Harness racing being badly “outpaced” by technology

In a recent Mane Attraction column, the subject of proposition bets was suggested to enhance interest in our great sport of harness racing.

The longer our industry waits to take action, the further the business of harness racing will drop back reaching the back of the field.

Doesn’t our sport have any gate speed to get into the technology race and get some of the headlines before it’s too late?

Cameron Craig of Rushville, Indiana is the latest example of the proposition betting phenomena.

Rushville is a little less than one hour from Hoosier Park in Anderson, Indiana but Hoosier Park wasn’t in this equation and Cameron Craig didn’t have to move off of his couch—except for jumping a few feet high—as he won a $5 parlay on pro football worth $72,795.

The article appeared in the Indianapolis Star but, soon…

Headlines were everywhere…stories were everywhere…

That prop bet got the headlines, as did the NFL…and, of course, Cameron Craig and his life changing windfall win of $72,795.

He picked the four players in each playoff game that would score the first touchdown in each game.

Travis Kelce was his first pick who was +600 (6 to 1 on a tote board) with Dallas Goedert, pegged on the prop board at +1200 (12 to 1), next. Cameron’s third choice was Ja’Marr Chase +900 (9 to 1) and Dalton Schultz was the final pick in this Pick-4 parlay at +1500 (15 to 1).

The parlay odds sequence was $5 to win $30 in the first leg, $450 after the second leg, $4,545 after the third leg and, of course, the $72,795 with the prop makers setting the odds at 1,455,900.

There was a cash out offer after the third leg of $1,393.56, seemingly a little “light” since the three leg parlay was much more. It, of course, was refused.

Talk about a shot in the arm, this one was the booster of all boosters!

Sure, there may be legal and legislative action to get prop bets to our racetracks and racinos but, with sports betting now going full steam ahead, now is the time to strike, while the iron is hot.

When I first went to the racetracks 60 plus years ago, we had win-place-show wagering and an early daily double…and then quinellas and exactas followed…then trifectas…and superfectas…and pentafectas, Pick-3’s, Pick-4’s and Pick 5’s…Pick-6’s…even others like the survivor, etc. All of those wagering additions jumped whatever hurdles were ahead to provide fans with something new…and this should be no different.

This should be a no-brainer, especially to inoculate more life into our sport.

Look what the strategic wagering innovation has done to spike individual race handles!

The possibilities with prop betting are endless…such as picking the first race winners at four different tracks…or picking a four DRIVER parlay at any of the tracks racing in a day.

Pick your own two, three or four horse parlay…mix any tracks, if you’d like.

There can be “future” bets on our classic races based on the eligibilities at first nomination. Who knows, you might get 1,000 to 1 on the next Hambletonian winner!!!!

Future bets on which driver will win the most races this year…What’s the over-under if Aaron Merriman will win 925 1/2 races. (The 1/2 to prevent ties).

Will any horse win the triple crown this year?

The lines can be based on the lines made by professionals who know how to make morning them, which can be updated on a timely basis, but lock in a bettor’s odds when the wager is made.

For the neophytes, there are “American Odds,” which are the odds based on winning $100 for a given wager.

There are decimal odds—just as in pari-mutuel racing—meaning the bettor knows the approximate return for every dollar bet. (A 5 to 1 winner at a track will pay between $12.00—if it’s a straight 5 to 1—or as much as $13.80, if it $5.90 to 1.)

In sports betting, a +120 line means that, for every dollar bet, you profit $1.20 for  that winning bet. A -140 line means the team is favored and you would have to put up $1.40 to make a profit of $1.00.

Next comes “fractional odds,” which is used in our pari-mutuel system in North America. Examples are 10:1, 9:2, 8:5, etc. and, in New York, sometimes, 3:4 or 5:4, for example.

Then comes the “implied probability” odds, the ones that morning line makers for pari-mutuel racing use in their morning lines. For example, a 3 to 1 morning line means that the morning line maker believes that choice has a 25% chance of winning. A 9 to 2 morning line pits the winning chance at a bit more than 18%. A 20 to 1 morning line means the “professional” believes the probability of winning is less than 5%.

So, what’s the market for gam(b)ling in the U.S.A.?

Well, in the 48 States (plus D.C.) that allow it—no Utah or Hawaii—and about 60% gambled in the past year.

Distance means nothing to anyone anymore when it comes to a sporting event.

People in Florida can bet Cal-Expo, which is 3,005 miles away!!!

Scientists say mankind is 50,000 years old and 2,000 people could hold hands from the earliest of times to today…and we are lucky enough to live be number 2,000 and the only generation that can benefit and enjoy the discoveries that have happened in our lifetime.

From the rotary phone to the smart phone…from black and white television with four channels to the smart TV with 500 channels…from innovative medications to the internet and zoom meetings…thousands more…we live in the most exciting and remarkable discoveries in history.

It’s about time we start keeping up with the “times” …off the track!

by John Berry, for Harnesslink