If You Were EVER Going to Bet Harness Racing

directscooter · #1 08-09-2007, 08:49 AM

The next 3 Saturdays would be the time. Rosecroft Raceway is doing a 1% takeout each Saturday in August. They are not doing a good job of getting the word out there, as I just found out about it today, and I am a member of a few harness chat groups. Even if you don't like harness racing, but are a fan of the dogs, flats or quarters, I still urge you to put a few bucks down on Rosecroft. If we can make a point to the track owners that smaller takeouts = bigger handles, we could possibly make smaller takeouts a permanent thing. Just so you understand the normal takeout is anywhere from 16 - 35% in horse racing, making this a very big deal.

Mods, if this is better off in Other Gambling, please move it.

Holybull · #2 08-09-2007, 10:23 AM

Thanks. Can you please tell us which riders will be holding back their horses that day?

directscooter · #3 08-09-2007, 10:43 AM

I do agree that racing can be fixed from time to time, but the people that think it is fixed all the time are the same ones that say Full Tilt plays with the deck, and call Poker Stars.. River Stars.

The truth is, that at many harness tracks, there is no longer a need to fix races by holding horses back, etc. Slot money has made such a difference at many of the tracks that the purses are worth more than they could make in any bets, therefore if anything, drivers are trying harder to make the money. At Rinky Dinky Downs where the purses are still small, the pools are not big enough that a driver can bet a grand to win on a horse, hold back on him and then expect not to be investigated.

I am not naive, I have been betting harness for 15+ years, I know it still happens, but I would say the new form of "race fixing" is the kinda that enhances performance and that issue is as concerning for flats and dogs as it is for harness racing. The "Milk shakes" can work wonders...

NajdorfDefense · #4 08-09-2007, 11:58 AM

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Thanks. Can you please tell us which riders will be holding back their horses that day?

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Grasshopp3r · #5 08-09-2007, 01:23 PM

Horse racing managed to wrangle an exemption from the UIGEA. Until the repeal of the UIGEA, I will not bet on any horses. Horse racing is a dying industry.

NajdorfDefense · #6 08-09-2007, 01:34 PM

I don't know about 'exception' betting horses over the phone has always been explicitly legal since those laws were passed.

Unlike, say, sports betting outside Nevada. The laws are actually fairly consistent, even if we all disagree with them.

youtalkfunny · #7 08-09-2007, 04:23 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks. Can you please tell us which riders will be holding back their horses that day?

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Very nice.

hosstito · #8 08-09-2007, 05:45 PM

I don't think there's any extrraodinary carryovers or anything, but since there was a harness racing thread, I had to mention the Adios, which is also on Saturday. From reading this,it seems like 'Watta Hotshot' will probably be the heavy public favorite. Can't really blame them though with the Mickey Burke / Dave Palone combo and all.

Do you guys have any url's / references about rigged harness racing? Why does it tend to happen more in harness than thoroughbred?

Minn_pokerplyr · #9 08-16-2007, 12:55 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I do agree that racing can be fixed from time to time, but the people that think it is fixed all the time are the same ones that say Full Tilt plays with the deck, and call Poker Stars.. River Stars.

The truth is, that at many harness tracks, there is no longer a need to fix races by holding horses back, etc. Slot money has made such a difference at many of the tracks that the purses are worth more than they could make in any bets, therefore if anything, drivers are trying harder to make the money. At Rinky Dinky Downs where the purses are still small, the pools are not big enough that a driver can bet a grand to win on a horse, hold back on him and then expect not to be investigated.

I am not naive, I have been betting harness for 15+ years, I know it still happens, but I would say the new form of "race fixing" is the kinda that enhances performance and that issue is as concerning for flats and dogs as it is for harness racing. The "Milk shakes" can work wonders...

[/ QUOTE ]

Well it's nice to know that they will no longer be [censored] me out of my money.. What about the thousands they have already screwed me out of??

Minn_pokerplyr · #10 08-16-2007, 12:58 AM

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Do you guys have any url's / references about rigged harness racing? Why does it tend to happen more in harness than thoroughbred?

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It happens more often because there is actual equipment involved. It takes a lot more to pull a horse from the rail and get it to the top, then it does to pull a thoroughbred from the rail.

Also this equipment makes it easier for drivers to block other horses in, so they cannot advance.

You also have the "off-stride" factor. At any given time a driver could put a horse off-stride. There are just too many human controlled variables in harness racing.