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View Full Version : They chickened out!--A Rant


Kentucky Bred
02-23-2003, 07:06 AM
We were closer than you thought to the beginning of what will eventually become the next generation of horse race wagering, one way or another.

Below's the link to a DRF article that appeared in today's racing form. North Dakota came oh..so..close to allowing the licensing of an American betting exchange. This type of wagering is between bettors instead of parimutual. So, if you thought that Harlan's Holiday was going to run big today and some guy/gal in Anywhere, USA thought he was overrated. He could book your bet on that horse and offer you say 3-1 instead of $6.40, nearly a 50% increase! This is the type of revolution that would change this industry.

You know how cool it is to check the win and exotic prices of the Kentucky Derby payoffs across North America? You know how you would wish you were at Emerald Downs or something so you could get an extra $5 on the winner? Well, that could be every day for us as we search for the best price and value. Here's the link.



http://www.drf.com/news/article/44379.html



What's more, the juice in the UK for betting exchanges runs about 2-5 percent. One betting exchange site is offering a special of 1% juice! That's lower than any game in a casino. The impact to our sport would be sudden and immediate if this type of Ebay type wagering existed. As I said in an earlier post, the problem is that there is a bunch of P/O'ed racetracks execs and powerful players in the horse biz that stand to lose bigggg money if this type of wagering takes off. So, they stopped the state sponsored bill cold...this time.

But will they lose money? I mean, with more betting action and players actually having a real shot to make consistent money betting the sport, I'm here to argue that fan and betting interest in this sport would grow dramatically not shrink. On-site track attendance might grow as well.

Betfair.com is bringing in $10 million per day, but the long and broad interest of the sport in Europe grows just as dramatically. This brings money to everyone in the sport. How often do you pay to watch the Super Bowl? Never. Is the NFL going broke anytime soon? No. Why not? Because the millions of football fans find ways, through marketing, to spend some money on their product. That is because (are you ready?) it is marketed. Imagine that concept. A novel idea.

So, you powerbrokers of the horse racing world. Go ahead and stay hidden in your second floor offices above the racetracks of America and pray for the return of the days of 50,000+ track attendees during the Santa Anita Derby or Hollywood Derby. They will return. Sure they will. How about raising the track admission fees to $50. That will get you more money from everyone who still shows up, right? That is how you could improve revenue. Hey, by the way, how successful are those "Go Baby Go" commercials these days?

Here is a chance for the people who are in charge of this sport to step up and do something that will benefit the player--the backbone of this sport--and still get themselves more money. Now isn't that what they would call a "Win-Win" situation?

(Sarcasm intended. I feel better now, thanks for listening)

Kentucky Bred

formula_2002
02-23-2003, 08:52 AM
Difficult to see why such a concept would ever be implemented.

What do the "betting exchanges” bring to the table?

The house is not here to benefit the bettor in any game, casino or horse racing. Make the pain a little more bearable perhaps, but never benefit.

A more realistic approach to broaden the scope of pari-mutual betting would be to have two or three win pools going at the same time, or perhaps staggered through out the betting period.

Example, you horse could be 3-1 in the ‘A’ win pool but 5/2 in the 'B" pool and 2-1 in the 'C' pool.

Odds will vary in each of the pools through out the betting period, and most likely will close with odds different from each other.

JustRalph
02-23-2003, 02:38 PM
Originally posted by formula_2002
Example, you horse could be 3-1 in the ‘A’ win pool but 5/2 in the 'B" pool and 2-1 in the 'C' pool. Odds will vary in each of the pools through out the betting period, and most likely will close with odds different from each other.

Yeah......but wouldn't everybody wait until the late pool anyway? or bet the pool that has the best odds....at any given time.


I think they chickened out. I was hoping it would cause the tracks to wake up and smell the roses a little. :cool:

formula_2002
02-23-2003, 03:48 PM
Just, we need a way to bring confusion to the pari-mutuel system.
Its too structured.

In confusion there is opportunity

penguinfan
02-24-2003, 06:30 PM
There is an off-shore sports betting outfit called tradesports that does the exact same thing you are talking about with pro and college sports. You offer xx number of contracts at 1.00 each at a certain line and somebody can buy them from you at that price and line thus laying no juice in the deal, the house takes a commission from both parties (not sure exactly how much, but much less than the 10% you normally lay). There is a twist though, you can continue to trade contracts during the game if things are not going your way and you can find someone who thinks things will turn around. A horse wagering site like that would be great.

Penguinfan

Down To Glasses
02-24-2003, 07:25 PM
Betting exchanges, Betfair in particular, are the greatest revolution in the world of sport's betting we have seen in the last 40 years.

I find it impossible to imagine that any serious person who doesn't use an exchange can possibly manage to make their betting pay.

I feel so sorry for you guys in America who aren't able to take advantage of the beautiful, joyous thing that is Betfair!

Kentucky Bred
02-24-2003, 09:59 PM
Down to Glasses:

Just what we need, someone who lives in betting freedom telling us betting slaves how great it feels to be free.

LOL

Kentucky Bred