How Mobile Technology Is Transforming Horse Racing

Horse racing is one of the oldest sports in existence. It has been around since the 15th century, and has, for the most part, retained the format that will be familiar to modern fans.

And yet, despite the fact that horse racing has very deep, very old roots, it is still influenced by technology of today, particularly mobile technology. Nowadays we can check the contenders of the Breeders Cup easily online, on pages like this: https://www.twinspires.com/breeders-cup/contenders/

A few years ago we had to go to the racetrack or at least buy the newspaper to know the favorites for the race. Let’s take a look at how one of the oldest games in existence is being transformed.

The Rise of Easy Sports Betting

One of the biggest and most obvious ways in which mobile technology has changed the horse racing industry is in how people place bets on the sport.

While wagering on a race is as old as the game itself, it’s only recently that it’s been aided by the convenience of modern technology. Today, people who are interested in placing a wager can do so from the comfort and convenience of their cell phones.

In recent years, cell phone sports betting has accounted for almost three-fourths of all online transactions in the United States.

Globally, the number is a little smaller. Some countries aren’t quite as paired to their smartphone technology as we are, but even with the worldwide curve taken into account, the numbers are pretty staggering.

More than half of all horse betting wagers happen on phones. This is a multibillion-dollar industry we are talking about. This means that cell phones every day are processing an unprecedentedly high level of horse-related transactions.

Making the Sport More Accessible

It’s not only about how people bet that mobile technology is having an influence. Phones, tablets, watches, etc., also make the game more accessible from a viewing perspective.
Previous to digital streaming technology, there were only a couple of ways to watch or come into any contact at all with horse racing.

The first way was to attend an event in person. This option is increasingly hard to find. Where once there were many horse racing tracks located all over the country, there are now only about 1.5 per state, meaning that most people who are horse racing have no easy way to explore their interests.

On the other hand, there remains the option to watch live races on television.

This is most commonly explored through major events like the Kentucky Derby or the upcoming Breeders’ Cup, both of which have big broadcast deals and celebrity ambassadors.
While this is a good entryway into the sport, it’s also a pretty narrow window, all things considered. There are only a handful of majorly broadcast races throughout the year.

Which brings us to streaming. Now with tablets, YouTube, and a million other video-on-demand streaming apps, anyone can watch any event at any time. If you’re interested in horse racing, you can watch obscure events from all over the world. You can also get unique and behind-the-scenes looks.

There are, believe it or not, horse racing influencers – fans who stream content from events all over the planet. Breeders, trainers, etc. have built an entire online cottage industry around this sport, all viewable whenever needed from your phone.

Changing the Way Horses Are Trained

To be clear, phones, tablets, and smartwatches themselves are not alone in changing the way that trainers, breeders, and owners manage their animals.

However, they do pair very nicely with wearables – physical devices with well-tuned sensors that can evaluate the animal’s heart rate, gait, and overall health in real time.

The information is viewable immediately through apps on smartphones, tablets, etc., and they are not only making horse management teams more efficient and effective, but they’re also having a pretty dramatic influence on the health of animals in the sport.

Early detection is so important when it comes to horse racing. Previously, trainers often only knew there was a problem when the horse was visibly uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, at this point, the issue has often progressed to the point that it threatens the horse’s career, and in many very tragic cases, its life. Wearable technology coupled with mobile devices makes it so much easier to practice horse racing in a safe and humane way.

Horses and Smartphones: A Match Made in Heaven?

It is a bit of an odd pairing when you say it in those terms, but as this article hopefully proves, smartphone technology and horses, sensibly applied, pair very well with even classic games that have roots far deeper than anyone’s memory.

All of that said, there comes a time when every horse racing fan should unplug, put the phone down, and watch the event. Maybe, if you’re lucky, feel the electric charge that runs through any horse racing arena. There are tons of ways to enjoy horse racing, but many of the best options happen offline.