Attracting new punters to the game

Most of my freinds that got into poker did so because they could play on line in a "TEST" enviroment to get used to the game. That got them going and eventually they decided to play for real or not.

Stock market companies also give newbies some play play money to make trades until they think it is time to go for the real thing.

I wonder, if someone set up a virtual betting scenario for would be punters to try it out before investing real money, would a lot more start punting for real ?

I think if the barrier to entry is reduced i.e. it doesn't cost you that much to learn in a simulated enviroment, a few more people would become hooked on punting.

Worth a try, Yes or No !

Orange sorry but virtual betting would be another deathnail imo,we need to sex up racing and try and get it over to newbies that punting can be a skill and not just a gamble.

Newbie punting forums at tracks,in shopping malls at the casino`s etc would be a good idea,plus lets spend some of the dividends on advertising

I don't know about punters, but this post by Dalakhani on the Wolf Power thread is a good example of how to take people into the racing fold and turn a passing interest into a lifelong passion.

Dalakhani Wrote:

---

> I may still have a video on Wolf Power, got it
> from Chris Gill (who was head of Computaform in
> those days) along with Mel Kaplan. In 1986 i wrote
> to Computaform, letting them know i was a big fan
> of their publication and wanted to know more about
> the making of it. i was only ten years old at the
> time and Chris Gill organised for me to be picked
> up from my flat in Berea..(in a merc nogal) and
> then i was taken to the Offices in High Street,
> Turffontein, where i spent the day learning all
> about the production of the books and looking
> through their years of archive fotoforms.(some of
> them were amazing)
>
> I was presented with the Wolf Power video by Mr
> Gill, which had been made by Computaform and then
> after a lunch there was taken back home.. All in
> all it was an amazing day(one of the best days of
> my life) and made me an ever bigger fan of horse
> racing. I will never forget everyones kindness and
> surprise that a wee boy like me was so into
> racing.
>
> Anyway its these type of things that make you take
> a keen interest in a sport as good as racing, but
> it wouldnt happen these days, which is sad. But i
> will always cherish that day when a young boy's
> dreams came true.


Enthusiasm is contagious, but with the current state of the industry, no-one is enthusiastic anymore. Hard to attract new people when the current ones aren't even enjoying themselves !!