If you use any of the online betting services for horseracing, who do you use?
Why?
Advantages?
Disadvantages?
Pinnacle and BrisBet
I use Pinnacle because I have never had a money transfer problem, and mostly because of 7% rebates. They add up in a hurry.
I use BrisBet occasionally because they were my original way to bet online, and I use the free video as my only source of watching the races. I do not use them when the possibility of a signer exists.
I\'m a military guy in Europe, so its the best I have.
I use Magna\'s xbress bet and am not real thrilled with it. I live in NY so I am not allowed to bet on NY racing through them. I don\'t know if this applys to every online site(NYRA mandated), but it is really a drag. You also can\'t get video or current odds for any of the Churchill Downs network tracks(Churchill, Hollywood, Arlington, Calder) which is also a turnoff. I am looking to switch to a different site. Anyone have any experience with youbet.com? I am a weekend player and will probably only bet about $100 a week, unless I\'m winning. Would I still be entitled to rebates at Pinnacle or any of the other rebate sites?
I use youbet and to me it is by far the best. Excellent choice of tracks, good video/audio (if you have broadband), user friendly interface,fast deposit/withdrawal using their express feature, keeps your money in a trust fund, and is easy to qualify for no fee use ($350 handle per month or 2500 per year, I think). Also, it is a publically traded Nasdaq USA corporation.
Rebates are usually limited to harness races.
I don\'t trust the offshore rebate shops...as far as I can see you have no recourse if they decide they don\'t want to pay you.
I use Brisbet. Originally signed up for the free $100 with your first $100 deposit...figured it was a no-lose bet on the Kentucky Derby. I have had no problems with them.
Advantages: free past performances as long as you make a wager on the card you download (and it can be a $2 wager). they also have easy deposit/withdrawal which gets money into your account quickly and out into your bank account within a couple of days. Once in a while they offer rebate days if you bet a certain track...i.e. on Pimlico day, because they couldn\'t offer it, they gave a rebate on all dollars wagered on CD. And sure enough, the money was there the next morning.
Disadvantages: I think the video is poor, but I only have dial-up modem, so that could be the reason. I don\'t even view the races.
All in all, to get a bet down when you can\'t be at the track, I am satisfied with Brisbet.
I USE YOUBET. THE BIG DISADVANTAGE IS NO REBATE. PINNACLE WILL GIVE REBATES ON ANY WAGER BUT PLACE AND SHOW WILL RECEIVE REBATES ONLY IF THE PAYOFF IS $2.20 OR GREATER. IT IS PROBABLY THE BEST SITE TO USE ALTHOUGH I DO NOT USE IT BECAUSE OF THE AMT I BET. IF YOU WANT TO KEEP LESS THAN $1,000 IN AN ACCOUNT, THEN PINNACLE IS THE PLACE TO BE. HOWEVER, IF YOU HIT A 90K PK 4, YOU MIGHT HAVE PROBLEMS GETTING YOUR MONEY(MAYBE). I DOUBT IT SINCE THEY HAVE SO MANY U.S. SUBSCRIBERS BUT THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY RELUCTANCE ABOUT USING THEM. BUT FIRST YOU MUST HIT A 90K TICKET. ALSO, THEY DON\'T REPORT ANYTHING TO THE IRS.
The reason I am curious is that I would like to make an investment in one of them when/if the price becomes attractive. A few are publicly traded companies.
For the first time in a long time I am getting more bullish on the near term possibilities for a rising total betting handle combined with the rising use of the internet.
I am a little concerned about all the problems UBET and others are having with Magna and of course there\'s the rebate issue.
In the mean time, I am doing some DD trying to get a feel for the preference of real horseplayers.