| TVG | |
|---|---|
| Launched | July 14, 1999 |
| Owned by | Betfair |
| Picture format | 480i SDTV |
| Country | United States |
| Website | www.tvg.com |
| Availability | |
| Satellite | |
| DirecTV | 602 |
| Dish Network | 405 |
| IPTV | |
| Verizon FiOs | 315 |
TVG Network (or Television Games Network) is an American specialty channel dedicated to horse racing. The company broadcasts from Los Angeles, California and is available in the United States on Dish Network and DirecTV as well as select cable companies. TVG also offers a simulcast of its programming on SiriusXM satellite radio.
In addition to live horse racing, TVG Network features race analysis, interviews, handicapping tips, feature stories on the horses personalities and legends of racing, and programs such as "The Works," featuring daily training and workouts of horses leading up to the Breeders' Cup.
When TVG began broadcasting Iin 1999, TVG it was the first and only television network in the United States devoted to horse racing. It currently is the largest such network, available in more the 30 million homes nationwide.
TVG Network is an interactive horse racing network that combines live, televised coverage from over 100 of the World's premier racetracks and allows viewers to make wagers from home: online, by phone, mobile phone and, where available, using a set-top remote control.
In addition to live horse racing, TVG Network features professional race analysis, interviews, handicapping tips, feature stories on the superstars of horse racing—the horses—personalities and legends of racing, and programs such as "The Works," featuring daily training and workouts of horses leading up to the Breeders' Cup.
TVG began broadcasting in 1999, and has since become the largest interactive horse racing network in America. In May 2006, TVG introduced new shows, including "Morning Line", "Fandicapping", ":58 Flat" and "Lady Luck," an all female panel focusing on the day's races, and Drive Time, a new show covering exclusive racing from the Meadowlands. TVG also provides All Access coverage on select weekends. TVG places microphones on select Jockeys, Owners, Trainers, and the Starting Crew to give viewers an inside look at racing.
The company also maintained a fictional betting site, TVGFree.net, which allowed it to have a presence in the fifteen states which prohibit televised and off-track betting. This is similar to poker sites which use the .net domain to differentiate their fictional betting sites from the .com sites which allow real gambling. However, on January 1, 2012, TVG.com stopped supporting the fictional site, with a notice on the website's homepage that TVG hopes to develop a similar product in the future.
TVG covers over 100 tracks, with exclusive coverage of several tracks, including North American tracks such as Woodbine Race Course, Keeneland Race Course, Del Mar Racetrack, Hollywood Park Racetrack, Meadowlands, Suffolk Downs and Monmouth Park. The network also broadcasts races from various tracks in Australia, United Kingdom, Ireland and Japan. TVG coverage includes events such as the Travers Stakes, Haskell Invitational, Pacific Classic, Hollywood Gold Cup, Blue Grass Stakes, Wood Memorial, Melbourne Cup, Japan Cup and the All American Futurity.
In late February 2007, TVG ended its longtime affiliation with Churchill Downs Incorporated.
On January 27, 2009, Betfair has completed its acquisition of TVG from Macrovision for $50 million in cash consideration.[1]
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TVG offers wagering services to residents of the following states: California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming. TVG account holders are able to wager online at TVG.com, by phone, mobile phone and, where available, using a set-top remote control.
The following tracks are available for wagering at TVG.com: Turf Paradise, Cal Expo, Del Mar, Fairplex, Ferndale, Fresno, Hollywood Park, Los Alamitos, Pleasanton, Sacramento, Santa Anita, Santa Rosa, Stockton, Arapahoe Park, Delaware Park, Dover Downs, Harrington Raceway, Calder, Gulfstream Park, Hialeah Park, Pompano Park, Tampa Bay Downs, Arlington Park, Balmoral Park, Fairmount Park, Hawthorne, Maywood Park, Hoosier Park, Indiana Downs, Prairie Meadows, Churchill Downs, Ellis Park, Keeneland, Kentucky Downs, Turfway Park, Delta Downs, Evangeline Downs, Fair Grounds, Louisiana Downs, Hollywood Slots Raceway, Laurel Park, Pimlico, Suffolk Downs, Canterbury Park, Running Aces, Fonner Park, Atlantic City Race Course, Freehold Raceway, Meadowlands, Monmouth Park, Ruidoso Downs, Santa Fe Downs, Sunland Park, Zia Park, Aqueduct, Batavia Downs, Belmont Park, Buffalo Raceway ,Finger Lakes, Monticello Raceway, Saratoga Race Course, Tioga Downs, Yonkers Raceway, Northfield Park, Raceway Park, Scioto Downs, Fair Meadows, Remington Park, Will Rogers Downs, Portland Meadows, Harrah's Chester, Parx Racing, Penn National, Pocono Downs, Presque Isle Downs, The Meadows, Lone Star Park, Retama Park, Sam Houston Race Park, Emerald Downs, Charles Town, Mountaineer, Japan, Australia, Great Britain and Ireland.
58 Flat - Matt Carothers offers value picks, analysis and opinions.
Blinkers Off - Hosted by Matt Carother, this debate show tackles topical discussion, industry issues, handicapping angles and stakes previews in a half hour weekly format.
Drive Time - Harness racing program, featuring action from Meadowlands, home of the Hambletonian, harness racing’s biggest event.
Fandicapping - Interactive show where TVG analysts field e-mails and phone calls initiating discussions on industry issues, general handicapping questions and historical debates.
Horseracing All Access - A behind the scenes look at horse racing from an insider's perspective.
Horseracing Today - Saturday morning preview show highlighting all the weekend stakes action, with emphasis on handicapping angle, exotic and multi-race wagers and interviews with trainers and jockeys live from the tracks.
International Racing - Same program as Horseracing Today, but focuses on races at tracks outside the United States.
Legends - In depth conversations with the legends of horseracing.
March To The Mile - A weekly program that focuses on the horses pointed for the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile.
Pick 6 Central - Analysis for major Pick 6 Carryovers.
Race Night - Racing action every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evening.
Racing Coast to Coast - Live racing from some of the top tracks all across America.
Starting Gate - Live racing from East Coast tracks with analysis and handicapping angles for all featured races.
The Late Double - TVG showcases young talent covering the late double, live from Hollywood Park, Del Mar and Los Alamitos.
The Morning Line - Morning talk show, featuring weather reports from tracks around the country and timely updates detailing the morning line and any significant scratches for the day's most important races.
The Quarters - TVG's late-night Quarter Horse racing program featuring racing, interviews, analysis, and special contests, all live from Los Alamitos racetrack.
The Works - A look at the final preparations of contenders in major stakes races.
Trackside Live - Expert analysis and information provided by TVG's team of hosts and analysts, live from featured tracks and the Los Angeles studios.
TVG Classic - Highlights of TVG coverage of past big races & events.
TVG personalities include Matt Carothers, Todd Schrupp, Greg Wolf, Rich Perloff, Mike Joyce, Dave Weaver, Simon Bray, Christina Olivares, Bob Baedeker, Frank Lyons, Nick 'The Sarge' Hines, Tom Amoss, Donna Barton-Brothers, Nancy Ury, Graham Cunningham, Ron Ellis and Michelle Yu.
TVG is preparing to launch a high definition feed sometime in the near future.[2]