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TVG Upgrades Wagering App With New Features, Handicapping Information

Heading into the Triple Crown season, TVG, America's horse racing network and leading advanced-deposit wagering provider, has unveiled major upgrades to the TVG mobile wagering app as part of an ongoing commitment to provide horseplayers a best-in-class online wagering experience.

In addition, the network is introducing special features and on-demand video on its OTT platform, the WatchTVG app, in the lead-up to the Kentucky Derby.

“Our team is always looking at ways to improve the wagering experience for TVG customers and to reinvest in technology upgrades to improve the customer experience and make it easier for new fans,” said Kip Levin, CEO of TVG. “These enhanced wagering and handicapping features on our mobile app are the latest example of our company's commitment to innovation and reinvestment in our core horse racing product.”

TVG's mobile app, available both for Apple and Android users, now features enhanced betting features and TVG Insights, including expanded information on each horse in every race and summary past performances, as well as access to full past performances with starting price and runner comments and more. These enhanced features help handicappers by flagging and calling out relevant information on horses in categories such as equipment changes, “Horse For Courses”, and “Hot Trainer”, and to give horseplayers further insight into trends, odds shifts and other important data.

TVG has also introduced dramatic and intuitive improvements to the “Bets” section of the app. A new re-bet feature that allows players to use their selections in multi-race wagers in a new bet should they be eliminated in an early leg. For example, if a player is knocked out of the first leg of a Pick 5, the platform facilitates a Pick 4 wager on the player's remaining selections if the player chooses that option. Other features include approximate payouts and personalized will-pays directly on the betting ticket. And improved navigation lets bettors get to the upcoming leg faster.

There is enhanced viewing functionality as well and horseplayers can watch live video, check pools, access handicapping data and place wagers all seamlessly on one screen.

The video player is now upgraded to HD where available but more importantly is at a significant reduced latency. Video feeds in are faster than before and just a few seconds behind live.

“A lot of hard work has gone into these improvements over the past year by the team,” said Stephen Kennelly, Vice President of Racing Product. “We've focused on two key themes with our app, ease of use and presenting the right info at the right time. Customer research and feedback has been great on both the handicapping info and Bets improvements and we are looking forward to even further improvements later this year.”

This short video helps explain some of the new wagering and data features. https://vimeo.com/537032615

In addition to the enhancements of its wagering app, TVG has added special on-demand features for fans and horseplayers on its OTT WatchTVG app, including replays of Kentucky Derby prep races, expert analysis, handicapping tips and contender profiles. “Derbyology”, a recap of all of the Derby prep races, is also available. There will also be access to highlights of historic editions of the Kentucky Derby including Unbridled (1990), Mine that Bird (2009) and American Pharoah (2015).

The WatchTVG App is available on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV connected devices. TVG account holders can sign in to the WatchTVG app for free using their existing TVG account login details. Non-TVG account holders can sign up for a 7-day free trial. Learn more by going to TVG.com/watch.

Additionally, TVG has recently rolled out a new broadcast graphics package to enhance the everyday viewing experience of horseplayers, fans and industry stakeholders.

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TVG, Keeneland Extend Broadcast Partnership Through 2026

TVG, America's horse racing network, leading advanced-deposit wagering platform, and part of the FanDuel Group, and Keeneland, the iconic Thoroughbred racing and sales company in Lexington, Ky., have reached an agreement that extends their longstanding partnership through at least 2026, the two companies announced.

As part of the agreement, TVG will retain exclusive broadcast rights for Keeneland's race meets as well as non-exclusive wagering rights for Keeneland's races. As part of the extension, TVG will be the exclusive broadcast network for Keeneland racing but, consistent with past practice, the network will share broadcast rights for select special events with NBC Sports. In addition, FanDuel group will promote Keeneland's racing to its more than 10 million Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) and sports book customers as the company further integrates promotion of horse racing with its sports book and daily fantasy platforms.

“Keeneland and its stakeholders in the Central Kentucky Thoroughbred breeding industry have been cornerstones of TVG's history and growth,” said Kip Levin, CEO of TVG. “We're looking forward to building on our 20-plus year relationship with Keeneland. Our company is committed to horse racing and we're reinvesting in the sport every day. In tandem, as our sports betting platform continues to expand, we are particularly excited to utilize the powerful assets of the FanDuel Group to introduce a new audience to Keeneland racing.”

“Keeneland's relationship with TVG continues our mission to expand racing's outreach by delivering quality products to our existing fans and cultivating new fans and participants across all platforms,” said Shannon Arvin, CEO and President of Keeneland. “TVG and FanDuel represent not only a significant share of the advanced-deposit wagering and sports betting markets, the latter being a natural audience for our racing content, but they share our goal to promote the Thoroughbred industry.”

Keeneland and TVG have partnered since 1999 for wagering and broadcast content. The alliance expanded over the last decade to showcase Keeneland's Thoroughbred sales and to provide additional focus on the breeding and sales aspects of the Thoroughbred industry.

In 2019, TVG racing analysts Gabby Gaudet and Scott Hazelton began hosting “Today at Keeneland,” the track's live, on-site preview show, and providing expert commentary between races. Last year, TVG became the title sponsor of the Limestone Turf Sprint during the Keeneland Spring Meet and the presenting sponsor of the Woodford (G2) during the Keeneland Fall Meet.

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New Agreements With ADW Companies To Increase California Purses; TwinSpires Lone Holdout

The Thoroughbred Owners of California (“TOC”), Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, The Stronach Group's 1/ST Racing and FanDuel Group's TVG have announced a new purse enhancement program that will inject up to $15 million into California Thoroughbred purses in 2021 and 2022.

