2026 Met day pick six pool 48% down from 2025 73% down from 2020 lowest 10 years

2026 6.2 million - 31 January WSB See it  Again
2025 11.8 million - 25 January WSB Eight on Eighteen
2024 8.4 million - 27 January WSB Double Superlative
2023 10.3 million - 28 January WSB Jet Dark
2022 14.3 million - 29 January WSB Kommetieding
2021 15.0 million - 30 January CAPE RACING Rainbow Bridge
2020 22.0 million - 1 February SUN One World
2019 7.9 million - 26 January MUMM Rainbow Bridge
2018 8.0 million - 27 January MUMM OH Susanna
2017 9.1 million - 28 January MUMM Whiskey Barron


 

Based on this alone. I cant think the MET Day was a financial success for SA owners.

How do u collapse the 2nd best racing day on the calendar?

How much money are they leaving on the table.

Poor Marketing?? Planned slow collapse of TAB?? Cant all be down to the open bet!!!!

 Even the bookmakers rooms are getting quieter on feature race days 

there was no R5m carryovers this year, add that in and it's a different story

Bob Brogan wrote:

there was no R5m carryovers this year, add that in and it's a different story

I think that is a mistake on the operators side. There are more than enough carry overs to use. 
 

The shocking field sizes even on feature race weekends has also meant fewer carryovers..

And racing continues to have new challenges, new punters are not coming to racing, when they have safer and more exciting options

Wonder if we can get the transparency of the bookmakers to share if indeed horse-racing trading volumes and value are down on their sites. I suspect they are massively down on annual trends, and the sport-books which iI call them now have to keep racing alive in SA to ensure their main trading platforms on sport and numbers remain relevant and marketed as well together with getting more patrons to play the exotic bets through their operations. Most of the books VIP clients are betting on sports and online casinos. I remember when Betway came into the country, they had no trading book on horses for a while and marketed their operation purely on sports and gaming. Horseacing was and remains a nice to have for these operators now as they have to follow the value market on sports and gaming gambling. Very few high roller only horse racing clients left and agree with the thread, unlikely that the investment and attraction of new and young blood in the game is high on the agenda of Racecoast and 4Uracing. 

I believe the economy is under huge stress. Gambling is discretionary.... or desperation. The average Joe is feeling the pinch in a big way... prices of EVERYTHING has gone through the roof. There is only so much money left over for 'luxuries'. 

Magi wrote:

I believe the economy is under huge stress. Gambling is discretionary.... or desperation. The average Joe is feeling the pinch in a big way... prices of EVERYTHING has gone through the roof. There is only so much money left over for 'luxuries'. 

I agree - the other day I saw that my Rates and Taxes from Ekurhuleni increased substantially and eventually got to check - the Property Tax has been INCREASED by almost R1500 on a monthly basis   - plus the fact that even if one has to spend on 'luxuries', it sort of dampens my enthusiasm when a horse wins that had NO CHANCE at the weights (all form study show that he was many lenghts behind on recent form - not even taking MR into account) 

But then we have the Fortune story - which imo lightens up the racing 

Not sure how much is hidden with open bets but sure substantial 

In addition I see the scroll on 240 shows WSB and tote 

If you compare at any time, especially at the off we have a massive discrepancies 
Aware WSB odds are very good but the tote payout in comparison shows no value?
So the punters tend to use a fixed odds bookie rather than tote 
Plus remember the more you punt on the tote you are actually dropping the price further 

Good Punting 👍 

 


It's easier to check in a 3 horse race the difference 

Winner paid R1.20 or 1/5 
11/20 with books available