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New Betfair policy of four max concurrent US tracks?

jamee1

12 Oct 20 19:21

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Date Joined: 25 Jul 08

| Topic/replies: 4,233 | Blogger: jamee1's blog

Over the last few days several fixtures usually covered by Betfair have either been removed or never listed. It seems to me that Betfair are trialling (or have permanently moved to) a new max four track concurrency policy during the busier 6pm-9pm slot.

> Weds: Finger Lakes markets were removed when it would have made the 5th track running during the 6pm to 9pm slot.
> Thurs: not affected (only four tracks running at this time).
> Fri: not affected (only three tracks running at this time).
> Sat: Delaware markets were not listed when it would have made the 5th track running at this time.
> Sun: not affected (only four tracks running at this time).
> Today: Finger Lakes and Monmouth were not listed when they would have made the 5th and 6th track running at this time.
> Tomorrow: not affected (only three tracks running at this time). Note that Finger Lakes is offered for the first time since last Tues.

It is likely that Betfair are using a new hierarchy which we can work out over time to predict what tracks will be available for future dates. For now the hierarchy looks like this:
1 NYRA (Belmont, Aqueduct, Saratoga)
- Parx
- Keeneland
- Woodbine
- Fort Erie
6 Delaware
7 Monmouth
8 Finger Lakes

So far late night fixtures after 9pm have not been affected as there is not usually more than a couple of tracks running concurrently at this time.

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Report tinytuco • October 12, 2020 8:29 PM BST

Whatever thet are doing they need to inform the person who uopdates there schedule on these forums.
Only a few days ago it was updated as this -
Mon 12 Oct

Delaware Park
Belmont Park
Parx Racing
Monmouth Park
Finger Lakes
Fort Erie
Mountaineer

Whatever they are doing, they can't be dropping tracks on the basis of liquidity - Finger Lakes outstrips Delaware, Fort Erie (as awful as fonner) and Parx easily.

Also why drop tracks that are shown on ATR? Fort Erie and Parx are never on ATR - and thus suffer in terms of liquidity (lower liquidity for Betfair must mean lower commission???)

If the issue isn't licensing then they need to sort out which tracks to keep.

Keeping Fort Erie is just awful.

Report jamee1 • October 12, 2020 9:06 PM BST

It can only be due to overall profitability. There will be many considerations for BF over-and-above market size that may vary significantly by track and which are complete unknowns for us. eg profitability of house bots (if they exist), profitability of strategic partner bots (if they exist), licensing cost, market set-up and in-play management cost, GPS data feeds (now or planned), average rake % of matched volume etc etc.

Betfair will not yet know the impact to their overall share of the US racing market, especially as competitors seem to be ramping up their US racing offer right now (10 US tracks on offer today on Purple!!!). Plus there is a risk it could shrink the market altogether if punters decide the frequency of races is no longer worth the hours putting into an evening of trading.

I assume most likely it is a trial for now while BF assess the full impact.

Report jamee1 • October 12, 2020 9:08 PM BST

Oct 12, 2020 -- 9:06PM, jamee1 wrote:

It can only be due to overall profitability. There will be many considerations for BF over-and-above market size that may vary significantly by track and which are complete unknowns for us. eg profitability of house bots (if they exist), profitability of strategic partner bots (if they exist), licensing cost, market set-up and in-play management cost, GPS data feeds (now or planned), average rake % of matched volume etc etc. Betfair will not yet know the impact to their overall share of the US racing market, especially as competitors seem to be ramping up their US racing offer right now (10 US tracks on offer today on Purple!!!). Plus there is a risk it could shrink the market altogether if punters decide the frequency of races is no longer worth the hours putting into an evening of trading. I assume most likely it is a trial for now while BF assess the full impact.

Or perhaps it's just a huge f*** up because the usual chap is on holiday? Who knows!

