HORSEPLAYER INTERACTIVE, Canada’s first and largest racing-dedicated platform introduced by Woodbine Entertainment, celebrated 25 years in 2022 with big numbers in wagering including a record 38,000 people who placed a bet on the service that offers, internet, phone and TV services.
HPI has come a long way since advance deposit wagering (ADW) was introduced to Canada in 1997. In 2006, Woodbine went ‘wireless’ and introduced the betting platform on handheld devices. And in 2015 HPI revamped its betting site.
Today there are hundreds of tracks that can be wagered on all around the world through HPI. The information available to wager on certain tracks, mostly foreign, can be light although HPI often has a free program ready to download. However, the interface offers as much information as possible including a way to track horses or trainers and jockeys. (*Among the few items not provided are noting the horses that are on the also eligible list or main-track only on the race field).
In a recent interview with Harness Racing Update, Chris Lush, the chief technology, innovation, and wagering officer for Woodbine Entertainment, said telephone wagering is being phased out.
“I’m hoping to have it shut down by New Year’s Eve. It’s funny, because… we still have, I think it’s in the tens of millions of dollars a year wagered through telephone betting. This is basically people using touch-tone phones to walk their way through a bet. Unfortunately, the systems that operate that and the hardware are all ‘end of life’ and I can’t get replacements anymore.”
Meanwhile, Woodbine Entertainment has announced the closing of a couple of Champions Off-Track Teletheatres in Ontario. Teletheatres were introduced in 1994 in the form of simulcast sections or rooms in a restaurant, golf course, or as stand-alone entities.
From Champions Twitter feed: ‘Saturday December 31st will be the last day for RJs on Main Street in Brampton. This location was part of the original 12 that opened in 1994 and was actually the 7th location to ever open.’
On Dec. 17, Moodie’s in Ajax, closed its teletheatre after 28 years.
And Woodbine’s large sports bar, WEGZ, located in Vaughan, remains a simulcast wagering hub but the restaurant and bar which had a bowling alley, golf simulator and pool tables are now shut down.
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