It is no secret that the fractured state of racing has not used new technology to their advantage. We have been betting in the same pari-mutuel system for around 100 years, and other than now allowing betting in some areas on the internet (except Arizona of course) and a few new bets, we stagnate.
Bob Evans of Twinspires has been speaking of getting more and more tech friendly, as have others. HANA's very own Cary Fotias speaks of trying to work something out with racing where we all lobby for a fixed odds betting exchange. There is movement out there.
Poker grew from being a game we watch being played in a 1960 Clint Eastwood western, to what it is today. Cangamble speaks of poker playing in his last blog post a little.
For where we have come and what the consequences are, of course we can look at negative growth handles. The economy in the US almost doubled since 1998, yet horse racing handles did not grow a cent. This is reflected on the public and their interest in racing.
For a snapshot of where racing is in terms of web searches, check this post at Harnesslink.com. It is interesting how brands like the UK betting exchange Betfair, and poker have captured the imagination, while we seem to wilt on the vine. It is a piece called "Case Study of Racing in the Internet Age."
There is a big drive for new members on Paceadvantage and elsewhere for HANA. We are working our butts off here, and we need ya! Please sign up if you have a moment (it only takes 2 minutes!) and if you already have signed up, can you tell a friend? We really want to add to our brand spanking new email database. Without members, we are nothing and we will not be able to effect change! Thanks. Happy Columbus Day, and to our Canadian members, Happy Thanksgiving!
No comments:
Post a Comment