The Professor's In
Jun-16-2010
Visitors to Hastings will see some major changes, reflecting their increased emphasis on Player Development. They´re aiming to help horseplayers with two separate but parallel programs.
One is aimed at newcomers and also casual players who come only occasionally. The second, simultaneous program, is designed to help regular players improve both their handicapping skills and the best ways to optimize their bets. GM Raj Mutti says "It´s goal is to help horseplayers who say I´m a decent handicapper but a poor bettor."
Hastings is constructing a new Handicapping Information Center booth, on the ground floor, facing the track, just inside the edge of the tarmac. It will be staffed by Customer Service reps who´ve had the benefit of additional training from our resident professional, "The Professor."
The "Odds Professor," a.k.a Fraser Rawlinson, is a 30+ year regular at Hastings. Fraser is a former jockey agent and horse owner. He´s worked in the gambling industry for 40 plus years in Reno, Las Vegas and the Caribbean. Last year he worked for horsemen and Off-Track sites in Alberta. Locally he´s consulted for Hastings and Great Canadian Casinos and chaired our Player´s Advisory Panel. His education is in Applied Mathematics and he does Financial and Statistical modeling for two hedge funds. He handicaps for two separate Pick Six syndicates and a rebate bettor in Nevada and also advises an internet provider of handicapping database information.
Fraser is a combination math whiz/techno geek and uses his expertise to create mathematical models which create accurate odds lines for each horse in a race. Hastings is currently publishing a live card tip-sheet, called "The Odds Professor" available ontrack for $2.00. It is rapidly acquiring an enthusiastic fan base. It lists each race entrant in the computer´s order of preference according to the horse´s "Power" rating and most importantly...lists each horse´s break even odds. Fans merely look to see if the top pick´s toteboard odds are higher than the "Professor" says they should be. If so it´s a bet...if not, then look at the 2nd choice´s odds.
On Sunday, Teide, considered the "Lock of The Year" at 3-5 in a 4-horse field didn´t meet the computer odds of 7-5, neither did Tommy Danzigger who was 3-2, not the required 3-1. So you would have bet, third choice, Almost Time. The computer said bet him at 5-1 or more. He was more at 7-1 and returned $16.20 to win.
The Professor is available every live race day at Hastings to answer questions or just chat with. Every even numbered race at Hastings he will be paddock-side, down on the Astro-Turf platform by the gazebo. Fraser will describe each horse´s paddock appearance and give his opinion on how it may perform by how its looking and acting. It´s free and very informative.
Customer Service guys and gals will be nearby to sell copies of his computerized tip sheet picks.
Left Coast Racing - The Professor Is In The House
