A motorcycle race is held as a publicly operated sport betting event in Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture, in 2015. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
Sports betting was a losing proposition in Japan after proceeds peaked during the 1990s as some racing event operators even cashed in their chips.
But the odds seem to be again in favor of publicly operated sports betting thanks to expanding online services.
In fiscal 2020, proceeds from all four sports events horse racing, bicycle racing, motorcycle racing and speedboat racing totaled 6.8 trillion yen ($62 billion), up 17 percent from the previous year.
Even under the novel coronavirus pandemic, races have been held without spectators.