Suggestion

[drib]

We are all familiar with the issue of last minute odds changes after betting is closed. It is getting worse, and does not always involve late odds drops. Just yesterday in the second race @ Aqueduct, I saw a horse (Lady Cat) go from 9-5 to 3.3-1 at the bell. At many tracks (big pools and small), the odds board is creating frustration. I offer this solution. Players with access to sophisticated programs are able to instantly calculate odds for exacta, double and trifecta (when available). These prices quite often provide guidance to where the final odds are heading. Why can't tracks provide, in addition to the regular odds boards, an alternative board showing the odds based on the hidden pools? This additional information might provide ALL horseplayers with a better feel for betting.

[AndyC]

Originally Posted by drib

We are all familiar with the issue of last minute odds changes after betting is closed. It is getting worse, and does not always involve late odds drops. Just yesterday in the second race @ Aqueduct, I saw a horse (Lady Cat) go from 9-5 to 3.3-1 at the bell. At many tracks (big pools and small), the odds board is creating frustration. I offer this solution. Players with access to sophisticated programs are able to instantly calculate odds for exacta, double and trifecta (when available). These prices quite often provide guidance to where the final odds are heading. Why can't tracks provide, in addition to the regular odds boards, an alternative board showing the odds based on the hidden pools? This additional information might provide ALL horseplayers with a better feel for betting.

I have brought this issue up many times and have shown how a simple matrix board could provide the needed information. It would be an extremely low cost fix to a growing problem.

[alydar]

It is a good idea, more transparency is always a good, but will not solve the whole problem. Odd swings take place late in all pools not just the win pool. This would not fix that issue

[AndyC]

Originally Posted by alydar

It is a good idea, more transparency is always a good, but will not solve the whole problem. Odd swings take place late in all pools not just the win pool. This would not fix that issue

It would be a major fix. Let's say you are betting the first race of the day and a few of your options are the DD and the Pick-3. A matrix board would be able to tell you how every dollar is allocated in the down legs. That would show that horse #5 in the 3rd race has a percentage of the money bet on it that would make it a 5/2 equivalent in the win pool.

Yes there would be late money in the first race of the day that won't show up on the matrix boards until after the race but you will also get to see the matrix board after the race so that you will get a clear idea how the horses will be bet in the 2nd and 3rd races. It will put daylight on every race except for possibly the first.

[JerryBoyle]

AmWager offers this through the True Odds. AFAIK, it's a formula that encompasses as much of the other pools as possible. However, showing the win implied odds from the different pools individually, rather than aggregating, is a neat idea. Guess it just competes for already precious real estate

[Tom]

Anythings costs money and doing nothing is free

Fact is, tracks DO NOT CARE about your average player. As long as the whales are happy, you don't count.

Show up with your family, your picnic basket, and SHUT UP AND BET.

Dead serious.
If you think YOU matter at the track, you are crazy.

[porchy44]

Originally Posted by Tom

Anythings costs money and doing nothing is free

Fact is, tracks DO NOT CARE about your average player.

Very true ! They are even more inattentive to the average player, if they have slots next door.

[cutchemist42]

Do you mean the ps3 and ps4 pool payouts? Or hidden pools elsewhere??

[fastfasterfastest]

Originally Posted by Tom

Anythings costs money and doing nothing is free

Fact is, tracks DO NOT CARE about your average player. As long as the whales are happy, you don't count.

Show up with your family, your picnic basket, and SHUT UP AND BET.

Dead serious.
If you think YOU matter at the track, you are crazy.

I have no doubt you're correct. I've been betting horses for 33 years and if tracks continue to operate with a who cares about anyone but whales attitude, I really hope each and everyone of them meets with their well deserved demise.

[Robert Fischer]

Best compromise = Daily Double Will-Pays converted to odds.


Of the current complaints about late-odds-movement, I think the above metric would predict maybe somewhere between 80% and 95% of all the 'surprises'.


For using a'Daily Double Will-pay', the most accurate odds will come from the Previous race favorite, slightly outperforming the previous race 'winner', but either way would suffice.


Maybe the boost in 'perceived integrity' would justify the expense of programming and implementing this feature?

Apparently this is an issue that people constantly struggle with and complain about.

[cj]

We've got something coming soon that will give a third option...ML Odds, Live Odds, and Projected Final Odds. Those are based on a lot of things including what has been mentioned here plus more. I think people will like it a lot.

[Robert Fischer]

Originally Posted by cj

We've got something coming soon that will give a third option...ML Odds, Live Odds, and Projected Final Odds. Those are based on a lot of things including what has been mentioned here plus more. I think people will like it a lot.

That would be a nice feature.

[AndyC]

Originally Posted by Robert Fischer

Best compromise = Daily Double Will-Pays converted to odds.


Of the current complaints about late-odds-movement, I think the above metric would predict maybe somewhere between 80% and 95% of all the 'surprises'.


For using a'Daily Double Will-pay', the most accurate odds will come from the Previous race favorite, slightly outperforming the previous race 'winner', but either way would suffice.


Maybe the boost in 'perceived integrity' would justify the expense of programming and implementing this feature?

Apparently this is an issue that people constantly struggle with and complain about.

That's still kind of a Rube Goldberg solution. Wouldn't it be far easier and more accurate to just display how the daily double money is distributed to each contestant in the second leg?

[Robert Fischer]

Originally Posted by AndyC

That's still kind of a Rube Goldberg solution. Wouldn't it be far easier and more accurate to just display how the daily double money is distributed to each contestant in the second leg?

Total pools would work fine as well.

[cj]

Originally Posted by Robert Fischer

Total pools would work fine as well.

Better