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TABCorp to offer fixed-odds on all codes of racing

Now for people in the UK this mightn't seem a big deal, but in Australia, you've never been able to get a fixed-price off-course on harness and greyhound racing, with the exception of a handful of feature meetings. Smaller gallops tracks really take the piss with book percentages, so the tote has always been the more favoured option because of the strength of the interstate pools.

Will TABCorp be setting all their own prices in advance, or just waiting for the track bookies to do all the work for them?

We'll fix everything

Betfair will be loving this - one of the big things holding back their Aus racing volumes is the lack of early fixed-odds markets. If prices will be available early, not just 15 mins before the race when the first call comes from the track, then Betfair's markets will fire up, particularly from international customers who have long demanded early prices to trade from and use to lay-off.

Fair play to TABCorp for doing it, considering they've made all the noises about letting their wagering licences expire in the next few years. They are finally starting to understand the word 'competition'. But you know full well they will enter this project with a goal of shutting out the competition and then killing off the product.

On the prizemoney debate in Aus, here's a series of articles from the excellent TrackData site

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH (Part 1)- THE PRIZEMONEY MYTH IN RACING

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH (Part 2)– TABTANIC, THE LOVE BOAT WITHOUT A RUDDER

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH (Part 3)- TABTANIC, THE LOVE BOAT WITH A SINKING END

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