Quote:
Originally Posted by thaskalos
"Racetrack officials who believe they have met the enemy have not met the truly dangerous competition at all. Lotteries and casino games will not be life-threatening to horse racing, but sports betting may. Betting on sports is also a positive-expectation game. Skillful players can win. Players can study the sport, collect the information they need, analyze specific situations, and bet on outcomes when they think they have the edge.
Sports bettors are eerily similar to horse bettors. The players form highly practiced opinions, and like to bet on them. If track officials want to know where the authentic competition for the racetrack lurks, it's sports betting. Someday, maybe soon, maybe not so soon, sports betting in America will be legalized. Thoroughbred racing had best be properly prepared."
-- James Quinn (ON TRACK/ OFF TRACK: Playing the Horses in Troubled Times...circa 1996)
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If I'm interpreting this correctly, the author is saying that sports betting will hurt racing because it's perceived as a game of skill and so one can obtain + edge? If so, that sounds like a good thing. I'd submit that if you're looking for a form of gambling where one can obtain positive edge AND put down large amounts of money, racing is the way to go.* If the above is what sports gamblers are looking for then horse racing should be in a golden age...
*Note I'm not saying that horse racing is easier to win at necessarily. I'm saying that for the most talented programmers/statisticians/etc, my guess is horse racing is the most profitable avenue. The author of the book "Gambling Wizards" says the same...
