Tale of the ring

a lot of effort put into that . worth a read. though I fear the culprits won't

Think I'll start looking for the chalk and sponge

Yes credit to mr banks for the work he's done and full marks for pointing the finger at the no.1 culprit in hughes who  must surely have been to put it politely "influenced", I would go along with his suggestions tomorrow but unfortunately the horse has bolted.

Can we bring back seniority while we're at it?  I'd get a right move up

Sorry wasnot,help the aged would object and some would no doubt start digging a few graves up!

"Why aren’t the punters flocking to a ring where they can very often beat an exchange price and pay no commission? Because my friends, like me, they’re so famously bored of a ring with rows of Bookmakers betting like soldiers – all offering the same odds."

Exactly the case Mr Banks and whats more laughable is that the prices change (usually downwards) when they havent even taken one bet for 5 minutes.

More Riberos needed on track, part of the older school and trained by someone from the real old school.
When RTD and the laptops go we can have the tic tacs back.

you're welcome Rigsby. Solutions lie with the Bookmakers themselves. A mistake was made- it's leading us nowhere. We need to recognise it, stop treating the tracks as pariahs and help ourselves. That's progress

here's the posting - comment good or bad - welcome all views, solutions, what YOU would be prepared to do to save your business. http://jpfestival.com/review/tale-of-the-ring

Is this the same Mr Banks that was betting to 150% within the Centaur at Cheltenham and also 1/5 odds?

his position of punters go racing because theres a betting ring is flawed,on quiet days they use phones /tablets.and on the busy saturdays they are just ripping off drunks on stag dos - who dont care or know ,as long as the stag dos keep coming they will keep fleecing them.

in 5 years eveyone will have 5g iphone 9s and even the drunks will bet by tablet/phone.

restricting broadband width to force them to use the ring can only be done for so long,

chester have the right idea

why dosent a track close the ring ,sack the tote and put loads of betfairbet outlets up so cash punters can be direct into betfair at a reduced odds 6/1 on betfair direct or 5/1 through track terminal 1 point for the track(less 5% for betfair or 10% )


punters will stop using tablets when a close to cash service is available,without a middle man.

Not sure it would work comingupthehill.   Have you ever tried to use a terminal after 14 pints of lager?

I thought Betfair was the middle man?

We've been here before but......one pitch per ring per bookmaker, one rep who is actually a rep, not another bookmaker, ALL bookmakers betting to standard betting terms, no pitch linking, no pitch renting, a professional appearance with professional service and no use of exchanges for trading.

COMINGUPTHEHILL - SACK THE BOOKMAKERS, SACK THE TOTE GIRLS AND GIVE ALL THE BUSINESS TO A FOREIGN NON UK TAX PAYING COMPANY......WONDERFUL.....YOU DON'T WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT BY ANY CHANCE DO YOU ?

COMINGUPTHEHILL,WALOFB

I used to go racing regularly and the"shopping" around waiting to get 10/3 when 3s elsewhere was what going racing was all about, the the thought you had something few on the course had. Now everyone "lining up like soldiers" makes it pointless. At festival for 1 day this year had 1 bet with on course bookmaker, it was worth the scrimmaging. 1st visit to Aintree this week, hope its more fun.

#WASNT worth the scrimmaging

you're correct , the tramp  , but where you had to scrimmage to get the 100/30 every book is now showing 7/2

Very fair point I had this conversation with old school bookie at Wincanton, where he made same point. When I asked why should I bet with you when youve all got the same price up he had no answer. Sadly I have no answer but Racing is now a day out with mates and a few beers. Not the old days when the gambling was the only thing with the occasional beer

the busiest pitches at cheltenham are now behind the stands - the ones outside the beer tents - the ring is the least populated area of the track,which sort of kills the myth that the bookies say - that people go racing for the excitment /tradition of the ring,its now the place to avoid when you go racing,the stag dos just bet at the nearest quickest place to the beer tent wether that be a tote terminal or pitch or their own smart phone .

COMINGUPTHEHILL,EVERYONE KNOWS WERE THE VALUE IS AT CHELTENHAM AND IT AINT BEHIND THE STANDS,MIND U I BET WHEN U FILL THE CAR UP WITH FUEL U LOOK FOR THE DEAREST PETROL STATION THEN MOAN ABOUT THE PRICE,COME RACING "BIGGER THAN THE MACHINE"NO COMMISSION,NO PC

and looking at the plans for the future it certainly seems Cheltenham racecourse want to keep it that way

was i only betting to 150%? That's an error :)

Great to see a proper bookie posting,Geoff  I remember your dad John giving free ice creams to the punters that bet with him  during a heatwave at Ayr and laughing at all  3 and 4% a runner merchants moaning and whinging
Nothing changes

How can you encourage folk to go racing if they have to have a bet and lose?

Bit like saying you can watch the milk race as long as you go in a high street bookie and

lose some money?

Don't tracks offer horses races and other fare or do they expect to nail punters cash by insistence on gambling

What came first, horse racing or horse betting, last in first out!

If traditional bookmakers cant compete or make a profit on course as well as off

then thats just hard luck, now they know how most punters have felt, hard cheese...

Simply charge racegoers a set fee for using tablets and mobiles for placing bets, simple but you need

to operate the procedure tactfully and effectively

PUNTERS NEVER EVER HAD IT SO GOOD ONCOURSE,ONCOURSE BOOKMAKERS NEVER HAD IT SO BAD,FACT!

not all trains serve gravy throughout there service record, change trains...