Racing: Fixed odds no deductions rule stays for summer, may be permanent

The TAB's no deductions rule for fixed odds betting will stay in place for summer racing. It was extended again until the end of March. The policy means punters are guaranteed the final field win or place price for any bet placed on either New Zealand or overseas racing, regardless of how many scratchings there are in that race. There were concerns about integrity issues and increased market percentages, but none of those came to fruition. The Tab hopes the promotion will become permanent. Nick Conway, the head of betting, says the way bookies set markets hasn't been affected greatly. He says it's not greatly different from sport, where there is no deduction.