pari-mutuel

noun

pari-mu·​tu·​el ˌper-i-ˈmyü-chə-wəl How to pronounce pari-mutuel (audio)
-chəl,
ˌpa-ri-;
-ˈmyüch-wəl
1
: a betting pool in which those who bet on competitors finishing in the first three places share the total amount bet minus a percentage for the management
2
: a machine for registering the bets and computing the payoffs in pari-mutuel betting

Examples of pari-mutuel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In California, prize payout amounts are pari-mutuel, meaning it's determined by the sales and the number of winners. Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 13 Aug. 2025 Florida voters in 2004 approved a constitutional amendment allowing pari-mutuel facilities to add slots in Broward and Miami-Dade if voters in the counties agreed in local referendums. Dara Kam, Sun Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2025 By December, 1930, numbers bankers were using the pari-mutuel total—the sum wagered on a particular horse—to determine the day’s number. Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025 The lawsuit came after the pari-mutuel companies West Flagler Associates and Bonita-Fort Myers Corp. filed unsuccessful challenges in state and federal courts to sports betting. Jim Saunders, Sun Sentinel, 23 June 2025 The most significant difference between sportsbooks and race books is that betting at race books can involve pari-mutuel betting. Max Meyer, New York Times, 2 May 2025 The lawsuit comes after the pari-mutuel companies West Flagler Associates and Bonita-Fort Myers Corp. filed unsuccessful challenges in state and federal courts to sports betting. Jim Saunders, Sun Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2025 Prize amounts are pari-mutuel in the state, so prizes are based on ticket sales and number of winners. Helena Wegner, Sacbee.com, 8 Apr. 2025 Type Of Horse Racing Bets Morning Line pari-mutuel odds change on race day as wagering takes place ahead of the races. Jay Ginsbach, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French pari mutuel, literally, mutual stake

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pari-mutuel was in 1881

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pari-mutuel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pari-mutuel. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.

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