TVG Network ("TVG" being an initialism for its official name Television Games Network) is an online horse racing betting business and American sports-oriented digital cable and satellite television network that is owned by Paddy Power Betfair.
Dedicated to horse racing, the TVG and TVG2 channels broadcast live races from over 150 premier racetracks as well as race analysis, interviews, handicapping tips, feature stories on the horses and legends of racing. TVG is also one of the largest advanced deposit wagering (ADW) operators, offering US customers the ability to place online and telephone horseracing bets in thirty five US states. In New Jersey it operates the 4NJBets platform on behalf of the state of New Jersey and its racing industry.
Maps, Directions, and Place Reviews
Background
The channel was launched on July 14, 1999, and was founded by the United Video Satellite Group, the then-owners of the TV Guide Network (now Pop) and TV Guide magazine (from which the "TVG" initials were partially taken). On October 5, 1999, Gemstar International Group Ltd. purchased United Video Satellite Group. In May 2006, TVG introduced several new programs to its schedule including Morning Line, Fandicapping, :58 Flat, Lady Luck (an all-female panel discussion program focusing on the day's races) and Drive Time (which covered 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 channel formerly operated a fictional betting site, TVGfree.net, which allowed it to have a presence in the fifteen states which prohibit televised and off-track betting, operating similarly to poker sites which use the .net domain to differentiate their fictional betting sites from the .com sites which allow real gambling. The site was discontinued at the start of 2012 due to a site upgrade, and currently redirects to TVG.com.
In late February 2007, TVG ended its longtime affiliation with Churchill Downs Incorporated. On May 2, 2008, Gemstar-TV Guide was acquired by Macrovision (now Rovi Corporation) for $2.8 billion. Macrovision, which purchased Gemstar-TV Guide mostly to boost the value of its lucrative VCR Plus+ and electronic program guide patents, later stated that it was considering a sale of TVG, TV Guide Network and the TV Guide print edition's namesake to other parties. In late 2008, Macrovision sold TVG to Betfair for $50 million in cash consideration. The deal was consummated on January 27, 2009, separating the channel from the company which acquired its founding owner in 2007.
In February 2015, Betfair acquired TVG's sole competitor, HRTV, and began to consolidate it into TVG's facilities. The network was re-branded as a sister network, TVG2, in October 2015. TVG's CEO Kip Levin explained that the merger allowed the company to "better utilize TVG's state-of-the-art television facilities to deliver a premium product for both networks. We look forward to continuing to work with our important track and distribution partners to deliver more races and higher-quality broadcasts to racing fans like never before."
Wagering services
TVG offers wagering services to residents of Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming. TVG account holders are able to wager online at TVG.com, or by landline or mobile phone.
List of participating tracks
The following tracks are available for wagering at TVG.com (listed alphabetically):
TVG also shows races from international tracks in Australia, Dubai, Great Britain, Ireland and Japan.
Programming
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, 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.
Current programming
- Drive Time - A harness racing program, featuring action from Meadowlands, home of the Hambletonian, harness racing's biggest event.
- Horseracing All Access - A program providing a behind-the-scenes look at horse racing from an insider's perspective.
- Horseracing Today - A Saturday morning preview show highlighting the weekend's stakes action, with emphasis on handicapping angle, exotic and multi-race wagers and interviews with trainers and jockeys live from the tracks.
- International Racing - A program with the same format as Horseracing Today, focusing on races at tracks outside the United States.
- Legends - A program featuring in-depth conversations with the legends of horseracing.
- Pick 6 Central - A program providing analysis for major Pick 6 Carryovers.
- Race Night - Live race telecasts, airing Monday through Thursday evenings.
- Racing Coast to Coast - Live racing from some of the top tracks across the United States.
- Starting Gate - A live race telecast program from East Coast tracks, with analysis and handicapping angles for all featured races.
- 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 - A 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 major races and events.
- Television Games - Racing coverage on Mondays and Tuesdays during the day with one host who analyzes the races as well as answers emails and tweets. Usually hosted by Rich Perloff and Caleb Keller, although Peter Lurie and Nick Hines have filled in on occasion.
On-air staff
Current on-air staff
- Tom Amoss
- Donna Barton Brothers
- Simon Bray
- Matt Carothers
- Tom Cassidy
- Britney Eurton
- Nick Hines
- Joaquin Jaime
- Mike Joyce
- Caleb Keller
- Paul Lo Duca
- Les Onaka
- Rich Perloff
- Todd Schrupp
- Dave Weaver
- Scott Hazleton
- Kurt Hoover
- Christina Blacker
- Megan Devine
- Peter Lurie
High definition
TVG HD is a high definition simulcast feed of TVG, that broadcasts in the 720p resolution format. The HD feed was launched on April 4, 2014.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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