Comments on: Z Humor heads field in the Sam F Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs

By: kstafford

kstafford — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 02:28:28 +0000

How did I not know this? That’s unbelievable! Is that rebate available on bets through any service or just through HRTV?

By: Jerry

Jerry — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 15:38:08 +0000

I contacted the Maryland Jockey Club and they sent me a .pdf file with a list of takeout percentages for the winter meet. Pick 3′s and 4′s have a takeout of 14% which is among the lowest in the country. Couple that with an 8% rebate on exotic bets online, and you’re paying 6%. That’s no worse than sales tax.

By: kstafford

kstafford — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 16:17:36 +0000

Jerry, the way I understand it (and I may be very wrong about this) is that in the multi-race exotic wagers, the track takeout is only factored into the first leg where you lay your bet, as opposed to in all 4 legs if you were to parlay on your own by placing single win bets. I’ve always heard that the multi-race exotics are the way to go to limit takeouts. Of course a lot of times the takeouts can be higher in these pools as opposed to straight win-place-show wagering, but I think you still end up better off. Hopefully someone will correct me if I’m mistaken about this.

That trial run they did at Laurel with reduced takeouts was awesome, I just wish they’d do that all the time to encourage more betting. Hopefully they will do something like that when the Pimlico meet starts up. God knows I’ll be playing that meet as frequently as possible.

By: Jerry

Jerry — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 21:48:07 +0000

What do you mean about getting hit only once with the takeout in Pick 4′s and 6′s? How does that work?

By: kstafford

kstafford — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 13:14:40 +0000

Sometimes. For example, Laurel did some promotional things when the 2007 meet kicked off that left better takeouts in the pick 6 and pick 4 pools. I was all over that. Actually missed a couple of pick 6′s that may have been ‘life changing” by one race. The “5 of 6″ consolation is just such a teaser.

For the most part though I just ignore them and focus my main bets on multi-race exotics like the pick 4 and pick 6 since you only get hit with the takeout once if I understand it correctly. I’ll throw in some action bets of the W-P-S and tri/exacta variety to keep my interest in each individual race.

I’m actually a terrible trifecta handicapper. On a 10 race card I’m usually lucky to have 2 trifectas right using my top 3 selections. I’ve always rationalized this by thinking that I”m looking at 3 logical win candidates, and not necessarily place or show candidates. Still, it’s something I wish I was better at. I usually have to cover several horses underneath to give myself a prospect of hitting.