Why so many "blind" pools?

[davew]

I do not understand why with so many advances in computer technology over the last 20 years, there seems to be nothing for the bettor in greater access to pool information.

I remember seeing 20 years ago at a dog track the trifecta pool breakdown that showed the dollars bet for each dog in first, second, and third position. In my mind this could easily be shown for PK3, PK4, ..... superfectas, jackpot 5's...

Why does the tote only change every couple of minutes - computers are much faster now - easily a 30 second or 15 second update should be no problem.

It seems to me that new 'lottery' type bets are being implemented all the time with great names so that you have to ask what the bet actually consists of. Is that what racetracks feel horseplayers want? to bet in a lottery with unkown win potential if you win?

[Overlay]

I totally agree with you, although with odds and payouts regularly changing significantly at the last flash (after betting has closed and/or the race has already started), I'm not sure that even "real-time" updates would be of much help to the value-oriented bettor.

[AndyC]

For any horizontal bet (P-3s, P-4s, etc.), it would be simple to provide the bettors with a matrix board showing showing how much is bet on each horse in each leg. The matrix board could also show the win odds equivalent of each horse in each leg. So a bettor could look at the board and see that a FTS maiden at 12-1 on the ML in the 3rd leg of a P-4 is being bet at a rate equivalent to a 3-2 horse in the win pool.

[davew]

Possibly it could be that most tracks are owned by rich people/corporations who would rather whine to their politicians for more money / slots, rather than try innovations that would increase their handle.

I remember reading one report put out by an operating organization saying that bettors and ADWs that are winning are involved with money laundering and fixing races.

The betting handle still provides most of the cash to keep race track operations going. To be sustainable, racetracks and horse owners should do things to try to increase the handle.