SA Footy

A mate of mine is seriously considering leasing a TAB in the Southern suburbs.
We investigated yesterday and now he has mixed thoughts.
The TAB in question is a restricted agency, open only during daytime hours.
It is to be open 7 days a week.

This particular TAB was a sMALler agency
One of the things that put my mate off was no toilets for the public.

Wages work on commission on holdings
I believe that commission is just under 2 % ???
A deposit or bond is put up front to run a TAB and redeemed when the person finishes

Should he or anyone take up leasing a TAB ?
Is it a viable option ?

if i were going to go into any business i wouldn't want toilets as then you'd have to clean them & have you seen what some of the pigs do to public toilets ?

people i know that run tabs are making wages & that's about all because other expenses come into the equation so i'd tell your friend to check all the 'bills' he/she would have to make first before even starting to make a profit

would be a crazy decision IMO with the online betting options always improving and getting better the TAB's are in trouble....in 5-10 years they wont be around and only in pubs

There are a couple of decent TAB's in the Northern suburbs. I know plenty of punters that live within 5 minute drive from 1 but prefer to drive the extra 10-15 minutes as the other one has toilets. Also the other advantage they like is the fact the second one is closer to fast food shops so they then have the luxury of having a punt plus having the toilets and fast food etc all in the 1 basic location. They get to spend the whole saturday arvo/night there without having to move to far.

ME i pefer to sit at home and punt online where i have the convenience of everything right here.

MAL the only advice i would give is do plenty of research and study the books if its already an operating TAB.

I recieved my certificate in Gaming, Keno and TAB some years ago but as yet havent worked in the industry so i cant give any advice in that regards.

WHAT i would advise though is to open an American style Sports Bar with plenty of Big Tv screens showing every type of sport you can punt on.

SUBJECT
TO CRAP OR NOT TO CRAP THAT IS THE QUESTION
If you run the TAB I guess its your responsibilty to clean the toilets ?
If thats the case it is not an appealing prospect, I would hate to clean.
HOWEVER
From the punters perspective, I would prefer to spend a day at a TAB with a loo.
No toilet = loss of clientele
This particular TAB had no toilet
We checked the surroundings, and then walked to the PubTAB in the vicinity
They had a TAB they had toilets and had a guy doing a sausage sizzle and handing out freebie snags to anyone entering the pub.
Immediately my mate and I were put off with the lack of toilet facilities at the said TAB.

AGREE WITH DUTCHY
I also told the mate that there is a distinct posibilty that this TAB would close down within10 years.
The clientele were mainly middle aged to pension aged people,+ when they are too old or deceased whose gunna replace them.?

ME
I very rarely go to the TABs as I have far superior faciltation at my house
I have foxtel, Betfair,ON line Bookies,+ 3 TABs on line to punt with
If I have a computer prob I can revert to a phone account to place investments.

FOOD
All the agencies visited yesterday had somethng else in common
No decent food
They had potato chips and chocolates predomnantly [big deal]
I can eat better food at home or the same at less cost

SUMMARY
Perhaps as a short term investment still feasable to make earnings from an agency
Long term the TAB cant attract people with their current set ups

PS
When I do go for a punt with mates its at the PUBTABs
Food, drinks, toilets , comfortable seating with your own tables, more sports shown on theTVs

A Northern area's based SPORTS BAR.

All sports on numerous TV screens.

Punting on all sports.

Free sausage sizzles on weekends.

Visits from Sports people from the various codes on their codes BIG DAY.

IE: A jockey on Melbourne Cup day.
Footballers on G/Final Day etc etc

I have a feeling ive looked in to this a bit in the past.

Only problem is START UP CAPITAL.

No way in the world would you even consider it.

maybe MAL you should ask the people who formerly had the one on grand junction rd, apparently that they are either stars or derrs, depending on who you listen to

mighty_tiger_79 wrote:maybe MAL you should ask the people who formerly had the one on grand junction rd, apparently that they are either stars or derrs, depending on who you listen to

Only times I go the TAB agencies are for reunions these days ...

Mal, Its a dying buisness.Who's got the time to stay in agencies all day and what everyone has said to you its all true. No toilets,food, online punting, sky racing at home live sports on fox are all factors. The days of staying in agencies all day are dead unless you have no wife and kids it can't be done any longer.I would be against the idea but thats my opinion.
PS. if we stayed in the tabs all day who would respond to Ironman's
comments on this forum . Just joking Ironman

I looked at it in my never ending quest to find a way out of sitting here doing this rubbish for the rest of my life.

Anyway, it became a shall I/shant I type situation.

The things 'for' - start work later, giving me more time with my daughter in the mornings, walk to work, have the ability to upgrade the facilities (so that like you Mal, they're up with the facilities at pubtabs) to bring people in, work for myself.

The argument against - online betting. Tab payouts are the worst in the country. Long hours. Upkeep of facilities. Chance of me pi$$ing all the profits against the wall by betting all day.

Just to name a few. Ultimately, I couldn't justify leasing a TAB at this time of my life. Perhaps when I'm looking to retire, invest in a TAB and get someone to run it for me.

I knew a girl in the ACT who's dad had three ACTAB shops and they were very viable, 15 years ago. Dunno how they're doing now though.

Agree lads
I would never get an agency
7 days a weeks
If your working 75% of the time as stated in the criteria to run a TAB, you need to clear $1000 per week to even contemplate running one
I know of 2 people who share a TAB agency and they have said they are pulling a wage between them.
As for my mate, well thats his decision
I have told him NO to the agency we have seen

with the opening hours

are they set or can you open longer?????

I know a TAB used to stay open well past any competitors at night during the week in the past

Some are day/ night agencies
The one in question is about 10-5 or thereabouts 7 days a week

mal wrote:Some are day/ night agencies
The one in question is about 10-5 or thereabouts 7 days a week

no thanks, thats restriction of trade

i know of an agency that used to stay open past the closing time at night!!!!!

Advise him to stay away MAL.....

if i had a TAB

i would try and be open as long as possible, later on friday, sat nights for the trot punters and open late monday/thursday for the dogs

I would invest into some cheap computers and offer a membership deal to those who wanted to bet on england races/dogs, seth efrican races, macau dogs etc all through the night via internet and they can watch the races on the big tvs and creating an atmosphere. Obviously some people prefer punting at home with no outside distractions of people yelling and carrying on. I would offer coffee cheap plus snacks etc, not the vending machines!

A mate of mine leases a well-known Agency East of Adelaide.

Forget leasing one mate!!!

mighty_tiger_79 wrote:if i had a TAB

i would try and be open as long as possible, later on friday, sat nights for the trot punters and open late monday/thursday for the dogs

I would invest into some cheap computers and offer a membership deal to those who wanted to bet on england races/dogs, seth efrican races, macau dogs etc all through the night via internet and they can watch the races on the big tvs and creating an atmosphere. Obviously some people prefer punting at home with no outside distractions of people yelling and carrying on. I would offer coffee cheap plus snacks etc, not the vending machines!

You could sell KFC then AG would come and never leave = profitable business...