Melbourne Cup Carnival 2020 hailed a success despite no crowds

They were locked out of Flemington, but punters still rushed to bet on the Melbourne Cup Carnival as wagering reached record levels.

The pandemic culled the crowds, but latest figures show the Melbourne Cup is still the horse race that stops the nation.

Despite the iconic event running in front of empty grandstands, lawns and marquees, betting on the Melbourne Cup Carnival reached new heights, with a total domestic wagering

turnover of $667.3 million, an increase of 6 per cent from last year.

The increase was largely driven by activity on Melbourne Cup Day, which saw $364.5 million of bets placed. 

With no option but to watch the event on TV, 4.4 million Australians tuned into the Melbourne Cup Carnival across the week.

The Melbourne Cup Carnival delivered record engagement across all media platforms to 6.14 million, an increase of 16.9 per cent on 2019.

Victoria Racing Club also donated $300,000 to the children’s hospice, Very Special Kids, and $50,000 to bushfire-affected Kangaroo Island.

VRC chairman Neil Wilson said: “While 2020 has been an unprecedented year with many challenges, it’s been fantastic to see our team and partners pull together to deliver such a successful Melbourne Cup Carnival.

“The challenges of COVID-19 acted as a catalyst for innovation. These advancements provide exciting ways forward for our business and a great opportunity to drive even better experience and value well into the future for our members, our partners and the racing industry.”

Members and owners will be allowed back into Flemington for the first time in nine months for Living Legends Race Day this Saturday, December 12.

Up to 1000 people will be allowed through the gates for the race day after the Victorian Government gave the green light to double the crowd capacity at Flemington.

Up to 900 members will watch the races from socially distanced seats in the Club

Stand, while up to 100 owners will be able to cheer on their horse from inside Saintly Place.