Steppin Short
16-08-2006, 23:37
"One of the jockeys, not Winston, is supposed to have made 200 phone calls to the bookmaker concerned, according to the sport's specialist newspaper The Racing Post.
The paper says the bookmaker is alleged to have regularly laid horses to lose on betting exchanges whilst at the same time offering higher odds than his competitors on the same horses when operating on the racecourse. "
I have never believed betting exchanges would benefit horse racing, ok some punters may get an extra point or two, but with all the race fixing probes etc in the UK it shows that the unscrupulous are using betting exchanges for their own gains.
Lets face it where ever there is gambling there will always be those who want to beat the odds. The nasty little people who care nothing for the sport, just for the chance to get their grubby little hands on someone elses hard earned.
The unfortunate thing is that it is this sort of activity kills the credibility of racing and will deter some from becoming involved or having a bet. In the long run turnover on racing will decline.
For racing in general to survive it seems the logical betting medium will be all tote, the purists will scream that too much is taken from the pool, but by taking percentages racing will survive.
A similar senario in racing occurs in Asia, where horses are able to move up and down th rating system, realising that this is a necessity owing to the smaller population of horse. It is well known in these centres that on any meeting there are non-triers, those that are "having a run to drop a few points" so as to drop a grade.
The combination of being "in the know" as to who is on and who is off and the introduction of betting exchanges operating in these areas opens up another can of worms.
It would seem that those wishing to bet with exchanges should be aware that there is a certain element out there that will skin you.
The days of the bookmaker have been numbered for many years with the over kill of information that is available to the punter, it seems from reports from the UK some are "in the know" and skinning their clients in more ways than one.
It would not surprise me to see the demise of both bookmakers and betting exchanges in future with only full tote operating unless some better form of policing activites can be introduced. Remember though, any form of policing will cost, so where will the advantage be to use an exchange?
The paper says the bookmaker is alleged to have regularly laid horses to lose on betting exchanges whilst at the same time offering higher odds than his competitors on the same horses when operating on the racecourse. "
I have never believed betting exchanges would benefit horse racing, ok some punters may get an extra point or two, but with all the race fixing probes etc in the UK it shows that the unscrupulous are using betting exchanges for their own gains.
Lets face it where ever there is gambling there will always be those who want to beat the odds. The nasty little people who care nothing for the sport, just for the chance to get their grubby little hands on someone elses hard earned.
The unfortunate thing is that it is this sort of activity kills the credibility of racing and will deter some from becoming involved or having a bet. In the long run turnover on racing will decline.
For racing in general to survive it seems the logical betting medium will be all tote, the purists will scream that too much is taken from the pool, but by taking percentages racing will survive.
A similar senario in racing occurs in Asia, where horses are able to move up and down th rating system, realising that this is a necessity owing to the smaller population of horse. It is well known in these centres that on any meeting there are non-triers, those that are "having a run to drop a few points" so as to drop a grade.
The combination of being "in the know" as to who is on and who is off and the introduction of betting exchanges operating in these areas opens up another can of worms.
It would seem that those wishing to bet with exchanges should be aware that there is a certain element out there that will skin you.
The days of the bookmaker have been numbered for many years with the over kill of information that is available to the punter, it seems from reports from the UK some are "in the know" and skinning their clients in more ways than one.
It would not surprise me to see the demise of both bookmakers and betting exchanges in future with only full tote operating unless some better form of policing activites can be introduced. Remember though, any form of policing will cost, so where will the advantage be to use an exchange?