SAM LEWIS, a keen VICTORIAN PUNTER, makes some interesting observations about turnover on Victorian racing and the ‘start’ that corporate bookies seem to have with the broadcaster, Racing.com, which is impacting on its popular program, GET ON.   

‘IF the bulk of Racing Victoria's revenue comes from its joint venture with the TAB, why does its broadcast arm, Racing.com, continue to promote major betting rivals Crown Bet and Sports Bet?

One only has to follow the popular Thursday night program, Get On, once streets ahead of anything similar that SKY has to offer, to appreciate how the ‘suck-up’ to these corporate bookmaking ‘parasites’ has degenerated into a farce.

The way things are going there will be more corporates represented on the show than presenters or tipsters.

We now have Simon Marshall (Sportsbet) joining long-time bore Matt Campbell (Crown Bet) and spruiking a different set of shorteners for each race being previewed. What’s next a representative from the allegedly biggest but one of the weakest (if you happen to win) corporate bookies in Bet 365.

Adding insult to injury the one betting agency that should be represented on the panel and the one that contributes the most to betting revenue in Victoria – the TAB – does not have a voice. They should be the first aboard and in the humble opinion of most punters (who quickly learn to hate the corporates and their bogus free bet offers) there is no need for representation from the corporates who are bleeding the industry dry, treating punters like peasants and sending their profits off-shore.

Get On was once an extremely popular, down-to-earth show that was full of plenty of laughs, produced more than its share of winners and was worth an hour out of our leisure time on a Thursday night for those who love racing and the punt.

Now it has degenerated into an hour long free advertisement for Crown Bet and Sportsbet, too much self-indulgent crap and ‘nickname’ calling, involving some of the personalities, while panel host Jason Richardson, once forthright in his opinion, sadly now simply gushes praise on many who don’t deserve it – gone is his constructive criticism of all things racing and in its place it seems a let’s not offend anyone philosophy.

What Get On needs to realize is that there are two stars of the show that the punters want to hear from when it comes to assessment of the races. David Gatley is an acquired taste but a great judge but the real find has been Clint Hutchinson, who is everybody’s favourite and by far the best judge. Why on some weeks he is not on the panel is a major mystery. With all due respects to Adam Olszanski he should stick to race-calling and hang up his punting pin.

Even Olszanski makes Matt Campbell look good when it comes to tipping. The last thing the show needs is Campbell and Simon Marshall adding their tipping prowess to the price shorteners. If they want a show full of betting news then let the corporates host one of their own and they can bring on the clowns from all these outfits. Racing.com, please stop destroying what was once a good watch simply to meet the demands of your corporate bookie mates and how about recognising who really butters the bread of Racing Victoria in the TAB?

Patrick Bartley reports in THE AGE that figures spruiked by Racing Victoria that betting on Victorian racing is at record levels are raising eyebrows.

Racing Victoria announced on Friday that punter interest in Victorian racing is at an all-time high with $6 billion in turnover in 2016 and 2017 and 24 per cent growth over the past three years.

(Interestingly, there have been no similar reports out of Racing NSW where apparently the turnover is down considerably compared to Victoria but the mainstream media doesn’t want to write about for fear of upsetting Mr Wonderful Peter V’landys or risking their second jobs with SKY Channel. What a joke!).  

Bartley, did however, reports that Racing has Victoria failed to make any reference to what its actual receipts from this level of wagering are.

On the most recent figures available, Racing Victoria's returns from racing went backwards by $2 million last year despite more than 6.4 per cent more bets being placed on Victorian racing.

That's because more is being bet with Northern Territory licensed corporate bookmakers who pay much less to racing for every bet they take than TAB does.

The bulk of Racing Victoria's revenue comes from its joint venture with TAB.

According to Racing Victoria caretaker chief executive, Giles Thompson, the record betting on Victorian racing reflected punter confidence.

"We're delighted to reach this milestone, which is an important indicator of the health of Victorian racing and the faith that punters have placed in the quality and integrity of our sport," Mr Thompson said.

However the growing problem for Racing Victoria is for that every dollar that leaves the TAB and is bet with a corporate bookmaker, the industry is substantially worse off – as is the Victorian government.

"While more is being bet on Victorian racing, the real winners are corporate bookmakers and not jockeys, owners and trainers," one wagering insider said.

Bartley went on to report that the challenge appears to have been exacerbated by the industry's own broadcaster racing.com, which promotes betting with corporate bookmakers Sportsbet, CrownBet and Bet 365.

This will intensify when Racing.com starts broadcasting South Australian racing from which the Victorian industry does not receive a cent for bets placed with corporate bookmakers.

It is difficult to measure Racing.com's success for Victorian racing as the channel does not participate in television ratings and there is no transparent reporting of its profitability.

Racing.com digital and production costs alone exceeded $13 million last year. At the same time racing's wagering returns went backwards.

A Racing Victoria spokesperson confirmed that  there was a 0.24 per cent reduction in wagering revenues in the 2016 financial year (12-month period ending June 30, 2016), although RV's total revenues rose by 11.4 per cent for that period to ultimately deliver a surplus of $27.9 million for the 2016 financial year.