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Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin
Most horseplayers are much more excited about when a horse on their "watch list" is going to run, than when Bernardini is going to run. I'm not going to make any money betting on a 2-5 shot. It's nice to have fans like you but the sport doesn't make money from fans like you since you are not a bettor. The sport needs more bettors, not fans who don't bet.
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I'm certainly more a fan than a bettor as I only bet around $2-3,000 a year. That may hardly be a blip on the radar of the tracks in terms of handle but when you have thousands of fans like me it certainly adds up. In my case the betting comes from being a fan of the game. If the game gets to the point where it no longer interests me then my betting will dwindle. This is part of the reason why it is important to cater to the fans as well as the bettors.
The other aspect is that the true bettors are looking to make money off their betting. Considering the large takeouts, the best way to beat the system is for there to be casual fans that go to the track and bet the horses that have no shot. Otherwise every horse is going to have realistic odds minus the takeout and isn't worth a bet. The more fans that are drawn to the track a couple times a year and are willing to blow $100 without really caring (like you see all the time in casinos) the better for the bettors.