Pope's Fantasy World

[Horseplayersbet.com]

http://www.horseraceinsider.com/blog.php/John-Pricci/comments/09242009-on-fixing-a-broken-simulcast-model/

He forgets a couple of major things with his plan.....the customer....and the real consequences.

[Horseplayersbet.com]

Comment 6. Is it a joke, or is it the stupidest comment I've seen in the last little while have to do with the horse racing industry?

workhorse says:
24 Sep 2009 at 11:20 am | #

"The horsemen putting on the show should not allow their signal to sold untill they recieve at least 50% of each dollar bet. It would be a tough and costly fight but would save racing and it’s future. Horsemen need at least a good chance to break even. The increase in purses from a 50/50 split (if the numbers are correct above) would be in excess of all current slot revenue.

The process of putting on the racing show is far more expensive than housing video gaming products. The takout needs to be higher. Every person who sits down to play the slots has the same odds of winning. Those who play horse racing frequently with the knowelge of the game lower the takout themselves. Taking money from the casual players and those of us that play with our hearts. If you sat down to play poker with inexperienced players your odds of winning are much higher. If we expand the fan base by marketing our star horses and give owners a better shot handle will increase.The funds available for larger players increases. While I believe we need to cater to our top players I believe they would prefer more inexperienced players and more owners betting their horses. Top players taking money from inexperienced players should want the takeout as high as possible. Raise the takeout and rebate the top players!"

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The spelling mistakes make me lean towards it not being a joke.

[Dave Schwartz]

Okay... I admit to having removed my apathetic attitude towards the trackidiots - just a moment, mind you - but long enough to respond to (the) pope.

I would suggest that EVERYONE venture over there and speak your mind.


Regards,
Dave Schwartz

[CBedo]

Wow, government price protection and more money to the owners/breeders/tracks......Really?

Not one mention of how to actually help the bettor who, last time I checked, was the handle creator.

[rwwupl]

http://www.horseraceinsider.com/blog.php/John-Pricci/comments/09242009-on-fixing-a-broken-simulcast-model/

He forgets a couple of major things with his plan.....the customer....and the real consequences.

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The whole article is worth a read. Barry Meadow (comment #32) makes a case for betting exchanges and says horsemen think the higher the take,the more money they will make, which is so wrong. rwwupl

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32.Barry Meadow says:
26 Sep 2009 at 01:42 am | #
In the ideal world, all players would bet through some 1-800-Horsebetting phone number or via the internet at Horsebetting.com which would be run by all of the tracks. If you’d bet on a race at Arlington Park, that track would keep all the takeout; if you’d bet on a race at Calder, that track would keep all the takeout.

However, this is not a realistic scenario any more. Players bet at ADW’s, OTB’s, satellite tracks, sports bars, rebate shops, etc. Many state legislatures and horse-racing boards have created their own rules, restricting betting. Horsemen’s demands have made it virtually impossible to lower the takeout (many horsemen’s groups seem to think that the higher the takeout, the more money they’ll receive).

Not a single bettor cares who gets what part of a bonecrushing takeout. Yet handle is driven totally by bettors--not by owners, or trainers, or veterinarians.

As I see it, just about the only hope to get this game going is to implement betting exchanges. Anyone who’s seen the amounts wagered on Betfair on tracks like Philadelphia Park and Sacramento--without any participation by U.S. players--would instantly understand that the addition of betting exchanges to the menu would create a huge jump in handle. Sure, there are details to be worked out in how that money could be split (perhaps a 5% surcharge for winning bettors that would go directly to tracks and horsemen). But players have spoken, loudly, that they’d be happy to bet a lot more if the takeouts weren’t so usurious.

Is it really likely that horsemen would suddenly make a lot more money if only the ADW’s would disappear? With few exceptions, tracks have been highly resistant to offering even 2% in rebates to players, and at many tracks the rebate players account for 10%-15% of the handle--so what do you think the rebate players will do if the tracks won’t give them rebates (hint: nothing that will help horsemen).

As it stands now, the only thing propping up some of these tracks is slots money. And any day now, legislators are going to say, “Why are we propping up a dying industry when there’s not enough money for health care and schools?” And those hundreds of millions of dollars going to the racing industry are going to become zero.

If tracks start selling their signals for 10% in an effort to take money from the ADW’s, some ADW’s are going to disappear--and some players will, as well. And this is an industry that can’t afford to lose a single player.