The Problem With Horse Racing

[woodbinepmi]

I have mentioned this before, young people don't bet but they do play fantasy sports. I think the best ways to get younger players is to start them on handicapping contest on places like Derby Wars. Eventually, after they learn how to handicap they will start betting for real. Derby Wars and HorseTourneys.com miss the opportunity to bombard them on Derby Day with ads like Fan Duel used to do on NFL games.

[PaceAdvantage]

You guys have all missed the mark by a country mile.

Track executives have been PINING for younger folks since FOREVER. Back in the 1970s during the days of Ruffian, NYRA officials were pondering how they could get the younger crowd interested. They thought racing would be dead and buried soon if they couldn't somehow get younger folks out to the track.

Here we are, some 50 years later, and the sport is still here, still generating BILLIONS in annual handle, and despite what some on this board think (and even some hope), is not dead yet.

YouTube

Getting younger folks out to the track, or onto ADWs, isn't the solution. Would it be nice? Sure...but it's not the solution to racing's problems.

That's been proven over the last 50 years. Racing doesn't need a track full of 20-30 somethings...

[Franco Santiago]

But, EVERYONE will show up if they think the game is fair and a profit can be made. And I mean, everyone - the black, the white, the red and the brown,the purple and yellow. Even my man, Hank. Checkbooks, credit cards, mo' money than a sucker could ever spend. Ho-tel, Mo-tel, Holiday Inn, say if your girl starts actin' up, then you take her friend.

Master Gee! My mellow! It's on to you, so whatcha gonna do?

Go to the horse races!

Make the game seem fair and profitable. Nothing else is needed.

Not big butts, not young music.

[thaskalos]

The fact that the major tracks run their races in the early afternoon virtually guarantees that our game will only attract the older crowd...no matter what other change is implemented within the game. If the casinos were open only during the early afternoon hours...then you wouldn't see any young people there either.

[bob60566]

Originally Posted by PaceAdvantage

You guys have all missed the mark by a country mile.

Track executives have been PINING for younger folks since FOREVER. Back in the 1970s during the days of Ruffian, NYRA officials were pondering how they could get the younger crowd interested. They thought racing would be dead and buried soon if they couldn't somehow get younger folks out to the track.

Here we are, some 50 years later, and the sport is still here, still generating BILLIONS in annual handle, and despite what some on this board think (and even some hope), is not dead yet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdf5EXo6I68

Getting younger folks out to the track, or onto ADWs, isn't the solution. Would it be nice? Sure...but it's not the solution to racing's problems.

That's been proven over the last 50 years. Racing doesn't need a track full of 20-30 somethings...

You might have something there, I seen Belmont promotion last week with people line dancing, Could not figure that one out till now.

[woodbinepmi]

You are right PA, but we do (unfortunately) live in a different world right now. The crazies are running the show and everything has to be P.C. and with the news of breakdowns constantly being spotlighted on the sport we are treading through dangerous grounds at the moment. Numbers are down everywhere worldwide, England, Australia and even Hong Kong's wagering is way down.

[Dave Schwartz]

Have yo guys not noticed that we've all got ideas but nobody is implementing any of them?

The fact is that there is a "Turn out the lights when you're done" attitude among track owners.

We all know that the industry needs young people to replace the old people who are dying off or simply betting less as their income drops (relative to inflation). But the bottom line is that young people are simply not attracted to racing because it is a sucker bet, it takes real thinking, and it's slow.


Sucker bet
The takeout relative to sports bets or even slots is horrible.

Thinking
As we all know, it takes a certain amount of skill to look not stupid.

Slow
Consider how fast poker, blackjack, craps and slots are.


Franco said:

But, EVERYONE will show up if they think the game is fair and a profit can be made.

Good idea but, almost nobody believes that either of these are true.

Even the racetracks say that the game is purely for entertainment.

[JustRalph]

Dave!!!!

May the Schwartz be with you!

[biggestal99]

Originally Posted by Dave Schwartz

Sucker bet
The takeout relative to sports bets or even slots is horrible.

Thinking
As we all know, it takes a certain amount of skill to look not stupid.

Slow
Consider how fast poker, blackjack, craps and slots are.


.

1. Sucker bet—young people bet sports, when I go to FanDuel Sportsbook at the meadowlands it always amazes me when people bet like 10000 dollars and they are like 23. Hold 5%

2. Sports betting requires thinking otherwise you will go broke fast.

3. Slowness. A three hour football game really. The action people get bet quarters, halves, in play, totals etc. if you really want some quick action try betting a 5 furlong sprint at ascot during the race. The slow lose. The quick prosper. But of course you can’t bet in race in running in the United States (save for the great state of New Jersey. Hell you can’t even go to the track and get fixed odds. Hell I got 4-1 on betfair Saturday on ebony ball. Nope. Buy and hold at the track (At 3-1) The a really old fashioned way to bet. No wonder young people are fleeing the scene. Fixed odds is the future. Pm is dead.

