decimal odds trial at ascot- for or against and why?

against, let's try and keep some tradition in the game. If not, just move the Chelt Gold cup to a saturday and be down with it!

For the trial, against decimal odds. Hope its a dismal failure.

No reason why not, I've seen it work in OZ, so no reason why not.

tradition not. It has to change at some point.

The question is When

westfour, why does it have to change? Because the once a year punter doesn't understand it? (they don't care) Because it will bring more people into the racecourse's (not at the current prices it won't) Because change is always good? Why?

Lets face some cold hard facts here. If the big off course firms want it, it will happen. If they dont, it wont.

The only reason the off course would want it would be if it confused punters into losing more or improved the SP. It will do neither, therefore it is a non-starter IMO.

They should put up the names of the horses in Afrikanna as this would add to the mystique of fractional odds. Also, how about distances in nautical miles and bets should only be accepted in groats imo.

Because decimal is the new standard. That also includes hardware and software in technology. Decimal fractions in schools. I could go on

Maybe old folk wont like or understand it.

For ,move with the times why would anyone still want to work with fractions when decimal is much easier.

Won't work.

End of.

Cant wait for:

Race distances to be in metres

Winning distances to be in metres and centimetres

Jockey weights to be in kilogrammes

Handicapper working in kilogrammes

Horses height measured in centimetres

THAT WONT CONFUSE ANYONE WILL IT

grumpy old men dont like change so I am guessing that you will find some negativity on this thread.

I'm quite happy for it to be introduced but can't see it having the impact racing for change are hoping to see. In my experience the average infrequent racegoer already has a reasonable handle of the odds. The problem is that some people just lack a basic level of mental arithmetic

jonny wad;the vast majority of books are not grumpy old men,most are a new breed,that is whybooks on course bet to no %.most of the grumpy old men got out the best part of 10 years ago when they could.they had the best time of on course bookmaking.

Race distances to be in metres

Well thats one that would help everyone on reading form .With race timing Incorporated within.

No need to make a decision.

If their punters wanted it, the books are free to offer decimal odds. There is NO restriction on them doing so.

Racing for Change's sake is not a good idea.

westfour - metres and kilos are the new standard. So what!

It's not just racing that uses fractionals though. The coupons and football bets that the Saturday punters put a couple of quid on are all still done in fractionals and they dont seem to mind. Most punters would have a reasonable idea how fractions work.

The only people who would have no experience of fractions is mainly going to be people who never bet at all or women. Who will probably not even bother looking at the odds anyway and will just stick their bet on the one with the jockey with the nicest jumper.

Presumably bookmakers will use it to shade the odds down.

artie i think the opposite.

its not a decimal odds trial.

The RP said last week that 9-4 was going to be displayed as 2.25, not 3.25.

So different to on here and with the Tote, and effectively incorrect; figure that one out.

(1.33) (1/3) £1 on each please. What will i get back ?

A no brainer

If you're not 'in' to horse racing then changing how the odds are shown won't change that.

i think decimal odds will cause confusion...picture this....wife has backed horse a at 12.0
she says do i get 13 pounds back with stake or is it 12pounds?

there will only be confusion if it isnt standardised, which it isnt going to be by the looks of it.

how much confusion do you hear from people backing on the Tote?

people are making this unnecessarily complicated, when it is nothing of the sort

to clarify,not everyone is aware that decimal prices are factors which include stake.

Westfour proves the rip off point. 1.33 instead of 1/3 and, I'll bet, 1.66, not 1.67, for 4/6.

Misty isn't it that they will have 9/4 as 2.25/1 which is correct?

So are they just going to convert traditional odds to a decimal or going down the betfair route ?

Novices will know the diff betwen 2.20 and 2.25 whereas they may not with 6/5 an 5/4.

When a bookie offers 1.69 im going to tell him im old,can i have 4/6 please.

Think to much is being made out of the change.If change is coming. But change has to come at some point

Pardon my cynicism but will say 11/8 be 2.375 or in time will it become 2.35 for "convenience" ?

Artie, it may become 2.38 or even 2.40 :)

artie,

It will become 2.3 for even more convenience.

From what i've heard they are not going to be same as Betfair or the Tote. It will still be done 'to 1'. So even money will not be 2.00. It will be 1/1. 2/1 will still be 2/1. What will change is things like 11/4 would now be 2.75/1.

So there will be a fractional system, a betfair/tote system and a new decimal system. More confusing if you ask me.

