Win Odds Whiners - helping or hurting?

[PointGiven]

You have very good points. Racing has its problems, and constant negativity is certainly one. To be fair fans have come across it honestly. I can't think of another example where a customer base has been treated so poorly.

Part of that is the little secret not talked about. Racing doesn't really want to change or grow. They would like us to spend some more money sure. But any real growth hurts everyone's little fiefdoms.

In a way we aren't really customers but subsidizers.

As for the whale part. I don't really know. It's not like the little guy is not at a disadvantage in any other aspect of business or life.

[chiguy]

Originally Posted by Andy Asaro

People complain/boo in Baseball, Football, and other sports. If anything Horseplayers/Gamblers don't complain enough IMO

Work at the track and you will change this opinion. Love my horse racing job but I can tell you I hear plenty of complaining. Even from folks cashing a winning ticket will tell you how it should have paid more.

[JustRalph]

If we were treated the same by our local auto mechanic/grocer/pharmacy/etc/etc

we would run from them. Horseplayers are addicts

[Jeff P]

I submit to you the idea novel idea that racing is a business.

And in at least some racing jurisdictions and at some tracks:

The success or failure of your business depends on generating revenue from CUSTOMERS.

Like it or not Horseplayers are CUSTOMERS.

You call it whining.

I say your CUSTOMERS are trying to tell you something.

Pretend otherwise at your own peril.



-jp

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[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by Tom

Not nearly as much as the "game" is hurting the game.

This says it all, in a nutshell...saving me any further rebuttal.

[TiffaniO]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

If we were treated the same by our local auto mechanic/grocer/pharmacy/etc/etc

we would run from them. Horseplayers are addicts

Actually you probably are being treated differently, there’s just not a message board to compare stories with.

For example, I have had several custom lighting jobs done to my new Jeep at a local business. I’ve spent lots of money there. After the first couple of jobs, he stopped charging me installation fees.

Anyway a friend liked my lights and took hers there for the same lights. Being a new customer there who has never frequented his business, he charged her full price for the installation. I paid $210 for the one set, she paid well over $300.

It happens at many businesses.

[Denny]

There's collusion in contests.
Teams are playing against individuals.

[TiffaniO]

Originally Posted by Denny

There's collusion in contests.
Teams are playing against individuals.

Sure are!

[thaskalos]

If the business model that horse racing is using was working for the game's benefit...then I wouldn't "whine" at all. But the game is in an obvious tailspin as far as public interest is concerned...and whiners like me can hardly be held to blame. I live in the great gambling laboratory, where all the different forms of gambling are asked to compete directly with one another on a daily basis. And, while the rest of the casino is buzzing with action...I am usually sitting in the racebook ALONE. If this doesn't sound the warning bell to the racing industry...then they deserve all the blame that they get, IMO.

[pandy]

There have always been idiots and loudmouths at the tracks. I particularly dislike the jerks who shout and curse at the jockeys, who are risking their lives out there. Usually, the people who are the loudest are the dumbest, as you can tell by the things they whine and complain about. In New York, the most talented and hard-riding jockeys usually got the most heckling, which shows you how stupid people can be. Angel Cordero, for instance, used to hear a lot of heckling and he was not only the best rider, but no one tried harder to win every race.

[Denny]

They used to call Cordero "the monkey", which could be interpreted to be racist.

[biggestal99]

Originally Posted by pandy

There have always been idiots and loudmouths at the tracks. I particularly dislike the jerks who shout and curse at the jockeys, who are risking their lives out there. Usually, the people who are the loudest are the dumbest, as you can tell by the things they whine and complain about. In New York, the most talented and hard-riding jockeys usually got the most heckling, which shows you how stupid people can be. Angel Cordero, for instance, used to hear a lot of heckling and he was not only the best rider, but no one tried harder to win every race.

Heckling? It was shouting every profanity in the book (and maybe some made up) at him. and he was up there with the best of all time. My thoughts at the time was they they were sore losers who had bet on him and he lost for them. The very best jocks lose a lot of the time. I view them the same as baseball players. One home run ride makes up for a lot of strikeouts.

Allan

[Poindexter]

Originally Posted by TiffaniO

Actually you probably are being treated differently, there’s just not a message board to compare stories with.

For example, I have had several custom lighting jobs done to my new Jeep at a local business. I’ve spent lots of money there. After the first couple of jobs, he stopped charging me installation fees.

Anyway a friend liked my lights and took hers there for the same lights. Being a new customer there who has never frequented his business, he charged her full price for the installation. I paid $210 for the one set, she paid well over $300.

It happens at many businesses.

Okay, he was grateful for your continued business (something the racing industry has never been) and showed his appreciation by giving you free labor. If your friend started buying from him with the same vigor you do, he likely would have done the same for her. That is his strategy for building his business, nothing wrong with that. If your friend complained to him that you paid less he could in good standing say yes, but she also has spent a lot of money with me over time and because of that, I throw in the labor with her purchases. I would be happy to do the same for you if you spend continuously like she does. No reasonable person will be offended by his stance. No reason he has to be secretive about the deal you are getting (as racing is about all the deals they make).

However, with racing the setup is a complete joke. If you bet the pick 4 at Laurel you get a double digit rebate. If a resident of state that doesn't get rebates bets and bets just as much as you, might get a 2% rebate. If some local high roller that bets as much as you, bets on track what does he get? This is a big problem. This is why this sport will never go anywhere and that is why this industry is a complete f***ing joke. Moreover, how can racing legitimately justify to their patrons that live in the wrong state, use the wrong ADW, or bet on track without rebates that you are getting a double digit rebate when they don't and they bet just as much as you do. Guess what they cannot. So rebates are a big secret that hopefully nobody finds out about, when most of know they are out there.

So to echo Tom here, if this industry wants people to stop complaing, start doing the right and stop screwing it's loyal customers (us few idiots that are still left). As Andy A says, players are not complaining enough.

[Prioress Ply]

Go to a Home Depot and buy a light bulb. Then go to a manufacturer or their distributor and buy 10,000 light bulbs. See if you get the same price.

That's all that's going on here. If you don't like it don't buy the light bulb unless you have to (or really want to) and then pay the price that's listed and shut up.

The game sucks-- everyone's known that for years now. But the OP is right--the whining just goes on and on. Losers whine; winners get even or they get out.

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by Prioress Ply

Go to a Home Depot and buy a light bulb. Then go to a manufacturer or their distributor and buy 10,000 light bulbs. See if you get the same price.

That's all that's going on here. If you don't like it don't buy the light bulb unless you have to (or really want to) and then pay the price that's listed and shut up.

The game sucks-- everyone's known that for years now. But the OP is right--the whining just goes on and on. Losers whine; winners get even or they get out.

That's the standard company line...but it doesn't seem to serve the company too well. One wonders why you "winners" find the whining so troublesome.