TAB recovers from the flu

NSW TAB wagering turnover is emerging from the equine influenza betting slump, The Daily Telegraph has learned.

TAB betting sales have surged since Christmas despite a plethora of small field sizes across Sydney and provincial race meetings.
Racing NSW attracted unwarranted criticism for scheduling a return to normal race programming so soon after EI but betting trends indicate race-starved punters are embracing the opportunity to bet on NSW racing again.
When EI shut down NSW racing from August until the end of November last year, TAB turnover fell by 23 per cent on the corresponding period in 2006.
After racing resumed last month, TAB turnover improved dramatically with betting down only 4.8 per cent on 2006 figures even though there were fewer NSW race meetings in December, 2007 than the previous year.
From Boxing Day to New Year's Day - when criticism of too much racing reached a crescendo - TAB betting sales continued to improve with turnover only 1.9 per cent below 2006 for the same period.
"These figures indicate that betting is slowly returning to normal," Tabcorp's wagering supremo Robert Nason said.
"It also shows Racing NSW's decision to put the race meetings back on - even with small fields - was the correct one," Nason said, adding that with the racing schedule virtually back to normal now, TAB punters are back into the habit of betting again.
"From 23 per cent (down) to 4.8 per cent was a big improvement and the figures since Boxing Day have been particularly encouraging.
"All the statistics show that we should be back to a position of showing some turnover growth by February."
And the improvements in TAB turnover is being reflected in the betting rings with bookmakers reporting substantial wagering holds in recent weeks.
Bookie Tom Waterhouse revealed earlier this week his turnover at Wyong races on Wednesday reached nearly $2 million compared with his average provincial hold of $200,000.
TAB turnover is usually given a boost in January by the feature Magic Millions meeting on the Gold Coast but that raceday has been switched to March because of the EI outbreak.
Nason predicts wagering turnover won't slide again despite the re-programming of Magic Millions.
"A lot of the trainers traditionally take that period off in January and go away to the Gold Coast," Nason explained.
"The Magic Millions was always a good meeting for us turnover-wise but with the trainers away, we found Sydney and Melbourne fields and betting tended to drop away a little mid-January.
"Obviously most trainers will be staying home this year and the word we are getting is that the field sizes should continue to improve."