KEEP IT SIMPLE AND THEY WILL COME
By Bradford Cummings
Our society has become one of instant access and quick fixes to big problems. If you know my contact information, you can get a hold of me at any moment of the day through my “smart phone.” A football score you used to have to catch on SportsCenter or in your morning paper can be monitored by the second through one of several technologies. And people more and more are spending their money on games of chance like their state lottery or the overwhelming popular multi-state PowerBall.
So when I started talking with my friend, State Representative David Osborne (who also happens to be another Kentucky Republican on the David Williams shit list), my ears perked up when he offered a solution to getting everyday folks to the track. Tying into our instant society mentality, Rep. Osborne seemed perplexed that racing hasn’t heavily promoted the quick-pick option for horse betting. And after weighing the pros and cons, it is hard to make an argument against it as we look for ways to mainstream Thoroughbred racing and deepen its coffers.
People avoid betting on horses because the process is too complex. Past performances look like Greek to the average person and the terms bandied about in our industry to describe races are confusing at best. Instead, the large majority of people like simplicity in their gambling. The popularity of the lottery and the love of slot machines prove people enjoy insurmountable odds without complication for the chance of a big payout.
With that in mind, let’s keep it simple. Advertise that a quick pick at the racetrack gives you better odds to win $1,000 than buying a scratch-off lotto ticket at your local gas station. Inform the public that for less than it would cost to take your family to a baseball game, you can enjoy an equally beautiful sport and have the chance to walk away with a small jackpot to show for your efforts. (The Chicago White Sox have never offered me that deal. I’d probably go more often if that were the case.)
Here in Kentucky, the lottery has become such a huge part of our daily lives that commercials run by the state actually lead the viewer to believe you are a better wife/husband if you mindlessly give your money over for a one-in-a-million chance to land a significant win. It’s mainstreamed and cool to play.
As we clamor to bring slot machines to racetracks in the Bluegrass State, we must also look at how to bring slots players over to the pari-mutuel machines for live racing or the simulcast of a race from another track. If they are drawn to shoving a $100 bill into a machine and pulling on the lever for an hour, it stands to reason they would be interested in playing some quick pick numbers at the same time.
The serious horseplayer’s gut reaction is to call this strategy blasphemy, claiming it will take the art out of the art form of handicapping. But what is the problem there? At worst, you are putting more money in the pari-mutuel pools, meaning that the payouts will be better and the purses will be improved, eventually bringing a higher quality product to wager on. Furthermore, some will actually become horseplayers themselves after being around the sport more often.
As we continue to fight for slots as a quick fix for racing’s short-term problems, it would behoove us to look at the opportunities already available to us to better market the sport. Gambling is part of our everyday life, even in a state that has yet to turn to slots at racetracks. And whether the serious horseplayer likes it or not, the average person is drawn towards gambling opportunities that take little or no thought.
Let’s embrace the opportunity to bring new fans to the table even if they are brought in on training wheels. If you keep it simple, they will come.
Copyright © 2009, The Paulick Report
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Tags: bradford cummings, Chicago White Sox, david osborne, david williams, horseplayer, Paulick Report, PowerBall, quick picks, SportsCenter
November 18th, 2009 at 7:47 am
France has been offering a bet like that for the past few years, called the “spot” where the computer picks a ticket for you. It is a huge success; people play the daily “quinte plus” race like they play the lottery. In that race, there is a huge jackpot (usually a couple of million) for picking the first five home in order. The general public can do the math: You have a much better chance of hitting five numbers in a 20-runner field than five numbers in a 50-runner lottery even if you can’t tell a horse from a donkey. The betting handle here is close to 10 billion euros annually, and the results of the daily “quinte plus” race are broadcast on the national nightly news. This sort of marketing takes nothing away from the serious handicappers, it just adds dumb money to the parimutuel pot. Serious players should be thrilled.
November 18th, 2009 at 7:47 am
Really?
November 18th, 2009 at 8:55 am
Yes, the serious horseplayers and those serious fans who attend the races on a regular basis will be upset; those countless dozens who “fill” the joint up on a daily basis…and you can throw in the myopic horsemen who abhor the wagering aspects of the industry. But - in the end - it may be too much to ask those grand power players to actually think in terms of entertainment and actually attempt to draw new money into wagering pools.
