The model is the World Series of Poker TV coverage

[justindew]

I think the main difference between poker and horse racing, from the perspective of the "new gambler", is that poker appears more "beatable" to those just starting out. Everybody who sits down at a poker table incorrectly thinks they have an edge over the competition by virtue of the fact that they have been playing for a while and "only lose on bad beats." But horse racing presents more challenges in getting up to speed. Add in the takeout, and I think it's easy to see why poker exploded while horse racing handle basically stayed steady.

*(Note: This is not an indictment on horse racing. Merely my view of the differences between poker and racing from a gambling perspective.)