The parties to the agreement, all major stakeholders in California Thoroughbred racing, believed that working together on additional sponsorship and purse enhancements would help support the state's racing industry in light of the loss of purse revenue due to the cessation of live racing in California in 2020 and the restrictions on on-site attendance due to public health requirements. The parties also share a commitment to support and promote the significant equine health and safety advancements made by California racing interests over the last two years.

“California racing has always been very important to TVG, and we are committed to continuing our support of the racing industry here, especially given the challenging circumstances the industry faced in 2020,” said TVG CEO Kip Levin. “We feel the right strategy is to partner with the stakeholders to further strengthen what has always been a premier racing circuit in the United States.”

In anticipation of the program, Santa Anita Park recently announced a 10% across the board purse increase for its 2020-2021 Winter/Spring Meet. With a daily purse average of $533,000, Santa Anita Park's purses are now competitive with the top circuits in the U.S. despite not receiving any casino gaming revenues or government subsidies.

“This is a great development for California horse racing,” said Craig Fravel, The Stronach Group's CEO of Racing. “Along with our horsemen and regulators, we instituted historic safety reforms starting in 2019. We believe these reforms and the enhanced purses previously announced have created a great racing environment that has already attracted top stakes horses, trainers and riders from all over the country to our current Santa Anita Winter/Spring meet.”

With the support of these purse enhancements, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club is projected to increase average daily purse levels at its summer meeting to more than $600,000 in 2021, Del Mar officials indicated. Josh Rubinstein, Del Mar's president, stated, “Coming off our extraordinarily successful summer and fall meets in 2020, these increased purses, coupled with the growing excitement for the 2021 Breeders' Cup World Championships, sets us up for a fantastic 2021.”

The purse enhancements come as a result of new hub agreements involving TOC and the advance deposit wagering companies TVG and 1/ST Bet, also known as Xpressbet. With the coronavirus pandemic eliminating virtually all on-track wagering, the ADW companies enjoyed a financial windfall for most of 2020 and into 2021, as betting shifted online. In recognition of that, TVG and 1/ST Bet agreed to accept a lower fee – 4.1% instead of 5% – on all wagers from California residents through their platforms. Other, smaller wagering platforms have also agreed to the new terms, according to TOC.

Churchill Downs Inc.'s ADW company, TwinSpires, did not agree to the fee reduction and the matter will go to arbitration in accordance with California Business and Professions Code 19604.

“This unprecedented level of partnership among California's horsemen and women, FanDuel/TVG, The Stronach Group and Del Mar is just the beginning,” said TOC President Greg Avioli. “With sports wagering on the horizon and its potential to both add millions more to purse accounts and to create new horse players, combined with the successful safety and welfare measures instituted over the last two years by our race tracks, we are well on the way to returning California to its historic place as the country's premier racing circuit.”

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NYRA, TVG To Contribute $410,000 To COVID Relief Via Backstretch, Aftercare Programs

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) and TVG today announced a series of COVID-19 relief donations for a broad spectrum of non-profit organizations working to support the thoroughbred racing community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The $410,000 in charitable contributions will be distributed to seven non-profit organizations including the New York Chapter of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America (NYRTCA), the Belmont Employee Service Team (B.E.S.T), the Belmont Child Care Association (BCCA), the Racing Medication & Testing Consortium (RMTC), the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program (RTIP), the Permanently Disabled Jockey Fund (PDJF) and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA).

“The racing industry has rallied in incredible ways in response to the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Kip Levin, CEO of TVG. “The entire TVG team is grateful that our partnership with NYRA will benefit these great organizations who do so much every day to help those in need.”

NYRA and TVG created the relief fund in the spring of 2020 to proactively respond to the myriad challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, including the 54-day suspension of live racing in New York, the closure of casinos across the state and the continued lack of on-track attendance at all racetracks in New York.

“These organizations are all longtime partners of NYRA who have performed outstanding and oftentimes heroic work throughout the pandemic,” said NYRA President and CEO David O'Rourke. “Our thanks to TVG for recognizing the importance of the services they provide to the men and women who sustain the sport here in New York.”

As a result of the success of the joint effort between NYRA and TVG, the NYRTCA, B.E.S.T and the BCCA, whose work is devoted to the overall health and well-being of New York's backstretch community, will each receive donations of $100,000.

In addition, $30,000 each will be donated to the RMTC and the RTIP with $25,000 going to both the PDJF and the TAA.

In early March, NYRA established the COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan Committee, comprised of key NYRA staff members as well as representatives from the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA), B.E.S.T, and the NYRTCA. Working together, the committee developed and implemented health and safety protocols aligning with the most updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and the New York State Department of Health.

Representatives of B.E.S.T, NYRTCA and BCCA set up food banks, distributed masks, provided up-to-date communications on health care, worked as translators and collected and even distributed gift cards for groceries for the hundreds of Belmont-based backstretch workers and their families. They also created more virtual learning opportunities and at-home instruction for the children of backstretch workers enrolled in Anna House, the childcare and early education facility at Belmont Park, along with performing hundreds of other tasks that will never be recorded.

TVG has been able to remain on air since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and has prioritized keeping its employees safe through strict social distancing, health protocols and remote broadcasting. The network has maintained a strong commitment to the horse racing industry and has continued sponsorships of the TVG Pacific Classic, TVG.com Haskell Invitational and the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile while also expanding to sponsor additional races at Keeneland in both July and October as well as a Breeders' Crown race. Additionally, TVG has partnered with charitable organizations throughout the industry, including the TAA, California Retirement Management Account (CARMA) and the PDJF to raise funding and awareness.

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