I have been a horse racing enthusiast for the last 26 years and currently I am what you would call a recreational punter. It’s really a hobby but one that I enjoy tremendously.
I buy the weekend Sporting Post each week and I want to congratulate you for what you have achieved with this publication, it is a must for every serious punter and racing enthusiast.
I am a banker by profession and I have a degree in Marketing and years of experience in this field. I love reading your mailbag and other articles and it is quite apparent that a lot of people are concerned about the future of racing in SA and across the globe. Punters and race horse owners are the lifeblood of this Industry and they should be treated like gold.
I am of the opinion that betting pools and interest in racing could be a lot bigger in every market if some of the simple rules of customer service and customer satisfaction are adhered to. Phumelela is often criticised for some of the business decisions that they have taken to keep the sport viable over the longer term. I think that their efforts should be appreciated more and that we should all work together to promote our sport to potential new entrants to the game. Punters must never forget that the betting operator is not in competition with them but that they merely facilitate wagers on their behalf. The betting operator would love to see punters winning regularly and happy punters will help to grow turnover substantially. This does not mean that things can not be done better but new products and improved facilities and service can only be offered within the constraints of a very tight budget.
The current product range offered to punters is pretty comprehensive and every effort is made to expand the range with exciting new products. Additions that I rate very highly include the all to come bet and to a lesser extent the Pick 3. Efforts to revive the Jackpot must also be commended as this bet has been failing for some time.
The greatest innovation in my estimate is the Soccer 6 bet and although not everybody will agree with this, the product is novel and have managed to attract people to Phumelela that were not traditional players in their market. The size of the pools is clear evidence of it’s popularity and this bodes well for the betting operators future longevity in the industry and an extended continuation of our game.
The thing that concerns me is that no completely new product has been introduced that will directly benefit racing although I am sure that Phumelela must be working very hard at this. If betting pools are scrutinized there is clear evidence that pools grow up to a certain point and then hit a ceiling. The obvious exceptions being carry over pools and big feature race days. What this tells me is that Phumelela is very successful at tapping into their existing market but growth in new entrants to the game is lagging these efforts.
What is needed to attract new players and to keep pools growing are products that are designed to give punters a realistic winning chance even when playing a straight line bet or a modest permutation. Current methodology is based on elimination and nothing frustrates punters more than putting hours of studying and analysis into the game only to be knocked out in the first or one of the early legs of a multi-leg exotic bet. Smaller players have very little chance of sharing in the payouts using this methodology and even a large permutation does not guarantee success. My years spent as a punter has taught me a lot about frustration and disappointment with some occassional and welcome triumphs in between.
I have designed a multi-leg betting product with the specific objective of giving everyone an undeniable reason to get involved and stay involved in racing and wagering by offering several advantages never offered to punters before. The unique characteristics will appeal to all existing players as well as people that have never been involved in racing and wagering.
The concept promises no in-game elimination, guaranteed winners every game, fun and excitement for the whole or a large part of each meeting and a realistic chance of winning with even just a minimum bet. Pools will grow exponentially using this concept with regular carry-overs and growing payouts. It offers a win-win situation for all stakeholders with betting operators and punters benefitting from growing pools and players benefitting further from guarenteed payouts and no elimination. Regular seasonal or annual cash prizes will be offered to all regular participants through a unique extended competition at no additional cost to punters. This league style competition will appeal to a far broader group than currently involved and will create excitement for the sport of racing and wagering amongst a diverse group of potential players.
I am currently marketing this concept in the overseas market but I would love to offer local punters the opportunity to share in this experience. I have an affiliation with local punters that dates back to my early days in racing when I punted with the hope of improving my economic reality and sharing in the constant heartaches of racing. Most local punters are from the less affluant part of society and this bet will have a very positive impact on their betting activities and psyche. Big permutations will still have their normal advantage but smaller players will have an affordable and realistic winning opportunity. The essence of this product is about rewarding punters for being more correct than fellow players rather than rewarding only a completely correct winning line. It rewards consistency in selection and the ability to choose winners rather than punishing incorrect selections.
I would appreciate if punters would indicate if a product with these features would appeal to them.
Keep up the good work, I love your publication
Regards
