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a revolution is brewing in tote betting

News this morning that the New Zealand Racing Board, which controls the NZ TAB, has signed a deal with Australian based software company, Media and Gaming, developer of Typhoon Pools, to deliver its new totalisator betting platform. Most totalisator and pari-mutuel platforms are old technology, locked into maximum size fields (Aus TABs), slow calculation of dividends (UK Tote), problems with co-mingling and dividend displays (US)etc. This announcement could signal the first radical change to tote betting systems in many years.

NZ Racing selects Typhoon Betting platform

“Tote operations throughout the world run on legacy systems that do not enable them to compete against more technologically advanced gaming enterprises. This is holding racing back in its attempts to match other forms of global entertainment,” said Nicholas Plowman, MD of Media & Gaming. “TyphoonÃ’ goes a long way to solving these problems.”

Mr. Plowman identified several key advantages of the new TyphoonÃ’ betting system.

* TyphoonÃ’ is significantly cheaper to acquire, operate and maintain.
* TyphoonÃ’ is extremely fast, secure and reliable.
* TyphoonÃ’ is capable of handling an unlimited number of contestants, events, pools and customer accounts.
* TyphoonÃ’ runs 24/7
* TyphoonÃ’ handles multi-language and multi-currency international co-mingling.
* TyphoonÃ’ provides an improved ability to manage problem gambling issues through greater real-time visibility and reporting.
* TyphoonÃ’ will enhance an organisation’s existing products and introduce new products in a fast and efficient process.

Andrew Brown, Chief Executive of NZRB, said: “As part of our modernisation strategy, the NZRB conducted a worldwide search for the most efficient and reliable betting platform and TyphoonÃ’ was selected as the best and most cost-effective option.


Further comment here from Bill Saunders

Typhoon Blows Away the Opposition

Most totalisator operators worldwide have handled the transition to internet wagering very poorly. Early attempts simulated the activities of telephone operators keying bets called to them over the phone, taking little advantage of the benefits that internet operation provided.

...

Racing administrators worldwide recognise and encourage the commingling of wagering pools as a way of attracting bigger punters and international interest in their racing.

Given that they have a common obsession with wagering as the major source of funding their operations, it seems odd that the racing industry is prepared to tolerate partnerships with wagering operators whose systems are so primitive.

The combination of poor wagering systems and entrenched monopolies such at TabCorp which have no incentive to upgrade means that the racing industry is stuck with a glacial rate of change for any wagering innovation.

Comments

  1. What does this mean for us Kiwi punters?. To be honest I find the NZ TAB website to be one of the easiest and friendliest to use. Does this mean that the NZ TAB will be offering more betting from around the world in a similar manner to Australia's centerbet?

    Cheers

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'd say it just means their system will be scalable - they can add more markets, quicker, be more flexible, run a tote market on the Grand National or Royal Ascot races with more than 24 runners (assuming they have the same limitations as the Aus TABs). Remember what you see on the outside (effortless and smooth) may be nothing like how it works on the inside.

    Certainly means they will have more racing coverage, SkyRacing Aus and the Sth African channel are working hard on 24hr coverage, and there's no reason at all why a risk-free business like a TAB shouldn't be able to operate 24/7 online. And it also improves their options re co-pooling with overseas firms, on NZ racing and vice-versa.

    ReplyDelete

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