The Hong Kong Jockey Club ('HKJC') announced today that with effect from the race meeting at Sha Tin on Sunday 6 April, live television coverage of all of its races and the opportunity to bet into HKJC's pari-mutuel pools will be available across the USA, in a multi-year deal with TVG.
TVG is among the most widely distributed horseracing networks in the world. In addition to its television network of over 36 million homes, TVG is also the largest legal internet wagering provider for horse races in the US, accepting over US$875 million in wagers in 2013 via www.tvg.com.
Welcoming the news, the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Executive Director of Racing Mr William A. Nader, said: "It is an exciting day for us to bring Hong Kong's gold standard of racing and wagering excellence to the TVG network across the USA. Our reputation for staging high quality competitive racing, with the largest race-by-race pools in the world and world-leading standards of integrity has been key to attracting a partner of the size of TVG.
"It is an important step for us in broadening the appeal of the Hong Kong Jockey Club brand around the world. This is not quite as big as putting a man on the moon, but I would say that it is one giant step for international racing and simulcasting," he added.
John Hindman, General Counsel of TVG, commented: "We know that horse racing customers in America like large pools with large quality fields of horses to watch and wager on, and we are thrilled to deliver access to some of the best product available anywhere in the world to meet those desires. With a television network in over 36 million households and our position as the largest advance deposit wagering provider in the US, TVG is uniquely situated to introduce quality international horse races to viewing audiences and wagering customers here."
He continued: "Simply put, our customers will now have the wagering experience that has traditionally been available to them only two to three times a year in terms of pool sizes, available to them on every Hong Kong race day."
The bet types that will be offered initially by TVG will include Win, Place, Quinella and Tierce, which between them account for around 70 percent of total turnover in The Hong Kong Jockey Club's pools.