Hong Kong Racing

[OPM]

Anyone have any information on how you can bet into HK pools from the U.S or over the internet?

[km]

YOUBET and TVG accounts can bet Hong Kong races on Fri and Sat night around 10pm PDT first post.

I haven't bet a race there since last summer, but I assume they are still offering the wagering. Hong Kong tracks run only on Sat Sun - which is Fri and Sat night 10pm PDT and 1am PDT for EDT, so there may not be much demand for it.

[km]

Found this blurb on YOUBET =

One thing they don't mention below is that the pools are USA only, not co-mingled with the actual HK pools. Too bad, because there is almost nothing anyone can do to alter the odds late with $10 million in handle per race in HK races. The separate pool wagering is not worth playing for big exotics because the handle is too small.

Hong Kong racing returns to Youbet.com for the 2005-2006 season on
Saturday, September 3, 2005.
We anticipate you might have some questions regarding Hong Kong racing, therefore, we’d like to provide you with some information.

What days a week will Hong Kong tracks be available?
Primarily Friday and Saturday evenings with a late evening post. Please refer to the Youbet.com track calendar for specific dates and post times.

What types of wagers will be offered on the Hong Kong tracks?
Win, Place, Show, Exacta, Quinella, Trifecta, Superfecta, Double, Pick 3, and Pick 4 wagers.

[OPM]

Sorry, I should have been more specific with my question. Youbet and TVG are completely useless because there is no comingling. The pools are essentially $5000/race. I should have said, betting into the HK pools.
Ken, I understand you will be moving to HK soon!!!!!
Maybe we'll send Dan so he can hook up with his buddy Benter.

[km]

There is no OTB in USA that allows you to be directly into the HK pools. Too bad.

I need to learn Chinese before making an HTR-for-HongKong version and moving out there!

[fred4now]

Nah, just learn to speak with an English accent:D

[km]

Bloody right

There have been many overtures to myself and other software producers to work on handicapping apps for HK racing. Some Aussie groups have produced wagering spider software that auto-bets directly into the tote after computing probabilities and perfect bet size for maximum return. Hong Kong is unique for this type of action because the handle is so large that last minute dumping has little effect. We only have a few days per year in the US where $10,000 or more in action would have little effect on the tote (ie Br Cup day).

The problem for general development is that there is no on-line data source for Hong Kong. The pros keep their own database and make their own figures that are fed into the spiders, which puts them miles ahead of the public and they are making millions. There is paper form with past-performances produced for simulcast that is similar to the summary Equibase track program. I understand the Chinese version of these pp's have a lot more stats and info though. In both cases, the best I can do is manual data entry. But most Chinese bettors in HK are wild gamblers and bet on lucky numbers and lottery & keno type combinations. Not likely there would be a market for handicapping software even if we had on-llne data source.

[mike knox]

Finally I have something useful to say!

1. Unless things have changed, the Hong Kong pools run thru the Hastings Park (Vancouver Canada) hub.
2. This started in the early 90's...I remember staying late after the Hastings Park card had ended, quaffing quite a few beers with friends, talking myself (and a few drunken buddies) into a first time starter in an HK MSW race based on breeding. It won...paid over $100 here; paid less than $15 there! My first $100 winner! This game is easy!
3. Talked a bunch of other friends into showing up. Most weren't particularly horseplayers (most played bridge on Friday nights). It was perfect for them...bridge ended @ 10PM...show up at Hastings and bet Sha Tin @ 11...win $ and talk about bridge hands. This game is easy!
4. Around 1996 all of a sudden a) the place is packed b) everyone in the place that's Oriental has a cellphone c) @ 10 minutes to post they're on their cellphone d) horses that are 3-1 there and 10-1 here are suddenly dropping to 5-1 here. This game is no longer easy!

I've stopped even considering Hong Kong. The racing there features full fields; the racing there is as honest as the stewards (who really do a job!) can make it. Just realize that you're betting into a hugely undersized pool, and there are a LOT of people betting into the same pool that have enough inside information that any advantage is being maximized to the hilt!

Mike Knox

[mike knox]

Plaese note that " 3-1 there and 10-1 here dropping to 5-1":..5-1 should read 5-2. It's an underlaid pool you're betting into

Mike Knox

[Paladin]

1. Unless things have changed, the Hong Kong pools run thru the Hastings Park (Vancouver Canada) hub.

They now run through Woodbine.

[MVMcKee]

I remember an article in the Vancouver Sun from around 1996. It was about the Hong Kong signal at Hastings Park, and how the crowd at midnight was sometimes larger than or equal to the crowd attending the afternoon's live races. The author of the article attended one of these late-night simulcast sessions and attempted to relate many of the differences between the boisterous crowd attending in the evening and their more reserved daytime counterparts. The article was so entertaining that I actually cut it out and kept it.

The reason the article sticks out in my mind, was the reporter's description of the noise that echoed through the grandstand at Hastings during the stretch run of a Hong Kong race:
"As the horses neared the wire in the Hong Kong race, I could no longer hear the race announcer's voice, as it was drowned out by a disturbing, unrecognizable crescendo of sound emanating from within Hastings Park. In my best attempt to relate the sound, I can only describe it as the cacophony one would likely hear if one were to simultaneously electrocute 100 house cats."

[km]

Below is a link to an excellent article which describes the tech syndicates that are making a killing in Hong Kong. Notice the reference to the famous Dr. Z.

http://www.inside-edge-mag.co.uk/racing/features/137/the_life_hong_kong_betting_syndicates.html

[hurrikane]

there's been a lot of talk on a thread at PA's board on this....

http://www.paceadvantage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23864