The 13th meeting of HBF, and its final one of 2018, was held in Wetherby on 17th October. Below are some notes from that meeting covering many of the topics discussed. Welcome Existing HBF members welcomed new members, Sean Trivass and Joe Szekeres. Overview of HBF objectives / summary of progress to date HBF recognised […]
Author archives: HBF Admin
Simon Rowlands to step down from HBF
Simon Rowlands, founder member and inaugural Chair of the Horseracing Bettors Forum (HBF), steps down tomorrow after more than three years’ service. Simon was instrumental in the conception of HBF during the summer of 2015, prior to its formation in August of that year. Since then, he has shaped a theretofore non-entity into a powerful voice, both […]
HBF Comment on Racing Post ‘Quarterly Report’
HBF notes with concern the increase in overround per runner at starting price reported in the Racing Post “Quarterly Report” published on 17th October 2018. Overround is an important indication of the nominal cost of a bet to a punter and is usually kept more in check than this by market forces. HBF conducted an […]
HBF Comment on Gambling Commission / ADR announcement
The Horseracing Bettors Forum welcomes the recent directives from the Gambling Commission regarding Alternative Dispute Resolution within the betting industry. These developments should be of interest to all individuals who have questioned, or may in the future question, how their bets have been dealt with by a betting operator. The new criteria, which supplement rather […]
HBF Seeks Your Views
One of the principal ways in which Horseracing Bettors Forum drives its agenda around the needs of the racing and betting public is through an annual online survey. We’ve just released our most recent survey for 2018, and we’d love to hear your thoughts: Click here to make your voice heard on UK racing betting […]
Horseracing Bettors Forum invites new member applications
The Horseracing Bettors Forum (HBF) is today inviting applications from the betting community to replace outgoing members as part of a planned periodic refresh of its membership. HBF recruits by merit on the basis of fair and open competition. HBF would welcome applications from a broad range of the public to ensure the group is […]
Horseracing Bettors Forum Notes from meeting in July 2018
The twelfth meeting of HBF, and its third of 2018, was held in London on 9th July. Below are some notes from that meeting covering many of the topics discussed. HBF Business – Part One Betting Charter The HBF Betting Charter has been out for consultation for a number of months, and is to be […]
HBF Response to UKGC Rule 4 Statement
UKGC’s statement is a welcome recognition that there are issues surrounding the implementation of Rule 4 at present. HBF has lobbied since its inception for an application of R4 more in keeping with the actual Tattersalls rule, whereby bookmakers should apply the deduction either to board prices at the time the bet was struck, or […]
Horseracing Bettors Forum News from meeting in April 2018
The eleventh meeting of the Horseracing Bettors Forum took place in London on 16th April 2018. What follows is a note of that meeting and some of the topics discussed. Guest Slot: BHA Racing Department Paul Johnson and Stu Middleton introduced the work of the BHA Racing Department, which includes three areas: Fixture List, Race […]
Where to bet and where not to bet: a study into 2017 Starting Prices in British horseracing
The Horseracing Bettors Forum has undertaken a study into Starting Prices in Britain in 2017, measuring the “over-rounds” compared to what might be expected given a race’s field size. “Over-rounds” are the bookmakers’ theoretical mark-ups and are derived from the sum of the amount that would need to be staked to return a fixed figure […]