November 18th, 2009 at 9:29 am
And as usual,the powers to be are always looking for the quick fixes to racing and forgetting that “INTEGRITY” in the industry is what this industry needs.
Why does no one wish to promote the product anymore like NASCAR which by the way has no forms of legalized gambling yet continues to draw throngs of fans.It’s because NASCAR promotes the product.Every driver plays by the same rules.If they don’t,they get reprimanded.Racing has lost it’s integrity.Just like yesterday Ray,you mention The late Bobby Frankel basically stating he used a milkshake under the reason that it wasn’t illegal.In one day after his death you showed the true integrity of racing.If it’s not illegal,gee let’s use it.Who cares what effects on the horse it has.I won and had an advantage over all those trainers that didn’t use it because they cared more about their horse than a win.
Lets see,we have win,place and show betting;Exactas,quinellas and trifectas;Daily doubles early and late.Pick three’s,four’s,five’s,sixes,sevens and eights;Now let’s bring out the blind pick too.
You know there is a movie coming out about one of the greats this industry has ever seen.I remember when Sea Biscuit came out and how many non-racing fans actually became interested in racing.If the industry as a whole would get behind this one movie it would do more for the industyry as a whole than slots at tracks or blind quick picks.
November 18th, 2009 at 9:38 am
Genius!!!!!!!!!!!
November 18th, 2009 at 9:39 am
Wasn’t there a horse called “Lordy Lordy?”
___________________________________
Its off my favorites, but I may check back ever so often.
It was fun while it lasted.
November 18th, 2009 at 9:45 am
I drive past billboards every day promoting slot jackpots won and to-be-won at local casinos. It is beyond me why racetracks haven’t employed the same strategy for the potentially life-changing, or at least month- or week-changing, payoffs that can happen daily in this game with tris, supers and multi-race bets. These don’t even have to be dumbed down to quick picks to draw interest. Electronic billboards can update carryovers and big payouts instantly and that woudl surely get the attention of the same folks who flock to slots for such purposes, as well as more sophisticated bettors.
November 18th, 2009 at 10:03 am
Very interesting piece of writing indeed. The “simple” is always, however, the most “difficult” part.
The ATG (Swedish Horse Racing Board) here - overseeing both Thoroughbred and Harness Racing (abt 30 times bigger and more popular than the Thoroughbreds) when it comes to dates allocations, all betting and distribution of prize money allocations - have understood the need for simplicity in enticing a larger slice of the population so heavily engaged in big lottery, lotto and other forms of pure chance games, and have come up with the extremely popular “Harry Boy” bet, 50/50 chance based on the morning lines at the very instant that the Harry Boy bet is made, and personal selections. This bet is steadily gaining in popularity and adds substantial “dumb money” to the overall turnover, duly noted by the “clever” players who consequently bet more.
One problem remains though: How to come up with a simple, easy-to-read and “fun” way of showing “form” to enhance betting information for the “new horseplayers”. Another important area is the appearance of the race track premises themselves. I don’t think we have a single race place in our country to merit the words: Pretty, attractive or beautiful.
November 18th, 2009 at 10:09 am
I understand and sympathize with the comments regarding the integrity of the sport. However, sad as it is that the typical American does not want to have to think about much of anything, does not negate the fact that this is popular entertainment. I would rather not see slots at the track, etc., but if this is what the public wants and we can draw more participation and revenue to the sport, then I would have to support it. Am not a big gambler and never buy lottery tickets, but, again, people seem to like this sort of game.
By the way, watched the lottery commercial, which I had not seen and wonder why men don’t protest. I have not seen a commercial (not singling out this one), in recent years where the man wasn’t portrayed as an indolent, dim witted and incompetent charge of the woman. If women were portrayed in this way, there would be an uproar.
November 18th, 2009 at 11:14 am
One of the problems with the “quick-pick” is the win rate. If it is a purely random pick it will win at a very low rate and soon lose its appeal (yes, loittery wins are few and far between also, but the winning amounts are huge, so in thge public mind it’s a trade off). There are algorythms that are better than pure random picks that look at odds shifts, pool size, current odds. etc, and make an “intelligent pick” that is one screen touch to buy; and they are proven winners in handicapping contests. The issue is distribution of the bet (only online or track,OTB) and barrier to entry (account sign up? puhleeze!). Put a self service terminal in 10,000 US convenience stores and sports bars that enable a cash player to buy a ticket and it will work. Regulation and capital are other barriers. Achievable.
