TVG Network

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 places microphones on select jockeys, owners, trainers, and the starting crew.

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 the end of February 2007, TVG ended its longtime affiliation with Churchill Downs Incorporated. On May 2, 2008, Gemstar-TV Guide was acquired by Macrovision (now TiVo 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 the end of 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.[3] 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.[4][5][6]

The network saw an increase in prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the shutdown of nearly all other live sports has prompted increased interest in horse racing and off-track betting from tracks that remain active; the limited tracks available have resulted in greater prominence given to smaller tracks and meets such as Nebraska's Fonner Park and the Florida Derby, and the network's personalities have made efforts to accommodate new viewers and explain the technical terminology associated with horse racing and wagers. TVG also reached an agreement with the mainstream sports channel NBCSN (which reaches at least 80 million homes, as opposed to TVG's 45 million) to simulcast a block of Trackside Live on Friday through Sunday afternoons.[7]

TVG offers wagering services to residents of Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey (under 4NJBets), New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming. TVG account holders are able to wager online at TVG.com, or by landline or mobile phone.

EX Indicates a racetrack that TVG maintains an agreement to be the exclusive horse racing broadcaster of that track's races.

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, Sweden, France, Hong Kong and Japan.

TVG covers over one hundred 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.

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.[11]

• Official website