Placing a bet on the Kentucky Derby has the same appeal, innocence even, as filling out an NCAA Tournament bracket during March Madness. Picking winners can be based on knowledge or, in the case of many, based solely on liking the horse’s name or jockeys silks, in the same way choosing a basketball team for its mascot or colors sometimes yields success.
There’s something building on the horizon that could ultimately take the fun out of it.
There’s no joy in finding out the game is rigged.
Computer-assisted wagering barely caused a blip two decades ago, but improved technology, and an increase in volume, threatens to destroy the integrity of betting on horse racing by allowing what’s akin to insider trading to thrive.