November 18th, 2009 at 11:18 am
Where can we find a public display of business plans offered by the recipients of slot revenue, indicating how “slotloot” will “save” or make racing better in Kentucky ? Where can we find a before and after comparison that reflects the improvement enjoyed by racetracks, the states and the public in those places where racinos exist ? What percentage of “tourism contribution” is forecast by the proponents of slot magic ? In the cases of Woodbine and NYRA we can understand the “flow thru” and contributions to purses, redevelopment, breeding and horseracing in general because these are non or not for profit entities. What are we voting for in Kentucky that would delineate long term benefits beyond purses and foal crops ? Have the assumptions relative to slots been matched by benefits by those Government parties advocating slots ? Is there a website or other public forum available for us to enjoy this process and make a personal decision ?
Just recently we visited a slot facility called Magic City in Florida. Can we use this facility as a reference to our expectations ?
November 18th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Integrity and decency is what’s needed first:
GRAND FORKS, 1997, Quiet American- Angelic Note by The Minstrel.
YRS ST WN PL SH EARNED SR SSI
2002 Slipped
2005 Dead Foal
2006 Dead Foal
2007 Dead Foal
She is entered in the 5th race at Churchill Downs today. She is 12 years old and has not raced in 9 years. Yet those who contacted the racing office about this broodmare were told that she meets all requirements to race today.
Among others retired stallions and broodmares who were killed after being returned to racing, was the 13 year old grass-bred broodmare Planting Time who made a similar come back after 72 months away from the track (following a career ending injury?). She had a 4 year old Quarter horse racing at the time. She was killed first time out, in a muddy $2,000 claiming race at Los Alamitos.
Clean racing and they will come!
November 18th, 2009 at 11:24 am
Sounds like an idea that is worth investigating. People do like the simple bet. Like Jeff said it has a lot of details that will have to be sorted through. It is a great idea.
November 18th, 2009 at 11:31 am
A great idea - the lottery in our state is popular because it is an inexpensive bet, there’s a lot of upside, the playing field is level (anyone can win) & if you don’t win, you know that some of your money went to a good cause (in Pennsylvania, that’s senior citizens).
A quick pick at the track would also be inexpensive and with a lot of upside - and a more likely payoff than the lottery. If some of the money were to go to TB retirement or the permanently disabled jockey’s fund, or to the benefit of backstretch workers, folks who don’t win could still believe it was a small investment for a good cause.
But racing still has a couple hurdles to overcome to attract the general public. The strongest thing in racing’s favor is the enormous number of horse-lovers out there who want to attend the races, just to be in the presence of horses. The biggest thing in racing’s way is the enormous number of horse-lovers who won’t attend, because they believe horses are being mistreated by unscrupulous owners & trainers who will win at any cost because horses are expendable.
Whether that’s true or a false perception isn’t the issue. The public’s perception is its reality.
Before the public comes back to racing, they need to believe in racing’s fairness to all - including the horses, backstretch workers, and bettors. They would need to believe that the horses are well-cared-for, both during & after their careers, performance-enhancing drugs are not used (and when they are, those responsible are given meaningful punishment), and cheaters are rare (and are caught & punished). Once this is their reality, the quick pick would be very attractive (and just as good of a betting method as their current one, which is probably by the horse’s name or the colors of the silks).
By the way - on a slightly different topic - my read of the Bobby Frankel article was slightly different from Jeff’s. I think that article said a milkshake was not illegal AND was not detrimental to the horse & that Frankel wouldn’t have used it, if he thought it would hurt the horse in any way.
November 18th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Great idea. If memory serves, the year Giacomo won the Kentucky Derby the $1 superfecta paid over $800,000.00. Only seven people hit, and most of them did it with quick picks. They could use that story for one of the ads.
November 18th, 2009 at 11:41 am
Years ago, I had a horse-playing math professor who argued you’d be nuts to play the lottery since your $1 ticket was worth only 50 cents the moment you bought it. I never before or afterward bought a lottery ticket. Never mind the racetck takeouts–which are bad enough–there’s money to be mined in luring lottery players to superfectas.
