"Sports betting basically entails setting up a room with a counter, a couple of machines, a couple of people, some TVs, maybe a big board and someone to run the ship and post some lines."

Sounds like an OTB or simulcast.

The racing parimutuel model is broken. Admit it.

The tracks must love you taking their side.

Don't be an a-hole. I'm not taking anyone's side...just teaching you to think about reality.

Running a racetrack in no way compares to running a sports book.

OTB or simulcast outlets have little to do with it, but thanks for playing.

Why have the percentages changed? Percentages don't have inflation.

Not sure what you're referring to...please explain

The cost of running a track has always been there even when takeout was much lower. Why has racing kept having to raise prices? Making the game tougher and tougher to beat will only ensure its demise.

CJ,

The difference is slots are kept totally separate from the racing.

Imagine an OTB or a simulcast location with the sports betting integrated.

TV's with sports, nearby TV's with horses. There's going to be crossover.

Our OTB is practically dead. Maybe a quarter of the space is being used.
The back room that was used for the smokers is a storage room for broken/outdated equipment and broken benches.

It could come alive again with sports. People that never bet racing might actually get interested just by being there with the horseplayers.

At this point it can't hurt to try, but I've seen that experiment many times in Vegas casinos. I don't see a lot of crossover. Sports betting is a competitor, not a partner. The only answer for racing is to compete, sink or swim on its own merits. Right now it will get crushed.

"...just teaching you to think about reality."

You're "teaching me" LOL.

You have an awfully high opinion of yourself PA.

BTW.

Tracks ALWAYS had to pay to put on the show. Even in 1876, or whatever.

Maybe you need to learn a few things hotshot.

And just to be clear, takeout on sports is not 10%, it is significantly less.

You're not living in reality if you think racing in its current, self-imposed state, can survive on 10% takeout.

I'm not saying takeout shouldn't be lowered, so don't put words in my mouth.

Keep it up.

Instead of verbal jousting, show me ONE bit of research that says racing takeout should be at 10%

Surely you have SOMETHING other than "the guy who invented pari-mutuel determined 10% to be the optimal takeout"


That's LAUGHABLE...

That is my point. Racing has done this to itself with a multitude of short sighted decisions. Sadly at this point there probably is no way out. If there is, it will take major changes and a LOT of pain that until now only horseplayers have had to endure.

How any one thinks that bringing potential new customers to a track so that horse racing can show how bad their product is, is a good idea, is beyond me. And once they show these new customers how bad their product is, even if they change and improve their product, good luck getting them to come back. Sure, at first you might get a small increase in handle, but in the long run, the tracks will lose what they desperately need, and that these potential new customers.

PA,

It wasn't just "the Guy" who invented it.

Takeout WAS 10% AT RACETRACKS.

Do the research - that you want me to do for you.

Even in the mid 20th century it was 14%. It's even in Ainslie's books written in the 70's.

You're the one that doesn't know very much.

What don't I know?

That takeout used to be lower in racing? :lol:

No shit.

How about actually addressing what is being discussed?

SO WHAT that it used to be 10% or 14% or whatever lower number than it is today.

Just because it used to be 10% doesn't mean we can magically go back to 10% and everything will be peachy.

Jeez man...how do you even arrive at that conclusion?

Oh, I know...because SPORTS BETTING can work at that number