DALLAS Baker, head of international operations for the Australian Securities Exchange-listed BetMakers Technology Group, says the fixed-odds betting system was well received by the public on the first day of implementation.

The fixed-odds betting system, which gave punters more choices when placing their bets, was made available at the races for the first time on Saturday, December 3, 2022.

“It [fixed-odds betting system] was amazing; it was great. Looking at the numbers, the turnover figures are comparable with the best day in the United States that we have had so far. That pretty much sums up Jamaica. To be able to do that and compete with New Jersey in that fashion says so much about the industry,” Baker told The Supreme Racing Guide.

“Look, it was day one and there were always going to be challenges on the first day. We had a few challenges behind the scenes and a lot of us are going to have a drink right now but look, it was a great launch.

“It is a great thing to see for Jamaica racing, and if this is the starting point then we’ve got a great base to work off. I think everybody was excited about the fixed odds, and it will only get better from here on,” Baker said.

Baker revealed that the next step for his team is to get the fixed-odds betting system into the off-track betting shops and on the online systems.

“We did set high expectations, and maybe they are higher than we thought. The Jamaican public came and supported it. Naturally, the job just started and we need to get into planning to get it out there in the OTBs and online.

“That is what is going to happen in the next couple of months as obviously Christmas gets in the way of things, but it is going to be good once we get it out there to the general public and not just the people at the track,” Baker opined.

— Ruddy Allen