October
OctoberCaught in web
Some years ago the great bookmaker Beasley, of football fame, wrote in the Herald Sun that the future lies in young people betting online. Well, few young ones bet as he predicted for now.
In Winning Post (22/9), Adrian Dunn repeated the claim. This is still as naive as in Beasley’s day. I am nearly 80 and only bet at home on the internet, where I have all the information one could possibly want, along with Winning Post.
My strike rate stands at 42 percent in the last 12 months — a far cry from being on track 50 years ago with a racebook showing the horse’s last three runs.
Sure, a few young guys bet on mobiles on impulse, which is good for bookies. Except for Adam Olszanski, almost all the racing scribes are over 40.
The Saundrys and Waterhouses of this world are wasting their time trying to get punters on course. I was in the members enclosure at Flemington recently surrounded by beer- and champagne-swilling partygoers having the odd tote bet — it was midwinter, not Melbourne Cup week!
70 years ago 100,000 punters were at Caulfield to see Bernborough win the Caulfield Cup (which never happened).
Racing’s biggest blow was recently dealt by the High Court, which, by reducing prices on offer to punters, has alienated many and further enriched the casinos and other sports, which are erasing racing’s attraction to punters.
I will live long enough to see the demise of bookmakers even from our metro courses in Australia.
There is no value granting free entry to races unless clubs provide each Punter with access to the fullest possible range of information we need.
Punters have been forever treated as milking cows for owners but now the internet has caught up with those creaming off more than their fair share.
Bendigo (Vic)