I lived in France for two years in the 70’s. Millions played the Sunday “tierce. Used to take the kids to the nearby bar and we’d all punch out tickets while I sipped a kir. Later in the day, We’d watch the chosen race on TV. .
So many years later,we still get together on Sundays and bet 10-cent boxed superfectas. It can be done nationally here as well.
November 18th, 2009 at 11:46 am
I see no downside.
November 18th, 2009 at 11:54 am
Like someone else wrote, “quick-picks” might work at convenince stores or the the like, but slot players are action junkies. They want 100 quick picks per hour. It’s unlikely they will bet quickly and then wait a half hour for a bunch of stupid horses to run around a circle. Pagentry, tradition, and the smell of fresh horse crap do not entice them.
I hate to sound like a broken record, boys and girls, but it’s all about pricing. Compare:
The track. $6 to park. $6 gate. $6 program. $6 warm beer. $6 cold hotdog. 20% rake.
Casino. Free parking. No gate. Pleasant ambiance. Low rake. And a scantlily attired young lady with a cocktail tray asking, “can I get you anything?”. Free.
Game. Set. Match.
November 18th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Phil. as usual don’t let facts get in the way of a good argument.
Free Parking. $2 program. $5 gate. $3 beer. $2 hot dog.
And if you’ve ever went to an Indiana Casino you would know there aren’t free drinks given out to players, nor is there scantily clad cocktail waitresses. Vegas it is not.
Game. Set. Match?
November 18th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
We never once heard people who enjoy hold em poker say they should create a new quick pick hold ‘em game to get slots players over. They know it is a different game and they try to be who they are, not who they are not.
Betting horses at random in a quick pick, would have takeouts of over 25%. If people want to bet random they will be at a slot machine and get takeouts of 7% instead - not by choice but because they will check their wallet over time and find out they have more money in it.
Did we not learn anything from Frank Stronach’s “Horse Wizard” slot/parimutuel machine? Random works for lotteries and slots, it has never worked for a skill game.
PTP
November 18th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
One problem is the perception (reality) that those in the know have a better chance of winning. I can buy a lottery ticket or play a slot machine next to the best handicapper in the world and we have an equal chance of winning. I play a quick pick on a horse race and that handicapper has a significant advantage over me. While some still might play the marketed quick pick, I think many would recognize they are at a disadvantage and still would not play. It’s a similar line of thinking to those who think horse racing is fixed and only the insiders on the backstretch can win. While this may or may not be true, a good handicapper truly would have an advantage over a quick pick player. The mentality of someone getting a better deal or chance to win than the average Joe would be a large barrier for many to get involved. The other problem already mentioned is access. I still can’t bet with an ADW since I live in Missouri.
November 18th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
What’s the problem with just trying the ad campaign Paulick suggested? Every time anybody suggests something new for this industry, the naysayers are quick to exclaim that it’s a bad idea or won’t work. Do you naysayers have vast marketing experience? Again, what is the problem with merely giving it a try? Nobody will die if it doesn’t work.
November 18th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Oh and the 12YO mare Grand Forks was scratched from Race 5 at Churchill today. Haven’t heard why yet.
November 18th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Many racing people mistakenly believe that they are in the horse industry when in reality they are in the gambling business. Without gambling, Zenyatta would be a circus pony. Without gambling, A P Indy’s stud fee would be about what mine is. A wink and a nod. And that’s negotiable.
Without an aggressive re-pricing campaign, racing will need to be restructured from the top down. Fewer horses running for smaller purses at fewer tracks. Ignore the market place at your own peril. Racing is no longer the only game in town. Competition for each gambling dollar is only going to get worse.
For those who think that slots are the answer, observe Mountainneer. A full scale gambling resort that wants to eliminate 4 months of racing from it’s current year-round schedule. That will happen more and more with the publicly operated tracks. Racing must compete with other gambling venues price-wise or it will wither on the vine.
November 18th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Picksburg Phil is essential correct, but there is another profoundly important point that, ironically, the author of the article above fails to appreciate. The point is that racing needs to market to its strengths, chief among which is that it is a game of SKILL. Those who put time and energy into learning how to gamble on Thoroughbreds can, if they know how to manage their money, succeed. So the idea of emphasizing the luck factor is precisely the WRONG way to go about marketing the game.
