There are few sports that are centred around money more so than horse racing. Money keeps the sport ticking over, with many of the biggest races offering deep purses due to the financing within racing.
Fortunately, there are a variety of different payment solutions if you want to learn how to bet on horses. They make it easier for those that attend events to pay for whatever they would like to while they are at the track.
But, what are some of the most common methods that are accepted at some of the most notable tracks around the world?
Cash
For many, cash is king. This means that notes and dollars are still widely accepted at some of the leading tracks across the world. This is especially the case with on-course bookmakers, with the vast majority preferring bettors to wager with cash rather than using a debut card.
However, there has been some issues at world-renowned tracks since the lifting of COVID-19 safety measures, as it has encouraged more locations to become cashless venues.
This can often be an irritation for those betting with cash, as they are unable to use money that they have won to buy food or drink at the course. Cashless venues are nothing new across the United States, with many of the homes of NFL teams opting to only take card payments in this modern day.
But, fortunately for fans of racing that prefer local meetings, cash is still a widely accepted payment method when buying food or drink.
Card Payments
As mentioned previously, card payments are a preferred method of payment for many of the most prominent racecourses across the world in this modern day. This is reflected by the venues becoming cashless locations, meaning that the only way to get food or drink is through a card payment.
Bookmakers are also warming to taking card payments at these locations, with a wider selection of betting stalls available than there were over ten years ago. Card payments work easily for those using the method, as you can simply use contactless to scan your card and pay for your purchases.
The ease of transactions make them a preferred method for those that work at racecourses, as workers can quickly complete orders to move onto next customers in a much quicker pace.
Some racecourses also enable visitors to open tabs using their card, meaning that they will not need to use their method every time that they go up to the bar.
Online Order Systems
One of the fastest growing trends within horse racing is the use of online order systems to fine tune the waiting system. Here, visitors to the racecourse can place their order via an app, pay for their order, and then simply collect what they have purchased once it is ready from the nearest stall.
This has ensured that racecourse experience has improved in recent years, as the waiting times have been reduced drastically. This enables visitors to the racecourse to focus on their main reason for being in attendance- the racing on track.
Using online apps to make orders will mean that visitors will have to pay via debit or credit card. It also ensures that those in attendance can now effectively do everything that they wish at a racecourse without having much human interaction. That is especially the case if visitors are making wagers via an online sportsbook.
Self-Serve Kiosks
Another of the modern technological advances that can be found at racecourses across the world is the introduction of self-serve kiosks. This effectively reduces the risk of wait time when looking to get a drink, as the payment machine can take the consumers money before pouring the drink in front of your eyes.
While it isn’t the same as a hand-pulled pint, it could be a worthwhile trip if the queues are excessive and one of the big races of the day is about to start.
Self-serve kiosks have been prominent in European soccer stadiums in recent years, and their success is likely to continue as they are rolled out across multiple horse racing locations over the coming years.
E-Wallets
While E-Wallets aren’t as accepted on the racecourse, it remains a hugely important payment solution at horse racing events.
E-wallets can be used to make bets on the action, as it enables sites such as PayPal to be used as a payment method when depositing funds to an online sportsbook. This can give the user a greater peace of mind, as PayPal is more secure than most other methods, and funds can be challenged if there is any fraudulent activity on your account.
Despite this, it is unlikely that E-Wallets will be accepted on racecourses by bars, restaurants, and bookmakers in the near future.
