Capital OTB discontinues free PP's

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

I know this may sound "cheap" to some...but I was disappointed to recieve a e-mail from Capital OTB today saying that they will no longer provide free past performances from tracks they are covering. It was due to contractual issues . Now, they will charge $1.00 a day for the same product that was free. They'll deduct $7.00 a week from your phone-a-bet account.
Grant it, the PP's weren't like DRF or BRISNET, but since I was getting them for the past year, I tend to wager more during the week. I believe, like in Vegas where some sort of PP's are free to the wager public as a "perk", the more you provide for the bettor...the more he'll play. I guess this gives me a good reason to cut back on my wagering for the spring and summer until Saratoga. All this might sound petty, but it's the principle to me.

[MisterB]

You mean this e-mail??

Dear Friend:

We are currently reviewing our new Past Performance policy. We hope to have this complimentary service restored to qualifying phone-a-bet patrons who use their Capital OTB account on a regular basis. If you would like to be considered to receive this service at no cost to you, please submit your contact information below. The same PPs will be e-mailed daily to qualifying subscribers! We want to make sure that ONLY Capital OTB regular phone-a-bet customers are receiving this product.

Click HERE to apply for FREE e-mailed Past-Performances!

We apologize for the brief cancellation of the previous PP subscriptions to our valued phone-a-bet patrons, and appreciate the suggestions that were submitted in regard to the restoration of these important services.

Please provide Marketing with the required information, your name, Capital OTB phone-a-bet account number (Click on HERE above) to be considered for restoration of FREE PPs. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,

Capital OTB Marketing

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

Originally Posted by MisterB

You mean this e-mail??

Dear Friend:

We are currently reviewing our new Past Performance policy. We hope to have this complimentary service restored to qualifying phone-a-bet patrons who use their Capital OTB account on a regular basis. If you would like to be considered to receive this service at no cost to you, please submit your contact information below. The same PPs will be e-mailed daily to qualifying subscribers! We want to make sure that ONLY Capital OTB regular phone-a-bet customers are receiving this product.

Click HERE to apply for FREE e-mailed Past-Performances!

We apologize for the brief cancellation of the previous PP subscriptions to our valued phone-a-bet patrons, and appreciate the suggestions that were submitted in regard to the restoration of these important services.

Please provide Marketing with the required information, your name, Capital OTB phone-a-bet account number (Click on HERE above) to be considered for restoration of FREE PPs. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,

Capital OTB Marketing

Yes -

[dagulla]

I dont know if this has been discussed, but now they took them off the walls. No pp's at all.

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

Originally Posted by dagulla

I dont know if this has been discussed, but now they took them off the walls. No pp's at all.

Happened over three weeks ago.....racing programs for both thoroughbred & harness are available at each branch for $3.00 to replace the PP's. It was a cost cutting measure.....what's new

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

Well honestly and no offense to anyone that has an affiliation to OTB, they really haven't shown that they really care about the bettor anyway. In most parlors you're lucky to have the scratches put up. Good luck getting someone working in a parlor to accomodate you at all. I wasn't aware they even sent you PP's, but I assume the fact they are now charging is in connection with the fact they no longer are giving away free PP's in the clubhouse at the teletheatre. Doesn't effect me at all as I am a DRF guy anyway, but $1 a day isn't that bad. I agree with the principle thing but a buck seems sort of reasonable for PP's a day.

Agree...the price isn't the problem for what you get. And your right about the scratches and results, especially at the Teletheater and the Woodlawn branch...they usual post them up front by the cashiers. Christ, the Fort Plain branch the last hour it's open has all the PP sheets taken down so you can't get the results if you walk in. I played more when I got the PP's via e-mail...I guess it's time for a break!

[MisterB]

I recieved the same letter, I am not going to use their account any longer. They will feel the impact, but I think they are under the GUN from other agency's in a law dispute.

Anyway, I never really used them. I think I am going to activate my NYRA account when Belmont opens.

[parsixfarms]

Based on conversations that I've had with a few of the marketing people at the Teletheater, it seems that this is a copyright issue with the Track-Data people who produce the PPs. That being said, the issue is really about OTB paying to redistribute the PPs. Rather than assuming that burden itself, it is asking the customers to pay for something OTB would be better off providing as a courtesy for its better players. No doubt that its handle will be adversely impacted. When you consider how much OTB gets from each dollar bet, this is yet another example of them being pennywise but pound foolish.

[pmayjr]

If it means anything, they're not bullshittin you about contractual obligations. Canterbury quit giving out free scratch sheets (post positions, morning line odds, at each track on the simulcast schedule) a couple of months ago due to having those same "contractual issues" with Equibase. They charge 50 cents for them now.

[parsixfarms]

Originally Posted by pmayjr

If it means anything, they're not bullshittin you about contractual obligations. Canterbury quit giving out free scratch sheets (post positions, morning line odds, at each track on the simulcast schedule) a couple of months ago due to having those same "contractual issues" with Equibase. They charge 50 cents for them now.

I'm not suggesting that they are are BSing about the contractual obligations. What I am saying is that rather than forcing the bettors to dig into their pockets to pay for the PPs, OTB would be better served by paying its contractual partners for the right to redistribute them to its patrons. The lost percentage of handle (and keep in mind that OTB gets in excess of 10 cents of every dollar wagered) is likely to far outweigh the cost to OTB of providing the PPs to its best players free of charge.

[pmacdaddy]

Originally Posted by MisterB

I recieved the same letter, I am not going to use their account any longer. They will feel the impact, but I think they are under the GUN from other agency's in a law dispute.

Anyway, I never really used them. I think I am going to activate my NYRA account when Belmont opens.

Mr. B,

Any idea how NYRA accounts are going to work? Phone and internet? Rewards?

Thanks

[pmacdaddy]

Originally Posted by pmacdaddy

Mr. B,

Any idea how NYRA accounts are going to work? Phone and internet? Rewards?

Thanks

Found the site. Looks like they have phone and internet. Cash rewards appear to start at $2k per month. Don't think I would make that most months with the exception of August.

Wonder if they will hook up account holders with free track gear, track passes etc. I'm certainly not married to OTB...

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

Well, I guess "they" aren't sending the free PP's for Keeneland anymore...got them yesterday just before 11
and didn't get any today...was getting them the day before.
I'm not paying for anything if I don't recieve them on a timely manner.
It was something I looked forward to in my "inbox" each day.