November 18th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Slot players are action junkies? A pleasant ambiance? Where the hell is this Picksburg Phil? Maybe if you have chronic ADD. But if moving my finger to press a button (no one pulls a slot lever anymore) while staring at a jumbling, incomprehensible video screen, and not moving from my seat for hours because the walkers get in the way, is “action”, we need to redefine the word. Tell you what Phil, let’s head over to one of the many local Native Casinos in my area some time for some expensive and lousy food, watered down drinks, and enjoy the “ambiance” provided by the constantly jangling lights, buzzers and other electronic noise makers. Don’t forget the loud, thumping, eurotrash, soundtrack pumped in over the electronic cacophony for good measure. Love the tax free smoke that makes my eyes water and my nose run. Hey look at all those handsome and attractive meth addicts and old people playing the penny slot machines. My kind of people! Check out that 55 year old waitress with the belly roll, winking at you. Golly gee, Phil she didn’t look like that in the tv ads!
November 18th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
@bugweed: the action factor comes from the constant, highly addictive win/loss/gotta get my money back/next pull could be the big one, I’d be stupid not to pull - mind game. It’s basic psychology.
Gotta agree with PTP and Jeremy Jet, instead of spending effort on becoming the fifth-best option for pure gambling, racing should focus on what it is by nature - the greatest thinking man’s game in town.
Don’t always mention the lottery. The draw of the lottery is that even though the ticket isn’t worth the price, that if just once against all odds you hit it big, you hit it big for a lifetime. And even the largest superfecta pools don’t get up to lottery dimensions.
November 18th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
I have to agree again with Picksburg Phil. We are in the gambling business. It all started way long ago; My horse is faster than your filly. Really, I’ve got whatever, that says she’s not ! It really is that simple. Food for thought, Barry Sanders or Emmit Smith, Rachel or Zenyatta ? Who didn’t show up ?
I’ll take Emmit and Zenyatta !
November 18th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
Let’s embrace the opportunity to bring new fans to the table even if they are brought in on training wheels. If you keep it simple, they will come.
Whobet’s been doin this for years, I give them my best picks for free,
and they appreciate it.
November 19th, 2009 at 2:28 am
Nice post & nice blog. I love both.
November 19th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Clearly, our society prefers the mindless slots over playing the horses. But in slots, the outcome is totally random. If we offer a quick-pick bet, novice bettors quickly will begin to realize that there is some form to be considered when betting on horses and the outcome is not totally random. They will see the “smart money” cashing tickets while their random picks run up the track. This will lead to frustration that the “insiders” know something they don’t. We call it handicapping, and it’s what makes our game an intellectual challenge. Poker may be on the downside of its enormous popularity run, but it also takes a level of skill that attracted many new players. We can do the same if we embrace the concept that betting a horse race is a puzzle that can be put together. Puzzles are fun, right?
November 19th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
People gamble with an expectation of winning enough to have an enjoyable entertainment experience. Unfortuantely with horse racing, the betting process is so complicated and the learning curve so steep that most people give up after not having won anything. Evern the best handicappers have good days and bad days at the track; that’s why they call it gambling. But a team of good handicappers can prduce a postive ROI on a consistent basis. If you don’t believe it check out our website at http://www.propickracing.com, we post the result of every pick that gets made. Our handicapper picks are tied directly into the tote so all a person has to do is click on their pick (after opening an account). There’s no fees to the player and we average ~46% in the money; just like a slot machine. Winning is the best incentive to learn more about gambling. But until the the horse racing industry wakes up and makes it easier for people to win something on a consistent basis without having work hard at understanding the complexity of the sport, people will just play slots. It’s just easier.
November 19th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
I have met professional horseplayers in New York who spent hours handicapping and came to the track often. Yet, they only bet once every few weeks or so. Drive-by bettors along with impatient, serial gamblers get creamed while some pros win big while betting only a few times each year. Such learning curve, discipline, dedication to their “job” and rare but substantial bets are not conducive to hooking newbies who contribute to the crucial handle by leaving the track with empty pockets. There are only so many pros around and those who get inside information. Some horsemen engineer betting coups without it qualifying as race fixing, just calculated deception for the profit of a few.