Quoteworthy -- "The cooperation we got from traditional bookmakers was very limited and stopped short of providing hard evidence against individuals that would withstand legal scrutiny. Horseracing has always been vulnerable to corruption. Whatever the form of betting, whether it be with traditional bookmakers, totalisators, exchanges or spread betting firms, there are those who will seek to gain an unfair advantage over other punters. This is the experience worldwide."
- Christopher Foster, executive director of the U.K. Jockey Club, speaking in London on Monday at a conference called "The Evolving Landscape of British Horseracing." Foster resented the argument that the benefits of betting exchanges' transparent audit trails outweigh the potential risk of corruption. He concluded, "The most effective deterrent to malpractice comes from demonstrating that there is a likelihood of being caught. The record of success prior to the emergence of betting exchanges in catching betting-related cheating was poor. I am hopeful that now, the integrity of racing will, over time, be enhanced."
Analysis Tool -- WellDone Software, which develops software for the online gambling industry, announced that it will soon release "MarketFeeder Pro," a data extraction and market analysis tool created expressly for betting exchange trading analysts, developers and professional traders on Betfair. The program captures market information at user-definable periods from multiple markets simultaneously and enables users to archive market data for their own analysis. Market Feeder Pro works independently of API, the Betfair developer's program.
Endorsement -- John Campbell, one of the top harness drivers and trainers in the United States, has signed an endorsement deal with Youbet.com, a U.S.-based provider of horse racing content and wagering. Campbell will sport the orange and black Youbet.com logo on his uniform. While advertising on harness drivers' uniforms is common in Europe, it is a fairly new phenomenon in the States.
Racinguk.tv -- Television channel Racing UK has launched a Web site to complement its television coverage. The site, www.racinguk.tv , is hosted by the Racing Post and offers news, links to courses and television schedules.
Ladbrokes Science -- Scientists believe that Ladbrokes will almost certainly take a huge loss on a book it opened concerning a handful of future scientific discoveries. Ladbrokes set odds on five different discoveries, including the finding of gravitational waves, for which odds were set at 500 to 1 and trimmed way down to 25 to 1. Physicists are very confident that a new observatory in the United States will detect the waves before 2010. The company stands to lose £150,000 if the waves are found.
Mobile Scratch Brands -- NewMediaAge reports that Freemantle Media wants to discuss with Camelot the possibility of launching mobile phone-based scratchcards branded with some of its properties, such as "Baywatch," "Benny Hill" and "The Price Is Right." Freemantle is already in discussions with other operators in the United Kingdom and Europe to offer similar products. The company says that its Price Is Right-branded games played online and the slot machines played in land-based casinos consistently outperform its non-branded counterparts. Camelot announced earlier this month that it will take its lottery mobile with help from O2.