Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Linny
I understand the ire, but IMO if you didn't live within a reasonable drive of a NY track over much of the last 35 years you wouldn't have been able to legally place a bet. The Albany resident (in the pre-internet era) would have had no chance to bet legally on NY for other than the Saratoga meet. That has changed in the internet era, but without OTB's how would the resident of rural upstate have been able to bet the Breeders' Cup or the KY Derby or the 4th at Aqueduct between 1970 (or so) and the last few years?
The "hold harmless" payments to harness tracks are very high and the reason that Capital OTB doesn't take TB after 7:30 on Mon, Tue and Wed nights. The harness tracks are flush with slots cash and the OTB's are paying them for the right to take bets on night TB tracks. It means that despite offering a less desireable racing product the harness tracks are getting money from slots and money from OTB's that they have done nothing to earn.
|
Yeah, well the OTB's LOBBIED for this this set up thinking that nighttime thoroughbred simulcasting would be a panacea. Just another in a long list of misguided and poor business decisions by the hacks at NY OTBs.
