Trey’s Two Cents Worth: Another ball hit out of the park by Fitzsimmons and Truro team

I tend to be a “the glass is half empty” sort of guy, and even more so in the harness racing industry. The best way to improve anything is by being critical at the applicable moments. We are all members of a professional sport, and there is no time for participation awards. This high level of criticism applies to drivers, trainers, owners, racing organizations, tracks and even media members like me. We all must hold ourselves to these standards if we hope to grow harness racing.
 
However, it’s no secret that I have been overly impressed by the work Truro Raceway General Manager Steve Fitzsimmons and his team at Truro Raceway has put in this year. He and his team have already introduced a new broadcast team, introduced a 20-cent Pick 5 with the lowest takeout rate in Canada, and created a new buy-in stake event. Truro Raceway constantly has other contests for fans to enjoy, like Survivor pools and NHL playoff pools. I am constantly scrolling through something Truro Raceway related on Facebook or Twitter.

I was amazed to see the news that broke Friday morning, even though something always seems to be exciting coming out of Bible Hill, Nova Scotia. Truro Raceway announced they had brokered a “one-of-a-kind” partnership with Coolbet. Coolbet is an online sportsbook and casino for those who do not know. Funny enough, it just so happens to be the site I even use Coolbet for my sports betting as well. In my opinion, this is by far the biggest homerun of the year for Truro Raceway.

Coolbet.com has betting options for sports all over the world. You can wager on all the primary sports like football, baseball and MMA, but they also offer more exotic events like the annual 4th of July Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. A horse racing tab is already present, with a handful of tracks from Australia and Hong Kong available to wager on. Truro Raceway will have prime real estate on the site as the only Canadian track available, which will help grow the handle. Also, adding a sports book on the grounds at Truro Raceway will surely increase the already growing revenue stream. However, there is an even bigger and better possibility brewing that will make my Harnesslink colleague, John Berry, very happy.

This partnership has opened the door for something Mr. Berry has been calling for, prop bets!

Coolbet, like most other online sports books, has a variety of prop bets on a wide array of sports. A partnership like this is a giant first step for harness racing to get into the prop bet game. Prop bets are a fundamental pillar of sports gambling today, and it is a travesty that harness racing does not have it. With a simple button click, any bettor could put $5.00 on any driver winning more than four times in a card. How about betting on which sire would have the most offspring win in a month or even a year? The Super Bowl has novelty prop bets every year, and the crazier, the better! What colour will the Gatorade showered on the winning coach, and how long will the Star-Spangled Banner be are two trendy ones. Giving harness racing more options like this will surely grow the interest in the casual sports bettor.

Fitzsimmons and his Truro Raceway team have captured themselves a potential golden goose of sorts. The possibilities are endless if things are done correctly. I will monitor this partnership closely and suggest you all do the same!

One slight drawback to Coolbet itself is that it is no longer available in Ontario, which takes out the biggest Canadian market, but this could lead to more sports books joining the harness racing team.

by Trey Colbeck, for Harnesslink