Incentives for Track Attendees

[Redboard]

This topic has been kicked around in various threads. I’m curious what everyone thinks.

Do you think that people who actually go out to a racetrack and attend the races in person should get an incentive over someone who plays from home online or at an off-track betting facility?

I’m not talking about a free hat or chair, I’m taking about a gambling enticement, such as lower rake, etc.

I’ve listed three options. I know that some of you won’t actually attend races, no matter what, so I’ve included the second option.

Feel free to opine your betting suggestion after you’ve voted. I’ve mentioned mine before. Tracks could allow a half-dozen or so bookmakers offering fixed odds on win bets, like they do at Ascot and other European tracks. It could only be on win bets and there could be a max individual bet such as $100. These books could either be private companies or they could be employees of the track.

Since most of the handle comes from online bets anyway, I don’t see how this could affect a track’s bottom line. I actually believe they could make money.

[cj]

It has certainly helped Oaklawn's show pools.

[Dave Schwartz]

Track incentives are - logically - the only way.

The poll above is a bit misleading. I voted "should but won't" because I don't have a track to go to.

[biggestal99]

Fixed odds betting is an excellent idea.

It’s huge in the UK. And a good perk to shop around for prices.

Allan

[Tom]

Why worry about attendance when most of the handle comes from off-track?

[groupie doll]

option B since the closest track to me is a 3-4 hour drive... should but I won't attend more frequently.

[cj]

Originally Posted by Tom

Why worry about attendance when most of the handle comes from off-track?

With the current model, tracks make a lot more from bets placed on track rather than off.

[Tom]

Did not know that.

I'm still not going!

[ultracapper]

It's 10 minutes to my simul outlet, 40 minutes to my track under the best traffic conditions Seattle has, an hour 15 minutes during the usual congested times, but fixed odds would get me to wrestle with traffic, even for a couple $100 bets. I'm getting pretty fed up with being happy with 7/2, placing my bet, and getting 2/1 on a horse I wouldn't have thought twice about at the lower price. Great idea OP.

[AltonKelsey]

If they lower takeout on track only , guarantee plenty of money flows there. From all kinds of sources.



Why should they try it, makes too much sense.

[MONEY]

I go to the track almost daily, but am planning on cutting back to maybe two days a week.
It's 25 minutes to and from and I just don't feel like messing with the traffic on a daily basis.

Every day I choose the races that I want to bet on and I bet according to my betting budget and the
type of bets that I make.

Yesterday it was $250.00, today I bet $233.00. There is nothing that anyone can do to entice me
to bet more, except show me how to win more, and that's not going to happen.

[castaway01]

Originally Posted by AltonKelsey

If they lower takeout on track only , guarantee plenty of money flows there. From all kinds of sources.



Why should they try it, makes too much sense.

It would have to be a pretty huge takeout cut to offset whatever rebates people are receiving while betting off track.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by cj

With the current model, tracks make a lot more from bets placed on track rather than off.

Plus they sell admissions parking hot dogs, etc. And arguably bigger crowds create an atmosphere that draws more casual fans.

[cutchemist42]

My local track has like 25% takeout.....they would need to offer a lot to makes me go.

My old track ASD had a points card that would you decent free stuff (food, programs). Adding to that, the first hour after live racing had great drink and food specials.

The Oaklawn show thing would get me to alter my bets for sure I think.

[thaskalos]

The argument used to be that the onerous takeout was a necessity because of the high costs of running the game. But the tracks now run healthy casino businesses on the side...which go a long way towards meeting the game's operational expenses. If the racetracks want to increase their live horse-betting business...why don't they set up a free daily handicapping tournament with a substantial prize pool available only to their live customers? Wouldn't people come to the track if they were offered a free entry into a handicapping tournament with a, let's say...mid-five digit prize pool? I mean...the extra money is there already, but not a cent of it has as of yet been spent for the benefit of the horseplayers. If excluding the horseplayer from the profit-sharing isn't working...then, why not change strategy going forward? We are told that lowering the takeout is a time-consuming affair because it involves governmental approval. Does staging a live handicapping tournament require government approval as well?