Did you know that sports betting is taking over North America? In New York it was introduced this January and immediately set records for nationwide handle with well over $2 billion as February wrapped up. How does this affect Harness Racing? I'd argue the impact short term is minor. Long term is another story that can't be accurately written at this time. Yes, a quick look at the numbers state United States handle on Harness Racing is down 16.43% through the end of February ($42 million), but that is easily explained by the 543% increase in handle on Canadian races ($72 million CDN or $56 million in USD). So, technically North American handle is up approximately 5%. It's obviously a tricky comparison because of the shutdown of Canadian tracks during January and part of February last year due to COVID-19, but the situation is not as dire as the glaring 16% figure would have one believe. Also on the handle front, once again it was proven that "post drag" works. After a six-week (five weeks of actual racing since one weekend was lost to weather) experiment with tighter post times at the Meadowlands was abandoned, wagering at the top track in North America in terms of average nightly handle surged on the first Friday card with the regular drag reinstalled. The $2.92 million total on February 18 was a seasonal high not just for Friday but for the year and easily eclipsed the $2.5 million average on Friday during the experimental period. On Saturday, February 26, the Meadowlands set a new high for the year with $3.3 million sent through the mostly virtual windows. While in a perfect world post drag wouldn't exist, a five-week trial at one track is not going to change the behavioral patterns of the betting public. A movement of that nature would take multiple tracks working together over the course of at least six months and maybe more. Bettors are creatures of habit, from past performance preference to ADW choices to favorite tracks. Altering a decade or two of behavior in a few weeks is simply not feasible. Returning to the sports betting topic and how it relates to Harness Racing after a brief aside...As a proud resident of the Empire State and regular harness player, I can say with complete certainty that my racing handle has not been hurt by my sports betting activity. If anything, the various promotions from sports sites, along with a few well-placed wagers, has provided a boost to my discretionary funds and allowed for more wagering on the racing front. Of course, should my sports betting funds run dry there will be a decision to make for my wagering dollar. The assumption by some is that racing dollars will be siphoned to the sports accounts, but that ultimately depends on each individual person. I, for one, have a hard time believing that a regular harness player for the last 10, 20 or 30-plus years is going to give up that passion and switch to sports. Could they dabble on both sides causing a slight decrease in long-term harness handle? Of course. Look at the Meadowlands, despite sports betting invading New Jersey, handle has been strong. Total handle for 2021 was $276 million and under the $200 million mark before sports wagering. Of course there are other factors at play, but the key is that sports betting didn't hurt horse betting, which is saying something since New Jersey was the top state in the country for sports wagering before New York came along and blew it out of the water. I opened five sports betting accounts to take advantage of various welcome offers and currently use four. On average I probably make two wagers a day (some days none and some four) and often take advantage of whatever special offer each site posts on a daily basis. It is these daily promotions and overall wagering flexibility which have really opened my eyes. ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter While every site is different, on any given day one of the many sports betting companies in New York could offer me a 5-100% profit boost on my winnings or a free bet equal to the amount I wagered if I lose. Imagine an ADW offering you a 50% profit boost on a Pick 4. Would you consider playing it even if it was a track you don't normally play or if it was a sequence you didn't even like? Possibly, because there was value in playing it. What if you got a $6 trifecta coupon if you made a $6 trifecta bet? Wouldn't you gravitate to that ADW to take advantage? In Harness Racing we simply miss the boat on the notion that if you give players more money or free bets they will play more. The number of people who are going to take the money and run are few and far between. Another area where sports has us beat is in wagering options. I can choose to make a bet where my team gives three points at -110 odds, or I can give six points and get +145. This would be similar to betting a horse to win at 4-5 versus betting them to win by two lengths or more at 7-5. With sports I can also bet a game in progress, and I really enjoy that option. What if at the half-mile pole I could bet on who will win the race? Couldn't an astute handicapper and observer of races find good value by simply paying attention? An interesting option on some sports sites is the ability to cash out in the middle of an event. Let's say you bet a three-team parlay (all three teams must win to cash) for $10 that could potentially return $75, and the first two teams have already won. In some cases you can elect to "cash out" for a portion of the total payout - let's say $30 - and secure a profit. I'm not saying it is advisable, but if you have $0 in your account and want to ensure you have enough money to make a few more plays, some profit is better than potentially no profit. It's not all roses and sunshine when it comes to sports betting. Many sites don't allow for the cancelling of bets once they are made, so unlike racing where you can change your mind after seeing a late scratch or developing weather issue, in many cases you are stuck with your original decision regardless of whether a player gets sick 15 minutes before game time. A small but frustrating issue with all of the NY sports betting sites is the inability to stay "logged in" to your account. Whenever you are inactive for more than a few minutes, the site logs you out, and you can't simply log in by opening the app. You must click "log in" and type in your password or use "Face ID." This issue doesn't exist for ADWs, as you can stay logged into them for days without issue, and the Face ID function works without having to click any buttons. A huge advantage of racing over sports is the accessibility to the live product. Any ADW will allow you to watch the races for free at any track it offers. There is no functionality to watch sports through the betting sites, and if you want to watch an out-of-market game, be prepared to pay the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, etc. a fee ranging from a few dollars for one game to hundreds for a seasonal package. So, for all the complaints people have about racing, it is the only wagering option with essentially free video. Ultimately, I find sports betting to be very complimentary with wagering on harness racing. Once a sports bet is made, there is a two- to three-hour window where you have plenty of free time to make racing wagers as you watch the games. If you can't handicap the Pick 4 and watch a basketball game at the same time, well, then I can't help you. One to two sporting events and two to three tracks on my screens is the norm in my house. You can never have enough TVs and monitors. Now it is back to the Pick 4 at Northfield Park and Lakers game for me!