Three decades after its conceptualization, a new horse racing board game recently came to fruition in the United Kingdom — and early reviews indicate that it has proven a worthy diversion for its players during the current British lockdown.
Octogenarian Gerry Grant, of Airdrie, Scotland, originally conceived his game, called Bettawinna at the Races, in the 1980s. But it wasn't until during the recent lockdown of the British Isles that Grant — with the help of two of his grandsons in refining the design of the game — decided to have the game printed and manufactured for sale.
Three decades after its initial inception, board game Betawinna at the Races has become a reality for its creator, Gerry Grant of Scotland.
"I’m quite proud to see it after making the first prototype 30 years ago by cutting everything out by hand," Grant said in a recent story from the Scottish Daily Record.
"It looks really good and I’ve had a great response already in the 10 days since it’s been launched – people are impressed by the quality of the game and its box and board, and have been coming back and buying more."
Betawinna can accommodate up to eight players, who simultaneously act as horse owners and bettors with the aim of collecting the highest earnings — from purses and wagers alike — on a given race.
"I’d always believed the game had potential to be a commercial success," Grant continued. "During lockdown I decided to get all the artwork finalized and arranged for a printer near me to make all the boards, boxes and cards and then I've put them all together."
The game, currently available in a limited initial run, is for sale at £25 (U.K.) and can be purchased by emailing Grant at [email protected] or through the game's Facebook page.