pari-mutuel
Americannoun
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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.
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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.
noun
Etymology
Origin of pari-mutuel
1880–85; < French: literally, mutual bet
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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
But racing interests say that HHR is not a game of chance but skill and is connected to a pari-mutuel hub.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 10, 2025
In one of the strangest bits of pari-mutuel wagering, Fenwick, who was 50-1 on the morning line, was bet down to 12-1.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2022
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
States all over the nation were relegalizing racing under the pari-mutuel system, resulting in a 70 percent increase in the number of tracks.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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