Following the conclusion of 'Bet Night Live’s 2011 online handicapping contest on Monday, the Woodbine Entertainment Group has reflected on its innovative concept and is pleased with the results
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Bet Night Live was launched in May 2010, which replaced 'Race Night on The Score.' The redesigned two-hour programs (Mondays for standardbred racing and Wednesdays for thoroughbred racing), which air on WEG’s longtime TV partner, The Score, focuses directly on the wagering component of racing, educating and attracting new fans and customers to the sport.
Each show featured a four-race contest where the evening’s winner gets a chance to play for the grand prize of a trip to Las Vegas and a seat in the $2-million DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship. Steve Coombs, a 44-year-old resident of Scarborough, Ont., will be flying out to the NHC in late January, courtesy of the BNL contest. Coombs beat out 163 other championship finalists to win.
In the two-year lifespan of the network programme, the total number of new sign-ups has reached 2,086, with over $5.7 million wagered.
"We're quite happy with the development of BNL," said WEG VP of Strategic Initiatives Andrew Macdonald. "We've seen a jump in the general interest of Woodbine and Mohawk racing because of the show. There has been a substantial rise in HorsePlayer Interactive account sign-ups, wagering and TV audience numbers. We're looking forward to seeing continued growth in 2012.”
The new format is proving to be successful, as Bet Night Live’s audience is growing. This season there has been a 30 per cent hike in viewers compared to the 2009 season of Race Night on The Score.
On track, fans also had a chance to win cash in the contest due to generous sponsorship of WEG’s horsepeople partners, the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association on the thoroughbred side and the Central Ontario Standardbred Association on the standardbred side.
Starting January 2, Bet Night Live will be hosting its winter contest where HPI members can have a chance to qualify to win $10,000. The last day to qualify will be April 16 with the $10,000 final scheduled for April 23, which is when the winner will be announced.
Bet Night Live’s main 2012 contest will premiere on Monday, April 30.
(WEG)
Really glad that the focus
Really glad that the focus went to the handicapping/wagering aspect of racing. It's what the majority of people are actually looking for...now if we could just get some hosts who can actually pick some winners we might have something LOL.