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Ascot Bookies Ring Dec 13th.

West Australian Racing
BushbookieBushbookie    436 posts
West Australian Racing
Went Bookmaking Watching today at Ascot . After watching the deadest betting action ring I've seen in 25 years of bookmaking i think its over for track bookies . Good crowd there but 50% are just their to party . Dont leave their function areas all day . Upstairs in the public bar it was jammed packed with 400+ Punters . A bookies dream . Watched Rusty for half hour and he took 50 odd bets ( pretty good compared to main ring ) but all the cashed up young punters could'nt give a toss about betting with the bookie . OK it was a hot summer day and Xmas is 12 days aqay and johny Cash is a bit tight but that today was depressing , more betting action at Tank Towns in Qld like Tambo , Jundah , Taroom , Injune and Emerald . Back to Qld via the Pilbara and Kimberly tomorrow . 55000 km drive .
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Manchild likes this post.

Comments

  • psychopsycho    886 posts
    It's Australia wide the drop off in punting with bookmakers, I went to Randwick Champions Day 1 (2024) about 18 bookmakers doing moderate trade. Went to the same meeting this year (2025) around 12 bookmakers doing somewhat similar trade. The local bookies (Perth) bet very competitive prices overall and are as good as the bulk of the corps (I go every Saturday to either Ascot or Belmont) but it's a dying business due to the technology that has developed over the last 30 odd years. On our big days over the carnival the business is brisk in the ring ( I know because I occasionally work in the ring) but today was a little quiet I'd say. BTW I saw you and must say your shirt was cool  :))
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  • BushbookieBushbookie    436 posts
    Psycho , Today was absolutely hopeless . Even Adelaide last Saturday with a fifth of todays Perth Crowd was 10 times better with their one bookie in public with his two stands . Yes all the Bookies are very competitive with their percentages start off in front of Corps at 117% at start of betting each race . If you checked out the best prices in each race with all bookies , the ring was 111% all races , just had me stuffed why more punters ON COURSE cant work that out , Mug or not .I bet on Bush Cup meetings all over Qld from Birdsville to Innisfail and Cloncurry to the Gold Coast and everything in between and would do business at all of them than 4 or 5 bookies there today unless they held big on phones . No big money changed hands all day . Seen a $200 bet as biggest . Its over for us in 10 years unless a gamma ray burst knocks out every satellite  , yep would kill most of humanity too .
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  • psychopsycho    886 posts
    Bushbookie said:

    Psycho , Today was absolutely hopeless . Even Adelaide last Saturday with a fifth of todays Perth Crowd was 10 times better with their one bookie in public with his two stands . Yes all the Bookies are very competitive with their percentages start off in front of Corps at 117% at start of betting each race . If you checked out the best prices in each race with all bookies , the ring was 111% all races , just had me stuffed why more punters ON COURSE cant work that out , Mug or not .I bet on Bush Cup meetings all over Qld from Birdsville to Innisfail and Cloncurry to the Gold Coast and everything in between and would do business at all of them than 4 or 5 bookies there today unless they held big on phones . No big money changed hands all day . Seen a $200 bet as biggest . Its over for us in 10 years unless a gamma ray burst knocks out every satellite  , yep would kill most of humanity too .

    Because the punters these days don't know percentages, it's a well gone skill remaining with just a few of us, and it's not just percentages. The amount of punters who come to me and have $200 on a horse at say $3.50 when 5M away another bookie is betting $4 is just nuts

    Vincent_vega likes this post.

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  • goosegoose    1,638 posts
    Find that hard to understand what are ideas that could help save them.
    On course tax rebates to raise percentages were they not once provided?
    Some sort of on course lotto with losing bookmaker tickets I know sounds ridiculous but why not.
    A punters club competition of some sort run by bookmakers to at least get people betting with bookmakers again.
    Need bookmakers on course I feel for atmosphere at least.

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  • SLIPPERGOLDENSLIPPERGOLDEN    8,452 posts
    Wasn't Millsie operating in the public bar or is he Rusty?
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  • BushbookieBushbookie    436 posts
    Rusty . Looked at him for a race and he looked like he was doing OK . Had one and two comming over each minute . Packed to the rafters the public upstairs bar on a hot day but 95% betting on phones .
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  • ArapahoArapaho    395 posts
    Haven't been to Ascot or Belmont for a good while, but I would assume Rusty, is Russell Collett 
    SLIPPERGOLDEN said:

    Wasn't Millsie operating in the public bar or is he Rusty?


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  • bookieloverbookielover    2,709 posts
    Russel is a great guy. He fields in the grandstand because as it was explained by another bookie to me, he has what amounts to a restricted license in that he is not required to bet the same minimum amount to a punter up there, than the bookies have to bet the punters in the main ring. 

    I recall him telling me when I was there five or so years ago, that he'd worked the Friday night at Gloucester Park, he used to work there at the big meetings, and I think every favourite had won. He said he'd never go back again and he hasn't. 

    SLIPPERGOLDEN likes this post.

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  • BushbookieBushbookie    436 posts
    Driving up the Inland Northern hwy to the Territory noticed a few things , must have passed 200 trucks on Sunday and 200 coming the other way . Looks like the Pilbara is booming . Also Roadhouse after Roadhouse being staffed by overseas young girl backpackers . Asked the 2 French Girls at Paynes Find why are'nt at the Gold Coast or the Barrier Reef and they said that living and working in australias outback was all they talked about in France before coming out here . Walked out shaking my head . Two Asian girls working the Fitzroy Crossing Roadhouse the best . Handled the 20 people inside arguing about what food to order on their mobiles with the 100 people sitting on the grass outside . Finally got served after 20 minutes . Crazy servo with all the bowsers caged up like a prison . Plenty of Unmanned Pre Pay Servos up North too. Big Sky Country driving through the Pilbara . Talked to a Kunanara Cropper there and he said they got 250 Pacific Islanders doing a lot of Rural Work on the Ord River farm . Aussies letting backpackers and Pacificas doing the hard work in the outback , maybe we have got it too easy .

    SLIPPERGOLDEN likes this post.

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