We soon may find out. A new 12-week study by Christiansen/Cummings Associates will determine how online wagering affects local horse racing markets, using data from Youbet.com and the Maryland Jockey Club.
The You Bet Network (www.youbet.com) provides horse players online access to live racing, information and wagering. By analyzing the business generated by online betting at Maryland Jockey Club via You Bet, Christiansen/Cummings will try to determine how the online industry impacts the physical world of wagering.
Christiansen/Cummings will analyze the financial statements of the Maryland Jockey Club, as well as the betting patterns of Youbet.com members in order to decide whether online betting has a positive or
negative impact on the horse racing industry. The study is expected to transform current perceptions of online wagering. The results of the study are expected in September.
"There has been a great deal of speculation regarding the impact of services such as Youbet.com in the local horse racing market," said Ron Luniewski, executive vice president and chief operating officer of
Youbet.com. "We are eager for the research to illustrate precisely how in-home interactive wagering will affect the industry. Youbet.com looks forward to sharing the results of this study with the industry."
Youbet allows members to watch and wager on a wide selection of coast-to-coast thoroughbred and standardbred horse racing via its private closed loop network. Members have 24-hour access to the network, which provides live racing from 31 race tracks, commingled track pools, live audio/video, track information, real-time wagering information and value-added handicapping products.