IMO, I think the industry needs to do more to educate the popcorn munchers on
how to handicap. This should go beyond just telling newbies what horses someone likes. Instead, we need to teach people how to cap on their own. If they pick their own winners with at least some level of confidence (even if it's false confidence), then they get a sense of competitive fulfillment that keeps them coming back for more.
I've taught a few friends over the past 3 years how to cap using very simplistic methods and they absolutely love it! All they needed to do was cash a well priced winner or two and they're hooked. The key is to not overcomplicate the capping. They don't need to be overwhelmed with every little angle, they just need a reliable basic method to build from.
I've talked to a lot of t-bred players at the local OTB (the so-called "regulars") and they're message for me is "I don't know how you can bet this harness racing". I respond to them by saying, "I don't know how you can bet these t-breds". Simply put, I have a lot more data with harness racing (horses race practically every week) and they all run a mile. I have no clue on what shape a t-bred is in when he hasn't run in 3-4 weeks. The t-bred "regulars" know and respect me as a harness guy and they'll ask me for my opinion from time to time. I've called some nice longshots out to them (15-1, 20-1, 26-1, and ice cold exactas at 50-1)...and they look at me like I'm a freak the times that they do come in. The problem, however, is that they have too much pride to ask me how I did it, how I came up with those picks.
I've been in discussions with the OTB management about having guest handicappers that would focus on one track per night and speak about who they like (and why) with 5 MTP. This would do well to educate the cross breed players as well as give insight to newbies.
The other part of the education process needs to be how to bet a race once you know who you like. Newbies that are betting $2 to show will never get hooked. They need to be able to hit something that can pay enough to cover their drinks if they are going to brag about it to their friends. That's the stuff that gets them hooked.
Just out of curiosity, how many of you learned to cap on your own? And how many actually got good instruction from an experienced capper?
I was fortunate to have a good t-bred capping friend that taught me how to read between the lines. However, he was horrible at capping harness. This allowed me to develop my own strategies on capping harness...and fortunately, after much losing, I figured it out. LOL!
The one thing that I really like about ITS is that it brings together a community of harness players that really know how to cap! I've truly benefited from learning from forum members with vastly different styles. IMO, I think Pezz and Tonyb are excellent value players; not the type that bet everything, but they swing when they see a good pitch to hit. Rocknroll is a hardcore capper with solid logic and angles. Brush and Crush has taught me the most in that he has a different capping and wagering style than my own that has proven successful. Chicagojazz is a traditionalist that keeps me honest when I stray too far from the obvious; keeps me real. Burton and Gazoo also offer solid insight to good races. Mags and Hal are pretty good too, but I rarely play the tracks that they excel in. For a hardcore numbers guy like me (who loves probability theory), it's extremely helpful to hear from these guys to help round out my logic. I've lost count of how many times I've overlooked a key contender but eventually included him because of insight/posts from people I trust.
Education is the key to landing new players...and to improve us experienced players.
