Tote Betting / Tellytrack

My suggestion about bringing back the couplings is that the tote needs turnover as that is what funds stakes and the jobs in the industry...if some money is returned to the punter, they are likely to take another bet from which the tote takes a further cut for funding stakes, etc...but if the pool is going to go to one winner, that person is not likely to return it to racing and stakes will continue to suffer...

If people want a Lotto type bet with similar payouts, take the Lotto as no amount of skill involved can help pick winners when only a small group are in the know...all it does it transfer money from the many to the few and so the turnover required just won't be there...will lead to further erosion of punters and the stakes base...

Simplest example...if I have R100 to spend and R50 is returned, I will take more bets with the R50...if the tote take-out is 25%, they get only R25 of all R100 is lost but get R37.50 if R50 is returned through a winning bet...

Firstly, there is no transparency from the tote on why they removed the Australian Pick3, the local French Exacta pool and now recently the UK Pick3.

Secondly, commingling our local UK swinger pool with the UK international swinger pool (bad idea). Check out Chelmsfords 13 September 2020, swinger payouts for Race 2: R1.00, R1,00 and R1,20 (very healthy dividends now, I wonder how much profit I will be making every month playing these new huge swinger dividend payouts.

Thirdly, how come there is no carryovers for UK meetings. Where is the UK local carryover dividends going?

Fourthly, cannot understand why is there no fractional betting for Soccer4, Soccer6, Soccer10, Soccer13, Rugby5, etc? (Not everybody can afford the full unit, for example imagine the Pick6 horseracing pool would not get much interest if there was no fractional betting available for it.

The Tote is just interested in how much money they can make from us and therefore are not interested in what the Punter wants. Its time we do not support the Tote anymore, till they meet all the Punters demands. They are nothing without us the Punter. How long must we take their abuse?

TNaicker wrote: My suggestion about bringing back the couplings is that the tote needs turnover as that is what funds stakes and the jobs in the industry...if some money is returned to the punter, they are likely to take another bet from which the tote takes a further cut for funding stakes, etc...but if the pool is going to go to one winner, that person is not likely to return it to racing and stakes will continue to suffer...

If people want a Lotto type bet with similar payouts, take the Lotto as no amount of skill involved can help pick winners when only a small group are in the know...all it does it transfer money from the many to the few and so the turnover required just won't be there...will lead to further erosion of punters and the stakes base...

Simplest example...if I have R100 to spend and R50 is returned, I will take more bets with the R50...if the tote take-out is 25%, they get only R25 of all R100 is lost but get R37.50 if R50 is returned through a winning bet...

Exactly TNaicker.
The more winners the more people will stay in horse racing.
No need to be greedy and only want to win millions,go play on a slot machine if you want that.
If they make it easier for the punter the clever okes will always put racing ahead of the casino and that's how they should go about getting their clientele.
I would rather win R100 a day than R10 000 once every leap year.
And as you said more people collecting means more people reinvesting.

And as Dave has pointed out there should never be a R1 payout.
Make the minimum payout R1-04 by taking a bit off every other runner in the race.
The Australian tote is able to do it so there shouldn't be any excuse why our tote in not able to do the same thing.

I do see the merits to the arguments posted in favour of the couplings, and can see that it is a matter of personal preference. I have to disagree from my side - If I want to win a small payout I will play a swinger or something. I am also not happy even doubling my money with a P6. I rather win a large payout or not win the bet. This doesn't make me greedy, as I think I last won the P6 a year ago lol, so I have probably contributed a million to the pools already. But it is the dream that it sells that makes me keep playing; it is my no logic bet for the day, but unlike Lotto, I at least feel like I am in control of the outcome. I would stop paying the p6 entirely if the payouts were smaller.

Thor,but then you could take a smaller perm many times and still make decent money but probably not millions like many want.

Hi Dave

Can u post I will register shortly

Just reading the post on ABC about the tote

I think there are some basics that could be done, that don't require changing coupling rules, or creating unique pools...

1) Service. Improve the service to the customer. Increase your Call Centre (for betting) working hours, as well as your Helpline working hours. Working from 08:00 to 18:00 is eliminating a massive portion of your clientele. Especially when you have evening and early morning racing.

2) Make registration quick and easy. Currently to open a TabGold account you have to fill in documents (in writing), and then still submit FICA documents. Then you still have to convert a call centre account to an online account. Way too many barriers to entry. All other bookies, you fill in one form, and your account is registered. Only requires FICA on withdrawal

3) I would look at putting Tote Agencies in every bookie shop, and integrating it into every online betting site. Work with the bookmakers. Give the customer the option.
This means the tote operator needs to work harder in getting their product out there and give it more exposure. All this time they have been fighting with the bookies for the pie, when they could have been working together to make the pie bigger

4) Stop the nonsense of Bookies give nothing back to racing. The operator doesn't either. Its the punter that gives back to racing. And remember all bookies horse racing bets (including the Open bet) has a 6% racing tax, of which 3% goes to the Gambling Board, and 3% goes to the racing operator (ie. back to racing).

Look after the customer. Listen to them. Take criticism and work on it (instead of being so defensive).

......:woohoo: ......caught the P6 today......not gonna get my investment back......:oops:

Another thing i have been wondering...

HOW will the TOTE cope without the Betting World branches?

I know MOD want to push technology, but we all know how successful that was during lockdown..

......what Betting World Branches.....as in the greater Johannesburg area and include Centurion....to my knowledge there are remaining at the beginning of this year are-

Bedfordview Centre TAB
Emperors Palace TAB
Dunkeld TAB
Doornkloof Mall Centurion TAB

One reported be in Tembisa but can also stand alone as a TAB

.....most of these will be lucky enough to have enough foot traffic to generate rent, but these days many shopping centres have plenty empty spaces and rentals can be negotiated to minimal rates....:whistle:

I believe the tote should aggressively take on the bookies by offering every betting option offered on the books. Where else are they going to get customers?

They need to open a tote wherever they see a bookie shop. They have to increase their stuff so that when you walk into a branch there are separate terminals for horses, soccer and numbers.

If they think horse racing punters alone can sustain racing they are dreaming. Big money is spent on soccer and numbers, the tote needs to position itself best for that market.

Online is the future but right now the bookies shops are packed with customers daily.

The tote stuff should be trained to stop thinking like they are doing us a favour. They should be well trained and disciplined.

They need to service those tote terminals so that a betting slip goes through at once.

Their betting slips count venues 1-20 then skip to 25 yet they program venues on the skipped numbers.

We need power plugs so we can bring our devices.

...sorry cannot agree with you on that point....the tote is useless and should try stick to tote business....their feud with bookies is a key contributor to the local racing going to the wall....:whistle: