"As North American racing continues to flounder around looking for solutions to its problems, it largely ignores one that could contribute more than any now being considered."
Those words come from harness racing icon Stan Bergstein, Executive Director of Harness Tracks of America, on a national wager like Sweden's hugely popular V75. Earlier this month the V75 paid out over $9 million US on one wager - a wagering option that is not available on our product here. In today's episode of Trot Radio, Bergstein and Trot Radio's Norm Borg discuss why that hasn't taken off in North America despite years of success across the pond.
Below the audio controls is an excerpt from the HTA Executive Newsletter, penned by Bergstein on March 3.
Episode 106 - Stan Bergstein
Running Time: 9:14
Audio Format: MP3 audio
Host: Norm Borg
A SOLUTION RACING IGNORES
As North American racing continues to flounder around looking for solutions to its problems, it largely ignores one that could contribute more than any now being considered.
The project would require concerted action (God forbid! Only a racing heretic would suggest that) but the time is ripe, with economies and budgets everywhere riddled with holes and state and provincial racing commissions hopefully understanding that fact and willing to experiment and bend or draft new rules.
Realizing that racing in Sweden is a totally different animal, facts of life there nevertheless should dictate that racing here do everything it can, with legislatures and commissions, to work toward a huge multiple pool like the Swedish V75. That hugely popular weekly pool recently paid one lucky winner who picked all seven winners in the designated races $9.35 million U.S. dollars. He had spent around $145 U.S. on his bets.
With multiple state lottery payoffs now in the hundreds of millions, horseracing needs to do something to refresh its payoffs. So far all it has done is have tracks tell why it can’t be done, or wouldn’t work. It is time for racing to realize it’s a new day, drop the defeatist tone, and get off its butt and make every effort possible to work through the tangle and legislative and administrative thicket to do it.
When a top driver like Randy
When a top driver like Randy Waples says in an interview that slow 2nd and 3rd quarters are the way it is in Woodbine and basically get used to it as a bettor, that just reconfirms why I stopped betting that track. It's boring to watch and you pretty much know if you're out of the race by the half. Seems to me like the drivers are dictating to the judges the rules of racing. Let's start fining slow second and third quarters and put the RACE back into racing.
Having been a horse racing
Having been a horse racing lovver for over 35 years I have been able to at least form an opinion which I now humbly submit. The folks who claim that racing must put the gambler first are absolutely correct. But not only in terms of treatment and facilities but mostly on the actual gambling.
I have said many times in the past that until the gambler, (particularly the large ones)feel they are getting a shake for their money they will not bet. PERIOD. I stopped betting on harness racing long ago. Why? Because I was tired of seeing a single file parade race after race. Until harness races actually become races the gamblers attitude will not change. Why would I bet money on a horse whne most nights I can throw my ticket away at the half mile point. There is absolutley no flow to harness racing on the WEG circuit. There is way too much inconsistency on horses performance week in and week out. Free for alls are going slower tot he half then cliamers and no one pulls. They all follow along nicely. Until that changes racing is dead in the water. I do admit the 7/8 configuration has something to do with that and I don't know who the genious was who decided 7/8ths was the way to go. 5/8ths mile tracks and 1 miles tracks offer the most flow to a race by far.
Also I recall fondly the days of going to a track when it actually felt like a track. A fan could walk up to get a close look at the horses. Now you need binoculars. The first floor grandstand level at Woodbine is horrible. A million TVs. Gone are the days when each gropu of friends had their "own" tv hanging from the ceiling that they would gather around. Now it's just wall to wall tv's and the floors are totally chaotic.The outdoor barbecues which used to be such fun are gone. You need to crawl over seats to be able to go outside from the first floor level. Again a terrible design. How many fans do you see in the red seats outside the first floor grandstand. NONE. Because it's such a hassle to get to the seats. Tellers are now so few and far away. Personally I loved the $2, $5 and $50 windows. Fans would discuss who they liked while in a line up. Now we get all these automatic tellers that don't work half the time. The track no longer feels like a track. It is cold and simply feels like a building where you are expected to come and leave your money. I was one of the few that said it from day 1. Casinos will not save the racestracks. It will just keep them aloat for a while. Racetracks will only survive as long as people want to bet on horseraces. Right now those numbers are dwindling at a pace so fast that tracks will no longer exist if action is not taken. YOU NEED TO BRING BACK HORSE RACING LOVERS AND GAMBLERS. MAKE THEM FEEL THAT THE TRACK IS THEIRS.
JOE R
In reply to Having been a horse racing by fantom
Horse racing is a spectator
Horse racing is a spectator sport unfortunately what should be the crown jewel of harness racing is an embarrassment to the harness industry. Woodbine is not user friendly and the presentation is absolutely non-existent.
Having said that I remember 30 or 35 years ago when the trifecta came out and was only available in the last race, Ottawa, people would come and line up at the gate in order to not pay admission and bet on the trifecta which usually paid some high prices.
