race at pari-mutuel track.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026

Is it pari-mutuel wagering, where the payoff is determined by the amount of money bet, and considered a game of skill?

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 15, 2026

Panthalassa, trained by Yoshito Yahagi and ridden by Yutaka Yoshida, paid $34.10 to win in international pari-mutuel pools.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2023

Besides its namesake horse track in Louisville and pari-mutuel facilities in Kentucky, Churchill Downs operates 10 casinos in eight states.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 18, 2021

First, tracks had to use the pari-mutuel wagering machine instead of the bookmakers whose corruption had prompted the betting ban.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand