Social Interaction

I have been mulling this over in my head for months now, but with Ed DeRosa's recent post I figured I'd add my .02 cents into what I'm looking for with social interaction from any horse racing website.  What started my thinking this was the obnoxious sign-ins I still have to do on some websites.  I sign-in, but I have no idea what I'm getting in return for providing that information.   I think it is about time these sites put some resources behind this sign-in and make it worth our while. My thinking..... On Saturday I wake up to find my wonderful wife has taken my 3 wonderful kids away for the day, and Daddy has the day for himself.  There's even that day's DRF on the table cause she figured that what's I would do, but it's crappy outside and my friends aren't going to Monmouth, so I'm left to watching it on TV, and I'll be betting online.  I log on to a the website (or maybe an app).  I have a little interface like I do on most sites, I have friends,  i have signed up for specific track news, or people posting messages about a few tracks:  I also have what my friends are talking about in general on my feed.  However, my focus is at Monmouth Park.  So, I check-in to Monmouth Park, I'm not quite the mayor there, but I've earned the badge "degenerate" and a couple more weeks I'm sure I'll be mayor.  Other users are here talking about that day of racing, bets, conditions, just talking on this private feed.  Some information right at my fingertips: MTP, PP's (I can purchase), basic info like runner's name, trainer, jockey, odds, race info.  Furthermore, there are links to ADW's handling that track so I can go make a bet, but I can also place my bet w/ this website (fake money of course).  I have options when doing this.  I can keep it all private which I might want to do if I just want to track my personal bets; because if I track them with this website, this website will slice and dice my cumulative wagering 1000 ways, and track all the tracks I wager on.  However, I'm going to go public w/ my wagering (Why? I'll get to that shortly).  I place a bet, and it comes up in the group,"Handride: $5 W/S on #5 in race 2 (stats)"  What is that "Stats" well the site will use my prior history (real or fake whatever the user wants) to publish how i do on these type of wagers, think about the trainer line at the bottom of PP's, but now think about it for gamblers.  Cool right?  So i can watch other players make wagers and if I see something I like from someone who has a good record I'll probably jump on his bandwagon, maybe if I don't like the bet I can "back" it.  It's fake money of course so this type of exchange is no big deal.  The first thought is "Why would a good gambler put their picks out there" and I answer, "why do people tell the world they are going on vacation for a week and their house will be empty?"  I don't think everyone will do it, but there are some people who like to open w/ their bets and they like to gain popularity and credibility, so people will do it.  Popularity and credibility isn't all a public wager will get you.  A gambler earns "points" by all manners of things:  Obviously with money earned, but also hitting the biggest exacta of the day, or hitting a super, backing the most of other's peoples bets and coming out on top... you can take your points and gift them to other users who helped you score, or you could turn in your points for something from the site, like an upgrade on your next purchase of PP's or other types of discounts, we're talking A LOT of points, most social sites just have points/karma/likes that get you nothing.  While I'm betting at Monmouth I can check into Saratoga and have the same experience and now I'm getting the feeds of both tracks and placing wagers and interacting w/ other people from both places.  It's as close to being on the rail with friends as you can imagine, and possibly you make new friends. Why would a site do it?  Maybe they sell PP's, or other wagering information. Maybe they are an ADW and do this for their fake money site.  Either way they will end up with a captive audience for a day to show their advertisements to and hook into.