Inter-track betting to begin in October

Press, 9 July 1986, Page 43

Inter-track betting to begin in October

PA Wellington Inter-track betting should be introduced on October 18. Mr Bob Pye, the Totalisator Agency Board’s assistant manager, on-course division, confirmed this date for its introduction .in his address to delegates attending the annual meeting of the New Zealand Trotting Conference in Wellington yesterday. Mr Pye said the introduction of inter-track betting was dependent on amendments to the Racing Act being passed by Parliament but was considered a formality. Inter-system payout, where a ticket purchased at the T.A.B. can be collected on-course and viceversa would be introduced on October 1.

Mr Pye also explained that inter-track betting is just that — inter-track.

It will not affect T.A.B. off-course betting where off-course patrons will still be restricted to one T.A.B. double, trifecta and treble per meeting. The concept is designed to get the off-course punter back to the race track by providing advantages to the patron who attends race meetings. A punter on-course will have all pools at other meetings available for betting. Jackpots are also included in the inter-track

system so a bettor at the Stratford races on Auckland Cup day could place bets on a jackpot at the northern meeting. Mr Pye said there were many misconceptions about inter-track betting. “Inter-track betting will operate only on fully licensed meetings. On-course-only meetings will be exempt. “Betting will not be available at a meeting until the normal betting time. For instance a punter at the gallops on a Saturday will not be able to place bets on the night trots unless the on-course totes at both courses overlap,” he said. A ticket will be able to be cashed at any track or T.A.B. office under the new system but a bet placed on the T.A.B. will not be able to be cancelled on-course, thus preventing tote manipulation;

Mr Pye said the T.A.B. would provide progressive dividends, results, etc. for three away meetings in addition to the host meeting.

One video display would show the data from the host meeting while another would be used to rotate dividends and results from the other meetings in just the same way as information is posted on-course. Mr Pye said clubs could install four screens and show information simul-

taneously for all four meetings if they so desired. Co-operation between clubs would be vital, Mr Pye said, and programmes would need to be staggered to capitalise on the new system and ensure jetbet terminals did not become overloaded and a consistent flow maintained throughout the day. Mr Pye said the increased complexity of the new system could mean a delay of up to 10 seconds from the time a bet is keyed in until the ticket is produced but this is only in the-case of a bet placed at one end of the country on a meeting held at the other and most bets would be delayed for only about three seconds. Revenue will be divided between the club where the bet is placed and the club holding the meeting that the bet is on. . Seven and a half per cent will go to the club where the bet is made and 1.5 per cent will go to the club that is hosting the race bet on.