The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has reached an agreement with Betfair Games Limited to permit common-pool pari-mutuel wagering on its races to Betfair’s global customers.

Betfair boasts a worldwide customer base of more than 2.5 million people who will now have access to the Aqueduct racetrack, Belmont Park, and Saratoga Race Course pari-mutuel pools via www.betfair.com.

“This agreement is a very important step in growing the industry’s international simulcast market,” NYRA President and CEO Charles Hayward said.

“We are thrilled to offer the best year-round racing in the United States to the world’s leading online wagering company. Betfair is a cutting-edge organization and we look forward to an expansive relationship with them.”

Betfair and NYRA already have a strong relationship via Betfair’s TVG, a leading interactive horseracing network in the USA that broadcast live this year from Saratoga and Belmont Park. Betfair acquired TVG in January 2009.

Betfair’s Head of Horse Racing Development, Steven Johnson, commented: "Following the acquisition of TVG in January, Betfair has been looking to enhance its US racing product offering. We have entered into agreements with a number of US racetracks, and introduced US Tote betting onto our site last month.

“We are delighted to link up with NYRA, bringing new overseas money into their pools via our worldwide customer base of over 2.5m, and crucially giving a new revenue stream to their racetracks –while, of course, delivering further US betting opportunities to our customers.”

The agreement reached by the companies allows Betfair’s customers to start wagering immediately on live racing at Aqueduct. NYRA recently began its 39-day Aqueduct Fall Meet, running through Thursday, December 31 with live racing Wednesdays through Sundays. The highlight of the meet is Saturday, November 28, featuring the Grade 1, $300,000 Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile, one of the most prestigious mile races in the world.

About NYRA

Founded in 1955, and franchised to run thoroughbred racing at New York’s three major tracks through 2033, The New York Racing Association Inc. boasts a lineage that actually stretches back almost 150 years. NYRA tracks are the cornerstone of the state’s thoroughbred business, which contributes more than $2 billion annually to New York State’s urban, suburban and rural economy. In 2008, 1,735,715 people attended the live races at NYRA tracks. Factoring nationwide off track wagering, the average daily betting handle on NYRA races alone totals more than $9.7 million every race day. NYRA has a vast network of websites, including www.nyra.com, www.belmontstakes.com, and www.nyragroupsales.com.

About Betfair

Betfair is the world’s biggest online betting community and pioneered the first successful betting exchange in 2000. Driven by cutting-edge technology, Betfair enables customers to choose their own odds and bet even after the event has started. The company now processes over six million transactions a day from its two million registered customers around the world. In addition to sports betting, Betfair offers a portfolio of innovative products including casino, exchange games and poker.

Betfair has twice been named the UK’s ‘Company of the Year’ by the Confederation of British Industry and remains one of the only betting companies to win a Queen’s Award for Enterprise, being recognised for Innovation in 2003 and most recently International Trade in 2008.

Betfair currently employs over 1,600 people, principally in London, Malta and Tasmania. The company is a licensed betting operator in the UK, and holds licenses in the United States, Australia, Germany, Austria, Italy and Malta.

Betfair acquired TVG for $50 million in January 2009.