Welcome to the TDN Op Ed page, where a selected stable of writers will, from time to time, offer their opinion and perspective on matters concerning the racing industry. The viewpoints expressed herein are not necessarily those of the management, but promise to represent what we consider to be responsible comment.

Comments? Please respond to TDN management at suefinley@thoroughbreddailynews.com.

Dean Towers is a horse owner, fan, and bettor. He's a Director of a Toronto-based Internet Marketing Agency and been a featured speaker at Wagering Conferences across North America. He wrote his University thesis on Off-Track Betting, and has also authored a white paper on exchange wagering.

• 7/13/2012 - THERE'S MORE THAN ONE WAY TO SELL A HOT DOG
  
  I watched the CNBC special about Costco the other night. The story looked at what exactly the business does, how it brands, how it sells, and most of all, how it keeps prices low to grow. — (click here to read the entire article)
  
  
• 4/11/2012 - THE UPS & DOWNS OF BETTING HANDLE
  
  Being a bit of a betting and gambling geek, a hobby of mine is looking at the factors that drive pari-mutuel wagering. It's a fascinating exercise because there are so many items that go into the make-up of a gross betting pool. Sure we know the basics, like the lower the takeout the higher the bet, and the less gambling competition we have the better it is for racing handles, but there are so many more. — (click here to read the entire article)
  
  
• 3/11/2012 - IT'S THE HANDLE. IT'S ALWAYS THE HANDLE.
  
  In September of 2010, a round of applause broke out at a meeting of the California Horse Racing Board. A call from the Governor's office came in, informing the California racing braintrust that the takeout increase they asked for earlier that summer had been approved. Everyone seemed happy. — (click here to read the entire article)
  
  

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