Hi Dave
I have been following the complaints and concerns of your many subscribers and we are taking them very seriously. I have had various meetings today with the Phumelela IT team and the international department to review their findings and recommendations.
The key points raised by Tommy Hotspur:
1)
Insist on more frequent periods for the transfer of data. It should be happening about once every 10 seconds. The penultimate transfer happening on the off and the FINAL bundle of information 10 seconds after the off. This will ensure that the delay between the off and final collation is not more than approx. 15 to 20 seconds.
We have moved from scanning every one minute to every 20 seconds, we will be looking to reduce this time further however the IT team is concerned that it may not be possible to process the huge amount of data coming in from all the international sources every 10 seconds.
2) DO NOT LET OPERATORS TERMINALS REMAIN OPEN FOR A MINUTE AFTER THE OFF!!!!!!
Terminals in South Africa and elswhere do not remain open for betting a minute after the off. Currently no bets can be placed on any terminals after the off, however a bet can be cancelled for up to 20 seconds after the off in South Africa and 15 seconds after the off in the UK - this is known as the 'cancel delay' time. The only country I am aware of that operates a zero cancel delay is Canada. The reference to 55 seconds delay is with regards to Australia only and this is not with respect to their terminals remaining open for cancellation of bets but is caused by the collation and aggregation time it takes them to provide us with their final scan. We have written to Australia and have their committment to review and endeavour to reduce this time.
3) Test all your systems COMPLETELY before putting it into operation.
The systems have been tested completely before putting into operation, both in the USA, and by GLI in South Africa. We are able to track bets placed back to source and have reviewed over the last 24 hours our business with each of our international customers / tote partners. All checks completed to date indicate that the system is sound and that the problem is down to a particular overseas customer's betting patterns rather than being system related. This customer places large win and place bets on up to three horses per South African race in the last minute before the off. We have satisfied ourselves that these bets are being placed timeously and the customer has lost in excess of 30% of the amount wagered over the last two months.
With regards to the complaints regarding the value comparison of the Tote win odds with the fixed odds on offer - we are reviewing the historical data and monitoring current trends and will take what actions are necessary to remain a competative proposition for the customer.
Best regards
David Attenborough
CEO (South Africa)
"Dave Scott"
2010/01/19 08:48 PM
To
cc
Subject Inside Racing/ Co mingling/cancelled bets
Good evening David
I am sure you have not taken the time to read the numerous negative posts on ABC since the show, but we have had the biggest response to any subject on ABC in the lat 24 hrs since the site was established.
Here is just one view and in the interest of trying to gain the punters confidence, I would you suggest you put a team or group together to read your customers complaints and give a satisfactory reply for the good of the industry.
thanks
Dave Scott
www.africanbettingclan.com
0827854357
Tote betting from someone who KNOWS
Posted by: Tommy_Hotspur ()
Date: January 19, 2010 07:43PM
In the beginning I was one of the VERY few who stood up for the fluctuations in payouts simply because I thought I knew how the tote operates and I also thought I could give plausible reasons for why there were such funny payouts.
I have decided that even though my knowledge on the tote and its workings is sound, I cannot for the life of me figure out why the payouts are so erratic.
I decided to ask for help from a VERY reliable source. I wanted this person to explain to me how these pools would be co mingled and what the processes where for getting things done. The answers I got from him were pretty much as I expected but with a few VERY interesting additions.........
Firstly P would never be able to dissuade the international guys of punting until the start of a race, and surely it should be their right. The tote system currently in operation in SA can accept receiving information from overseas tote operators into a comingled pool. (Obviously) The information CAN (and should) be sent from the overseas operators lets say....every 10 seconds. The overseas systems does not send ALL the ticket information. All they send is simply the full amount of the pool/s as well as the actual amounts bet on each horse. All the rest of the information gets kept on the local system.(All individual bets) IF these amounts gets sent every 10 seconds then there should be minimal amounts of information to be sent after the close of the race. This current system CAN NO DOUBT handle the collation of information on this basis........
Secondly why is Phumelela allowing the tote terminals to stay open for an extra 1 minute after the close of a race??????? This should NOT BE ALLOWED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. Their excuse is that the trade unions require them to keep the terminals open??? That is a weak excuse as this move clearly compromises the integrity of payouts and final dividends declared.
Thirdly my source is of the opinion that with all the time they spent in racing admin. they noticed how consistent the payouts where in relation to their starting prices. If there was A (singular) fluctuation then it bore a full investigation. To have multiple anomalies and not investigate to such an extent that you completely stop the comingling is beyond us!!!
Lastly if you want to affect the payouts in a meaningful fashion one of two things have to happen:
a) You have to place a substantial amount in relation to the pool.
b) Have a winning bet.
The last statement is particularly worrying. It could then be quite conceivable that somebody is placing bets after the off/race has run as the most noticeable discrepancies are almost ALWAYS on the winners!!
In conclusion it is my opinion that Phumelela did not test the capabilities of their software or the effect that comingled pools will have on our local pools. In this alone they have failed our local punters. They should be 200% sure of all their moves before implementing such a broad and far reaching programme.
If I may make some suggestions to Phumelela they would be the following:
1) Insist on more frequent periods for the transfer of data. It should be happening about once every 10 seconds. The penultimate transfer happening on the off and the FINAL bundle of information 10 seconds after the off. This will ensure that the delay between the off and final collation is not more than approx. 15 to 20 seconds.
2) DO NOT LET OPERATORS TERMINALS REMAIN OPEN FOR A MINUTE AFTER THE OFF!!!!!!
3) Test all your systems COMPLETELY before putting it into operation.
We all know that there are scammers and hackers out there. Imagine one of them figuring out that P allows for cancellations and changes after the race is almost complete?????
You figure out the rest.
Scotia, perhaps it is time we ask these questions to Phumelela? I know you have done this before but we cannot accept what is happening anymore, or we all should just not punt on the tote period!!!!!
I hope this makes sense!!!
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