I think this type of wager would be very beneficial to the industry and I don't think we would have much to lose. Don't forget we started with lotterio, 649 then super 7 and people just eat it up. The lottery market is not saturared by any means.
While we all know the
While we all know the industry is going down, the lack of effort to entice new fans is frustrating. In they US at least they are trying with cheap bets (10 cent supers etc,)offered EVERY race. Almost every track (other than WEG)offers these type of cheap wagers.Do the slots not have penny wagers? What makes WEG think that they dont have to offer these wagers..?? Why dont they?? Its all handle anyway. At least these wagers can get a new fan in to experience the game,..allow them to wager economically and have a shot at a decent size win (at times).Its all about the handle.
Why would a person(north
Why would a person(north america)that has no knowledge of horse racing buy a lottery ticket based on horse racing!!!If a person is just playing numbers,what would attract them to buy a ticket!!!You actually think someone would walk into a variety store and waste ten minute perusing the names of the horses in the seven races!!They love their 6/49's and powerball,it's "quick and mindless".
I would love to have a V75
I would love to have a V75 in North America. Unfortunately, gambling by many people in the United States may as well be a four letter word. These, people tend to be the moral policemen who don't want to see gambling in their state (though they will travel to the next state to play) because of the moral implications. For a V75 to be successful, tickets need to be purchased at your local store and to allow that would be an expansion of gambling and a threat to the moral fiber of their community (sarcasm intended).
Until gambling is no longer considered a sin, but a legitimate recreational activity, there is no chance for a V75 wager in North America.
Marty Adler's observations
Marty Adler's observations and thoughts are the most poignant of any that I've ever read among the many industry-related message boards and publications. The list of those like Marty that "get it" is a short one and harness racing's leaders should be resourcing persons such as him as soon and as often as possible if this (gambling) industry is to once again flourish.
Inviting further discussion,
Peter Kyte
When Stan speaks, people
When Stan speaks, people listen. We all know of his commitment to the sport, but Stan, like so many of the leaders in the sport, may make a point, but misses the point. It is commendable that we police ourselves. It is commendable that we strive for innovation in everything from the 'quality' of the breed, to the 'variety' within the product; but, the point that keeps on being missed is, where our market is, and how we get there. We have been placed on the back burner, and no one knows we're here!
The market is THE GAMBLER. We get there not by grass roots efforts like a start up universal horse lottery (we won't be around if and when the seeds mature) but by halting the greed of the governments that have usurped us. In Ontario, the OLGC, and in the States, the mega casino operators, which have been licensed by government. In both cases the bureaucrats have determined casinos bring in more revenue than racing, and will point their efforts in those directions. In Michigan, besides the casinos, racing must buck the government run mega lotteries and the Indian casinos which can be built on any corner in the state and pay no taxes! In Pennsyvania, the CEO of Harrahs, Gary Loveman, when interviewed on the new track at Chester, bemoaned the fact they HAD to support racing to open their casino. He is not a fan. Is any casino operator?
The answer is simple, harness racing needs a czar - a czar with clout, who speaks for all in the industry from the backstretch to track owners. A czar who can speak and educate governments to understand that racing means gambling first and jobs second just as casinos mean gambling first and jobs second. Yes that is the correct order - GAMBLING FIRST! That czar must convince government that racing goes hand in hand with GAMBLING. And, that czar can be as simple as an individual or as sophisticated as Standardbred Canada or the USTA!
It's time to get in bed with your local lottery, casino and government. Now that's a superfecta!
Racing has lost the gamblers. A North American horse lottery, marketed on our own, will not work, because nobody knows we're here. The government licensed gambling institutions have seen to that!
Marty Adler,
Yours for integrity and transparency
In reply to When Stan speaks, people by Marty Adler
Marty, thanks for your
Marty, thanks for your comments. Opinions like yours and Stan's are terrific and appreciated.
Here's a question for you - why not both? Why not a czar that ensures the gambler is taken care of and gets a national lottery style wager out there to those unfamiliar to racing?
-JP
In reply to When Stan speaks, people by Marty Adler
In addition to Marty's
In addition to Marty's comments, I would like to offer this opinion...
I believe that where the racetrack's are falling short is by treating their "gamblers" as just that..."gamblers" and/or nuisances and/or inconveniences. I took my son to the track last night for the first 4 races and at the second floor concession the section where you buy burgers and hot dogs was CLOSED!!! There are many seating sections where the seats are regularly covered in bird crap. The water that comes from the taps in the restrooms is ALWAYS ice cold; if you ask about it they give the same answer for years-"they are getting a new boiler".
The unionized mutuel clerks are generally surly, disinterested, uncooperative and/or downright rude. There are sections inside the facility that you are told to be QUIET if security deems you are cheering too loudly for your horse. I ask you: as a "gambler" or "customer" is this the type of place you are going to be in a hurry to frequent??? I think they need to learn how to treat people as "customers" and not degenerates, losers, or inconveniences.