EXCLUSIVE: Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Northern Territory tote pools set to merge with Victoria Australia closing in on an almost national tote pool

Two of Australia’s tote pools are set to merge in a significant step towards a national tote. Get the details about the impending parimutuel shake-up.

Punters across most of Australia will soon be able to bet into supercharged pools, with official submissions made to merge Australia into two tote pools by early next year.

Racenet can reveal Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Northern Territory have all made submissions to their respective state Office of Liquor and Gaming departments to merge the Tatts pool into Victoria’s.

The supercharged pool, which Western Australia, the ACT and New Zealand already bet into, will leave NSW one out against the rest of the country.

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The speed of which the pools are merged will be dependent on Tabcorp’s tech capabilities, however it is expected to be finalised by early 2025.

“TAB have reached out to Racing South Australia, Racing Queensland and Racing Tasmania in regards to letter of support to the Office of Liquor and Gaming in each of the states about moving the Tatts pool into the Victorian pool,” Racing Queensland chief executive Jason Scott said.

“We are very hopeful it should be solved reasonably early in the new year.”

Moves are afoot for most of the country to bet into one tote pool.

Fresh into the top role last year, Scott laid bare the diabolic state of the Tatts tote, with more than 60 per cent of Queensland markets operating with less than $500 in the pool.

After working as the boss of Ladbrokes in Australia and Bet MGM in America, Scott has been the major driver of merged totes in Australia and is desperate to offer a reliable parimutuel price to attract the bigger punters back.

Scott said he had spoken to some of the biggest betting syndicates in the world, who have indicated they will increase their betting volume should there be a more reliable tote.

“I am excited and positive about the initiative and most importantly it will give the punters in those states some liquidity so they can be confident that the parimutuel price is going to look something like the horse’s chances of winning, similar to fixed odds,” Scott said.

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“Some of the big betting syndicates have indicated to me that if the pools are merged, they will be increasing their activity, once they are putting more on, it can continue to grow.”

Once the merger is made with the Victorian tote, Scott is hopeful of a national tote when a deal is struck by Tabcorp and Racing NSW to move into one super pool.

With low take-out rates compared to the World Pool, the tote in Australia could deliver significant benefit to punters and participants due to the direct returns to the racing.

Originally published as EXCLUSIVE: Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Northern Territory tote pools set to merge with Victoria Australia closing in on an almost national tote pool