Allan

[castaway01]

Originally Posted by biggestal99

1. Sucker bet—young people bet sports, when I go to FanDuel Sportsbook at the meadowlands it always amazes me when people bet like 10000 dollars and they are like 23. Hold 5%

2. Sports betting requires thinking otherwise you will go broke fast.

3. Slowness. A three hour football game really. The action people get bet quarters, halves, in play, totals etc. if you really want some quick action try betting a 5 furlong sprint at ascot during the race. The slow lose. The quick prosper. But of course you can’t bet in race in running in the United States (save for the great state of New Jersey. Hell you can’t even go to the track and get fixed odds. Hell I got 4-1 on betfair Saturday on ebony ball. Nope. Buy and hold at the track (At 3-1) The a really old fashioned way to bet. No wonder young people are fleeing the scene. Fixed odds is the future. Pm is dead.

Allan

I'm not sure if you're agreeing with Dave or not because you have to do the usual exchange wagering promo for something people in 49 states can't do, but he's right that racing is PERCEIVED as slow. If you talked to the average person, I bet they don't know you could bet 10 different tracks at once if you wanted to. I think another part of it is that most casual fans don't feel like they understand one track, much less 10, so they don't think about betting that way, whereas with other casino games the speed is part of the game. With racing you have to create the action yourself (not saying this is smart to do, just how it's set up) while with other games it comes to you.

[groupie doll]

Originally Posted by PuckLuck

Like there's not enough. But the one continuous fixable problem lies in a perfect example race 6 SA today. The Tim Conway Cup. Music from McCale's Navy. Does anyone under the age of 65 even know or care? Way to cater to the younger crowd which you will need soon enough. Consistently catering to the fossils that are living by the hourglass is what brings smaller and smaller crowds to the sport. I was just at an offtrack facility for Friday Oaks day. Holy SH! They should have just set up an assisted living facility right next door. But the sport doesn't care it stays in the 50's and soon enough like everything in the 50's will be 6 feet under.

Tim Conway recently passed and was a prominent fixture at the track, an owner, and one of the co-founders of the McBeth Memorial Jockey Fund. But you probably already knew that.

This isn't really an example of racing catering to the old fogies, rather they were attempting to honor the passing of someone involved for years in the sport. At least that's the way I see it.

[elhelmete]

Originally Posted by Franco Santiago

But, EVERYONE will show up if they think the game is fair and a profit can be made.

Just like the slots. And Triple-0 roulette. Right? The young'uns make that calculation too?

[Dave Schwartz]

Originally Posted by castaway01

I'm not sure if you're agreeing with Dave or not because you have to do the usual exchange wagering promo for something people in 49 states can't do, but he's right that racing is PERCEIVED as slow. If you talked to the average person, I bet they don't know you could bet 10 different tracks at once if you wanted to. I think another part of it is that most casual fans don't feel like they understand one track, much less 10, so they don't think about betting that way, whereas with other casino games the speed is part of the game. With racing you have to create the action yourself (not saying this is smart to do, just how it's set up) while with other games it comes to you.

You are correct about "perception."

You said:
I think another part of it is that most casual fans don't feel like they understand one track, much less 10,

I think the big problem is that it just takes most people so long to handicap.

When I play, I am in-and-out of a race in 3 minutes (in terms of handicapping and "staging" my bet -- i.e. sending it to the wagering platform awaiting my trigger pull).

This allows me to watch every race I bet, so, for me, an hour is 18 minutes of handicapping and then 15 minutes of watching 4-6 races that I actually bet.


Many players I talk to spend 2-3 hours the night before to handicap 7 or 8 races. Heaven forbid it should rain.


BTW, that's why I am developing NEW (and simple) software: So that players can get the info they need without much work.

[Franco Santiago]

Originally Posted by Dave Schwartz

Franco said:


Good idea but, almost nobody believes that either of these are true.






Even the racetracks say that the game is purely for entertainment.

Precisely, Mr. Schwartz.


THAT'S THE PROBLEM!


Solve this ONE massive problem and racing will thrive!


It is a GAMBLING GAME. Embrace it.

[jay68802]

And right now, part of the industry has a opportunity to do just this. Arlington Park should take full advantage of this situation. Instead of throwing all the extra revenue into purses, use some of the money to improve their product.

Plenty of ideas of how to do this have been mentioned here before.

1. Get the drugs out of your sport. Allow the use of race day lasix, but get rid of all the pain medications and other treatments. Have the trainers prove that the horse has not been given either one for at least 3 weeks before race day.

2. You have the money to increase the purses, reduce your takeout across the board. Advertise this! Every where. Every horse player should see this somewhere.

Get some courage and use the opportunity to try something different.

But, sadly, I think they will not do this, and probably follow the same path as the other slot states.