World Pool betting system faces criticism over low returns

Australian horse racing punters are expressing growing frustration over the World Pool, a Hong Kong-based betting system merged with Australia’s TAB tote. Critics argue the system is providing significantly lower returns compared to traditional bookmakers.

During recent racing events at Caulfield and Rosehill, discrepancies in dividends were noted. For example, the winner Point Barrow returned $2.60 via the World Pool TAB but $3.20 through bookies. Another winner, Land Legend, returned $44 on the World Pool compared to a 70-1 rating from bookmakers.

Professional punter John Walters described the situation as “literal brutality for all punters,” noting that the World Pool retains a higher percentage of investment—approximately 123 per cent compared to 115 per cent in the fixed-odds market. While the World Pool was designed to attract international audiences and increase betting pools, concerns regarding its value for long-term punters continue to mount ahead of Melbourne Cup week.