No 10th of a fraction downwards will be introduced OnCourse. 5/4 will be 2.25 11/8 will be 2.38 6/4 will be 2.50.

its perfectly obvious from this thread that not many on here go racing regularly,not blaming you btw,for if this ridiculous scenario ever did come into force,no way could you display 2.38 or 2.3 whatever as 11/8 as there would be a riot as 99% of punters would think it was just over 9/4.hth.

They are trying to sell uk racing abroad. Fractional odds, groats and nautical miles is definitely the way forward imo.

I always thought it was just the racing authorities that belonged to a bygone age. Apparently not.

from what has been reported in the RP 9-4 will be shown as 2.25, which is ludicrous because anybody who bets on decimals on the Tote or betting exchanges will assume this as 5-4.

If they are going to show 9-4 as 2.25-1, then it isnt a decimal odds trial is it and even more of a fudge.

how hard it is for anybody to grasp upon being told the price includes your stake, a la the Tote?

Westfour, explain this so..
1. The capacity that is advertised (e.g. 320GB) is a decimal number. What you see in the PC is a binary number - it differs in such that 1000 bytes in decimal equals 1024 bytes in binary. So your binary GB's are only about 95% of your decimal GB's (e.g. 320GB/1024/1024/1024)

Correct missty.

ribero - is there a riot on Tote settlement?

and how about an on course sign that says, lkike the Tote, the decimal price includes your stake.

its as if the idea isnt being given a chance to succeed.....

missty,who bets on the tote?not getting into an argument,anyone can bet where they want imo,if you want decimals stay on here,but i promise if you if i put 2 up and paid them out at evens anywhere on a saturday i wouldnt be here to tell the tale.

Newcomers and occasional racegoers bet on the Tote and this is trying to encourage fresh money into the ring, a laudable attempt.

Surely there wouldnt be any comeback if people were told the decimal prices included your stake?

As it is, tomorrow's Ascot trial will not be a decimal trial at all then. Do you agree with that?

Doesn't bother me one way or another. I just think that of all the things wrong with British racing, decimal odds was way down the list.

Shrewd, I presume 8/13 will be 0.62/1 ?

It'll just be 1.62

i personally think its a awaste of time like many other so called iniatives,dont think there is much chance of getting newcomers through the gate,too much distraction,i used to go racing on days off but find myself staying on here most of the time,my parents took me racing from an early age and thats how i got hooked,,i guess its a laudable attempt to get more people interested generally but certainly dont think decimal odds will make one iota of difference,incidentally i understand the 3 books who have volunteered for tomorrow are nly doing it to show how uneccessary it is,anyhow off now,good luck.

i think the biggest problem for new racegoers is what to do between races other than drink so couldnt they put up stands teaching people about the form,the betting, what to look for in the paddock and other things.

to have a board full of prices like
2.12
3.95
7.4
8.2

Is not Customer friendly.

I'd say that was far easier to understand from a newbies point of view.

nobody is suggesting that the decimal odds trial should be the exchange price, are they?

simply what price the bookmaker would normally show displayed as a decimal

a board would be more like this

2.63
4.00
4.33
4.50
5.00
5.50
2.10
6.00
6.50
7.00
7.50
8.00
8.00
16.00
25.00
33.00

Looks ok to me

It would be OK with me, if I was the bookmaker.

AND NEXT DOOR ......
a board would be more like this

2.73
4.10
4.40
4.60
5.10
5.60
2.20
6.10
6.60
7.10
7.60
8.10
8.10
17.50
26.50
34.00

Looks BETTER to me

misty 100/30 or 4.33 will soon be 4.1 and that will catch many of the newbies out to thinking it is 4/1 and not a fraction over 3/1

I think the bookmakers will find a way to use any change to screw a bit more out of the punter.

Oh Dear...Im now knocking my head

No BF prices... 11/8 will be 2.38
6/4 will be 2.50

No 2.39 or 2.54 or whatever you wish to add and call them thieves.
What they offer now will be converted. No extras

I cant wait to hear someone like Colin Webster shouting the odds:

"3.33 recurring the field"

Sounds fantastic, will certainly rekindle the romance between the punter and bookie of old.

lukehart 27 Apr 11:38
misty 100/30 or 4.33 will soon be 4.1 and that will catch many of the newbies out to thinking it is 4/1 and not a fraction over 3/1

If you're a newbie how would you get confused? Why would you think it's 4/1 when you don't know what 4/1 is?

artie 27 Apr 11:46


I think the bookmakers will find a way to use any change to screw a bit more out of the punter.

Sure will.

those punters who believe they are being screwed by on course bookies should try getting better odds anywhere else in the world. ignorance is true bliss