Gambling related articles
How has technology transformed
betting on the horses?
From Rik Snuiverink.
November 2019.
Whether it’s the
Melbourne Cup or a minor meeting at your local track, putting a dollar
or two on a horse is one of the oldest and best-known forms of sports
betting. It’s also something that has often been seen as something of a
closed club, with the mysteries of trackside betting shrouded in
mystery.
You wouldn’t hear
people claiming they “wouldn’t know where to start” playing slots or
roulette. Yet that’s exactly the line you often hear when it comes to
horse race betting. However, technology has wrought a number of
transformations that have made it both more accessible and more
attractive to 21st century sport enthusiasts.
Sports science in
the stable
All the gambling
technology in the world won’t attract punters unless the underlying
sport showcases the very best. If you were lucky enough to pay a visit
to Godolphin stables in Newmarket, you would see that Sheikh Mohammed
has invested in technology that would not look out of place in the
Olympic Village. Artificial gallops and spas help the equine athletes
develop their muscles under carefully controlled conditions, while
medical monitoring technology such as endoscopes and MRIs provide early
warning at the first sign of trouble.
Accessing the world’s
top races
It’s interesting that
we discuss Sheikh Mohammed’s base in rural England as casually as we
might talk about a stable on the outskirts of Melbourne. Physical
distance is an irrelevance in the online world, and this also applies to
the races we watch.
Traditionally, all the
hype we’ve been experiencing over the Melbourne Cup in recent weeks used
to signal the end of the racing season. Now, it simply means we turn our
attention elsewhere. For example, Ireland plays host to two of its most
popular festivals in November at Punchestown and Fairyhouse. Shortly
afterwards, there are the traditional meetings at Limerick and
Leopardstown over Christmas. In short, there’s racing to be enjoyed all
year round, and where you happen to live on the globe doesn’t prevent
you from getting involved.
Betting made simple
Accessibility is
about more than setting up a bookmaker app that gives you the runners,
riders and odds of races across the world, however. Online bookies are
fully aware of the need to welcome new audiences that come from both the
equine direction (for example horse lovers exploring the world of
racing) and the gambling angle (those casino gamers who decide to give
sports betting a try).
This is where the
full implications of the “information age” come into focus. Betting apps
provide in depth analysis, expert tips, statistics and even live
streams. There’s also a major focus on betting guides to strip the
mystery away from those Yankee and Trifecta bets.
Only the beginning
What is truly exciting
is that so much of this technology is still relatively new. Where could
it take us? Live betting, for example, has become massively popular in
the soccer world as it allows gamblers to place a bet when the game is
already in progress. Surely it is only a matter of time before similar
possibilities are released in horse racing. The future seems like an
exciting place.
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