TVG to Broadcast Hong Kong Racing, Commingle Pools

TVG, America’s Horseracing Network, announced today that on Saturday evening, April 5, Pacific Time (Sunday morning, April 6, Eastern Time) it will debut commingled odds pari-mutuel wagering on, and live television coverage of, horse races from the legendary Happy Valley and Sha Tin racecourses pursuant to a multiyear agreement with the Hong Kong Jockey Club (“HKJC”), and with commingling integration technologies provided by Sportech Racing and Digital. For the first time, TVG customers will be able to access commingled odds from the world’s largest pari-mutuel wagering pools in addition to watching all of the races live on TVG’s television network and online at TVG.com. The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s pools currently average over $17 million per race.

 

“We know that horse racing customers 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,” said John Hindman of TVG. “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. Simply put, our US customers will have the wagering experience that has traditionally been available to them only two to three times a year in terms of pool sizes, now available to them every Hong Kong race day - more than 83 times a year.”

 

With an average field size of 12.6 runners per race, the HKJC stages fixtures from early September to early July. Happy Valley fixtures usually take place on Wednesday evenings Hong Kong time and Sha Tin fixtures usually take place on Sunday afternoons Hong Kong time. For bettors in the US, the first post time is typically 7:15 AM ET (4:15 AM PT) on Wednesdays and 1:00 AM ET (10:00 PM PT Saturday) for the Sunday card. The live racing schedule is highlighted by the Longines Hong Kong International Races on the second Sunday of December, one of the world’s biggest and richest race days, which includes the Hong Kong Cup, Hong Kong Mile, Hong Kong Vase and Hong Kong Sprint, all Group 1 races on turf.

 

“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,” said William Nader, Executive Director of Racing at the Hong Kong Jockey Club. “This is not quite as big as putting a man on the moon, but it is one giant step for international racing and simulcasting.” 

 

The bet types that will be initially offered by TVG will include Win, Place, Quinella and Tierce, which account for 70 percent of total wagering in Hong Kong racing. Place betting in Hong Kong is the equivalent of Show betting in America. Tierce betting is the Hong Kong version of the Trifecta.

 

Past performance information on individual horses as well as an official program, video replays of all races and barrier trials, veterinary history and morning track work records of all horses are available free of charge at www.hkjc.com in both English and Chinese.

 

TVG worked with its totalisator partner, Sportech Racing and Digital, to integrate technologiesallowing the commingled odds capabilities. Sportech Racing and Digital, the leading globalprovider of wagering technology solutions, is the first totalisator provider in the US to make the services available for Hong Kong Jockey Club races.