Report wisewords • October 12, 2020 11:24 PM BST

It's a shame they're missing Finger Lakes now

Report jamee1 • October 12, 2020 11:36 PM BST

Oct 12, 2020 -- 11:24PM, wisewords wrote:

It's a shame they're missing Finger Lakes now

Only when there are four or more other tracks on. Tomorrow there should be Finger Lakes. By the way did anyone spot one of the stakes races last Tuesday was called "The Lady Finger"?

Report wisewords • October 13, 2020 12:01 AM BST

yeah I read your post jamee. it's still a shame we'll miss Finger Lakes on lots of day when there are already 4 tracks ahead of it in the pecking order

Report wisewords • October 13, 2020 12:02 AM BST

lots of days*

Report jamee1 • October 13, 2020 12:32 AM BST

Will miss out on Finger Lakes on this Wednesday but as Fort Erie and Delaware end this week it should mean we get the final two weeks of Finger Lakes without interruption.

Report wisewords • October 13, 2020 2:13 AM BST

Hope you're right my man!

Report jamee1 • October 13, 2020 6:06 PM BST

BF have just loaded Finger Lakes and Delaware fixtures up for tomorrow (weds). In total there are five tracks running in the 6pm-9pm slot that would normally be featured on BF; Parx, Keeneland, Finger Lakes, Monmouth and Delaware. Will be interesting to see whether we have five tracks on Betfair tomorrow or whether a different track will miss out this time.

Report wisewords • October 13, 2020 6:18 PM BST

maybe they were just a little bit understaffed?

Report jamee1 • October 13, 2020 6:29 PM BST

Oct 13, 2020 -- 6:18PM, wisewords wrote:

maybe they were just a little bit understaffed?

Perhaps. Four tracks loaded for tomorrow so far, Finger Lakes, Delaware, Keeneland and Parx. Monmouth remains the only one missing (note their fixture on Monday was cancelled due to weather).

Report salmon spray • October 14, 2020 11:00 AM BST

Monmouth is being run elsewhere which may have some significance. I think Finger Lakes is in the NYRA btw and agree liquidity there is better than most. Fort Erie finished for the year last night.

Report swiftynifty • October 14, 2020 1:15 PM BST

I don't think Monmouth is running at Meadowlands this year due to Covid etc. Finger Lakes is independent from NYRA hence the races often clash with the NYRA tracks. Their season ends earlier than last year sadly.
Hoping to see Betfair reinstate Zia Park, Remington Park and Delta Downs(from november 24th) to the schedule shortly.

Report jamee1 • October 14, 2020 3:12 PM BST

No Zia on BF while they continue with their mixed Quarterhorse and Thoroughbred cards. im not hopeful for remington but i am hopeful for delta.

Report jamee1 • October 14, 2020 3:37 PM BST

Just been looking ahead to November and there certainly isn't going to be any problems with four-track limits.

Delaware and Fort Erie last week is this week, while Keeneland and Monmouth both finish after next week, and Finger Lakes the week after.

From 29th Oct the 6pm-9pm slots are left with only Parx (Mon to Wed) plus NYRA & Woodbine (Thurs to Sun). Perhaps BF will end up putting on the Zia P fixtures (Mon to Weds) after all?

Report jamee1 • October 14, 2020 3:43 PM BST

...or they're planning to surprise us with some new tracks to the calendar.

Report grappler • October 15, 2020 6:23 PM BST

theyve surprised me by removing i/r from woodbines

Report jamee1 • October 15, 2020 7:03 PM BST

Oct 15, 2020 -- 6:23PM, grappler wrote:

theyve surprised me by removing i/r from woodbines

Thanks for the head's-up. Just spoken to BF and this was a mistake and has now been fixed.

Report jamee1 • October 16, 2020 6:10 PM BST

Betfair have loaded up all five available tracks for Saturday 6pm-9pm period. Belmont, Monmouth, Keeneland, Woodbine and Delaware. Perhaps it was just errors or short term resource issue.