Former TAB chief executive Allen Windross has died in a Sydney hospital.

Windross was chief executive of the TAB from 1987 until his retirement in 1999 after which he began an MA in gambling studies, earning honours for his thesis on betting systems.

He undertook research into punter behaviour across three states and continued to collect to collect information on betting systems from around the world for many years.

More recently, Windross served as a trustee of the Racing NSW Jockeys' Benefit Fund and was the elected chairman of the trust at the time of his death.

"Allen Windross was a significant achiever during his working life and possessed a beautiful mind when it came to wagering and to life," Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'landys said.

"A true gentleman of the turf, his involvement with racing never waned and he was always willing to assist the industry and pass on his expansive knowledge to others.

"In more recent years, his contribution to the Racing NSW Jockeys' Trust Fund was extremely valuable. He'll be sorely missed."