Arlington Lowers Take on Two Bets etc

[DeanT]

http://blog.horseplayersassociation....-for-2011.html

I wonder what field size will be like without Frank having any entries? I think it might be up, because it must be tough for owners running for second all the time.

More at the link.

Arlington Park Makes Changes for 2011 – Lower Takeout on the Menu

Today Arlington Park made some player-friendly changes to the betting menu for 2011. We had a conversation with Ken Kiehn, Arlington’s VP of Sales Marketing and Guest Services about them, and more.


Lower takeout and a new wager to hopefully attract casual on-track players are two of the things that Arlington is trying this year.

[Irish Boy]

With all due respect, I think you buried the lede:

Newer fans have not been left out this meet with the interesting new “Last Call Wager”. This wager will be offered on the second last race of the day, sold on-track by dedicated ticket sellers with wireless equipment. The bet is a win place show wager of $2, $4 and $6. The hope is the new player will cash at least a show bet and make a few dollars. However, to add to the experience the player, if he or she loses his/her bet, the ticket can be exchange for a free beer, soda or other refreshment.

I certainly don't care about the lower takeout on the High Five, because I have a better chance of getting mauled by a polar bear while making out with Queen Elizabeth than hitting it. The Pick 5 takeout is intriguing but I'm skeptical that it will be a more attractive bet than the Pick 4.

But that idea is pretty clever. It's not just growing the handle, though that will help a little bit. It's about getting regular people to start thinking about the track as a realistic option for something to do on a Saturday afternoon and growing the fanbase longterm. The margins on food items is ridiculous, so they're not giving up much for the wager, and lots of people will win their show bets or whatever.

[Striker]

It's great to see them going to .50 cent minimum on the pk 4 and pk 5 but I am not sure this is the best thing for a track that might have short fields like we have seen at the end of the hawthorne meet. The new purse rule isn't going to help them imo.

[Striker]

Originally Posted by Irish Boy

With all due respect, I think you buried the lede:



I certainly don't care about the lower takeout on the High Five, because I have a better chance of getting mauled by a polar bear while making out with Queen Elizabeth than hitting it. The Pick 5 takeout is intriguing but I'm skeptical that it will be a more attractive bet than the Pick 4.

But that idea is pretty clever. It's not just growing the handle, though that will help a little bit. It's about getting regular people to start thinking about the track as a realistic option for something to do on a Saturday afternoon and growing the fanbase longterm. The margins on food items is ridiculous, so they're not giving up much for the wager, and lots of people will win their show bets or whatever.

Arlington is not helping themselves attract newbies to the track by charging admission prices like $8 and I believe that doesn't include a program this year. Admission is $10 on the days that they have done well with attendance in the past like Mothers Day, Fathers Day, and the 1st saturday in May.

[DeanT]

I dont think the 0.50 pick 4 would work too well either with short fields,but the 50 cent five should. It's fairly hittable with a low rake and if you can get one decent priced one across you can still get paid. My $$ will go to the pick 5 this season I think.

I dont mind playing AP at all, esp if there are a couple decent turf races in the sequence.

I like the on track wager idea too. Add to churn, show people a decent time.

[Striker]

This definitely hurts carryover chances for those wagers though.

[BIG49010]

Churchill always wanted to be top dog, and ever since they have owned Arlington, it has been a steady decline. Those boys in KY keep Ducci in the dark, someday he might wake up.

[Irish Boy]

Originally Posted by Striker

Arlington is not helping themselves attract newbies to the track by charging admission prices like $8 and I believe that doesn't include a program this year. Admission is $10 on the days that they have done well with attendance in the past like Mothers Day, Fathers Day, and the 1st saturday in May.

I think its actually $15 on the busy days, but it's always packed on those days, so I don't deny them the chance to make some money on admission then. The demand supports it. I agree that admission should be much lower on the other days (i.e., free or close to it).

[Hoofless_Wonder]

Arlington could lower their takeout to 2%, and I still won't play them after the crap they pulled last summer getting the Illinois Racing Board to suspend ADW wagering on "certain" tracks that charged too much for their signal. Those tracks of course being Saratoga and Del Mar, along with a few others, which was a vain attempt to boost handle and on-track attendance. The ban went into effect a week before the meets at the Spa and where the Turf Meets the Surf opened.

After Arlington's handle from ADWs dropped 47%, the Illinois Racing Board (which supposedly had been monitoring the situation "closely") came to an agreement to reinstate wagering with a week to go in the Saratoga meet. Thanks.

I've not bet one thin dime on any track in Illinois since last summer, nor have I been to an OTB to support the IRB with the surcharge there. Screw 'em.

[Striker]

I would say it was a pretty decent size crowd at Arlington on derby day. Pick 4 pools were $12k for the early one with 30 runners over the 4 races, and about $9500 for the late pick 4 with 41 runners in those 4 races . Last year the early pick 4 pool was $16k for 31 runners, and $20k in the late pk 4 with 33 runners. Pick 5 pool this year was comparable to last as both were right around $4500. These 2 wagers didn't go in the direction they needed obviously, on one of their biggest draws of the year.