Racing Association Slams Bookmakers

Bookies pay into a levy, The tracks are awarded money from the levy and then raise the rest through good management and sponsorship

The tote in the UK works in the same principal as South Africans but is run by a bookie

Since the bookie took over they have turned the tote around again

I think we need to get a breakdown of what happens to the takeout from the tote pools.At present set an effective rate of 22/23% of turnover.So for every R10000 of turnover on the tote they claim say 2250..00 towards costs.We need to breakdown where that money goes to.Tote Agents get a flat 4% go the R400.the balance we need input from an inside person to help us.Any thoughts?The bosses say it costs them 5.5to8 % to run a branch so lets try and prove if the numbers are correct.How can a bookie in the UK suddenly turn around the national tote pool,if the tote can't,

I am sure someone has all the FACTS

The tote takes in the region of 25% from the "punters" money before they work out dividends, what happens to the 25%

The bookie takes 6% of the "punters" money and sends it where?
Plus the bookie pays 14% ? of his profit it goes where?

Please feel free to correct above for to get the facts on who is contributing what to racing

Long before Sports Betting Racing was the only Game in town - Soccer 6 etc was built on the back of an infrastructure built by Racing - Phum and those before allowed Racing to fall out of favor by not marketing the Sport while the Casino's and Lotto continually pushed themselves to the fore with great marketing. The fact that Racing needs income from Sports to survive shows how far down the gutter Racing has slipped.

Big Brass this question is directed at you seeing you are seemingly in support of the tote. My query is simple and simply put is why should I as a punter support the people who have never acknowledged 30 plus years of financial support? The same people who disrespected me and all other international racing supporters when they had a tiff with the bookies? I dont own horses and to be frank prefer the UK racing scene so if the local product died if would matter not a jot to me. I am a.punter who punts comfortably and happily from home. Racecourses closing although sad, does not concern me.

Another statement about the tote is the facilities offered to punters. If I compare the bookmakers premises to the tote facilities it is like comparing a Porsche to a Chana bakkie. There is no ways any self respecting punter will spend a day in a tote if he has the choice.

A final observation is the difference in quality between tote staff and bookmaker staff. Tote staff are sullen, uninterested, lacking in product knowledge and most frustratingly have a I dont give a damn attitude. Bookmaker staff are in a different division. It makes it so much more pleasant when people greet you by name and know what they are doing and want to do business with you.

just a few thoughts...if the RA/phum...are so ante bookmaking and feel that bookies are using their intellectual property to make money,and not pass it on to them.....then it doesnt take a brainstorming exercise to assertain that u fight your competition with fire,rather than to ask for a "handout" ,to survive...
rob faux and i have been saying for years now...instead of vee moodley and co...looking to find more bets and fight for the same rand(because in all probability,if i took one of their new bets for instance their soccer gg,..i would have to cut down on some other exotic to fund that),they have the resources,the infrastructure,the know how,the capital,the licence...to open an exchange betting site,and take their commission...which will be huge.

its seems they have everything BUT THE will to do it....after all the model is the same...in a tote..we punters are fighting for our own money within the system...so is an exchange...no risk to the tote...just fascilitate the bets and be the middle man,like they are now....i cant see,why all the fuss from them...because if you ask me,they r definitely in the driving seat ,if they employ this

Wouldn't it be just grand if there was a hostile takeover for Phum from an open bet bookie. 'Tis.

Until then the Tote can go to right to hell.

The punter funds everything in racing so any contribution made by the operator or bookie towards "putting on the show" is not from their own pocket but the punters...

Some people are in the mistaken belief that the operator, out of the goodness of their hearts, is taking money out of their pocket to fund racing and everyone else is piggy-backing on this...time to catch a wake-up...the operators sole aim is to make profits for its shareholders (some of whom are prominent owners) and if they have to shaft everyone else to do so, then that is what they will and are doing...

Everyone who piggy-backs and takes out of the industry does so from the pockets of the punter and when he is gone, lets see how any of the operators, owners, trainers, etc survive...

How about someone/anyone in this industry contributing profits back in ?
They are all guilty - bookmakers and the tote.
The punter pays for everything.
Lets see one of them reach into their profits and give back.

Lets not ever begrudge anyone a profit as no business can survive without it.

The fact that some Phumelela shareholders are also big owners should be of no concern and we should appreciate their involvement as they bring decent bloodstock in for our enjoyment.

The problem is not the take out percentages but rather the lack of decent liquidity in pools which will only be resolved by drawing large numbers of new players to the game.

If we are to be critical of Phumelela it should be in this area and not that they are involved in numerous activities outside of racing as a large portion comes back to racing anyway.

They have done themselves no favours in the way the broadcasting debacle was handled but it is not right that one party has to fund the majority of the show for many other's benefit and sadly the others do not include the greater good of the industry in most instances.

It is time that more parties start putting in to racing than only taking out of it as a unified marketing approach will turn everyone into future winners, not least the industry.